WEATHER
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The sun looks to stay hidden over the weekend with a high chance of rain today.
If you're heading towards Buninyong to watch the U23 Men 132.6km event which kicked off at 9am this morning, or the U23 & Elite Women 102km event from 1.30pm it might be worthwhile grabbing a jumper and an umbrella - there is a 70 per cent chance we might see rain.
It looks like the rain will stick around all weekend and into Monday with a top of 20 degrees forecast for Saturday, while Sunday should reach a top of 22.
POLICE
Police are currently investigated the circumstances surrounding a crash which left a man with critical injuries in Ballarat this morning.
Police were involved in a low speed pursuit in Ballarat East after attempting to intercept an allegedly stolen white Suburu Forrester station wagon shortly before 2.30am.
The pursuit was then terminated for safety reasons.
Police located the vehicle at the corner of Scott Parade and Ebden Street where the driver had crashed into a pole.
A 17-year-old boy was found critically injured in the passenger seat and was taken to Ballarat Base Hospital.
The driver's side door was found open and it is believed the driver fled the scene.
Investigators are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the movements of the vehicle, or knows the identity of the driver to come forward.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
SES
Despite severe weather across the state overnight, local SES crews has a relatively quiet night.
Ballarat crews were called to multiple trees down, while the Stawell, Hepburn and Bacchus Marsh crews attended minor damage to houses.
SES mid-west duty officer Gavin Kelly said summer was a prime time for thunderstorms and urged residents to remain on high alert.
"We're still not out of danger," he said.
"We need to be aware of the dangers of thunderstorms.
"People need to take extra care on the roads and avoid driving in flood waters."
FIRE
Ballarat City Fire crews attended six call outs overnight including four automated alarms.
At 12.50am they attended a shed fire in Wendouree West. Shortly afterwards they were called to a motor vehicle accident around 2.50am.
TODAY'S TOP STORIES
A Ballarat man was assisting police with "ongoing inquiries" after they pulled him from a 15-metre deep well on Friday.
Construction will hopefully start on the Ballarat Railway Precinct by the end of the year.
Learner drivers have a better chance of passing their licence test in Ararat than anywhere else in Victoria.
A new campaign aimed at Victoria’s youth hopes to change the drinking culture.
State of the nation
Keen to know the latest weather updates or regional news? We have you covered.
Overseas, the suspects in the terror attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo have been killed and their hostage freed in dramatic scenes, while four hostages were killed in a siege at a kosher supermarket. In sport, the Socceroos have got off to a flying start in their Asian Cup opener, but not before giving fans a scare.
As for what's happening around regional Australia right now, check it out ...
► PARKES: The 2015 Parkes Elvis Festival is in full swing and is set to be the biggest and best in the event's history. Click here to head to the festival homepage, full of stories, photo galleries, videos and much, much more.
►BENDIGO: Bendigo will today begin counting the cost of the deluge that hit the city at 3pm on Friday.
Insurance assessors will need to look at businesses in Lansell Square, Bendigo Marketplace and the central business district of Bendigo, along with units in Victoria Lane, Eaglehawk. Follow live coverage of the big wet here.
► BROULEE: Rare footage has been captured of a shark feeding off a dead whale just metres from a popular NSW South Coast holiday beach.
Sharks had been circling South Broulee and three neighbouring beaches after a humpback whale died near the coast this week.
The whale drew sharks, which in turn drew hundreds of onlookers who gathered on the rocks around the beach to catch a glimpse of some of the ocean's apex predators in action. Click here to view the video.
► BOWRAL: A Southern Highlands mother has given others hope for a life after ice addiction.
About eight years ago, Elizabeth's daughter moved away to go to university, like most kids.
Elizabeth* said Alex* did okay for a few years when all of a sudden her manner changed and she lost a lot of weight.
"I thought it was the stress of working two jobs and going to university, but it turned out to be a lot worse than that," Elizabeth said. Read her story here.
► ARMIDALE: A teenager has been arrested in Sydney in connection to a shooting in Armidale last month.
The 19-year-old was arrested in Redfern in a coordinated operation by specialist Sydney police.
The teenager, who lives in Armidale, was taken to Redfern Police Station and charged with one count of discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Police will allege the man shot a 35-year-old Armidale man in the leg in a late night shooting in Donnelly St on December 14. More here.
► PORT MACQUARIE: The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital is no stranger to helping koalas in need.
And it is extending a hand, with a mitten, to the slow-moving koalas who were not fortunate enough to escape the ravages of the bushfires in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.
The special mittens help koalas' paws recover from burns as they traverse fire-affected areas. Read on.
► NEWCASTLE: Controversial Newcastle Jets owner Nathan Tinkler has taken the A-League club off the market and appointed himself chairman in a stunning about-face.
The move has set the scene for an explosive showdown with Football Federation Australia. Read more here.
National news
► MELBOURNE: An airport terminal was evacuated after a security threat to Tigerair grounded the carrier's international flights out of the city on Friday night.
Melbourne Airport spokeswoman Anna Gillett said Tigerair's flights were cancelled as authorities responded.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman has confirmed that police completed a "safety check" at the airport and declared the area safe just after 5am on Saturday. More here.
► SYDNEY: A manhunt is on for the man police believe stole an Audi that was later involved in a fatal police pursuit that claimed the life of a toddler in Sydney's western suburbs.
Police on Friday released an image of Christopher Chandler, 22, who is wanted over the theft of a charcoal-coloured Audi A4 sedan from Anzac Parade at Kingsford between 10:30am and midday on Wednesday. Full story here.
► BALLARAT: A Ballarat man is assisting police with "ongoing inquiries" after they pulled him from a 15-metre deep well on Friday.
It remains unclear how the 25-year-old became trapped in the well on his Wattle Flat property, with police quashing reports he fled down the muddy drop after they arrived about 9am as part of an investigation. More here.
► PORT PIRIE: Sandbags have arrived in Port Pirie, however it's now expected to miss the worst of the predicted rain.
The sandbags, which arrived empty and have to be filled at their destinations, will we used to hold back floodwaters throughout the State. Most of them already redistributed farther north.
► BRISBANE: Keriba Omasker. It means "our children" in the language of eight young souls taken too soon from their Cairns community.
The heritage of the little ones, who died on December 19, will be honoured at their funeral today.
But the achievements and personalities of the four girls and four boys, aged between two-years-old and 14 will also be celebrated, with thousands of people coming together to remember, mourn and farewell. Full story here.
► TASMANIA: The Magistrates Court will resume sittings at Smithton under an arrangement with the Circular Head Council.
Sittings were suspended last year after the lease on the building ran out and due to the high costs the government chose to move Circular Head matters to Burnie.
Thanks to an agreement between the government and the council, monthly sittings will now be held in the council chambers.
The move is set to save the government $20,000 a year. Read on.
International news
► PARIS: The Charlie Hebdo terrorist crisis came to a dramatic climax, with simultaneous special forces raids ending two sieges amid explosions and sustained gunfire.
Three of the gunmen involved are reported to have died, including the Kouachi brothers behind Wednesday's Hebdo massacre, and a man believed to be their close friend. Read on
► JAKARTA: "Ping" signals from the black box of downed AirAsia flight QZ8501 have been detected 300 metres from the aircraft's sunken tail section, Indonesian army commander Moeldoko has confirmed.
General Moeldoko said the ping was picked up by Indonesian ship Jadayat well away from the tail, which is the current focus of the search and recovery effort. Full story here.
► MH17 AIR DISASTER: Relatives and friends of victims have written, asking for some of the sunflower seeds harvested by hand at the Ukrainian crash site by reporter Paul McGeough and photographer Kate Geraghty – hopefully to be grown as self-regenerating mementos of their lost loved ones. More here.
Faces of Australia: Stuart Cameron
Twice a year, Stuart Cameron and members of the three Local Aboriginal Land Councils - Bega, Eden and Merrimans - walk every beach in Bega Valley Shire, removing weeds and litter.
The walk covers about 1000ha, focusing on sea spurge and beach daisy, and results in greatly reduced infestations. For his work, Mr Cameron and the “Weeds Project” received the Community Involvement Award, at the 23rd NSW Coastal Conference, in Ulladulla. Read on