International

Not even jet lag ... could distract Grafton’s busiest and most determined eight-year-old from putting her foot down and kick-starting her 2023 racing season with three podium finishes earlier this month ... After finishing third in both races in her Stock Polaris RZR 200, Ruby decided to drive her Polaris Off-Road RZR 570 to familiarise herself with her new vehicle under race conditions in the Endurance Race, and was happy to cross the finish line in second place.

South Australian food, wine and beverage companies continue to reap the rewards from Japan’s largest e-commerce site, connecting with millions of new customers as sales keep surging. Rakuten – a platform described as the “Amazon of Japan” – boasts more than 100 million Japanese users and is home to 27 per cent of Japanese e-commerce, a figure that equated to $40 billion in 2020.

In Ukraine, the best place to make homemade wine is the Odessa region. Here, grapes are grown in almost every rural house. Ukrainian law allows foreigners to buy such houses. But there are no buyers from abroad. Because no one promotes the rural real estate of the region on an international scale. The war further diverted attention from this region. But right now is the time to make profitable deals.

Pro surfer  Callum Robson  from Evans Head hit a perfect score on a smashing wave in Portugal, Sunday, March 12 ... “Got my first ever 10-point ride when I needed it. That feeling was incredible,” Robson wrote on his Facebook page.

Delivered through Hort Innovation using industry levies and funds from the Australian Government, some of Australia’s top scientists partnered with the avocado industry to develop phytosanitary data that shows the health and safety of Australian Hass avocados is in line with India’s import requirements.

Alyssa Walker. Alister Lamour is a Charlton man who, according to some mates of his who wished to remain anonymous, "is impossible to dislike" He is also an incredibly humble man and doesn’t like talking about himself. This is unfortunate for him, because there are a lot of people who would love to hear about how he’s representing Australia in the F-Class Open World Championships in South Africa.

Australia's two riders at the FEI Endurance World Championships at Butheeb UAE finished well, with Jodie Salinas and Baroud Rio coming in fifth and Andrea Laws-King riding Heathfield's Bin Sadaqa in 31st position. Australia also featured in the breeding of the magnificent mare Haleh, bred in Australia by Bullio Razorback, winning individual silver.

Western Australian food and beverage companies are showcasing their finest produce on a global stage at two major food trade events, with support from the McGowan Government. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, in partnership with Invest and Trade WA, is leading the charge this week at FOODEX Japan 2023.

According to a new report from Rabobank, participants all along the dairy value chain are being squeezed. Producers’ milk prices have tumbled from 2022’s lofty levels while feed prices are at record highs.

The founder of a new regional-based architectural firm has been recognised for her innovative work in the field with a coveted national award ... Sarah Lebner returned to the area last year and started Cooee Architecture, a new regional practice based near Bringenbrong focusing on energy-efficient and low-carbon homes.

An international covert operation – including the arrest of three people on the beach south of Moore River – has prevented a record 2.4 tonnes of cocaine from entering Western Australia, according to WA Police. The operation, dubbed Operation Beech, resulted in the arrest of 12 people, with the cocaine linked to a Mexican drug cartel.

Gini Gale. Padthaway and Lochaber branches shared our guest speakers Kym and Hass Palka who are former residents of Naracoorte ... Kym’s father, Wally, was Ukrainian born in a village near Lviv, in western Ukraine near the Polish border. During World War II, as a 15 year old, he was taken back to Germany by the retreating Nazis and made to work in labour camps.

Space companies from the United Kingdom have landed in Adelaide on a mission to explore why more global companies are investing in South Australia’s cutting-edge space sector ... The contingent follows recent announcements that global companies Airbus, SSTL and Equatorial Launch Australia will all establish bases in South Australia.

Maclean can now proudly boast that they have one of the world’s best supermarkets right on their doorstep, after Ritchies IGA Maclean received international acclaim, winning the coveted title of IGA International Retailer of the Year. The award was presented to James Cameron, Peter Lee and Matthew Saunders from Ritchies Stores, at the international IGA conference in Las Vegas, USA.

Mildura Rural City Council has bestowed one of its highest honours upon a locally-born and trained performing artist who is now one of the most sought after classical singers on the international stage. Councillor Stefano de Pieri announced Siobhan Stagg as Mildura’s latest Key to the City recipient in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon after her latest appearance with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

The liquid ‘drinking’ milk market remains of key importance to Australia’s dairy sector – with improved domestic retail pricing and opportunities for further export growth – Rabobank says in a newly-released industry report.

Serena Kirby. Seventeen-year-old snowboarder Henry Edmondson has had another hectic 12 months ... Having just returned from numerous overseas trips Henry is now ranked second in the Oceania Freeride category for under-18 males and ranked 13th in the world.

The Barkly will be representing in the upcoming Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, with our own Emily Wells starring! ... She will be marching with the organisation Trans Pride Australia on a float called the “Kaleidoscope of Gender”.

A contingent of local residents is in training in preparation for a trek to the Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal as a fund-raising adventure for Toowoomba-based mental health service Momentum Mental Health ... The self-funded event has attracted 18 starters but there is room for two more people.

The peak body for Australia’s farm sector is calling on businesses assessed under the Business Benchmark on Animal Welfare to rethink their links to the scheme. A consultation paper released by the UK-based organisation, which is affiliated with some of Australia’s largest companies, proposes to rank companies based on their commitment to ‘reducing reliance on animal products’ – including a plan to halve the multi-billion dollar livestock industry by 2040.

A delegation of Territory business will aim to recruit 100 hospitality workers when they visit the United Kingdom and Ireland next month to increase our skilled workforce through the Global Worker Attraction Program.