news

Saturday's news in 5 minutes.

Australian avocado shortage sees supermarket prices skyrocket.

According to Avocados Australia chief executive, John Tyas, avocado growers are struggling to keep up with unprecedented demand.

Avocados across the country are more expensive than ever, especially in Melbourne where the price per avocado can reach $6 each.

“Currently we don’t have the supply for the demand,” Mr Tyas told News.com.au

“In the last decade people have started to realise it’s a superfood and in summer especially they are harder to come by.

“People want to use them in their salads and it’s a food that cannot easily be substituted.”

It’s estimated that Australians each an average of 3.2 kilograms of avocado per year.

While Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and New Zealand all have climates suitable to grow avocados, recent weather has affected production.

“There has been some wet weather, which impacts on the quality of the fruit, and there have been some delays in Western Australia because of the fires, it slowed down transport,” he said.

“The conditions for growing in Victoria are also challenging.”

Avocados Australia expects the shortage to last a couple of months, but is confident prices will return to normal by April.

Meanwhile, avocado farmers have planted extra trees to accommodate for the growing demand.

Six people are in a NSW hospital after police pursuit results in crash.

A total of six people are in a NSW hospital, including two in critical conditions, following a police pursuit and crash on Showground Road at Gosford last night.

A critical incident investigation has been launched by police following the two-car collision which occurred at approximately 10:30pm.

ADVERTISEMENT

Attempts to stop a car with activated lights and sirens allegedly failed to stop the driver, which initiated the pursuit.

According to police, after a short distance the pursued car collided with another car.

Both the pursued car’s front passenger and driver were trapped for a brief time before being transported to hospital in critical conditions.

The three rear passengers were taken to hospital in serious conditions, as was the driver of the second car.

The pursuit and crash will be investigated by a NSW Police critical incident team, and will be assisted by the Crash Investigation Unit.

At least two dead in shooting at Canadian school.

At least two people have been killed following a shooting at a school in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, according to local media reports.

Province aboriginal chief, Teddy Clark, told CBC News there could be up to four casualties. It is suspected the shooter is a student of the school, and is now in police custody.

Numerous victims are also being treated for gunshot wounds at a local hospital, a nurse told CBC.

Meanwhile, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has confirmed the attack on La Loche Community School, but has declined to state how many lives have been claimed.

Image via Facebook: Brad Wall.

 

On the school’s Facebook page, it was posted the grounds were ‘under lockdown’ after an incident, advising the public to stay away.

‘There is currently an emergency occurring at the Dene Building and we are asking the public to stay away while the matter is resolved by the RCMP,’ the school wrote.

ADVERTISEMENT

‘The elementary school is also under a lock down which will not be lifted until we hear that it is safe from the La Loche RCMP.

‘We will not be allowing anyone in or out until we have a clear idea of what is going on.’

A grade 10 student, Noel Desjarlais, told CBC he heard a number of shots fired on school grounds.

‘I ran outside the school,’ he said.

‘There was lots of screaming, there was about six, seven shots before I got outside. I believe there was more shots by the time I did get out.’

Sean Price was visibly “hostile” and “agitated” the day before he murdered Masa Vukotic.

One day prior to claiming the life of Melbourne schoolgirl Masa Vukotic, it was noted that murderer Sean Price was “hostile, agitated and staring intently”, by corrections officials.

According to The Herald Sun, Price was noticeably “aggressive” and was demonstrating “unusual” behaviour when he spoke with his principal practitioner before abruptly leaving the meeting on March 16 last year.

It was the next day he stabbed the innocent 17-year-old on her walk home from school in Doncaster.

Masa Vukotic.

In February, the principal practitioner also noted that Price was “steadily deteriorating and was becoming increasingly hostile and disengaged”.

Both the Adult Parole Board and Victoria Police have declined to comment in the wake of these revelations.

Nick Kyrgios slams racquets and screams at umpire in four-set Australian Open defeat.

Last night saw Nick Kyrgios exit the Australian Open in the third round, going down in four sets to sixth seed Tomas Berdych.

In a match filled with slammed racquets and infuriated screams from Kyrgios, parts of his home crowd were apparently so displeased with the 20-year-old’s attitude on court, they turned to cheer on his opposition.

Kyrgios consistently appealed to the umpire about a light music he could hear while serving, looking up to the chair and asking, “Can’t you hear that?”.

“What? What noise is it?” the umpire responded. “Well it is not phone.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Attempting to calm Kyrgios, the umpire assured he would “speak to someone about it” after the current game.

“So that’s normal? We are going to play with music in the background?” Kyrgios continued.

Meanwhile, the commentary team speculated the sound was leaking from one of the corporate boxes in the stands in Rod Laver Arena, or possibly coming from nearby events outside the stadium.

The fiery discussion between Kyrgios and the umpire blazed on throughout the game.

“Mate there is music playing in the crowd while we play. I told you seven times, mate,” Kyrgios said.

“Did you ask me, ‘Nick do you want to stop play?’ No you didn’t.

“Is music allowed to be played during the game? So why are you not telling them to turn it off?

“Am I hearing things? Am I hearing things? Mate, it’s a circus!

“You really know how to control a match, buddy. There’s guys throwing balls back into the crowd.

“And you have music playing while we’re playing. Good control. It’s a f***ing joke.”

In his post-match press conference, the young athlete told reporters he was still unsure of the source of the music.

“I don’t know where it came from.

“The umpire said he couldn’t hear it, but I could blatantly hear it. So unless you can start playing tennis with music in the background? That’s a new rule they’ve got to add to the rule book.”