Sunday, October 25

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Donald Trump says he will not run again if he loses US election, ‘that will be it’
23Sep By No Comments
World News

Donald Trump says he will not run again if he loses US election, ‘that will be it’

Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Uniondale, New York, on 18 September 2024. Photo: AFP Republican Donald Trump said that he will not make a fourth consecutive run for the US presidency if he loses the 5 November election, saying "that will be it" in an interview released on Sunday. Asked if he saw himself running again in four years if he is not successful in his third consecutive bid for the White House, the 78-year-old former president told Sharyl Attkisson's Full Measure programme: "No I don't. I think that will be - that will be it. I don't see that at all. Hopefully, we will be successful." Trump faces a tight race against Democratic US Vice President Kamala Harris, with polls showing the two neck-and-neck in key b...
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‘Four days a week seems to be the norm’, but businesses want more staff in the office
23Sep By No Comments
Business

‘Four days a week seems to be the norm’, but businesses want more staff in the office

Companies claim more time in the office improves work output and communication. File photo. Photo: Unsplash / Kate Sade Businesses are asking staff to work at the office more than at home now that the height of the Covid-19 pandemic is over, but many employers says flexible working options will continue to be offered. The government said yesterday that remote working arrangements for public servants were not an entitlement and should be closely monitored, following similar moves by many businesses. Early this year, 2degrees ramped up the number of days it expects office staff to be in the workplace, from two to three and a half days a week. Chief business officer Andrew Fairgray said that was because more time in the office improved work output and communication. "We leverage the benefi...
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KiwiSaver ‘coming of age’ with strong growth in savings
23Sep By No Comments
Business

KiwiSaver ‘coming of age’ with strong growth in savings

The amount saved in KiwiSaver schemes rose to $111.8b from $93.6b for the year ended March. File photo. Photo: 123RF KiwiSaver funds have grown at their fastest rate in four years, surging through the $100 billion mark, but with increases in those drawing down for retirement, buying houses, hardship and leaving the country. The Financial Markets Authority's (FMA) annual KiwiSaver report showed the amount saved in schemes rose to $111.8b from $93.6b for the year ended March, with investment returns just outstripping contributions in lifting the total. Key numbers for the year ended March 2024 compared to previous year: Total funds under management $111.8b vs $93.6b Total membership 3.33m vs 3.25m Average balance about $30,000 vs $28,778 Investment returns +$13.1b vs -$1.9b Total fees de...
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Depression during pregnancy linked to specific brain activity, finds study
23Sep By No Comments
Health

Depression during pregnancy linked to specific brain activity, finds study

Scientists have linked symptoms of depression during pregnancy to a specific brain activity, and hope to develop test for “baby blues” risk. Around 80 per cent of women suffer from “baby blues” after the birth of their child. Normally, this is a brief period of feeling down which disappears in a few days. But around one woman in seven develops postpartum depression, a more serious depression which can affect how mothers bond with their baby and can have long-term consequences. These women seem unable to regulate the negative emotions which can follow giving birth. A group of European researchers have found that in healthy pregnant women, activity in a specific area deep in the brain is linked to regulation of negative emotions and the tendency towards symptoms of depression. The resea...
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Milan Fashion Week: Imane Khelif, A$AP Rocky and every celebrity spotted on the front row
23Sep By No Comments
Life Style

Milan Fashion Week: Imane Khelif, A$AP Rocky and every celebrity spotted on the front row

Milan, however, kept up the excitement. Fendi kicked things off on Tuesday with an unsurprisingly star-studded front row, including Jade Thirlwall, Raye, Zita d'Hauteville, Normani and Shailene Woodley. Then, at Marni, there was Maya Jama, Jack Harlow and rapper Future, all looking very cool and collected as Francesco Risso presented what some are calling his best collection in years. Source link
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Mānawa Bay: Thousands flock to Auckland’s newest mall
23Sep By No Comments
Business

Mānawa Bay: Thousands flock to Auckland’s newest mall

Photo: RNZ / Lucy Xia Auckland shoppers and transiting travellers have continued to flock to the city's newest outlet mall - Mānawa Bay - despite traffic woes over the precincts' first weekend since opening. Thousands of shoppers visited the outlet - just three kilometres from Auckland Airport - causing long delays along the main highway to the airport on Saturday and Sunday. Around midday on Monday, the mall's 1400 car parks appeared to be nearly fully occupied, long queues remained outside a boutique chocolate store, and the food court was bustling with people. While some told RNZ that they picked a working day to avoid the traffic, others like Avi, who had popped in over his lunch break, said traffic was still slow coming off the nearest motorway exit. "Coming in, obviously there was ...
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Government’s anti-working from home move a ‘total distraction’ – union
23Sep By No Comments
Business

Government’s anti-working from home move a ‘total distraction’ – union

Christmas shopping in Wellington before the pandemic. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King The government caused Wellington's retail woes and forcing public service workers back to the office is not going to fix them, a union leader says. Public Service Minister Nicola Willis on Monday said she had directed department bosses to tighten up on working-from-home arrangements - that they should only be by agreement, not compromise performance, and departments and agencies must regularly report on the number and nature of agreements in place. Willis said "if the pendulum swings too far in favour of working from home, there are downsides" for CBD retailers, restaurants and cafes. A number of outlets have closed in recent times, and those still open reporting empty streets and fewer customers tha...
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1 in 4 adults consider weight loss drug use without prescription: Study
23Sep By No Comments
Health

1 in 4 adults consider weight loss drug use without prescription: Study

Even as injectable weight loss drugs have become a popular option for people struggling with obesity, 1 in 4 or 25 per cent consider using them without consulting their doctor, exposing themselves to several health risks, finds a study on Tuesday.  Cost and lack of insurance coverage are some reasons for seeking prescription alternatives, said the team from The Ohio State University, US, who surveyed 1,006 adults in America. “Some people are skipping the doctor’s office and reaching out to potentially unreliable sources such as unlicensed online pharmacies or telehealth sites, which could expose patients to risks,” the team said. Cost (18 per cent) is the major reason identified in the survey, followed by not being covered by insurance (15 per cent), inability to get a prescription from...
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Philip Mehrtens release: Veteran negotiator explains why hostage talks can take so long
23Sep By No Comments
World News

Philip Mehrtens release: Veteran negotiator explains why hostage talks can take so long

Phillip Mehrtens, left, with former acting Bupati of Nduga regency, Edison Gwijangge, in the helicopter on his release from captivity. Photo: Mehrtens family / Supplied A former New Zealand police negotiator says international negotiations can be long and complex, following the release of a Kiwi pilot held hostage in West Papua for more than a year-and-a-half. Philip Mehrtens, seized by rebels from the West Papua National Liberation Army in February 2023 after he landed a small commercial plane in a remote area of Indonesia's Papua region, was freed in recent days. He is in good health and has since been reunited with his immediate family in Jakarta. Liberation Army spokesperson Sebby Sambom claimed the leader of the group that took Mehrtens hostage, Egianus Kogoya, was bribed with mone...
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What is going on with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs?
23Sep By No Comments
World News

What is going on with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs?

2024 is shaping up to be a memorable year for US hip hop star Sean 'P.Diddy' Combs, for all the wrong reasons. Here's why - including what 'freak off' parties have to do with his fall from grace. Photo: ROBYN BECK Warning: This story contains details that may upset some readers. Explainer: Once upon a time in the 90s, P Diddy (real name: Sean Combs) was the crowned king of US hip hop, with a stellar music career and friends in high places. Now he's in big trouble - and in custody - after being charged with sex trafficking and racketeering. How did we get here? Who is P Diddy, anyway? Sean 'Diddy' Combs, 54, is a US music mogul and influential hip hop producer who first gained fame in the 90s. Combs, also known as Puff Daddy, P. Diddy and Diddy, made his name by being the manager and pro...
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