Henderson Dairy is recalling two batches of its raw milk product due to concerns it may contain listeria.
Henderson Dairy is recalling specific batches of its Farm Fresh Raw Milk (unpasteurised) 1 Litre as the product may contain listeria. Photo: Supplied / Ministry of Primary Industries
The batches, sold by Henderson Dairy, are:
1 litre Farm Fresh Raw Milk batch code 240724 with use-by 280724
1 litre Farm Fresh Raw Milk batch code 260724 with use-by 300724
New Zealand Food Safety acting deputy director-general Jenny Bishop said the products under recall were identified through routine testing, and there have been no reports of associated illness.
“New Zealand Food Safety will work with Henderson Dairy to understand how the contamination occurred and prevent its recurrence,” she said.
A listeria infection could be serious among pregnant people, newborns, the elderly, and those with a weakened immune system.
“These products should not be consumed. Return them to Henderson Dairy for a refund or, if that’s not possible, throw them out,” Bishop said.
Listeria differed to other harmful bacteria in that it could grow at refrigerator temperatures, Bishop said.
“You have to be very careful about the foods you eat, or provide to others, if you or they are in a vulnerable group,” she said.
“It is particularly dangerous during pregnancy because it can cause miscarriage, premature labour or stillbirth, and infection in the new-born baby.”
However, an infection in healthy adults is unlikely to be severe, at most causing mild diarrhoea and flu-like symptoms within a few days of eating contaminated food.
For those in the vulnerable groups, it usually takes two to three weeks – or even longer – before symptoms appear.
Bishop said drinking raw milk carried inherent risks because it might contain harmful bacteria that were killed through the pasteurisation process.
“If you have consumed any of this product and are concerned for your health, contact your health professional, or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free advice.”
A funeral for the former Timaru Church of Tonga Pastor who went missing off the South Canterbury coast was formally held on Saturday.
Suliana Fotofili speaks at the funeral for her husband Lionati Fotofili held at the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga in Timaru on Saturday. JOHN BISSET / The Timaru Herald
Lionati Fotofili, known as Lio, was swept out to sea in the early hours of December 30, 2022, while fishing for his congregation’s New Year’s Day lunch at the Ōpihi River Mouth.
LandSAR volunteers, the South Canterbury Coastguard, South Canterbury Helicopters, and Police Search and Rescue staff launched a search for Fotofili, but a few days later, it was scaled back.
Several items linked to Fotofili have been found for over one month, but there was no sign of him.
In February this year, just over a year after he went missing, his remains were found.
Born in Tonga, Fotofili was the father of two boys who were 14 and 14-months-old when he disappeared.
Stuff reported that Fotofili’s former Timaru Alliance Smithfield plant colleagues Karen Morris and Wiremu Rassmussen both said they had been lucky to meet him.
“We will remember his big heart,’’ Morris said.
“We were lucky enough to be involved with his cheeky sense of humour. A little bit of Lio lives in us all – in the hearts and minds of everyone.’’
Reading Fotofili’s eulogy, his wife Suliana Fotofili quoted Ecclesiastes 3:1-8: “For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.”
“It is my greatest honour to stand before you to read my dearly beloved husband’s eulogy,’’ she said.
She thanked all of those who had supported her family since Fotofili went missing.
Tongan opera singer Manase Latu from Auckland has made it through to the Grand Final of the 2024 Lexus Song Quest.
Lexus Song Quest 2024 Semi-Finals, St Andrews, Wellington, Sunday 28 July 2024. From left to right: Austin Haynes, Manase Latu, Sumi Jo, Katie Trigg, Morgan Andrew-King, Tayla AlexandraCredit: Hagen Hopkins.
It is expected to be held this Saturday 2 August at Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington for a share of $92,000 in prizes and prestige.
The finalists were judged in front of a live audience by Gammy Award-winning South Korean lyric coloratura soprano Sumi Jo, following two thrilling semi-final concerts on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 July at St Andrew’s on The Terrace.
The Finalists for the 2024 Lexus Song Quest in association with the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation will compete for the title at the Grand Final Gala at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington on Saturday 3 August accompanied by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra are, listed alphabetically.
Austin Haynes (23), countertenor, from Kā Muriwai/Arrowtown and Naarm/Melbourne
Katie Trigg (25), mezzo-soprano from Ngāhinapōuri/Hamilton
Manase Latu (28), tenor from Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland
Morgan-Andrew King (24), bass from Tahaaroa, Waikato
Tayla Alexander (23), soprano from Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland
Sumi Jo has been highly impressed with the vocal quality and skills of the ten Semi-Finalists.
“Choosing a top five from such a skilled group of Semi-Finalists has been incredibly challenging. Beyond having a beautiful voice with impeccable tone, technique, and musicality, it’s essential to possess star quality and charisma that immediately captivates the audience. Effective communication is key, but in today’s world, intelligence, a business mindset, and determination are also crucial for managing a future as a professional singer.”
In its 68-year history the Song Quest has launched the careers of some of New Zealand’s most celebrated singers including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dame Malvina Major, Phillip Rhodes, Jonathan Lemalu and Sol3 Mio’s Amitai Pati.
The winner will be announced live at the Grand Final Gala on Saturday 3 August. Tickets are still available for purchase from $39.
Find out more about the Finalists and follow their journey atwww.songquest.nz
Kamala Harris has virtually erased Donald Trump’s six-point lead in the race for US president, according to a new poll.
The battle for the White House is now effectively tied as Trump’s six-point lead over Joe Biden was squashed to just two points after Ms Harris took his place as election frontrunner for the Democrats, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Accounting for a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, that puts Trump and Ms Harris neck and neck ahead of the November vote.
Both candidates were fanning out across the US on Saturday, with Trump insisting he will resume outdoor campaign rallies against the advice of the Secret Service, two weeks after surviving an assassination attempt at a fairground in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Black, Latino and young voters all showed greater support for Ms Harris than they did for Mr Biden, 63 per cent to 51 per cent, a finding that could help Ms Harris in crucial swing states, including Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and North Carolina.
However, the poll contained a warning for Ms Harris with her 63 per cent support among non-white voters still below the 73 per cent that voted for Mr Biden four years ago, although above the 51 per cent the president had been registering until quitting the race.
Still, around four out of five voters in both parties now say they are enthusiastic about their candidate. The poll found that 81 per cent of Democrat voters were enthusiastic about Ms Harris, compared to 37 per cent who had expressed the same for Mr Biden.
Pollster Mike Bocian described the change as “astounding”.
The poll also indicated that support for independent and third party candidates, including Robert F Kennedy Jr, is now hurting Trump more, with Ms Harris pulling one point ahead of Trump with Mr Kennedy in the race.
Last week, Mr Kennedy was reported as making overtures to Trump, offering to throw his support behind the former president, possibly in exchange for a cabinet portfolio if Trump wins in November. The Trump campaign declined the offer.
At a speech in Florida to rally his religious base, he said she “was a bum three weeks ago” and “a failed vice-president”.
Donald Trump leaving his latest really in Florida where he roused a crowd with a speech against Kamala Harris Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Trump told supporters at the West Palm Beach rally, hosted by the grassroots conservative group Turning Point Action, that if they returned him to the presidency in November, they would not “have to vote again.”
“Christians, get out and vote! Just this time – you won’t have to do it any more,” Trump said. “You know what? It’ll be fixed! It’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote any more, my beautiful Christians.”
He added. “I love you. Get out – you gotta get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not gonna have to vote.”
The Trump campaign is also confronting misgivings about JD Vance, the vice-president pick made mere days before Mr Biden abandoned his re-election run. The Journal poll found that Mr Vance was viewed favourably by 42 per cent of people and unfavourably by 44 per cent.
Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesman, denied reports the Republican nominee was having second thoughts about his choice.
“President Trump is thrilled with the choice he made with Senator Vance, and they are the perfect team to take back the White House,” Mr Cheung told Newsweek. “And any reporting to the contrary is nothing but ridiculous fake news from either non-existent sources or individuals who have no idea what’s going on.”
Mr Vance has been under attack by Democrats over comments he made to Fox News’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight” three years ago in which he described Ms Harris as one of a group of “childless cat ladies”.
Ms Harris does not have biological children, but does have two stepchildren, Cole and Ella Emhoff, who call her “Momala”.
Kerstin Emhoff, ex-wife of second gentleman Doug Emhoff and mother to Cole and Ella Emhoff, called the attack “baseless”. Ms Harris, she said, “is loving, nurturing, fiercely protective, and always present. I love our blended family and am grateful to have her in it.”
Ms Harris’s step-daughter Ella Emhoff, a knitwear designer who lives in Brooklyn, New York, wrote “I love my three parents” in an Instagram post.
In an interview with Sirius radio host Megyn Kelly broadcast Friday, Mr Vance said women had thanked him for his cat lady comments. “This is not about criticising people who, for various reasons, didn’t have kids,” Mr Vance said. “This is about criticising the Democratic Party for becoming anti-family and anti-child.”
He added: “Obviously it was a sarcastic comment. I’ve got nothing against cats. I’ve got nothing against dogs, I’ve got one dog at home and I love him.”
Vaipulu, an in-home caregiver, is suspected of using her client’s credit card multiple times before discreetly returning it to his wallet.
Detectives diligently collected evidence and surveillance footage to build their case.
Vaipulu was booked at Orange County Jail for identity theft and theft by a caretaker.
Faka’osilea and Pelikani drug sentences reduced
Mr Seiana Fakaosilea’s appeal against sentence is allowed. The sentence of 13 years and two months’ imprisonment is set aside and substituted with a sentence of 10 years and eight months’ imprisonment.
Mr Richard Pelikani’s appeal against sentence is allowed. The sentence of four years and 11 months’ imprisonment is set aside and substituted with a sentence of three years and ten months’ imprisonment.
Fakaosilea and Pelikani were found guilty by a jury in August 2022 of the 600kg methamphetamine scheme, which police described as a plan to smuggle drugs worth roughly $90 million from a supplier in South Africa.
Prosecutors said during the trial that they don’t know if the meth ever made its way to New Zealand, but simply trying to put the plan in motion is a criminal offence.
Longani Latu pleads guilty after kava bust in Australia
A Tongan man who was found with a large amount of kava in Australia has pleaded guilty.
Longani Latu appeared in Darwin Local Court via video link after supplying and possessing 390 kilograms of kava, which was intended for Indigenous communities across Arnhem Land.
Longoni Latu and his accomplice drove thousands of kilometres with 390 kilograms of kava to sell the drug to remote communities.
On a separate note, Northern Territory Police have arrested 2 men in relation to the trafficking of an illicit substance into a remote community.
On Tuesday 9 July, Dog Operations Unit (DOU) attended Darwin Airport and apprehended a male believed to be involved in the trafficking of large quantities of kava whilst utilising and travelling under a false identity.
Investigations later confirmed that the male was travelling using false identification and that he was unlawfully in Australia.
Justin Huni knocked out his compatriot Troy Pilcher in two rounds.
The Australian heavyweight destroyed his fellow unbeaten rival in Brisbane
The 36-year-old Pilcher produced a spirited effort but could not resist Huni’s power when he started to land.
Huni fought with greater aggression after successive fights in first Mexico, then, in Saudi Arabia, he targeted Pilcher’s body before finishing to the head.
Huni, 25, remains undefeated in 10 fights as he targets a shot at a world title by 2026, the Mail reported.
The Tongan Brisbane-based said before the fight that he had no intention to go the full 10 rounds.
Pilcher, who was previously undefeated in 10 fights, came out fast and furious but Huni was too quick and too powerful, landing body shots with his left and right.
The boxer known as ‘the wonder from down under’ was in wondrous form
Huni opened with a powerhouse combination of lefts and rights to the body with one left hook rocking his opponent.
Pilcher took the fight to Huni from the opening bell, pushing the 25-year-old prospect towards the ropes.
Huni seemed to struggle to keep his bigger opponent off, and at first attempted to counter while on the back foot.
The early pressure from Pilcher didn’t last, however, and Huni finished the opening round by landing with authority to the body.
Huni had said he had ‘bad intentions’ for Pilcher after studying the methodology of Mike Tyson in the lead up to the showdown.
It was Huni’s first fight on home soil in almost two years since he accounted for New Zealander Kiki Leutele in a unanimous points decision.
Huni said he now had bigger fish to fry as he targets his dream of a world title.
”These belts don’t mean that much to me. It is the big belts that I want,’ he said.
A body of a newborn baby was reportedly found at a beach on Tongatapu.
Van crashes into a power pole. Photo/ Supplied
Local media reported the discovery on Friday.
Police have yet to comment on their Facebook account.
The details of what happened remain unclear.
Tapuhia landfill death
A man working at the Tapuhia Landfill was killed when a heavy loader ran him over Tuesday, the Tonga police said.
The 32-year-old man from Ngele’ia died at Vaiola Hospital.
The Tonga Police said the man’s job was to operate the heavy loader inside the landfill.
The fatal incident happened after the machinery overturned and trapped him underneath.
“He was rescued and transported to Viola Hospital where he passed away, due to severe internal injuries and fractures, shortly thereafter,” the Police stated.
An inquest into the man’s death was expected to be held.
Van smashes into a power pole
A van hit a power pole east of Tongatapu yesterday.
Power lines came down on the vehicle and it was unclear whether any person was trapped inside.
Tonga Power Board said this afternoon Sunday 28 the power supply to eastern area has been temporarily interrupted due to a broken pole caused by an accident in the area of Vaini.
It said its staff were “currently replacing the broken pole on-site and addressing issues before restoring power to all areas once the work is complete”.
“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by this unforeseen power disruption”.
A quarter of the New Zealand team was not tested ahead of the Paris Games, according to International Testing Agency data.
By enz.co.nz and is republished with permission
Close to 90 percent of athletes worldwide were tested ahead of the 33rd Olympics – but a breakdown of the anti-doping data shows 25 percent of New Zealand athletes were not tested at all.
Twenty-nine percent were tested once and 46 percent were tested frequently.
Of the top 25 nations – based on medal count from the last Olympics – New Zealand had the highest percentage of athletes not tested this year.
Conversely, all athletes from Russia and Belarus, who are competing as individual neutral athletes (AIN in the French translation) due to the war in Ukraine, were tested at least once, with 97 percent tested more frequently.
The International Testing Agency (ITA) table of drug testing ahead of the Paris Olympics. Photo: supplied
Athletes competing in sports considered as high-risk disciplines by the International Testing Agency were under more scrutiny in the lead up to the Games.
Competitors in these 45 identified sports and disciplines were recommended to be tested at least three times during the pre-Games period. Of this group, 95 percent were tested at least once, 75 percent three or more times and less than 5 percent were not subject to any testing.
Every surfer competing in Tahiti was tested frequently as were 98 percent of weightlifters, 97 percent of marathon swimmers and 97 percent of athletes competing in breaking, which is making its Olympic debut.
Chinese swimmers have been in the spotlight this year after it was revealed in April that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned drug before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
ITA data up until 22 July showed that 98 percent of China’s 405-strong Olympic contingent had been tested this year.
New Zealand surfer Billy Stairmand was among the New Zealand athletes tested ahead of the Paris Olympics. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
However, 20 percent of Olympic swimmers from around the world arrived to compete at La Defense Arena without being tested.
New Zealand swimmer Lewis Clareburt, who is competing in three events at his second Olympics told RNZ “you can never have full confidence” that Olympic swimming would be clean.
“Especially after the news that has been coming out over the last six months, but all you can do as an athlete is do your best and make sure that you’re clean and you just hope that the people that are testing and are in charge of keeping sport safe are doing their job and that’s all we can do.”
ITA director general Benjamin Cohen said the anti-doping programme his organisation ran ahead of the Paris Olympics “is the most robust pre-Games programme ever implemented for an edition of the Olympic Games”.
“Pre-Games testing is not only key when it comes to risk and anti-doping strategies, it also aims at giving athletes and fans confidence in a clean Olympic Games.”
Photo: Supplied / Drug Detection Agency
Cohen said the Pre-Games testing project had “highlighted some gaps, limitations and areas for improvement that we need to address immediately if we are to continue to raise the bar for all athletes who train so hard and want fair and clean competitions”.
However, a day after the ITA released the data on the anti-doping programme in Paris, the organisation was reporting an out-of-competition doping violation by Iraqi judoka Sajjad Ghanim Sehen Sehen.
A sample collected from the athlete returned an adverse analytical finding for an anabolic androgenic steroid on the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list.
Sehen Sehen has been provisionally suspended, meaning he is prevented from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any activity during the 2024 Olympics.
The High Court of New Zealand has dismissed an appeal in a trademark dispute between two churches with identical names in different languages, finding that the appellant’s trademark registration would likely cause confusion and lacked prior ownership or use.
As Kaniva News previously reported, three lay preachers who claim they were stripped of their roles with the Tuingapapai Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga New Zealand in Otahuhu officially declared in 2016 that they would launch the Siasi Uesiliana Tau’ataina ‘o Tonga (SUTT) in New Zealand.
Sione Fono Latu, ‘Isileli Tonga and Siulolo Malamala were reported to have claimed the Church’s board of trustees was dissatisfied when it learned they had obtained the sole official right to make, use or sell the name SUTT.
The acronym is Tongan for FWCTNZ or Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga New Zealand.
Tonga said at the time they were told by the church their roles had been removed pending a decision at the church’s September quarterly meeting.
Last week a report by theNew Zealand lawyers websitesaid: “The case concerned the appellant’s registration of the Tongan language mark “Siasi Uesiliana Tau’ataina ‘O Tonga ‘I Nu’usila,” translated as “the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga in New Zealand.” The respondent, whose registered name is “The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga in New Zealand,” challenged the validity of the appellant’s trademark registration.
According to the Lawyers’ website, the assistant commissioner of the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand ruled in favour of the respondent. The assistant commissioner found that the appellant’s use of the mark would likely deceive or cause confusion among the public. The appellant failed to establish prior ownership or use of the mark before its registration in 2013. The assistant commissioner’s decision was based on the evidence that the respondent had an established reputation and ongoing use of similar marks in both English and Tongan.
The appellant argued that the assistant commissioner had overemphasised the conceptual similarities between the marks and had improperly relied on unsubstantiated evidence of the respondent’s use of the Tongan language mark. The appellant contended that since 1994, the respondent had abandoned the use of the Tongan language mark when it changed its registered name to the English version for business reasons.
The High Court, however, upheld the assistant commissioner’s decision. The court found that the conceptual similarities between the English and Tongan language marks were significant and would likely cause confusion among bilingual consumers who speak both English and Tongan. The court noted that the unique aspect of the case was that the Tongan and English language marks were direct translations of each other, making the ideas conveyed by the marks identical despite differences in visual and aural presentation.
Furthermore, the High Court agreed with the assistant commissioner’s finding that the respondent had not abandoned using the Tongan language mark. The evidence demonstrated continuous use of the mark and no intention to abandon it, even after the respondent’s name changed to English in 1994. The court concluded that the respondent’s use of the mark was ongoing and that the appellant’s registration was invalid due to the lack of prior ownership or legitimate claim.
