A man accused of killing 15 people in a shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Bondi Beach, Australia, appeared in court on Monday, while in Iran, a family was forced to pay for the bullet that killed their son during protests. These events, along with other international developments, dominated headlines on Monday, February 16, 2026.
Naveed Akram, the suspect in the Bondi Beach attack, appeared via video link from prison, according to Sky News. The 24-year-old, who wore a green prison-issued jumper, remained mostly silent during the hearing. His lawyer indicated it was too early to determine how he would plead to the charges. The attack, which occurred in December, was one of the deadliest in Australian history.
In Iran, the family of Hooman, a 37-year-old protester killed during demonstrations in Lahijan, was forced to pay for the bullet that took his life, according to his aunt, Nasrin. She shared the painful details with Sky News, expressing anger and disbelief. Hooman had told a friend that he was willing to die "so others could be free."
Also on Monday, US forces boarded and "shut down" the oil tanker Veronica III in the Indian Ocean, which was linked to Venezuela, Sky News reported. The Department of War stated the boarding was a "right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding." The tanker had been tracked from the Caribbean.
Meanwhile, in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned an "extreme minority" after two female IDF soldiers were rescued from riots in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak. Video footage showed the soldiers being hurried away by police as thousands of ultra-Orthodox men protested. At least 22 people were arrested on Sunday as protesters set police motorcycles on fire and attacked officers, authorities said.
In other news, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein's trafficking ring shared her experience, stating that her recruiters "laughed" as she was sexually assaulted on Epstein's private jet. The woman, who was trafficked from Cape Town to Epstein's island and ranch, described her entrapment as more than physical, according to Sky News.
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