Author: Press Room

For more than three years Olivia Podmore’s family have been trying to piece together the jigsaw of her life. To understand what led to the events of 9 August, 2021 – the day after the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics – when the elite sprint cyclist, 24, died by suspected suicide.Over the next three weeks in courtroom seven of the Hamilton District Court, they will get the closest thing they can to answers.On Monday, coroner Luella Dunn will open an inquest into the death of the Rio Olympian. More than 25 witnesses are expected to be called during the…

Blis Technologies says a new partnership with an omni-channel distributor for imported consumer goods in China will position the company to capture “significant market growth” in the Asia-Pacific region. Orange Daylily would distribute Blis’ branded finished goods, including its probiotics line, across e-commerce and retail platforms in China, the Dunedin-based company said in a statement. The Asia-Pacific region represented nearly $4billion in probiotic supplementation and China contributed 50% of that market, it said. China’s probiotic market was also expanding at a robust annual growth rate of 11%-12%, making it one of the fastest-growing global markets for probiotics. According to industry…

Communities in Canterbury are rallying to try and save music workshops for young people with disabilities. The charity StarJam, which offered free workshops and events to thousands of young people across the country, announced its closure earlier this month due to a lack of funding. In Canterbury, volunteers, tutors, and young people with their families are fighting to keep the classes going. Speaking to Breakfast this morning, Suzie Kerr, who worked with StarJam as a volunteer and tutor for seven years, said there was a lot of “disbelief and shock” when the charity announced its closure. She said about her…

The number of lightweight plastic bags purchased across the EU is staggering – nearly 30 billion in 2022 alone. However, their usage rate is declining rapidly. Which countries use the most, and which are the most eco-friendly? ADVERTISEMENTEU member states have taken progressive steps over the past decade to reduce the use of lightweight plastic bags, including imposing additional charges or levies and promoting the adoption of compostable and biodegradable alternatives.Although these measures have not fully resolved the issue, they have proven effective: Today, EU citizens purchase about 30% fewer lightweight plastic bags compared to 2018, according to a Eurostat…

A New Zealand man has won the Spanish-language Scrabble World Championship for 2024 — despite not being able to speak the language. Nigel Richards, 57, defeated his opponent in the final in Granada, Spain to clinch the title overnight.Over the course of the games, Richards demonstrated an exceptional ability to recall Spanish words, Reuters reported. The win adds to his impressive list of World Championship titles accumulated between 2007 and 2019, including previously winning the French-language Scrabble World championship in 2015, also without speaking French. Richards was originally from Christchurch and was now based in Malaysia. NZ Association of Scrabble…

The demonstrators claim that the country’s recent parliamentary elections were rigged and are demanding a rerun. ADVERTISEMENTGeorgia’s opposition and its supporters started round-the-clock protests on the streets of Tbilisi – calling for new parliamentary elections after voting they allege was tampered with. The protesters rejected the results of the country’s recent election amid allegations the vote was rigged, an accusation which ruling party Georgian Dream denies. Demonstrators blocked one of the capital’s central streets on Sunday, vowing to remain there until their demands are met. European election observers have described the Georgian parliamentary elections as taking place in a “divisive” atmosphere marked by…

There’s a new way to pay for public transport in Auckland, with contactless payment now available on buses, trains and ferries.While the new system began on Sunday, it is being put to the test today on a busy day of commuting across the network.Auckland Transport public transport general manager Stacey van der Putten told Morning Report it is a positive change to the system.”It’s about making it easy for people,” Putten said.From today, bus, train, and ferry users in Auckland are able to use contactless debit and credit cards to get onboard. (Source: 1News)You can use any paywave enabled device…

Farmers across France are on the road again, protesting the EU-Mercosur agreement and arguing that the deal would create unfair competition. ADVERTISEMENTFarmers across France have mobilised for widespread protests against the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, which they argue would increase South American agricultural imports and threaten their livelihoods.The European Union and the Mercosur trade bloc, made up of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia, reached an agreement in 2019. However, negotiations were halted due to strong opposition from farmers and several European governments, particularly France.Earlier this year, farmers staged protests across Europe, blocking roads and buildings to demand fairer agricultural policies,…

State Highway 6 on the West Coast could reopen in the coming days after crews worked hard over the weekend to remove loose rocks at the Epitaph Slip, NZTA says.The road between Haast and Lake Moeraki closed a little over a week ago when record-breaking rain pummelled the region, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency.Slips, rockfall and cracking, which NZTA said showed movement under the highway, have kept the section closed since then.Further wet weather late last week made conditions on site “treacherous” but good weather over the weekend has helped crews, said Central South Island system…

Nearly 1,000 days after Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Washington is said to have authorised the use of US-provided ATACMS missiles for strikes deep into Russia. How far is Ukraine allowed to strike, and what are Kyiv’s targets? ADVERTISEMENTNearly 1,000 days since Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Washington is said to have authorised the use of US-provided ATACMS for the strikes deep into Russia. What difference could this make, and what targets could Kyiv strike? It took the US around one month to come up with a response to the deployment of North Korean forces to the battlefield…