Latest news with #Whitelaw
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Health
- Perth Now
Top docs call for action on speedy e-scooters and bikes
Doctors have thrown their weight behind a push to tackle high-speed electric scooters and bikes, as the national injury and death toll among riders, passengers and pedestrians grows. The Australian Medical Association says a national body is urgently needed to develop an Australia-wide safety strategy and regulations for e-mobility vehicles. "Doctors around the country have seen a massive spike in injuries," emergency medicine representative Sarah Whitelaw told AAP on Thursday. "Complex limb injuries, young people with facial injuries that will impact them for the rest of their lives, chest injuries and brain injuries. "The devastation from patients and their families, who tell us over and over that they just had no idea that they could get so significantly injured." The peak national body for doctors also wants better data capture to help decision makers and for infrastructure that, for example, separates electric mobility devices from pedestrians. A national strategy also needed to recognise the different types of electric rideables and the way they were being used, so that specific policy could be formulated, Dr Whitelaw said. "We need, right now, a national body that's set up to bring all this information together and have a national approach, not this piecemeal state and territory approach," she said. "We're at the very beginning of electric mobility devices in Australia and we are going to see hundreds of thousands more of these devices." From 2016 to 2021, there were 14 deaths reported to an Australian state or territory coroner in which an electric mobility device, including e-bikes, e-scooters and electronic self-balancing devices, contributed to the death, according to the Monash University Accident Research Centre. A University of Melbourne study of media reports from January 2020 to April 2025 found the number of electric mobility device-related deaths across the country had more than doubled to 30 during that period. One of the most recent fatalities was in Perth on Saturday, when a teenage boy allegedly riding erratically on an electric dirt bike struck and killed a 59-year-old woman in a suburban park. The 17-year-old was charged with manslaughter, and a Western Australian parliamentary committee inquiry into electric rideable devices, which started this week, has been expanded to include e-bikes. An inquiry has also been launched in Queensland, and the NSW and Victorian governments wrote to the federal government earlier in July calling for a crackdown on the importation and sale of some e-bikes and e-scooters being illegally ridden on Australian roads. High-speed and dangerous mobility devices are being imported and sold and the states want them banned. In Australia, the maximum speed e-scooters can be ridden is from 20 to 25km/h, depending on the jurisdiction. E-bike motors must cut off when the bike reaches 25km/h. NSW and Victoria also called for tougher safety regulations and import laws for lithium batteries, citing the risk to public safety an "increasing" number of fires posed. The federal government has been contacted for comment.
France 24
25-06-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Olympic surfing venue battling erosion threat
But as Trestles prepares to showcase the world's best surfers in three years time, locals hope the Olympics can shine a spotlight on -- and help protect -- this narrow strip of coastline that is steadily shrinking due to erosion. "You can see that the beach here is pretty narrow. It used to be much wider," says Suzie Whitelaw, president of the local advocacy group Save Our Beaches San Clemente, adding that Trestles has shrunk by approximately 30 feet in the past 10 years. Whitelaw, a former oceanography professor with expertise in marine sediment dynamics and environmental geology, said the erosion is largely due to human development inland. "Decades ago, 100 years ago, they started building dams. And the dams keep back the water, but they also keep back the sand. "And over the decades, we just ended up with a huge deficit of sand. Every year the ocean reclaims a part of the beach. It needs to be replenished, needs to be replaced. "So now that the natural sources (of sand), the rivers, are pretty much blocked off and we're not getting a natural replenishment, humans have to step in and do artificial replenishment." The erosion is also accentuated by an increase in the power of waves due to the warming of the ocean. Throughout the region, the ocean is swallowing up stretches of coastline, with erosion leaving multi-million dollar homes teetering on the edge of cliffs and sliding closer to the sea. The Pacific Surfliner, a scenic railroad which passes nearby, has experienced regular closures due to erosion and landslides affecting the tracks. To combat erosion, the neighboring town of San Clemente has dumped more than 190,000 cubic meters of sand on its beaches, and anticipates a need for more than 2.3 million cubic meters to be added over the next 50 years. "What we're trying to do is restore the beaches to where they were 20 or 30 years ago," said San Clemente City Council director Andy Hall, who pinpoints the construction of a port at nearby Dana Point as one of the causes of erosion in San Clemente. Olympic catalyst? Hall adds that sand is a more effective way of stabilising the coastline than large boulders or concrete, which have been deployed in recent years to protect the railroad tracks. At Trestles Beach, however, adding sand to the site creates a headache, risking changing the topography of the seabed, altering the waves beloved by surfers. Sand could also pose a problem for the fragile coastal wetlands next to the beach. In any case, with meagre financial resources, the park would also struggle to fund such an initiative. Julian Husbands, an avid amateur surfer who is also part of the Save Our Beaches group, hopes that the Olympics can be a catalyst for change. "The Olympics is a once in a lifetime thing," Husbands said. "So hopefully we can use that to compel more folks to understand 'Okay, we've created this problem and we can fix it.'" For Kanoa Igarashi, an Olympic shortboard surfing silver medallist for Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Games who was born and raised in Southern California, the plight of Trestles hits close to home. "It's a really special wave for me, and the connection that I have here is really magical," the 27-year-old said, shortly after finishing runner-up at a World Surf League event at Trestles in June. "Erosion is definitely something very visible and I've seen it over the years. I've been surfing here for more than 20 years now, and it's something that's very scary. It's changed the wave a little bit, not so much, but I'm just worried that something could happen. "Obviously, we never want to lose this special wave. The waves in the ocean, they're so sensitive that we have to make sure we do our part to protect it... "The Olympics is all about leaving the venues better than they first came, whether it's economically, whether it's structurally, for the next generation. I trust the Olympics that they're going to preserve it and not only just preserve it, but make it better." The chances of Los Angeles 2028 organisers providing funds to help tackle the erosion at Trestles, however, are remote. Interviewed by AFP, LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman said Olympics organisers remain focused on simply ensuring that the venue comes up to scratch, ruling out investment beyond that. "There's lots of talk about the shorelines, but Olympic surfing is going to be great at Trestles and that's our job," Wasserman said.
Business Recorder
23-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Soybeans edge higher as soyoil rises on Middle East tensions; corn dips on favourable weather
BEIJING: Chicago soybean futures inched higher on Monday, supported in part by gains in soyoil prices after a US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities stoked concerns of global crude oil supplies. The most-active soybean contract rose 0.09% to $10.61-6/8 per bushel, as of 0301 GMT. Soyoil climbed 1.14% to 55.09 cents per pound. China's May soybean imports from Brazil jump Oil prices surged after the US targeted key Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, an escalation that lent support to soyoil, which is closely tied to biofuel demand. 'Fundamentally, not much has changed since the end of the week,' said Andrew Whitelaw, agricultural consultant at Episode 3. 'Speculators pulled back their net short positions, which is not surprising, considering the uncertainty about the attacks on Iran by Israel, and now the US' Traders and analysts are closely watching for Iran's response to the US strikes. 'The concern will now be about retaliation from Iran, and its proxies in the region. If there are concerns to supply chains, this could cause the market to rally further as crude oil prices rise,' Whitelaw added. US soybean prices remain under pressure due to weak demand and ample global supplies. In top buyer China, soybean imports from Brazil surged 37.5% last month from a year earlier, data showed on Friday, as buyers scooped up South America's bumper crop, while supplies from the United States also rose 28.3%. Wheat traded flat at $5.83 a bushel, after last week's strong rally. Gains were capped by harvest pressure, as the accelerating US winter wheat harvest increases supply. Corn slipped 0.41% to $4.27 per bushel, marking its lowest level of 2025. Favourable weather across much of the US Midwest has improved crop prospects, putting pressure on prices. Commodity funds were net sellers of Chicago Board of Trade wheat, corn, soyoil and soybean futures contracts on Friday and net buyers of soymeal futures, traders said.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tennessee hemp retailer uprooting store over new legislation
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Governor Bill Lee recently signed legislation to regulate the hemp industry, which some retailers say will force them out of the state or put them out of business. The bill, which passed last legislative session, essentially bans smokable hemp flower in Tennessee, the majority of what Ben Whitelaw, owner of The Flower Shop in Chattanooga, sells. 'They've banned CBD hemp. That's what they've done. All of it. THCA and CBD hemp. It's all going to be gone,' Whitelaw said. The bill includes several provisions, including a ban on .3% THCA, which lawmakers argue turns into THC when burned: the same chemical in marijuana that gets the user high. 'We were all told when we voted for hemp that, well, it's the nonintoxicating cousin to marijuana. You don't have to worry about people getting high. Well, y'all, that horse has left the barn,' House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) said. Lawmakers who backed the bill have long described the hemp industry as 'the Wild West,' due to the lack of regulation. They argued new rules will protect consumers so they know what products they're purchasing. However, Whitelaw believes the bill was drafted for a different reason, partially because the Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ABC) will become the regulating agency of the hemp industry under the legislation. 'This bill was brought about to destroy the infrastructure we had created and hand the scraps to the alcohol industry so they could make money off the really light strength drinks and edibles that are still allowed under this bill.' Whitelaw told News 2 the majority of the products he sells will soon be banned. He plans to use his retirement fund to close down his store and move it to North Carolina. 'We're going to try to move it to North Carolina, as close to the border as possible and continue to help residents of Tennessee if they wish to come and see us,' Whitelaw said. Hemp industry experts hope to sue the state over the legislation, but finding the money to pay the legal fees will likely be a challenge. ⏩ The bill is set to become law Jan. 1. 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Casualty fans left fuming as drama yanked from schedules 'totally unacceptable'
BBC Casualty fans aren't impressed that the show has been pulled off air for the Eurovision Song Contest - with many questioning why it can't be shown on BBC Two Casualty fans have been left disappointed as the long-running medical drama has been taken off the air due to the Eurovision song contest airing live from Basel on the BBC. This year's hopefuls for the UK, Remember Monday, are hoping to nail victory for the country following years of dry spells. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait a whole week for the 10th episode in the current run. However, it seems like the wait will be worth it for fans, as the synopsis for the next episode teases a whole load of drama. "Rida suffers a traumatic day when Mr Whitelaw's mask begins to slip, Flynn fights to save Anna's life, Rash defends a patient, and Indie helps Iain on a special mission," the synopsis reads. Casualty usually airs on BBC One at 8pm - the same time the Eurovision Song Contest kicks off. However, fans have been left fuming that they have to wait a whole week - questioning why the show can't be shown on Sunday - or on BBC Two. Taking to social media, one disappointed fan penned: "No casualty on Saturday 17th all because of the Eurovision song contest which we never win, not amused," as another wrote: "The BBC don't care that we love Casualty, they could have put Eurovision on BBC 2!" "Totally unacceptable - Can't Eurovision go on BBC2!!" agreed a third fan, as a fourth angry fan penned: "Why can they no put that on another channel!" There will be no Eurovision coverage on BBC Two tonight. Instead, the channel will be showing 2023 movie The Boys in The Boat from 8-10pm. Following that, they'll be airing another blockbuster, 1987 Thriller/Crime, The Untouchables. BBC isn't the only channel having a schedule shake up tonight. Britain's Got Talent has also been pulled from ITV, meaning the show not have to compete with the final of this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Earlier today, viewers tuned into ITV to watch the FA Cup Final as Crystal Palace and Manchester City went head to head at Wembley. The football match kicked off at 3pm, but scheduling bosses have allowed for any run over time. The match will be followed by Deal or No Deal Celebrity Special, Beat The Chasers, and The 1% Club, instead. However, fans of the ITV talent show won't have to wait as long as Casualty fans, as the penultimate semi-final will air tomorrow (Sunday, May 18).
