Tag Archives: oceania

Brisbane man shot by police charged with assaulting officers

A Queensland man has been charged with seriously assaulting police after allegedly charging at an officer with a large metal sharpening file.

Police had been attending a home in Stretton, Brisbane when they were allegedly confronted by the 43-year-old man on August 21.

He was shot by a senior constable in the Liquidambar Place home around 7.30pm.

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A man has been shot by police after allegedly confronting officers with a knife in Brisbane.Officers were called to reports of an armed person at an address in Liquidambar Place in Stretton in the city's south around 7pm.

Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said the man's children had been hiding in bushes at the time and that his wife had locked him in their garage earlier in the evening.

The man was shot in the hip before allegedly lunging at the officers again.

"That man was intent, highly motivated to cause injury to one of our officers," Massingham alleged at the time of the incident.

"After being struck, the male lunged towards the officer with the implement.

"They saw him armed and approaching very rapidly down a hilly driveway, that was their thought process last night."

Officers fired again, this time hitting the man's shoulder before he allegedly threw the knife at police.

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Police and the Union backed the decision of the officer to use a firearm, arguing a taser would not have stopped the man.

"We are so fortunate we did not have police murdered here in Stretton," Queensland Police Union President Ian Leavers said at the time.

The man's family fled to a neighbouring property during the altercation.

The 43-year-old remains in a serious but stable condition at Princess Alexandra Hospital.

He is due to appear at Richlands Magistrates Court November 15.

The Ethical Standards Command is still investigating the incident.

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Second Canada mass stabbing suspect dead after days on the run

The final suspect in a stabbing rampage that killed 10 people in and around a Canadian Indigenous reserve died of self-inflicted wounds after his car was run off the road by police following a three-day manhunt, officials said today.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Myles Sanderson, 32, was located near the town of Rosthern in Saskatchewan at about 3.30pm Wednesday local time (7.30am today AEST).

An official familiar with the matter said Sanderson's vehicle was rammed by police. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly about the matter.

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The official said the fugitive's injuries were self-inflicted, but he didn't have further details on when the injuries were inflicted or when Sanderson died.

Video and photos from the scene showed a white SUV off to the side of the road with police cars all around. Air bags had deployed in the SUV.

The manhunt for the two brothers had entered its third day. The fugitive's brother and fellow suspect, Damien Sanderson, 30, was found dead Monday near the stabbing sites. Police are investigating if Myles Sanderson, 32, killed his brother.

The stabbing rampage had raised questions of why Myles Sanderson — an ex-con with 59 convictions and a long history of shocking violence — was out on the streets in the first place.

He was released by a parole board in February while serving a sentence of over four years on charges that included assault and robbery. But he had been wanted by police since May, apparently for violating the terms of his release, though the details were not immediately clear.

His long and lurid rap sheet also showed that seven years ago, he attacked and stabbed one of the victims killed in the weekend rampage, according to court records.

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Canadian Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said there will be an investigation into the parole board's assessment of Sanderson.

"I want to know the reasons behind the decision" to release him, Mendicino said.

"I'm extremely concerned with what occurred here. A community has been left reeling."

Investigators have not given a motive for the bloodshed.

The Saskatchewan Coroner's Service said nine of those killed were from the James Smith Cree Nation: Thomas Burns, 23; Carol Burns, 46; Gregory Burns, 28; Lydia Gloria Burns, 61; Bonnie Burns, 48; Earl Burns, 66; Lana Head, 49; Christian Head, 54; and Robert Sanderson, 49. One was from Weldon, 78-year-old Wesley Patterson. Authorities would not say how the victims might be related.

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Mark Arcand said his half sister Bonnie and her son Gregory were killed.

"Her son was lying there already deceased. My sister went out and tried to help her son, and she was stabbed two times, and she died right beside him," he said.

"Right outside of her home she was killed by senseless acts. She was protecting her son. She was protecting three little boys. This is why she is a hero."

Arcand rushed to the reserve the morning of the rampage. After that, he said, "I woke up in the middle of the night just screaming and yelling. What I saw that day I can't get out of my head."

As for what set off the violence, Arcand said: "We're all looking for those same answers. We don't know what happened. Maybe we'll never know. That's the hardest part of this."

Court documents said Sanderson attacked his in-laws Earl Burns and Joyce Burns in 2015, knifing Earl Burns repeatedly and wounding Joyce Burns. He later pleaded guilty to assault and threatening Earl Burns' life.

Many of Sanderson's crimes were committed when he was intoxicated, according to court records. He told parole officials at one point that substance use made him out of his mind. Records showed he repeatedly violated court orders barring him from drinking or using drugs.

Canada's Indigenous communities are plagued by drugs and alcohol.

"The drug problem and the alcohol problem on these reserves is way out of hand," said Ivor Wayne Burns, whose sister was killed in the weekend attacks.

"We have dead people and we asked before for something to be done."

Myles Sanderson's childhood was marked by violence, neglect and substance abuse, court records show. Sanderson, who is Indigenous and was raised on the Cree reserve, population 1900, started drinking and smoking marijuana at around 12, and cocaine followed soon after.

In 2017, he barged into his ex-girlfriend's home, punched a hole in the door of a bathroom while his two children were hiding in a bathtub and threw a cement block at a vehicle parked outside, according to parole documents.

He got into a fight a few days later at a store, threatening to kill an employee and burn down his parents' home, documents said.

That November he threatened an accomplice into robbing a fast-food restaurant by clubbing him with a gun and stomping on his head. He then stood watch during the holdup.

In 2018, he stabbed two men with a fork while drinking and beat someone unconscious.

When he was released in February, the parole board set conditions on his contact with his partner and children and also said he should not enter into relationships with women without written permission from his parole officer.

In granting Sanderson "statutory release," parole authorities said: "It is the Board's opinion that you will not present an undue risk to society."

Canadian law grants prisoners statutory release after they serve two-thirds of their sentence. But the parole board can impose conditions on that freedom, and inmates who violate them – as Sanderson did more than once – can be ordered back to prison.

Sharna Sugarman, who was organizing a GoFundMe for the victims, questioned the parole board for releasing him and wondered why Sanderson was still on the loose so many months after he was deemed "unlawfully at large."

"That's just egregious to me," said Sugarman, a counselor who counted one of the stabbing victims as a client.

"If they claim that they've been looking for him, well, you weren't looking that hard."

Mendicino, the public safety minister, said authorities have to make sure nothing like this happens again.

"It's incredibly important that when someone is at large and there's a warrant for their arrest, and they have an extensive criminal background, that all the resources are there to be able to apprehend that person as quickly as possible," he said.

"We do need to take a very careful look at what occurred."

Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Apple's new iPhone has satellite connectivity and an all-new notch

One of the most popular smartphones on the market has undergone its annual refresh, with Apple announcing the iPhone 14 at its global headquarters in California.

The first event to be held in the Steve Jobs Theatre at Apple Park since the pandemic, the iPhone 14 was revealed by Apple executives in an on-stage keynote presentation.

Apple executives revealed the iPhone 14 on Wednesday morning (Thursday morning AEST) at the first in-person event to be held in the Steve Jobs Theatre at Apple Park since the pandemic began.

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In a break from the past two years, there will be no "mini" version of the iPhone 14, Apple instead opting for two 6.1-inch screen devices, and two at 6.7 inches.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro will be the smaller size and the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro Max are larger.

The use of the term plus makes its return to the model lineup for the first time since the iPhone 8 and differentiates the larger screen model from the more advanced specifications in the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

A "standard" iPhone 14 will feature the same powerful A15 chip found in last year's iPhone 13 Pro. That's a clear differentiator from the iPhone 14 Pro, which features the new A16 Bionic chip.

Apple has added a new satellite emergency SOS messaging service to the new phones, allowing you to get help no matter how far you are from a mobile tower. Unfortunately it will only be available initially in the USA and Canada.

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Camera technology is at the core of Apple's news today. The iPhone 14 Pro has a new 48-megapixel camera with a "quad pixel" sensor that is dramatically larger than the previous generation.

Design wise there is very little difference between the new iPhone 14 and the two previous models.

It carries the same square-edged body but thanks to the new camera technology the "bump" on the rear is bigger than ever.

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But on the front of the Apple iPhone 14 Pro, Apple's "notch" — the black cut-out area at the top of the screen housing the cameras and front sensors — has been dramatically reduced.

Instead, there is a smaller hole punch area — similar to how most other flagship competitors have been doing front cameras for some time now — encapsulated in a black software bar.

Apple calls this new space the "dynamic island" and doesn't shy away from it. It's used to expand notifications such as calls, music controls and much more.

The Apple iPhone 14 and 14 Plus will come in midnight, starlight, light blue, light purple, and Product Red. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will come in space black, gold, silver and deep purple.

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Prices in Australia start at $1399 for the iPhone 14 and $1579 for the iPhone 14 Plus. the iPhone 14 Pro starts at $1749 with prices from $1899 for the iPhone 14 Pro Max

Device on-sale dates range from September 16 to October 7.

Trevor Long travelled as a guest of Apple Australia.

Aussies told they don't need qualifications to ask 'are you okay?'

The rising cost of living, natural disasters and the pandemic have put a lot of pressure on Australians, so everyone is being reminded to look out for a mate on R U OK? Day.

Research shows 40 per cent of people believe an expert should be the person to check in when someone isn't coping with their mental heath.

But today, everyone is being urged to touch base with friends, family or colleagues as sometimes asking the simple question can save a life.

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R U OK? Day 2022

There are a range of mental health support resources below.

R U OK? CEO Katherine Newton said everyone already has the skills to offer support to those in need.

"Everyone experiences life's ups and downs and in recent times there has been a lot to cope with," Newton said.

"We want to reassure Australians that you don't need to be an expert to have an R U OK? conversation.

"Listening and giving someone your time might be just what they need to help them through a difficult period."

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How to ask 'are you okay?'

There are four simple steps in asking "are you okay".

The first is simply going into the conversation relaxed, friendly and concerned.

Help the person open up by asking questions like:

  • How are you going?
  • What's been happening?

You can also mention specific concerns like, "you seem less chatty than usual, what's been going on?"

Remember, if they don't want to talk don't criticise or push them.

A good response would be: "Please call me if you ever want to chat" or "Is there someone else you'd rather talk to?"

R U OK? tips for having a conversation.

What to do if someone says they're not okay?

Once you've asked the question and if the response is if they're not okay, R U OK? recommends listening with an open mind.

The top tips are:

  • Take what they say seriously and don't interrupt or rush the conversation
  • Don't judge their experiences or reactions but acknowledge that things seem tough for them
  • If they need time to think, sit patiently with the silence
  • Encourage them to explain: "How are you feeling about that?" or "How long have you felt that way?"
  • Show that you've listened by repeating back what you've heard (in your own words) and ask if you have understood them properly.

It's also recommended to encourage the person to take action.

This includes asking questions like "How would you like me to support you?" or "What's something you can do for yourself right now?".

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R U OK? Day 2022

If they've been feeling down for more than two weeks, it's helpful to recommend they see a health professional.

You could say, "It might be helpful for you to talk to someone you can support you. I'm happy to help find that person."

It's also important to check in after the conversation.

R U OK? has recommended popping a reminder in your diary for a couple of weeks to ask something like, "I've been thinking of you and wanted to know how you've been going since we last chatted".

"Stay in touch and be there for them. Genuine care and concern can make a real difference," R U OK? recommends.

Where to get help?

The R U OK? Day website has a lot of tips on how to help others if they admit they're struggling – or if you're finding things tough yourself.

Other organisations are also offering plenty of help.

Beyond Blue has a 24-hour Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service.

A call to 1800 512 348 will help you get tips and strategies for support from counsellors as well as referrals to other services if needed.

R U OK? Day 2022

While Lifeline is also there to give support either online or on 13 11 14.

Black Dog Institute also has resources for people as well as employers and medics, while there are dedicated services for younger people.

They include ReachOut, which provides tools and support to help young people with everyday issues and tough times, and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 18 00, a 24-hour telephone counselling support line for children and young people from five to 25.

For immediate assistance you can also contact:

  • Domestic Violence Line – 1800 65 64 63
  • 1800RESPECT – 1800 73 77 32
  • Suicide Callback Service – 1300 65 94 67
  • If you are in an emergency, or at immediate risk of harm to yourself or others, please contact emergency services on Triple Zero (000).
  • NSW Domestic Violence Line – 1800 65 64 63 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
  • 13YARN – 13 92 76 – 24/7 support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
  • Open Arms – 1800 011 046 – 24/7 support for current and ex-serving defence force personnel and their families.
  • Gambling Help Online – 1800 858 858 – free, confidential 24/7 telephone help for anyone affected by gambling.

There is a range of other support services available. The R U OK? website lists all of the available services here.

What events are on?

The official event for R U OK? Day in 2022 is on Thursday September 8 from 12 to 12.30pm (AEST) online nationally.

The virtual event will have a number of special guests to share tips on having the conversation and their personal stories.

Schools, universities and workplaces will be offering events splashed in yellow to raise awareness about asking "are you okay".

R U OK? Day 2022

Check in with your school, university, workplace or local community groups to see what's on.