Jetstar passenger opens emergency exit, Sydney's gay penguin dies: Australia news live

A day of thrill-seeking at Queensland’s Sea World has come to a screeching halt for a handful of passengers when the Leviathan roller coaster suddenly stopped mid-air.

The popular wooden ride that reaches 80km/h “had a stoppage due to a ride sensor activation” about 3pm, a spokesperson for the theme park confirmed to Yahoo News.

After the roller coaster suddenly came to a stop, “guests on board exited the ride from the safe stop zones with the help of our team”, the spokesperson said, insisting the passengers were in constant communication with Sea World staff.

“The safety and wellbeing of our guests is our highest priority and ride stoppages are proof rides systems and operators are doing as they are designed and trained to do to keep our guests safe,” they added.

It’s not the first time the Leviathan has had issues since it opened two years ago. Last year passengers onboard had to be evacuated after the ride was suddenly cut short, leaving them baking in 28C heat.

This could be a humbling experience for some of our readers.

A primary school has reportedly banned the following words – the question is, do you know what they mean?

Well when shared online, it appears many older Australians don't have a clue.

And don't ask me to explain, as I'm not entirely sure either.

ABC managing director David Anderson has revealed he intends to step down from his role, the public broadcaster has confirmed.

Anderson began the role in 2019 and was one year into a second term which would have seen him in the role until 2028.

In a note to staff, he spoke of "the privilege" it was to lead all staff which he called the ABC's "greatest asset".

The ABC says he will remain in the role until a new managing director has been found.

Here's an Australian lottery fact you might not know.

If one registered player wins the entire $100 million Powerball prize tonight, they can expect a call within 20 to 30 minutes. However if it's shared between two people, they won't. That's because you will only be contacted immediately if your prize is $60 million or above.

"Other winners would expect to receive a winning phone call from us in the morning the next business day," a spokesperson from The Lott told Yahoo.

Read more about what happens when you win big here.

While Joe Biden's age was the Republicans' big focus just weeks ago before he pulled out of the US election, it's now the Democrats who are reminding the nation just how old Donald Trump is.

Former President Bill Clinton was one of the main speaker at the Democratic National Convention on Night Three and made the point he was actually younger than Trump, drawing applause from the audience.

"Two days ago I turned 78," he said. "And the only personal vanity I want to assert is that I am still younger than Donald Trump."

Clinton was born August 19, 1946 while Trump was born two months earlier on June 14.

The Democrats' presidential nominee Kamala Harris is 59.

Authorities in New Zealand are keeping a close eye on Whakaari White Island after volcanic ash saw several flights at two airports cancelled.

The ash was across the flight paths of Tauranga and Rotorua Airports early on Thursday, Air New Zealand said.

Flights have since resumed after at least 10 were cancelled, with Air New Zealand "continuing to monitor the situation", Radio New Zealand reported.

How's this for a bit of luck.

A woman has won $20,000 a month for the next 20 years after claiming the top prize in Set for Life. And it turns out it's the first time the Melburnian has ever played the game.

“It’s crazy because I don’t normally play Set for Life. I normally play Powerball each week, and then, in the most recent draw, I got a small win, so I used it to buy this Set for Life ticket," she revealed to lottery officials.

A passenger has opened the emergency exit on a Jetstar flight from Sydney shortly after landing at Melbourne Airport.

A Jetstar spokesperson confirmed the incident to Yahoo News Australia, which prompted the inflatable slide to automatically deploy.

"We can confirm that a passenger opened the emergency exit door after arrival into Melbourne, which automatically deployed the slide. The plane was parked at the gate at time. The passenger has been arrested by the AFP," they said.

According to Sky News host Kieran Gilbert, the passenger slid down the slide.

“Flight attendants were telling the man to sit down, he was pacing around, not listening to the crew. Then there was screams of passengers to say ‘please sit down’, he didn’t, pulled the evacuation door and then slid down the slide,” he said.

Unverified videos online show the emergency exit of a plane open and in an image shared to Sky News Australia a man can be seen gripping to the side of the plane.

All passengers have now disembarked the aircraft.

We'll bring you more details as we have them.

Matthew Richardson, the cyclist who won three medals at the Paris Olympics for Australia, could be out of action for up to two years following his defection to Team GB.

The British born 25-year-old could be subject to a two-year non-competition clause, AusCycling’s executive general manager of performance Jesse Korf suggested, according to Fox Sports.

“That is something that we would have to discuss internally because we obviously have a big say in that and we need to review that,” he said.

The decision from Richardson has left plenty in the Australian camp stunned, with Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Olympian Katherine Bates telling the ABC some are feeling "blindsided" by the move.

"Others who are feeling a little bit ripped off because supporting him over the years has come at the direct cost of supporting other athletes," she said.

Travellers have been urged to stay alert for updates from airlines as more than 50 airport workers walk off the job over pay disputes.

Sydney Airport refuellers are set to hold 12 hours of strikes on Friday over pay dispute with transport fuels giant Ampol Aviation.

Ampol Aviation services 16 airlines including Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar, Air New Zealand, Delta and British Airways.

Refuellers have only seen a 3.5 per cent pay rise over the past three years, according to the Transport Workers Union, however, the cost of living has risen by more than 15 per cent.

Workers are also demanding secure employment as only 24 out of 68 employees hold full-time positions.

Read more here.

- NCA NewsWire

Australia has yet another $100 million Powerball draw tonight and while officials urge players to get in early, it seems they never do.

The Lott has revealed the last time the jackpot reached these heights in May, the most tickets were sold just 46 minutes before the draw closed.

“The last time we saw a $100 million Powerball draw was in May when, the peak of sales was at 6.44pm on the day of the draw when more than 7,980 tickets were sold in a single minute," spokesperson Anna Hobdell revealed.

Donald Trump has addressed supporters from behind bulletproof glass at his first rally since last month's assassination attempt.

Trump, who is facing Harris in the November election after Biden stepped aside, spoke from behind a podium surrounded by panes of bulletproof glass that formed a protective wall across the stage — part of ramped-up security measures aimed at keeping him safe after the attack by a Pennsylvania gunman on July 13.

Storage containers were stacked around the perimeter to create additional walls and block sight lines. Snipers were positioned on roofs at the venue, where old aircraft were sitting behind the podium and a large American flag was suspended from cranes.

On politics, he called his predecessor Barack Obama “nasty” for his comments the night before at the Democratic National Convention.

Trump blamed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the deadly Afghanistan withdrawal and for wars in Ukraine and the Middle East while returning repeatedly in his remarks to the Democratic gathering in Chicago, where speaker after speaker has assailed Trump as a threat to the country should he return to the White House.

Read more here from AP

Sydney gentoo penguin Sphen, whose same-sex love story made him and partner Magic an equality symbol worldwide, has died.

The couple shot to fame in 2018 when news of their same-sex male relationship in a Sydney aquarium made global headlines.

The adorable and loyal duo recently celebrated six years together and successfully adopted and raised two chicks: Sphengic (Lara) in 2018 and Clancy in 2020.

More than just a beautiful love story, the couple's impact around the world as a symbol of equality was immeasurable, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium said in a statement on Thursday.

Their love story inspired a Mardi Gras float, was included in the NSW education syllabus and even featured in the Netflix series Atypical.

Countless books speak of their love story, even documentaries on same-sex animal couples have featured Sphen and Magic, the aquarium said.

"The loss of Sphen is heartbreaking to the penguin colony, the team and everyone who has been inspired or positively impacted by Sphen and Magic's story," aquarium general manager Richard Dilly said on Thursday.

Read more here.

- AAP

Five bodies have been discovered on the wreck of the superyacht that sank near the Sicilian capital of Palermo earlier this week. Four of the bodies have been recovered while the fifth remains in the vessel.

Six people were reported missing when the yacht went down amid a violent tornado, including tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah.

The other four passengers who have been missing since the disaster are Morgan Stanley International chair Jonathan Bloomer; his wife, Judy Bloomer; Chris Morvillo, a lawyer with Clifford Chance; and his wife, Neda Morvillo.

Identities of the recovered bodies have not been confirmed by authorities, despite local and international media reporting some had been identified.

Read more here.