Politics
‘Large shark’ kills man off Sydney beach
SYDNEY: A suspected “large shark” mauled a surfer to death in a rare fatal attack off a Sydney beach on Saturday, Australian police and rescuers said, leading to a string of beach closures.
The man was pulled out of the Pacific surf onto shore at northern Sydney’s Long Reef Beach but died at the scene, New South Wales police said in a statement.
“A man has died on the Northern Beaches after being bitten by what is believed to have been a large shark,” police said.
Two sections of a surfboard were recovered and taken for examination, police said, adding that they were working with experts to identify the species of shark involved.
Images of the scene on local media showed police gathered on the shore and ambulances parked nearby.
The victim was bitten by the ocean predator while surfing in the morning away from a patrolled area of the beach, according to Surf Life Saving NSW.
Beaches between the northern suburbs of Manly and Narrabeen have been closed for at least 24 hours, it said.
“For now, please remain clear of the water at beaches in the vicinity and follow the direction of lifeguards and lifesavers,” Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steven Pearce said in a statement.
“Our deepest condolences go to the family of the man involved in this terrible tragedy.”
Surf life saving clubs nearby have cancelled all water activity and training for the weekend.
‘Critical injuries’
It was the first fatal shark attack in Sydney since 2022, when 35-year-old British diving instructor Simon Nellist was killed off Little Bay.
The previous fatal attack in the city was in 1963.
Drones were now scanning the beach for shark activity, according to Australian public broadcaster ABC.
Police said emergency services rushed to the scene following alerts that the man, who was not identified, had suffered “critical injuries”.
An unnamed surfer said the victim had been surfing off the adjoining Long Reef and Dee Why beaches.
“Four or five surfers pulled him out of the water and it looked like a significant part of his lower half had been attacked,” the surfer said, according to Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.
People were ordered out of the water, he told the paper.
“There was a surf lifesaving guy waving a red flag,” the surfer said. “I didn’t know what it was … but thought I should probably go in (to shore).”
Australia’s last deadly shark attack was in March, when a surfer was taken off the remote Wharton Beach of Western Australia.
There have been more than 1,280 shark incidents around Australia since 1791, of which over 250 resulted in death, according to a database of the predators’ encounters with humans.
DUBAI: As the countdown to 2026 begins, Dubai is preparing to light up the sky with an awe-inspiring spectacle of fireworks.
In a celebration set to captivate the world, Dubai will host 48 dazzling fireworks displays across 40 iconic locations.
From the towering Burj Khalifa to the stunning Palm Jumeirah, Dubai is set to ring in the New Year with a glittering display that promises to leave spectators breathless.
The Dubai authorities have announced the list of key locations where the celebrations will take place.
The main venues include iconic landmarks such as:
- Burj Khalifa
- Dubai Frame
- The World Islands
- Dubai Festival City
- Burj Al Arab
- Palm Jumeirah
- Dubai Creek Harbour
- Global Village
- Al Seef
- Hatta
- Bluewaters
In addition, fireworks displays are also set to take place in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah, with over ten locations across these emirates also joining the celebrations.
Earlier, it was reported that the Dubai Mall was also set to dazzle with a spectacular light display to complement the grand fireworks at the Burj Khalifa.
Mohammed Al Abbar, the Emirati businessman whose construction company built the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and the iconic Dubai Mall, is personally supervising the preparations for this year’s New Year’s Eve celebration.
Dubai Police have taken action against 90 individuals, seizing their electric bikes after they were caught performing dangerous stunts on the sports tracks near Kite Beach, a popular location in the Jumeirah area.
The riders were found violating safety regulations, prompting the authorities to issue a firm response.
The police have made it clear that public safety is a priority, reaffirming their zero-tolerance policy towards any action that endangers public well-being.
“Public safety is not a choice — it is a shared responsibility,” a statement shared by Dubai Police on social media platform X read.
Authorities have stressed that any violation of the law, particularly related to safety regulations, will not be tolerated.
The police emphasised that strict enforcement measures will continue to be applied to maintain public order on Dubai’s streets and sports facilities.
- Tajik forces killed three alleged militants crossing from Afghanistan.
- Taliban say they are jointly investigating with Tajikistan.
- Kabul warns of attempts to damage bilateral ties.
Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities said on Saturday they were working with neighbouring Tajikistan to investigate a border clash earlier this week that killed five people, including two Tajik guards.
Tajikistan announced on Thursday that three members of a “terrorist” group had crossed into the Central Asian country “illegally” at Khatlon province, which borders Afghanistan.
Tajik security forces killed the trio, but two border guards also died in the clash, the Tajik national security committee said.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Saturday that “we have started serious investigations into the recent ‘incidents’ on Tajik soil.
“I spoke to the foreign minister of Tajikistan, and we are working together to prevent such incidents,” he told an event in Kabul.
“We are worried that some malicious circles want to destroy the relations between the two neighbouring countries,” the minister added, without elaborating.
Tajikistan shares a mountainous border of about 1,350 kilometres (839 miles) with Afghanistan and has had tense relations with Kabul’s Taliban authorities, who returned to power in 2021.
Unlike other Central Asian leaders, Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon, who has been in power since 1992, has criticised the Taliban and urged them to respect the rights of ethnic Tajiks in Afghanistan.
At least five Chinese nationals were killed, and several were wounded in two separate attacks along the border with Afghanistan in late November and early December, according to Tajik authorities.
According to a UN report in December, a militant group, Jamaat Ansarullah, “has fighters spread across different regions of Afghanistan” with a primary goal “to destabilise the situation in Tajikistan.”
Dushanbe is also concerned about the presence in Afghanistan of members of Daesh in Khorasan.
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