Friday, December 26

Blog

The Tribe Trailer: Alanna, Alaviaa admit to living in a `Bollywood bubble`
Entertainment, Movies

The Tribe Trailer: Alanna, Alaviaa admit to living in a `Bollywood bubble`

Prime Video has unveiled an exciting trailer for its upcoming original reality series, The Tribe. The nine-episode unscripted series is a Dharmatic Entertainment production, with industry stalwarts like Karan Johar, Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Aneesha Baig serving as executive producers. The Tribe trailer delves into the journeys of five young, glamorous, and affluent content creators: Alanna Panday, Alaviaa Jaaferi, Srushti Porey, Aryaana Gandhi, and Alfia Jafry, along with digital evangelist and investor Hardik Zaveri.           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by prime video IN (@primevideoin) What The Tribe show is all about The series takes you behind the scenes into the glamorous and dramat...
Salary growth slows, with some industries in reverse
Business

Salary growth slows, with some industries in reverse

Photo: 123rf.com Advertised salaries are growing at a slower pace due to strong competition for a limited number of jobs, new data shows. Employment website SEEK has found average advertised salaries grew 3.7 percent in the year ended August, down from 4.4 percent in the previous quarter. SEEK country manager Rob Clark said with more people applying for fewer jobs, the rule of supply and demand was holding back salary increases. "If you're an employer you've got more choice and therefore that allows you to have more flexibility on salary rates. And if you're an employee and you're looking for work, it's more competitive out there, so you might be prepared to forego the salary that you may have hoped [for] previously." The education and healthcare sectors recorded the greatest growth yea...
Greenpeace sues Fonterra over 100 percent grass-fed butter claim
Business

Greenpeace sues Fonterra over 100 percent grass-fed butter claim

Fonterra's Anchor brand butter, showing the label claiming it is '100 percent New Zealand grass-fed'. Photo: Supplied/ Greenpeace Greenpeace is suing dairy company Fonterra for misleading customers by claiming its Anchor brand butter is 100 percent New Zealand grass-fed. Fonterra's own rules allow up to 20 percent of the diet of their dairy cows to be feed that is not grass, while still able to be considered "grass fed". Greenpeace said this was a problem, as imported palm kernel feed was linked to the deforestation of rainforests in Southeast Asia, and customers deserved to know that their products were contributing to demand for it. Greenpeace spokesperson Sinéad Deighton-O'Flynn served Fonterra with the lawsuit on Monday morning at the dairy co-operative's Auckland headquarters. "Fon...
Australian who kidnapped four-year-old denied sentence reduction
World News

Australian who kidnapped four-year-old denied sentence reduction

Terence Kelly's lawyers argued his mental impairment should have been given more weight during his sentencing for kidnapping four-year-old Cleo Smith. Photo: Supplied / Western Australian Police Force Terence Kelly has failed in his bid to reduce his sentence for abducting Cleo Smith Cleo, 4, was taken from her family's campsite in the Western Australian town of Carnarvon, in 2021 Kelly's lawyers claimed his mental impairments should have been given greater weight by the sentencing judge Today's decision in the Court of Appeal will see Kelly's original sentence of 13 years and six months stand A man who abducted a four-year-old child and held her captive at his home for more than two weeks has lost his appeal to have his sentence reduced. Terence Kelly abducted Cleo Smith from her par...
Business confidence at highest point since 2014 – ANZ
Business

Business confidence at highest point since 2014 – ANZ

ANZ's business confidence survey found strong signs businesses are growing more positive about the future. Photo: Unsplash/ Patrick Tomasso ANZ business survey shows headline confidence at highest since May 2014 Firms also most upbeat about their own outlook since mid-2014 More firms expect better profits, investment, steady jobs, wages, inflation Retail and construction sectors more cheerful. The recovery in business confidence has held at a decade high, with firms buoyed by improved trading and expectations of future growth. ANZ's survey for September showed general sentiment rose 10 points on the month before, to a net 61 percent optimism, the highest since May 2014. The more closely followed 'own activity' measure showed an eight point rise to 45 percent optimism, also a 10-year...
Why non-smokers are equally at risk for respiratory diseases
Health

Why non-smokers are equally at risk for respiratory diseases

While the cause of lung diseases like lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has long been linked with smoking, an alarming increase in cases has been observed even amongst non-smokers, majorly due to passive smoking and air pollution, said experts on Wednesday.  World Lung Day is observed every year on September 25 to raise awareness about lung health and promote better lung care around the world.   Smoking is a major cause of lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Quitting smoking can significantly improve lung health and reduce the risk of developing these diseases. However, a significant increase in respiratory cases has been observed even amongst non-smokers, said experts. “These are mostly traced to an increased exposure...
A2 Milk in talks to purchase manufacturing facility in China
Business

A2 Milk in talks to purchase manufacturing facility in China

Photo: Getty Images Speciality dairy company A2 Milk has confirmed it is in talks to buy a manufacturing facility in China. Australian share market operator ASX sought answers from A2 on Friday, after its share price gained 11 percent before being placed in a trading halt. In a carefully worded response, A2 said it was "possibly" aware of unannounced information that could explain the spike in its share price. The company highlighted stimulus measures announced by the Chinese government as a possible reason for the trading of its shares, but also revealed discussions over a new plant in China. A2's chief legal and sustainability officer Jaron McVicar said: "For completeness, consistent with its publicly announced strategy which includes developing infant milk formula manufacturing capabi...
Fonterra releases new strategy to get higher return on capital
Business

Fonterra releases new strategy to get higher return on capital

Photo: Photo / AFP Fonterra has released its new strategy to pay more in dividends to shareholders and get a higher return on capital. The company's revised business strategy aims to focus on its high performing ingredients and food service businesses to grow value. It has increased its target average return on capital to 10-12 percent, up from 9-10 percent, and a new dividend policy of 60-80 percent of earnings, up from 40-60 percent. Chief executive Miles Hurrell said building trading capability for the company's dairy ingredients will help grow the Farmgate Milk Price and earnings. He said expanding the food service business in China will also help boost value. Chairperson Peter McBride said the new strategy will support farmers. "The co-op exists to provide stability and manage risk ...
Southern Cross posts $88 million deficit for year ended June
Business

Southern Cross posts $88 million deficit for year ended June

Southern Health's chief executive says a deficit was expected. Photo: 123RF Deficit for June year $88m vs deficit $16.5m year before Claims increase 15 pct, premium income up 9 pct Membership 955,301 - 50 pct made claims Most expensive procedure - heart valve ($72,800-$94,200) Spending on knee/hip replacements, colonoscopies rise sharply Pet and travel insurance profitable The country's biggest health insurer and private healthcare provider Southern Cross has posted a large deficit on the back of rising costs and claims, and an accounting change. The not-for-profit group said it had had a surge in business as people turned to the private health system to get around blockages and delays in the public system. Chief executive Nick Astwick said a deficit had been expected, but cost...
Kris Kristofferson, influential singer-songwriter, dies at 88
World News

Kris Kristofferson, influential singer-songwriter, dies at 88

US singer and songwriter Kris Kristofferson performs on stage during a concert at the Jazz Fest Vienna, on 15 June 2018 in Vienna, Austria. Photo: HANS PUNZ / APA-PictureDesk via AFP By Bill Trott, Reuters Kris Kristofferson, who became one of the most influential American singer-songwriters of his time with works such as 'Me and Bobby McGee', as well as a successful actor, died Saturday at the age of 88, Rolling Stone reported, citing his spokesperson. Kristofferson had been suffering from memory loss since his 70s. Kristofferson was a Renaissance man - an athlete with a poet's sensibilities, a former Army officer and helicopter pilot, a Rhodes scholar who took a job as a janitor in what turned out to be a brilliant career move. Kristofferson first established himself in the music worl...