Saturday, April 11

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Charlie Vickers wore ankle weights while filming The Rings of Power S2
Entertainment, Movies

Charlie Vickers wore ankle weights while filming The Rings of Power S2

The countdown for the much-awaited finale of Prime Video’s The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 has begun, and the anticipation among viewers is palpable. With each episode, the shadow of evil deepens, leaving fans on the edge of their seats, waiting to see the fate of Middle Earth unfold. With just two episodes left before this season concludes, it has masterfully captured the fear and rising prominence of Sauron, brought to life by Charlie Vickers, who is gearing up to rule the world through lies, manipulation and deceit. Vickers’ exemplary portrayal of the Dark Lord has garnered heaps of praise from audiences, sending chills down their spine.  Charlie Vickers` inspiration for Sauron Sharing insights about his prep to play one of the most iconic villains, Sauron, he said,...
Tasmania’s largest farm Rushy Lagoon is for sale and expecting to fetch more than $100 million
World News

Tasmania’s largest farm Rushy Lagoon is for sale and expecting to fetch more than $100 million

Photo: RMS Advisory / Supplied Tasmania's largest farm is back on the market and it's expected to fetch offers of more than A$100 million ($NZ110m). Rushy Lagoon is a sprawling 22,000-hectare property on the state's north-eastern tip. The late Allan Pye purchased the farm in 1996, snapping it up for $8 million at auction. Pye was one of New Zealand's richest farmers, making his fortune in potatoes. He passed away earlier this year and the sale is part of his estate. Peter Ryan from RMS Advisory is one of the agents handling the listing and said inquiries for the farm had been rolling in. "Rushy Lagoon is an iconic property, not just in Tasmanian terms, but in Australian terms," he said. "Just about everybody who is anybody in agriculture has heard about the fabled Rushy Lagoon. "We had a...
Scientist snares Ig Noble gong for work debunking ‘Blue Zones’
World News

Scientist snares Ig Noble gong for work debunking ‘Blue Zones’

File picture. Photo: AFP Australian Dr Saul Newman from Oxford Institute of Population Ageing has been awarded an Ig Nobel Prize for his work debunking the idea that people in Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia in Italy and Greece live longer lives than average. These long-lived people we've been taking "lifestyle tips from" are "mostly corpses," Newman told RNZ's Afternoons. "I found out that at least 72 percent of the people in Greece over the age of 100, thousands of people, they're all dead. "These numbers come from the people handing out the pensions, and they've been handing out the pensions for 100-year-olds despite the fact that these people are dead. "It's extraordinary to have a ton of science based off this, because, like, what are you going to conclude? Essentially it's nonsense." Ok...
AA Insurance fined over misleading no-claims bonus offer
Business

AA Insurance fined over misleading no-claims bonus offer

Photo: 123RF AA Insurance (AAI) has been ordered to pay a multimillion-dollar penalty for misleading customers and overcharging them to the tune of $11 million. The High Court imposed a near $6.2m penalty on the insurer for failing to apply multi-policy and membership discounts, as well as guaranteed no-claims bonuses. The Financial Markets Authority (FMA), which took action against the insurer, said the breaches primarily arose out of poor systems and processes. The High Court ruled that between 2015 and 2020, AA misled customers about its multi-policy discount offer and misrepresented that certain eligible customers would receive its guaranteed no-claims bonus for life. "While [AAI's] marketing material represented existing policyholders who added another policy would receive the disco...
‘God save the Tsar!’: Putin receives first wishes for 72nd birthday
World News

‘God save the Tsar!’: Putin receives first wishes for 72nd birthday

Russian President Vladimir Putin won a record post-Soviet landslide in a March election. (File photo) Photo: ALEXANDER KAZAKOV / AFP "God save the Tsar!" has been one of the first public birthday wishes for President Vladimir Putin. Putin, who turned 72 on Monday, has been Russia's paramount leader for nearly quarter of a century. The greeting came from ultra-nationalist Russian ideologue Alexander Dugin on his Telegram messaging channel minutes after midnight. Dugin, 62, has long advocated the unification of Russian-speaking and other territories in a vast new Russian empire, which he wants to include Ukraine, where Russia has been waging a war. Dugin's daughter was killed in a suspected car bomb in 2022. Putin, who ordered his troops to invade Ukraine in 2022, won a record post-Soviet...
‘Economy is cratering’: Call for 1.5 percent official cash rate cut by Christmas
Business

‘Economy is cratering’: Call for 1.5 percent official cash rate cut by Christmas

Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr. Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas Forget arguing about whether the Reserve Bank will cut the official cash rate (OCR) by 25 or 50 basis points (bps) this week. It should go for a full 75bps and reduce the rate to 3.75 percent - from 5.25 percent at the moment - by Christmas, one fund manager says. Greg Smith, head of retail at Devon Funds, said it was not what he thought the Reserve Bank would do, but what it should do, given the state of the economy. Inflation was already back at the Reserve Bank's target midpoint and was likely to be below 2 percent by the end of the year. "There is therefore a strong case for official rates to already be at neutral, which the Reserve Bank estimates to be 3.8 percent in their short-run horizon. "With the official cash rate at 5...
Kamala Harris, on popular podcast, rejects Republican digs at childless women
World News

Kamala Harris, on popular podcast, rejects Republican digs at childless women

By Nandita Bose Kamala Harris says the Arkansas governor's views on family are outdated. Photo: AFP / SAUL LOEB US Vice President Kamala Harris has rejected Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders' suggestion that the Democratic presidential candidate is not humble because she does not have biological children. Harris said the Arkansas governor's views on family were outdated and discussed her own "modern family," which includes her husband, Doug Emhoff, and his two children from his first marriage, Cole and Ella. During a town hall meeting Sanders moderated for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Michigan in September, she said her kids keep her "humble," while Harris "doesn't have anything keeping her humble." Harris responded to Sanders' comments on the popular Call Her D...
TVNZ plans to end its 1News website in February
Business

TVNZ plans to end its 1News website in February

TVNZ in Auckland. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi TVNZ is planning to scrap its 1News website next year under a proposal to save the struggling state-owned broadcaster's finances. A whole staff meeting was called on Monday to go over the proposal, aiming to find $30 million in savings. The broadcaster earlier this year cut a number of news and current affairs shows, including Fair Go and its midday and late night bulletins. The proposal presented to staff at the meeting included: Closing the 1News website from February next year Outsourcing some content workflows and technology Consolidating business areas "to align with our strategy" Investing more in TVNZ+, its on-demand platform, and establishing a new team Changing roster patterns Changing its youth-oriented platform Re: News to focus "s...
Locals fear damage, report smell after HMNZS Manawanui sinking
World News

Locals fear damage, report smell after HMNZS Manawanui sinking

The HMNZS Manawanui, aground in Samoa. Photo: Profile Boats / supplied Residents on the south coast of Upolu in Samoa fear potential oil or chemical spillage from HMNZS Manawanui could be disastarous for the local environment and businesses. Local authorities are conducting environmental assessments after the $100 million specialist survey ship hit a reef on Saturday night and sank Sunday morning. Manager at Coconuts Beach Club at Maninoa, Brian Rose, says they are concerned about the potential impacts of the disaster on their lagoon, which has a sizeable turtle population - a major tourist attraction. "So far it looks like the impact directly on our shores has been minimal, but we know that with tides and currents things change and so we're going to keep an eye out to make sure if ther...
TVNZ staff called into meeting amid search for $30m
Business

TVNZ staff called into meeting amid search for $30m

TVNZ in Auckland. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi A whole staff meeting has been called at TVNZ as the broadcaster tries to find $30 million, RNZ understands. The broadcaster earlier this year cut a number of news and current affairs shows as it tries to reduce costs and increase revenues. Sources at TVNZ have confirmed an invite was sent to all staff to a meeting on the proposed structure changes, for between 1pm and 3pm on Monday. "This consultation is focused on how we might achieve our $30m target and deliver our Digital+ strategy. Proposals relating to individual roles are not part of this consultation." "Our priority is to share proposals with our people first. We will not be commenting further at this stage." In a statement, TVNZ says it is entering into consultation on the proposed "s...