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KFC facing shortages as Omicron supply issues continue

First it was the supermarkets, now Australia's favourite fast-food chains are feeling the bite of Omicron.

Supply chain issues around the country have seen shoppers face empty shelves, with workers in transportation, distribution, and stores, forced to isolate.

New rules in some jurisdictions will allow more back to work, but there are still plenty of kinks in the chain.

LIVE UPDATES: Australia 'laughing stock of the world' over Djokovic case

https://omny.fm/shows/the-9news-lunch-podcast/jan-11-the-harrowing-newborn-experience-that-shows/embed?style=coverKFC wicked wings

And now, KFC has confirmed it's feeling them too, with some items going off the menu for now.

"Unfortunately our supply chain has been disrupted, and some of our restaurants will be offering a reduced menu," a spokesperson said.

"We're sorry for any issues this causes our customers – we're doing everything we can to help our suppliers get back on track."

Fellow fast-food giant McDonalds painted a somewhat rosier picture.

"Like many businesses, McDonald's Australia has been carefully managing our supply chain – the bulk of which is based right here in Australia," a spokesperson said.

"We continue to work closely with our strong network of long term suppliers, farmers and producers throughout the pandemic, to ensure our customers can continue to enjoy our great tasting food."

Nine.com.au has contacted Hungry Jacks and Dominos to see how widespread the issue is.

Farmers call for rapid antigen test priority

As shoppers continue to face empty shelves in supermarkets around the country, farmers have confirmed there's plenty of fresh food around – it's just getting it to customers that's the problem.

"Our growers are sending plenty of produce down to the Sydney Markets, and we're working on making sure farm businesses can continue to harvest these crops," NSW Farmers Association president James Jackson said.

"Sadly, we've seen some companies and individuals use the scarcity of tests and images of empty shelves as an opportunity to lift their prices, so we would ask the ACCC to keep a close eye on retailers to make sure they don't bump up prices above any movements in the farm gate price of fresh fruit and vegetables."

READ MORE: The best way to treat COVID-19 at home

Mr Jackson also joined the chorus of voices calling for greater availability of rapid antigen tests, saying a lack of them was contributing to the broader supply chain issues, as well as affecting farm production.

He said the tests would allow farmers to keep sick workers at home and healthy workers in the field.

"We've seen some positive announcements, but the fact remains that the fresh food we enjoy is grown on Australian farms, and if our farmers can't get it out of their fields it won't make it to supermarket shelves," Mr Jackson said.

READ MORE: 180 million-year-old 'sea dragon' fossil unearthed

"What's needed most is expedited supply of tests for farmers so they can keep the food flowing to Aussie families.

"We need the agriculture sector – including harvest workers and those in the meat processing sectors, as well as those in transport and handling – to get prioritised access to Rapid Antigen Testing in the latest outbreak, lest we return to the scenes of early 2020 when customers were stockpiling food items."

Supermarkets say panic buying not the problem

Photos emerged last week of shelves stripped bare in supermarkets in major cities.

Coles brought in buying limits on several products, with customers now limited to two packs each of chicken breasts and chicken thighs – or six pieces from the deli.

Two-pack limits also apply to mince and sausages, while customers are allowed one rapid antigen test apiece.

READ MORE: First ever pig-to-human heart transplant performed in US

East Village Coles, Zetland

Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci outlined the impact the spread of Omicron had made across the supply chain.

"Unlike the surge buying of early 2020 (who could forget the toilet paper), this is because of the number of people in our supply chain in isolation – from suppliers to truck drivers and distribution centre team members – which in turn is causing material delays to store deliveries," Mr Banducci said.

"To give you a sense of the magnitude of the challenge, we are experiencing COVID-driven absences of 20 per cent-plus in our distribution centres and 10 per cent-plus in our stores."

Aldi has also said there have been additional pressures in securing store supply, but like Woolworths, it has not yet introduced buying limits.

'Farcical': How world's media reacted to Djokovic's visa court case win

"Farcical", "a stunning embarrassment" and an "unforced error". These are some of the ways the world's media has described the ongoing Novak Djokovic saga after his visa cancellation was quashed in the Federal Circuit Court.

The world number one returned to training overnight after Judge Anthony Kelly ordered his release in what his mother called the greatest victory of his career.

But it's a victory that may be short-lived, as Immigration Minister Alex Hawke is still weighing whether to use his "personal power" to cancel the visa for a second time.

READ MORE: Novak Djokovic thanks fans after visa cancellation court victory

Sean O'Grady, associate editor of The Independent, said the Morrison government was "not for the first time … behaving disgracefully towards an incomer to Australia, because they think their folk like that sort of thing".

"As someone who cares little for tennis, and who has no time for Djokovic's toxic views on vaccines, even I can see that the guy hasn't had a fair go. That is not, as I understand it, the Australian way of doing things," he wrote.

"Somehow Morrison is turning an anti-vaxxer into a hero, a martyr even. So, even if he never gets to swing his racquet, Djokovic will return from Australia a winner."

READ MORE: Immigration Minister to make call on whether to cancel Novak Djokovic's visa again

The Telegraph's chief sports writer, Oliver Brown, called the situation "farcical".

"The move marked a stunning embarrassment for the Australian government, who had sought to use this case as proof that nobody was too rich or too privileged to bypass the nation's uncompromising COVID-19 vaccination rules." he wrote.

Brown highlighted a key comment from Judge Kelly — "what more could this man have done?" — but noted Djokovic's "ordeal" was far from over.

"The stand-off between Djokovic and an Australian administration campaigning for re-election in four months' time has become a high-wire political game," Brown wrote. 

"On the one hand, Morrison has significant reputational capital invested in the Serb's case, having used it as symbolic of Australia's unbending restrictions at the border. 

"'Rules are rules," as he put it, before Judge Kelly's intervention left those rules in doubt.

"But on the other hand, the Prime Minister risks looking vindictive if he continues to pursue other avenues for ejecting Djokovic from the country."

READ MORE: Novak Djokovic wins court battle to have visa cancellation overturned

Novak Djokovic, a vocal skeptic of vaccines, had traveled to Australia after Victoria state authorities granted him a medical exemption to the country's strict vaccination requirements. But when he arrived late Wednesday, the Australian Border Force rejected his exemption as invalid and barred him from entering the country.

The BBC's Australia correspondent, Shaimaa Khalil, asked whether the incident was an "unforced error" for Australia.

"It's impossible to ignore the politics at play here," she wrote, pointing to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's 24-hour "U-turn" from accepting the situation as a matter for Victoria to putting his foot down on border rules.

"The tension between state and federal authorities exists because each wants something different from this.

"Victoria wants the world number one to compete in one of the state's most important events.

"The federal government, feeling the anger at Djokovic being allowed to fly in, wants to show Australians that they are in control of who comes in and out of the country and that everyone — including the tennis star — is expected to follow the COVID rules."

READ MORE: Serbian fans swarm car leaving Novak Djokovic's lawyers' office

Novak Djokovic has been confined to an immigration detention hotel as the No. 1 men's tennis player in the world awaited a court ruling on whether he can compete in the Australian Open later this month.

The New York Times also mentioned Mr Morrison's role in the process, describing "a drawn-out conflict" and the difficulty of hosting any international sporting event as Omicron spreads rapidly around the world.

"The court victory on Monday was unlike anything he had ever experienced," Damien Cave and Matthew Futterman wrote. 

"Instead of a rival attempting to snuff out his shot at a championship, it was an overnight crew of border officials, supported by an Australian prime minister attempting to enforce the will of millions of citizens who generally loathe "queue jumpers" trying to skirt the rules."

Put Hope and Confidence in God for a Prosperous 2022: PM Harris

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS — Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris on Sunday January 9 joined the leadership and membership of Miracle Temple in Lodge Project, where he and his entourage were welcomed for the morning worship and fellowship by Pastor John Bradley.

Thanking Pastor Bradley and those who accompanied him to church, he observed they were all happy to be at the Miracle Temple at the start of the new year for worship and fellowship as it signalled their confidence that the God that they serve can see them through to the rest of the year, and are glad for the wonderful mercies.

“We are glad that we are among those around the world who have taken time out to come to say ‘thank you’ to God – thank you that we are alive and we are of good health,” said Dr Harris. “Thank you that we can be of service to ourselves, to one another, and most importantly to the God above.”

As the country goes through 2022, the Prime Minister noted that people’s hope and confidence lie in God’s grace and mercy. As a result, he added, St. Kitts and Nevis is looking forward to a prosperous New Year, a year in which good things will happen to each and all of the citizens and residents, and that good things will happen to the country.

He advised: “All good things come from God, and therefore we have to let Him know our desires, our wants and our needs, and have the confidence that His Will will be done for us and this country we love.”

Prime Minister Harris who is also the Area Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher Seven (Bellevue to Ottley’s), and National Political Leader of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP), was accompanied by members of PLP Constituency Number Seven Group led by PLP National Women Representative Mrs Sonia Henry. Also present were members and supporters of the Peoples Labour Party drawn from all constituency branches in St. Kitts.

“I want to say a special thank you to those of the Spanish community who have joined us, and those from the Haitian community who have joined us – ‘merci beaucoup’,” noted the Honourable Prime Minister.

In conclusion he said: “I want to again thank all of the supporters and well-wishers who have turned out today to give God thanks and glory, to fellowship with us, and most importantly remember with God all things – not some things, not a few things, not just the things that we desire, but all things are made possible.”

During his sermon, Pastor John Bradley also impressed upon the congregation on the importance of thanking and praising God for what He is doing in their lives.

“We had a breakfast this morning,” said Pastor Bradley. “It might not have been like the one for Marriott, but we had a breakfast oh hallelujah, and that is something we ought to thank God for.”

According to the Pastor, the breakfast one ate might not be like somebody else’s breakfast but they had breakfast nonetheless and that is just enough reason to say thanks for, as they have food on their table. He added that one might also say ‘glory to God’ that there is a roof over their head, shoes on their feet, and that He gave them a life and a fine family.

“Let this be a lesson for 2022, that I will bless the Lord at all times,” advised Pastor Bradley. “Praise Him for His goodness.”

The post Put Hope and Confidence in God for a Prosperous 2022: PM Harris appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.

WORLD VIEW: 19 Dead, Several Injured in NY Bldg. Fire, Novak Court Win, 8,000 Detained in Kazakhstan, More

Jan 10, 2022

The Associated Press

 

The Rundown

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NEW YORK (AP) — Doctors worked Monday to save the lives of several people gravely injured when smoke from a fire knocked them out or trapped them in their apartments in a New York City high-rise building. Nineteen people, including nine children,…Read More

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MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Tennis star Novak Djokovic won a court battle Monday to stay in Australia to contest the Australian Open despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19, but the drama might not be finished, with the government threateni…Read More

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Heading into a critical midterm election year, the top political concerns of Americans are shifting in ways that suggest Democrats face considerable challenges to maintaining their control of Congress. …Read More

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MOSCOW (AP) — The authorities in Kazakhstan said Monday that nearly 8,000 people were detained by police during protests that descended into violence last week and marked the worst unrest the former Soviet nation has faced since gaining independe…Read More

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are mounting an impassioned bid to overhaul Senate rules that stand in the way of their sweeping voting legislation, arguing dark forces unleashed by Donald Trump’s falsehoods about the 2020 election demand an extrao…Read More

OTHER TOP STORIES

GENEVA (AP) — Senior U.S. and Russian officials were formally launching special talks on strategic stability on Monday as part of a flurry of diplomatic activity in Europe t…Read More

NEW DELHI (AP) — Healthcare and front-line workers along with people above age 60 with health problems lined up Monday at vaccination centers across India to receive a third …Read More

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bob Saget, a comedian and actor known for his role as a widower raising a trio of daughters in the sitcom “Full House,” has died, according to authorities …Read More

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Conscripts in Norway have been ordered to return their underwear, bras and socks after the end of their military service so that the next group of …Read More

The post WORLD VIEW: 19 Dead, Several Injured in NY Bldg. Fire, Novak Court Win, 8,000 Detained in Kazakhstan, More appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.