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“I run on bananas and coke cola": Kyrgios wades into doping debate

Nick Kyrgios has raised eyebrows over his out-of-pocket comments on the recent doping scandal surrounding the world of tennis. The Aussie champion spoke over current testing protocols in the wake of Romanian tennis player Simon Halep being slapped with a four-year ban from the game for doping offences. Naturally, many tennis champions from around the world have put in their two cents on the recent ban, as Greek player Maria Sakkari called out the measures for being "scary". She told a tennis news site, “One thing I can tell you for sure is the way they’re handling every situation with any player, any athlete, it’s just scary.” “We’re gonna get to a point where we’re not even gonna be taking electrolytes. Thankfully, I haven’t been in that position. I never want to be. I’ve been very careful with everything that has to do with supplements. But I don’t know what the process is, how things are done behind closed doors." Nick Kyrgios was quick to jump in to the debate, responding to Sakkari's comments on Twitter saying, “Ehhhh not really lol.” “I run on bananas and coke cola in 5 set battles. And my record in them speaks for itself." “Maybe players should just stop taking shady sh*t. Look yourself in the mirror at the end of the day and say yep I did it right. Not hard.” Fans soon came after Kyrgios, but he doubled down. Kyrgios responded to one Twitter user’s sledge by posting, “I’d imagine if I was taking similar things to be banned for 4 years I’d have about 5 slams. Potato”. Kyrgios has had a difficult season as he has been forced to take time off to recover from injuries to his wrist and knees. He has urged his fans to be patient as he works on his recovery, as he is determined to get back on the court. "To my millions of fans out there, I guess we just have to be patient,” Kyrgios wrote in an Instagram story, accompanied by a picture of him in the gym. “Trust me, I still have some fire left in the tank, my body just needs time to recover and get back.” Image credits: Getty Images

Legal

"Coca coila": Robert Irwin rescues a python stuck in a vending machine

Robert Irwin has successfully rescued a carpet python stuck a vending machine at Australia Zoo. The young conservationist took to Instagram to share the moment he rescued the snake with the caption: "So this was a first for me…" The carpet python was visibly stuck behind a few soft drink bottles, and as the vending machine was being opened, the 19-year-old joked, "here's our chance, free Coca Cola!" He then got down to business, trying to coax the snake out while explaining, "what we don't want is for him to go up into the wiring. "We don't want to make him too upset, 'cause we want him to come out nice and smooth," he added as he pulled the snake out of the vending machine. The young conservationist sounded exactly like his late father, Steve Irwin, as he tried to calm down the non-venomous snake. "Keep coming, mate, keep coming. Nearly there buddy, nearly there," he said. As he examined the snake, he pointed out that the snake must have gotten injured before. "This bloke has obviously got a spirit of getting himself caught in weird situations, 'cause he's missing the end of his tail. "We'll relocate this guy," he assured, as the snake wrapped around his arm, Robert wags a finger at him and jokingly says: "don't go in any more vending machines, alright?!" <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cw7cZl4hX4C/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cw7cZl4hX4C/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Robert Irwin (@robertirwinphotography)</a> </div> </blockquote> Fans were in awe at Robert's striking resemblance to his late dad, and praised him for skills. "God you are the spitting image of the old man. He would be proud as punch," commented one fan. "I can hear his dad, “no more being a naughty boy!”" wrote another. "Call him coca coila," another quipped. "Watching you is like watching your dad many years ago. You're just such an incredible human," commented a fourth. "Your dad must be screaming in the high heavens “that’s my boy” look at him fearless with the snake!" wrote another. Images: Instagram

Family & Pets

"Possibly carcinogenic to humans": WHO's dire warning over common ingredient

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for one of the world’s most popular artificial sweeteners to be declared a possible carcinogen. The push will be led by the WHO’s research team for the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), pitting it against the food industry and regulators. The sweetener, known as Aspartame, is used in products from Coca-Cola diet drinks, such as Diet Coke and Coke Zero, to Mars’ Extra chewing gum and some Snapple drinks. Later this month, the IARC will list Aspartame for the first time as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” The ruling from the IARC has assessed whether the sweetener is hazardous to humans or not, although it does not stipulate how much of the product a person can safely consume. This advice for individual consumers comes from a different organisation, known as JECFA (the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Expert Committee on Food Additives), who make consumption guidelines alongside national regulators. Despite the claims from the WHO, since as early as 1981 JECFA has said aspartame is safe to consume within accepted daily limits. An adult weighing 60kg would have to drink between 12 and 36 cans of diet soft drink, depending on the amount of aspartame in the beverage, every day to be at risk. Its view has been widely shared by national regulators, including in the United States and Europe. These conflicting reports have angered some regulators and consumers alike, with Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare official Nozomi Tomita writing to the WHO, “kindly asking both bodies to coordinate their efforts in reviewing aspartame to avoid any confusion or concerns among the public.” Image credits: Getty Images

Body

RECALLED: Coca-Cola pulls popular drink from shelves amid fears of contamination

Coca-Cola Amatil has urgently recalled the popular drink called Appletiser in its 750ml size from all supermarket shelves amid fears the juice is contaminated. The sparkling apple juice is feared to be contaminated with microbial mycotoxin-patulin and the recalled product has date markings of best before June 1 and June 2 2022. If customers have this product at home they should return the product to where they purchased it and they will receive a full refund. The juice has been on sale at Coles supermarkets in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania and at Woolworths supermarkets in Victoria. The product was found to have an elevated level of microbial mycotoxin-patulin contamination which Food Standards Australia and New Zealand said can cause illness if consumed. The World Health Organisation states mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins created by certain moulds which can be found in apples. Anyone who consumed the product and is worried about their health should 'seek medical advice. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand announced the recall on Wednesday. Image: Getty Images

Food & Wine

Good news for Coles shoppers!

Coles, the supermarket giant, has given new life to a much-loved Aussie brand, which will expand the range of Coles-branded food by 1.8 million cans – thanks to a huge new deal with SPC. SPC had its value slashed from $147 million down to virtually nothing, after owners Coca-Cola Amatil couldn’t secure a buyer for the manufacturing facilities in Shepparton, Victoria. However, SPC managing director, Reg Weine, could not be more thrilled about the new business deal with Coles. He told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/coles-new-supply-deal-offers-lifeline-and-greater-range-for-beloved-canned-fruit-brand/news-story/15b34823880a26cdb50b2895dac293df" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>: “It is great to see Coles continue to support local businesses and growers.” “The Coles brand volume will improve our factory utilisation and will also provide our growers with an additional outlet for their quality fruit.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 500px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7826002/fruit-salad.jpeg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/123b9389bda54070b68458978a125328" /> SPC Fruit Salad The news will ease anxieties of local growers in the area, like John Paulos. This is due to the new range of locally farmed peaches, pears and apricots that will be sold via Coles. “Each peach tree represents a seven-year commitment until they are producing fruit, and it’s even longer for pears — you plant pears for your heirs — so to have a commitment from Coles for this fruit makes life so much easier,” he said. “It takes a while to get a tree cropping and there’s not really any fresh market demand for the fruit, as these varieties are especially grown for canning. “So, to be able to maintain these trees and not have to think about replanting new varieties is very important to us.” Head of Coles Brand, Mark Field, said that the chain is proud to expand its range of Australian-grown fruit. “We know our customers want top quality food, and equally they want to know that they are helping to support Australian farmers and Australian jobs,” he said in a statement.

Food & Wine

Coca-Cola's embarrassing vending machine blunder

It’s a pitfall marketing departments must come across regularly, the risk of a message painfully missing the mark, lost in translation. Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand is currently feeling the heat over that very pitfall, with some vending machines in the country causing much mirth on social media. The offending slogan on the machines reads: “Kia ora, Mate”. ‘Kia ora’ is a greeting you’ll often hear in New Zealand, but “mate” in te reo Māori means “death”. So the slogan essentially reads “Hello, death.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> When the languages don't mix well. <a href="https://t.co/3piZIoptAE">pic.twitter.com/3piZIoptAE</a> — Waikato Reo (@waikatoreo) <a href="https://twitter.com/waikatoreo/status/1051264259089264640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2018</a></blockquote> One of the machines is at Auckland International Airport and is where Gareth Seymour spotted the vending machine. "I read with Māori language eyes and thought, ‘They haven't had this checked by a Māori,” he told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2018/10/15/kia-ora-death-vending-machine-slogan-gets-lost-translation" target="_blank">NITV News</a>. He suggested the slogan should have read “Kia ora e hoa” or “hello friend”. The response on social media after a shot of the vending machine was posted was merciless. “This reminds me of being back in uni and learning marketing 101,” said one Facebook user. “The coca cola company gains self-awareness?” tweeted another detractor, referencing the potentially dire health effects of Coca-Cola. But the commentary became serious with this comment on social media: “Totally spot on, it does mean death for a lot of Indigenous people.” There are some that have argued that the Māori native tongue and English language commonly mix, and that’s the line Coca-Cola Amatil NZ has taken. "In no way was the ‘mate’ in reference to any Māori word, that would have been inappropriate and unacceptable,” the company said in a statement to NITV News. It said that by merging the two words, it "only meant to bring Maori and English together". "Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand is proudly Kiwi and respects and embraces all aspects of Maori culture and any other culture." The company wouldn’t say, however, whether the Māori community had been consulted on the marketing campaign. Seymour said that, “Even a Māori-speaking school kid would notice the mistake. The moral of [the] story is – if you use it there are ways of doing it right.” What "lost in translation" blunders have you seen? Let us know in the comments section.

Travel Trouble

Soft drink and beer prices set to rise

Major beverage companies, including Coca-Cola Amatil, will oversee the NSW government’s container deposit scheme that could see the price of cans and drink bottles rise by up to 20 cents. The scheme will be introduced in NSW in December and will involve customers handing in eligible cans and drink bottles to designated sites to receive a 10 cent refund. Beverage suppliers will pay for the refunds as well as the scheme’s administration, which is expected to lead to a hike in soft drink prices. It is estimated the cost of a 24-can pack of soft drink or beer could rise by $4.80. “That starts to impact NSW households pretty heavily, not just on a per container basis, but when families are buying a 30-pack of soft drink cans or a carton of beer, all of a sudden that starts to have a pretty serious impact,” Australian Beverages Council chief executive officer, Geoff Parker, told the Daily Telegraph. The scheme named ‘Exchange for Change’ will see scheme co-ordinator Coca-Cola Amatil work alongside Asahi, Carlton & United Breweries, Coopers and Lion. NSW Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi described the decision to put Coca-Cola Amatil in charge of the scheme as “utterly stupid”. “Big beverage companies like Coca-Cola have no interest in reducing litter or increasing recycling rates and will only work to sabotage and undermine the scheme,” she told Fairfax. “The whole integrity of the container deposit scheme sits with the independence of the scheme co-ordinator. The Greens and other environment groups have consistently called for an independent third party to run the scheme.” The scheme aims to half the number of bottles and cans that are thrown away in parks, beaches and waterways. The NSW government has also announced TOMRA-Cleanaway will be responsible for managing collection points across the state which will include reverse vending machines.

Money & Banking

Woolworths bans another Coca-Cola product

Woolworths will remove all but two of Mount Franklin water products from shelves. Woolworths has announced it will only stock the 20 and six-pack Mount Franklin products from August. The supermarket giant will also only stock the single Mount Franklin bottles at the front of stores. The remainder of the Mount Franklin range will be pulled from stores, a decision Woolworths claims is due to 20 per cent growth in bottled water sales. “Our customers are purchasing a wide variety of water options — both branded and non-branded — and as the category continues to increase in popularity, we will respond to meet our customers’ demands in the space,” a Woolworths spokesman said. Investors of Coca-Cola Amatil were impacted immediately by the news, with shares down to 2.9 per cent to $8.31 after the first half-hour of trade this morning. This announcement follows a string of bad news, with Woolworths confirming earlier this month <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/body/2017/07/woolworths-refuses-to-stock-new-coke/" target="_blank">it won’t stock the new Coca-Cola No Sugar</a>. Pizza giant Domino also initiated a supply contract with Coke’s rival, Pepsi.

News

A major supermarket has refused to stock new Coke product

Just months after announcing its profits had <a href="http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/cocacola-profits-fall-55-per-cent-as-consumers-ditch-sugary-drinks/news-story/804f1efe051e2ff0a2513b080766f5bb" target="_blank">declined by a staggering 55 per cent</a>, it seems things are going from bad to worse for the Coca-Cola Company. Yesterday a Woolworths spokesman told <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/woolworths-refusing-to-stock-coca-cola-no-sugar-20170705-gx5kti.html" target="_blank">Fairfax Media</a> they would not be stocking the company’s new “Coca-Cola No Sugar” product, designed to be an eventual replacement for Coke Zero. “We have taken the decision to not range this product at this time,” they said. “Our customers looking for a no-sugar or low-sugar cola option have ample choice already in the category across a range of different pack sizes and formats.” Given that the supermarket will continue to stock Coke Zero until it is phased out, Woolies claims there simply isn’t enough shelf space to warrant such a similar product, especially given the growing market for more varieties of bottled water. On the other hand, rival supermarket Coles and chains such as 7-Eleven and Hungry Jack’s have already begun selling the product, which Coca-Cola describes as the “closest we have ever come to the classic taste,” without the sugar. “We're entirely confident that Coca-Cola No Sugar will be a huge success,” a spokeswoman for the company said. “Taste tests show Coca-Cola No Sugar is actually preferred by Coca-Cola Classic drinkers to Coke Zero, and equally liked by Coke Zero drinkers.” The beverage company will be conducting a 2 million can giveaway over the next eight weeks to encourage consumers to give the new product a try. It is not yet known when exactly Coke Zero will be discontinued, but Coca-Cola has revealed it will begin to phase out the beverage next year.

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“I run on bananas and coke cola": Kyrgios wades into doping debate

"Coca coila": Robert Irwin rescues a python stuck in a vending machine

"Possibly carcinogenic to humans": WHO's dire warning over common ingredient