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Children arrested over Sebastopol fires
Ballarat Crime Investigation Unit detectives have arrested and interviewed a 10-year-old boy and an 11-year old boy in relation to fires that occurred in Sebastopol on Tuesday. Read more.
Police urge vigilance after spate of theft
Police are urging Ballarat residents to be on high alert after a spate of recent burglaries and car thefts throughout the city. Read more.
Push for alternative Ballarat Railway Precinct plan
Ballarat’s Save Our Station (S0S) group is calling on the state government to scrap plans for a multi-million dollar hotel and convention centre. Read more.
Person flees serious Redan collision
Police are searching for a person who fled the scene of a serious crash in Redan on Thursday afternoon. Read more.
Watch our aerial video of Ballarat’s CBD cycling
Skyline Drone Imaging took to the skies to capture this video of the Australian Road National Cycling Championships criterium course around Sturt Street on a perfect evening in Ballarat. Watch it here.
Weather
Slap on the suncscreen, we're in for a hot few days!
State of the Nation
Need a national news snapshot first thing? Well, we have you covered.
REGIONAL NEWS
►LITHGOW, NSW: Sixty-eight people, 50 of them children, were on two buses when they crashed near Lithgow on Thursday afternoon. Read more
►LAKE MACQUARIE, NSW: Its door was open and it had been sitting on the shoulder of a Lake Macquarie dirt track for a while when a pair of metal collectors decided to take a closer look. Read more
►RIVERINA: Renowned actor Tiriel Mora, who played lawyer Dennis Denuto in The Castle, has breathed a heavy sigh of relief after a Junee local saved the film’s house from demolition this week. Read more
►LORNE, VIC: Falls Festival patrons injured and traumatised in a stampede could have grounds for compensation. Warrnambool’s Maddens Lawyers has spoken with festival patrons affected by the December 30 incident, which saw 19 people hospitalised and more than 60 people treated by paramedics. Read more
►LEETON, NSW: Police have released more detail following Tuesday’s horrific double fatal truck accident near Whitton. Read more
►WAGGA, NSW: Vandals have ravaged a Wagga car yard and dealt more than $100,000 damage during a New Year’s Day “demolition derby”. Read more
►ALBURY-WODONGA: A murderer jailed for at least 16 years over a drunken double stabbing in Wodonga is continuing to fight his conviction. Read more
►MANDURAH, WA: One year after the small town of Yarloop was gutted by fire life goes on. Read more
►GOOLGOWI, NSW: A four-year-old boy has had a brush with death after he was found at the bottom of a community pool on Wednesday afternoon. Read more
►BALLARAT, VIC: Two boys aged 10 and 11 have been arrested and interviewed by police after fires at Sebastopol on Thursday. Read more
►ILLAWARRA, NSW: A man accused of pointing a loaded gun at a Shoalhaven shop owner and pulling the trigger remains behind bars after facing court on Thursday. Read more
► ARARAT, VIC: Disco diva Kylie Minogue is sending her treasured costumes, memorabilia and films to Ararat. Minogue’s Kylie on Stage exhibition is set to arrive in town mid-next year to mark the opening of the $6 million Ararat arts precinct redevelopment. Read more
►WANGARATTA, NSW: A two-year-old boy is expected to make a full recover after he dragged unconscious and not breathing from a pool in Wangaratta on Thursday. Emergency services say CPR at the scene saved the boy’s life. Read more
►MT ISA, QLD: The Mt Isa community is outraged at the disposal of a dead dog, which was discovered on the banks of Mica Creek near two piles of rubbish including a pile of wood chips. Read more
NATIONAL NEWS
►Linda Burney, Labor's human services spokeswoman, has written to the Australian National Audit Office requesting they investigate Centrelink's controversial $4.5 billion debt clawback project amid ongoing accusations that it is unfairly targeting people and miscalculating bills. Read more
►The federal consumer watchdog is urging motorists to shop around and grab the cheapest petrol they see, with prices expected to jump in coming days. Read more
►Consumer protection authorities are warning Australians not to use air loungers in water after two people nearly died while floating on them in backyard pools on Christmas Day. Read more
►Almost nine out of 10 international students studying in Sydney would recommend the city to their friends as a place to live and study, despite persistent complaints about the high cost of public transport and accommodation, according to the first major research done on the experiences of international students in Australia. Read more
WORLD NEWS
►PHILIPPINES: A top Philippine militant who pledged allegiance to Islamic State has been killed in the group's latest setback in its attempts to sow terror across south-east Asia. Read more
►INDONESIA: Indonesia's hardline military chief Gatot Nurmantyo has little love for Australia. Hints of the lead-up to Indonesia's dramatic decision to suspend military ties with Australia can be found in General Gatot's public lectures over the past two months, posted on YouTube. Read more
►Evidence the earth experienced a slowdown in global warming over the past couple of decades has been further eroded with a new US study confirming climate change continues unabated. Read more
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY…
1412: Tradition suggests that Christian martyr Joan of Arc was born.
1912: Australia’s first aircraft crash occurs.
1925: Hollywood legend and humanitarian, Paul Newman, is born.
1955: English comedian Rowan Atkinson is born.
FACES OF AUSTRALIA
Richard Hall
Like many men of his generation, Richard Hall came close to death during the Second World War.
However, he slowly fought back, recovering from extensive burns after a phosphorus landmine exploded on top of him the Papua New Guinean jungle in 1944.
On Wednesday, the Wollongong great-grandfather celebrated a centenary, turning 100 with friends, family and RSL members by his side.
“I’m feeling good about this,” the sprightly centenarian said at his party at Figtree’s Hillside residence on Wednesday afternoon.