Young Aussie wins Powerball with first ticket, 'no break' as four states to be hit with storms, bail for cop guilty of Taser manslaughter

Plus a bill to ban social media for Australians under 16 has passed in parliament.

Aussies have a chance to take part in another $100 million draw. Source: The Lott/ Getty
The search is on for one of two Powerball winners last night.

Yahoo's live news blog for Friday, November 29 has now concluded. A man in his 20s has won $50 million in last night's Powerball draw with his first ever ticket.

Four states are to be hit with thunderstorms as Australians face more extreme weather. The wet conditions are set to continue into next week as millions have "no break" from rain for several days, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

Police in Laos have put a ban on the sale of Tiger vodka as investigations into six methanol deaths continue.

See all of the day's updates below.

LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER12 updates
  • Featured

    Spirits banned after methanol deaths

    Laos authorities have banned the sale and consumption of Tiger vodka and whiskey as they continue to investigate six methanol poisoning deaths in the backpacker town of Vang Vieng.

    It's believed the cheap liquor was handed out to backpackers the night Melbourne friends Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles fell ill.

    The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade updated their travel advice for the country, urging tourists to avoid drinking the spirits.

    "Australians should avoid consuming these products due to these serious safety concerns," it said on Friday.

    Foreign tourists relax at a swimming pool at Nana Backpack hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
    The hostel where Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles stayed at in Vang Vieng. Source: AP
  • A text too far?

    Black Friday rolls on and plenty of Aussies are getting fed up. You'd struggle to avoid mention of the sale, but some say companies are going too far in pushing their offers.

    Many people have been bombarded with text messages about Black Friday, with one Yahoo reporter getting six just this morning.

    So is it too much receiving a text about an offer? Have your say below and read more here from Yahoo Finance.

  • More than half of young Australians have experienced sexual harassment

    Now these are some alarming statistics revealed by the government today.

    Fifty-four per cent of young Australians, aged around 16 to 19 have experienced sexual harassment in the last 12 months, according to a new report from the Australian Institute of Family Studies.

    Sexual harassment is a term that includes touching and grabbing, sexual remarks and showing sexually explicit images.

    “Of the older teens we surveyed who had experienced sexual harassment, 53% of females and 39% of males experienced it at a party, club or bar – showing many young people have extremely negative experiences when trying to enjoy themselves on a night out,” Dr Neha Swami said.

  • Life term for 'depraved and violent' childcare rapist

    One of Australia's worst pedophiles has been jailed for life for hundreds of sex offences he committed over the course of 19 years while working in childcare centres.

    Ashley Paul Griffith, 46, returned to the dock in Brisbane District Court on Friday for the completion of his sentencing hearing.

    He has pleaded guilty to 28 counts of rape against girls primarily aged three to five at childcare centres in Queensland between 2007 and 2022.

    Judge Paul Smith imposed a non-parole period of 27 years and said Griffith was "depraved and has a high risk of reoffending".

    "People except their children will be protected in childcare centres and this will be a concern to every parent in this state," he said.

    Griffith pleaded guilty to a total of 307 offences including ongoing sexual abuse and making child exploitation material against nearly 70 victims beginning in 2003.

    Judge Smith said the youngest victim was a one-year-old and the oldest was aged seven to nine.

  • Facebook 'concerned' with Albo's social media ban

    It's a move that's got plenty of parents talking, and while its had it's fair chunk of praise, Facebook unsurprisingly isn't impressed.

    In a world first, children under 16 will be banned from using social media, after the House of Representatives signed off on the proposal on Friday,

    Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said while they respected the decision by federal parliament, issues remained with how the ban would be enforced.

    "We are concerned about the process which rushed the legislation through while failing to properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people," a spokesman for Meta said.

    "The task now turns to ensuring there is productive consultation on all rules associated with the bill to ensure a technically feasible outcome that does not place an onerous burden on parents and teens and a commitment that rules will be consistently applied across all social apps used by teens."

    - With AAP

  • Man wins Powerball with first ever ticket

    Imagine winning the Powerball with your first ever ticket.

    Well that's exactly what one Melbourne man in his 20s has done after claiming one half of the $100 million jackpot from last night.

    “I’m speechless right now. I can’t wrap my head around it," he told lottery officials.

    Neither can we.

  • Woman dies after restaurant adds new ingredient to dish

    We take you to a tragic story overseas now. A student in the US died after a restaurant changed the recipe to her regular order.

    Alison Pickering, 23, who has a severe peanut allergy, died after the restaurant added peanuts to the dish. The change was allegedly not declared, The Independent reported.

    “She took a few bites, [and] realized something was wrong. She did her EpiPen. The ambulance came. She actually walked to the ambulance talking to them, but somewhere along the way things went downhill”, her father Grover told CBS.

    Alison Pickering died from a severe anaphylactic shock. Source: Facebook
    Alison Pickering died from a severe anaphylactic shock. Source: Facebook
  • New addition to Sydney Harbour Bridge

    Work is underway to make a big change to the Sydney Harbour Bridge after years of pleas from cyclists.

    A ramp is being added to the north side of the bridge to allow cyclists to ride along the bridge without having to dismount.

    NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the site has been cordoned off for construction to commence before Christmas. Take a look at an artist's impression below.

    Cyclists were previously forced to wheel their bikes up and down a steep ramp running through the middle of a flight of stairs. Source: Jo Haylen
    Cyclists were previously forced to wheel their bikes up and down a steep ramp running through the middle of a flight of stairs. Source: Jo Haylen
  • Another bank shifts rate cut prediction

    If you're a homeowner hoping for imminent relief, look away now. Yet another big bank has revised its rate cut prediction, with ANZ joining Westpac and NAB in thinking the first cut in over two years will come in May.

    Of the big four, only Commonwealth remains in believing the interest rate cut will come in February, but even they have suggested such a move is becoming less likely.

    Read more here.

  • Plenty of rain coming for four states

    Australians have been warned to brace for a “wet and stormy weekend” and the risk of flash flooding, with “no real break” from the wet weather expected anytime soon.

    Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said a burst of moisture moving across the country’s east is set to increase the risk of heavy rainfall.

    a map of australia
    Much of the country is expected to be lashed with rain and thunderstorms over the weekend. Source: Windy

    “Once again, cloudy skies, rain areas and embedded thunderstorms will be widespread, impacting Queensland, NSW, Victoria, southeast South Australia as well,” Ms Bradbury said.

    “Severe storms may bring heavy falls and the risk of flash flooding to much of central and southern Queensland, inland NSW, and the ACT including Canberra, and northern Victoria, including the northern suburbs of Melbourne.”

    Read all about the forecast here.

  • Bail granted for cop guilty of Taser manslaughter

    A police officer found guilty of the manslaughter of a 95-year-old woman with a taser inside a nursing home has been granted bail while he awaits sentencing.

    Senior Constable Kristian White, 34, faced an eight-day trial in the NSW Supreme Court in November after he pleaded not guilty to unlawfully killing Clare Nowland, 95.

    He had been called to Yallambee Lodge nursing home in Cooma before 5am on May 17, 2023 to assist with a “very aggressive” resident who was holding two knives.

    During his deadly three-minute interaction with Mrs Nowland, White raised his Taser and told her to stay seated and put down the knife she held while leaning on her walking frame.

    The jury was told the great-grandmother had difficulty following directions and had become uncharacteristically aggressive before her death, which a doctor attributed to undiagnosed dementia.

    White held the weapon pointed at Mrs Nowland for a minute before he said: “Nah, just bugger it” and pulled the trigger, discharging the Taser probes at her chest.

    Mrs Nowland, who weighed less than 48 kgs, fell backwards and struck her head on the floor. She succumbed to her injuries a week later.

    After four days of deliberation, the jury unanimously found White guilty of manslaughter on Wednesday.

    Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC made an immediate application to have White taken into custody ahead of sentencing, which was heard on Thursday.

    “Clearly the jury has found on any view that the force was not reasonably necessary and, having regard to the nature of the offence, that a full time custodial sentence is realistically inevitable,” he said.

    Yet White’s barrister Troy Edwards SC argued the judge could find his client’s actions were on the “lowest end” of the spectrum of severity for manslaughter offences.

    Read more here from NCA NewsWire.

  • Search for $50m Powerball winner

    The search is on for one of the two winners who shared last night's $100 million Powerball jackpot.

    The mystery winner purchased their ticket in Victoria's Darebin with officials yet to identify them.

    A Rockhampton couple claimed the other half, saying they're in "disbelief" over the win.

    "I can't believe it. This doesn't happen to us. I expected you to ask if we have solar panels, not to tell us we've just won $50 million," the grandmother said.

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