Brisbane car fire deaths 'preventable'
Women are most at risk of being killed in the six months following a relationship breakdown, an expert says. Their children Laianah, 4, Aaliyah, 6, and Trey, 3, burned to death in the car after it burst into flames on the quiet suburban street in Camp Hill in Brisbane's east. Advocates from The Red Heart Campaign say 63 women and 23 children died from domestic violence last year. "We know that these incidents are predictable and because they're predictable they're preventable," she said. They intervene at the first sign of any violent behaviour, with offenders sent to special centres for unlearning violence.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 20, 2020 01:30 UTC
Museum puts collection of military aviation history photos online
Photo: Air Force Museum of New ZealandThousands of images and digitised photographs from New Zealand’s military aviation history can now be downloaded through a Canterbury museum's new online archives. The archive is a culmination of 25 years of behind-the-scenes planning and effort at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand in Christchurch. In 1995, the museum purchased what was then a cutting-edge database, intended as an access tool for people to search for images. When the museum began updating its IT system in 2015, there was an opportunity to make the photo archives searchable online. “This is a huge step forward for the Air Force Museum, which will revolutionise the way the public can engage with our collections”, he says.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 20, 2020 01:18 UTC
Truckie hired and fired by text wins compensation
A truck driver has been awarded more than $6000 after he was fired by text - despite only working two weeks. Driver Perry Morris was hired and fired via text message last year when he worked for small trucking company Sharda Transport. Sharda also confirmed the hourly rate of $19 an hour by text message. Three days later Morris received another text message. In the text message, Sharda said he had been in a truck accident and was in the hospital.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 20, 2020 00:56 UTC
Car flips on SH1 north of Oamaru
SH1 north of Oamaru was closed for a time after a car crashed off the road smashing down a power pole which started a grass fire. Police said they were called to the crash at the intersection between Richmond Rd and SH1, which is 11km north of Oamaru, at 1.15pm. The car was heading south on SH1 when it crashed off the road and smashed into a power pole, starting a grass fire on the side of the road. The driver, who was the sole occupant of the car, was taken to Oamaru Hospital by ambulance. Traffic was backed up around the crash scene.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 20, 2020 00:55 UTC
Quake study looks at long-term psychological effects
Cashel St just after the February 22, 2011, earthquake struck. Photo: Geoff SloanPeople who lived through the devastating 2010 and 2011 earthquakes are part of a new study to determine if they could end up having long-term psychological effects. Photo: Getty ImagesA similar study was carried out in the United States on people who experienced the September 11 terror attacks. Photo: Martin HunterThe study, funded by The Neurological Foundation, is being conducted by the New Zealand Brain Research Institute and Department of Psychological Medicine at Otago University’s Canterbury campus. The ceremony on the ninth anniversary of the February 2011 earthquake will take 10-15min.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 20, 2020 00:45 UTC
PM launches free school lunches
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern talks to pupils receiving a free lunch at Flaxmere Primary School. Photo: RNZFlaxmere Primary School kids didn't just get a free lunch today, they had it served to them by the Prime Minister. PM Jacinda Ardern is in Hawke's Bay today to promote the Government's free and healthy school lunch programme, which is under way in the region. The free school lunch served up today. The free and healthy school lunches' programme is one of 75 initiatives from New Zealand's Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy launched last year, which was developed with input from 10,000 New Zealanders including 6000 young people.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 20, 2020 00:22 UTC
Liquor store owners who exploit staff should have licences terminated, DB says
Bottle store owners who exploit their staff should be stripped of their liquor licences, one of the country's largest breweries says. The company was unable to comment further about any ongoing relationship it had with Nekita Enterprises for "legal and commercial reasons". ALDEN WILLIAMS/STUFF Super Liquor Pages Rd is among 15 bottle stores owned by Nekita Enterprises. RADIO TARANA Migrant Workers' Association's Anu Kaloti talks to Radio Tarana's Vandhna Bhan about migrant worker exploitation issues. NEKITA ENTERPRISES LTD'S STORES:Super Liquor Ashburton, Super Liquor Brighton (Christchurch), Super Liquor East Street (Ashburton), Super Liquor Lyttelton, Super Liquor Methven, Super Liquor Pages Road (Christchurch), Super Liquor Seaside (Christchurch), Wigram (Christchurch), Super Liquor Woodend, Super Liquor Woolston (Christchurch), Allenton Liquor (Ashburton), Ferrymead Wine and Spirits (Christchurch), Wainoni Liquor Store (Christchurch), Wairakei Road Liquor Store (Christchurch), and Woodham Road Liquor (Christchurch).
Source:Stuff
February 20, 2020 00:21 UTC
Pole vaulter tears scrotum, but escapes serious injury
An American pole vaulter says there is "nothing wrong with my testicles" despite tearing his scrotum in a freak training accident. Zach McWhorter, 21, from Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City speared himself when he landed on the pole after completing a recent practice vault. "That one time the pole went through my n..s… 18 stitches later… RIP to my future kids," McWhorter posted on TikTok. READ MORE: Biting rival's penis earns footballer five-year banTikTok Pole vaulter Zach McWhorter tears scrotum in freak accident. "I could see right into my scrotum," McWhorter told BuzzFeed.
Source:Stuff
February 20, 2020 00:11 UTC
Council car fell into sinkhole after burst water main floods Christchurch street
A Christchurch City Council truck gets stuck after a water main burst on Worcester St.A council vehicle was pulled into the road on Worcester St in Christchurch when a sinkhole opened up after a water main burst. Council contractors were called to Worcester St in Linwood, about 12.30pm on Thursday, when the incident happened. DEON SWIGGS/SUPPLIED A water main burst on Worcester St in Linwood on Thursday, flooding the road. It is believed the size of the void under the asphalt and around the blown water main was underestimated, leading to the car being sucked in. A Christchurch City Council spokesman said about 50 properties would likely be without water for four to six hours.
Source:Stuff
February 20, 2020 00:00 UTC
China says big drop in Hubei cases, Japan criticised over ship
Passengers disembarking from the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked at Yokohama Port. China's central Hubei province had 349 new confirmed cases on Wednesday, down from 1693 a day earlier and lowest since January 25. The death toll rose by 108, down from 132 the previous day, bringing to total in China to over 2,100 deaths and 74,000 cases. "Unfortunately, cases of infection have emerged, but we have to the extent possible taken appropriate steps to prevent serious cases," Kato said in a report by state broadcaster NHK. Clyde and Renee Smith, 80-year-old American cruise passengers hospitalised in Japan since testing positive for the virus on February 3, learned on Wednesday they were still positive.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 19, 2020 23:50 UTC
Electrical fault leads to school evacuation at Albury
Albury School was evacuated for a possible fire on Thursday but no fire was found. Albury School was evacuated after smoke was smelt on Thursday but no fire was found. Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) spokeswoman Lynn Crosson said they received reports of a smoke smell in one of the classrooms at 11.32am and sent crews from Albury and Fairlie. The school was evacuated but fortunately no fire was found, she said. Crosson said firefighters found a light fitting capacitor had blown due to an electrical fault and an electrical contractor was called.
Source:Stuff
February 19, 2020 23:41 UTC
Properties without water after leak floods part of city
Photo: SuppliedA water leak has caused significant flooding and left some properties without water in Christchurch on Thursday. A water leak on Worcester St has closed the road between Stanmore Rd and Fitzgerald Ave. A Christchurch City Council spokesman confirmed council staff are aware of a burst water main that has caused flooding and are looking into the issue. A water leak on Worcester St. Photo: CTOC"Our contractor City Care is on site and isolating the area of the burst water main," he said. Burst water mains and pipes or other water leaks should be reported to the city council here.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 19, 2020 23:40 UTC
Man City ease to win over West Ham
Manchester City's Nicolas Otamendi in action with West Ham United's Michail Antonio. Photo: ReutersManchester City manager Pep Guardiola has urged his players to focus on their jobs but while they delivered on that in Wednesday's 2-0 Premier League win over West Ham United, the team's supporters vented their anger over the club's two-year ban from European football. Goals from Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne secured a comfortable win at the Etihad against an unadventurous West Ham side who are deep in relegation trouble. "We have a deal, we are professional on the pitch, what happened off the pitch we cannot say, we cannot do much," Guardiola told reporters. City are second in the league table but are 22 points behind leaders Liverpool while West Ham remained in 18th position and mired in the relegation battle.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 19, 2020 23:26 UTC
Qantas and Jetstar trans-Tasman flights reduced due to coronavirus
Qantas has reduced capacity to New Zealand by 6 per cent, while its capacity to Asia will reduce by 15 per cent from now until at least the end of May. Qantas will reduce flights to New Zealand by 6 per cent with cancellations on three New Zealand routes while its subsidiary Jetstar will reduce trans-Tasman flights by 5 per cent. Qantas Group announced the changes on Thursday as part of wider temporary reductions to flights across Asia in response to a drop in demand due to coronavirus. READ MORE: Air New Zealand reduces Hong Kong and Shanghai flights due to coronavirusThe impact would have been greater had it not been for softer fuel prices, the airline said. Air New Zealand has not announced any other adjustments to its network as a result of coronavirus.
Source:Stuff
February 19, 2020 23:23 UTC
Southland Ballance Farm finalists announced
The four Southland finalists in the 2020 Ballance Farm Environment awards represent the dairy and beef and sheep industries. The awards are run by the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust and highlight good farm practices around sustainable land management. Supplied/ NZ Farm Environment Trust Andrew and Vanessa Wilkinson. Supplied/ New Zealand Farm Environment Trust Geordie and Frances Eade. Supplied/NZ Farm Environment Trust Desiree and Chris Giles are among the four Southland Ballance farm finalists for 2020.
Source:Stuff
February 19, 2020 23:15 UTC