Latest news with #teenagers
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Florida minors participate in 'door kick challenge'
Deputies in Florida said a group of minors participated in the "door kick challenge." (Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office)
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Purge-style teen prank sweeping America that tricks victims into thinking their home is being invaded
A terrifying viral social media prank carried out by teenagers who trick victims into thinking their home is being broken into has swept the nation. A recent video of the purge-style incident, similar to the old-fashioned prank of ding-dong-ditch, showed a group of five Florida teens making their way toward a home in Riverview - about 20 minutes from Tampa - on Friday around 10.40pm. Shocking Ring doorbell footage captured the moment one of the unidentified teens walked toward the house with a ski mask covering their face and an airsoft gun in hand before the juvenile kicked the front door and fired a plastic pellet before running away, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said. In the clip, the teen was seen pointing the gun at the front door and firing it as several shots rang out. He then darted out onto the street with the rest of the group, laughing as they ran. Chronister, who called the new trend the 'door kick challenge,' said the prank is making waves across TikTok and needs to stop immediately. 'Parents, please talk with your children about this dangerous trend, which could end in tragedy,' he wrote on X alongside the clip. The sheriff has asked anyone with information on the suspects in the video to call the department. This is just the latest incident, as two teenagers were slapped with felony burglary charges after they kicked another stranger's front door in the Sunshine State. Jeffery Merthie, 15, and Zahmarii Reddick, 13, were arrested in DeBary, near Orlando, on July 6 after they kicked a neighbor's door in. Merthie and Reddick were seen on doorbell footage sneaking up to the house, before slowly turning around with their backs to the door and kicking it several times before fleeing. Bodycam footage later showed Merthie being placed in cuffs while he stood next to another teen, who was not identified. Both boys told Volusia Sheriff's deputies that they were leaving Reddick's house. 'Where's the girl?' another officer asked. 'We didn't do nothing, I promise you,' the unidentified teen told police. 'I promise you you did,' the officer, who was placing Merthie in cuffs, said. 'Not you, but he did. 'The camera is crystal clear [of] you running up on their front porch and you turn around and kick their front door in... The camera can not be no more clear,' the cop continued. Merthie was picked up by police after they noticed his 'distinctive' shorts, which were multicolored. When asked why they did it, Merthie told them they were 'just being dumb.' 'We weren't responsible, we won't do that no more,' he said. Merthie tried to defend their actions, saying they just kicked the door, but the officer quickly pulled up photos of the broken door on his phone to show the teen. The door had large chunks of splintered wood and the lock and doorknob was entirely busted off. 'That's completely broken in,' he said. 'You know those people could have shot you?' Reddick was taken into custody after her mother allowed officers inside the home to search for the girl. Argenis Ruiz, the homeowner who was targeted by the teens, described the terror his family faced that night. 'It was super super loud,' Ruiz told WESH. [I was] clueless. I was just asleep and I woke up startled and scared and just wanted to get my kid out of the way. 'Immediately, we checked our cameras.' Although the prank left him fearful, Ruiz said he is grateful nobody was hurt as a result. He also sent a message to the teens involved in this incident and any others who have participated in it or plan to. 'Be careful [and] be smart. Think about what you're doing. This stuff could affect your life and family members as well,' he told the outlet. It is unclear if Merthie and Reddick will be charged as adults.
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The Independent
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Readers deeply divided on lowering the voting age to 16 – from ‘only fair' to ‘blatant gerrymandering'
The government's decision to lower the voting age to 16 has sparked intense debate among Independent readers, with opinions sharply divided over whether the move strengthens democracy or serves party politics. A poll of readers found that 38 per cent believe it's fair for 16-year-olds to vote, while 62 per cent said they are too young to head to the polls. Critics were quick to dismiss the reform as politically motivated, arguing that most teenagers lack the life experience or political understanding needed to make informed decisions. 'Why not let 13-year-olds vote next?' one reader scoffed, describing the move as 'blatant gerrymandering' by Labour to win over idealistic young voters. Supporters, however, hailed the change as long overdue. Many pointed out that 16-year-olds in the UK can already marry, work, pay taxes and even join the armed forces – so it's only fair they have a say in how the country is run. 'They're more mature than most adults I know,' said one commenter, while others noted that political education in schools has left many young people well-informed and engaged. Some readers proposed a middle ground – such as lowering the age to 17 or linking voting rights to leaving full-time education. Here's what you had to say: If they can marry and work, they should vote Of course they should. If they don't get the vote, they should pay no tax or National Insurance, be banned from joining the military, become a NEET or do anything the government tells them to do at that age. You can get married at 16, have sex at 16, ride a moped at 16, drive a car at 17 (16 for some severely disabled people), and yet Tories do not wish them to have a say in their futures. LadyCrumpsall Should 16-year-olds be trusted with the vote – or is it a step too far? Share your views in the comments below. So much nonsense about how sixteen-year-olds don't have the experience, wisdom, knowledge, etc., etc., etc., to have the vote. Having been politically active for most of my life, the lesson of decades of canvassing is that the majority of adults don't really have the faintest idea what they're voting for, or why. You'd be amazed, for instance, at the number of people who say that they're going to vote for X Party because they think that they'll be the election winners – as if they're backing a horse race. bottlebank 16-year-olds can be more mature than adults Many 16-year-olds I know are more mature than many adults; not all, I appreciate that, but to say they aren't mature enough is ludicrous. If they're allowed to get married, then they're old enough to vote. I welcome this move – it'll modernise the voting system and bring in more points of view. The voting population will be getting older and older, and we'll end up with a load of pensioners making decisions based on 'what's good for me' rather than what's good for the up-and-coming generations. deadduck They've studied politics – they're clued up At the age of 16, students have studied politics as part of community studies. I am old so don't talk to many teenagers, but those that I have spoken to – serving staff in cafés, relatives, etc. – are all pretty clued up and invested in what is their future. They can join the forces at 16, get married at 16 – surely if they are mature enough to do that, they are mature enough to vote? DafB Zero life skills A very small minority are politically aware, most aren't. They have zero life skills, experience of bills, home or car ownership etc. Some will argue they are old enough to join the forces. Yes, where you are told what to do by others. It is clearly an idea of Labour, backed up by the Liberals and Greens, to gain a potential two million more votes – all three being poor or struggling in the polls. Sooperhooper Most kids don't care – but neither do adults I don't think most kids today give a darn about politics or are educated well enough to know what's at stake. I'd even go so far as to say that many adults aren't educated well enough to understand the same things. We're at a critical junction in world history and politics. We must make wise choices and hope those who make the laws are of good heart and want to represent their actual constituents. At the moment, and with a somewhat cynical eye, it doesn't look that way. AwareReader Wait until they've left school My thoughts are they could have the voting age dropped to 17 years after they have left school and found out what the world of work is all about. Also, in the final year at secondary school they have education in politics and the voting system. Billydes Open to influence In my experience, teenagers have little in the way of original thought when it comes to politics. Lacking experience, they're still malleable and open to influence, and it would be easy to see how their thinking could be influenced by others who have a darker agenda. RickC Five reasons for Yes 16-year-olds should vote. Why? Because: It should encourage an interest in politics and democracy. It might stop some claiming, "What's the point – no-one listens to us..." It seemingly only has a marginal effect on outcomes in any case. It'll focus politicians on our future – our yoof. Although our youngsters are often a tad idealistic – i.e. leftish – that's fair enough, as it should help counter the barmy rightie oldies. :-) DevsAd They live with the consequences Young people have the most to vote for, as they are voting for their future. They are the ones who will have to live through the impact of their vote, which will mostly impact (though not entirely) those who are of working age. Legally, people aged 16 can work, pay taxes, join the military, have children, etc. – then it is only right that they get a say in the running of the country. Those complaining are all moaning about "woke leftie kids voting", but I can assure you they won't be voting Labour! SoMrHarris E lectoral gerrymandering If 16, why not 15? If 15, why not 14? If 14, why not 13? Where is the cut-off? My 7-year-old pays taxes in the form of VAT every time she uses her pocket money to buy something. Should she be allowed to vote? Labour simply has no convincing logical argument in favour of extending the franchise to 16-year-olds, especially given that we as a society currently think they are too immature to buy fireworks, get tattoos, open a bank account, gamble, pawn something in a pawn shop, and view pornography. Yet we are supposed to buy into the notion that they should be allowed to help choose the next government "because they can pay taxes". It is blatant and desperate electoral gerrymandering of the most partisan kind, from a man who promised to "put country before party". Labour appears to have belatedly bought into the idea that there is an emerging crisis of legitimacy in politics that has been brewing for decades. Their publicly-stated analysis of the cause of this crisis is frankly laughable. Do they seriously believe that this crisis can be fixed by managerial tinkering with the electoral process? That people think politicians are duplicitous troughers only because 16 and 17-year-olds are not more engaged with politics? It is nonsense. The issue is that people see politicians continually lying, gaslighting, claiming they will do one thing while literally doing the exact opposite, and generally serving their own agenda rather than that of voters, who they treat with barely disguised contempt. Will giving 16-year-olds the vote solve that? Of course not. It will make it worse. sj99 I trust my teenage son more than some voters My son was 17 this week. He is sane, smart, sober, politically aware and I would back his judgement in a polling booth ahead of any Reform UK voter of any age. SteveHill Why not? Why not? They are at least as intelligent and mature as the pensioner gammons who voted for Brexit. I suggest that as well as lowering the voting age, we should insist on a mental competence test for people over seventy – just like you need to renew your driving licence beyond that age – and I speak as a seventy-two-year-old.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Inside the crackdown on a flashy new generation of illicit vapes targeting US teens
U.S. officials are waging a robust crackdown on a surge of sophisticated illicit vaping products flooding U.S. markets, many of which appear designed to attract teenagers and avoid parental detection, an ABC News investigation found. The new generation of products, most of which are imported from China, feature vaping mechanisms that are concealed as backpacks, smartphone cases, highlighters and handheld video game consoles, officials said. The products, some of which include LED lighting, Bluetooth connectivity or hidden compartments, allow teens to vape discreetly while attempting to evade parents and teachers. "So it's very possible the child can go, 'Hey, mom and dad, I want to get these headphones, I want to get this video console,' and the parents unwittingly are buying their child vapes?" ABC News anchor Linsey Davis asked U.S. Customs and Border Protection official Eric Everson. "That could happen, yes," Everson said. 'Just a small fraction' Federal authorities are treating the deluge of vapes being smuggled into the country as an international threat to America's youth. In 2024, CBP seizures of " Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems" which include vapes had a domestic value of $34 million. And in just the first six months of 2025, CBP seizures had a domestic value of $60.3 million.. Despite a ban on flavored vapes, stores across the United States continue to sell cartridges like "pineapple express" and "killer custard blueberry." In Louisiana, federal agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have been seizing vapes hidden in safes, vehicles, and elaborate concealments like trap doors. The agency told ABC News it is seizing "so much product" that officials have had to drastically increase the capacity of the holding facilities where they store seized products. It's the same situation in Chicago, where 4 million vape sticks sit in a law enforcement warehouse. "Do you have any sense what kind of percentage this is of all that's out there illegally?" Davis asked Everson regarding the 4 million vapes. "This is just a small fraction of the seizures we have here," Everson replied. 'Enticing to kids' The vaping industry, which has been around for more than a decade, is currently worth billions of dollars, according to industry experts and law enforcement. The CDC Foundation has found that more than 20 million e-cigarettes are sold in the U.S. each month. But experts suggest the illicit vaping industry is even bigger, with one think tank estimating that about 240 million illegal vaping devices were sold in the U.S. in 2024. It's part of an innovation boom, with the U.S. accounting for nearly two-thirds of Chinese vape exports, according to the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce. And although vaping rates among teens have tapered off in recent years, more than 1.6 million American kids reported using vape products in a 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey. MORE: Kid-friendly e-cigarette flavors driving increase in sales, report finds One ongoing trend among illicit vapes entering the country is that they often feature sugary flavors -- despite a 2020 nationwide ban on flavored cartridges – and sleek, colorful marketing that's geared explicitly toward young people, officials say. Brian King, a former official at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said it's not just the flavors and the packaging used to lure young people, but robust marketing campaigns on popular social media apps. "It's a variety of factors," said King, who now serves as an executive vice president for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, an advocacy group aimed at preventing teen tobacco use. "We do know that flavors are enticing to kids, but we also know that they're promoted in channels that can be appealing to kids, including on social media and elsewhere." According to the FDA, e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among youth who reported current tobacco use. In some cases, the nicotine in some vape products is equal to 35 packs of cigarettes, according to experts, making them highly addictive and dangerous to children and young adults whose brains haven't yet fully developed. This past April, more than two dozen state attorneys general penned a letter asking the Trump administration for its support in "combating the flood of illegal Chinese products -- including illegal Chinese e-cigarettes marketed to minors." "While we are doing our best to fight the problem in the states, its nature and scope are international," the bipartisan coalition of attorneys general wrote. "President Trump can secure our borders against this influx of dangerous products and hold China accountable for preying on American youth." 'We can't rest on our laurels' Currently, there are 39 total vape products authorized by the FDA -- all tobacco and menthol flavored. And despite a nationwide prohibition on flavored cartridges imposed by the FDA in 2020, flavored products remain widely available in convenience stores, smoke shops, and online marketplaces across the country. The FDA has issued more than 800 warning letters to retailers for selling these products. In cities across the country, local law enforcement is cracking down on illicit vapes by going to smoke shops and seizing illicit products. "It's important, because you have people that are children buying these things," said Sergeant Michael Thorp with the New York Sheriff's Office. "You don't know what's in the product." MORE: Nearly $34 million worth of illegal e-cigarettes seized by federal officials Thorp told ABC News during a ride-along to vape shops across New York City that they find illicit vapes everyday. Despite the progress made by U.S. authorities in curbing illicit vape imports, King warned that a "rapidly dynamic landscape" makes vapes a persistent threat to American youth. "We can't rest on our laurels," warned King, who said authorities have to keep pace "as the landscape and manufacturers continue to evolve." "We must ... prevent these products from getting into kids' hands," he said. Solve the daily Crossword
News.com.au
16 hours ago
- News.com.au
Four teenagers arrested after knife attack left man's arm amputated
Police have arrested four teenagers after a knife attack in Melbourne's southwest, which left a man's arm needing to be amputated. Officers were called to the Altona Meadows Central Square Shopping Centre about 8pm on Saturday. It is alleged the victim was approached by a group of males and pushed to the ground, with one of the teens allegedly producing an edged weapon and striking the victim's forearm. The Herald Sun reports the 33-year-old male victim had the lower part of an arm amputated at Royal Melbourne Hospital on Sunday. He is in a serious but non-life-threatening condition. Police allege the teenager then fled the scene with the victim's phone. A 14-year-old boy from the Wyndham area has been charged with intentionally causing serious injury, recklessly causing injury, robbery and unlawful assault. He has been remanded to appear before a children's court. Two 15-year-old boys from the Hobsons Bay area face the same charges and have been released on bail to appear in a children's court at a later date. A 14-year-old boy, also from the Hobsons Bay area, is expected to be charged on summons. Police are continuing to search for a fifth individual believed to be involved in the alleged incident. These latest attacks come amid a spate of knife crimes at Melbourne shopping centres. A major brawl between rival gangs at a northern suburbs shopping centre in May sparked a statewide machete ban, which has already stopped stores selling them but criminalises possessing one as of September 1. Just last Monday, a 44-year-old man was stabbed in the chest and neck outside the Moonee Ponds Central shopping centre. Police said the alleged offender had a history of mental health issues. Barely an hour earlier, a 37-year-old man allegedly pulled a knife at a nearby cafe. After these two Moonee Ponds incidents, Police Minister Anthony Carbines stressed that officers were recently given more power to stop and search people for weapons without a warrant. 'We've seen a record number of edged weapons seized in the past year and that's a demonstration of the work police are doing to disrupt and dismantle crime in the community,' Mr Carbines told reporters last week. In February, two men were stabbed outside a Bunnings in Broadmeadows, allegedly over a pair of stolen headphones.
