Sunday, March 1

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US election: Vice presidential nominees Tim Walz and JD Vance set to spar
1Oct By No Comments
World News

US election: Vice presidential nominees Tim Walz and JD Vance set to spar

JD Vance and Tim Walz. Photo: AFP By Steve Holland and Stephanie Kelly, Reuters Democrat Tim Walz and Republican JD Vance, US politicians whose histories and rhetoric have amassed more headlines than many past No 2 candidates, will go head-to-head on Wednesday (NZT) at the only vice presidential debate before the November election. Walz, 60, a liberal governor and former high school teacher, and Vance, 40, a bestselling author and conservative firebrand senator, will portray themselves as sons of America's Midwestern heartland but polar opposites on the issues gripping the US Walz has called his Republican opponents "weird," and Vance came under fire for past comments disparaging some Democrats as "childless cat ladies." Aides to the two men expect fireworks during the 90-minute debate ...
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Intermittent fasting may be beneficial for people with heart disease, diabetes
1Oct By No Comments
Health

Intermittent fasting may be beneficial for people with heart disease, diabetes

Finding it hard to manage blood sugar levels? Take heart, limiting your food consumption to a 10-hour window daily may keep your diabetes in check, according to a study. Following the 10-hour eating window, a type of intermittent fasting, can also help you manage metabolic syndrome -- a group of medical conditions that can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Risk factors attributing to the syndrome include elevated blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol -- key factors for poor heart health. Researchers led by the University of California San Diego and Salk Institute in the US said the findings may help people looking to address their metabolic syndrome and reduce their risk for Type 2 diabetes. In the trial, published online in the Annals of Internal Medicine, ...
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What Commerce Commission Foodstuffs decision could mean for shoppers
1Oct By No Comments
Business

What Commerce Commission Foodstuffs decision could mean for shoppers

The decision to decline the Foodstuffs merger could mean higher prices in the near future. File photo. Photo: RNZ / Kim Moodie The Commerce Commission's decision not to allow a planned merger of Foodstuffs' North Island and South Island divisions could be bad news for shoppers - at least initially. The commission said on Tuesday it was declining the proposal because it would substantially lessen competition. Chair John Small said it would reduce the number of buyers of grocery products in New Zealand, and give them more power to extract lower prices from suppliers. University of Auckland emeritus professor Timothy Hazledine said, while the decision to decline the merger was the right one, in the very near future it could mean higher prices. "They've still go to compete with each other w...
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US election: What to keep in mind during today’s clash between Tim Walz and JD Vance
1Oct By No Comments
World News

US election: What to keep in mind during today’s clash between Tim Walz and JD Vance

By Leigh Sales, ABC Democrat Tim Walz and Republican JD Vance. Photo: AFP A twist few people could have predicted in the surprise-packed US presidential election as the triumphant return to public life of The Mooch. If you've forgotten, Anthony "The Mooch" Scaramucci was the brash, reflector sunglasses-wearing finance guy from Long Island who briefly acted as Donald Trump's press secretary in 2017. He lasted a grand total of 10 days before Trump sacked him. This year, The Mooch is back, co-hosting a podcast called The Rest is Politics US with former BBC journalist Katty Kay, modelled on the immensely popular British program of the same name with Labour media legend Alastair Campbell and former Tory MP Rory Stewart. Both are huge hits, consistently near the top of podcast charts. Scar...
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The Foodstuffs merger is dead – but that still won’t fix NZ’s over-concentrated supermarket sector
1Oct By No Comments
Business

The Foodstuffs merger is dead – but that still won’t fix NZ’s over-concentrated supermarket sector

By Lisa M Katerina and Drew Franklin of Multiple submissions to the Commerce Commission claimed Foodstuffs' unwillingness to compete with each other demonstrated a worrying precedent. Photo: 123RF Analysis: Two of the dominant players in New Zealand's supermarket sector - Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island - have failed in their quest to officially join forces. In a decision announced on Monday, the Commerce Commission declined to green-light the merger between the two cooperatives. The watchdog said it was not satisfied the move wouldn't result in reducing competition in the New Zealand grocery sector. But it needs to go further. Instead of adjudicating on a merger, the commission should be given the power to break up the two Foodstuffs entities t...
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Magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes Tonga
1Oct By No Comments
World News

Magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes Tonga

Photo: 123rf An earthquake measuring 6.8 magnitude has struck Tonga, the US Geological Survey says. The quake on Wednesday was at a depth of 10 km, USGS said. The US National Tsunami Center said it does not expect a tsunami after the earthquake. - Reuters Source link
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Dunedin Hospital: Why does it cost so much?
1Oct By No Comments
Business

Dunedin Hospital: Why does it cost so much?

The cost of the new Dunedin Hospital could hit as much as $3 billion. Photo: RNZ/Tess Brunton Problems with Dunedin Hospital highlight that New Zealand needs to develop a more mature approach to large, important projects, Infrastructure New Zealand says. Plans for the new hospital have been thrown into doubt by government revelations last week that a report had found it could probably not be delivered in the current $1.88 billion budget. Health Minister Shane Reti and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop said it would need to be reduced, or done in stages, or the cost could hit $3b. In 2017, it was estimated the build would cost $1.2b to $1.4b. Infrastructure New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett said on as cost-per-metre basis, it would be the costliest hospital in Australasia. "We ...
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Live: Israel vows to retaliate against Iran over missile attack
1Oct By No Comments
World News

Live: Israel vows to retaliate against Iran over missile attack

Photo: ZAIN JAAFAR/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: Photo: AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP Source link
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Barun Sobti talks about raising daughter Sifat in an unsafe country: `I shun…`
1Oct By No Comments
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]....
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Have the government’s interest deductibility promises proved true?
1Oct By No Comments
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...
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