Saturday, February 7

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Barun Sobti talks about raising daughter Sifat in an unsafe country: `I shun…`
Entertainment, Movies

Barun Sobti talks about raising daughter Sifat in an unsafe country: `I shun…`

It has been an intense ride for Barun Sobti with Kohrra (2023) and Asur. So, the actor is changing up things by taking up a slice-of-life comedy in Raat Jawaan Hai. The television’s heartthrob shares that he is instinctively drawn to fun content and uses them as breaks between his intense roles. We’re not complaining; we’re always excited to see the actor showcase his versatility with his dramatically different roles. In a chat with mid-day, Sobti talks about how the JioCinema show is more about friendship than parenthood and his experience of being father to five-year-old Sifat and one-year-old Meer. Edited excerpts from the interview. What made you say yes to this slice-of-life show after fronting dark offerings like Kohrra and Asur?Lately, I have been doing a lot more intense [shows]....
Have the government’s interest deductibility promises proved true?
Business

Have the government’s interest deductibility promises proved true?

While the rental market has softened, commentators say it is unlikely that the return of deductibility is the driver. File photo. Photo: Unsplash / Tom Rumble New Zealand's rental market is cooling - but how much of that is due to the return of interest deductibility for investors? In March, prime minister Christopher Luxon said renters would be "grateful" that extra costs would no longer be passed on to them after the government moved to phase back in investors' ability to claim loan interest costs against their rental income for tax purposes - reducing the amount of tax they pay. Act Party leader and associate finance minister David Seymour said at the time the pressure on landlords from the Labour government's removal of deductibility was reducing the number of rentals and pushing re...
Live: Iran fires missiles into Israel
World News

Live: Iran fires missiles into Israel

Photo: AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP Iran has fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for Israel's campaign against Tehran's Hezbollah allies in Lebanon. Alarms sounded across Israel and explosions could be heard in Jerusalem and the Jordan River valley after Israelis piled into bomb shelters. Iran has vowed to retaliate following attacks that killed the top leadership of its Hezbollah allies in Lebanon. The firing of missiles came after Israel said its troops had launched ground raids into Lebanon, though it described the forays as limited. The Israeli campaign in Lebanon is the biggest escalation of regional warfare since fighting erupted in Gaza a year ago. - Reuters Follow live updates: Source link
Property market: Is it really ‘what are you waiting for’?
Business

Property market: Is it really ‘what are you waiting for’?

Property coach Steve Goodey says the market has "most definitely" bottomed out. File photo. Photo: RNZ / 123rf Property coach Steve Goodey says the time is right to buy a house - but not everyone is as convinced. Goodey asked his social media followers this week what they were waiting for. "I can get 5.59 percent for three years even if the floating rate is still in the 8s. "Auckland house prices are by average now under $1 million for the first time since 2020… Mortgage brokers round the country are recording a massive upswing in activity with investors and first-home buyers alike getting pre-approvals. "Daylight saving has started giving agents more sunlight and evening open homes. So what indicator or metric are you waiting for to get stuck in? Will you wait for two more OCR reductio...
Israeli military says Iran has fired missiles towards Israel
World News

Israeli military says Iran has fired missiles towards Israel

Iranian missiles and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Shahed-136, are being displayed at the Azadi (Freedom) Square in western Tehran during a rally to mark the 45th anniversary of the victory of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, on 11 February, 2024. Photo: AFP / NurPhoto The Israeli military said that missiles had been launched from Iran towards Israel, and that Israel's home front command had provided life-saving guidelines to people in various parts of the country. The United States had indications that Iran was preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel that could be at least as large as a strike that Tehran staged earlier this year, US officials said on Wednesday. The US is actively supporting preparations to defend Israel against a new Iranian missile...
Wellington businesses battle to stay afloat in grim financial times
Business

Wellington businesses battle to stay afloat in grim financial times

Dozens of stores have closed between Courtenay Place and Lambton Quay in 2024. File photo. Photo: RNZ / Jake McKee While the council is looking into a financial package for some areas affected, some critics said it does not go far enough. Flora Quintana has run Syrian restaurant Damascus for five years and like many restaurant owners around the capital, she is facing tough times. She also lost most of her family's belongings in a house fire earlier this year. Not about to give up, she has opened a takeaway bar to bring in more sales. "You don't need as many staff so mainly the high costs that a restaurant has is the staff, is wages. I think that with a takeaway as well, what happens is that you can offer something a bit smaller, kind of like a cheaper price and people I think at the mom...
Iranian missile attack on Israel imminent – US
World News

Iranian missile attack on Israel imminent – US

Iranian missiles and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Shahed-136, are being displayed at the Azadi (Freedom) Square in western Tehran during a rally to mark the 45th anniversary of the victory of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, on 11 February, 2024. Photo: AFP / NurPhoto By Phil Stewart and Steve Holland, Reuters The United States has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel that could be at least as large as a strike that Tehran staged earlier this year, US officials said on Wednesday. The US is actively supporting preparations to defend Israel against a new Iranian missile attack, a senior White House official said. "A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran," the official said. A...
Has Beckham dyed his eyebrows and beard? Here’s what Madeleine Spencer says men should do instead
Life Style

Has Beckham dyed his eyebrows and beard? Here’s what Madeleine Spencer says men should do instead

Another option, should you wish to hide, or disguise, your greys? Ask your colourist to blend them into your highlights. It’s a technique Melanie Smith, Senior Colourist at HARI’s is an advocate of, and she will encourage those wishing to subtly include greys into the mix to “generally go a bit lighter to blend them out, using soft woven multi-tones for a super flattering finish.” And if you, like Beckham, are tempted to dye your brows and beard, too, remember that you’ll need a dedicated dye for the job as skin in that part of the face is more sensitive. Source link
Obesity, diabetes, PCOS increasing gynaecological cancers among women: Experts
Health

Obesity, diabetes, PCOS increasing gynaecological cancers among women: Experts

Obesity, diabetes, and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) are the key reasons why India is seeing a rise in gynaecological cancers like endometrial, ovarian, and uterus, said experts on Monday. The rise is particularly of concern among younger women, and calls for greater awareness and early screening. There have been more incidences of endometrial cancer -- cancer that develops in the lining of the uterus -- among young women in their early 30s, a condition traditionally seen in post-menopausal women. “As obesity rates climb and more women delay childbearing or remain childless, they face prolonged exposure to oestrogen, a known risk factor for endometrial cancer. Conversely, progesterone, produced during pregnancy, provides a protective effect against this cancer,” Dr. Vandana Jain, S...
Israel begins ground raids into Lebanon
World News

Israel begins ground raids into Lebanon

A fire following Israeli bombardment on an area of south Lebanon. Photo: JALAA MAREY Flares and shelling have hit border towns within Lebanon, strikes hit suburbs in Lebanon's capital Beirut, and one hit a building in the large Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh, near the Lebanese city of Sidon, sources have told Reuters. In the Syrian capital of Damascus a well-known Syrian television anchor was among three people killed by Israeli strikes, the country's state news agency said. The US has been told "limited" raids on Hezbollah over the border have begun, in what may be the beginning of a widely expected ground invasion. The Israel military said in a statement that its targets were in villages close to the border that posed "an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern ...