Wednesday, July 9

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How Harris and Trump plan to woo voters on eve of Election Day – National
Politics

How Harris and Trump plan to woo voters on eve of Election Day – National

A presidential campaign that has careened through a felony trial, an incumbent president being pushed off the ticket and multiple assassination attempts comes down to a final push across a handful of states on the eve of Election Day. Kamala Harris will spend all of Monday in Pennsylvania, whose 19 electoral votes offer the largest prize among the states expected to determine the Electoral College outcome. The vice president and Democratic nominee will visit working-class areas including Allentown and end with a late-night Philadelphia rally that includes Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey.Donald Trump plans four rallies in three states, beginning in Raleigh, North Carolina and stopping twice in Pennsylvania with events in Reading and Pittsburgh. The Republican nominee and former president ends h...
I’m fed up with women being criticised for ‘dating up’ — aka hypergamy
Life Style

I’m fed up with women being criticised for ‘dating up’ — aka hypergamy

That is until I recently saw the word “hypergamy” on social media. This is courting someone of a higher socioeconomic or social class than oneself. Of course, this is nothing new; after all, I grew up reading Jane Austen novels. As humans, it’s natural to want to “date up”. The psychotherapist Jack Worthy, who focuses on relationship patterns, said: "Status is shiny and we all pursue what’s shiny in a partner, in a career, in friends. By “shiny”, Worthy means attention-grabbing and desired by everyone. And a lot of the time, those traits are physical. “Height in a man is shiny. Men six feet and taller find much more success on dating apps. A certain hip-to-waist ratio is shiny in a woman. All of us notice shiny traits in potential partners.” A person who grew up middle-class marrying into ...
Eight people on trial in France over beheading of teacher Samuel Paty | World News
Business

Eight people on trial in France over beheading of teacher Samuel Paty | World News

Eight people are going on trial in Paris accused of terrorism charges over the beheading of a teacher four years ago.Samuel Paty, 47, was murdered by an Islamic extremist near his school on 16 October 2020 in an attack that shocked France.Police shot dead an 18-year-old Russian of Chechen origin, Abdullah Anzorov, soon after the attack.Mr Paty was attacked after holding a class on freedom of expression for his middle school students when he showed caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad - an act considered blasphemy by many Muslims.Those on trial include friends of Anzorov who are accused of helping to buy weapons for the attack. Image: People arrive for the first day of the trial in Paris. Pic: Reuters Others in court are peop...
US Election: Fifteen American politics movies to watch instead of doomscrolling
World News

US Election: Fifteen American politics movies to watch instead of doomscrolling

Harrison Ford in Air Force One, Meryl Streep in Don't Look Up and Jack Nicholson in Mars Attacks! are just some of the many screen American presidents. Photo: Screenshot / Supplied It's not even a New Zealand election, but we get it. You're stressed out. America will choose its next president on Wednesday NZ Time, deciding between former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris. You really can't scroll through campaign news non-stop without breaking your brain, but you're still in a mood to watch something political. The presidency has been the subject of countless movies, good and bad, from lofty biopics to action-packed romps. Here are 15 movies about American presidents and politics that are worth firing up to divert your brain for a few hours as Election Day approaches...
Poilievre asks provinces to scrap sales tax on new homes under $1M – National
Politics

Poilievre asks provinces to scrap sales tax on new homes under $1M – National

By Staff The Canadian Press Posted November 4, 2024 7:46 am 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has written to the provinces’ premiers, asking them to eliminate their sales taxes on new homes that are under $1 million. It follows Poilievre’s own pledge last week that if he becomes prime minister, he will axe the federal sales tax on new homes sold for under $1 million. 6:27 ‘Living rent-free in his head’: Poilievre, Fraser have rowdy exchange on housing proposal ...
Harris appeals to Christians and Arab Americans, Trump embraces violent rhetoric
World News

Harris appeals to Christians and Arab Americans, Trump embraces violent rhetoric

Opinion polls show the pair are locked in a tight race. Photo: AFP By Nandita Bose and Steve Holland, Reuters Democrat Kamala Harris made her closing pitch for the US presidency at a historically Black church and to Arab Americans in battleground Michigan on Sunday, while her Republican rival Donald Trump embraced violent rhetoric at a rally in Pennsylvania. Opinion polls show the pair locked in a tight race, with Vice President Harris, 60, bolstered by strong support among female voters while former President Trump, 78, gains ground with Hispanic voters, especially men. Voters overall view both candidates unfavourably, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling, but that has not dissuaded them from casting ballots. More than 78 million Americans have already done so ahead of Tuesday's Election...
‘Extreme danger’ red alert for Barcelona warns of more rain on the way – with Spain still reeling from deadly floods | World News
Business

‘Extreme danger’ red alert for Barcelona warns of more rain on the way – with Spain still reeling from deadly floods | World News

A red alert warning of "extreme danger" because of torrential rain has been issued for Barcelona, as elsewhere in Spain search teams continue to scour flooded areas for bodies.At least 217 people have died after heavy rain in eastern Spain caused flash floods that swept away almost everything in their path. People were trapped in cars, homes and businesses as the waters surged through the disaster zone last week.Six days later, the search and rescue operation continues for the unknown number of missing people, with thousands of soldiers brought in to help.And as communities continue to reel from the catastrophic floods - and mourn their losses - more rain is forecast for parts of the country. Image: Pic: Meteoalarm Today, t...
Sitting over 8 hours daily can raise health risks even after exercise: Study
Health

Sitting over 8 hours daily can raise health risks even after exercise: Study

Amid concerns that sitting is the new smoking, a new study showed that being sedentary for over 8.5 hours daily or 60 hours a week while commuting, in office, or at home can make you age faster and raise significant health risks. Importantly, the study showed that a young age or 20 minutes of moderate activity like walking cannot buffer the effects. Instead, vigorous activity like running or cycling for 30 minutes daily can help, but not completely. Chandra Reynolds, Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder in the US, said that "sitting less throughout the day, getting more vigorous exercise, or a combination of both may be necessary to reduce the risk of premature ageing in early adulthood". The team analysed more than 1,000 peopl...
Ukraine faces ‘one of the most powerful’ Russian offensives of war, warns commander
World News

Ukraine faces ‘one of the most powerful’ Russian offensives of war, warns commander

Ukrainian servicemen of the 24th Mechanized Brigade fire a BRM1k infantry fighting vehicle towards Russian positions in Donetsk in August, 2024. Photo: AFP / Press Service of the 24th Mechanized Brigade of Ukrainian Armed Forces Ukraine's army chief has warned that his forces are facing "one of the most powerful Russian offensives" since the start of the war as Russia claimed it captured more settlements on the eastern frontline. Russia has steadily been making gains in the eastern Donbas region, which Russia's President Vladimir Putin aims to capture in full. Reuters, citing open-source data, reported that Russia has been advancing at its fastest pace in at least a year. Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said the situation on the front line "remains difficult" and certain ...
No need to tell your husband: Harris banks on women’s votes
World News

No need to tell your husband: Harris banks on women’s votes

By Aurélia End, AFP In an ad for Kamala Harris, a woman marks her ballot for the Democratic candidate while her husband thinks she's voting for Republican Donald Trump: "What happens in the booth, stays in the booth" a voiceover says. The 30-second-clip, narrated by actor Julia Roberts, shows the couple arriving at a polling station wearing baseball caps featuring the American flag, a symbol often sported by Trump supporters. The ad, financed by a religious nonprofit, has elicited fury in the Trump camp, with the former president calling it "stupid" and asking "Can you imagine a wife not telling her husband who she's voting for?" In the ad, the wife exchanges knowing glances with another female voter, before filling in her choice for Harris. "You can vote any way you want, and no one wil...