Morning Edition: 14 May 2025

The Morning Edition of News Fix for 14 May 2025, straight from the Newstalk ZB newsroom - bringing you everything you need to know in news, politics, business, entertainment and sport.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Good morning. I'm Neva Retti Manu and this is your
morning News Fox for Wednesday, fourteenth of May. And this
update A glimpse into our drug market reveals shifting dynamics
towards growing monopolies involving gangs and digitization. The latest Drug
Trend survey reveals more drug sales are taking place through
encrypted apps, particularly for cannabis and MDMA. It also finds

(00:29):
gangs tend to be involved in all levels of met supply,
from importation and distribution to sales, share and FADIKI. Researcher
Chris Wilkins says findings are also point to gangs dominating
certain places, implying a heightened threat.

Speaker 2 (00:43):
Two regions, Hawks Bay Gisbon came up as very high
levels of gang dominance of selling the methampediment.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
An increased number of new entrance of starting school without
key oral language skills, believed to be due to COVID.
Teachers are reporting more children have undignoes, needs and behavioral
issues after being born during lockdowns. Canterbury University Child and
Family psychology lecturer Sarah Whitcomb Dobbs says parents were needing
to use screens more to entertain children in this time.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Or children whose language is just emerging right from their
is no developmental benefits because they're not getting that exposure
to reciprocal conversation.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
And New Zealand has been reminded there's still large disparities
when it comes to immunizations health. New Zealand data shows
more than eighty percent of Kiwi kids are fully immunized
by twenty four months old, the highest rate since early
twenty twenty two. Pediatrician Owen Sinclair says it's more complex
than reaching the target of ninety five percent coverage. He's

(01:45):
worried the country will reach the goal but not address
the equity gaps, leading to more deaths and epidemics. Donald
Trump has started his four day trip to the Middle
East by strengthening ties with Saudi Arabia. The US President
has met with the country to facto ruler Crown Prince
Morhammad bin Salman, discussing efforts to dismantle Around's nuclear program

(02:06):
and end the war in Gaza. Is also announced plans
to lift sanctions on Syria following the fall of the
Asad regime. Meridian Energies denying its purchase of Flick Electric
is a takeover by New Zealand's big power companies, the
powert Gentaylor is paying seventy million dollars to z Energy
for Flick's forty one thousand electricity customers in the brand.

(02:29):
It'll increase Meridian's market chair to eighteen percent, maintaining its
position as our fourth largest electricity retailer. Meridian Energy Chief
customer Officer Lisa Hannafan told Ryan Bridge this isn't about
market consolidation.

Speaker 2 (02:43):
They want to exit the market to focus on what
their core business is, which is transport for navs and
so they're getting out of retailing electricity in both New
Zealand and Australia.

Speaker 1 (02:53):
In sport, former New Zealand cricket coach Mike Hessen will
take charge of Pakistan's limited oversides from May twis eighty six.
Andy Murray's tennis coaching partnership with Novak Djokovic has ended
after six months. Former Olympic track cycling champion and Tour
de France winner Sir Bradley Wiggins has admitted to a
cocaine addiction. He claims to have only become sober in

(03:15):
the last year. Uncertainty remains over whether Wrexham's Hollywood owners
will attend their sides football match against the Phoenix in
Wellington on July nineteenth. I'm neva ready, Marho, and that
your latest news fix. We'll be back with the next
update at midday from the newstalk ZB newsroom