Meta announced it has removed access to almost 550,000 accounts suspected to belong to users under 16. This is the first compliance report one month after Australia’s new social media ban took effect. The blocked accounts include about 330,000 on Instagram, 173,000 on Facebook, and nearly 40,000 on Threads. Meta said compliance is a “multi-layered process that we will continue to refine”. They also urged the Australian government to seek alternatives to “blanket bans” and work with the industry to create safer, age-appropriate online experiences. In a separate development, Tracey Whiting, Chair of the Adelaide Festival board, resigned after the festival disinvited Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from the 2026 writers’ week program. Whiting said her resignation would allow the festival to “refresh its leadership and its approach to these circumstances”. This follows three other board members stepping down over the weekend. In Victoria, major bushfires have destroyed hundreds of structures and claimed at least one life. The fires, including the Longwood blaze in northern Victoria, are expected to burn for weeks despite cooler weather that may aid fire crews. Queensland is dealing with the fallout from ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji, which weakened after crossing the coast but left thousands without power and raised concerns about more floods. Lastly, the Golden Globes ceremony starts soon in the United States, with red carpet coverage expected.