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Barack Obama headlines second day of US Democratic National Convention
21Aug By Raayan ThompsonNo Comments
World News

Barack Obama headlines second day of US Democratic National Convention

Former US President Barack Obama will endorse his longtime political ally Kamala Harris on Tuesday night in a high-profile speech that aims to boost her presidential bid over Republican Donald Trump in November's election. At 63, Obama maintains a legacy that looms large in moments of crisis, including during the messy deliberations that ultimately led President Joe Biden to step out of the race and endorse Harris, 59. A video of Obama and his wife Michelle Obama congratulating Harris in a phone call has been viewed by millions, and top advisers from Obama's 2008 presidential bid have signed on with Harris' campaign. The former president now reaches out to Harris with advice, according to a Harris aide. Nearly eight years after his presidency ended, Obama remains one of the country's most ...
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Healthcare and animal products company EBOS posts strong profits
21Aug By Raayan ThompsonNo Comments
Business

Healthcare and animal products company EBOS posts strong profits

Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Healthcare and animal products company EBOS has posted another year of strong profit growth, with revenue exceeding $13 billion*. Key numbers for the 12 months ended June compared with a year ago: Net profit $271.5m vs $253.4m Revenue $13.12b vs $12.24b Underlying profit from continuing operations $303.4m vs $281.8m Underlying margin 4.35% vs 4.43% FY dividend of NZ $1.18 per share vs $1.10 per share *All numbers quoted in Australian dollars unless otherwise stated AUD$1 = NZ$0.91035 The company's total net profit increased 7.2 percent on the previous year, while revenue increased 7.8 percent. Chief executive John Cullity puts the performance down to strong growth in the company's community pharmacy and institutional healthcare divisions. The healthcare busin...
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ANZ boss says New Zealand can’t afford to own banks
20Aug By Raayan ThompsonNo Comments
Business

ANZ boss says New Zealand can’t afford to own banks

Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi The head of ANZ says the big banks can't afford to be New Zealand owned and have to make profits to keep their overseas shareholders happy. The Commerce Commission released its final personal banking report on Tuesday and said there was little competition in the sector which was dominated by four Australia owned banks making high profits. ANZ New Zealand chief executive Antonia Watson told Morning Report it was true bank profits in New Zealand were higher than many places overseas. She said they needed to provide reasonable a return to shareholders so they would continue to invest in New Zealand. ANZ New Zealand chief executive Antonia Watson. Photo: Photosport "We need to attract that foreign investment. "I'd love to be Kiwi owned right, we can't affo...
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Sky TV posts steady full-year result in ‘tough environment’
20Aug By Raayan ThompsonNo Comments
Business

Sky TV posts steady full-year result in ‘tough environment’

Sky TV revenue rose but overall customer numbers fell. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook Sky Network Television has posted a steady full-year result amid a turbulent period for the wider sector. Key numbers for the 12 months ended June 2024 compared with a year ago: Net profit $49.2m vs $51.1m Revenue $766.7m vs $754.3m Expenses $697.4m vs $683.3m Dividend 19 cents per share vs 15 cps Profit fell 4 percent, which the company put down to increased depreciation costs associated with new products, and offset a slight rise in underlying earnings. Revenue rose 2 percent as streaming, broadband and advertising income improved and offset content challenges affecting its streaming service, Neon, and the Sky Box. Overall customer numbers fell 7.5 percent to 939,000. "These overall numbers were impacted by...
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Jacinda Ardern on US Democratic National Convention: ‘It feels like a historic moment’
20Aug By Raayan ThompsonNo Comments
World News

Jacinda Ardern on US Democratic National Convention: ‘It feels like a historic moment’

File photo. Jacinda Ardern pictured in 2023. Photo: AFP Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says it's a "real privilege" to attend the US Democratic National Convention. The four-day convention in Chicago is celebrating the official nomination of Vice-President Kamala Harris as presidential candidate in the November election. President Joe Biden was the keynote speaker on the first night, capping a handover to Harris after he was pressured to quit the race last month by party leaders worried the 81-year-old incumbent was too old to win or serve another four years. Harris made a surprise appearance on the first night, drawing cheers from the crowd as she vowed to defeat Republican rival Donald Trump in the election. Ardern will be in the arena when former US President Barack Obama, and ...
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Under-fire Synlait Milk may have found $218m deal to avoid insolvency
20Aug By Raayan ThompsonNo Comments
Business

Under-fire Synlait Milk may have found $218m deal to avoid insolvency

Dairy company Synlait is in a desperate fight for survival. Photo: Eiliv Aceron for Unsplash Debt laden dairy company Synlait Milk will raise close to $218 million from its two main shareholders to preserve its future. It revealed details of its desperately needed equity raise after the close of markets on Tuesday night. Synlait's two major shareholders have committed to pay well above its recent market price to ensure its survival. Major shareholder Bright Dairy of China will supply the bulk of the money, $185m, buying new shares at 60 cents each - double the recent market price. That would lift its stake to just over 65 percent. Meanwhile Synlait's major customer A2 Milk will invest nearly $33m, at 43 cents a share, a 43 percent premium to the recent price, preserving the size of its ...
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ANZ boss says New Zealand can’t afford to own banks
20Aug By Raayan ThompsonNo Comments
Business

ANZ boss says New Zealand can’t afford to own banks

Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi The head of ANZ says the big banks can't afford to be New Zealand owned and have to make profits to keep their overseas shareholders happy. The Commerce Commission released its final personal banking report on Tuesday and said there was little competition in the sector which was dominated by four Australia owned banks making high profits. ANZ New Zealand chief executive Antonia Watson told Morning Report it was true bank profits in New Zealand were higher than many places overseas. She said they needed to provide reasonable a return to shareholders so they would continue to invest in New Zealand. ANZ New Zealand chief executive Antonia Watson. Photo: Photosport "We need to attract that foreign investment. "I'd love to be Kiwi owned right, we can't affo...
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Sicily yacht sinking: divers struggle to enter wreck to find six missing people
20Aug By Raayan ThompsonNo Comments
World News

Sicily yacht sinking: divers struggle to enter wreck to find six missing people

Specialist divers launched a fresh search for six people missing since their yacht capsized off the Italian island of Sicily. Photo: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP By Giselda Vagnoni, Reuters Divers scoured the wreck of a luxury yacht off Sicily's coast to find six missing people, including British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter, following an intense storm that sank the vessel on Tuesday. The British-flagged Bayesian, a 56-metre-long superyacht, was carrying 22 people and anchored off the port of Porticello when it was hit by the fierce, pre-dawn storm. Fifteen people escaped before it capsized and the body of one person who died was swiftly recovered. That left six passengers unaccounted for - Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah; Judy and Jonathan Bloomer, a non-executive cha...
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Iraqi comes to Mumbai to restore smile of daughter with rare facial condition
20Aug By Raayan ThompsonNo Comments
Health

Iraqi comes to Mumbai to restore smile of daughter with rare facial condition

Amidst the heart-wrenching turmoil in his country, an Iraqi man came to Mumbai to restore his 6-year-old daughter’s smile after she was born with a rare congenital vascular malformation.The father-daughter came to get treated at Gleneagles Hospitals in Parel as a dedicated team led by Dr Nilesh Satbhai, head of Plastic, Hand, Reconstructive Microsurgery, and Transplant, performed a groundbreaking surgery on young Raimas Ali Karim, aiming to bring back her facial symmetry and her joy.Raimas`s was born with the condition on the left side of her face. This condition led to severe bleeding and infections, casting a shadow over her early years.Amidst the chaos and dangers of war in Iraq, Raimas and her father faced immense challenges, risking everything to seek treatment in India.Their journey ...
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Round up, round up! Which celebrities will attend the Democratic National Convention?
20Aug By Raayan ThompsonNo Comments
Life Style

Round up, round up! Which celebrities will attend the Democratic National Convention?

Meanwhile an impressive roster of actors are expected to attend, including Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn (of Scandal fame, sadly not reprising their romance… I mean roles) who are both expected to host sections of the convention alongside Mindy Kaling, Busy Philipps, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Danai Gurira, Tim Daly, Uzo Aduba, Anthony Anderson, Iain Armitage, David Cross and Jon Cryer.   Source link
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