<p>Sydney: Australia began a national day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting, with flags across the country flown at half mast ahead of a commemoration event at Sydney's iconic Opera House.</p><p>A father and son allegedly opened fire at an event celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah on December 14, killing 15 people in Australia's worst mass shooting in decades.</p><p>Police claim the men were inspired by Islamic State to carry out the attack, that the government has called an act of terrorism against Jewish people.</p><p>"Today is an opportunity for us to remember and pay respect to the 15 lives," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters on Thursday.</p><p>"It's an opportunity for us as a nation to wrap our arms around the Jewish community because people were targeted because they were Jewish Australians."</p><p>A minute's silence, including on the country's main television channels, will be held across the nation just after 7 p.m. local time in Sydney (0800 GMT) when the memorial event begins.</p>.Australia parliament returns with moment of silence for Bondi mass shooting victims.<p>"This will be an opportunity to just take that minute to really think about what's happened and to pay respects, and I invite all Australians to participate in observing that minute of silence," Albanese said.</p><p>Event attendees, including relatives of the victims, will light candles and hear speeches from lawmakers, as well as Jewish prayers and video tributes.</p><p>Buildings across the country, including cricket stadiums in Melbourne and Perth, will also be illuminated.</p><p>The Bondi attack shocked the nation and led to calls for tougher action on antisemitism and gun control, with Albanese pledging to tackle both.</p>.Australia's 'Bondi Hero' handed $1.65 million collected from fundraising.<p>Australia’s lower house of parliament on Tuesday passed laws to enable a national gun buyback and tightened background checks for gun licences, despite opposition from the conservative opposition.</p><p>Lawmakers are also debating separate legislation that would lower the threshold for prosecuting hate speech offences.</p>
<p>Sydney: Australia began a national day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting, with flags across the country flown at half mast ahead of a commemoration event at Sydney's iconic Opera House.</p><p>A father and son allegedly opened fire at an event celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah on December 14, killing 15 people in Australia's worst mass shooting in decades.</p><p>Police claim the men were inspired by Islamic State to carry out the attack, that the government has called an act of terrorism against Jewish people.</p><p>"Today is an opportunity for us to remember and pay respect to the 15 lives," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters on Thursday.</p><p>"It's an opportunity for us as a nation to wrap our arms around the Jewish community because people were targeted because they were Jewish Australians."</p><p>A minute's silence, including on the country's main television channels, will be held across the nation just after 7 p.m. local time in Sydney (0800 GMT) when the memorial event begins.</p>.Australia parliament returns with moment of silence for Bondi mass shooting victims.<p>"This will be an opportunity to just take that minute to really think about what's happened and to pay respects, and I invite all Australians to participate in observing that minute of silence," Albanese said.</p><p>Event attendees, including relatives of the victims, will light candles and hear speeches from lawmakers, as well as Jewish prayers and video tributes.</p><p>Buildings across the country, including cricket stadiums in Melbourne and Perth, will also be illuminated.</p><p>The Bondi attack shocked the nation and led to calls for tougher action on antisemitism and gun control, with Albanese pledging to tackle both.</p>.Australia's 'Bondi Hero' handed $1.65 million collected from fundraising.<p>Australia’s lower house of parliament on Tuesday passed laws to enable a national gun buyback and tightened background checks for gun licences, despite opposition from the conservative opposition.</p><p>Lawmakers are also debating separate legislation that would lower the threshold for prosecuting hate speech offences.</p>