CANBERRA -- Over 4.7 million accounts belonging to children were deactivated in the first days of Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s, the federal government said on Friday.
Data released by the government's eSafety commissioner revealed that social media companies removed access to around 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children under 16 in the days after the ban took effect on Dec. 10. (Australia-Social Media-Ban)
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COLOMBO -- Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has rolled out a special program to help the country meet its national tourism targets for 2026, a senior official said on Friday.
SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam said they will launch focused promotional campaigns in key European markets to attract visitors during what are traditionally considered off-peak months. (Sri Lanka-Tourism-Program)
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TOKYO -- The leaders of Japan's main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) and Komeito announced Friday the new party they have agreed to form will be named the Centrist Reform Alliance, as they move to unite centrist forces ahead of a possible snap election.
CDPJ leader and former prime minister Yoshihiko Noda and Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito made the announcement at a joint news conference in Tokyo, noting members of the two parties will accelerate procedures such as changes in party affiliation and jointly challenge the ruling bloc led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the expected lower house election. (Japan-Opposition-New Party)
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SEOUL -- South Korea's former impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol was sentenced to five years in prison on arrest obstruction charges, live footage showed Friday.
The criminal division of the Seoul Central District Court in charge of Yoon's obstruction of justice case handed down the prison sentence to Yoon for abusing the presidential security service to hinder the anti-corruption agency from executing its arrest warrant in January 2025. (S. Korea-Ex-President-Sentence) ■
