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Teenage boy in custody after stabbing at Sydney church

A 15-year-old boy has been arrested after he stormed a church service in Western Sydney and stabbed a bishop and a priest. The Orthodox Christian church service was being live-streamed from the suburb of Wakeley on Monday night and captured the moment Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel's sermon was interrupted by the teen, who allegedly stabbed him several times. Father Isaac Royel was also stabbed, with two parishioners also sustaining injuries as they subdued the teenager until police arrived. The bishop and priest were both taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said the churchgoers did a "fantastic job" trying to calm the scene, but outside the church, an emotional crowd quickly built. NSW Premier Chris Minns chaired an urgent crisis control meeting with leaders from multiple faiths, all agreeing to a call for calm. When police arrived on the scene, the riot officers attempted to forcibly move the crowd away from the church, which led to violence against the officers. Police cars were smashed and two officers were taken to hospital after being injured by members of the crowd who broke into “a number of houses to gain weapons to throw at the police”. The 15-year-old, who was known to police, was arrested once officers gained access to the church and was taken to an undisclosed location for his own safety. Premier Minns later confirmed that the attack is being treated as a terror event, saying Police Commissioner Karen Webb had designated the stabbing a "terror incident" just prior to 2am. Chris Minns urged the community to keep calm and not perpetuate further violence, saying he and religious leaders “endorsed and supported a unanimous condemnation of violence in any form, called for the community to follow first responder and police instructions and called for calm in the community”. “We’re calling on everyone to act with kindness and respect for each other,” he said. The church said Bishop Emmanuel and a senior priest were in a stable condition and also appealed for calm. “We ask for your prayers at this time,” the church said in a statement posted on social media. Image credits: Facebook / Nine News

Legal

“A beautiful soul”: Teenager killed in Aus Day boat crash identified

The teenager killed in a fatal boat crash on Australia Day has been identified, as her heartbroken family remember her as a “beautiful soul”. Darcy Davey-Sutherland was enjoying a day on the water when two tinnies collided near the Gray’s Point boat ramp in Sydney’s Sutherlandshire, where the 16-year-old was critically injured. Paramedics arrived on the scene and transported Darcy to St George’s Hospital, where she later died. The 16-year-old was wearing a lifejacket at the time of the crash, and it is believed onlookers found her face down in the water and performed CPR on the teenager until paramedics arrived. Her father, Michael Davey-Sutherland, said his daughter was "the beacon of light within our family" in both the UK and Australia. "She was about to embark on the most special part of life as she stepped into adulthood," Michael told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-darcy-sutherland-killed-in-grays-point-boat-crash/794e7737-9970-4e41-80b0-4324c4d6db5c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a>. "Words cannot describe the pain we feel at the moment." Darcy, who was the eldest child and was very close to her two younger brothers, was also fondly remembered by her family and friends online. "I will miss you so much Darc, I feel like I've lost a part of me," one person said. "Will forever love you. You will forever be missed, my beautiful angel, I will never forget our time together," another said. "I pray for your family to find the strength to live with their forever broken heart, keeping your memory alive. Rest beautiful girl," a third added. A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/darcy-sutherland">GoFundMe</a> page set up to help the Davey-Sutherland family has already seen more than $40,000 raised in 24 hours. Image credits: 9News / Facebook

News

Teenager arrested after shoving elderly man off pier

A teenager has been arrested after a disgraceful assault on an elderly man, which saw the teen push the man off a pier and into the water. The 79-year-old was walking along the pier at Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula on Sunday night, when he was targeted by a group of three teenagers. Filming the assault, the teenagers laughed as one boy approached the elderly man and shoved him off the pier and into the water below. The teens ran away laughing, and later uploaded the footage of the incident to social media. Mornington Peninsula MP, Chris Crewther slammed the actions of the group and told the Today show that the man was not a strong swimmer and could have drowned if it wasn't for two bystanders who jumped into the water to save him. "It is disgraceful, appalling and cowardly behaviour," he said. "I know that this man is highly shaken and traumatised by the event and fortunately, I understand he wasn't seriously injured, but it would take a while to recover from this mentally and emotionally." A 14-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with reckless endangerment and unlawful assault over the incident. Crewther confirmed the other two boys involved in the attack are known to police, given that the footage of the shoving was uploaded to their personal social media accounts. "Obviously they were wanting some notoriety and to show their exploits on social media, which has actually got them in trouble now because they've identified themselves," he said. "The Police know who they are and are asking the victim to come forward to give a statement so that these three can be charged to the fullest extent and hopefully they will be punished." Image credits: Instagram

News

Teenage NRL player charged with gang murder

A teenage NRL player has been charged with murder over the violent death of an underworld figure in July. Masei Tavui, a 19-year-old West Tigers player, was charged by Liverpool Police on Tuesday afternoon over the death of Dejan “Danny the Serb” Radulovic, who was killed while he was on parole. Police officers arrested the teenager in the early hours of the morning, before executing a search of his home in south-west Sydney. Tavui sat calmly talking to police in handcuffs before being taken away in a paddy wagon. They arrested the 19-year-old before they seized “clothing relevant to their investigation” that was uncovered during the search. “It will undergo further forensic examination,” NSW Police said. Radulovic was killed on July 29th after he was allegedly shot and stabbed in the Sydney suburb of Balmain following an altercation with two men. Officers arrived on the scene to find Mr Radulovic had sustained significant head and torso injuries, with police alleging his wounds were from being bashed and stabbed. He was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where he later died. An autopsy of the 29-year-old discovered he had also suffered a gunshot wound. “Police have been told Danny Radulovic was injured during an altercation with two men before the pair allegedly fled the scene in a white Jeep,” a NSW Police spokesperson said in a statement. Masei Tavui was refused bail and will face court next week. Image credits: NSW Police

Legal

Human remains found in search for missing teenager

Tasmanian Police have discovered human remains in their search for missing 14-year-old Shyanne-Lee Tatnell. After a huge ground and air search, the remains were found on a bush track at Nabowla, in the north-east of Tasmania. While police have yet to confirm the remains are those of the missing teen, they have notified Shyanne-Lee's parents of the discovery. Shyanne-Lee went missing almost three months ago on April 30th, and was last seen on a main road in Launceston. Northern District Commander Kate Chambers said a crime scene had been declared where the remains were found. "It is with a heavy heart that I can confirm that remains were located late this afternoon during our extensive search. While these have not yet been forensically confirmed, they are believed to be human remains," Chambers said. "We have been in regular contact with Shyanne-Lee's family throughout the investigative process, and have notified them about this latest development." "Our thoughts continue to be with them and Shyanne-Lee's loved ones during this difficult time." Police went on to confirm that no arrests have been made, but declared that the investigation into Shyanne-Lee's disappearance now likely had a “criminal element” as they are “following a specific line of inquiry". Tasmania Police, with the assistance of NSW Police, the Australian Federal Police, SES and community volunteers, launched what’s believed to be Northern Tasmania’s largest police operation on Wednesday in the search for clues as to Shyanne-Lee’s whereabouts. Image credits: Facebook / Tasmania Police

Legal

Teenagers who have positive relationships with their parents tend to have better outcomes as adults

Parenting teenagers can be challenging, but a new study shows that those efforts ultimately pay off. <div class="copy"> When teenagers report higher levels of “parental warmth”,” communication” and time spent together, they are more likely to experience significantly higher general health, optimism and romantic relationships in early adulthood. That’s according to a paper by US paediatricians and social workers <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2802677" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in JAMA Network. “The overall pattern of these results suggests strong relationships between adolescents and their mothers and fathers leads to better health and well-being in young adulthood,” <a href="https://www.chop.edu/news/chop-researchers-find-strong-adolescent-parent-relationships-lead-better-long-term-health" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said the paper’s lead author</a>, Dr Carol Ford from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Efforts to strengthen parent-adolescent relationships may have important long-term health benefits.” Using data from the US National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, the study followed a cohort of more than 15,000 adolescents aged 12-17 years in 1994-95 through to young adulthood (24-32 years) in 2008-09. The researchers found positive teen-parent relationships were also associated with lower levels of stress, depressive symptoms, nicotine dependence and substance abuse in young adults. The data was gathered by asking secondary-school-aged participants a series of detailed questions about their relationships with each parent, including topics such as warmth, communication, time together, academic expectations, discipline, relationship satisfaction. The aim of the study was to better understand the significance of parent-adolescent relationships for adult health. The study looked at the characteristics of mother-teenager and father-teenager relationships and tried to define what a “warm” relationship is, and what “communication” means. The researchers followed up with the participants once they reached adulthood, to ask about health, mental health, sexual behaviour, substance use and injury. “Adolescents’ perception of parental warmth had the most consistent favourable associations with adult outcomes across domains,” the researchers found. <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=240457&title=Teenagers+who+have+positive+relationships+with+their+parents+tend+to+have+better+outcomes+as+adults" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/teenagers-positive-relationships-with-parents-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Petra Stock. Images: Getty </div>

Relationships

“You’ve got another thing coming”: Adelaide private school teacher loses it on the train

Police are investigating after an Adelaide private school teacher was filmed yelling and allegedly shoving a teenage boy on a train. The man has since been stood down from his role. The incident occurred at about 3:40 pm on Saturday on a train travelling between Lynton and Eden Hills Railway Stations, with footage of the alleged assault being uploaded to social media. The footage shows the St John’s Grammar School teacher standing in the aisle of the train, yelling at a group of teenage boys sitting down with their mountain bikes. “Boys, if you think I’m not going to kick you off at the next station you’ve got another thing coming,” he yells. “I’m not f***ing around with you kids,” he says in another video. One of the videos cuts to slow-motion footage, showing the teacher appearing to shove one of the teenagers with the words “Moments before disaster” on the screen. On Wednesday, a South Australian police spokesman told <a href="http://news.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a> that the incident was still under investigation. “A man allegedly assaulted a teenage boy and was verbally abusive towards him,” the spokesperson said. <a href="https://7news.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News </a>has said that the footage didn’t capture the entire incident. Police have urged anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. St John’s Grammar School confirmed it was aware of the altercation and the man appearing in the footage was a “longstanding” teacher of the school. “The teacher has been stood down indefinitely until further notice while the school conducts an initial investigation,” the school said in a statement. The school claims the incident did not directly involve any students from St John’s Grammar School. On Monday afternoon, a letter was sent to all parents of students at the school informing them of the incident. St John’s Grammar School is an Anglican early learning, primary and secondary school in the Adelaide Hills, costing just under $19,000 per year for students in years 10 to 12. Image credit: TikTok

News

Teenagers who were lost at sea speak about terrifying experience

The four teenagers who were lost at sea after paddling out on inflatable boards at the Mornington Peninsula have spoken about their terrifying experience. Two 18-year-old males, an 18-year-old female and a 19-year-old female from Glen Waverley, were paddling at the beach just off Point Nepean Rd in Rosebud, Victoria when they were swept out to sea. They joined their boards together to ensure no one would be left behind and drifted through the icy night on their journey of more than 30 kilometres. Around 2 am they finally saw some land, arriving at the Australian Defence Force facility on Swan Island. Speaking out since the horrific ordeal, the four teenagers said they never lost hope that they would be eventually found. “We were just trying to stay alive, and we started trying to call out to passing boats,” Rong Shi told 7NEWS. Sally Liu was worried about spending the night floating on a paddleboard and if they would survive the conditions. “I’m thinking ... do we have to stay for the night on this paddleboard and how can we survive?” she said. “I thought maybe it was my last night ... because for myself I am not a good swimmer.” Another survivor, Shi Rui Heng, said she just wanted to go home back to her mother after getting into a fight with her earlier that day. “I was thinking about my mum because we’d had a fight the day before, I just wanted to go home and apologise to her,” she said. “I’ve never been that cold before, it was pretty scary.” Despite their circumstances the four tried to make the best of the situation and appreciated the scenery around them. “There were stars in the sky and there were shiny little fish in the sea ... so it was pretty,” Rui Heng said. The group are truly lucky to be alive after the strong current swept them from Rosebud Beach to Swan Island in the Queenscliff area before they were eventually found. “They’ve gone from here (Rosebud) to where we are straight across Port Phillip Bay ... it’s a fair way,” Acting Inspector Terence Rowlands said. Images: 7News

Travel Trouble

See inside Roger Federer’s teenage bedroom

While Roger Federer’s adult life has been filled with fame and success on and off the tennis court, a throwback photo has revealed that his teenage years were more similar to most of ours than we might expect. A photo of the tennis maestro’s bedroom has been doing the rounds on social media and shows a 17-year-old Federer grinning for the camera with bleach-blond hair, some spots, and wearing a baggy Nike sweatshirt. The future World No. 1’s bedroom walls were covered in posters of his teenage idoles, including Pamela Anderson, and NBA stars Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> A 17-year-old Roger Federer with pin-ups of Jordan, Pamela Anderson and a Macedonian flag 🇲🇰 in his bedroom in Basel 😀 <a href="https://t.co/IPEIqzV9sw">pic.twitter.com/IPEIqzV9sw</a> — Luigi Gatto (@gigicat7_) <a href="https://twitter.com/gigicat7_/status/1584598092065648642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2022</a></blockquote> Other items dotted around his room included what appears to be an Akubra hat, along with the Montenegrin flag, a mini basketball hoop and a collection of trophies. Just five years after the photo was taken, Federer would win his first Major at Wimbledon in 2003. Fans were quick to share their thoughts on the photo, with many sharing lighthearted jokes and commenting on how normal the future star’s room looked. “Lol i like the 90s randomness of it all,” one person shared. “Looks like any normal kids room at the time,” another said. “Really been living up to his two as the blandest white guy on earth since day one,” a third teased. “The GOAT with my country’s flag 😍,” one fan enthused. As for his bleached locks, one fan dubbed it his “Eminem phase”, referencing American rapper’s iconic bleach blond hair which he had during the 1990s and 2000s. Image: Getty Images

Family & Pets

“Joyful” Tyrese Bechard farewelled in first funeral for five teen crash victims

One of the teens killed in the devastating Buxton crash has been remembered as having a “heart of gold” after he was farewelled at an emotional service on Thursday. Tyrese Bechard was 16 when he and four other teens were killed in a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/five-teenagers-killed-in-devastating-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">horrific crash in southwest Sydney</a> on September 6. Mr Bechard’s funeral was the first of five ceremonies for the victims who all attended the same high school in Picton. Hundreds gathered at HisHouse Church in Picton on Thursday, with Coldplay’s Fix You being heard playing above the quiet sobs of loved ones before the service began. His coffin was brought into the church to the song Forever Young. Family and friends spoke fondly of Mr Bechard, remembering his zest for life and boundless kindness. In a touching memorial slideshow, dozens of photos showed the teen having fun on bikes, riding on a motorbike with his uncle, and enjoying life with family and friends. “Tyrese was a young man with a heart of gold,” the slideshow read. “He was always kind and respectful to everyone around him. “His joyful character will be missed dearly by everyone he met.” His aunt Rebecca gave an emotional tribute to her nephew, describing him as a “selfless” and “fearless” boy who was taken too soon. “Our beautiful boy, you were taken too soon,” she said. “For everyone who knew him, he was a caring, kind, respectful and fearless young man. “He was a cheeky kid growing up. Fast forward a few years, he grew into a respectful young man. “Reecy was so selfless and put others before himself. He always said hello and gave you a big hug. “I‘m going to miss looking over the dinner table and watching your reaction to things you didn’t agree with. “Reecy, we miss you. We miss your laugh, your cheeky smile and courageous energy. Fly high my beautiful boy.” His cousin Marcus described him as a “second brother” who will never be forgotten. “Whenever we had a family gathering, I would look forward to seeing him,” Marcus said. “I’ll never forget what he’s done for my family and me.” Mr Bechard’s grandparents, who raised the teen, were both visibly distraught during the service, with his grandfather tearily hugging friends. His coffin was carried out to the hearse by six men, with Adele’s Easy On Me playing through the church. The song marked an emotional farewell to Mr Bechard, who loved new music and always shared new finds with family and friends. Outside the church, around 250 people gathered to form a guard of honour for the hearse. Students at Picton High had been given the day off school and were seen hugging each other while waiting on the other side of the road for Mr Bechard’s family to be driven away. At the cemetery in the nearby town of Thirlmere, teens carrying orange, white and black balloons followed the procession to the teen’s final resting place. His coffin was piled high with an arrangement of red and white flowers. After mourners paid their final tributes to the teen, which included the playing of club music that represented his love of dance music and enthusiasm for life, students released more than 20 balloons into the sky above his grave. The families of the other children who were killed also attended the service, as those who knew the teens are due to repeat the grief-filled process over and over in the coming days. The teens reportedly told their parents they were just going on a “maccas run” that night, but instead drove around for hours. When they didn’t return home, alarm bells were raised. Melissa Davis, a local resident of Wollondilly, set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-families-of-the-buxton-teens?qid=55a7852ebc9297fab848492de8753392" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe page</a> to raise funds for the five families with the help of Wollondilly town Mayor Matt Gould. In just six days, donations totalling $17,570 have flooded in for the families. Image: 7news.com.au

Caring

New details emerge as driver charged in tragic Buxton crash

The deaths of five teens - aged between 14 and 16 - in a horror crash in Sydney’s southwest have rocked the local community, with tragic new details emerging about the victims. Tyrell Edwards, 18, was driving a Nissan Navara ute at 8pm on Tuesday night when the vehicle slammed into a tree, resulting in the deaths of the three girls and two boys with him. Edwards, who was on his P-plates, was the sole survivor of the crash and was taken to hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The father of 15-year-old Lily Van De Putte said he was haunted by the final text message she sent him hours before her death, which read, “Dad, can I go out tonight?” Mr Van De Putte, who was in hospital undergoing a procedure at the time, missed the text from his “baby girl”. “The answer would have been no, it was a school night. But I never got the text,” he told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-nsw/buxton-crash-five-lives-lost-to-unspeakable-tragedy/news-story/ac574c3e7ebbe4064c3e161a60986987" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a>. Antonio Desisto, Summer Williams, Tyrese Bechard and Gabriella McLennan also died in the crash, and all were friends from Picton High School. Two of the victims were reportedly in a romantic relationship when they died together, with Jai Gordon, a school friend, telling <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11187775/Buxton-Picton-Sydney-crash-Two-teens-killed-boyfriend-girlfriend-Fathers-text-revealed.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a> one of them was “the nicest man” who “wanted to do so much with his life”. “He was really into body building,” Mr Gordon said. He added that the girlfriend was best friends with Lily Van De Putte, who was “nice to everyone in school”. Following his release from hospital on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Edwards was arrested and taken to Narellan Police Station to assist police and for the purpose of alcohol and drug testing. He has since been charged with five counts of dangerous driving occasioning death. Mr Van De Putte told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-07/friends-family-pay-respect-teenagers-killed-in-buxton-car-crash/101413480" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a> he held no grudge against Mr Edwards, saying he would also be facing a lifetime of grief. “We don’t hold any grudges against the driver because he is going through hell,” Mr Van De Putte said. Family, friends and devastated locals have gathered at the scene of the crash to pay their respects, with friend Elli Mount among them. Ms Mount said she felt she could have prevented the tragedy after she turned down an invitation to hang out with the group that night. "They texted me last night asking if I wanted to hang out with them," Mount said. "I could've got mum to pick them up. I could've prevented it. Now I don't know what to do. "They invited me to hang out, I told them I couldn't stay out late. "I just feel like I can't wake up." Ms Mount, who had been playing soccer with two of the girls that afternoon, spoke of her friends’ supportive natures and talent on the soccer field. "(They) were very close, and no matter what happened they were always there for me," she said. She said one “was an amazing goalie” while the other “was the best defender I have ever seen”. "It's going to be upsetting when they get their trophies for soccer and their parents have to go up and get them," she said. With students and staff at Picton High School left reeling from the tragedy, the state’s education department has provided additional support in the form of counselling. Acting Inspector Jason Hogan, from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit, said police were investigating all lines of inquiry but that speeding was “a possible factor” in the crash. He added that the teenagers’ families were also being offered support as investigations continue. "Our family liaison officers have spoken to the families and, under the circumstances, they wouldn't be doing very well," he said. "We'll be offering them some support and we've reached out to the road victims' support group to provide ongoing welfare and counselling as part of the services that they provide." Image: Nine

Caring

Five teenagers killed in devastating crash

Five teenagers have been killed in a devastating single-vehicle crash in Sydney's southwest. Emergency services were called to the scene along East Parade at the suburb of Buxton just after 8pm on Tuesday following reports a Nissan Navara had lost control and ploughed into a tree. The passengers, three girls, two aged 14 and a 15-year-old, and two boys, aged 15 and 16, all died at the scene. The driver, an 18-year-old man, suffered non-life threatening injuries and was taken to Liverpool hospital. Police are investigating the cause of the crash, although they don't believe alcohol was involved. While police are yet to release the identities of the victims, it’s understood they all attended Picton High School. “I’ve been in the police for 38 years and it’s one of the worst accident scenes I’ve ever come across,” Superintendent Paul Fuller said. In a community as small as Buxton where Picton High is the only public high school in the area, Fuller said it’s likely some emergency workers would have recognised the victims. “It’s a horrific scene, and unfortunately some of the first responders would know these kids.” “We had a family liaison officer there from the crash investigation unit who worked with the families trying to identify these children,” he told 2GB’s Ben Fordham. Wollondilly Shire Mayor Matt Gould called the incident “absolutely horrific” in a Facebook post on Wednesday morning. “Our entire shire has woken up in shock and mourning following the absolutely horrific accident at Buxton overnight,” he wrote. “The loss of so many young lives is just devastating and you can’t put into words the overwhelming loss many in our community are feeling." “Wollondilly always pulls together in tragedy and sadly we need to do it again now.” Image credits: 7News

News

Incredible teenage boy cracks coded coin in hours, but he isn’t the first

Within hours of its release to the general public, a 14-year-old boy had cracked the codes hidden on <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/coins-covered-in-coded-clues-will-test-your-spy-skills" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a coin released by an Australian intelligence agency</a> - but some had solved them days earlier, due to an unusual legal rule. A 50-cent coin celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) was released last Thursday containing four levels of codes with hidden messages. But, the puzzles were already being discussed online ten days earlier, with some codes already being solved by August 20. This was due to requirements on the Australian Government to include the characters featured on the coin in legislation, available online, before the coin was made available to purchase on September 1. As well as a celebration of the agency’s history, it’s hoped the coin will act as a kind of recruitment drive and attempt to raise the profile of the ASD among the general public, with the agency planning to recruit another 1,900 people over the next decade as part of a $9.9 billion expansion. Dr Richard Bean, a research fellow at the University of Queensland who solved the coin’s puzzles within two hours of getting his hands on it, said the move was about attracting those interested in a career with the ASD. "The kind of people who would sit down and solve this kind of code on the coin, they're the kind of people the ASD wants to attract — innovative thinkers to solve difficult problems in cryptography in both an offensive and defensive sense," Dr Bean said. "So solving other nation's codes and protecting Australian government communications security. "It's about attracting the right candidates and putting the ASD in their mind, instead of having to go out in traditional recruitment channels." But let’s go back to our teenage whiz kid. Though the Tasmanian boy’s identity hasn’t been revealed, it’s clear he has talent and instinct according to Distinguished Professor Willy Susilo, who also directs the Institute of Cybersecurity and Cryptology at the University of Wollongong. “[What] is very important is actually not about whether you can crack the code or not, [what] is important is the thinking behind it, how to solve this kind of puzzle,” he told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/how-to-solve-spy-australian-signals-directorate-50-cent-coin/101405266" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. “To me, I think to get a person who, especially in this case, is 14 years old, can crack the code within just one or two hours is actually incredible in my opinion. "That really is the kind of skill needed in the Australian Signals Directorate." Image: ASD

Money & Banking

“Absolutely despicable”: Teens attack off-duty chief inspector with pole

A Sydney mayor has condemned an alleged attack against an off-duty police officer, describing the act as “absolutely despicable”. Chief Inspector Bob Fitzgerald, who also serves as a councillor with Blacktown City Council, was on his way to work on Monday morning when he intervened when three teenagers were seen harassing other passengers and railway staff at Rooty Hill station, per <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-nsw/senior-cop-allegedly-assaulted-by-three-teens-at-rooty-hill-train-station/news-story/de5e5f399ce968fc04a2a1b6800f2849" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a>. Police said Inspector Fitzgerald approached the teens, aged 14, 13, and 12, at about 4.30 am and asked them to stop what they were doing, informing them he was a police officer. When he went to arrest the 14-year-old with the help of a member of the public, the boy resisted before verbally abusing and assaulting Inspector Fitzgerald, police allege. It’s alleged Inspector Fitzgerald was struck multiple times to the head with a bike seat pole. He was taken to hospital for head injuries that required stitches and was later released. The member of the public was also allegedly assaulted but didn’t require medical attention. More police rushed to the station, arresting all three boys and taking them to Mount Druitt police station. Tony Bleasdable, the mayor of Blacktown City, said on Tuesday that he condemned the attack on Inspector Fitzgerald, who he described as “one of our city’s finest”. “Cr Fitzgerald is a pillar of our community who has earned widespread respect over many years,” Mr Bleasdale said. “Not only is he a dedicated police officer, he is a community volunteer, and a passionate Blacktown City Councillor who has given so much to his community for so long. “As mayor, I condemn this alleged attack on one of our city’s finest and denounce violence in all its forms.” Mr Bleasdale said the council wanted to promote a culture of nonviolence through their work with NSW Police, the PCYC and other organisations, and encouraged residents to call out violence before wishing Inspector Fitzgerald a speedy recovery. “Council is committed to creating a safe community for our residents to live, work and play,” he said. “We pursue this through our crime prevention plan and work with our local police in particular. “Council encourages residents to call out violence in any shape or form and report any acts of violence to police. “I wish Bob a speedy recovery.” All three boys were charged with affray, with the 14-year-old facing another charge for resisting an officer in execution of duty, and the 13-year-old facing charges for causing grievous bodily harm to a police officer on duty reckless as to actual bodily harm and common assault. The 12-year-old was also charged with causing grievous bodily harm to a police officer on duty reckless to actual bodily harm. They were refused bail and faced children’s court on Tuesday. As police inquiries continue, anyone who witnessed the attack or who have footage from the incident, are urged to contact Mt Druitt Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Image: The Daily Telegraph

News

Investigations continue after 21 teens die in tavern

South African police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the mysterious deaths of 21 people in a local tavern, as survivors describe trying to escape the jam-packed premises. Officials have ruled out a stampede as the cause of the deaths at Enyobeni Tavern in the town of East London, a provincial safety official told AFP news agency, as there were “no visible wounds”. Seventeen people died inside the bar, with another four later dying in hospital. Police minister Bheki Cele has said the youngest victim was just 13 years old, with the remaining victims ranging in age from 13-17 - though a detailed list of the victims hasn’t been produced yet, per the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-61941170" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a>. Unathi Binqose, a government official on safety, told the AAP that it is suspected that the cause of their deaths may have been in something they ate, drank, or inhaled while in the tavern. “It has never happened that our country loses children in this manner,” Elleck Nchabeleng, the chair of the parliamentary committee on education and technology, sports, arts and culture, said. It has been reported that those who went to the tavern were celebrating the end of school exams. Sinovuyo Monyane, one of the survivors who was hired to promote an alcohol brand, said she was still “confused” about what happened but felt lucky to be alive. “We tried moving through the crowd, shouting, ‘Please let us through,’ and others were shouting, ‘We are dying, guys,’ and ‘We are suffocating’ and ‘There are people who can’t breathe’,” she told AFP. She later regained consciousness after water was sprayed on her. “I could have died,” the 19-year-old said. “I saw two people, they died.” Luhlemela Ulana, a resident DJ who was also celebrating his birthday that night, said a rush of revellers forced their way into the already-packed venue. Though he turned off the music to discourage the revellers, it was to no avail. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his “deepest condolences” to the victims’ families. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> My deepest condolences go to the families of the 22 teenagers who lost their lives at a tavern in Scenery Park, East London, in the early hours of this morning. — Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) <a href="https://twitter.com/CyrilRamaphosa/status/1541018709594185733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2022</a></blockquote> “This tragedy is made even more grave by its occurrence during Youth Month - a time during which we celebrate young people, advocate and advance opportunities for improved socio-economic conditions for the youth of our nation,” he wrote on Twitter. Image: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Readers Respond: What is something you liked to do as a teenager that's irrelevant today?

Life really comes at you quickly. One day you’re out laughing with a few mates after work then BAM, you’re retired and have all the time for whatever you want. It got us thinking here in the office, we’re quite a young team and it wasn’t that long ago that we were teenagers. But something that we really liked doing that is irrelevant today is having dial-up internet. Another said she misses playing Snake on a brick Nokia phone. So we decided to get a glimpse into the life of our audience and see what is something you liked to do as a teenager that’s irrelevant today. Check them out below. Deborah Buchanan - Put iridescent posters on my bedroom walls, turn the black UV light on and listen to Iron Butterfly. Shirleyand Trevor Wilson - We would go to a dance in a country hall starting at 8 and finishing at midnight. If anyone wanted to drink alcohol they had to be a certain distance away, not sure how far. The girls would sit around the hall and the boy's stood together at the back of the hall and when the music for dance started they would choose which girl to ask. They would have a ladies choice a couple of times and the girl could go and pick out who she would like to dance with. Jeanette Doherty - Listen to the short wave radio that my brother made whilst I was lying in bed. Got the best reception at night! Margaret Inglis - Go out to clubs and get home at 4am. Now I'm waking at 4am and going to sleep when I get home. Gwen Gibbs - Drive in movies and local dances Friday and Saturday nights, some even had supper. Chris Thomas - Listen to the radio and call in requests that were then put to air. Teresa Hamilton Gross - Write letters to my cousin in Indiana. It was long distance to call on the telephone and very expensive. Pamela Kinloch - Have friends over just to sit around and listen to records. Dianne Parlor - Going to the local milk bar and dancing to the music from the jukebox. Elizabeth Lussetich – Anticipation of everything. No technology so you would bike it in order to talk to a friend. Janette Nelson - Had five pen pals in different countries, loved writing to them and getting letters from them. Share some of your memories over <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtys/posts/pfbid02mYDbDcptJhyUFCHWyFmzHkyWFa1gxyHx7XTbNJKuLCwzUfiDwqtxFv4o1zyWJuR7l" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Retirement Life

Guy Sebastian responds after lashing out at teens in new clip

Guy Sebastian has admitted he regrets language he used in a clip of him swearing at a group of teenagers over the Easter holiday break, adding the clip didn’t show the full extent of the situation. The footage, obtained by <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/guy-sebastian-says-teens-provoked-him-before-he-swore-at-them/news-story/806b9c5fbcc34916167040619941d2fb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a>, shows the Voice coach storming up to the group of teens and calling one a “f***wit” after they allegedly said something offensive to him. Looking clearly frustrated, the clip shows Sebastian approach the group saying, “I was f***ing being nice to you”, as one teen tells him to calm down. “He’s a kid, calm down,” one teen repeats. “I was a kid once, I wasn’t a f***wit,” Sebastian replies. In his response to the clip, the 40-year-old singer said he regretted using strong language, but that the clip didn’t show everything. “We all know teenagers can push boundaries,” he told Sunday Confidential. “This isn’t an isolated situation. “Being provoked for a reaction and being filmed sometimes comes with being in the public eye. “I shouldn’t have sworn, I am not proud of that, but … it’s a very short snippet of a situation that does not tell the full story.” The emergence of the footage comes at the end of a tough week for the Aussie artist, who <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/guy-sebastian-fronts-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gave evidence against his former manager</a> in court and was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/guy-sebastian-hit-with-a-setback" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forced to postpone his tour dates</a> after testing positive to Covid. Image: @guysebastian (Instagram)

News

Teenage "speed camera warrior" confronted by grouchy "Karen"

Teenage "speed camera warrior" Beau Jackson has been confronted by a disgruntled middle-aged woman as he warned motorists of an upcoming speed camera. The Central Coast local has dedicated his free time to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/i-ve-been-saving-them-heaps-teen-speed-camera-crusader-hailed-a-hero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alerting drivers</a> to hidden speed cameras that can often result in <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/speed-camera-crusader-cops-highly-dubious-fine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hefty fines</a>. While parked on the side of the road with a sign bringing attention to the sneaky cameras, thankful motorists often show their appreciation to Beau by honking their horn. Despite his noble cause, the 17-year-old had his first unpleasant experience with a local, and shared the confrontation on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scamerasloveme/video/7088872965651172610?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media</a>. Beau filmed the woman, who he dubbed 'Karen' walking away and said from behind the camera, "This lady tried getting me by complaining about the honks - tried getting a photo of my number plate." "It's the first Karen interaction," he laughed, as another passer-by honked their horn. "She tried to take a photo of my number plate - I'm legally parked, there's nothing she can do about it." When speaking to <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10753241/Beau-Jackson-teenage-speed-camera-warrior-confronted-grouchy-Karen.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a>, Beau explained the woman lived close to where he was parked, and got sick and tired of the honking noise. "She asked me to move because she was sick of the honking," he said. "I told her I was only parked there because the speed camera van was parked a few metres in front of me." The woman was unfazed about his mission to save locals from spending hundreds of dollars in speeding tickets and continued demanding that he move. When he continually refused, she started taking photos of Mr Jackson and his bike. "So I started taking photos of her," he recalled. "She backed right off when I did that, and then she starting making phone calls." Beau was unsure of who the woman was calling, but explained that as soon as the mobile speed camera took off from the area, so did he. "When they left, I had no reason to be there anymore so I left," he added. As Beau's video of the encounter racked up thousands of views, many people left comments telling the teenager to ignore the haters and keep protecting the community. Image credits: A Current Affair

Travel Trouble

Teenager donates newly-bought car to flood victim

A generous teenager has helped change the life of one of NSW's flood victims by giving him a car. Harry Ledger, a 17-year-old from Kiama, had recently travelled to the flood-affected area of Lismore to help in the mammoth clean up effort from devastating floods. After doing everything he could to help the clean up, Harry decided he wanted to do more than just get his hands dirty. With the help of his family, Harry took the car he recently bought (after saving up for more than two years) and gave it to Dylan: a local who had lost everything in the flood. Natasha Shearer, who helped coordinate Harry’s generous donation, posted about the moment Harry handed over the keys at the weekend. <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnshearerlambert%2Fposts%2F10159694343075926&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="809" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> “Dylan was at work at the time and had no idea Harry was about to hand him a car,” Natasha wrote. <div id="ad-slot_out-of-page-mobile_section-index-1_pos-2" data-section-index="1"></div> “Dylan was in shock and really couldn’t believe that someone especially a beautiful young 17-year-old would come and hand over a car like that.” Harry had been saving over the last few years to buy the champagne-coloured Nissan, and decided to give it to the man who had lost his own home and car, and was couch-surfing for a place to stay and getting around on a pushbike. “We brought him out to the car,” Natasha told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-12/teenager-donates-car-to-northern-nsw-flood-victim/100982504" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. “We told him we had a few things for him in the car and, the next thing, Harry handed him the keys." “He cried, he couldn’t believe it. He was very, very appreciative and in shock.” While the clean-up efforts are continuing in Northern NSW, one local's life is now a little easier. Image credits: Facebook

Caring

Teenager dies after being flung from ride

The last words said by a 14-year-old boy who died before falling from a drop tower amusement park ride have been revealed. Tyre Sampson was enjoying a night out with his family and friends at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida on Thursday when he decided to ride the Orlando Free Fall. Described as the world’s tallest freestanding drop tower at 131 metres, the ride spins around the tower when it’s reached the top before dropping at 120km/h. Tyre hopped onto the ride with his two friends who sat next to him, but he felt something was wrong. “When the ride took off, that’s when he was feeling uncomfortable. He was like ‘this thing is moving,’ you know what I’m saying. And he was like ‘what’s going on?’” Tyre’s father Yarnell Sampson told <a href="https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/father-of-14-year-old-killed-on-the-free-fall-drop-ride-wants-answers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WOFL-TV</a>. Tyre began to freak out and asked his friends to deliver a heartbreaking message to his parents. “And he was explaining to his friends, next to him, ‘I don’t know man, if I don’t make it down safely, can you please tell my mamma and daddy that I love them. “For him to say something like that, he must have felt something.” Horrific footage of the incident was shared to social media, showing a body being flung off the ride just before the ride stopped its descent. Mr Sampson said most of the rides rejected his son because of his height and weight, however the Free Fall staff said they could take him. Tyre stood at almost 2m tall and weighed 154kg, which made his father question why his son was allowed on the ride. "This one particular ride said, ‘We can take you, come on! Get on!’ No one else allowed him to get on the ride, so I’m wondering what happened between now and then that made them say, 'Come on, get this ride’. "This should never happen to anyone else's child ever again, and if I have anything to do with this, it will not happen ever again." Emergency calls made when Tyre fell out of the ride were released describing the horrific situation. “The thing (Orlando Free Fall) went down to drop and, like, when they got closer to the bottom, when it hit the break, the guy fell right out of the seat,” one caller told 911, <a href="https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/03/25/hes-not-breathing-calls-to-911-released-after-teens-deadly-fall-from-orlando-drop-tower/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click Orlando</a> reported. “He’s not responsive. It looks like his arms are broken and his legs,” another called said. “He’s face down, there’s blood everywhere. He’s not breathing. I’ve checked his pulse, there’s no pulse.” Investigations into how Tyre died are continuing with ICON Park releasing a statement offering their condolences to the family. "A tragedy occurred last night at the Orlando FreeFall and our hearts are heavy with sadness. "The owner of the attraction is fully cooperating with authorities and ICON Park is doing everything we can to assist. "The Orlando FreeFall will be closed pending a full investigation. Other businesses at ICON Park are scheduled to be open during their normal business hours." OverSixty has chosen not to share the video due to its graphic nature and out of respect to the family. Image: Twitter

Travel Trouble

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Teenage boy in custody after stabbing at Sydney church

“A beautiful soul”: Teenager killed in Aus Day boat crash identified

Teenager arrested after shoving elderly man off pier

Teenage NRL player charged with gang murder

Human remains found in search for missing teenager

Teenagers who have positive relationships with their parents tend to have better outcomes as adults

“You’ve got another thing coming”: Adelaide private school teacher loses it on the train

Teenagers who were lost at sea speak about terrifying experience

See inside Roger Federer’s teenage bedroom

“Joyful” Tyrese Bechard farewelled in first funeral for five teen crash victims

New details emerge as driver charged in tragic Buxton crash

Five teenagers killed in devastating crash

Incredible teenage boy cracks coded coin in hours, but he isn’t the first

“Absolutely despicable”: Teens attack off-duty chief inspector with pole

Investigations continue after 21 teens die in tavern

Readers Respond: What is something you liked to do as a teenager that's irrelevant today?

Guy Sebastian responds after lashing out at teens in new clip

Teenage "speed camera warrior" confronted by grouchy "Karen"

Teenager donates newly-bought car to flood victim

Teenager dies after being flung from ride

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Teenage boy in custody after stabbing at Sydney church

“A beautiful soul”: Teenager killed in Aus Day boat crash identified

Teenager arrested after shoving elderly man off pier

Teenage NRL player charged with gang murder

Human remains found in search for missing teenager

Teenagers who have positive relationships with their parents tend to have better outcomes as adults

“You’ve got another thing coming”: Adelaide private school teacher loses it on the train

Teenagers who were lost at sea speak about terrifying experience

See inside Roger Federer’s teenage bedroom

“Joyful” Tyrese Bechard farewelled in first funeral for five teen crash victims

New details emerge as driver charged in tragic Buxton crash

Five teenagers killed in devastating crash

Incredible teenage boy cracks coded coin in hours, but he isn’t the first

“Absolutely despicable”: Teens attack off-duty chief inspector with pole

Investigations continue after 21 teens die in tavern

Readers Respond: What is something you liked to do as a teenager that's irrelevant today?

Guy Sebastian responds after lashing out at teens in new clip

Teenage "speed camera warrior" confronted by grouchy "Karen"

Teenager donates newly-bought car to flood victim

Teenager dies after being flung from ride

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