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Beaches closed as sharks feed on whale carcass off Rottnest Island

Swimmers are being warned to stay out of the water after multiple sharks were spotted feeding on a whale carcass near Rottnest Island.

The whale is drifting north-east of Thomson Bay ferry jetty and sharks have been sighted just 100 metres from the shore, forcing Rottnest Island Authority to close beaches within a one kilometre radius of the whale.

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These include Thomson Bay, Pinky Beach, The Basin and Longreach Bay.

Rottnest Island rangers are working with The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries to track the whale's movements and people have been warned they are entering the water at their own risk.

Cruise passengers will be quarantined on Rottnest Island.https://twitter.com/SLSWA/status/1460385371523411972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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The shark sightings come after several attacks in WA waters in recent months.

A search was called off for father-of-two Paul Millachip who was pulled under the water by a 4.5 metre shark off Port Beach in Fremantle on November 6.

Another search was also called off for missing free diver Matthew Phillips whose car and empty diving bag were found in Lancelin on November 8.

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According to authorities, there have been 15 shark attacks in Australian waters this year, three of which were fatal.

Six students wounded in drive-by shooting near Colorado school

Six teenagers were wounded today in a drive-by shooting in a park near a suburban Denver high school, but all were expected to survive, US police said.

The victims, who range in age from 14 to 18, are all students at Aurora Central High School in Aurora, a diverse city east of Denver, said police chief Vanessa Wilson.

She said she needed everyone to be "outraged" by what happened and come forward with any information they might have to help police find those responsible.

Police surround Nome Park, the scene of a shooting in Aurora, Colorado. (Picture: KMGH)

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Chief Wilson asked neighbours and other bystanders to share any videos or photos from phones or house surveillance systems that might help detectives identify the suspects, who haven't been apprehended.

Multiple rounds fired from different guns were found at the scene, and it is possible some rounds were fired by someone on foot, she said.

Police officers assigned to the school were the first to respond to the shooting and saved the life of one victim by applying a tourniquet, Chief Wilson said.

That student later underwent emergency surgery, she said.

Chief Wilson said she's relieved the students are expected to survive but said gun violence is a public health crisis.

"There is a violence crisis across the nation right now, and so I think we all need to pay attention," she said.

Three patients from the shooting were taken to Children's Hospital Colorado.

They were in stable condition and have all been reunited with their families, spokesperson Caitlin Jenney said.

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One witness who lives near the park told CNN affiliate KCNC he heard dozens of shots.The shooting happened around 12:45pm on Monday (local time).

Several students hugged one another outside the school as staff and police ushered students away from the direction of the crime scene.

Others shouted "stay safe" as they parted ways.

Student Aariah McClain, 15, said she heard gunfire as she was walking near the school's football field during lunch.

She heard four shots at first, so she started walking toward the school.

Then she said she heard "a whole lot more," she said.

"I was shocked," she said of the shooting, as she waited outside the school with her father, Harold McClain, for her 14-year-old sister to be dismissed.

"I work and we pay taxes for these police to be here. I don't see how this is even happening," Harold McClain said.

"They need more security."

The school was put on a "secure perimeter" because of the shooting, police said.

That typically means no one is allowed in or out of a school but students and staff are able to move freely within the building.

Evette Mitchell, 47, rushed to the school to get her son, Trevell, 15.

He was in gym class when he heard the gunshots, and the teacher escorted them to the smaller gym.

"I did 90 (miles per hour) on the highway," she said, "because I didn't know if it was my kid or not."

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Six teenagers were wounded in a shooting involving multiple suspects a small park close to a high school in Aurora, Colorado,

Ms Mitchell said she is frustrated because another shooting involving three teens happened near the school on a recent weekend.

She added parents get blamed for youth violence, but there are no affordable activities offered for students in the area.

"Everything costs. We're all low-income families so it's hard for us to find something for these kids to do," Ms Mitchell, who said her son was going to be in online classes for the rest of the week because of the shooting, said.

According to US News and World Report's high school rankings, 67 per cent of the school's approximately 2000 students are considered economically disadvantaged, qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

https://twitter.com/LizGelardi/status/1460354296030142475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Michelle Marin, who lives across the street from the school, said she walks her dog at the park almost every morning and sees students hanging out there all the time, "but you never think something like that's going to happen."

"We have seen some lockdowns but nothing with the caution tape or anything like that," Ms Marin said.

The shooting comes after an 18-year-old died after being shot about 8 kilometres away on Sunday night.

A shooting was also reported on Friday in the parking lot of an Aurora mall, but police only found several shell casings when they arrived.

Meet the grandma gamer breaking the stereotype

Gaming is often thought of as something that only children do, but did you know the average age for a gamer in Australia is now 35? 

New research from the Interactive Games Association of Australia, alongside Bond University, shows that the average gamer age has gone up and nearly half of all gamers are female. 

The Digital Australia survey is conducted yearly and shows gaming, once seen as a niche, is now at the forefront of at least 8.5 million Australian households. 

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The survey also showed 46 per cent of Australian gamers are female, 53 per cent male and one per cent identified as non-binary. 

Video games now rank second in Australian households when it comes to media entertainment, second only to video streaming. Gaming has now overtaken free-to-air TV during the pandemic.

Haughty Chicken is a grandma gamer breaking the stereotype and spreading awareness to be kind and be yourself. 

As she approaches her sixties, Haughty knows she's not what the general population call a "stereotypical gamer".

"Thinking that gaming is for children is a very outdated stereotype," she told 9News.

"Gaming is for everyone".

Haughty Chicken is her online alias, but it's an alias that's seen her amass thousands of followers across Twitter, YouTube and streaming platform Twitch where she plays video games to an audience most days of the week.

"A friend of mine was streaming on Twitch and I was watching them to give support and they suggested I try it. I was initially hesitant but when I realised there were not many streamers my age I thought, 'why not?'," she said.

"I wasn't sure if anyone would pop by to say 'hello', but they did from that first stream and it has continued to grow since then." 

Haughty said she's been playing video games since she was a teenager, starting with Pong on her parents' black and white TV. 

"Once I got a PC, I ventured into the world of simulation games (SimCity) and then multiplayer (MMORPGS)," she said.

"I can't remember a time when I wasn't interested in playing, even if the amount of time I played changed."

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https://twitter.com/haughtychicken/status/1452940888146018311?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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Haughty said when she's not streaming she leads a busy life in Melbourne, working and studying for her PhD.

"Despite being in a 'public space' when I stream, away from that I prefer quiet hobbies; I enjoy cooking, exploring markets and photography," she said. 

Haughty is a big advocate for mental health and said gaming has been incredibly important for mental wellness, particularly in lockdown. 

"Not only has it given an opportunity for people to find entertainment when much of the world has been in lockdown or stay at home orders, but it provides stress relief, distraction and social connection," she said.

"I think the streaming space in particular has given people an opportunity to connect when doing so physically is either not possible or not a healthy option at the moment."

Research has found 75 per cent of Aussie gamers played video games with others during lockdown. 

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Haughty has a strong message for those who still say gaming is for children. 

"Those people might need to revisit their understanding of gaming – I love to tell people that 43 per cent of gamers are aged over 65 years. I think that challenges pretty much every stereotype there is," she said.

"It's important for people to realise that people play video games for a lot of reasons, just like many hobbies; for leisure, social and family connection, competition, education, and mental wellness."

The research backs Haughty's claims, 80 per cent of those surveyed stating gaming has improved their mental health. 

The full report can be found on the IGEA website