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[] | 2016-08-27T02:47:11 | null | 2016-08-27T00:41:45 | The Air New Zealand flight attendant snapped in a snapchat video spitting water is blaming a friend for hacking her account and leaking the footage. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701057%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/airnz_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Air NZ hostess blames friend for leaked snapchat video | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Provided by NZX
The Air New Zealand flight attendant snapped in a snapchat video spitting water is blaming a friend for "hacking" her account and leaking the footage.
The video showed the 24-year-old spitting water, while moving through the cabin, with the caption, "wish I could spit on passengers like this".
However, Fairfax reported the woman had contacted them and alleged the images were taken from her without her knowledge or permission.
She claimed the images were taken from her iCloud account about three months ago when she used a former friend's laptop to charge her phone while she used the bathroom.
The air hostess, who was reported to have also resigned from the airline, has lodged a complaint with police.
However, New Zealand Police said it was unable to confirm if a complaint had been laid.
"We don't as a general rule confirm whether or not someone may or may not be under investigation - and certainly would not be commenting on the nature or the detail of any information received.
"If we were to comment, our usual position is that if we receive information, it will be assessed in line with our normal policy."
Fairfax reported a friend of the woman told them the former stewardess was in a "vulnerable state" and resigned from the airline to protect herself and her identity.
She had been "very distressed by the entire ordeal" and was seeking professional mental health support.
Air New Zealand has publicly spoken out against the leaked video, and another photo aired at the same time of a pilot kissing a blow up doll in the cockpit.
It said it was "shocked and appalled" at the images and planned to look into the actions of the staff involved.
Fairfax reported the flight attendant and one of the two pilots involved had been stood down, however the other pilot had already left the company prior to the images being made public.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701057&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/50e11f70d47ff0cf494f5cf8718619e6ee56c71adb1edd5e5eed337c51bf93c1.json |
[
"A Daily Look At Life'S Oddities Ana Samways"
] | 2016-08-29T18:49:41 | null | 2016-08-29T05:56:48 | Licence plate hits a little below the cam belt - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fentertainment%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1501119%26objectid%3D11701597%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/8971d0c7d05020ccae9893b47d1d5c3083b8ee7a_1024x761.jpg | en | null | Sideswipe: August 30: Cheeky plate | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Licence plate hits a little below the cam belt
Much like the Altura Cafe's SHTBLK numberplate featured yesterday and the unintended duel meaning of the plate above, a reader remembers when a retired schoolteacher proudly drove his shiny new Daihatsu Applause with the numberplate "CLAP" attached. It was not there long! (If you don't get it click here.)
Strange but true
1. Sydney's Elanora Heights Public School has banned clapping during student assemblies in an effort to help pupils with noise anxieties. To show audience approval, students are asked to "punch the air," "pull [on their] faces," or "wriggle about."
2. Tourism officials in Iceland recently posted "hundreds" of signs at various tourist attractions of a squatting person in silhouette, with a small pile on the ground underneath, with the universal diagonal line through it to suggest doing so was not allowed.
However, even critics of the signs admit Iceland has a chronic shortage of public facilities.
3. The word "dude" first appeared in the late 1800s as a term of mockery for young men who were overly fashion conscious - derived from the song Yankee Doodle Dandy in which some bloke "stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni". And macaroni became a term for young British men who returned from Europe with new clothes and a taste for an exotic Italian dish of the same name.
The errand of his ways
"In 1963 I was in a Standard 4 class (Year 6) in Mt Roskill, back of the class, talking to my mate," writes Phil Bates. "Mr H saw me yakking and shouted "BATES, get up here!". Man, was I terrified as I slunk up to the front in full view of the hushed class - shame enough. Mr H reached into his pocket and pulled out a half crown (two shillings and sixpence - 25c in dollar terms). He handed it to me and said 'Go down to the dairy and get me a packet of Rothmans'. My relief knew no bounds."
Continued below.
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Strapping attempt gets a little out of hand
"In a one-class Maori schoolroom up north in the 40s, my brother Alex had his hand held out for strapping in front of his class and siblings," writes Brenda. "He grabbed the strap out of the teacher's hand and threw it out the window ... 'I am too big for that,' he said, aged 14 and bigger than the teacher. As he was so good at school rugby nothing more was said."
Picture this: An entire flat pack house...
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Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11701597&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/e75874f631a84673cc1515a10417fed960f9129d1162ac63072af34ac6dd0df4.json |
[
"Corazon Miller Is A Nz Herald Reporter"
] | 2016-08-26T18:50:23 | null | 2016-08-26T08:27:06 | More than 200 Kiwi kids under 10 have been injured while riding all-terrain vehicles in the previous two years - to the cost of $81,880. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11700948%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/0190b94613e875932905cdb3b74ca128a8093b89_1024x761.jpg | en | null | 'How many more deaths do we need?' | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | More than 200 Kiwi kids under 10 have been injured while riding all-terrain vehicles in the previous two years - to the cost of $81,880.
In 2014 and 2015, 256 children were injured while riding an ATV, including quad bikes, farm bikes, four and three-wheeler vehicles. Ninety-eight were 4 years and under.
Last Saturday, Brooklyn Grigg died after losing control of his child-sized quad bike on his family's rural property. The 5-year-old drowned after getting pinned under the bike in a stream at the bottom of the Kumeu lifestyle block.
The death of Brooklyn - who was yesterday farewelled - has led to renewed calls to ban children from quad bikes altogether as well as better safety regulations around ATV use.
Figures released by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) showed the cost of ATV-related incidents in the 9-and-under age groups in 2014 was $45,678 and last year was $36,202.
This jumped to more than $15 million in the same period when taking into account all age groups. The year 2014 was the most costly with $8.2m paid out, and $7.1m the following year.
A total of 4715 people have been injured in accidents, 1447 of those, or 31 per cent, on a farm.
ACC said the most common injuries included fractures and dislocations, lacerations, concussions and burns.
Its figures showed 14 people died - six in 2014 and eight last year - in an accident involving an ATV.
Continued below.
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However, the number of fatalities could be higher, because ACC only captures fatality data where an accidental death claim has been lodged.
The corporation refused to release the ages of the fatalities, citing privacy concerns.
Labour Party transport spokeswoman Sue Moroney said a ban of kids on quad bikes and better regulation of their use was well overdue.
"We know how dangerous they are, particularly on an adult-sized one," she said.
"Someone's got to stand up for the rights of children, there is no reason why any child should be riding a quad bike. How many more deaths do we need?"
Senior lecturer in sociology at Waikato University Maxine Campbell has long advocated for a ban on children on quad bikes.
"I know it's not as simple as saying ban kids ... but keeping kids safe [has] to be the overriding concern."
Campbell called for better legislation around children on quad bikes.
"A lot of those sorts of things, like seatbelts, it wasn't until we regulated that we got a change in behaviour."
However, Green Party transport spokeswoman Julie Anne Genter wasn't sure legislation was the answer. "I think there's a limit to what [legislation can achieve]. Unlike seatbelts in cars, it's a relatively small amount of people using quad bikes."
She called for a wider conversation between Government, experts here and overseas, and those who used quad bikes.
Land Transport Safety manager Brent Johnston said the transport agency was always looking at how it could make roads safer.
"Any death on our roads is one too many and has a devastating effect on families, friends and communities."
However, it said the use of ATVs on private land was outside its reach.
He said of all the ATV accidents on the road from 2010 to 2015, none involved a child younger than 10.
WorkSafe NZ said quad bike injuries were preventable and recommended that all those who drove one had the right training and experience; that the right vehicle was chosen for the setting; that a helmet was always worn; and that kids shouldn't be allowed to ride on adult-sized quad bikes.
Quad casualties
• 256 Children injured riding all-terrain vehicles - quads, bikes, three wheelers - in last two years.
• 98 Aged 4 and under.
• $36,202 Amount spent by ACC on accident victims under 9 last year.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11700948&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/611c0ac10ba96d84555d15a2e89dc8d08c73a5291769d2f407f22fda9808dd1d.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T22:47:09 | null | 2016-08-26T20:35:18 | Billionaire Richard Branson has revealed he has been in a serious bike accident in which he thought he was going to die. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11701019%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/tarpey_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Billionaire Richard Branson 'thought he was going to die' in serious bike accident | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Lydia Willgress
Billionaire Richard Branson has revealed he has been in a serious bike accident in which he thought he "was going to die".
The entrepreneur was cycling in the dark on Virgin Gorda, one of the British Virgin Islands, with his children, Holly and Sam, when he hit a bump in the road, causing him to be flung over his handlebars.
He has now spoken out about how his "life flashed before his eyes" in the accident, which happened earlier this week and left him with a black eye and large cut on his face.
Writing in a blog on the Virgin website, he said: "I was heading down a hill towards Leverick Bay when it suddenly got really dark and I managed to hit a 'sleeping policeman' hump in the road head on.
My life flashed before my eyes - fell headfirst over my bike handlebars https://t.co/aEh6TsDQz4 pic.twitter.com/U9fWDGVWhO — Richard Branson (@richardbranson) August 26, 2016
The next thing I knew, I was being hurled over the handlebars and my life was literally flashing before my eyes. I really thought I was going to die."
He added that his shoulder and cheek took the brunt of the impact, and said it was lucky he was wearing a helmet.
"My bike went flying off the cliff and disappeared," he said. "We've since recovered the crumpled bicycle, completely destroyed. My cheek has been badly damaged and my knee, chin, shoulder and body severely cut.
"As I landed, once I realised I was alive, I began testing my movement. I really couldn't believe I was alive, let alone not paralysed."
Branson was taken to Miami where he underwent a series of x-rays and scans. He is hoping to pick up his training for the human endurance challenge, Virgin Strive Challenge, again next month.
Forget my injuries (cracked cheek, torn ligaments) - I'm having to drink tea out of a straw! https://t.co/aEh6TsDQz4 pic.twitter.com/t8g8HdHFqN — Richard Branson (@richardbranson) August 26, 2016
He added: "My attitude has always been, if you fall flat on your face, at least you're moving forward. All you have to do is get back up and try again. At least I'm practicing what I preach - though a little too literally."
It comes after Branson was embroiled in a row with Jeremy Corbyn, after the Labour leader posted a video claiming there were no spare seats on a Virgin train he was travelling on.
- Daily Telegraph UK | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11701019&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/0719d637b54f0a889d8e5cdd367560710a0f12536e48fe3d14197cb755829714.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:05:12 | null | 2016-08-26T05:44:39 | When police were called early Wednesday (US time) to an apartment complex in Albuquerque, they thought they were responding to a battery call. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fworld%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D2%26objectid%3D11700905%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/victoriaxx_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Victoria Martens' death the most 'gruesome act of evil' | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Kristine Guerra
When police were called early Wednesday (US time) to an apartment complex in Albuquerque, they thought they were responding to a battery call.
Instead, they found 10-year-old Victoria Martens. She had been killed hours before her 10th birthday party.
The girl's mother, Michelle Martens, 35; Martens's boyfriend, Fabian Gonzales, 31; and Gonzales's cousin, Jessica Kelley, 31, have been charged in connection with her death.
"This homicide is the most gruesome act of evil I have ever seen in my career," Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden Eden Jr. said in a statement. "A complete disregard of human life and betrayal by a mother."
Police said the girl had been drugged with methamphetamine, sexually assaulted and stabbed.
Police were called to the Arroyo Villas Apartments in northwest Albuquerque about 4.30am Wednesday.
The call was about an aggravated battery.
A woman, later identified as Martens, told police after they arrived that "someone killed her daughter" and that she's still inside the second-floor apartment.
Gonzales, who was wearing bloodstained shorts, told police that he was "cleaning" himself up before officers got there, according to the complaint.
When the officers tried to get inside the apartment, another woman, later identified as Kelley, slammed the door shut and locked it with a chain. She then jumped from the apartment's balcony, the complaint says, but was later arrested.
Continued below.
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Meanwhile, the fire alarm inside the apartment went off. Officers went inside the smoke-filled unit to try to look for the child, the complaint says, and found her body in the bathroom. They also found bloodstains on the carpet of the girl's bedroom.
Trio facing several charges
Martens, Gonzales and Kelley are facing several charges, including child abuse resulting in death, kidnapping, tampering with evidence and conspiracy, according to online jail records.
Gonzales also is charged with criminal sexual penetration of a minor.
Gonzales denied any involvement in the child's death and pinned the alleged crimes on Kelley.
"Jessica Kelley did it," he told reporters as he was being arrested Thursday morning.
Tanner Tixier, spokesman for the Albuquerque Police Department, told reporters that what Gonzales said isn't a lie.
"Not the whole truth," Tixier said, "but it's not a lie."
Martens, who has a cut between her eyes, was followed by reporters as she was being arrested. Tixier said she showed no remorse when talking to detectives, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
Kelley remained at a hospital Wednesday night.
"This is a horrific tragedy for our community. When something like this happens to our community, it has an effect on each and every one of us," Eden, the police chief, said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. "I want to assure the public that we will pursue justice, and we will make sure that we exhaust every resource into this investigation."
He said there are no other suspects in the case.
Methamphetamine, much of it provided by Mexican drug-trafficking organisations, is the foremost drug threat in New Mexico, according to a 2011 report by the Justice Department.
Methamphetamine represented about 25 percent of all drug reports in Albuquerque during the first half of 2013, according to a 2014 report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. That's a higher number than for drug reports involving cocaine and heroin and a bit lower than marijuana reports.
Death shakes community
Victoria Martens's death has rattled the northwest Albuquerque community where she lived.
Laura Bobbs, a minister and close friend of the family, was sobbing and yelling when she arrived at the Arroyo Villas Apartments, which had been cordoned off with crime-scene tape, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
"No, no, no, say it ain't so," Bobbs said, according to the paper. "Who does this to a little child? Oh, Jesus. Oh, that evil. What is happening to this world, that they would kill a little child?"
She had planned a birthday party for the girl, who wanted manicures and pedicures instead of toys, Bobbs told the paper. She also bought her lip gloss and a necklace with the words "From Aunti Laura" engraved on the back, Bobbs said.
A neighbor, Paulina Quintana, said that the day before Victoria was killed, she seemed excited about her upcoming party.
"My stomach has been hurting. I'm crying off and on," Quintana told the paper. "I think we're all freaking out."
By Thursday morning, a memorial of flowers, teddy bears, candles, butterflies and balloons had been set up outside the apartment.
A bouquet of yellow flowers sat by a tree outside Petroglyph Elementary School, where Victoria was a student.
"We cherish and protect our students and, like the rest of Albuquerque, are having a hard time wrapping our heads around the fact that someone could treat one of them so horrifically," said a brief message on the school's website.
In a statement, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez (R) called the manner in which Victoria was killed "atrocious."
"What happened to this little girl is unspeakable," she said, according to media reports, "and justice should come down like a hammer on the monster who committed this murder."
- Washington Post | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11700905&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/dff11b3a085be73228d66cd6f34f69c7469451f2002b5965aa5a544b9b170f8a.json |
[
"A Daily Look At Life'S Oddities Ana Samways"
] | 2016-08-30T18:50:08 | null | 2016-08-30T06:18:59 | Sharp reply - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fentertainment%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1501119%26objectid%3D11701985%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/a94b36a0d7daccba0584fce8551a6909f0c2a9b7_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Sideswipe: August 31: Angry chicken pie | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Sharp reply
A teenager on the run from police in Australia asked a TV station to use a "better photo" of her when reporting her escape. Amy Sharp is alleged to have broken out of a police station in Sydney before running away. Police issued a statement and photographs they had taken of her. But when the pictures were uploaded to Sydney's 7 News Facebook page, the first person to comment was Sharp herself. Clearly unhappy with how she looked in the police mugshots, in which she wore a glum expression and a red blanket draped over her shoulders, she uploaded a more flattering shot in the comments section of the page with a request to use the supplied shot.
Teaching disrespect
Douglas writes: "There was a standing committee at the Edinburgh boys school I attended in the 1950s/60s whose job was to identify the latest fashions, so they could ban them. When drainpipe trousers were all the rage the rule was that you had to be able to remove your trousers without taking your shoes off.
Then flares came in so the rule became that your trousers could not be wider than the length of your shoes. The fashionistas among us favoured black jerseys, so these were banned. In response we got our mothers to knit us charcoal grey jumpers, and we carried the wrapping from the ball of wool in our pockets to prove they were grey. And so on; all those tiny-minded teachers did was create a group of young men with a very healthy disrespect for authority."
Bum steer
"In 1960 at Christchurch West High School we had a new science teacher called Mr Anderson," writes a reader. "One day at the start of the school year he caught me talking and sent me out into the corridor to await my fate. He came out, rolled up strap in hand, and said: 'Look, I don't want to get the new term off to a bad start but I have to set an example to the rest to the class'. I nodded and bent over. With that he unfurled his strap, walked over to the wall and belted it 3 times - WHACK WHACK WHACK reverberated through the long corridor. '
'Right,' he said, 'look sorry for yourself and rub your bum as you go back in'. He was a great teacher and a good bloke."
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11701985&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/9d1f783e397285149497c4df80bbfa28459dbaa92c24fc5888c72a8715b7a116.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T00:48:01 | null | 2016-08-27T23:10:51 | Donald Trump is receiving criticism for his latest tweets, after NBA star Dwyane Wade's cousin was fatally gunned down near a Chicago school where she intended to register her children - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fworld%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D2%26objectid%3D11701175%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/AP160827173508_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Trump under fire for tweet on death of star's cousin | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Donald Trump is receiving criticism for his latest tweets, after NBA star Dwyane Wade's cousin was fatally gunned down near a Chicago school where she intended to register her children.
"Dwyane Wade's cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago," Trump wrote.
"Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!"
One person responded: "@realDonaldTrump Glad you're not making this about you. Whew!"
Some criticised his record with African American voters, accusing him of trying to appeal to them too late.
Originally he had spelled Dwyane wrong, but deleted the incorrect version, replacing it with a new tweet using the same wording.
Trump has ramped up efforts to appeal to black and Hispanic voters in recent weeks as the polls show him slipping behind rival Hillary Clinton.
Trump later followed up with a second tweet sending the family his condolences. "My condolences to Dwyane Wade and his family, on the loss of Nykea Aldridge. They are in my thoughts and prayers," he wrote.
Wade, an opponent of gun violence, tweeted: "My cousin was killed today in Chicago. Another act of senseless gun violence. 4 kids lost their mom for NO REASON. Unreal. #EnoughIsEnough"
- AP | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11701175&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/02b151760e1e8f25447ea743cdcda6b076616af337cfb67158affa068cb4f40d.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T00:50:03 | null | 2016-08-29T22:30:51 | Four early childcare teachers have successfully argued that not stating an official start date for a 90-day trial period in an employment agreement voided the entire trial. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11701742%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/10282285_l_1024x768.jpg | en | null | 90-day work trial flaw uncovered in ERA case | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Four early childcare teachers have successfully argued that not stating an official start date for a 90-day trial period in an employment agreement voided the entire trial.
Amanda Honey, Henrietta du Plooy, Rebecca Clark and Leeann Baxter were employed on November 23 2015 by Lighthouse ECE Ltd on a contract that included a provision for a 90-day trial period.
The four teachers gave notice of their resignation from employment in December, and received notice in response that Lighthouse was terminating their employment under the 90-day trial provision.
The teachers brought individual cases to the Employment Relations Authority arguing the trial period clause in the agreement was nullified because it did not state when the 90-day trial period would begin,
The Employment Relations Act requires employment agreements to contain a starting date for the 90-day trial provision.
Counsel for Lighthouse Mere King submitted that it was "an overly technical interpretation" of the Act to argue a trial period may not start to run on the first day of employment.
Member of the Authority Rachel Larmer found the employment agreements provided by Lighthouse did not reasonably imply that the 90-days started on the first day the teachers started work.
Larmer said there were a number of circumstances in which the parties may agree that the 90-day trial period does not start on the first day of employment. For example, offsite training, temporary overseas placement or a lengthy induction period could occur before an employee carries out the duties they would normally be required of in the employment.
Lawyer David Prisk acted as an advocate for the teachers and said the teachers' claims for unjustified dismissal will be heard by the ERA in coming months.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11701742&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/a6c04466dec0d753139e4be4321897c460078063770dc6448933fa16719f484b.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T04:48:59 | null | 2016-08-29T04:17:37 | This is Jason Binkiewicz moments before he is sentenced to 13 years behind bars. It's also the last picture of him alive. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fworld%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D2%26objectid%3D11701562%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/Jason_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Ohio man Jason Binkiewicz leaps to death moments after sentencing | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Rohan Smith of news.com.au
This is Jason Binkiewicz moments before he is sentenced to 13 years behind bars. It's also the last picture of him alive.
Dressed in his orange jumpsuit, the 42-year-old from Ohio appears resigned to his fate. But he has other ideas.
Moments after a judge hands down Binkiewicz's punishment for a 2015 attempted murder, screams filled the courthouse.
Binkiewicz, while being led to an elevator inside the Jefferson County Courthouse on Saturday, broke free from an officer's grasp, ran towards a railing on the third floor staircase and flung himself 100 feet to his death.
Paramedics rushed to the scene but Binkiewicz was pronounced dead a short time later.
The Ohio man was convicted last year of shooting Ronald Horton in the face the day after thanksgiving last year.
He entered a not guilty plea in January by reason of insanity but was found guilty after a one-day trial.
In a handwritten statement to police, Binkiewicz said Mr Horton pulled a gun on him first as he tried to leave the victim's house.
"I turned and started to follow him back through the kitchen to the back door," he wrote.
"At back door he stopped to let me go by to open back door to leave. I passed him then ... started to open back door. As I turned around to say goodbye to him I seen a gun in his right hand coming up at me.
Continued below.
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"I grabbed his right wrist with my left hand ... At this point the gun went off in his hand."
On Saturday, Binkiewicz sat silently in the courtroom as Judge Michelle Miller handed down her sentence.
Binkiewicz's hands were shackled but his feet were not - local news reports suggest there were previous issues with swelling.
A short way outside the courtroom doors, he ran from the sheriff's deputy escorting him to the elevator and leapt to his death.
Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla said the deputy was holding Binkiewicz's shirt when he jumped.
"As soon as Binkiewicz started running, (the deputy) he was on him quick enough when he reached out, he had his shirt. It wasn't good enough, and if he held on to the shirt, most likely (the deputy) would have gone over with him."
Prosecutor Jane Hanlin told the media nobody thought Binkiewicz was capable of doing what he did.
"I don't think that anybody thought that this was going to happen today. Sometimes if we are aware something has happened in the past, or there have been those types of threats, then we are looking for that, we're going to be taking different action," she said.
"It really is just a heartbreaking day for everybody here because they're typically lots of people in the courthouse, there are criminal proceedings going on, a lot of activity at the courthouse.
"We are thankful that the deputy wasn't injured and we're actually thankful that nobody else was hurt as he went over that railing, that he didn't hurt or kill anybody else on the way down."
She said Jefferson County officials will be reviewing security in future as a result of Binkiewicz's death.
"I think we're going to look at everything. It is a terrible day for this to have happened and we will look at everything we can to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. He had his mind made up he was going to do this, and he succeeded."
Where to get help:
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youthline: 0800 376 633
• Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
• Samaritans 0800 726 666
• If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
- news.com.au | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11701562&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/3f35f1669fbfd614018eeaf5e43df763e9ffd35a530d76b2cd90366e4a764c51.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T18:48:46 | null | 2016-08-28T07:39:51 | The company you keep has long been thought to be an important factor in both mental and physical wellbeing. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Flifestyle%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D6%26objectid%3D11701268%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/3879bd7680e926506c903abf1b2641aa91f5894b_1024x761.jpg | en | null | Family beat out friends in study | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Ariana Eunjung Cha
The company you keep has long been thought to be an important factor in both mental and physical wellbeing.
Numerous studies have documented how the quantity and quality of social relationships have effects that emerge in childhood and, as sociologists Debra Umberson and Jennifer Karas Montez put it in a 2010 paper, "cascade throughout life to foster cumulative advantage or disadvantage in health".
But what kind of relationships help the most?
One study in Britain found that "joiners" who were part of a sports club, religious organisation, trade union or any other kind of leisure or professional group had a lower risk of death in the first six years of retirement.
Another, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, found that having a big social network was more important than high-quality relationships for those in adolescence and old age, while quality matters more for adults in their 30s to 50s.
Marriage may be the most obvious social relationship linked to health, with research showing that divorced people tend to be less healthy than those who stay together.
But a study presented at this year's meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA) goes further than all of this, looking beyond spouses to the presence of family and friends in older people's lives.
The researchers asked nearly 3000 volunteers aged 57 to 85 to list up to five of their "closest confidants" - excluding spouses - and to detail those relationships. By a lot of measures, most of the participants appeared to have happy, full lives. Most were married, in good physical health and said they weren't very lonely. On average, they reported having three close family members or friends.
In tracking how long these participants lived, the researchers found that those with more family members in their network were less likely to die. Having a lot of close friends didn't seem to make a difference.
Continued below.
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James Iveniuk, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, said he and his co-author were surprised by this.
"Because you can choose your friends, you might, therefore, expect that relationships with friends would be more important for mortality, since you might be better able to customise your friend network to meet your specific needs," Iveniuk explained.
"But that account isn't supported by the data. It is the people who in some sense you cannot choose, and who also have little choice about choosing you, who seem to provide the greatest benefit to longevity."
For the study, Iveniuk teamed up with biostatistician L. Philip Schumm. The pair found that people who said they felt "extremely close" to those family members had about a 6 per cent risk of mortality within the next five years. That compared with a 14 per cent risk of mortality for those who said they did not feel very close to family members.
The researchers theorised that maybe family members have more authority to exercise control over some aspects of health and that contact with family members may be more satisfying in some respects.
Furthermore, "when compared to friends, the provision of support from family is not as conditional on the emotional content of the relationship," they wrote. "Family members may be stressful or burdensome, but individuals may still provide support."
Iveniuk and Schumm were also able to tease out some findings about marriage and found that being married, even if it's not a great marriage, still seemed to have positive effects on longevity. "The presence of a marital bond may be more important for longevity than certain aspects of the bond itself," they concluded.
The paper adds to research about how individuals who lack supportive social relationships may be at a higher risk of health issues. Some papers have even tried to quantify that risk - and have suggested that the impact could be as detrimental as smoking.
- Washington Post | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11701268&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/a04de758f00100bb4097b9ef9300a5cb34fb67e4add3d70fc2b0eb6e1c6d0e00.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:50:42 | null | 2016-08-31T03:20:41 | - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fentertainment%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1501119%26objectid%3D11702327%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/richie_1024x768.jpg | en | null | How Richie McCaw found love online | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | The French Mayor who decided last week that women who were wearing more than a handkerchief… | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11702327&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/d912f687902959338922cbec0e5d4fc038b51288b75f7406114cbf351c95b04d.json |
[
"Michael Burgess Is The Football",
"Rugleague Writer For The Herald On Sunday."
] | 2016-08-31T02:50:12 | null | 2016-08-31T00:56:03 | After another season without making the playoffs the big question at the Warriors is who will coach the side next season? - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11702245%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201531/be389cfd02bf3be6c89c81b112915eee26624382_1024x761.jpg | en | null | NRL: Who could coach the Warriors in 2017? | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | After another season without making the playoffs the big question at the Warriors is who will coach the side next season?
Will Andrew McFadden keep his job or will management go with someone else. Michael Burgess looks at the options.
Ivan Cleary
The prodigal son. Has been out of coaching since losing his job at Penrith at the end of the last season. In six seasons at the Warriors between 2006 and 2011, reached the finals on four occasions including the grand final in his last year at Mt Smart. He took the Panthers to fourth in 2014 - and won Dally M coach of the year - but missed the finals in his other three seasons at Penrith. Currently has a consultants role with the NRL but has also been linked with a coaching position at the Dragons.
Geoff Toovey
Served a long apprenticeship under Des Hasler at Manly before getting the top job in 2012. Took the Sea Eagles to the preliminary final that year, then reached the grand final (losing to the Sonny Bill Williams' inspired Roosters) the following season.
Sacked after the 2015 campaign, where Manly plummented to ninth position amid talk of player unrest. Has been working as an analyst for various media and also returned to his vocation as a chartered accountant.
Andrew McFadden
Has the support of the current playing group and would be the stability option. Only two other Warriors coaches (Cleary and Daniel Anderson) have been in charge for more NRL games at Mt Smart and he would have learnt from the difficult 2016 campaign. But failure to make the top eight this season - and several awful losses - will be a black mark over his abilities.
Michael Maguire
Continued below.
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Has been mentioned as a free agent possibility during a turbulent season at Souths, though now seems likely his contract will be extended at the Rabbitohs. Ended the long premiership drought at the Redfern club in 2014 and took the club to the preliminary final in each of his first two seasons (2012 and 2013).
Laurie Daley
Highly regarded by Warriors managing director Jim Doyle, who tried to get him on board as a mentor for Andrew McFadden earlier this year. Mixed record as NSW Origin coach but has been retained for the 2017 series. Yet to coach at NRL level.
Craig Bellamy
Ends up on the wish list of every club seeking a new coach but it would take a huge amount of Eric Watson's cash for him to consider leaving Melbourne, where he has enjoyed unprecedented success for more than a decade. The Warriors probably had their best chance to sign him at the end of the 2012 season but their clumsy public approach killed any possibility. Doubtful he would risk damaging his legacy at Mt Smart and has also stated that his recently re-signed contract at the Storm would be his last.
Stacey Jones
A legend of the club who has made a promising start to his coaching career. Had success with the Junior Warriors in 2014 and has impressed with his handling of the reserve grade side this season. Would be a popular choice with many fans but told the Herald on Sunday earlier this year that he wasn't ready for such a role "in the next few years".
David Kidwell
Former Kiwi captain who has learnt his trade under Bellamy at the Storm and more recently Jason Taylor at the Tigers. Was touted as possible Warriors option before Matt Elliott got the job after the 2012 season. Unproven at NRL level but seen as someone with great potential.
Justin Morgan
Made the shortlist for the Warriors coaching job in the wake of Brian McClennan's departure in 2012. Has Super League experience with Hull Kingston Rovers and was also part of the successful 2002 Warriors side that reached the grand final. His prospects have been damaged in the wake of this season, where he has been employed as defensive coach at the Warriors.
Stephen Kearney
The Kiwis coach has ambitions to be a NRL head coach again, after his sour experience at the Eels in 2011 and 2012. Has learnt from some of the best minds in the game, including Wayne Bennett and Bellamy. But would probably be reluctant to forgo Kiwis commitments in a World Cup year.
Tim Sheens
Hugely experienced coach who won premierships with the Raiders and Tigers, before a long stint with the Kangaroos. Currently director of football with Salford.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11702245&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/0523c77f12f3b6ce753f9606312508f8b8ef9f829717249c71cbff35adadeac5.json |
[
"Karl Puschmann Writes",
"Blogs About Pop Culture For The New Zealand Herald."
] | 2016-08-26T22:47:14 | null | 2016-08-26T02:14:30 | In their heyday Guns N' Roses had a legendary appetite for destruction. They trashed hotel rooms, sent concert crowds rioting after keeping them waiting for hours and drunk and drugged - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fentertainment%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1501119%26objectid%3D11700801%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_GettyImages-521781586_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Guns N' Roses' wild ways no worries for promoter | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Guns N’ Roses promoter Paul Dainty says band’s bad behaviour is a thing of the past. Karl Puschmann reports.
In their heyday Guns N' Roses had a legendary appetite for destruction. They trashed hotel rooms, sent concert crowds rioting after keeping them waiting for hours and drunk and drugged themselves into oblivion. It was wild times. They couldn't last.
As the years rolled by all the original members left - either fired or frustrated by the band's enigmatic frontman W. Axl Rose.
"If you'd asked me five years ago, 'do you think the guys will ever get back together?', you wouldn't have put money on it," concert promoter Paul Dainty says down the line from Sydney.
As the man bringing the freshly reformed and (mostly) original line-up of one of rock's greatest bands to New Zealand, Dainty has now put a lot of money on it.
The band, which has Rose, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan performing together for the first time since 1993, will play two shows in Auckland and Wellington over Waitangi Weekend next year.
Dainty says those wild reputations aren't causing him any concern.
"If you look back we were probably all party animals or whatever in our 20s," he says. "But you get older and mature and it's no different for artists."
"Axl's always had a reputation for being onstage late. That's part of the mystique and persona of Axl Rose. He's a very charismatic rock star. But the band's just done 25 stadium shows in North America and they've been onstage on time. There hasn't been one issue."
This will come as massive relief to Gunners fans who stared at Vector Arena's empty stage for hours until Axl finally appeared with his faux Guns N' Roses line-up just before midnight back in 2007.
Continued below.
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That kind of shoddy timekeeping may fly in the city, but out in the suburbs things are a little different. Western Springs Stadium, where the band is playing, has strictly enforced curfews and cut-off times.
"It's fine," Dainty says. "I've done lots of shows at Western Springs over the years. David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, more recently Eminem. To me Western Springs is the home to the most memorable iconic rock shows in the Southern Hemisphere."
"You just have an open conversation with the artists and tell them the venue curfews and they work around those. We schedule the bands so we finish within the 'hard stop' curfew. That's 11pm at Western Springs so the band will be on around 8pm and we'll be done by 10to 11."
He sounds relaxed and makes it sound easy. Which isn't surprising since he's been bringing the world's biggest bands to Australia and New Zealand for over 40 years.
I ask if the Gunners had any unusual backstage requests he needed to fulfil to seal the deal, brown jellybeans perhaps?
"I remember those days well," he laughs. "As a business its moved on a lot since the days we had to fly in limes for Fleetwood Mac from South America even though they were available down the road at the grocers in Auckland. No. We had to fly them in from South America because they were a bit different."
"Those mad days have all gone and everyone's more sensible now. It's much more business-oriented ."
This, he reckons, is because the music business has changed so dramatically. Albums and singles no longer make money like they used to, making touring the key income driver for bands and artists.
"That's why live touring is so professional now and so important," he says.
But the game hasn't just changed for musicians. Dainty says the business of promoting is a lot different since those mad old days.
"The rules have changed. The business has got a lot more sophisticated from the 70s and 80s. There's safety issues and a lot more rigour around every aspect of presenting a show. Which we support, it's great."
Asking for an example, he cites Pink Floyd's legendary gig at the Springs back in 1988.
"Back in the day at Western Springs we used to have the stage as far back as you could put it and just had everyone standing," he says. "I think we crammed 90,000 people in there for Pink Floyd. Something like that. It was just unbelievable. These days the council limit the capacity, once we hit that capacity we stop. That's it."
"For shows now it's 55,000, but we sell a tiny bit less than that. Just for a bit of comfort. That works really well. It allows people plenty of space to move around and is not at the point where you can't move or get in or out. You can enjoy the night."
Which is something Dainty himself is looking forward to. Having seen the band perform a few weeks ago in San Francisco he's raving.
"It was an awesome show. Amazing. They played for nearly three hours. All the hits. And the stage chemistry is right there between Slash and Axl. It's magic. Such a buzz."
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11700801&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/dd833176b7dc9482ee318ff291a2526fdb3743ca10cff15f715783774e5d6b3e.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T18:48:24 | null | 2016-08-27T08:47:57 | Jacinda Ardern's office is dimly lit. Her PA would later tell me it's calming but I feel anything but calm. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701114%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_A_230414NZHBPARDERN8_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Life, kids and being Jacinda Ardern | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Dr Jarrod Gilbert
She is hotly tipped as a future Prime Minister, but Auckland MP Jacinda Ardern tells sociologist Dr Jarrod Gilbert that having children and a life is more important.
Jacinda Ardern's office is dimly lit. Her PA would later tell me it's calming but I feel anything but calm.
I have rushed to Ardern's office to get there by 9:30am to spend a day with her, and I arrive uncomfortably hot. Removing my jacket reveals an unironed shirt.
Don't worry about that, we're a rough old bunch in here, she says, standing there impeccably dressed. On its third leader in Opposition and mired in the polls, I might say the only thing in rough shape is her Labour Party.
Ardern is seen by many as a future leader and I want to know if that's true.
Her early years were in Murupara, a town famous for the Tribesmen gang and little else. Ardern's dad was the local cop and the family lived in front of the police station.
One night the house was pelted with bottles. Another time a barefoot Ardern snuck out the back fence and came across her dad being confronted by some heavy dudes.
Keep walking, Jacinda, keep walking, her dad said.
The bloke who lived next door hanged himself and the family babysitter turned yellow from hepatitis C. When Ardern's older sister was beaten up at school one day, the family packed up and moved to Morrinsville.
Ardern's first appointment arrives at 10am - an MA criminology student from Victoria University who is a little nervous but Ardern welcomes her like a friend and puts her at ease.
The student asks direct questions about cannabis and gets equally direct responses: Does Labour believe in drug reform? Yes.
Continued below.
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More than for just medical purposes? Yes.
You won't hear Labour making too much noise about drug policy, though.
"It's not important enough and too controversial." Reform is inhibited by "the public and politics - if you weren't worried about those you'd simply look at the evidence and things would be simple".
Later I ask her if now she is hanging in hip circles - she once played a DJing gig at the Laneway music festival - whether she has smoked dope. "I was once a Mormon and then I wasn't, that's how I'll put that."
Good grief. A Mormon?
The Church of the Latter Day Saints is founded on disappearing gold tablets found in upstate New York in the early 19th century that were translated into 17th-century-sounding old English by Joseph Smith. It gives every indication of being the most ridiculous of all the main churches. Certainly, Mormonism is not known for its liberal views on drugs, or much else for that matter.
Something had to give.
For Ardern, it was her belief and support of gay marriage. She has never spoken to her dad about her emancipation in 2005 but her mum was "very disappointed". Mums always are.
But if God was angry she left the church, he hasn't troubled himself to do much about it.
Ardern's political career has gone from strength to strength. In 2008, she became the president of the International Union of Socialist Youth, before entering Parliament the same year as number 20 on the Labour Party list. At that time, she was New Zealand's youngest-ever sitting MP.
The MA student leaves and we make our way down to Ardern's second appointment, a function in the Beehive in support of 26 weeks' paid parental leave. All the political parties are represented except Act and National, who were soon to sink the policy.
Although that particular legislation was put forward by her colleague Sue Moroney, issues around children are at the heart of Ardern's politics.
"I'm all about the kids."
She has a private member's bill, which is basically the groundwork for Labour's policy around child poverty.
"I think it's quite significant but I would, wouldn't I?"
But the hope of having a bill drawn for the ballot is not much to show for years in Parliament.
"I'm absolutely clear about my ambition to be Minister of Children." That, she says, is where she can make a difference.
And what about leader of the Labour party? No, she says. Which is exactly what all people who want to be leader say.
I don't believe her. I'll get to the bottom of that, I think to myself.
In 2014 she came within a whisker of being deputy leader to Grant Robertson. Despite having majority MP support, their bid to run the party was scuttled by the unions who backed Andrew Little.
Ardern and Robertson entered politics together. Robertson was nominated first among non-MPs in Wellington. "I won't accept a nomination until Jacinda Ardern is on the list as well," he told the membership.
It's a remarkable and rare piece of selflessness and it speaks of the regard in which Ardern is held. Robertson told me: "She deserved it. It felt like the right thing to do."
At midday we head out for lunch with the New Zealand Book Council and on the way discuss our dinner plans. I hear her say she's doing "junk food month", but what she actually said was, "junk-free".
You can be in charge of making the booking, I say.
The Book Council gives a presentation on its activities. I chew on a ham roll and ponder the artless nature of its office space while Ardern interjects with questions and observations with facts - all without notes.
At 2pm we pop down to Phil Twyford's office where a group has gathered to discuss homelessness. There are problems getting agreement on making a film clip on rough sleepers. Some are concerned filming homeless people might be exploitative. I'm picking that isn't among the top concerns of rough sleepers. Ardern will get key players together to draft some ideas.
We return to her office and she rings somebody at the Auckland Council whom she has left a couple of messages for.
I raise my eyebrows; people don't return your calls? I assumed she was one of the few people who are recognisable by just one name, like Adele, Oprah and Marx.
It's not her name but her looks that garner the most attention. The race for the Auckland central between her and National's Nikki Kay was labelled the "battle of the babes" by some media. There were howls of indignation when rugby league legend Graham Lowe called Ardern on morning TV a "pretty little thing".
None of those howls were from Ardern. "I didn't think it was a big deal. It just exploded around me. I thought the response he got was disproportionate."
One thing that will make a big difference to Labour is people no longer tolerating National.
Although she understands Lowe's flippant comment - as one understands a drunken uncle stumbling around at a family function - she draws a line at work.
The only time Ardern was even slightly negative towards anyone was in explaining an incident with four-term National MP Craig Foss.
I look up the Parliament transcript: Ardern asks about small-business funding in last year's budget. Foss responds, "I welcome the member's megawatt smile and sparkling brown eyes."
Comments about her looks lead to questions of "political credibility", which is frustrating, she says.
Furthermore, because she still sees herself as the "acceptable nerd" she was at high school, it's at odds with the image people have of her. "Lattes in Ponsonby seem farcical to me. I love where I live [in Auckland] and I love my community but it's not where I come from and it's not how I feel."
At 4pm two young students are scheduled to interview Ardern for their high school newspaper. A filibuster by National means she is in the House when they arrive. I accompany them down to watch proceedings.
Is this the first time you've interviewed a politician, I ask? It sure is, they say. This is my second so I feel immediately comfortable. They don't seem the slightest bit intimidated and they are excited to meet one of the few politicians who is relatable to the young.
Ardern is aware of this and is generous with her time for a reason. At their age, she was at Morrinsville High attempting to "turn debating into something as serious as 1st XV rugby" when she was awoken to politics.
There's a woman on the phone for you, her mother said one morning.
"Hello, Jacinda, it's Marilyn Waring here."
Ardern had contacted Waring - an MP whose principled convictions tipped over former Prime Minister Rob Muldoon - for a school project by looking her up in the White Pages and leaving her a message. The return call had impact. "Her generosity meant an amazing amount to me."
Back in her office, the students lean in, hanging off Ardern's every word - and there are many of them. She talks to the young women as she does to everybody. She is what she is. It does mean, however, the students get a long and detailed interview - more than they could ever possibly use. I wonder what influence she will have on the girls and if Marilyn Waring went on a bit, too.
At dinner we order a bottle of wine. She drinks one glass, I drink the rest.
Your party really is in rut, isn't it?
"I think parties win office as much as governments lose office, so one thing that will make a big difference to Labour is people no longer tolerating National.
"That is not to say that Labour is powerless or that we are passive recipients in whatever happens in the political cycle, but I do think it is reality. It is as much what they think of them as it is what they think of us."
She says Labour will tackle issues that matter to people, like house prices. "First, a state building programme for affordable homes for first buyers and second, dampening down demand which means a ban on overseas foreign investors."
And child poverty. "We can't imply that it's about drug-criminal parents who don't look after kids properly." National is targeting at-risk kids, but "if you have a high priority on children, what is wrong with having a range of services that are about every child?"
Over dessert she talks about crime and the need for a criminal cases review commission: "The Teina Pora case bothered me on a number of levels."
But the person to set these policies in motion is Andrew Little- whom she believes the electorate will be excited by when they get to know him.
And if they don't, the next leader won't be her. She doesn't want to work the ridiculous hours, she doesn't want the acute spotlight of media scrutiny and having recently moved in with her partner, Auckland media personality Clarke Gayford, she wants to have kids.
She can have these things as an MP but not as the leader of a party. Sure as heck not as Prime Minister.
It's a very human answer.
In a political environment dominated by politicians speaking as though everything is vetted by focus groups, here's an answer with no spin, no attempt to make it sound selfless or heroic. Just a person talking through an important decision.
She's smart, she's honest, she's down to Earth and she was damn easy to spend the day with.
At just 35, Jacinda Ardern has the possibility of a long career ahead of her in politics.
She won't be the next Labour Prime Minister but maybe, just maybe, she could be the one after that.
- Herald on Sunday | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701114&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/fdf5b33558cf9f6943584d08e6a5084eb932977f3d3511b160bc95445627327d.json |
[
"Ben Hill Is A Reporter For The New Zealand Herald"
] | 2016-08-31T04:50:25 | null | 2016-08-31T02:16:26 | Two washing machines which had been recalled have exploded in Waikato this week. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11702285%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_wta070513abFire01_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Samsung washing machines burst into flames | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Ben Hill is a reporter for The New Zealand Herald
Two washing machines which had been recalled have exploded in Waikato this week.
The Samsung top loader models were recalled in 2013 due to risk that water could get into the electrical system and cause a fire.
Fire Service fire investigations manager Peter Wilding told Fairfax when they were recalled there were about 34,000 affected machines in use.
Most of them had been recalled, but 4000 were still remaining.
"In the last four years some of those may have been tossed out," Wilding told Fairfax.
"We don't know how many are still operational. We have seen about three a month overheating and leading to fire."
Wilding said there have been 18 Samsung washing machines linked to fires this year, and 13 were linked last year.
The latest fire was in Hamilton on Saturday about 5.30pm, when the machine burst into flames.
Waikato fire investigator Peter Hallett said a neighbour saw smoke coming out of the window of the house and alerted the residents.
It was the second fire caused by a washing machine in the region in the past 10 days, after a machine in a rural area also caught fire.
Wilding told Fairfax that Samsung had gone "above and beyond" in enforcing the recall.
Those with affected machines are asked to call 0800 855 502 or go to http://www.samsung.com/nz/support/rework/.
The affected model numbers are:
SW75V9WIP/XSA
SW65V9WIP/XSA
SW70SPWIP/XSA
SW80SPWIP/XSA
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11702285&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/ad2f0cb5adeee2534ff206076192e40698fa7874b30d4f3e5a02d01cf03a9cb6.json |
[
"Dionne Christian Is The Nz Herald S Arts",
"Books Editor"
] | 2016-08-27T18:48:34 | null | 2016-08-26T05:40:42 | In the living room of their Walkworth home, New Zealand opera star Anna Leese Guidi and her winemaker husband Stefano Guidi are surrounded by the paraphernalia which accompanies the - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11700903%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_260816NZHDSQ4_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Fundraising concert for opera singer Anna Leese whose husband has motor neurone disease | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | In the living room of their Walkworth home, New Zealand opera star Anna Leese Guidi and her winemaker husband Stefano Guidi are surrounded by the paraphernalia which accompanies the arrival of a baby: clothes, toys and sleep drops.
Three and a half month old Matteo, a bright-eyed boy who's clearly curious about the world around him, sits between his adoring mum and dad unaware of the terrible predicament they face.
Six weeks before Matteo was born, the couple was told Stefano has the most aggressive form of motor neuron disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and would likely live just another two years.
Still reeling from the April diagnosis, Stefano strokes his son's head, smiles and describes Matteo as "a beautiful blessing".
He and Anna are preparing to sell their home to move to Dunedin, to be closer to Anna's parents, and researching treatment options which offer hope of prolonging Stefano's life. This includes contacting research institutes around the world to find out what trials Stefano may be able to take part in.
"I am a practical person and it's extremely important for protect my wife and son so I took the decision to try to move to Dunedin where there is support," he says. "Without this, I was so afraid of the future. At the moment, Anna is helping me in my daily life - I can't even dress myself - and doing a lot of tough jobs so I want them to be safe."
Now friends in the opera community are joining forces to ensure the family will face the future - whatever it holds - with as much love and support as possible. A special fundraising concert for the family is planned for September.
The concert will include popular songs from the worlds of classical music and musical theatre and has attracted the likes of Helen Medlyn, Robert Tucker and James Ioelu from the upcoming season of Sweeney Todd, 2016 Lexus Song Quest winner Benson Wilson and finalists Madison Nonoa and Filipe Manu and internationally renowned pianist Stephen De Pledge among with many others.
Continued below.
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Anna is helping me in my daily life - I can't even dress myself - and doing a lot of tough jobs.
New Zealand Opera General director Stuart Maunder says there has been a huge response from the arts community.
"As soon as we heard the news about Stefano, many of the couple's friends in the music world got in touch to ask what they could do and this concert will be a great way for friends and music lovers to support the family."
A former winner of the Mobile Song Quest, Anna graduated from the University of Otago in 2003 and moved to England to continue her studies at the Benjamin Britten International Opera School at the Royal College of Music in London. She has performed all over the world, including at Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and won a number of prestigious prizes.
The couple, who met in Italy five years ago, moved to New Zealand just over a year ago to begin a new life here.
Anna says funds raised from the concert will help with medical expenses and support for the family during the coming months. A Give a Little page has so far raised $69,000, but despite the support, the new mum admits it's tough.
Writing on the blog she has started to detail the family's journey, Anna says the illness hangs over everything in their home.
"...everything we took for granted previously is now in question. It's difficult for Stefano to hold Matteo for more than a few minutes, which is hard for both of us. Dressing is becoming an issue and opening tins, packets, holding anything heavy...
"People are telling me to try to remain positive through this but I'm finding that impossible. The most difficult thing to comprehend is the relentless and aggressive nature of the disease, and the sense of immense loss each time Stefano presents with a new symptom."
ALS causes neurons which control certain muscles to die. As muscles decrease in size, they weaken making it difficult to move, speak, swallow and, eventually, breathe.
What: An Evening for Stefano Guidi and Anna Leese
Where & when: Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall; Wednesday, September 7
• To make a donation to Anna, Stefano and Matteo, go to https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/supportstefanoguidi
• To find out more about MND, see http://www.mnda.org.nz/
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11700903&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/9c70ca37028233135383f6b2d7a633895daaf8247dad3709006ba1ecc0c57c20.json |
[
"Audrey Young Is The New Zealand Herald S Political Editor.",
"Helen Clark"
] | 2016-08-30T18:50:13 | null | 2016-08-30T09:57:24 | Helen Clark has vowed to fight on as she plans the next phase of her campaign to become Secretary-General of the United Nations. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11702013%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_130516UNHC637706_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Former PM Helen Clark says she remains strong contender in UN race | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Helen Clark has vowed to fight on as she plans the next phase of her campaign to become Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Clark told the Herald the results of yesterday's indicative Security Council ballot were enough to keep going.
And she said she could not have asked for more from Prime Minister John Key and Foreign Minister Murray McCully in their support for her.
Clark, who heads back to New York today from Cameroon in Central Africa, polled seventh out of 10 candidates and, unlike some wild fluctuations in other candidates' results, did not lose or gain any support from the second ballot.
"August has been a month when many Security Council members and key decision-makers are on holiday, ambassadors are on holiday," she said. "So for me, it is a holding pattern in the middle of the pack and I'm happy with that and ready to continue the campaign.
"The outcome is sufficiently encouraging to stay very focused on this," she said.
Asked if she had some threshold in mind which would force her out of the contest, she said: "I don't have any plan B scenario on that, no. You just take each phase at a time and just calibrate around that."
She praised her former political foes, Key and McCully, saying they had worked extremely hard.
"I couldn't have asked for more from John Key or Murray or the diplomatic service or indeed the New Zealand public. They've been absolutely fantastic."
Continued below.
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Clark was Prime Minister for nine years before Key and has been administrator of the UN Development Programme for seven, which was what took her to Cameroon.
She told the Herald that she remained a strong and serious candidate and said the final outcome would be the result of a negotiation.
Without exception, wherever Key, McCully, herself and New Zealand diplomats went, she was regarded by other countries as a strong and serious candidate.
It is my view ... given New Zealand's position in the world, and my own track record, that we can be that candidate. Helen Clark
"So the issue is going to be whether the geo-politics enable this strong and serious candidate to make it through.
"Absolutely no one is getting push-back [from countries] saying 'what on earth is New Zealand on about?' No, they are saying this is a very serious candidate."
She was staying in the contest because in the end, there would be a negotiation and someone had to come through that negotiation.
"And it is my view that a strong New Zealand candidate, given New Zealand's position in the world, and my own track record, that we can be that candidate."
Despite a strong push for an Eastern European and/or a woman to get the job, former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres topped the ballot again in the Security Council's third indicative ballot.
He received 11 "encourage" votes, three "discourage" and one "no opinion".
Clark received six "encourage", eight "discourage", and one "no opinion".
The last two, Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica and Natalia Gherman of Moldova, each received only two votes of "encourage", 12 of "discourage" and one "no opinion". Two candidates had already dropped out and they are likely to be the next two.
There is still volatility in the votes for Eastern Europeans with Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak rocketing up from 10th to second and Slovenian Danilo Turk diving from fourth to eighth.
Two women polled higher than Clark - Irina Bokova of Bulgaria and Susana Malcorra of Argentina, but being respective favourites of Russia and the United States, they may well attract vetoes.
It is not known when the next poll will be but it has been widely expected that there won't be a result until October at the earliest.
The Security Council must make a recommendation for the General Assembly to approve before Ban Ki-moon's term expires at the end of the year.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11702013&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/bf8a4a63b551d1d36b9bb5d906e8af699fa353178985a3f12a3b4d2205def1b7.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T02:47:27 | null | 2016-08-27T01:06:13 | Allow me to script a Warriors season, not through fiction but fact experienced over the past five years. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701060%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_GettyImages-592273982_1024x761.jpg | en | null | Tony Veitch: Why the Warriors don't make the playoffs | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Tony Veitch
Allow me to script a Warriors season, not through fiction but fact experienced over the past five years.
Opening act: the Warriors start the season slowly. History says they generally lose game one. The opening five or six rounds are a mix of hope and despair. By this stage, pundits have primed their artillery and taken aim, usually at Shaun Johnson, or Manu Vatuvei, or both. The fans have already starting voting with their feet as crowds diminish.
Then comes the mid-season Origin revival - hopes rekindled and passion reinjected into a team so often accused of being soft.
But here's the part of the story that gets really interesting and why the Warriors simply don't make the finals. They fall apart.
Check out the table below. From 2012, their win-loss record in the last 10 games is atrocious. Then add in their abysmal away record, as well as the fact other teams are in desperation mode to make the top eight and, for some, an all-important top-four spot.
Over the past five years, the Warriors have won just five matches across the Tasman in the last 10 rounds of a season. Five. That's it.
This club can talk all they want about culture and solidity in the coaching ranks but the reality is they can't win when it counts and that's why this club will continue to own the tag of underachievers.
Honesty in words and sport
Eric Murray and Hamish Bond came to NZME Towers on Wednesday. It was fascinating to watch these two champion blokes win over a sometime-cynical crowd with their honesty and refreshing candour.
Continued below.
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It was symbolic of what separates the Olympics from other sporting competitions in the world. Seeing Kiwis, up close and personal, with gold around their necks is special.
While listening to the boys, I managed to get a copy of their book and went straight to the juicy stuff, chapter 14 - the bust up with former coach Dick Tonks - which is a great read. But chapter 15 left me gobsmacked. It reminded me of Graham Henry's book and when he mentioned those infamous words "match fixing" in reference to the 2007 quarter-final loss to France. Back then, I knew that would be a big story. Wednesday was no different.
Here was Murray telling the story of how having a family had broken some unwritten rule around rowing always coming first. This was 2011, for God's sake. Bond was even asked to dump Murray for a more "committed" team-mate. He admits he thought about it.
To their credit, Rowing New Zealand chief Simon Peterson has stood behind his men and their version of events. Eric's wife Jackie still believes the sport is archaic in its thinking.
Compare that with the All Blacks, who say family always comes first. Conrad Smith left camp a day out from a test for the birth of his child. It was a not even a debate for the coaches, even if it was for some talkback callers.
So while we celebrate our Olympic success - our record medal haul and the sacrifices our athletes have made - I hope Murray's story is now a thing of the past. It's just sport, after all.
Rugby ecstasy or global catastrophe?
It has been the sporting debate of the week. Is All Blacks domination good for world rugby? I remember when the Bledisloe Cup was edge-of-your-seat stuff. I spent a lot of my life in Australia, so when John Eales broke our hearts in 2000, my phone went nuts.
"You bunch of chokers," my Aussie mates crowed. Now in 2016, not a peep. No texts, no voicemail jibes promising revenge. They have given up.
Back to my question: is All Blacks domination a bad thing? After years of complaining about the rules of rugby, the lack of actual game time and the mind-numbing scrum resets, rugby has never looked better.
I spoke to All Blacks analyst Alistair Rogers this week and wanted to know if I was just being overly-excited, as always, by suggesting the All Blacks of 2016 have taken rugby to a higher level than the World Cup winning side of 2015. His answer: yes.
Rugby may not be perfect for all sorts of reasons - the nagging lack of a global season, tours both hemispheres struggle to get up for, the sad decline of Australian rugby - but I would argue the footy itself has never been better, never been more fun to watch.
That's not just because the All Blacks have a ridiculous winning record, it's because they have a ridiculous ability to make rugby a thing of beauty.
Questions:
● Do you think there's much chance the Brazilians will get their way and Ryan Lochte will head back to Rio to face court and tell the truth about what really happened?
● Would Fiji gold medal-winning sevens coach Ben Ryan be a good fit as an assistant at the Blues?
● Is anyone else missing the Olympics?
● Did anyone really have an issue with Rory McIlroy's change of heart when it came to not playing golf at the Olympics? Good on him. He got it wrong and owned up.
Warriors last 10 games
2016 season (with 2 games still to play): 3 wins 5 losses (pts for 153 / pts against 183)
2015: 2 wins 8 losses (PF 104 / PA 288)
2014: 5 wins 5 losses (PF 264 / PA 196)
2013: 5 wins 5 losses (PF 211 / PA 212)
2012: 2 wins 8 losses (PF 176 / PA 285) | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701060&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/6d035f48b29f061793345bb7e2253ea9a243e151b1a6e8db2743b55dc5e4a7e2.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T04:50:24 | null | 2016-08-31T03:19:03 | Six Auckland men who were arrested in connection with the seizure of 494kg of methamphetamine can now be named. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11702326%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_MC140616NADBOAT_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Men connected with Northland meth bust named | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Six Auckland men who were arrested in connection with the seizure of 494kg of methamphetamine can now be named.
The men, who were detained on Ninety Mile Beach and at Totara North in June, were further remanded, without plea, to November 9 when they appeared before Judge Greg Davis in the Kaitaia District Court on Tuesday.
Interim name suppression was continued for a seventh defendant, but the others can now be named.
They are Stevie Norua Cullen (importing/exporting methamphetamine, possession for supply and participating in an organised criminal group), Ulakai Fakaosilea (importing/exporting, possession for supply), Amoki Matoto Fonua (importing/exporting, possession for supply), Jermiah Iusitini (importing/exporting, possession for supply, participating in an organised criminal group), Malachi Damien Tuilotolava (importing/exporting, possession for supply, participating in an organised criminal group and money laundering), and Ka Yip Wan (importing/exporting).
Cullen was released to an address in Christchurch on e-bail, while the others were remanded in custody.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11702326&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/cf171af636b764f788c2f472bbb70dede871b08240c52f0b3c832b6c009e96c0.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T08:49:08 | null | 2016-08-29T08:06:14 | A few lines of code could wipe out Hugh Stephens' entire business. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11701618%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_210716SPLinstagram_1024x768.jpg | en | null | The missing Instagram feature worth $3 million | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Frank Chung of news.com.au
A few lines of code could wipe out Hugh Stephens' entire business.
That's because the Melbourne-based entrepreneur has managed to create a $3 million start-up taking advantage of one strange Instagram feature - or more accurately, missing feature.
Instagram, unlike other social media platforms such as Facebook, does not allow users to schedule posts. That can pose a problem for brands, news outlets, agencies and celebrities who rely on regular posting to keep followers interested.
Rather than do it themselves, many pay Schedugram to do it for them.
The tiny start-up, launched by Stephens in January 2014, solves a hi-tech problem in perhaps the most low-tech way imaginable: by using a literal wall of smartphones to post content on behalf of clients manually at the desired time.
The 26-year-old, who quit a medicine degree at Monash University before founding social and digital media business Dialogue Consulting in 2011, is the first to admit the idea sounds ridiculous.
He recalls discussing the problem with his housemate after Dialogue Consulting clients complained that manually posting Instagram photos was a waste of their time.
"We were talking about different ways of doing it," Stephens said. "Do you do it virtualised [through an Android emulator] or some other method? He said, 'Why don't you just get a whole bunch of phones?' I thought that was bonkers. It would scale excessively poorly and would just be a total nightmare.
"It turns out that's how we ended up fixing it."
Stephens built the original concept over a period of six weeks using a customised cluster of smartphones that hold Instagram posts, place them in a queue and then post them at the requested time.
Continued below.
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It starts at $20 per month, but the cost depends on an Instagram account's number of followers. The business has grown to thousands of paying users, with Dialogue Group bringing in $3 million in revenue last financial year, the majority of which comes from Schedugram.
While rival products such as Hootsuite, Buffer and Later include Instagram scheduling features, they often require an extra step such as responding to a push notification before publishing, which isn't ideal for out-of-hours posting.
The majority of Schedugram's clients come from the US and Europe, with a "surprising" number in the Middle East, plus some in Asia and around 20 per cent from Australia.
Stephens says everyone from small business owners, cafes, restaurants and popular Instagram "meme" accounts to some of the biggest fashion and media brands and global advertising agency groups use the service.
The start-up is run by a team of six distributed around the world, with development done in India and Bulgaria, customer support in the Philippines and account management in the US.
Stephens originally tried using tablet computers, but found they used too much power. After some experimentation, he settled on the Motorola Moto E. The screens are dimmed and a number of other settings are adjusted to save on costs.
Due to the heavy usage, the phones typically have to be replaced after 11 months.
"We do end up chewing through a lot of hardware, and the server time we have to purchase is actually quite strong because the scheduling system we use requires us to poll the database a lot," he said.
Instagram, which has 500 million monthly active users, 300 million of whom use the app daily, has previously ruled out allowing scheduling due to concerns around spam.
"We want to fight spam and low quality photos," the Facebook-owned company has said in the past. "Once we allow uploading from other sources, it's harder to control what comes into the ecosystem."
Schedugram says it includes several measures to ensure customers don't misuse the service and spam their followers, such as a cap of four posts an hour.
"We have to approve all of the posts," Stephens said. "You would be astonished at the kinds of people who try to use our service to literally spam the same crap continuously. We don't consider that to be value-adding activity for Instagram."
Stephens, who acknowledges that Instagram would "kill off" his business if it ever offers a scheduling feature, admits he never expected it to last this long anyway.
"That's kind of part and parcel with the business - it is certainly a niche service to some degree," he said.
"I first built it when we had a quiet time in consulting as something I could give to a couple of my agency mates as a favour. I thought it would probably last about six months and then disappear.
"I've continuously thought it's going to disappear tomorrow and it hasn't yet."
- news.com.au | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11701618&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/f5b80a35ea2d1000b9a2f3284666abfe936cee4eb9f7dc20ac4055e2bcae9a8b.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T18:48:36 | null | 2016-08-28T17:54:05 | Police have found a body in a national park northeast of Perth near a search area for a missing man. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701292%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/xxx_1024x768.jpg | en | null | West Australian police find body found in search for missing New Zealand man Michael Huria | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Police have found a body in a national park northeast of Perth near a search area for a missing man.
West Australian police have been searching for New Zealand man Michael Junior Huria, 23, who went missing on Monday in what relatives have said might be a spiritual journey.
Police received information about 3.30pm on Sunday that a body had been found in the Walyunga National Park, close to Ellenbrook where Mr Huria went missing.
However, they have not released any identification or confirmed whether the discovery is related to the search for Mr Huria.
Mr Huria, who also goes by the surname Sullivan, hasn't been in touch with family or friends since leaving his Ellenbrook home after 4am on Monday.
Searchers have been focusing their efforts in Upper Swan around the Apple Street and Great Northern Highway areas, a police spokeswoman said.
Water police divers have also been called in to aid the search efforts.
Mr Huria's father Mark and brother Tamati made a public appeal on Saturday.
"He's a bit lost at the moment," Tamati Huria said of his brother, who recently quit his job as a builder.
"We don't know but we think he might have gone out on a spiritual journey of some kind - he's quite inclined in that way."
A woman has told police she might have struck a pedestrian in the area last Monday night.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701292&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/bf855e8c41a5f3cd5bb483ad580aac8722f0e2cf5854ad9d6f11b135934e6f7a.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T06:47:13 | null | 2016-08-25T22:38:03 | The terminally ill father of slain Aucklander Damien Loder Allen has called for those who know who killed his son to come clean. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11700656%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_190816SPLALLEN1_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Dying father's plea to find son's killer | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Simon Plumb
The terminally ill father of slain Aucklander Damien Loder Allen has called for those who know who killed his son to come clean.
As the 7-year anniversary of his son's killing nears, Mark Allen has told the Herald on Sunday he does not want to go to the grave without justice being served.
"I am desperately seeking ... to bring some sort of action, regarding the death ... of my son," Allen told the Herald on Sunday from his home in Thailand.
"After seven years no one has been arrested. I'm more than angry."
In February this year, a coroner's inquest into Allen's death concluded it was the result of "unnatural causes"
Coroner Matenga acknowledged the outcome had been "most unsatisfactory" for the dead 33-year-old's family and "the long time it has taken to get to this inquest is regrettable."
Mark Allen revealed he was terminally ill six years ago, suffering from chronic-aggrassive hepatitis C as the result of a 1989 blood transfusion. He says his health has since deteriorated to the point where he believes he will be dead by the end of the year - and time is running out on his quest for the truth.
"There's no medicines, no cure, no treatement for what I've got. This year, in my mind, is the year I'm going to go," he said this week.
"My liver's coming to an end stage, maybe 20 percent function. On top of that I've got chronic fatigue syndrome. I'm pretty well housebound and have been on a disability benfit for about 17 years."
Allen says he does not want his health to be seen as "leverage" in his ongoing fight for justice - he simply wants to live to see the day justice is done.
Continued below.
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"I just can't understand why this happened. Either there was a botch up in the investigation from day one, or they thought it was a wannabe ganster killed in a house with other wannabe gangsters and let it go."
Damien Loder Allen, 33, died of head injuries on September 24, 2009, in the house he lived in with three others in the suburb of Hillsborough.
Killed by blunt-force trauma to the head, no one has ever been arrested in relation to his death.
Fewer than 10 people were at the house on the night Allen died and police said at the time there were "obvious gaps in honest information" in what those people were telling police.
The house was owned by drug dealer Albert John Rhodes, who was the first person in New Zealand to be sentenced to life imprisonment for manufacturing and supplying methamphetamine.
Police told the Herald on Sunday this week the investigation into Allen's death remains open, but no staff are actually working the case.
"If information comes in, it will be assessed and a decision made as to whether it warrants further investigation," Detective Inspector Scott Beard said.
"Police would encourage anyone with any information that can assist in progressing the investigation to come forward."
Beard has previosuly said the "Operation Ebb" investigation was obstructed "by people who we believe are withholding vital information that would assist us and Damien's family to uncover the truth around what happened in the hours before he died."
Beard said a reward was considered when the probe was still active "however for operational reasons it [the reward] did not go ahead."
Acknowledging the upcoming anniversary of Allen's death, Beard said this "must be a particularly difficult time for Mr Allen's family and our thoughts are with them."
Police declined to release details from the police file to the Herald on the ground that the investigation is "unresolved and still an open case" and they "wouldn't want to prejudice any further investigations."
- Herald on Sunday | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11700656&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/042e92df8571c850b89cafe9c9f8af9a0ff3b183565c0ddb7c5724c0fc99b2e4.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T02:48:02 | null | 2016-08-28T00:14:20 | This is the hilarious moment a dad literally flips out after allegedly catching his young daughter fooling around in a car with a boy. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fworld%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D2%26objectid%3D11701193%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/kaylorcard_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Fuming father destroys daughter's $17,000 Audi with digger | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | This is the hilarious moment a dad literally flips out after allegedly catching his young daughter fooling around in a car with a boy.
Mad Mike Card took a DIGGER to the customised Audi A4 that had been lent to his little girl - leaving it completely destroyed, reports The Sun.
The video, which has gone viral on Facebook with 118,000 views so far, sees the angry dad showing no mercy with the $17,300 vehicle.
It was uploaded by son Kaylor with the caption: "Yep! When a dad has to prove a point! #DADDYNOTHAPPY", along with a tag to his sister Ashlyn.
Kaylor later named the boycommented: "All I can say is Brandon Anderson won't be in this car anymore!"
It took just two minutes to fully trash the expensive auto in Young Harris, Georgia.
His harsh punishment left some viewers baffled as to why he didn't just sell the car instead of wrecking it.
Lisa Michael West wrote: "I think I could've come up with punishment that wasn't quite so costly. This is nuts."
But many more were full of praise for Mike's hardline approach to parenting.
Heather Lynn Cassidy wrote: "Sure was a pretty car but much respect toward Mike! Hilarious."
And it seems the dad is known for his short temper.
Jordan Tyler Hicks said: "Ole Mike shortened out. I've seen that temper a few times back in the good ole days".
(This story first appeared in The Sun.)
- news.com.au | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11701193&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/6402528129aa37a18802031d757cc28bf4df06e785d0420c48d3790b85af2081.json |
[
"Twelve Questions",
"Jennifer Dann Poses Questions To Well-Known Faces"
] | 2016-08-29T18:49:43 | null | 2016-08-29T03:28:30 | Green MP Marama Davidson heads the cross-party Inquiry into Homelessness. The South Auckland mother-of-six and daughter of actor Rawiri Paratene says homelessness has affected her - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701534%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_190816NZHDPDAVIDSON04_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Twelve Questions with Marama Davidson | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Jennifer Dann
Green MP Marama Davidson heads the cross-party Inquiry into Homelessness. The South Auckland mother-of-six and daughter of actor Rawiri Paratene says homelessness has affected her own friends and family members.
1 You've lived in South Auckland all your adult life. Have you seen homelessness first hand?
Off the top of my head I can think of five of my own friends who've been homeless in the past year. These are Maori women with children not able to afford the private rents being asked but not deemed urgent enough to qualify for state housing. I was considering sleeping them in my lounge. Eventually they found temporary arrangements bunking up with other friends. Another friend pitched a tent in a community garden with his grandson because they felt too intrusive sleeping on other people's couches. I found out one of my cousins was interviewed by John Campbell about using a motel for emergency housing. But you shouldn't have to be related to someone to know that this is not good enough.
2 Why are Labour, the Maori Party and the Greens holding a Cross-Party Inquiry into Homelessness?
Because the Government refused to hold a select committee inquiry. They claim they've got a plan to deal with homelessness but it's just an ad hoc response. They haven't even been able to call this a crisis. The reason they don't want to hear from people face-to-face is because that would make them truly accountable. Our hearings panel has received over 450 submissions and we're travelling the country to hear people's stories so we can put together a whole-of-system approach to tackling it head-on.
3 What do you think needs to be done?
We're going to need a strong state housing programme for quite some time to mop up this mess. We need a capital gains tax on houses that are not family homes. One of my favourite Green Party policies is our Home For Life scheme which gets low-income families into affordable homes without needing a deposit and allows them to pay it off weekly.
Continued below.
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4 You entered Parliament on the Green Party list last year after Russel Norman's resignation. Why were you kicked out just five days later?
John Key had accused the Opposition of "backing the rapists" over the treatment of New Zealanders being deported from Australia. So a group of Labour and Green MPs agreed to stand up in turn and tell the Speaker that as victims of sexual assault we took offence at the Prime Minister's comments. As the Speaker overruled each one, another would stand up. We had a chain of about 10 of us and I just happened to be the first one that got removed.
5 When you agreed to stand up, did you expect to have to tell your whole sexual abuse story?
No. I did think, "What have I done?" when the media seemed to seize on my story in particular but then you just had to ride it. We were getting messages from around the country saying, "You made me feel less alone" which helped us get over our discomfort about putting something so deeply awkward and personal out into the world. I have a very supportive family but I didn't tell anybody about the abuse as a child. It happened at home - it was a distant cousin who has passed on. It was only as an adult that I was able to tell my family. This is what happens with sexual violence. It's going to take more and more people speaking out to take away that shameful stigma.
6 Has identifying yourself as an abuse victim impacted on your effectiveness as an MP?
No. I'd already staked my reputation on speaking out about domestic and sexual violence as the lead panellist on the Owen Glenn Inquiry. If anything it gave me a bit more authenticity in that work. The sad reality is that if I was a stripper who'd gone through that experience rather than an MP I wouldn't have been taken as seriously.
7 You've called for decriminalisation of abortion laws, yet you made the choice to be a teenage mum. Why are you outspoken on this issue?
The current law is a sham. Abortions are approved on the grounds there would be serious physical or mental harm to the woman. Women should be able to tell the truth and make a choice without being criminals. I got pregnant when I was 19 and about to start university. I didn't consider changing my plans at all. It was my father who said, "Let's think this through." But I did it. I just took my daughter to university with me. She'd sleep in her pram while I studied. There were only a handful of mums with new babies there at the time.
8 You have six children. Did you plan a large family from the outset?
No, only the last two were planned. My eldest three are now aged 22, 20 and 19. Then there's a big gap before our next three aged 10, 8 and 7. I found it was very different the second time round, being more mature, and I fell in love all over again. My 22-year-old has been my full-time paid caregiver. She's responsible for keeping the household running because my husband and I both work long hours. He works for a housing provider, Tamaki Redevelopment, and helps run a community kickboxing gym.
9 Your parents were young political activists who met on the steps of Parliament. What did they teach you?
A passion for justice; for peace, for the environment, for families and children. Dad was involved in Nga Tama Toa and mum was part of the Black Women's Movement. She's very fair but the point was they were claiming back an identity ripped away through the colonisation process. They've always supported us kids in whatever we've chosen to do and given us a deep sense of trust that even if we make mistakes they'll be there for us.
10 Your father Rawini Paratene is a famous actor who starred in films like Whale Rider. Did any of his children consider becoming actors?
It's funny because growing up I was the quiet one. They're all lively and full of personality and humour. We are all political and you could say we're all performers.
11 What's your most embarrassing moment in politics?
Getting Maori words wrong. I'm still learning te reo. My parents were of that generation that had the language taken from them. The reporters at Maori TV are very kind to us learners because they appreciate the effort. I've made a commitment to ask all my questions to the House in te reo Maori which takes me three times as long. I'm hoping I'll get better, but oh it's hard. The Green Party has so much alignment with Maori political aspirations we need to be heard in that world.
12 What changes would you like to see in Parliament?
Parliament needs more mums. Mums are connected to their communities at the grass roots, they know how policies affect people's everyday lives because they bear the brunt of it. They're politically insightful and leaders in their own right but not enough are privileged with the confidence and support I've had. We need to change things so we can get more in there to tell us what the bloody hell to do.
• www.homelessnessinquiry.co.nz The cross-party hearings panel of Marama Davidson, Phil Twyford and Marama Fox is in Kaitaia on August 31 and Wellington on September 5.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701534&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/2ee743f981fa31c81edde3f953fcbd9dc26623bdaf484614e6cfc5b93e186b65.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T00:48:15 | null | 2016-08-27T23:59:50 | For a big portion of her life, Erika's sexual orientation has been met with almost universal condemnation or disdain. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Flifestyle%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D6%26objectid%3D11701189%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/eiffelxx_1024x768.jpg | en | null | The woman who married the Eiffel Tower wants to set the record straight | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | For a big portion of her life, Erika's sexual orientation has been met with almost universal condemnation or disdain.
No, she's not a lesbian confined to a fundamentalist Christian community, she's an Objectum Sexual (OS). Objectum Sexuality is the inclination to develop significant relationships with inanimate objects.
"Everyone has a type they are drawn to. That includes OS people."
That's Erika Labrie, who in 2007 changed her surname to Eiffel after a commitment ceremony to her partner of 10 years - the Eiffel Tower.
"I find my type is an object that's misunderstood by the world. The Eiffel Tower is surrounded by millions of tourists who are in love with each other, not with her."
Erika is the somewhat reluctant face and head of Objectum Sexuality Internationale, a group of 400+ like-oriented individuals from around the world, and it's a role that comes with an almost endless succession of obstacles.
Back in 2008, not long after the wedding ceremony, the documentary Married to the Eiffel Tower exploded online. Featuring Erika and a few of her peers, the work fascinated audiences for what the OS community considers the wrong reasons.
"This documentary raised misconceptions that OS people were inclined towards objects for the sake of control due to factors such as abuse and mental illness", she explains.
"Numbers suggest that most have no more issues than a normal cross-section of society."
Continued below.
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Making matters worse for the group, the film conveniently left out the emotional or spiritual side of these unconventional relationships and ramped up the sexual component, reducing depictions to at best fetishistic, and at worst, downright crazy.
When asked how the doco and her orientation in general has affected her day-to-day life, Erika is resilient. "OS has naturally caused me rejection from friends and family but it has also powered me to great achievements in my life. I am a four-time world champion due to the loving relationship I've had with my Japanese sword, archery bow, and even my tower crane that I operate." (Note: Erika is a world-class competitive archer).
After 10 years with the Eiffel Tower, Erika's relationship came to a close and she's since entered something new and as she describes it: "loving".
As you can probably imagine, Erika isn't jumping to share the specifics about her new partner, but has this to say about the tower: "I have accepted defeat. However Eiffel will always have a place in my heart. That is something the media cannot carve out of my chest. Though at times it feels as if they have tried."
As it's difficult for some people to empathise with such a radical orientation, I tried to find parallels in my own life, and asked if OS is, on some level, an extension of the loving nostalgia we hold towards certain objects. Say, a relative's ring, or a childhood toy.
"I always say that everyone is closet OS but they simply don't know it yet. These sentimental relationships that people have with some objects are very similar to how we feel. However, most don't have the instinct to develop a deeper connection."
To those who want to put Erika's orientation down to past trauma, she knew of her OS tendencies since childhood. "I didn't realise I was different until my teens when others started dating each other and I had deep feelings for a local bridge."
And to those who want to reduce her orientation to a lack of success with human beings, Erika offers the following: "I have always maintained good friendships with people and been very social but I have never felt drawn towards any romantic relationship. Despite early attempts to date due to the pressure to conform, it never worked. It felt very alien to me."
The OS community isn't going to see legitimacy any time soon, and they have no expectations for that level of acceptance, yet they feel it important to maintain the same terminology when referring to human-to-human connections, such as 'dating', 'marriage', 'breakup' and 'divorce'.
Erika's perfect world is where everyone realises that happiness doesn't come with a blanket definition, and that you can't judge someone's take on happiness by your own. In the past, friends and family have attempted to dictate what should make her happy, which naturally, only made her more unhappy.
"I think OS would be more openly accepted once people realised how harmless we really are. We are different, but we are harmless".
I guess that's the main takeaway from our chat. I'm not sure how I feel about living in a world where Objectum Sexuality is legitimised, but I'm not sure I want to live in one so insensitive that reduces it to a sordid punchline either. It doesn't seem helpful in the human quest for greater equality or broader understanding.
It's extremely difficult terrain to navigate, but one thing's for certain - it doesn't seem OS is going anywhere anytime soon.
- news.com.au | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11701189&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/ba5aa9f71dd04bfbe0bd78f35a07ed78d191e42715f2d8f3d92a97c697dc92b2.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T00:48:09 | null | 2016-08-27T22:41:19 | Labour's housing spokesman Phil Twyford is calling for the Government to declare a State of Emergency over the nation's housing crisis. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701169%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_311012NZHMMHOUSES1_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Phil Twyford demands state of emergency over housing crisis | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Labour's housing spokesman Phil Twyford is calling for the Government to declare a State of Emergency over the nation's housing crisis.
Twyford says agencies providing social care are warning that New Zealand now faces the worst level of homelessness in living memory.
It was a social crisis to have 40,000 New Zealanders living rough in utterly unacceptable conditions and the Government needed to take full responsibility. The figure included people living in campgrounds and entire families squashed into a single room of a shared house, he said.
Twyford labelled it a "social crisis" that needed urgent action.
"I don't really care how they do it, they could tie a cruise ship up at the ports of Auckland, they could build pod houses, convert warehouses - that's why they're paid the big money to work these things out."
In Auckland the average house price is tipped to pass $1 million when QV releases it next house price index figures next month. Spiralling housing costs are forcing people into substandard and overcrowded housing, with many others forced to live rough or in cars.
Twyford said it was time the Government stopped acting like a possum in the headlights and demonstrated the urgency the problem demanded.
National was in denial about the housing crisis and even trying to challenge its own official figures on the matter, he said.
"The National Government seems to think that if you're a pensioner living in a campground because you can't find any affordable rental housing that you've got a home. This just beggars belief.
Continued below.
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"Put a roof over the heads of these people."
Twyford said it was embarrassing that international media were picking up the issue and it was not fair that everyday Kiwis had to pick up the slack.
His comments follow a report this morning on TVNZ's Q+A investigating the growing homelessness problem in the tourism hotspot of Taupo, as well as international news reports about New Zealand homelessness in the likes of The Guardian and Al Jazeera.
Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith referred questions this morning to Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett, who is due to send a statement.
MORE
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701169&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/a50410fd35c71ebe739fec1ce060fb2fc2e9b39227db8ae640b123df928f17c3.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T22:47:44 | null | 2016-08-27T21:07:27 | A flight from New Orleans to Orlando was forced to make an emergency landing after part of the engine tore away from the plane mid-air. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Ftravel%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D7%26objectid%3D11701154%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/jetxx_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Southwest Airlines jet engine torn apart mid-air | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | A flight from New Orleans to Orlando was forced to make an emergency landing after part of the engine tore away from the plane mid-air.
Southwest Airlines flight 3472 had just taken off from Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans when passengers said they heard an explosion.
"There was smoke and then nothing. I saw parts flapping in the wind because it was right outside my window," a passenger told KOCO in Oklahoma City. The man said the plane began to shake violently and descend rapidly. Oxygen masks fell and children began to cry.
@10TV southwest plane from New Orleans to Orlando's engine blew in the sky. This was my dads boss's picture he got pic.twitter.com/TFoAQ9i0tZ — lexy (@lexydray) August 27, 2016
@_JMS_ @10TV this was when the plane was in the air. He doesn't have a video pic.twitter.com/8r4DskTCpU — lexy (@lexydray) August 27, 2016
"I held my kids. One was freaking out, crying," she said. "And so, we're trying to hold his hand and singing and praying a lot."
After the plane stabilised, the passenger said one of the pilots walked out of the cockpit and said one of the engines was lost, WCVB reported.
The plane landed safely at Pensacola in Florida.
Continued below.
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A Southwest spokesman said its initial reports indicated no injuries were reported among the 99 passengers and five crew aboard.
The Wall Street Journal said photos taken aboard the flight showed the Boeing 737-700's engine inlet completely torn away, revealing extensive structural damage to the engine nacelle that hangs underneath the wing.
The spokesman said the failure caused a depressurisation of the cabin. The jet's fuselage, front edge of the wing, horizontal tail stabiliser and winglet were also damaged.
It was unknown what caused the failure.
PHOTO UPDATE Inflight picture of Southwest jet after losing part of the engine (@AirportWebcams) pic.twitter.com/CAM8VK82n0 - @NewsHazbail — AIRLIVE.net (@airlivenet) August 27, 2016
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=11701154&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/116883177849fa36a71a4df72558c006fe2a0e0c1307df09abe28a14bea4493a.json |
[
"Patrick Mckendry Is A Rugwriter For The Herald."
] | 2016-08-27T12:47:26 | null | 2016-08-27T11:01:56 | A frustrated Michael Cheika says he is bitterly disappointed at the performance of referee Romain Poite in tonight's 29-9 victory by the All Blacks over the Wallabies, saying the - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701130%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/GettyImages-596024552_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Rugby: Wallabies coach Michael Cheika takes swipe at referee | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | A frustrated Michael Cheika says he is "bitterly disappointed" at the performance of referee Romain Poite in tonight's 29-9 victory by the All Blacks over the Wallabies, saying the match official ignored Australia captain Stephen Moore, an act he described as "blatant" and the continuation of a theme.
The Wallabies have tried in recent times to improve their relations with the match officials following the three-test whitewash at the hands of England when they often found themselves on the wrong end of the penalty count, a frustration compounded by their apparent inability to get through to the referee.
Adding to the bad feeling after a test defeat which took the All Blacks' Bledisloe Cup streak to 14 years, it's understood the Wallabies made an official complaint about an apparent pre-match meeting Steve Hansen had with Poite that Cheika wasn't invited to.
Under World Rugby regulations, coaches can meet referees before a match only if there are representatives from both teams present, or if one side declines the opportunity.
A similar controversy occurred during June's three-Test series after England coach Eddie Jones also met Poite in Brisbane without an invitation being extended to the Australians.
Referring to the attitudes off the match officials, Cheika said Welsh referee Nigel Owens also took a certain stance into tests Australia were involved in, and the Wallabies coach has previously complained to referees' boss Alain Rolland about that treatment, plus that of French referee Poite.
Cheika could be seen using what appeared to be foul language in the coaches' box following a late decision by Poite at Westpac Stadium tonight, and he didn't hold back when asked about the referee afterwards.
"Well, I was bitterly disappointed, to be honest," Cheika said. "I'm on record with the referees' boss Alain Rolland about the treatment to our captain and our players, by Romain Poite, and also by Nigel Owens over this last year.
Continued below.
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"I'm not quite sure why, but there was a time in the game [tonight] in a break in play when the national captain of Australia [Moore] was asking the referee, 'when might there be an opportunity for me to talk to you?' And he absolutely ignored him. He's got the whistle, I understand, but there's a place where the captain has an opportunity to speak to the referee.
"The referee may not like the captain personally, that might be his prerogative, but he has to afford him that opportunity if he is affording it to his opponents. I think that attitude followed right through. David Pocock was being called off by the [assistant] referee for an HIA [head injury assessment] and the referee wouldn't stop the game. The players almost went straight through the doctor, even though he was requested by the players to stop so the player could go off.
"I don't know if it's subconscious or not, but it's there and it's got to be dealt with because it can't be that the opponents can say everything to the referee. No one is saying anything bad to him but if they've got pre-determined attitudes towards our players... I asked Alain Rolland last week when I saw him in Sydney and he said, 'no, that's a surprise to me'. But it's pretty blatant to anyone listening to the 'refs' ears'."
Asked about the treatment given him by Poite, hooker Moore, who had blood running down his face from an accidental kick during the hard-fought test, said: "I think Cheik has pretty much said it all. I think It's probably better if I leave what Cheik has said there."
The All Blacks could come under the spotlight themselves after prop Owen Franks appeared to make contact with the eye region of Wallabies lock Kane Douglas in the first half. "I'm sure the match reviewer will pick it up," Cheika said. "They can't miss it. It was pretty out in the open."
Franks could face a sanction once the match is reviewed by Sanzaar officials, and it remains to be seen whether the organisation take action against the Australia coach for his comments. Cheika, on a suspended sentence last year following his actions in bursting into the referees' room at halftime as coach of the Waratahs in a match against the Blues in Sydney, could face a sanction of his own.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701130&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/36c50ff483f31bf3711b54a7df6472d1d26f71c2e092dde4b49b432bfb3ec482.json |
[
"Simon Plumb Is A Journalist For The Herald On Sunday"
] | 2016-08-27T18:48:20 | null | 2016-08-25T04:56:54 | Being Richie McCaw is every rugby fan's dream, but for Auckland nine-year old Arlo Feeney, the dream has become reality. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11700475%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_260816NZHMCARLO03_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Young Richie living the McCaw movie dream | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Video will play in Play now Don't auto play
Never auto play
Being Richie McCaw is every rugby fan's dream, but for Auckland nine-year old Arlo Feeney, the dream has become reality.
The North Shore schoolboy is one of two lucky young actors to land "Young Richie" roles in the highly-anticipated film Chasing Great - the upcoming documentary promising never-before-seen insights into the life of the notoriously private former All Blacks captain and back-to-back Rugby World Cup winner.
Feeney, who plays McCaw during the ages of 7-12 in scenes which reconstruct how a kid from Christchurch would go on to rugby greatness, says playing his idol has been the best experience of his life - and one which has left his friends at Campbell's Bay School green with envy.
But, he says, the best experience is yet to come when Feeney finally gets to meet the great man himself on the red carpet at Tuesday's world premiere at Auckland's Civic Theatre.
"I've not met Richie. I saw him on one of the days on set but I didn't get to talk to him because I was filming," Feeney told the Herald on Sunday.
"I'm really excited to meet him at the premiere. But I don't exactly know what I'm going to say to him. I'm going to be very nervous."
Campbell's Bay School student Feeney, who has previously appeared in the American comedy series Ash Vs Evil Dead and been offered a role in Shortland Street, landed his first movie gig in March when his agent, Liz Baldwin-Featherstone, emailed the contract through to parents Nic and Peter - himself an established Kiwi actor and the one who spotted the opportunity.
"My dad told me there was a Richie McCaw movie coming out and asked if I wanted to audition for it," Feeney said.
Continued below.
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"When I was told I had the role I was overjoyed, but then I got really nervous and excited.
"Playing Richie McCaw was a great experience. He is one of my very favourite rugby players and one of the best players of all time. Richie was a hard worker with a dream. And he turned that dream into a reality which proves if you're persistent you can achieve anything. And being an All Black is not easy."
Feeney's mother, Nic, said the speed at which the offer came through was unusual and seemed to be because her son bears a resemblance to a young McCaw.
"We were surprised he got the job without a recall, we think it's probably because he had the right 'look'," Nic Feeney said.
"They did add padding to Arlo to bulk him out a bit. And it was hard for the wardrobe girls to find rugby boots to fit his big feet because all the 80s retro boots were really hard, rigid leather. He loved the wardrobe part, getting to wear rugby jerseys just like Richie would have worn."
Stars of stage and screen, as well as current and former All Blacks, are expected to attend Tuesday night's premiere. Chasing Great is in cinemas from September 1.
- Herald on Sunday | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11700475&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/145358b6e965766c3fc74b5274aaca2fff488a2bd857ce19d6ae1d88b148f7df.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:01:41 | null | 2016-08-26T04:59:46 | Australian police are scouring CCTV footage in the hunt to identify who planted a listening device in the All Blacks' hotel meeting room. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11700893%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_20160820001280754373-origin_1024x768.jpg | en | null | All Blacks bugging: Device was only three days old | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Simon Plumb
Australian police are scouring CCTV footage in the hunt to identify who planted a listening device in the All Blacks' hotel meeting room.
Latest developments in the ongoing police probe include pouring through security camera footage in what has become a "forensic investigation" into what happened at the Intercontinental hotel in Double Bay.
The Weekend Herald also understands from a well-placed Australian source that the sophisticated listening device, found concealed in a chair, only had a battery life of around three days - and was still operational when discovered by All Blacks security personnel.
The twist suggests the All Blacks were the specific target of the bug and its presence in their hotel meeting room was not from a previous deployment.
New Zealand Rugby was not prepared to comment last night when asked about the bug's battery life and its status when found.
A spokeswoman said it would be inappropriate to comment further while the police investigation continues.
New South Wales police did not address direct questioning about the bug being operational either, but did confirm detectives are still digging for the facts, have taken possession of CCTV footage and are prepared to lay charges.
When asked if police had recovered CCTV from the hotel, a NSW police spokeswoman said: "CCTV has been obtained as part of the investigation and is being reviewed."
"Once the investigation has been completed, appropriate outcomes will be determined, and if appropriate, relevant charges will be laid.
Continued below.
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"NSW Police is conducting an ongoing investigation which involves forensic examination and further follow-up in relation to the matter."
Australian Rugby Union chief, Bill Pulver, said he had no further information, "simply what has been reported".
Pulver categorically cleared the ARU from any involvement in the scandal last weekend.
Pulver flies to New Zealand this morning ahead of the All Blacks and Wallabies' second Bledisloe Cup test in Wellington tonight. He said he would be talking to NZR counterpart Steve Tew today, but the bugging incident would not be a priority on the agenda.
Part of the police investigation is focused on why there was a five-day delay in the device being reported by NZR.
The bug was found by All Blacks personnel on Monday, August 15 during a routine security check. However, it wasn't reported to police until Saturday August 20 - hours before the All Blacks' Bledisloe Cup opener against the Wallabies at ANZ Stadium.
Aussie rugby boss Pulver said he was "utterly disappointed" media broke the story "on match day."
Superintendent Brad Hodder said "any delay in any investigation's always tough but we'll look at that information".
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said management decided it was best to wait for NZR chief Tew to arrive in Sydney from the Rio Olympics before taking the matter further.
This week Prime Minister John Key said people should not jump to conclusions about the bugging device, saying: "It could have been there for a variety of reasons. Maybe it was old, maybe it was deliberate, who knows?"
World Rugby says it is taking the issue seriously.
"We take all allegations of compromised sporting integrity seriously and have in place robust regulations and programmes, including those that operate at our own events," a World Rugby spokesman said.
One theory is that a betting syndicate is behind the planting of the device.
Renowned journalist and sports betting investigator Declan Hill said the device was most probably planted by big players in the gambling market.
"What you're after is 100 per cent certainty. That's the holy grail of the gambling market," Hill said.
"Knowledge is power. If you know who the starting 15 is, for example, before anybody else does, that's a huge advantage and makes the investment of the device well worth it."
Hill said the planting of listening devices in team hotels was common and even endemic in some parts of the world.
"'In China, visiting sports officials and athletes should just assume it is happening rather than the other way."
The only element of surprise in the story, Hill said, was that it occurred in Australia and that it appeared it was now happening in rugby, the "game of savages played by gentlemen."
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11700893&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/bebcc68e35485b120566c3114a53d80f0a0f506b335f33d8ab2686e0b0e254fa.json |
[
"Russell Blackstock Is A Senior Reporter At The Weekend Herald",
"Herald On Sunday."
] | 2016-08-27T18:48:02 | null | 2016-08-25T21:15:04 | Auckland Council is charging customers three full days' parking fees if they lose their ticket at three of its central city carparks. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11700604%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_A_200715NZHNRPARKING6_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Losing a ticket for an Auckland carpark could be a wallet-buster at $72 | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Russell Blackstock is a senior reporter at the Weekend Herald and Herald on Sunday.
Auckland Council is charging customers three full days' parking fees if they lose their ticket at three of its central city carparks.
At the Civic, Victoria St and Downtown sites parkers are being stung $72 for a "lost-ticket fee" even if they have only parked there for a few hours.
Other Auckland carparks operated by private firms such as Wilson, Tournament and SkyCity charge customers the equivalent of a day's casual parking if they can't find their ticket - ranging from $28 to $75.
Watchdogs the AA and Consumer NZ have slammed the lost-ticket penalties as "excessive".
"These charges could potentially be challenged under the Fair Trading Act, if considered to be unreasonable," Jessica Wilson, head of research at Consumer NZ, said. "The fees do appear to be steep and unfair."
It normally costs a maximum of $24 a day to park at the Auckland Council sites.
Charging people who have lost their tickets three times the maximum daily amount - no matter how long they have parked there for - is "unjustifiable", Mark Stockdale, senior policy analyst at the AA, said.
"These paper tickets are not difficult to lose and I am concerned people are being unfairly penalised at council and private carparks for making a simple mistake," he said.
"Charging people for a full day's parking for losing a ticket is bad enough but to be stung for three times that amount is excessive.
Continued below.
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"There is technology available, including apps and number plate recognition devices, which can tell when a vehicle entered a carpark, so if you lose your ticket you should only be charged for the time you were actually there.
"I suspect this technology has not been introduced as these lost-ticket fees must be a lucrative revenue stream for the carpark operators."
Auckland Transport media relations manager Mark Hannan said there was generally one lost ticket for every thousand transactions.
He said the lost ticket fee was based on parking for three days at the maximum daily rate and "serves as a deterrent to avoid customers deliberately throwing away tickets and claiming they had parked for less time".
"There was an issue with customers leaving their cars in buildings for several days while they went to the Gulf Islands and claiming their ticket had been lost. The charging of a lost-ticket fee is a standard industry practice.
"Discretion may be applied by staff in some limited circumstances but Auckland Transport generally has the lowest daily parking rates in Auckland and we consider our rates are good value."
Hannan said the council was scoping new technology which could do away with tickets by automatically calculating parking fees and charging to an app. "But that technology is still being refined," he said.
Wilson Parking has 140 sites in Auckland and charges a lost-ticket fee at its 11 barrier-operated facilities.
These charges range from $30 at Carlaw Park to $75 at main carparks such as Elliott St and the Pullman Hotel.
"The fees vary based on the carpark's rates and the number of parkers who generally stay longer than one day," Laura Burns, spokeswoman for Wilson Parking, said.
Tournament Parking charges a full-day casual parking rate of $28 at its busy site at Newmarket mall for lost tickets. Auckland Airport charges $40, also the equivalent of a day's parking there.
"We have video cameras in operation and, when we can, we will try to work with customers to resolve lost ticket issues to their satisfaction and in a way that is fair," a spokeswoman for Auckland Airport parking services said.
- Herald on Sunday | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11700604&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/a9a241fc464fbc73deacf62d9f9a0e53a1d93b5803d782e606f8be037684532b.json |
[
"Russell Baillie Is The Herald S Entertainment Editor"
] | 2016-08-30T10:49:46 | null | 2016-08-30T02:03:47 | As a movie, Chasing Great reminds us that Richard Hugh McCaw is one impressive bloke. He flies gliders and helicopters. He cooks. He does cryptic crosswords. And in his old job he - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fentertainment%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1501119%26objectid%3D11701858%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_220816splrichie3_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Movie review: Chasing Great | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Video will play in Play now Don't auto play
Never auto play
As a movie, Chasing Great reminds us that Richard Hugh McCaw is one impressive bloke. He flies gliders and helicopters. He cooks. He does cryptic crosswords. And in his old job he was [insert superlative of your choice] All Blacks captain, ever.
As a movie, though, Chasing Great also reminds that over-achievers are tricky doco subjects.
It's not that it doesn't lack for insight, emotion or story. But essentially Chasing Great is a faith-based movie designed for followers of our national religion.
It also feels like it's been born from a world of corporate video and brand management. You get the sneaking suspicion we're being sold something just as much as being told something. If a certain sports brand didn't put any money into this, then they've got off cheap.
But if you're a Richie fan, then your appreciation of the man will possibly elevate to devotion after this handsome hagiography.
Yes, it promises a level of behind-the-scenes access, its makers having spent the year with McCaw leading up to his last game and final victory at last year's Rugby World Cup Final.
But it's hard to detect an unguarded moment among McCaw's interviews or those who worked with him.
"He's a complicated rooster," offers All Blacks coach Steven Hansen who adds McCaw got to be himself while playing rugby on the field, rather than being the famous rugby star off it.
Certainly, Greg McGee made him interesting in his terrific 2012 authorised biography, a book which ended on a resonant note - the RWC final of 2011.
Continued below.
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The movie shifts that story to RWC 2015 where McCaw's new goal is to be captain of the first team to win the competition back-to-back and go out on a high. That's understandable. But the "or else?" isn't as dramatically loaded as it was four years previous.
Co-director Justin Pemberton already has two remarkable sports biographies to his name - Love, Speed and Loss about motorcyclist Kim Newcombe and The Golden Hour about Peter Snell and Murray Halberg at the Rome Olympics. Those had great stories at their core and period settings to bring to life.
This is more character study, a search for the zen of McCaw and how he went from the failed RWC campaign of 2007 to using the Webb Ellis Cup for weight training and winning his first one with a broken foot.
Which means much discussion about goal-setting, mental skills, and the qualities of leadership all of which Chasing Great makes stimulating if not fascinating.
There's also plenty of time spent on McCaw's idyllic Waitaki Valley childhood, where it appears, yes, his mother dressed him funny and he was gently persuaded by his Dad and local club coach to take his rugby seriously.
Tellingly, the walls of McCaw's parents' home are a shrine to their son's achievements, while his own city townhouse doesn't show any reminders of his playing days.
And they don't seem to mind when their son comes home to visit and lands his chopper in the front paddock.
Yes, Chasing Great certainly benefits cinematically from his passion for aviation, especially when he's gliding over the Southern Alps out of Omarama, his dad having piloted the tow-plane and let him soar away - perhaps a nice visual metaphor for the family support of his career at ground level too.
Visually, it's certainly impressive even if you just know there's going to be a slow-motion All Blacks run out of the tunnel (about five minutes in) followed by a slow motion haka (two minutes later).
And also helping it feel like a movie is a restrained SJD soundtrack that holds back on the button marked "triumph" and the nice touch of using Lorde's cover of Tears for Fears' Everyone Wants to Rule the World over the final credits.
All applied to some deft editing, that makes Chasing Great a handsome piece of work geared for the big screen.
What the movie can't do -and what McGee's book did - was make us see the big games from McCaw's perspective.
The high-definition collages of game footage are certainly impressive. But Chasing Great feels like what's said on the field, stays on the field. If McCaw got to be himself while he was on the paddock, here, that guy is still elusive.
Hell of an All Black though. And this is a fittingly epic This Is Your Life.
Directors: Justin Pemberton, Michelle Walshe
Rating: G
Running time: 105 mins
Verdict: McCaw's blockbuster edition of This is Your Life
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11701858&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/7756b937e80ec89c4304675ea3b472014084eec9c958496e6781be2e9e4ebad5.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T04:49:44 | null | 2016-08-30T03:18:01 | Relax everyone, it's not as bad as THAT dress Nike trotted out for Wimbledon this year. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701912%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_AP160830060913_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Another grand slam, another outfit turning heads | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Relax everyone, it's not as bad as THAT dress Nike trotted out for Wimbledon this year.
Remember, the white "lingerie" dress that resembled more of a crop top than something tennis players could actually win a tournament in?
But still, it wouldn't be a grand slam without at least one outfit causing a kerfuffle on day one, and the US Open delivered.
Nike dressed some of its players - both male and female - in fluoro yellow gear at Flushing Meadows. That prompted some comparisons likening them to the very tennis balls they were playing with, while it was also confusing for viewers when two Nike players were on the court at the same time.
Americans Jack Sock and Taylor Fritz both wore the outfit in their first round clash against each other - which Sock won in five sets - and Petra Kvitova beat Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets, again while both were busy imitating the sun.
Renowned New York Times columnist Ben Rothenberg was one of those who wanted sports apparel manufacturers to get the message.
Dear Nike, Adidas, et al: PLEASE stop dressing tennis players you know are playing each other in identical outfits. pic.twitter.com/3l0Iich8Kj — Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 29, 2016
Sock and Fritz in first round of #USOpen outfit/color coordinated with opponents. Is that a thing now? #Nike not enjoying colors. Really bad — Charl Peenze (@creativeCJ) August 29, 2016
Continued below.
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Late in the epic five-setter Sock changed into a black shirt but kept the fluoro theme going with a new pair of bright yellow shorts.
Ugh. That new dark green shirt is incredibly ugly, however. — Francesca Ossi (@francescaossi) August 30, 2016
Then there were those who ridiculed the outfits for their colour scheme, not just the fact they were being worn by the same people at the same time.
Jack Sock and Taylor Fritz are both dressed as tennis balls. pic.twitter.com/kTzvCSyxs0 — Jordan Freiman (@JordanFreiman) August 29, 2016
Jack Sock and Taylor Fritz both look like tennis balls with the neon yellow shirt and white shorts and neon yellow socks — Alex (@Galaxy_Riders) August 29, 2016
THE LINGERIE DRESS
Nike's controversial "lingerie" Wimbledon dress was heavily criticised by players for making them uncomfortable during the opening days of the grand slam earlier this year.
The sports apparel giant was forced into an embarrassing recall of its Nike Premier Slam dresses so they could be altered in time for Wimbledon's opening round of matches.
According to reports, players complained the dress was too revealing below the waist and was branded "skimpy" by some commentators.
Photos from the opening two days of play suggested the alterations had done little to protect the modesty of players.
"I didn't feel comfortable showing that much," 2013 Wimbledon runner-up Sabine Lisicki said, according to the New York Times.
"I tried it on but didn't feel comfortable showing that much. For me, the most important thing is to feel comfortable and not to think about anything."
Sweden's Rebecca Peterson, who was knocked out in qualifying, said the dress interfered with her court movement.
"When I was serving, it was coming up, and I felt like the dress was just everywhere," Peterson said. "In general, it's quite simple, the dress, but it was flying everywhere."
The Czech Republic's Lucie Hradecka decided to wear leggings underneath the dress during her Wimbledon preparations.
Katie Boulter, another qualifying casualty, wore the Premier Slam with a headband tied around her waist.
The most notable criticism came from Scottish tennis coach Judy Murray - the mother of World No. 2 Andy - who said she expected Nike to make immediate alterations to the dress.
The Nike design used as Lucie Hradecka's shirt at Roehampton is going to be Genie Bouchard's dress at #Wimbledon: pic.twitter.com/r3YI8bVhNw — Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) June 21, 2016
"The important thing for any clothing manufacturer who is sponsoring top players is to make sure that the clothing is functional for the job in hand," Murray told The Telegraph.
"So I'm sure that Nike will be taking steps to address it. Because anything that is not functional proves distracting to the players and that's not in anybody's interests.
"I know from experience of watching the boys, you have to get the clothing right, the footwear right because these are partly the tools of your trade so it has to be functional for what it is that you need to do."
US OPEN ACTION
On day one action at Flushing Meadows, Rafael Nadal turned in a workmanlike performance to defeat Denis Istomin 6-1 6-4 6-2.
The 2013 champion won his 44th match of 2016, an effort which the 30-year-old characterised as "not very good, not very bad".
Nadal ran his record in New York first-round contests to 12-0 while Istomin has now lost 21 straight matches against top-10 opponents.
Nadal could not avoid queries about the left wrist injury that forced him from the game during the French Open.
"It's not easy to go two months-and-a-half out of competition in the middle of the season without hitting a forehand," he said. "I need to have the confidence again with my wrist. That is coming, I feel the wrist much better, and every day I feel that the wrist a little bit better."
The 2014 winner and Cincinnati champion Marin Cilic showed his seventh seed status by beating Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-4 7-5 6-1. Gael Monfils found his trademark athleticism a bit too strong for a courtside clock in a defeat of Gilles Muller 6-4 6-2, 7-6 (7-5).
Compatriot and 13th seed Richard Gasquet was dispatched in a 6-2 6-2 6-3 upset by British outsider Kyle Edmund.
Edmund, ranked 84th, had 40 winners, 21 on his forehand. He has twice made it to the second round at the French Open.
Gasquet hadn't lost in the first round at a major since 2010 at Roland Garros. | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701912&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/1601195ac715d117946f5d4fcfe1ff8d88df6967675cbdf99f49283ae17223fe.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T08:50:24 | null | 2016-08-31T07:26:21 | The funeral for a young Auckland local board representative, who died suddenly at the weekend, will be held in the Hokianga tomorrow. Sarah Higgins, a real estate agent for Barfoot - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11702399%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_300816NZHSPLHIGGINS3_1024x761.jpg | en | null | Funeral for young councillor Sarah Higgins to be held in Hokianga | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | The funeral for a young Auckland local board representative, who died suddenly at the weekend, will be held in the Hokianga tomorrow.
Sarah Higgins, a real estate agent for Barfoot & Thompson and member of the Franklin Local Board, 24, was originally from Pawarenga in the Far North and went to school at Whangarei Girls' High School.
Her funeral will be at the Moukaraka Church - The Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Assumption - on the northern side of the Hokianga Harbour from 11am tomorrow.
Her death shocked fellow politicians who knew her. Franklin Local Board, chairman Andy Baker, said the death left them devastated.
"She was the youngest member ever elected to this board and probably one of the youngest to be elected in the whole Franklin area over many decades," Baker said.
"It's left the local board absolutely devastated at her loss.
"This is a loss not only for the board but for the community. It's such a tragic waste of a wonderful young life with so much to offer. Our thoughts are with her friends and family."
Higgins was on the board for a three-year term so was in her early 20s when she was elected.
Whangarei Girls' High School Principal Anne Cooper said Higgins left in 2007 at the end of Year 11, and her death was terribly sad news.
"Her form teacher summed her up well in saying that she was 'a happy and polite form class member. Her sense of humour brightens many a day'," Cooper said.
The Coroner is investigating her death.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11702399&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/00943104cbcfa69f42972cad8c0bdcda5767ef7a90a3e6d2be673fba5894d9a8.json |
[
"David Skipwith Is The Herald'S Rugleague Reporter"
] | 2016-08-28T06:48:05 | null | 2016-08-28T05:50:00 | For a fifth-straight season the Warriors have fallen short of the NRL finals following a disastrous loss to Wests Tigers at Mt Smart Stadium today. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701250%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/160828WarriorsvTigers_22_1024x768.jpg | en | null | NRL: New Zealand Warriors fumble away playoff hopes | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Tigers 36 Warriors 24
For a fifth-straight season the Warriors have fallen short of the NRL finals following a disastrous loss to Wests Tigers at Mt Smart Stadium today.
The Warriors have only themselves to blame after failing to cling on to a finals lifeline extended to them by Penrith's one-point victory over Gold Coast on Saturday night, but two controversial obstruction calls from the video bunker ultimately proved pivotal to them going down to an understrength Tigers outfit.
The Warriors looked to have carved out a match-winning six-point lead when halfback Shaun Johnson sent utility back Tui Lolohea over to break an 18-18 deadlock inside the final quarter.
Johnson then attempted to take the game by the scruff of the neck and looked to have the game sewn up for the hosts when he scorched through the defence and stepped the last man to dive over but the video bunker backed up a first-half decision to deny centre Solomone Kata a try with both cases ruled out through obstruction.
The Tigers then seized the momentum and snatched victory with three quick tries to front-rower Sauaso Sue, five-eighth Mitchell Moses and centre Kevin Naiqama inside the last 10 minutes breaking the hearts of 14,020 fans.
The result was the Warriors third straight loss following an embarrassing home loss to South Sydney and last week's thrashing at the hands of reigning premiers North Queensland in Townsville, while the Tigers return to Sydney with their finals hopes revitalised.
The Warriors can only play for pride in next Sunday's final round Father's day clash against Parramatta while under-pressure coach Andrew McFadden faces an uncertain future following his side's alarming late-season slide.
The Warriors were in the box seat going into the second-half after three tries to back-rower Bodene Thompson, Kata and lock Simon Mannering helped them claim an 18-12 halftime lead, with the Tigers banking two four-pointers to front-row pair Sue and captain Aaron Woods.
A see-sawing second-half began as an arm-wrestle before the Tigers pushed back to draw level with a long-range try to wing Josh Addo-Carr.
The brilliance and speed of the Warriors backs saw Johnson send Lolohea over out wide with rookie playmaker Ata Hingano's pressure conversion seeing them reclaim a six-point buffer.
But it was not enough and the Warriors fell away badly after Johnson was denied his individual effort, while the Tigers began to roar and found the energy and creativity to ram home the advantage and ruin the Warriors title quest for yet another year.
Wests Tigers 36 (Sauaso Sue 2, Aaron Woods, Josh Addo-Carr, Mitchell Moses, Kevin Naiqama tries, Jordan Rankin 6 cons)
Warriors 24 (Bodene Thompson, Solomone Kata, Simon Mannering , Tui Lolohea tries, Issac luke 3, Ata Hingano cons)
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701250&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/eb2b5327086df5f940980773454375124b11788cef68579f6bde1d322f8a2e54.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:49:33 | null | 2016-08-29T21:10:39 | The All Blacks are sailing on through the Rugby Championship but rivals Australia and South Africa continue to run into injury troubles. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701696%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/toomua_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Rugby: More bad news for the Wallabies | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | The All Blacks are sailing on through the Rugby Championship but rivals Australia and South Africa continue to run into injury troubles.
Matt Toomua's worrying head knock history could ground him for the rest of Championship as the Wallabies wisely protect him from long-term after-effects.
And South African winger Ruan Combrinck will likely miss the rest of the tournament after suffering a leg injury during a 26-24 weekend loss in Argentina.
Toomua was concussed in the All Blacks' 42-8 shellacking of Australia in Sydney.
The experienced centre will now miss the Tests against South Africa and Argentina next month and could be spelled from the two return Tests in October.
The Wallabies are following World Rugby's concussion protocols to the letter.
Toomua's recent concussion against the All Blacks in Sydney was his fourth in The Rugby Championship in three seasons.
He was spelled from last weekend's 29-9 lesson on precision from the All Blacks in Wellington and will undergo cognitive testing after his training return during time-off.
In 2014, the abrasive back was knocked out in back-to-back Tests against South Africa and Argentina and ordered to take more than a month off.
No Toomua for an indefinite period reinforces coach Michael Cheika's backing of Quade Cooper and Bernard Foley as his midfield beyond the Test against the Springboks at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday week.
Continued below.
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Combrinck, one of the few success stories in a struggling Springboks side this season, was injured in the first half last weekend and X-rays revealed that he had a fractured fibula.
A South African Rugby spokesman said the back could be out of action until mid-October. The last Championship fixtures are on October 8.
Combrinck, who can also play fullback, debuted off the bench for the Springboks during a June home series against Ireland and quickly became a first choice.
He was a key figure in the Golden Lions team that reached the Super Rugby final for the first time, impressing with his powerful running, strong defending and ability to convert long-range goal kicks.
There are also concerns about the fitness of fly-half Elton Jantjies, who was due to have a groin injury scanned upon the team's return to South Africa.
Coach Allister Coetzee said the Springboks lost because the Pumas made better use of scoring chances.
"They used their opportunities better than we did," admitted the 53-year-old, who succeeded Heyneke Meyer this year as coach of the twice former world champions.
"We had enough chances to create scoreboard pressure, but did not take them. At Test level, you take your chances or you get punished.
"Some penalties were missed and we did not score tries when in a position to do so.
"This defeat hurts. We must regroup and work hard to improve as a team to be ready for Australia in Brisbane."
South Africa face the struggling Wallabies on September 10 and world champions New Zealand a week later in Christchurch.
New Zealand top the table after two rounds with a maximum 10 points, South Africa and Argentina have five each and Australia none.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701696&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/6faf705e4dcd8068079fd17e561dcc43d3fb50ffab7d5d9159807463fe549bf0.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T02:49:34 | null | 2016-08-29T23:56:34 | A serial killer dubbed China's Jack the Ripper for the way he murdered and mutilated 11 women has been arrested three decades after his crime spree began. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fworld%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D2%26objectid%3D11701794%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/GettyImages-556421605_1024x768.jpg | en | null | China's Jack the Ripper murdered, mutilated 11 women | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | A serial killer dubbed China's Jack the Ripper for the way he murdered and mutilated 11 women has been arrested three decades after his crime spree began.
Gao Chengyong, 52, confessed to 11 murders in Gansu and the neighbouring region of Inner Mongolia between 1988 and 2002, the ministry of public security said.
He was detained at the grocery store he runs with his wife in Baiyin, in the northwest province where his alleged crimes took place.
Gao is accused of having targeted young women wearing red and followed them home to rape and kill them.
He often cut their throat and mutilated their bodies. His youngest victim was eight years old.
Some victims also had their reproductive organs removed.
"The suspect has a sexual perversion and hates women,' police said in 2004, when they linked the crimes for the first time and offered a reward of 200,000 yuan ($30,000) for information leading to an arrest.
"He's reclusive and unsociable, but patient," they said at the time.
The original Jack the Ripper was a serial killer active in east London in the late Victorian era.
Continued below.
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He is widely believed to have murdered five women, mutilating several of them. Those killings have never been solved.
Gao was identified after a relative was put under house arrest in Baiyin over allegations of a minor crime and had his DNA collected and tested.
Police concluded the killer they had been hunting for 28 years was a relation, and Gao's DNA matched the murderer's.
There were no immediate explanations as to why the killings stopped in 2002.
Miscarriages of justice are not rare in China, where the use of force to extract confessions remains widespread.
In several high-profile cases in recent years, China has exonerated wrongfully executed or jailed convicts after others came forward to confess their crimes, or in some cases because the supposed murder victim was later found alive.
None of Monday's reports said whether anyone had previously been convicted in connection with Gao's alleged crimes.
- Daily Mail | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11701794&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/3d9a9e772a1c14ed4d12ffc236234895b536869aedcd0be324765c0fc15b6663.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T18:50:15 | null | 2016-08-26T09:17:51 | Out at dinner with family friends last week, I found myself drawn into a heated discussion. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11700972%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/ad0d72f6473c776f518493368fdea640b5d56db7_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Lizzie Marvelly: Child poverty in NZ | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Out at dinner with family friends last week, I found myself drawn into a heated discussion.
"Child poverty in New Zealand doesn't exist," my friend said, as I choked on my wine. "Really?" I asked warily. I should've known better. I was duly treated to a full shopping list of popular myths about poverty here.
The irony of discussing deprivation and hardship over a meal at an upmarket Ponsonby restaurant wasn't lost on me. It's a jarring experience having a conversation about how much money struggling parents allegedly spend on alcohol as the waiter tops up everyone's champagne flutes.
The distance between those denigrated for purportedly spending money on cheap booze and those celebrated for buying expensive wine is becoming ever wider.
My mother grew up in poverty in the 60s, but as she notes, at least in those days struggling families could afford housing, communities helped each other and the cheaper cost of living meant that you could get by on a low wage.
These days the reality for struggling families is markedly different, and it can sometimes seem as if the poverty blame game has become a macabre national sport.
British newspaper the Guardian recently published a scathing summation of our attitudes towards our children, calling child poverty in New Zealand our "most shameful secret".
We read stories about soaring child poverty statistics, but our righteous outrage is targeted towards the statisticians. We'd far rather get angry about the figure of 305,000 (the number of children living in families that earn less than 60 per cent of the median income), or 80,000 (the number of children living in severe hardship) believing that we're somehow being conned, than actually consider the idea that there may potentially be a number of Kiwi children who are suffering.
This week, however, a group of well-known New Zealanders took part in the #DearNewZealand campaign, a Variety-The Children's Charity initiative attempting to shift the conversation about struggling families from blame to brainstorming. Sir Graham Henry, Toni Street, Taika Waititi, and Stacey Morrison read out letters from children living in poverty. Guy Williams, Dominic Bowden, Simon Dallow, Heather du Plessis-Allan and a host of others shared their ideas about how we could address the problem together as a society.
Continued below.
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British newspaper the Guardian recently published a scathing summation of our attitudes towards our children, calling child poverty in New Zealand our "most shameful secret".
I came up with the idea for #DearNewZealand late last year, because I was sick of wasting my time and energy arguing about the existence of a problem I'd witnessed with my own eyes. Our kids are our most precious national asset and it's our responsibility as a community to come up with a way to ensure that they have a brighter future. It's also just common sense. What I find so baffling is that the things people love to gripe about - unemployment, drugs and alcohol abuse, ill health, and crime, among many others - could all be positively impacted by breaking the cycle of poverty.
We're supposed to be a rational bunch with a famous love of problem-solving, yet when it comes to child poverty we seem to have elected to sit around feeling disempowered.
And while we dither, our leaders make truly mind-boggling decisions. A new ministry is named the Ministry for Vulnerable Children, effectively stigmatising every child and family that ever needs to use it. Teachers and schools are delivered a kick in the teeth while a group of politicians consider outsourcing the responsibility for education to computers. Though it was likely intended as a "hip" acronym to keep up with the kids, COOL is really not the word I'd use.
Statistics measuring the number of children living in poverty - which, for the record, are gathered by reputable organisations like the Ministry of Social Development and the OECD - continue to move in the wrong direction. It doesn't have to be that way. Many of us have ideas about how to help kids, but in most cases, we've never been asked the question.
When we began asking "what would you do to solve child poverty?" the answers were thought-provoking. Urzila Carlson would implement a pay-it-forward scheme in supermarkets to help struggling families to pay for essential grocery items. Dominic Bowden would encourage people to look outward and give back to their communities. Verity Johnson would feed kids breakfast at school. Dita De Boni would focus on housing and a well-funded Plunket service.
Marianne Elliott would increase family incomes and access to education, housing and healthcare. Dr Fiona Te Momo would encourage people to share food with their neighbours, or to buy extra clothes in sales for kids going without. Professor Darrin Hodgetts would suggest companies implement a living wage.
Whether the solution is tiny or massive, we can all do our bit. As Rod Oram says, "If an infinite number of people can do that infinitesimal amount each ... that's how we could bring the country together and make sure there is no more childhood poverty."
So I put it to you. What would you do to solve child poverty?
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11700972&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/184dfd571196fc04893ddc0533153f31beb5f2808b81a8fd00cc730a7dca90bb.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T20:48:50 | null | 2016-08-28T19:25:42 | Britney Spears admits her Carpool Karaoke segment was awkward. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fentertainment%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1501119%26objectid%3D11701308%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/AP160827055357_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Britney Spears calls Carpool Karaoke 'so awkward' | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Britney Spears admits her Carpool Karaoke segment was "awkward".
The 34-year-old singer claims she wasn't comfortable with the song choices host James Corden made and she also found it strange to find herself singing along to her own tunes in a car while people wandered by.
Speaking on 103.5 KTU's Cubby & Carolina In The Morning, she said: "Well he controlled the whole thing, and sometimes I got onto him and said, 'I don't want to hear that song again'. They didn't show that part.
"[Hit Me Baby One More Time and Oops I Did It Again] Oh my God, and he kept playing them. He put a wig on for it. Yeah, I totally went along with it.
"It was a little awkward, like, driving by grocery stores. People walk by and there are like 18 cameras around us. This is just so awkward."
However, despite her reservations, Spears insisted she had fun.
She said: "Carpool Karaoke was really fun. The guy was just so incredibly sweet. I had no idea he has kids, he's a teddy bear. I was like, 'I just want to hug you right now.'"
And Spears even recreated her iconic Baby One More Time video, by donning her infamous school uniform as she belted out the hit.
Continued below.
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The Late Late Show host got involved too, opting for a similar outfit, complete with a blonde plaited wig.
"You know your song, Oops! ... I Did It Again?" asked Corden. "What's that about? What's it REALLY about?"
"I don't know," Spears demurely replied innocently. "I think it's just a song."
"Because every time I order at Domino's," said Corden, "I think, 'Oops! I did it again!'"
The Piece of Me hitmaker also revealed she is "done" with men and no longer believes in marriage.
Spears - who was married to Jason Alexander for less than three days in 2004 and was also married to dancer Kevin Federline - said: "I think I might not do the whole men thing anymore. I won't do the men thing, or get married, I'm just done with men.
"I might French kiss someone but I'm not going to marry anyone - I don't believe in marriage anymore."
- Bang! Showbiz | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11701308&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/0f6fd64e68c8ba9bbfa05fce17e8a500a15a5c344346cdc30318df11958194f2.json |
[
"Paul Little At Large",
"Paul Little Is A Herald On Sunday Columnist"
] | 2016-08-27T18:48:32 | null | 2016-08-27T07:00:06 | You just have to look at the try-hard sexy acronym to know something's up. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701105%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_A_200314NZHMMPARATA5_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Paul Little: Totally way too COOL for School | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | You just have to look at the try-hard sexy acronym to know something's up.
"Psst, kid - do you want to go to school? Or would you rather go to COOL?"
Minister of Education Hekia Parata must have finally got those drinks happening in the brewery, because she was allowed out again this week to shill for yet another revolution we didn't know we needed to have.
In this case to allow children to do all their learning online rather than via more traditional means.
Cool, or Communities of Online Learning, would more appropriately be labelled Ostensibly Helpful Communities Offering Mediocre Education Online Now.
How do we know whether to be worried about this? There's a simple test. Does the speaker refer to the status quo as something that will be allowed to hang around?
"They will not replace schools," said Parata. "They will supplement and complement them."
There's the phrase that tells you the fix is in.
It belongs up there with "there will always be a social welfare safety net for the less fortunate" and "the new labour laws will allow for more flexibility for workers".
Anyone wanting to set up a school will, of course, have to go through "a rigorous accreditation process".
Continued below.
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How rigorous? It's not clear, but probably as rigorous as the one Serco went through before it was allowed to take over our prisons.
Any attempt to promote this as a way to produce smarter kids is delusional. No learning is improved by isolation. Education has been a conversation since Socrates. And no parent would willingly choose to have their child isolated from their peers and sacrifice all the advantages that come from mixing with other children.
There is no more effective way to learn the under-the-surface skills we need to get through life - such as how to deal with conflict, meet people, make friends, co-operate, avoid people we dislike, survive peer pressure and get out of phys ed.
One effect of Cool would be to confirm the worst fears of doomsayers that devotion to their devices is killing interaction between people, particularly young people. But after all, "We already have kids on iPads now," noted Parata, temporarily forgetting to say "kids who can afford them are on iPads now".
Act's David Seymour said he was not opposed to children learning online from overseas companies. And he said that as if it was a good thing, ignoring that it would allow for teaching that had no relevance to or even knowledge of our traditions, culture and present-day conditions.
New Zealand First's Tracey Martin made a good point when she said attending school taught "a work ethic. So you get up in the morning, you go to school at a certain time ... you do a job and you work in a team."
A good point for the 1970s, that is, when you left school and got one of the many 9-5 jobs that were the norm. That sort of work is becoming increasingly rare.
However, there is a case to be made for more online individual learning, although it's not one Parata took the opportunity to expound.
With increased population density imminent in Auckland and elsewhere, existing schools won't be able to cope with the inevitable increase in student numbers.
In that respect, iPad learning would seem the way to go.
Unfortunately, not many children, especially those living in Auckland, will have a parent at home during the day. But that needn't be a problem. Groups of neighbourhood children and their iPads could be brought together during the day in communal spaces.
I know what you're going to say: large numbers of children together? Surely the perfect conditions for mischief and mayhem.
Again - the solution is simple. Employ an adult to supervise them and make sure they are focused on their learning. Perhaps the adult could even offer help with schoolwork from time to time.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701105&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/620184e75947fb41b7a9caa3feceb74a9222a04d4930592d72ae16d79a728a86.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T02:50:21 | null | 2016-08-30T02:51:55 | A community stoush over a whitebaiting hut on the Upokongaro Creek is threatening to boil over into vigilante action. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701884%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_300816WCSMwhitebaiting1_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Tensions at breaking point over whitebait spot | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Jordan Bond - Wanganui Chronicle
A community stoush over a whitebaiting hut on the Upokongaro Creek is threatening to boil over into vigilante action.
Bradie Alabaster said a local has threatened to burn down his hut after he failed to remove it following council orders.
Mr Alabaster built the 3 square metre hut on the bank earlier this year for shelter and equipment storage but without getting council consent.
A local resident complained about the structure to the council, which told Mr Alabaster to remove the hut or face legal action.
Mr Alabaster said the complaint is outrageous.
"It's not an eyesore. [The complainant] can't even see it unless she's right at the back of her property," he said. "She came down and said 'we're burning it down.'
"I'm going to fight for it. I will go to court for it if I need to. At the end of the day, that hut's staying there."
Mr Alabaster said he has plans to remove the hut at the end of the season.
However a local resident, who didn't wish to be named, said the hut had been built without any consent or consultation and had frustrated locals.
"I think it should come down. They didn't ask anyone if they could build it. It looks very permanent and they're building a deck around it. It's not meant to be there."
Continued below.
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The resident said other locals had expressed their disapproval of the hut and said Mr Alabaster had been rude to some of them.
Avoca Hotel owner Pat Tasker, whose pub is just up the road said: "I've got no problems with it."
Mr Alabaster said his family had been whitebaiting in the creek for five generations and he wanted to pass on the tradition to his six-year-old daughter, Taylor.
"It's just about me and my daughter whitebaiting. It goes back generations. [The complainant] just doesn't understand."
Mr Alabaster's friend Curtis Parker said: "We're just here to put a bit of kai on the table... harming nobody."
"At the end of the day it's for the next generation."
Whanganui District Council building control team leader Greg Hoobin said the hut is constructed on designated road reserve land and as such requires permission from the local authority for any activity.
"The structure may also require resource consent and building consent approval and does not meet the criteria for an exemption under Schedule 1 of the Building Act.
"Council officers have asked Mr Alabaster to remove the structure." | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701884&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/8bd823c62095f23fe8fa958440723e5a714e18afdc5662dc46d82be513d16266.json |
[
"Property Editor Of The Nz Herald"
] | 2016-08-30T08:49:53 | null | 2016-08-30T07:32:33 | Learning golf, appearing in Auckland house sale videos and with her arm around PM John Key at a black-tie function, Sarah Higgins was a dynamic high achiever who expressed joy in her - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701996%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_300816NZHSPLHIGGINS2_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Auckland politician and real estate agent Sarah Higgins' death 'devastating' | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Learning golf, appearing in Auckland house sale videos and with her arm around PM John Key at a black-tie function, Sarah Higgins was a dynamic high achiever who expressed joy in her accomplishments.
But the Auckland politician and real estate agent died suddenly at the weekend, shocking fellow politicians who knew her.
Higgins, a real estate agent for Barfoot & Thompson and member of the Franklin Local Board, was 24.
Andy Baker, board chairman, said her death was a shock.
"She was the youngest member ever elected to this board and probably one of the youngest to be elected in the whole Franklin area over many decades," Baker said.
"It's left the local board absolutely devastated at her loss. This is a loss not only for the board but for the community. It's such a tragic waste of a wonderful young life with so much to offer. Our thoughts are with her friends and family," Baker said.
Higgins was on the board for a three-year term and was in her early 20s when she was elected, Baker said.
She was not standing again for the board in this October local body elections, he said, adding her funeral was planned to be in Dargaville on Thursday, although that was yet to be confirmed.
Continued below.
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Joseph Bergin, Devonport Takapuna Local Board chairman, also paid tribute.
"It's extraordinarily tragic to hear of the passing of a friend and colleague. Sarah Higgins was an absolute breath of fresh air for local government in Auckland and had the drive and focus to achieve so much more that lay ahead of her," Bergin said.
On social media, Higgins posted her photo with Key before a glittery backdrop.
"It was such a great night catching up with everyone and hanging out with friends. Loved it!" Higgins wrote, wearing a black outfit, her right arm draped around Key's shoulder.
She told of learning golf and also appearing in videos marketing Barfoot houses for sale in Papakura and Karaka.
Higgins' profile on the Barfoot & Thompson website said: "Combining the work ethic of her rural farm upbringing and with the skilled diplomacy required from a successful politician, Sarah is professional, hardworking and dedicated to achieving the very best results for her clients.
"Sarah made headlines in 2013 becoming New Zealand's youngest female politician. She continues to advocate for local communities with her seat on the Local Board and her involvement with local charity groups.
"Sarah is committed to making your next real estate transaction as smooth and stress free as possible by anticipating issues before they become problems and doing all the hard work behind the scenes," the profile said.
Bergin, who is 24, said people did not appreciate how difficult roles like his and Higgins' could be.
"A lot of people forget about how much stress there is," Bergin said, adding that he had helped her initially in a mentoring role.
Higgins' Facebook page has been updated, saying it is now "remembering Sarah Higgins".
Where to get help:
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youthline: 0800 376 633
• Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
• Samaritans 0800 726 666
• If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701996&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/c0d9e8bed367056057a9f525494c946835ae637f51ebc6e9809d43f8de554f64.json |
[
"Justin Marshall Is A Former All Blacks Halfback",
"Current Columnist For The New Zealand Herald"
] | 2016-08-28T18:48:48 | null | 2016-08-28T09:09:02 | A major discussion point to come out of these first two Bledisloe Cup tests for the All Blacks is the overwhelming gap New Zealand rugby has on the rest of the world. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701277%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_20160827_189_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Justin Marshall: Other sides still have lot of catch-up work to do | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Justin Marshall is a former All Blacks halfback and current columnist for the New Zealand Herald
A major discussion point to come out of these first two Bledisloe Cup tests for the All Blacks is the overwhelming gap New Zealand rugby has on the rest of the world.
At this point, if you make your way around supporters and people involved in the game, as I did after the Wellington test on Saturday night and to a lesser extent in Sydney a week earlier, the only team mooted as having a possible chance of competing with the All Blacks at the moment is England.
In my mind that's a little ill-founded when you see what the All Blacks have done to Australia.
That was a great achievement by the English in winning three tests in Australia in June but they didn't thrash the Wallabies like the All Blacks have done recently.
Read into that what you want, but I don't think they have bridged the gap as much as England supporters think.
People older than me might have a different view but I can't think of a better time for the game here following back-to-back World Cup victories and a record in home tests of 42 victories in a row. It's about as healthy as it has ever been.
The depth is incredible, too. Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the fourth-ranked second-five in the country behind Sonny Bill Williams, Charlie Ngatai and Ryan Crotty, yet the 21-year-old did a brilliant job on debut and looked perfectly at home.
Another thing I am getting from supporters of the game here is the lack of a genuine contest, and that's certainly not a criticism of the All Blacks, who are playing brilliant and entertaining rugby.
It's just that the opposition isn't good enough, and I question whether that is good for the game.
Continued below.
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Wales had their moments in June, but haven't beaten New Zealand since 1953. Australia were well beaten and South Africa are struggling. Both nations were way behind the Kiwi Super Rugby teams and both are battling to retain their best talent, with the Aussies forced to bring in their innovation of welcoming back eligible players from overseas.
And Argentina have never beaten the All Blacks.
The All Blacks are miles ahead of everyone else.
That's brilliant to an extent, but I like to see a decent contest - that's what keeps us engaged.
It's not good when the prevailing attitude after an All Black test is, "well, that wasn't much of a game, was it?"
The All Blacks are doing their bit, the problem is the rest of the world isn't catching up.
Australia have just received a couple of hidings and the other two semifinalists of the World Cup, the Pumas and the Springboks, could suffer the same fate over the next few weeks.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701277&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/d6b24d341a8f964df575d4bb5257b0839634b94e6445a3e9156516e287675b97.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:07:18 | null | 2016-08-26T01:14:42 | Former Australian winger Clyde Rathbone says the Wallabies are delusional if they think they can beat the All Blacks this weekend. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11700755%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_160820wallabiesvallblacks_6_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Former Aussie winger: Australia are delusional if they think they can win | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Former Australian winger Clyde Rathbone says the Wallabies are delusional if they think they can beat the All Blacks this weekend.
In a column written for Australian rugby's official website, Rathbone avoided any spin and wrote it as he saw it in tipping Australia's Bledisloe Cup heartache will continue in Wellington tomorrow night.
"From Muhammad Ali to Conor McGregor absolute self-confidence appears a prerequisite to every great sporting achievement. But for every Ali and McGregor there are countless athletes for whom blind faith in one's ability is a slippery slope to delusion," said the former South African-born Brumbies flyer who accumulated 26 caps for Australia.
"The Wallabies were confident going into the first Bledisloe. Since coming together four weeks ago they have sunk litres of sweat into training fields and chalked up endless kilometres pounding dreaded hill sprints in Sydney. In the interim they talked themselves into the much vaunted 'winning mindset'.
"Forty-two points later reality came crashing home in the form of a record loss to the All Blacks. The truth is pitiless, indifferent to all but the purity of its own self evidence. And the truth is that the All Blacks are a much better team than the Wallabies."
Rathbone said Australian rugby fans had to accept that reality and readjust their expectations as to "what should be considered a reasonable outcome in matches against the All Blacks".
"A simple way to think about this is to ask how many of our lot might reasonably be expected to appear in a combined ANZAC team. For mine it's hard to make a case beyond (David) Pocock and (Israel) Folau. That leaves thirteen positions (not including the bench) in which the men in black have us covered for quality."
Rathbone said the Wallabies need a dose of reality.
Continued below.
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"In the aftermath of Saturday's performance we're getting an insight into just how powerful this kind of thinking can be. Nobody within the Wallabies ranks has come out and spoken plainly about our chances. What I would give for the coach or player who when addressing the media let rip with this kind of unprecedented truth bomb," he wrote.
"Look, we're almost certainly not going to win on Saturday. The last time we won in New Zealand was back in 2001 and our home record against the All Blacks isn't great either.
They are one of the greatest sporting teams in History so we've got to play at our best and hope they have an off night if we're going to steal a win. That's the reality but we're up for the challenge"
"I think confirmation bias is part of the reason we almost never see this kind of honesty from athletes or coaches. When winners win we hear about their unwavering belief and confidence at the very moment they're atop the podium - the same moment the media absorbs and broadcasts every word they say. This has led to a glorification of self confidence. In truth it is possible to perform at the highest level without believing anything that isn't connected to evidence. In fact there is a rare kind of liberation that comes with accepting the truth warts and all.
"With the scoreboard the sole arbiter of success the Wallabies are likely to fail this Saturday. But they need concern themselves only with their ability to give everything they have to beat the odds. It is that simple." | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11700755&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/0b771ea4372285e41bd80115e585ad57c57bc771bf6317dd9f0f57cdc2192730.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T00:49:59 | null | 2016-08-29T22:20:03 | A young Thai couple who lost their life savings when their food caravan was stolen have found the vehicle thanks to the power of social media. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701737%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_290816NZHDSTRUCK4_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Young Massey couple's life savings returned | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Susan Strongman, Melissa Nightingale
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A young Thai couple who lost their life savings when their food caravan was stolen have found the vehicle thanks to "the power of social media".
The stolen caravan was spotted parked on West Coast Rd by a member of the public who contacted the couple after seeing a shared Facebook post about the theft.
Chanidsara 'Eve' Supra-At Taku, 30, and Gritsaru 'Ize' Janshinorat, 29, had started up the food truck business selling chicken and pork buns and dumplings five months ago, and said they invested about $25,000 into the caravan and equipment.
They hoped to save enough money to buy a home and start a family.
To set up the business, Eve had worked two jobs, six days a week. She spent her days in an office and her evenings waiting tables.
The caravan was swiped in the early hours of Sunday morning from a carpark, but the theft was caught on camera.
The pair have now been reunited with their vehicle when the member of the public spotted the caravan with a tarpaulin over it looking "unusual", Ize said.
The man drove along West Coast Rd most days but had not seen the caravan before.
He later logged onto Facebook and saw Ize's Facebook post about the theft, which had been shared by friends of friends.
Continued below.
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The man phoned Ize, who confirmed it was his caravan and they called the police.
Senior Sergeant Matt Laurenson of Waitemata Police said police executed a search warrant overnight and recovered the caravan.
"It's now back with its rightful owners who I understand are extremely thankful to have it returned," he said.
"We're really appreciative that their friend was so keenly observant and acted quickly by calling us. It's a great result for the owners."
Ize said the caravan has now been towed away, but he has not gotten into it yet because the locks have been changed, so is unsure whether his possessions are still inside.
"I haven't looked yet but I tried to use a flashlight to have a look inside," he said.
The inside was "quite messy".
He is waiting for police to fingerprint the caravan before he gets the locks changed.
Ize was relieved to have the caravan back nonetheless, and said he wanted to take the man who found it out to dinner.
"I'm kind of, you know, speechless. The power of social media, you know."
He wanted to thank everyone who helped in the search, including his friends and family, and the police.
"I got my caravan, what a great life now."
Mr Laurenson said police have forensically examined the caravan and "are following very positive lines of enquiry to identify the alleged offender".
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701737&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/c5a1518b21b0b05083b421c87acfef4101bd2885de6eb42556f349d8703d969b.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T20:47:49 | null | 2016-08-27T19:26:28 | Sonny Bill Williams has hammered Australia coach Michael Cheika on Twitter, following the All Blacks' second successive victory over the Wallabies last night in Wellington. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701140%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SBW321_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Sonny Bill Williams slams Wallabies coach Michael Cheika after All Blacks win | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Video will play in Play now Don't auto play
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Sonny Bill Williams has hammered Australia coach Michael Cheika on Twitter, following the All Blacks' second successive victory over the Wallabies last night in Wellington.
Williams, who is sidelined after tearing his Achilles tendon while playing for the All Black Sevens side at the Rio Olympics earlier this month, questioned Cheika's standing as the winner of the 2015 World Rugby coach of the year award.
Chieka 2015 coach of the year. Who were the judges? Please!! — Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) August 27, 2016
The tweet was 'liked' by more than a thousand people, and retweeted by over 400, although some suggested Williams should 'stay humble' and that he was 'better than that'.
Williams could face a stern talk from his New Zealand Rugby employers if the tweet contravenes their social media policy.
He did get a reply from fellow injured veteran and Australian back Matt Giteau:
@SonnyBWilliams I voted for him bro — Matt Giteau (@giteau_rugby) August 27, 2016
Earlier in the week, Williams caught up with All Blacks coach Steve Hansen to 'talk tactics'.
Continued below.
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Caught up with coach today talking tactics for tomorrow lol. Wish I was playing! Go well my @AllBlacks brothers pic.twitter.com/7VKFZiOAXN — Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) August 25, 2016
Meanwhile, Cheika said he was "bitterly disappointed" at the performance of referee Romain Poite in the Wallabies' loss, saying the match official ignored Australia captain Stephen Moore, an act he described as "blatant" and the continuation of a theme.
Cheika could be seen using what appeared to be foul language in the coaches' box following a late decision by Poite at Westpac Stadium tonight, and he didn't hold back when asked about the referee afterwards.
"Well, I was bitterly disappointed, to be honest," Cheika said. "I'm on record with the referees' boss Alain Rolland about the treatment to our captain and our players, by Romain Poite, and also by Nigel Owens over this last year.
"I'm not quite sure why, but there was a time in the game [tonight] in a break in play when the national captain of Australia [Moore] was asking the referee, 'when might there be an opportunity for me to talk to you?' And he absolutely ignored him. He's got the whistle, I understand, but there's a place where the captain has an opportunity to speak to the referee.
"The referee may not like the captain personally, that might be his prerogative, but he has to afford him that opportunity if he is affording it to his opponents. I think that attitude followed right through. David Pocock was being called off by the [assistant] referee for an HIA [head injury assessment] and the referee wouldn't stop the game. The players almost went straight through the doctor, even though he was requested by the players to stop so the player could go off.
"I don't know if it's subconscious or not, but it's there and it's got to be dealt with because it can't be that the opponents can say everything to the referee. No one is saying anything bad to him but if they've got pre-determined attitudes towards our players... I asked Alain Rolland last week when I saw him in Sydney and he said, 'no, that's a surprise to me'. But it's pretty blatant to anyone listening to the 'refs' ears'."
Asked about the treatment given him by Poite, hooker Moore, who had blood running down his face from an accidental kick during the hard-fought test, said: "I think Cheik has pretty much said it all. I think It's probably better if I leave what Cheik has said there." | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701140&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/d38cbe81e8283cb74a501200e6a5cde6e6d1f0e613a36f2f6ba629bf97a05eb7.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T18:49:59 | null | 2016-08-29T10:16:33 | The way we look at the picket fence family life that underpins New Zealand's social policies does not match the reality of many young people's lives, new research shows. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701637%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_290816NZHDPHARRIS07_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Mum, dad and the kids? Not so much ... | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By John Gibb
The way we look at the "picket fence" family life that underpins New Zealand's social policies does not match the reality of many young people's lives, new research shows.
Only a quarter of teenagers in an internationally respected study were living with their biological parents at age 15.
The University of Otago research is based on life histories of 209 15-year-olds taken between 2007 and 2012 who are children of members of the Dunedin Study.
The research found many young people had complex and dynamic whanau/family arrangements. The researchers found that most of the teenagers had experienced multiple changes in household composition, and just 26 per cent were living with both their biological parents at 15.
Participants experienced up to eight changes in care arrangements by that age. Fewer than 7 per cent had lived their whole lives in households made up of only their mother, father and siblings.
More than half the children, 63 per cent, had been cared for by two parents at birth. But by age 15, 59 per cent were either in sole parent or some form of multiple-resident care, including shared arrangements between parents in different households.
Next Generation Study manager Judith Sligo believed that support for young people and their families would be improved if there was more awareness that "there's a big diversity in family arrangements". It was sometimes assumed that only "certain types of people" had these "dynamic family arrangements", but they were much more widespread, she said.
The level of complexity and change in family life shown by this research contrasted with the "simpler and more static view of household and care arrangements" that underpinned policy-making involving young people.
The Working for Families programme required the principal child carer to notify Work and Income New Zealand whenever they had a change in circumstances, she says.
Continued below.
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The Otago findings suggested this was was "unrealistic and likely to cause many children to be excluded from this policy". New Zealand's social policies should be developed and delivered with the child at the centre, acknowledging cultural context and the dynamic nature of young people's living and care arrangements, she said.
The research findings have been published in Kotuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences.
What does family mean?
Blended family - Sarah Harris, 25, Auckland
My family is confusing but great. My mum's been married twice, my dad thrice. In that mix I've got three older half-siblings, three older step-siblings and one little brother.
People usually paint divorce as failure, but 12 years after my parents separated I'm its biggest advocate.
Mum was 19 when she met dad who was 30 and already had three kids. Mum is quiet and artistic, dad is loud and dominating. They were married for 25 years. But by splitting up they found partners who are more like themselves and I've never seen them happier.
It's also opened up two new families for me to be a part of.
I really value getting among my step parents' families and joining in with their traditions and celebrations. I've often heard people saying they're staying together "for the kids" but my advice is - don't! Your children are better off to see what a successful relationship looks like, rather than a loveless one.
Nuclear family - Jessica Parulian, 25, Auckland
When you have a nuclear family your parents' lives are completely interwoven, says Jessica Parulian.
The 25-year-old's mum and dad met in high school when they were 17 and 16. Now, 38 years later, they have three daughters, share a business and are still very much in love, she said.
"It's always been very constant and very steady ... I hardly ever see them fight. They share all their responsibilities and their friends."
Parulian said her extended family shared the traditional structure. Their Christianity, Chinese culture and the fact they had all grown up together probably had something to do with it she said.
"In Christianity they don't enter into marriage as lightly. It's a sacred relationship."
Parulian loved being part of a family that was devoid of awkward dynamics. You never had to choose who you spent time with or worry about who comes on a family holiday, she said. "I just find it really comforting. It's nice having everyone around all the time. You just invite everyone to everything and you know it's not going to be weird."
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701637&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/ecd89bcd6ef9c655bb2a0a49c9de630677d76d1a6eb8cf9e4b690541e5fe0ecb.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T22:49:42 | null | 2016-08-29T21:17:17 | Here's the cast of characters: - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Flifestyle%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D6%26objectid%3D11701699%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/15raff_600_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Surgeons want to attempt first ever head transplant | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Here's the cast of characters:
Valery Spiridonov, 31: Russian tech geek who runs an educational software company from his home east of Moscow. Because he has Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, a genetic disorder that wastes muscles and motor neurons, he is physically capable of little beyond feeding himself, steering his wheelchair with a joystick, and typing. The disease is usually fatal, and doctors expected him to be dead by now.
Xiaoping Ren, 55: Chinese surgeon who, when he lived in the United States, was on the team that performed the first successful hand transplant. He practiced for it by switching pigs' forelegs, and he keeps in his office a bronzed pig ear that the transplant team sent him as a trophy.
Sergio Canavero, 51: Shaven-headed, flamboyant Italian neurosurgeon who compares himself to Dr. Frankenstein, mentions Nazi doctor Josef Mengele and has written not only dozens of respected scientific papers but also a guide to seducing women.
In 2013, he announced he wanted to try to transplant a human head.
You see where this is going, right? Canavero and Ren want to perform the world's first head transplant, and Spiridonov has volunteered.
Sam Kean's story about the project, published in the Atlantic magazine, is deeply weird. Canavero says the transplant could happen as early as 2017 and has a "90 percent plus" chance of success. If it does take place, it would require 80 surgeons and cost tens of millions of dollars.
Many scientists and ethicists have derided the project as "junk science" that raises false hopes. One says that if Spiridonov dies - a not-unlikely outcome - the doctors should be prosecuted for murder.
Kean weaves in history, science and entertaining detail: Doctors would color-code the severed muscles of Spiridonov and the brain-dead body donor, to make reattachment easier; the surgery would be done with a transparent diamond blade; the procedure probably would take place in China because it would not likely be approved in the United States or Europe.
And the story raises interesting questions: Even if Ren and Canavero can do the surgery, should they? If the donor body belonged to a pianist, would its muscle memory enable Spiridonov to play the piano? Who would the surviving patient be - Spiridonov or some kind of amalgam?
- Washington Post | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11701699&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/991f53d4293246a9c4d425455521c4d469beb20e11b3da4aeb587b2400214c0d.json |
[
"Property Editor Of The Nz Herald"
] | 2016-08-30T22:50:15 | null | 2016-08-30T21:54:14 | An apartment property management group has raised security, noise and property damage issues over the rise of international rental business Airbnb and claimed the potential for an - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11702123%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_081015NZHNRTREES5_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Airbnb could become 'unregulated nightmare' | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | An apartment property management group has raised security, noise and property damage issues over the rise of international rental business Airbnb and claimed the potential for an 'unregulated nightmare' without tougher rules.
But Airbnb has hit back, saying its system is built on trust and it has more than 16,000 New Zealand listings.
Joanne Barreto, Auckland-based Strata Community Association (NZ) president, called for more local regulations to govern Airbnb here because of the potential for issues to arise - and apartment owners and managers could be hardest hit.
"Complaints regarding noise, property damage and the flow on effects of high visitor traffic in residential complexes have long been on the radar of local property leaders, and they are calling for it to be addressed in law," Barreto said.
"The biggest day to day concern put forward by owners is the threat short term letting poses to building security. We are aware of instances where theft has sprung up from owners leaving swipe cards and keys in letterboxes for their Airbnb guests," Barreto said.
But Airbnb indicated it was well aware of the potential for issues but it had systems in place to ensure success.
"To help keep our community safe and trusted, we've published standards and expectations for all of our hosts and travellers. Airbnb also shares further information for hosts to consider, including how to work with landlords.
"Overwhelmingly, our hosts share only the home in which they live, earning a modest income.
Continued below.
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"Airbnb also offers host protection insurance, a liability insurance program that will provide up to $1 million worth of protection to Airbnb hosts for their listings. If a guest is accidentally injured anywhere in a host's building or property during a stay, the host protection insurance programme provides coverage for Airbnb hosts and, where applicable, their landlords. Hosts won't need to take any action to be covered under these policies - they are automatic for every stay at a listing," the business said.
Baretto said the Government needed to look at Airbnb.
"In the absence of laws for its use, local industry leaders are concerned that Airbnb will become an unregulated nightmare for strata owners to deal with," she said.
"Strata property owners are the single biggest stakeholder group for Airbnb's use and the peak body for this group is adamant their priorities for regulatory action need to be heard," Baretto said.
"Decision makers in Government must be committed to hearing the challenges short term letting poses for strata communities, before law reform glosses over the point entirely. Property is the biggest asset you will ever have, period and we are very strong on the point that the assets of strata property owners must be protected by firm, fair regulations," Baretto said.
Britain's The Independent reported last month that Berlin banned tourists from renting entire apartments through Airbnb and its competitors, in an attempt to protect the supply of affordable housing.
The New York Post has reported how most Airbnb listings violate the state's short-term leasing law.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11702123&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/bd1217d85010f9f1f4479e965ab280e0be23131bdcbc9b96e65b526c8f3ec7d8.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T10:48:59 | null | 2016-08-29T07:30:54 | Despite the camouflage, the height difference was hard to miss when Steven Adams met John Key. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701615%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/14079878_10154405304875429_5236169821595259479_n_1024x768.jpg | en | null | John Key meets ballers but dwarfed by Steven Adams | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Amelia Wade
Despite the camouflage, the height difference was hard to miss when Steven Adams met John Key.
Standing at 2.13m tall, the NBA star and his Oklahoma City Thunder teammates towered over the Prime Minister at a meeting this afternoon.
In pictures posted on Facebook, Key holds up one of the basketballer's singlets with autographs from the Kiwi and his teammates Nick Collison and Andre Roberson.
In other shots, the pair hongi and Adams tips his camouflage cap to the camera.
Adams, 23, is back in New Zealand during the NBA off-season to conduct camps with Kiwi kids around the country to show them that basketball can provide both purpose and a pathway.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701615&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/72f2e028ba15fa89c9e89608f746376fc3a377e21c1f4bf1da6f6822b8ae3291.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T04:50:20 | null | 2016-08-30T23:51:11 | Apple is the latest major multinational to find itself in the cross-hairs of the EU commission. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11702207%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/applestarbucks_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Who's next in the firing line? Google, Amazon and Starbucks | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By James Tapsfield
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Apple is the latest major multinational to find itself in the cross-hairs of the EU commission.
And the massive $20 billion tax bill levied on the tech giant could set the scene for a titanic battle.
The Commission's three-year investigation into Apple's sweetheart deal with Ireland found it amounted to illegal state aid.
A damning report revealed the firm paid as little as 0.005 per cent tax by funnelling its non-US profits through a 'so-called headquarters' in Ireland with no staff or premises.
READ MORE:
• Why Ireland doesn't want Apple's back tax billions
• Apple's Cook fires back in open letter on tax bill
The EU's giant tax bill will not be difficult for the company to pay because it has amassed a huge $216b offshore cash fund and last year made $63b - the biggest profit in corporate history.
But Apple will appeal and the tech giant's CEO Tim Cook, who previously called the probe 'political c**p', is threatening EU job losses if they don't back down. The Irish government has also attacked the ruling as 'bizarre'.
The US Treasury has warned the EU not to pursue American companies over tax avoidance saying there is a 'disturbing' pattern of singling out US companies.
Google, Amazon, Facebook, Yahoo, Microsoft, Twitter and eBay also have corporate facilities in Ireland - where attractions include minimal regulation and low corporate tax rates - which could come under renewed scrutiny.
The EU commission has already ruled that a tax deal for Starbucks in the Netherlands was unlawful. The company has been fined around $46 million, although again it is appealing.
Meanwhile, competition regulators are probing deals awarded by Luxembourg to both McDonald's and Amazon.
German economy minister Sigmar Gabriel was today said to have suggested Google's tax structures should also be examined closely.
- Daily Mail | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11702207&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/e174faf314f434483550038698d6d27143ee886f994e5a820e47f95d2749f4b2.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:05:35 | null | 2016-08-26T05:32:35 | More than $100,000 of stolen goods have been recovered. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11700900%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_HBT16377810_1024x768.jpg | en | null | $100,000-plus in stolen goods recovered | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By - Hawkes Bay Today
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More than $100,000 of stolen goods have been recovered.
Police found a large amount of stolen property which had been taken in burglaries across the wider Hawke's Bay area following a search warrant at an address in Ngatarawa Road, Hastings yesterday.
It consists of large numbers of construction building materials, tradespeople's tools and trailers, all valued in excess of $100,000.
Police have been able to reunite some goods engraved with names to their owners.
Investigators are now trying to return items to their owners. Police estimate there were about 40 victims.
Items currently being held by Police include a brand new kitchen, circular saws, nail guns, timber, a set of windows, bags of plaster, scaffolding, electrical wires, and dive tanks.
The property was recovered from a house, sheds and a shipping container at a single site.
The investigation started when an officer spotted a suspicious amount of property.
A team effort from a number of staff resulted in the discovery and the recovery of the construction materials and tools.
A man has been charged in relation to some of the stolen the property and is due to appear in the Hastings District Court next week. It is likely he will face a number of charges.
People with any enquiries relating to the recovered property can contact the Hawke's Bay Tactical Crime Unit on 06 873 0561. | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11700900&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/eb20feccdc74bb6bd59cc2fa69836c8b1f3f91573ce81ebc0b05a345cb34b5a5.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T06:48:10 | null | 2016-02-02T00:09:32 | • This is one of NZH Lifestyle's top stories of the year to date. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Flifestyle%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D6%26objectid%3D11583436%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/20166/GettyImages-580508047_1024x768.jpg | en | null | 10 cancer symptoms you could be missing | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | • This is one of NZH Lifestyle's top stories of the year to date.
Most of us think we know the telltale signs of cancer: a lump in the breast, unexplainable tiredness, sudden weight loss... but experts are pointing to lesser known symptoms to watch out for that may lead to earlier detection of the disease.
Professor of medical oncology at Southampton University and lead clinician for Cancer Research UK, Peter Johnson says many early signals are "vague and non-specific".
"It's these that people need to be aware of and report to their doctors. But we're not good at paying attention to our own bodies, to what's normal for us, so we ignore minor symptoms which occasionally can be caused by early cancer," he told the Telegraph.
Clinical oncologist Dr David Bloomfield says in most cases catching the disease in its early stages ensures a cure.
He says it's important to not only be aware of the symptoms noted below, but if something else appears unusual and doesn't go away in a couple of weeks, get it checked out.
Here are 10 symptoms to note that could lead to early cancer detection:
A hoarse or croaky voice
This can be a common component of a cold, but if it persists it should be checked out. The symptom can indicate "an early, curable head or neck cancer such as one of the vocal cords," says Dr Bloomfield.
Continued below.
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Heavy night sweats
While the summer heat or the onset of menopause in women could more than likely be the cause of night sweats, it's a symptom that could also be a sign of lymphoma.
Dr Shankara Paneesha, consultant haematologist in Birmingham, told the Telegraph: "People with lymphoma have high metabolisms because lymphoma cells use a lot of energy, so they get severe, drenching night sweats where they need to change their pyjamas and sometimes the bedding."
Persistent heartburn
For many, heartburn is a common issue following a particularly spicy or fatty meal. But if your heartburn lasts more than two to three weeks and requires regular antacid medication it could signal stomach or oesophageal cancer.
Occasionally it can be linked to ovarian or pancreatic cancer.
Middle back pain
For the vast majority, back pain is due to a musculoskeletal issue. But for some it can be a symptom of pancreatic cancer.
Pippa Corrie, consultant and associate lecturer in medical oncology at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust says there is a particular sign to note:
"The classic symptom is pain in the upper abdomen that spreads out across the back," she says.
Situated at the back of the abdomen, as the pancreas grows, it begins to invade nerves which signal back pain.
"While most musculoskeletal back pain will occur in the lower back, that associated with pancreatic cancer is about a hand's breadth above that and may also come with other symptoms, such as people being off their food, tiredness and weight loss."
Post-menopausal bleeding
This can be a sign of endometrial cancer. Dr Bloomfield says any kind of post-menopausal bleeding should be checked with your GP.
Endometrial cancer is also associated with being overweight.
Trouble urinating
As men age, the prostate gland grows. This can increase the need to urinate, especially at night.
Difficulty passing urine or needing to go more frequently could indicate prostate cancer.
Finding it hard to swallow
Trouble swallowing can be an indication of a stroke but occasionally it can be an early symptom of a head and neck cancer such as of the vocal cords, oesophagus, mouth or tongue.
Most commonly found in those who smoke and drink regularly, other symptoms can include pain at the back of the mouth.
Changes in stools
Blood in faeces is a commonly known indication of bowel cancer. But it's also important to note any sudden changes in colour, frequency and pain.
In rare cases it can also be an indicator of ovarian or pancreatic cancer.
A persistent sore
Changes to moles including itching and bleeding are commonly known as symptoms of skin cancer. Other symptoms include small lumps on the skin that continue to grow, and some cases produce an ulcer that won't heal.
Mouth ulcers
The majority of mouth ulcers are from a viral infection, will clear up in three to four days and are notably painful.
An ulcer in the mouth or on the tongue which lasts for three to four weeks and may or may not be painful could indicate cancer.
Also look for white marks on the tongue or thick, white patches. These need to be checked by your GP as they indicate changes to the mouth's lining which could lead to cancer.
- nzherald.co.nz | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11583436&ref=rss | en | 2016-02-02T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/a113a0a850c3db1d61de437762dc1ecc6716e97a98cda1fe6e5d9902a57f13e2.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T20:49:36 | null | 2016-08-29T04:00:56 | The battle over the notorious Roseneath fence which blocked a million-dollar view is back in court. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701555%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_011015NZHMMFENCE4_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Roseneath fence saga back in court | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | The battle over the notorious Roseneath fence which blocked a million-dollar view is back in court.
Peter and Sylvia Aitchison took legal action when their neighbour, David Walmsley, built a four-metre wooden fence blocking the couple's sea views in their Maida Vale Rd home.
Earlier this year, the Environment Court ordered the controversial fence to be removed and the couple were later awarded $72,500.
In a published decision at the time, the Environment Court found the fence was "dominant and overbearing".
Judge Brian Dwyer said the Aitchisons were "put to unnecessary expense" due to the fence.
" . . . the Court found the nature of the adverse effects to be extreme and concurred with the observation of the Aitchisons' planning witness that they were 'grossly offensive'."
While the fence is now gone, the legal wall continues.
The Wellington City Council said it was appealing the court's decision because it had city wide implications.
The council's lawyer says he wants to make it very clear this was not a challenge to the unacceptability of what was built in front of the Aitchison's home, the council had always been of the opinion that was unacceptable.
Mr Aitchison previously told the Herald his Maida Vale Rd home was devalued by a minimum of $900,000 when the fence was built.
He said the fence battle had gone on for 20 years, its roots in a strange old struggle between a neighbour and a long-gone property developer.
"The poles went up in March. He actually put [in] these poles, like a hundred poles, and they sat for about a month," Mr Aitchison said.
"And then all of a sudden, three guys arrived. It went up over about 10 days I guess.
"The structure was a kids' fort, and Wellington City Council gave it the thumbs-up."
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701555&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/7739e59b2744112332fc32f197a69e24c95adf72d2ad0c363d64ccaddeaecceb.json |
[
"Property Editor Of The Nz Herald"
] | 2016-08-29T00:48:45 | null | 2016-08-28T23:12:40 | One of New Zealand's biggest supermarket chains is planning to spend $500 million on a big expansion plan, opening about three to four new shops every year for the next few years. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11701402%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201631/SCCZEN_A_JS090115NADCDOWN019_1024x761.jpg | en | null | Countdown in $500m expansion drive as food prices fall | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | One of New Zealand's biggest supermarket chains is planning to spend $500 million on a big expansion plan, opening about three to four new shops every year for the next few years.
Dave Chambers, chief executive of the 184-store Countdown business owned by Australia's Woolworths, told about 500 people this morning in Auckland of ambitious plans.
But also he also noted how food prices were dropping.
"Last year, we opened eight new Countdown stores, two replacement stores and four new franchise stores. Over the coming three years we expect to open three to four new stores per year. We will also be accelerating our refurbishments of existing stores. Our total investment in New Zealand is planned to be around $500 million over the next few years and with a goal firmly in place to continue to grow our store numbers throughout New Zealand," Chambers told supermarket suppliers, gathered this morning at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau.
Chambers acknowledged a recent announcement saying six Countdowns would close.
"In New Zealand, I have undertaken our own review since returning and we identified six supermarkets that could be closed before the end of their lease terms. We had already planned to close one store this financial year, Rangiora Central, and that's because there's a brand new store around the corner, Rangiora East. With the other stores, we will work through the various commercial discussions that need to take place, and make announcements when we have more certainty," Chambers said.
Countdown is second only to the co-operative locally-owned Foodstuffs, whose brands include Pak'nSave, New World, Liquorland, Gilmours and Four Square.
Foodstuffs is also expanding fast and a new Pak'nSave is about to be opened in Tauranga but a string of store refurbishments are now under way. Foodstuffs is also about to launch a new on-line offering, although Chambers noted how Countdown had offered this for many years.
Continued below.
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He also told suppliers how food prices were dropping.
"Countdown Supermarkets food prices showed deflation of 0.3 per cent, with lower prices across most categories," Chambers said of the 2016 financial year.
"Countdown tracks the prices of a basket of 100 of the most commonly purchased items in our supermarkets. Every month we report this to the market, and this basket continues to come down.
"As at July, the price of this basket was 1.9 per cent cheaper than a year ago and 3 per cent cheaper than the year before that. And it's not just us observing this effect. Statistics New Zealand reported a 1.3 per cent decrease in total food prices for the year to July, with grocery food down by even more than this," Chambers said.
Statistics NZ said that last year, fresh milk prices dropped 14 per cent, and breads and cereals dropped in price. Meat, poultry, and fish decreased 3.8 per cent and chicken prices were at their lowest level since January 2008, it said.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11701402&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/12cd39fab50d70cdd87b1160619de2f5ffcb616f269c239a912693c476cd7be1.json |
[
"Rob Kidd Is A Nzme. News Service Court Reporter Based In Auckland."
] | 2016-08-30T04:49:42 | null | 2016-08-30T03:15:28 | An account manager who embezzled more than $400,000 from the school where she worked, splashed out on flash clothes and overseas trips. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701907%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_310107NZHMSLYNFIELD1_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Lynfield College accounts manager admits embezzling more than $400k | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | An account manager who embezzled more than $400,000 from the school where she worked, splashed out on flash clothes and overseas trips.
Rhonda Merle Crabb, 64, spent almost 20 years at Lynfield College where she gained the trust of her fellow staff members.
But they had no idea that for the past seven years of her tenure she was pocketing vast sums of cash which she was supposed to be banking.
At Auckland District Court this morning Crabb pleaded guilty to a charge of theft.
She "got a buzz" from the stealing, she admitted, which helped ease her depression.
Court documents released to the Herald note Crabb spent the money on clothing, overseas jaunts and "other personal items".
The scam was only discovered last year when an administrator at the school found $2354 missing from school accounts and referred the matter to the associate principal.
Crabb was questioned about the money a week later and scrambled to cover her tracks.
She claimed the cash was wedged between two folders on her desk but could only come up with less than half of the missing funds.
With suspicions raised, the school investigated banking over the previous six months and found nearly $20,000 missing.
Continued below.
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"When it was first raised with me I thought 'there'll be a logical explanation for this'," Prinicpal Steve Bovaird told the Herald.
"There was never at any stage any inkling anything was going on."
Bovaird said for many of Crabb's colleagues, the reality had been difficult for them to comprehend.
"We were betrayed," he said. "This was a person we trusted."
"Some of those people thought they had a good relationship with her. For almost 20 years they'd have had morning tea and lunch with her and all of a sudden this happens."
Once Crabb realised the game was up, she simply stopped going to work.
Lynfield College, with the backing of the Ministry of Education, employed a forensic accountant to painstakingly trawl through the school's historical finances.
It was discovered that in just over eight years Crabb had swindled $419,579.
All the money had been in cash and according to court documents had come from adult English-language-learner fees, general purpose donations, shop fees and other sources.
It was that that had allowed the fraud to continue for so long, the principal said.
"Because this was cash the school never knew it had it in the first place, all the decisions we were making around budgeting, we never knew that existed. We made really good financial decisions that meant despite what was going on, we are actually in a healthy financial position," Bovaird said.
Defence lawyer David Hoskin today accepted there was a "strong likelihood of imprisonment" for his client but said he would be seeking sentence discounts for her early guilty plea and remorse.
He successfully applied for Crabb's bail - unopposed by police - so that she could complete the sale of a property, the funds from which would go towards reparation for the school.
The court also heard there had been a psychiatrist's report commissioned to explore any links between the defendant's depression and her offending.
Bovaird would not be drawn on what he believed was the appropriate punishment.
"The important thing for us is that she is not able to work in another school because of the conviction," he said.
Crabb will be sentenced in November, almost a year to the day from when the theft was discovered.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701907&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/1532023f6244e491ecdb8d14ee23b905f8e38d572e92d17d208591abae3b295e.json |
[
"Aviation",
"Tourism",
"Energy Writer For The Business Herald"
] | 2016-08-29T04:49:05 | null | 2016-08-29T00:22:58 | Auckland Airport is making a killing out of car parking as more people fly through the gateway. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11701442%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_0209NZHMSPARKING1_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Airport makes a killing out of parking | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Auckland Airport is making a killing out of car parking as more people fly through the gateway.
Car parking revenue was up $5.5 million to $52.1m, an increase of nearly 12 per cent for the year to June 30.
''We continued to improve the range of online offers to attract customers across the product range. Valet and Park&Ride services led car parking growth for the 2016 financial year," the company said.
''As a result of higher utilisation and a small decrease in available car parks, including 50 spaces converted to the new free Wait Zone parking area, the average revenue per space increased by 11.6 per cent.
This reversed the 5.4 per cent fall in the previous financial year that arose from 1200 new spaces becoming available in that year.
During the next two years the airport is adding another 1500 spaces, mainly in Park&Ride.
The company's total revenue was $573.9 million in the 2016 financial year, an increase of $65.4 million or 12.9 per cent on the previous financial year.
Retail income rose to $157.5m from $132m, a rise of nearly 20 per cent.
Two new duty free operators and more speciality stores boosted retail performance.
Total passenger numbers are up by more than 9 per cent to 17.2 million, including nearly 600,000 transit passengers
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11701442&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/a54dff58869ffa4acca76cca8d0c3b51604fe8b4b503f71f535d83f27f2643df.json |
[
"Tess Nichol Is An Nzme. News Service Reporter."
] | 2016-08-29T18:49:55 | null | 2016-08-29T06:32:52 | A rugby league fan hit and killed by a train as he rushed across the train tracks to grab something from his car will leave a huge hole in the lives of the family and friends he - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701606%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_290816SPLLEMALU1_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Rugby league and Warriors fan killed rushing to attend game | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | A rugby league fan hit and killed by a train as he rushed across the train tracks to grab something from his car will leave a "huge hole" in the lives of the family and friends he loved dearly.
Auckland father-of-two Ronati Lemalu left a pre-game function at Mt Smart Stadium, where the Warriors were due to play at 4pm on Sunday, but he never made it back for the match.
Lemalu was hit around 3.45pm where Maurice Rd crosses Station Rd in Penrose and died at the scene.
Relative and close friend Tony Lafotanoa said he did not see the accident happen, but arrived on the scene about 10 minutes afterwards.
"Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ronati's wife and her sister walking down the road looking very distressed.
"She yelled out to me [and] I put two and two together."
Lafotanoa, who had known Lemalu for more than 12 years and worked closely with him as a rugby coach at the Waitakere City Rugby club for the last two, asked police to let him pray for his friend before they moved his body.
"They were fantastic because they allowed me to go on the tracks and go over to him. That's what his wife wanted me to do."
The seven police officers at the scene took their hats off as well, joining the family in prayer.
Lafotanoa remembered his friend as someone who would do anything for the people he cared about and in the community.
"He was a very passionate family man. He loved his wife and his sons. He was all about supporting his boys."
The rugby-mad coach, who had played overseas for a French club in his younger years, was an incredibly loyal friend who was hugely loved by his mates.
"He was a very happy guy, he always had a great smile, people loved being around him," Lafotanoa said.
"He had a huge heart for anyone and everyone that was in his life that needed his help."
Lemalu's wife, Liana Williams-Lemalu, was holding up, he said, "but it's obviously left a big hole in her heart and her life."
The couple had a very loving relationship and the whole family was sports mad.
"Ronati's background was mainly rugby but his sons were playing for the Te Atatu Roosters - rugby league."
Because of this, Lemalu was an ardent Warriors supporter and he made sure to take his sons to as many professional games as he could to help their development - a reflection of his love of the craft of coaching.
"He loved all sports but because his boys were playing league they followed the Warriors," Lafotanoa said.
The family had gathered on Sunday night at the hospital to say goodbye and Lafotanoa said he hoped they would be able to finalise funeral arrangements shortly.
A police spokeswoman said today police were investigating the incident on behalf of the Coroner.
Vodafone Warriors communications manager Richard Becht said the franchise was dealing with the incident privately and he had no further comment.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701606&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/db7c6862b873d8e31c0cd397f6650133dd59a08b4630acc88ef92fd2764fe639.json |
[
"Don Bradway",
"Above",
"Who Left California Five Years Ago",
"Settled With His Wife",
"Jonna",
"On Several Wooded Acres Of North Idaho"
] | 2016-08-28T06:48:06 | null | 2016-08-28T04:37:09 | Don and Jonna Bradway recently cashed out of the stock market and invested in gold and silver. They have stockpiled food and ammunition in the event of a total economic collapse or - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fworld%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D2%26objectid%3D11701238%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/survivalists-repeat-a9c60acc-6c91-11e6-8225-fbb8a6fc65bc_1024x768.jpg | en | null | The Big Read: A fortress against fear | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Kevin Sullivan
Don and Jonna Bradway recently cashed out of the stock market and invested in gold and silver. They have stockpiled food and ammunition in the event of a total economic collapse or some other calamity commonly known around here as "The End of the World As We Know It" or "SHTF" - the day something hits the fan.
The Bradways fled California, a state they said is run by "leftists and non-Constitutionalists and anti-freedom people," and settled on several wooded acres of north Idaho five years ago. They live among like-minded conservative neighbors, host Monday night Bible study around their fire pit, hike in the mountains and fish from their boat. They melt lead to make their own bullets for sport shooting and hunting - or to defend themselves against marauders in a world-ending cataclysm.
"I'm not paranoid, I'm really not," said Bradway, 68, a cheerful Army veteran with a bushy handlebar mustache who favors Hawaiian shirts. "But we're prepared. Anybody who knows us knows that Don and Jonna are prepared if and when it hits the fan."
The Bradways are among the vanguard moving to an area of the Pacific Northwest known as the American Redoubt, a term coined in 2011 by survivalist author and blogger James Wesley, Rawles (the comma is deliberate) to describe a settlement of the God-fearing in a lightly populated territory that includes Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the eastern parts of Washington and Oregon.
Those migrating to the Redoubt are some of the most motivated members of what is known as the prepper movement, which advocates readiness and self-reliance in man-made or natural disasters that could create instability for years. It's scenario-planning that is gaining adherents and becoming mainstream in what Redoubt preppers described as an era of fear and uncertainty.
I'm not paranoid, I'm really not. But we're prepared ... if and when it hits the fan. DON BRADWAY, 68, (above) who left California five years ago and settled with his wife, Jonna, on several wooded acres of north Idaho
Continued below.
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They are anxious about recent terrorist attacks from Paris to San Bernardino, California, to Orlando, Florida; pandemics such as Ebola in West Africa; potential nuclear attacks from increasingly provocative countries such as North Korea or Iran; and the growing political, economic and racial polarization in the United States that has deepened during the 2016 presidential election.
Nationally, dozens of online prepper suppliers report an increase in sales of items from water purifiers to hand-cranked radios to solar-powered washing machines. Harvest Right, a Utah company that invented a $3,000 portable freeze dryer to preserve food, has seen sales grow from about 80 a month two years ago to more than 900 a month now, said spokesman Stephanie Barlow.
Clyde Scott, owner of Rising S Bunkers, said pre-made, blast-proof underground steel bunkers are in big demand, including his most popular model, which sleeps six to eight people and sells for up to $150,000.
"Anybody with a peanut-sized brain," he said, can see that the U.S. economy is in perilous shape because of the national debt, the decline of American manufacturing and the size of the welfare rolls.
Some people worry about hurricanes, earthquakes or forest fires. Others fear a nuclear attack or solar flare that creates an electromagnetic pulse that knocks out the nation's electric grid and all computers, sending the country into darkness and chaos - perhaps forever.
"The list is long; the concerns are many," said Glenn Martin, who lives in north Idaho and runs Prepper Broadcasting Network, an online radio station. "Imagine a societal collapse and trying to buy a loaf of bread in Los Angeles or New York and stores are closed down."
Martin's programming emphasizes gardening, farming and how-to shows about sustainable living more than "doom and gloom," he said, and his audience has grown from 50,000 listeners a month two years ago to about 250,000 a month now.
Online interest in prepper and American Redoubt websites is increasing. Tools that measure online readership show that monthly search traffic to Rawles's survivalblog.com has doubled since 2011; an estimate from SimilarWeb, a Web analytics firm, shows that the site had about 862,000 total visits last month.
Rawles's guidebook, "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It," and his post-apocalyptic survival novel, "Patriots," have sold about 350,000 copies, according to Nielsen BookScan. They are among hundreds of available survivalist books.
In response to all the uncertainty, more and more preppers are not simply stocking up at home. They are moving their homes - to the Redoubt, a seldom-used term for stronghold or fortress.
It is impossible to know exactly how many people have come over the past few years, but newcomers, real estate agents, local officials and others said it was in the hundreds, or perhaps even a few thousand, across all five states.
Here, they live in a pristine place of abundant water and fertile soil, far from urban crime, free from most natural disasters and populated predominantly by conservative, mostly Christian people with a live-and-let-live ethos and local governments with a light regulatory touch and friendly gun laws.
The hearty and adventurous, or those seeking an escape from modernity's leading edge, have long made a new life for themselves in Idaho; Ernest Hemingway came here to live and to die.
The locals regard the newest transplants as benign if odd, several said in interviews.
"The mainstream folks kind of roll their eyes," said state Sen. Shawn Keough, a 20-year veteran Republican legislator who represents north Idaho.
Many drawn to the Redoubt are former police, firefighters and military. Most said they would vote for Donald Trump as the "lesser of two evils," and they said Hillary Clinton would make an already bloated and ineffective government even bigger.
"I don't want to be one of the guys waiting for help," said Patrick Devine, 54, a former paramedic in Los Angeles who moved two years ago at a friend's urging.
Devine said he had firsthand knowledge of chaos and government failure, earned from working numerous shootings and earthquakes, particularly in Haiti in 2010.
"I can't stop it. But I can prepare myself to the best of my ability for anything that does come and be helpful to other people," said Devine, who works at a local gun range and wears a 9mm pistol on his hip.
"I love this place," said Chris Walsh, as he buzzed low over sparkling Lake Coeur d'Alene in his mustard-colored Beechcraft Bonanza airplane.
A Detroit native, Walsh, 53, runs Revolutionary Realty, which specializes in selling real estate to those moving to the American Redoubt. He said he has sold hundreds of properties in the last five years.
He lives off the grid in a house high on a hill overlooking a lake, producing his own electricity from 100 solar panels. But he is also a few miles from restaurants and shopping in Coeur d'Alene, a popular tourist destination.
Walsh said most of the prepper properties he sells generally have key features: at least two sources of water, solar panels or another alternative energy source, ample secure storage space for a few years' worth of supplies, and a defensible location away from main roads and city centers.
Such amenities don't come cheap; the average property sells for between $250,000 and $550,000, he said, but some go for more than $2 million. Walsh said a basic solar array can cost around $15,000, while more elaborate systems can cost 10 times that.
Walsh said most of his clients regard moving to safer territory as a prudent step against a reasonable fear. But just as important, he said, they get to live a simpler life in a safe, beautiful place.
"What they are doing when they come here is relearning things that their great-great-great-grandfathers and mothers already knew," Walsh said. "What's going on here is a pioneering spirit."
Much of the Redoubt migration is motivated by fears that President Barack Obama - and his potential successor, Hillary Clinton - want to scrap the Second Amendment, as part of what transplants see as a dangerous and anti-constitutionalist movement toward government that is too intrusive and hostile to personal liberties.
"This is a bastion of freedom," said Todd Savage, 45, a retired Marine who moved to north Idaho from "the urban crime-scape" of San Francisco and opened American Redoubt Realty after meeting Rawles a few years ago.
"The bottom line is that our clients are tired of living around folks that have no moral values," Savage said. "They choose to flee tyranny and leave behind all the attributes of the big city that have turned them away."
Savage spoke as he drove his Chevrolet Suburban with an AR-15 rifle tucked next to the driver's seat, a handgun between the front seats, and body armor and more than 200 rounds of extra ammunition in the back - along with a chain saw to move fallen trees and two medical kits, just in case.
"You have GEICO; I have an AR-15," Savage said.
Trevor Treller, 44, who carries a small Smith & Wesson pistol on his hip, moved to north Idaho last year from Long Beach, California, and recently paid a little less than $400,000 for a defensible three-bedroom house on five wooded acres.
Treller, a sommelier at a local resort, said Obama was a key factor in his decision. He said the president has inflamed racial tensions in America, presided over a dangerous expansion of the national debt, been "hostile" to Second Amendment rights and failed to curtail the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran.
Treller said any one of those factors could lead to crippling chaos, so he and his wife have laid in food, weapons and ammunition and are installing an iron gate across their long gravel driveway.
"I think there's a very good chance that these things won't happen in my lifetime, but I also think there's a chance that they will," Treller said. "It's extreme collective hubris to think that we're exempt from everything that happened to every single society before us throughout history."
Treller said he settled on Coeur d'Alene after scouring city-data.com, a website where he looked for his ideal mix: conservative election results, low crime rates, solid incomes, low population density, affordable house prices - and few illegal immigrants, because he said they erode "American culture."
Utah is about 83 percent white, and its three northernmost counties are more than 90 percent white, according to Census Bureau data. Those interviewed in the American Redoubt insisted they are not trying to segregate themselves by race. And while the Aryan Nations white supremacist group was headquartered near Hayden Lake in the 1980s and 1990s, Rawles has described the Redoubt movement as "anti-racist" and said like-minded folks of all races are welcome.
Walsh, the real estate agent, said he saw far more racism in Detroit, where he was raised, than in north Idaho.
"Here, a black person, they're a novelty," Walsh said. "You'll see people walk up to black people here sometimes and just talk to them because they've never spoken to a black person before. In terms of them walking around [saying racist things], you never see it."
Treller's wife, Christina Treller, 38, a critical care nurse at a local hospital, said she initially resisted her husband's proposal to move to Idaho. Now she loves their new Victorian-style house in the woods, with its fresh well water and clean air, and fruit and nut trees that they recently planted.
Having lived through the 1992 riots after Los Angeles police were acquitted in the videotaped beating of Rodney King, she said she views society as more fragile than most people realize.
"I'm being wise," she said.
In north Idaho, the narrow panhandle that stretches to the Canadian border, many people on the streets of pretty towns such as Coeur d'Alene, Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry have never heard of the American Redoubt.
That's mainly because of the prepper ethos of privacy - most don't even tell their neighbors they have years' worth of food in a safe room.
Several locals did express unease about their new ammo-stockpiling neighbors.
"I don't have a problem with preppers, but it's the extremists people don't want around - the fringe, the radicals. That's the concern I hear from people," said Mike Peterson, a real estate agent in Bonners Ferry and retired Los Angeles firefighter and EMT.
Keough, the state senator, recently fought off a tough GOP primary challenge in which she was labeled a "progressive traitor" by Alex Barron, a blogger who calls himself the Bard of the American Redoubt.
"We're certainly not oblivious to the turmoil in the world and not oblivious to the huge challenges we have at the national level," Keough said. "But those who subscribe to the 'world is coming to an end' theory, people tend to shake their heads at those folks. They come across as paranoid."
State Rep. Heather Scott, a Republican who represents north Idaho, said the newcomers have adapted smoothly.
"I have met many people, especially recently, who have moved here after being inspired by the idea of the American Redoubt," she said. "I haven't heard any of them speak about the 'end of the world' but rather the appreciation for a simpler and safer life."
Scott said preparing for a natural or man-made disaster was "simply prudent," because, "Economic experts are consistently saying that global markets are at risk, and they are telling people to take precautions to weather through an economic crisis."
Don Bradway dug into a plate of homemade enchiladas in the kitchen of the cozy house he and Jonna bought for $259,000 in 2010.
What they have looks like an idyllic retirement experience: his and hers recliners in front of a big-screen TV, a "side-by-side" all-terrain vehicle in the barn, an art studio for retired nurse Jonna, a carpentry and machine shop for retired firefighter and EMT Don, and a sweet-natured dog named Moose.
Their 30-year-old son, who moved to Idaho with them, lives nearby.
Don, who's a member of the GOP Central Committee of Kootenai County, won't say exactly how much food and supplies they have on hand.
"There are some things you don't talk about," he said. "But the Bradway motto is that it's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it."
As Don sees it, you need look no further than the economic chaos in Venezuela, with its hungry people storming grocery stores, to see that a society-ending economic collapse could easily happen anywhere.
"We pray to God that it never happens," he said, finishing his refried beans.
But if it does, he said his "fellow thinkers" in the American Redoubt are prepared.
"They know they can depend on the Bradways to help them," he said.
- Washington Post | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11701238&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/1f845135d5da1f77d4e100130836ba65357937ca29667ec8fb672716adb1b42b.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T00:48:17 | null | 2016-08-27T23:15:37 | - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fentertainment%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1501119%26objectid%3D11701177%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/kaino_1024x768.jpg | en | null | All Black Jerome Kaino starts own fashion label | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | I used to look with wide eyes at the lolly cake in our local bakery. It would have been… | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11701177&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/87b6f11d8603fa5a6034cdfce277ac35f69119ec2ecaab2f36e4054b17147661.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T22:48:58 | null | 2016-08-28T21:28:07 | He is no stranger to a podium performance. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701349%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_578243320low_res_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Usain Bolt got party girls to flash their breasts at him and then made them stand on a 'podium' while he awarded them medals | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Patrick Lion
He is no stranger to a podium performance.
But Usain Bolt has reportedly held his own mock Olympic Games medal ceremony in a London hotel room for women who flashed their breasts at him and his friends, "awarding" them his treasured medals from the Rio de Janeiro games, the Daily Mail reported.
Alas, the nine-time Olympic gold medallist is said to have struck trouble during his cheeky makeshift ceremony when he was asked who came first and had only the golds from his 100m, 200m and relay wins this month.
Such was his dominance in Rio, his luggage did not contain any silver or bronze souvenirs when he took the golds out and laid them on a table, The Sun reported.
"It's all gold," he reportedly told the women after one asked who had won. "There are no losers."
It was unclear which girls participated in the fun and games.
Bolt had been photographed on Tuesday night heading out to Tape nightclub with a group of glamorous women.
He racked up a £6000 ($11,000) bar tab and was spotted grinding with British model Erica Carvalho, 20, who was invited back to his hotel with seven other women and Bolt's male friends as the party continued.
Continued below.
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He had left his hotel earlier with friend Tara Carroll, a restaurateur from Jamaica.
British high jumper Germaine Mason, who was born in Jamaica and won silver for Great Britain in Beijing, was also among those partying with Bolt.
Onlookers said that earlier that night, Bolt couldn't take his eyes off Carvalho, despite numerous women vying for his attention.
A source told The Sun: "Usain had been partying at Tape nightclub and was in a really cheeky mood.
"At first everyone was just goofing around but he started complimenting some of the ladies on their cleavage and encouraged two to flash him and a pal.
"Then he dished out his medals while music played from his iPhone. He was laughing a lot, pretending it was like Rio."
It was his second night in London after spending most of last week hitting the city's nightspots before having a night off on Thursday.
The mock ceremony occurred early Wednesday morning after a night of partying at London's Tape nightclub during his wild week of parting in London since departing Rio.
He partied on four out of five nights upon in London last week and also partied in Rio on the final day of the Olympics last Sunday.
- Daily Mail | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701349&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/d95048d69213025d30b7724631b3d588d5ba64eae657894179bd701c4b29f9be.json |
[
"Kurt Bayer Is A Herald Reporter Based In Christchurch"
] | 2016-08-29T02:48:48 | null | 2016-08-29T01:37:50 | A post-mortem examination to pinpoint exactly how a Czech tramper died on the Routeburn Track is being held today, as his partner who was trapped at a remote hut for a month after - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701482%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_260816NZHJAPRESSCONF11_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Czech tramper Pavlina Pizova free to go home after Routeburn Track tragedy | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | A post-mortem examination to pinpoint exactly how a Czech tramper died on the Routeburn Track is being held today, as his partner who was trapped at a remote hut for a month after his death tries to travel home.
Ondrej Petr, 27, died on about July 27 after he and partner Pavlina Pizova became disorientated in bad weather and fell down a 7m slope.
Pizova scrambled to his side only to witness his last breath.
She survived a harrowing month at an isolated Department of Conservation warden's hut at Lake Mackenzie before she was rescued last Wednesday.
Police told the Herald that a post-mortem examination on Petr's body, which was recovered by a land search and rescue team on Friday, is being conducted today.
Pizova, who used ashes to make an "H" help sign in the snow and fashioned snow shoes with sticks during the ordeal, went through an "extensive interview" with police last Thursday.
She is now free to travel back to the Czech Republic and be reunited with her distraught family, police confirmed today.
Pizova, in her 30s, has been recuperating at the Glenorchy home of Vladka Kennett, Consul for the Czech Republic.
Kennett said Pizova is "doing really well" but is desperate to get home.
"That's the main thing she is concentrating on at the moment," she said.
Continued below.
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"There's lots of communication going on between the family and her. She has lots of support back from the Czech Republic, lots of supportive emails.
"We are still waiting for more information from the coroner and ... availability on planes, it's very rushed."
Scene examinations at both the warden's hut where Pizova smashed her way in and existed on meagre supplies of food, firewood and gas for nearly a month, and the area where Petr slipped and died, have now been completed.
Police say extreme and severe conditions, including heavy snow and the risk of avalanche, along with her injuries - frostbite and possible hypothermia - prevented Pizova from walking to safety.
Although the Czech pair failed to tell people of their tramping plans, Pizova's tale of survival has been labelled "courageous" and "resilient". She has been praised by police and DoC for remaining at the hut, waiting to be rescued.
In an emotional statement to the public last week, Pizova thanked her rescuers.
Yesterday, Kennett said that Pizova plans to donate money to the New Zealand agencies - Land SAR and the Department of Conservation - that saved her life.
It is not the first time that Pizova has been touched by tragedy in the mountains.
"In a group of our friends there were several people who died in mountains or were seriously injured and they were really experienced mountaineers," Pizova's friend told Czech News Centre.
"We all knew that life is fragile but we [still] go to mountains."
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701482&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/f922d4905cde585fd6a1a6a08f7942b70d56848064c943bbf60e8fd91020431a.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:50:44 | null | 2016-08-31T04:51:18 | With very little separating the design of the world's most popular smartphones, there is something to be said about the simplicity and elegance of phones from days gone by. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11702369%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/samsungflip_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Samsung is taking us back to the 2000s with the Galaxy Folder 2 retro smartphone | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Matthew Dunn of news.com.au
With very little separating the design of the world's most popular smartphones, there is something to be said about the simplicity and elegance of phones from days gone by.
Sure, phones from the early 2000s didn't have the same capabilities of modern handsets, but they were highly durable and reliable for our needs at the time.
While Apple is working to take its devices further into the future by removing the headphone jack, Samsung is paying homage the glory days with a new flip phone.
Yes, you read that correctly, Samsung is working on a flip phone.
Promotional images leaked on Chinese website Weibo show the phone, which looks eerily like a gold-plated Motorola Razr.
What makes this interesting is despite looking like your phone from high school, it will be able to function similar to your modern day smartphone.
Dubbed the Galaxy Folder 2, the phone will reportedly have a 3.8-inch display, a Qualcomm processor with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of expandable storage.
Additionally, it is expected to come with an 8MP rear-facing camera and a 5MP front-facing camera. The operating system is expected to be Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.
While not having the best specs, the phone will be powerful enough to use social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.
Continued below.
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Even more promising is it's expected to retail for just $250, which would be nice for those that frequently lose or break their handsets - although if they are made like their predecessors, breaking it would be a pretty difficult task.
Unfortunately, the Korean manufacturer is yet to confirm if it will hit the New Zealand and Australian market anytime soon.
This isn't the first flip phone to make headlines in recent times for Samsung with another, codenamed Veyron, rumoured to be released next year.
Unlike the Galaxy Folder 2, Veyron will be more high-end - matching the performance of the Glaxay S7 and S7.
According to Android Community, the Veyron will have 4.2-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution display, 4GB RAM, 64GB of internal storage anda Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor.
It is also expected to have a 12MP rear-facing camera and a 5MP front-facing camera, which are the same specs seen with the current Samsung flagships.
It might seem strange for Samsung to be taking a step back into the past with flip phones, but people shouldn't underestimate our love of nostalgia.
- news.com.au | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11702369&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/af28b723e36398ee4367190c9f8e19eb9f23964b6b1598476c6b54ec20a7d456.json |
[
"Russell Blackstock Is A Senior Reporter At The Weekend Herald",
"Herald On Sunday."
] | 2016-08-27T18:48:15 | null | 2016-08-25T02:57:56 | The young Kiwi model who first shot to fame as our Rach in the 1980s is now an empty nester. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fentertainment%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1501119%26objectid%3D11700404%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_AP_69662731370_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Kiwi model Rachel Hunter is now an empty nester | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Russell Blackstock is a senior reporter at the Weekend Herald and Herald on Sunday.
The young Kiwi model who first shot to fame as "our Rach" in the 1980s is now an empty nester.
Life has certainly moved on for Rachel Hunter since the days when she was a fresh-faced 15-year-old advertising Tip Top's Trumpet icecream on TV.
The blonde beauty - who turns 46 next week - recently put her sprawling Hollywood home on the market for almost $7 million.
Her United States real estate agent told the Herald on Sunday it is because Renee and Liam, her kids from her marriage to rocker Rod Stewart, have flown the coop and the house is now too big.
"Liam is now in England playing hockey and Renee is living in New York, so Rachel just felt it was time to downsize a bit," Annie Challis, from Los Angeles real estate firm Compass, said. "Both the kids now have their own places and the house is too large for one person."
The "updated" five bedroom and five bathroom 1930s home is just above the Sunset Strip and famed Chateau Marmont.
It boasts 465sq m of living space on a 1115sq m "useable lot" with a secluded pool and spa.
Hunter bought the house in 2004 and neighbours include movie superstars such as Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire.
Continued below.
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"It is a gorgeous property and a few parties are very interested in it but Rachel is in no big rush to sell," Challis said. "One of the best features of the house is its privacy.
"It has high gates and can't be seen from the street by tour buses full of people trying to look at the homes of the rich and famous."
Challis revealed she has been friends with Hunter for many years. The real estate agent previously worked for Rod Stewart's management company and she was present the night the couple met in a Los Angeles nightclub.
Hunter and Stewart wed in 1990 but separated after nine years.
"Rod used to watch Rachel's exercise videos and he was very taken with her," Challis said. "When she came into the club that night Rod was thrilled and it wasn't long before they were together."
Hunter is busy working on a second series of her glamorous TV show Tour of Beauty.
- Herald on Sunday | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11700404&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/53defecaa6b28c81c19e50438c296b3972bc5bb2d6f0381d00a7b4bed84195f1.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:06:48 | null | 2016-08-26T03:52:42 | Eliza McCartney, the pole vault world at her feet, will soon be reaching for the stars. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11700863%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_592240230low_res_1024x768.jpg | en | null | The face of New Zealand's athletic future | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By David Leggat
Eliza McCartney, the pole vault world at her feet, will soon be reaching for the stars.
The world record stands at 5.06 metres, set by two-time Olympic champion Russian Yelena Isinbayeva in 2009 at Zurich. McCartney's personal best, which she matched in winning bronze at Rio last weekend, is 4.80m.
However her coach Jeremy McColl is adamant the 19-year-old from the North Shore has the world record in her.
"We've already talked about it. It is something she's capable of doing," McColl said.
"She's on a steep learning curve in terms of her development, but it's definitely down the pipeline."
The swirl of interest around the teenage jumper continues. The international Vaulter magazine has claimed that a video of one of her Rio jumps on their Instagram account has been viewed more than one million times.
"Wow!" it added.
McColl insists McCartney's Rio result hasn't adjusted their thinking about what the next few years hold. She was always targeting the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, before her rapid rate of progress demanded they shorten their focus to Rio, with a spectacular return.
"No it hasn't changed anything at all," McColl said. "We have a two-year and a four-year plan. I know what Eliza's potential is. She definitely has potential to jump over 5m in the next year or two."
That said, McColl believes women's pole vault is about to enter a fascinating stage.
Continued below.
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Gold medallist Ekaterini Stefanidi of Greece is 26, American silver medallist Sandi Morris is 24. Britain's Holly Bradshaw was fifth in Rio. She's 24, while world champion Yarisley Silva of Cuba is still only 29 and finished seventh.
"Women's pole vault is changing rapidly and I believe Eliza, with some of these top girls will start pushing potentially more than 5m in the future. Tokyo (in 2020) is going to be one heck of a competition with the quality coming through."
McCartney was one of a four-pronged Olympic medal haul for athletics in Rio, along with shot putters Val Adams (silver) and Tom Walsh (bronze) and ageless veteran Nick Willis (bronze) in the 1500m.
Athletics New Zealand are determined to make the most of the sudden rise in interest in athletics, in which McCartney shapes as the face of the future. There's no doubt there's a buzz about the sport right now.
"We are front of mind with New Zealanders. We're having calls from clubs saying 'how can we get more poles' because we've got kids signing up and wanting to do pole vault," ANZ chief executive Linda Hamersley said yesterday.
Later this year, athletics, along with all major sports, will meet High Performance Sport New Zealand to talk funding for the next four-year Olympic cycle. There are three tier one sports, cycling, rowing and sailing. Athletics feels it is well positioned to make that four.
"We are confident," Hamersley said of their prospects of a jump in financial support, which can come in a range of ways, from overarching support, to campaign and individual athlete funding.
"We're doing everything we have to do. We've talked about becoming a tier one sport for the last couple of years. Part of that is consistent multiple medals. Certainly we're presenting a good strong case to HPSNZ.
"Rio was not a blip on the radar, just proof we've got a really good, strong high performance programme in place." | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11700863&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/ddaa7a988b7f678c4a5deca3ed277194ef9a36c2043f68bd53fc92786fb101de.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T06:49:08 | null | 2016-08-29T02:52:25 | From today, police will attend every single burglary. Police Minister Judith Collins has announced the new directive that will target an increase in burglaries in the last year. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701517%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_090616GTYBUR186314622_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Police to attend all burglaries | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Morgan Tait
From today, police will attend every single burglary. Police Minister Judith Collins has announced the new directive that will target an increase in burglaries in the last year.
"This shows police are serious about tackling burglary and also sends a clear message to offenders," she said.
The move will see burglaries become a "priority offence".
Previously, the property crimes were considered a "volume crime" and not classed as needing immediate response.
"Given the nature of policing there will be occasions where they cannot attend a dwelling burglary for a range of reasons, including adhering to the wishes of the victim," said Collins.
"However, the Commissioner of Police has made his expectations clear. Police have assured me that they continue to make burglary a priority with ongoing work in every district to reduce this crime type while also focusing on increasing resolution rates."
In March, the Herald's Hitting Home series revealed that 164 burglaries went unsolved each day in the year to December 3 - a resolution rate of just 9.3 per cent.
Information supplied to the Herald under the Official Information Act showed the week after the series ran, police were "tasked to prioritise response to burglary".
Hitting Home used exclusive data to reveal that police logged 97,707 burglaries in the 18 months after a new recording system was introduced on July 1, 2014.
The number of burglaries under the new definition increased. After an average of 109 burglaries a day in 2013 and 106 in 2014, the figure for the 18 months to December 31 last year was 178.
At a territorial authority level, Auckland had 34,555 burglaries, followed by Christchurch and Hamilton, which had 8824 and 5232 respectively. Next were Rotorua, Whangarei, Hastings and Wellington.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701517&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/e2de52f481f43bf6ddbfce4935692e11ad30e85878bf50acac83a35847edc8ee.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T20:50:11 | null | 2016-08-30T03:53:48 | - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fviva-magazine%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D533%26objectid%3D11701938%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/elle-macpherson-body-nz_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Elle Macpherson: 'I'm so happy' | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Police say a man is "lucky to be alive" after someone threw a empty bottle of Jim Beam… | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/viva-magazine/news/article.cfm?c_id=533&objectid=11701938&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/2ddca5a6b926e166135ac9c06899012a033497dafd84fae37e7203dc83484d2a.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T08:47:29 | null | 2016-08-27T05:52:16 | Join us for a live blog of the All Blacks taking on the Wallabies in their Bledisloe Cup clash at Westpac Stadium. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701092%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/A_20816NZHBPALLBLACKS73_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Live updates: All Blacks strike first | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Niall Anderson
Join us for a live blog of the All Blacks taking on the Wallabies in their Bledisloe Cup clash at Westpac Stadium.
The All Blacks are expected to take home another victory tonight after their 42-8 thrashing of the Wallabies in Australia last week. The All Blacks have won their last 18 games in a row at home to the Wallabies; Australia have not crossed the Tasman and won since August 2001.
Timeline
Match stats
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701092&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/0b040e3c94ab419f5cd013dfb988f36583d9b6252951de524a44ecf9a11deaee.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T00:49:44 | null | 2016-08-29T21:27:06 | If you tuned into MTV's Video Music Awards on last night, you probably heard Drake profess his love for Rihanna. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fentertainment%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1501119%26objectid%3D11701707%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_AP160829163259_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Elahe Izadi: The faux-secret, always complicated history of Drake and Rihanna | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | If you tuned into MTV's Video Music Awards on last night, you probably heard Drake profess his love for Rihanna.
"She's someone I've been in love with since I was 22 years old," he said.
So they're together, right? Unclear! The relationship status between the two pop powerhouses has remained a bit of a mystery for years. They have appeared on each other's albums, they have crazy intense chemistry on-screen, and they've remained coy about the nature of their love. Perhaps Drake and Rihanna's relationship defies any kind of label, but it's enigmatic enough to keep the public guessing for a long time.
Here's a rundown:
When they met
"The first time I met Robyn Fenty, it was 2005. She was shooting a music video at a Restaurant called Avocado in Toronto. The song was Pon de Replay and the director of the video was Little X," Drake said at the VMAs on Sunday night, as he presented an award to the Barbados superstar.
"I was introduced to her as a kid who played background music at the restaurant as people ate their dinner. It's hard to believe that 11 years later all three of us would come together to create the visual for a song called Work.'
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Little X, now known as Director X, told Complex that Drake wasn't in Pon de Replay but that the rapper "grew up in Toronto and knew all those kids" who appeared as dancers in the video.
Continued below.
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When did they first *really* meet
In 2009, Chris Brown was charged for assaulting Rihanna, his then-girlfriend. Media attention on the singer's love life and her relationship status intensified, and it was about this time that Rihanna was reportedly spotted at Lucky Strike in Manhattan with Drake.
Here's an excerpt from the Page Six item that first fueled speculation about a budding romance between Drake and Rihanna: "'She was drinking whiskey and apple juice and making out with him all night,' says a spy. 'They were really cute together.' Rihanna, who's also been spending time in town with Katy Perry, peeled off with Drake at about midnight."
Drake's Fireworks
The Toronto rapper's debut album dropped in June 2010, but a couple of songs had leaked on the Internet weeks before. Fireworks was among them, and the song addresses his rendezvous with Rihanna and rumors that she felt he had used her for publicity.
Drake says he was a pawn ... and then not?
In 2009, Rihanna asked Drake to write her a song, which was never released, but the two began seeing each other regularly, according to the New York Times.
"I was a pawn," Drake told the Times in 2010 upon his debut album release. "You know what she was doing to me? She was doing exactly what I've done to so many women throughout my life, which is show them quality time, then disappear. ... I was like, wow, this feels terrible."
Weeks later, Drake tried to clarify what he had said, telling MTV News that "in no way was it negative."
"She's just such an overwhelming and incredible person," Drake said of Rihanna. "And such a talented person and someone that I was like, 'I can't believe I'm here talking to this individual,' that she just gave me that feeling like when I was 17 years old trying to take Nikki Ramos, this girl from Toronto, out on a date and she never wanted to go with me. She never would go; she would have a million excuses why she couldn't talk to me. That's how (Rihanna) made me feel, she made me feel small; she made me feel nervous."
They continued working with each other
Rihanna and Drake collaborated on many projects over the years, and many of those songs played at the possibility or love or something between them. That includes Rihanna's 2010 What's My Name.
Of the second portion of the video for Work, Swedish director Tim Erem told Entertainment Weekly that Drake and Rihanna "are just two friends that are really close to each other. Just put them in front of the camera and that's what they do. You start recording and the whole chemistry just changed. Everyone's asking, are they together or they this or are they that? No, they're friends. They're just amazing performers and they're really close to each other. So everything was natural."
This year, Rihanna is very single and very busy
During a February appearance on the The Ellen Degeneres Show, Rihanna was asked about her love life and Drake's involvement with it.
"I'm single right now," the singer told Degeneres, "and it's not that I'm like, 'Oh, pro-single, yes, I hate men!' I just think I have so much on my plate that I can't even find the time to entertain a steady relationship or anything serious. Or even a text."
Drake takes out a billboard for Rihanna
Days before Rihanna would receive the Video Vanguard award Monday, she posted a photo to her Instagram, showing a billboard that Drake had apparently bought out for her.
When he extra !!! A photo posted by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on Aug 26, 2016 at 3:43pm PDT
"Congratulations to Rihanna, from Drake and Everyone at Ovo," it read.
Rihanna's caption: "When he extra!!" with a trophy and heart emoji.
So buying out billboard space: Is that friend-zone behavior? Relationship behavior? Unreciprocated crush behavior? Let the intrigue continue.
The VMAs
Drake presented Rihanna with the Video Vanguard Award on Monday, showing up in a tuxedo after he was absent to receive his own award. Here is some of what he said:
"Captivating from Day 1, the iconic being that is Rihanna was already at a place where most artists only dream of going. For them, that's often the peak, but for her, that was the starting point, and she has kept ascending to an untouchable level ever since. When it comes to music, she relentlessly takes over the charts with every release. When it comes to performance, they swarm in masses just to be in her presence ... obviously ...
"... This woman has surpassed all competition while still being the same girl from Barbados, surrounded by the same friends, speaking with the same accent, and never missing a Crop Over unless it's to come perform at the OVO fest.
"We love the music, which can change styles from out in the album. We love the videos, which change their artistic vision from year to year, but most of all, we love the woman who hasn't changed since day one.
"... She's one of my best friends in the world. All my adult life I've looked up to her even though she's younger than me. She's a living, breathing legend in our industry."
Then, Drake handed Rihanna her award and went in for a kiss. It looked like she leaned back, and he planted his lips right on her cheek. It was awkward.
It wasn't until the end of her acceptance speech that Rihanna remarked, "Thank you, Drake, for that amazing speech."
Drake posts a couple-like photo
This is a night for us all to be thankful for what you have done for us! You have affected so many of our lives in the best way possible. Tonight we celebrate you! @badgalriri A photo posted by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on Aug 28, 2016 at 11:41pm PDT
The VMAs had ended, the after parties had begun, and in the early morning hours, Drake posted a very couple-looking photo on his Instagram. Let the speculation continue.
Elahe Izadi is a pop culture writer for The Washington Post
- Washington Post | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11701707&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/2f76b15aa7c115963988fa5ba00aad1ce855bd67ffc1ec040b59fb9f112b3150.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T22:49:06 | null | 2016-08-28T21:44:07 | A teenage girl took her own life after fearing she would be called racist after a photo of her with darkened skin and a headscarf was shared online. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fworld%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D2%26objectid%3D11701360%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/phoebe_cut_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Teenage girl took own life after fearing she'd be called a racist | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | A teenage girl took her own life after fearing she would be called racist after a photo of her with darkened skin and a headscarf was shared online.
Phoebe Connop, 16, from Halesowen in the West Midlands, had edited the photo after getting into an online relationship with an Asian male.
The talented gymnast sent the picture to friends on a private Instagram chat, explaining that the only way she would win the approval of her boyfriend's parents would be if she looked like the girl in the photo.
An inquest Black Country Coroner's Court heard how she took her own life after the image was then taken out of the private chat and spread wider by one of her friends, prompting Phoebe into fearing a backlash.
An inquest heard Phoebe had been working with her father Laurence, 53, to get some money for her summer holidays on July 7, when she asked to be taken home after feeling unwell.
Tragically Mr Connop, when returning home after work to take her out for a meal, he found his daughter dead.
Giving evidence at the inquest, which was held on Friday, Detective Sergeant Katherine Tomkins, from West Midlands Police, said: "From speaking to her friends in the weeks following her death, we discovered that the image had circulated further than she wanted it to.
"There had been some negative reaction and she confided in her friend, who did take the image down at her request, that she was scared of what the reaction might be from the Asian community in her area."
The inquest heard Phoebe was a talented gymnast who had ambitions of becoming a midwife.
Continued below.
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Her family found a "wish list" in her bedroom following her death which said that she wished to study at sixth form.
Her father Laurence Connop told the inquest said: "She was a lovely girl who would never want to cause offence to anyone.
"She had shown me no indication in the weeks leading up to her death that there was anything wrong, let alone anything that would lead her to do this."
Recording a conclusion of suicide, Black Country Coroner Zafar Siddique gave his condolences to Phoebe's family.
He said: "This is an absolute tragedy for the family and I can't imagine the pain and distress they are going through, as well as her friends.
"There is nothing I can say to help with the pain but I offer my sincere condolences."
After Phoebe's death, a book of condolences was opened in the pupil's honour at Windsor High School in Halesowen.
Headteacher Stephen Lanckham said: "We in the Windsor community are deeply saddened by this sudden and tragic loss.
"We will remember Phoebe as a confident, warm and caring girl that was heavily involved in all aspects of school life.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Phoebe's parents, family and close friends at this difficult time and we will offer all the support and care we can to help.
"Phoebe will be lovingly remembered by all who had the pleasure of knowing her."
An area in the school's spiritual garden has also been chosen by Phoebe's parents to be dedicated in her memory which will allow friends to reflect or pray at the spot.
Where to get help
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youthline: 0800 376 633
• Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
- Daily Mail | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11701360&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/d33f62958f41178f835e6d165ec9fd3a171937157f3555dd9a9eab9c93458deb.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T18:50:07 | null | 2016-08-30T17:48:11 | Highly unusual radio activity emanating from a star in the outer reaches of the universe was detected by Russian astronomers more than 15 months ago, but what they did next was equally - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fworld%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D2%26objectid%3D11702026%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/GettyImages-107730681_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Stranger Things: Do space signals point to alien life? | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Nick Whigham
Highly unusual radio activity emanating from a star in the outer reaches of the universe was detected by Russian astronomers more than 15 months ago, but what they did next was equally unusual: they declined to tell anybody.
Despite the potential significance of such an event, the recording of the distant radio activity went largely unnoticed by the broader scientific community - and now there's a desperate race to try and figure out what, or who, caused it.
After the Russian researchers delivered a seminar and quietly circulated a paper about the abnormal radio signal, word of the discovery slowly trickled out.
This week scientists from the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute will begin investigating the mysterious signal by turning their telescopes to the same place in the cosmos where they believe the signal was produced.
The strong spike seems to have come from a sun-like star some 95 light-years away form Earth in the constellation Hercules, known as HD 164595.
Possible explanations for the abnormal radio recording tend to fall into two categories with distinctly different implications.
One that posits the signal was a product of intelligence and was emitted by a civilisation far more advanced than our own, and the decidedly less exciting explanation that it was the result of earthly radio interference.
According to GeekWire, a third possibility suggests the signal could have been a "microlensing" event in which the star's gravitational field focused stray signals coming from elsewhere in the universe.
Continued below.
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The signal was first detected on May 15, 2015, by the RATAN-600 telescope used by the Russian Academy of Science but was effectively withheld from the international community. However it has come to light in the past couple days after a science writer got his hands on a paper that announced the detection a "a strong signal in the direction of HD164595."
"Why is it that we're hearing about this now because one of the guys gave a talk in Moscow a year ago," a bemused astronomer and director of the Center for SETI Research in California, Seth Shostak, lamented to The Guardian.
"It's generally accepted procedure in the SETI community if you find a signal that you think is interesting, you call up people in another observatory and say: 'Hey, here's the position in the sky,' and you see what happens," he said.
For all we know, it could be too late now.
The radio activity is certainly interesting enough to warrant excited speculation and further inquiry, scientists say.
The SETI institute will use the Allen Telescope Array in the mountains of far Northern California to focus on the Hercules constellation from whence it came.
Meanwhile an affiliate group called METI International (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence) will be scanning the area using the Boquete Optical SETI Observatory in Panama.
According to the researchers behind the initial detection, "permanent monitoring of this target is needed."
However there has been no indication of a second spike in radio activity in the 15 months since the initial spike was recorded.
Nevertheless, the scientific community is keen to investigate it further. Part of the reason why there is such interest is because the sun-like HD 164595 star is already known to have a Neptune-like planet (but warmer) in its orbit.
According to science writer Paul Gilster who first broke the story on his blog, "there could, of course, be other planets still undetected in this system."
In an e-mail to GeekWire, the president of San Francisco-based METI International Doud Vakoch said they will begin monitoring the area immediately to help determine that the original signal "didn't arise from a technical glitch" or was not the result of an elaborate hoax.
"In addition, we need to be alert to the possibility than if we do really find a signal from an advanced civilisation, they are also transmitting at other frequencies than the one where we first detected them. That's why it's so important to prepare for follow-up SETI observations at both radio and optical frequencies, to be launched as soon as we detect a credible candidate signal at any frequency," he wrote.
It remains to be seen if researchers will be able to detect a secondary blimp, but already the case has been likened to the mysterious Wow Signal detected in 1977 and the confounding flickering KIC 8462852 star which recently prompted lofty theories of the existence of an alien megastructure.
Italian astronomer Claudio Maccone who passed the information of the signal detection on to science writer Paul Gilster is due to give a presentation next month for the International Academy of Astronautics 2016 meeting about the search for alien life.
According to The Guardian, in his speech he will say: "The power of the signal received is not unrealistic for type I civilisations."
The category is a reference to Kardashev scale, named after Russian astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev. A type I civilisation would boast a similar technological development to that currently found on Earth.
- news.com.au | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11702026&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/ad2de8a050395f0f79a2cc2ef3ae0ff11b935a5693709eef4c70e55531f9c17f.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T02:48:46 | null | 2016-08-29T00:56:12 | A married couple who won £2 million (NZ$3.6m) in the UK National Lottery have divorced after the wife began a relationship with one of the UK's richest men. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fworld%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D2%26objectid%3D11701469%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/GettyImages-522286802_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Lottery winner wife 'leaves' husband for man 100 times richer | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | A married couple who won £2 million (NZ$3.6m) in the UK National Lottery have divorced after the wife began a relationship with one of the UK's richest men.
David and Victoria Jones won £2.3 million in 2004, having been married for a month, and used the money to set up a successful property portfolio in Devizes, Wiltshire.
Twelve years on, the pair have said the lottery "ruined their lives" and that they wish they had never won.
Mrs Jones, 41, who bought the winning ticket with the last pound coin in her purse, has reportedly left her husband for wealthy businessman Mike Clare - who sold bed retailer Dreams for £222 million in 2008.
Despite having bought a luxury home and a £70,000 sports car with their lottery winnings, Mrs Jones said it was "one of the worst things that's ever happened to [her]".
She told the Mail Online: "The stress it gives you in life and even 12 years down the line, I'm still classed as a lottery winner and it's horrible. It ruins your life. People treat you differently - it's just not a nice thing."
Their relationship began to deteriorate on Boxing Day last year, when Mr Jones, 41, said his wife announced she was leaving him.
But, during a make-or-break trip to Cape Verde in March, Mr Jones claims he discovered his wife's affair with Mr Clare after reading text messages exchanged between the two.
Mrs Jones initially denied a relationship with the businessman, saying they were "just good friends".
Continued below.
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But Mr Clare - who now runs property firm Clarenco and is worth an estimated £260 million - yesterday confirmed the relationship, although he is still married to his wife of 37 years, Carol.
"I am seeing Victoria Jones. She didn't leave her husband for me," he told the site.
"We're not living together or anything like that, I'm seeing her. I'm quite friendly with my wife, I had a meeting with her yesterday.
"I haven't just seen Victoria. Everyone knows I've seen different girls and [my wife] is aware."
Mr Clare, 61, is said to have separated from his wife in August and the Jones' are believed to be in the process of splitting their assets.
The couple are the latest in a series of partners to split after winning the lottery, dubbed the "lottery curse".
Les and Samantha Scadding split four years after winning £45.5 million in 2009 and Adrian and Gillian Bayford separated a year after their £148 million prize in 2012.
- Daily Telegraph UK | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11701469&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/ac9184da08b922b91867392aaea1c47e4364e1f3de5e7cd096c5bffdf7ab1212.json |
[
"Rob Kidd Is A Nzme. News Service Court Reporter Based In Auckland."
] | 2016-08-29T02:48:52 | null | 2016-08-29T00:39:36 | A woman accused of importing more than 250kg of drugs had discovered almost the perfect scam, a court has heard. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701453%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_030516NZHNRCOURT6_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Accused found 'almost perfect way' of importing drugs into New Zealand | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | A woman accused of importing more than 250kg of drugs had discovered "almost the perfect scam", a court has heard.
Yixin "Lonna" Gan, 35, is on trial before the High Court at Auckland charged with three counts of importing a class-B drug and one of possession for supply as a result of a police sting dubbed Operation Ghost.
Crown prosecutor Scott McColgan told the jury the case was about large quantities of pseudoephedrine, a precursor ingredient to manufacture methamphetamine.
The class-B drug can be extracted from a medicine widely available in China called ContacNT, the court heard.
A packet costs just a "few dollars" but a "set" of 223g of pink granules sells for about $9000 on the black market in New Zealand.
"What this trial is really about is money and lots of it," McColgan said.
Gan, a mother of three, ran a business importing food from China to the Pacific Islands when she "cottoned on to an almost perfect way" of importing drugs into New Zealand.
It revolved around a process known as "trans shipping", where items transported from one country and destined for another are briefly held in a Customs-controlled warehouse in New Zealand on the way.
Gan allegedly had "an inside man" who could access those restricted holding zones.
In October 2013, McColgan said the man drove into a warehouse, withdrew 250kg of ContacNT from the defendant's shipment and replaced it with the exact same weight of potato starch.
Continued below.
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The goods had come from China and were on their way to Tonga.
"It was almost the perfect scam," the prosecutor said.
But "perhaps unluckily for Ms Gan" her alleged co-conspirators were police suspects and had been under surveillance for some months.
McColgan said the police investigation, complete with intercepted communications, showed clandestine meetings and coded messages between the defendant and her associates.
He also highlighted the fact she had bought a new phone in the days before the ContacNT had arrived in the country and disposed with it only days after it was removed. The jury was asked to question: "Is that normal? Is that usual? Is that legitimate?"
"It suggests something very untoward going on here," McColgan said.
After police financial analysts probed Gan and her husband's bank accounts they found several "vast, unexplained cash deposits".
It is alleged they coincided with Gan's other international shipments which had passed through Auckland, which led to her facing two other counts of importation.
While the defendant never physically touched the drugs, McColgan said she exercised control over their movement and that was all that was needed to prove the charge.
The trial before Justice Mathew Downs and a jury of six women and six men is scheduled to last two weeks.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701453&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/19ea8126d489f21d8d40565f31ee703a998f90d861bfacfd03544ac56280d420.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T22:50:28 | null | 2016-08-30T21:02:43 | Subway has gained legions of fans for its affordable submarine sandwiches and huge range of fillings. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11702089%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/A_18012013NZHNSSUBWAY3_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Employee secrets: Why you should never order chicken at a UK Subway | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Imogen Blake
A UK Subway worker has given a behind the scenes tour of the chain's practises on a Reddit thread. Read the highlights of the eexchange here:
Subway has gained legions of fans for its affordable submarine sandwiches and huge range of fillings.
But now an anonymous UK employee is claiming to reveal the tricks of the fast food empire's trade - and it may make you look at the chain's chicken sandwiches in a whole new light.
From how to order a 14-inch sub, to the chicken which 'stinks when it comes out the bag', the alleged shift manager at a UK franchise store took to Reddit to expose the the store's 'dirty little secrets'.
In response to the thread, a UK Subway spokemsan said that all its stores were independently owned and operated by franchisees.
'All stores have very strict procedures in place to ensure products are served safely and to customers' satisfaction and all suppliers are required to meet our high standards of food safety and product integrity.'
Kicking off proceedings, the 'manager' on Reddit instructed users to 'ask me anything Subway related', making clear that they were not speaking on behalf of his employer.
Mistakescostextra then asked: 'Which items would you recommend one avoid and which would you say are highest quality/safest/best prepared?'
Using the name SubwayworkerUK, the anonymous worker told them to avoid chipotle chicken and teriyaki chicken, and said steak is often the freshest filling.
He wrote: 'Avoid: Chipotle Chicken and Teriyaki Chicken.
Continued below.
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'Why? Chicken is given a two-day shelf life, once in the counter. However, these two [sandwiches] bypass this and get four days, and can get a little stinky.
'I'd recommend anything else, Subway (at least my Subway) is very strict on quality control and dates. Steak is probably the freshest, and safest.'
The employee confirmed their dislike of Subway's chicken when LovelyStrife asked: 'What is one thing in your shop that you wouldn't eat, and why?'
The shift manager replied: 'Chicken. It stinks when it comes out the bag.'
Sirmegalorddrawesome questioned this answer, and asked: 'But isn't that just the bag/preservative air added to it? You get the same in Tesco Value cooked chicken.
'Leave it outside the bag for a minute or two and they lose that smell.'
But the employee stuck to their guns. 'The air out the bag is the smelliest. However, I still think after sitting in a Cambro [tray] for a day, it still stinks,' they told the Reddit thread.
G-o-dude then asked: 'What's the best bang for the buck sub?'
The shift manager replied: 'Meatball Marinara, Chipotle Chicken, Tikka Chicken, Spicy Italian, and BMT.'
As he explained, these sandwiches are all £3 or £5 for a footlong with a drink.
But he also gave a little-known tip, reminding Subway fans that sandwiches are 20 per cent off between 7pm and 9pm.
The employee also revealed that footlong sandwiches actually measure a little over a foot in length at 12.1 inches long on average - and revealed a clever hack if you want more food for your money.
Chicken is given a two-day shelf life, once in the counter. However, these two [sandwiches] bypass this and get four days, and can get a little stinky.
In response to a user who incorrectly asked why a footlong sandwich doesn't measure 12 inches, the anonymous manager wrote: ''Subway Footlong' is a trademark of Subway, and is just the name of the submarine sandwich size.
'However due to a lawsuit, Subway have decided to ensure each footlong is exactly 12 inches.
'In regards to shrinkage, minor shrinkage occurs when the bread is baked. We have a measuring ruler built into the counter (normally only used for kids packs, 4-inch sandwiches), and our bread seems to always be around 12.1 inches.
'Here's a little tip - if you want a footlong, try flatbread. The way flatbread is made and prepared we give you 14 inches.'
The employee even advised people how they might be able to recreate that distinctive Subway taste at home.
One user asked: 'Why the **** do none of my homemade sandwiches taste like Subways?'
Fellow Redditors AnotherDrZoidberg guessed: 'Because you use different meat and bread.'
But the loyal employee replied: 'Subway just has that unique subway taste and smell.
'Why don't you go into Subway and buy just a stick of bread, try making your sandwich with that!'
In response to a now-deleted question, the employee also revealed that UK stores actually sell more salad bowls than sandwiches.
Another Subway hack offered by the anonymous worker was a secret menu option of 'frozen cookie dough.'
Here's a little tip - if you want a footlong, try flatbread. The way flatbread is made and prepared we give you 14 inches.
Mrnoor asked: 'Can you say how to make the honey mustard and sweet onion sauces at home? Also, what's the secret to making them cookies so doughie [sic]!?'
The worker revealed: 'I'm sure you can find some replica recipes online. We don't make the sauces in store.
'Our cookies are frozen, and we have to cook them at 160 degrees for 11 minutes.
'I take my cookies out 2 minutes early because I like them gooey. If you go into a Subway, try asking for frozen cookie dough!'
The employee also revealed what they order when they grab a Subway for lunch.
Indiaxxo asked: 'Which is your favourite or most ordered sub?'
SubwayworkerUK replied: '6-inch hearty Italian, meatball sauce, cheese, toasted. With a ton of salad and southwest sauce.'
- Daily Mail | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11702089&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/d354694f12cca86cadd92ece54e95660f5519b6c90d88396fda7b4dff08a0b3f.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T02:48:55 | null | 2016-08-29T00:52:15 | Spark is giving out free data to its customers thanks to growing demand in usage. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11701464%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_210214NZHDPMOUTTER14_960x540_960x540_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Spark gives out free data on increased demand | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Provided by NZX
By Aimee Shaw
Spark is giving out free data to its customers thanks to growing demand in usage.
The telecommunications provider today announced it will increase its home and business broadband data caps by 50 per cent.
Spark chief executive of home and business broadband Jason Paris said the company was changing its plans to reflect the changing needs of customers.
"Customers are using more data in their daily lives. Average data usage on Spark's broadband networks grew by 37 per cent in 2014 and by 67 per cent in 2015. From streaming their favourite shows, to video calling their families, there's a clear trend for increased data usage across the board," Paris said.
Home broadband customers currently on a 40GB plan will be upgraded to 60GB at no additional cost, and those on 80GB will be upgraded to 120GB.
Business customers on 30GB bundles will be upgraded to 50GB and those on 80GB will also be increased to 120GB.
Paris said Spark is simplifying its broadband plans so "customers can easily compare and select the best broadband connection available to them at their place."
More than 80 per cent of Spark home broadband customers will receive extra data at no additional cost.
A small minority of customers, however, may be subject to a price increase.
Continued below.
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"Plan simplification and future proofing of our costs mean Spark will be raising prices on some of our Home fibre and wireless broadband plans by $5 per month - and on some of our Business wireless bundles by $3 per month," he said.
"However, we won't pass these costs on to Home customers until September 2017 and Business customers until September 2018; although they will see the new price on their bill, they will also see a credit covering the increased price."
Spark will cover all additional costs for existing home broadband and business broadband customers until September 2017 and September 2018.
Data changes and price increases will come in to effect on September 6 for new customers.
Data increases:
• Customers on capped copper (ADSL and VDSL) will receive 50 per cent more data.
• Customers on capped wireless will receive 50 per cent more data.
• Customers on capped fibre plans will receive 50 per cent more data.
Price increases:
• $5 - for some customers on capped wireless.
• $5 - for some customers on capped Fibre plans.
• $5 - customers on unlimited Fibre 30 and Fibre 100 plans.
• $4 - Business customers on the current 80GB Wireless Bundle.
No changes:
• Those currently on unlimited copper (ADSL and VDSL) plans.
• Customers on Gigatown plans.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11701464&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/628e20daba0fa8c7641120e328ff98fd205b9c9c2dd5acb54f3c8b9270cf4222.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T18:50:48 | null | 2016-08-26T08:28:32 | MONDAY - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11700950%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/9c1cbe48292cea14f846034c77fa1ef3aa03c842_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Steve Braunias' Secret Diary of the Australian Surveillance Team | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | MONDAY
We held a briefing to discuss last week's botched attempt to covertly tape the All Blacks in their team room at the Intercontinental Hotel in Double Bay.
Present: the director of black ops, our top surveillance man, a psychic, a martial arts expert who knows how to kill a man in 375 different ways in unarmed combat, and the motivational psychologist.
Our top surveillance man took exception to being called out by the psychologist as an "amateur".
He said, "Mate I'm a professional and if you want to point the finger at anyone then I suggest you point it at the players."
The psychologist lunged forward. The martial arts expert had to intervene. He stood with his foot on the pyschologist's neck while the director of black ops asked our top surveillance man why it was that a security sweep was able to detect his listening device.
He maintained that his concealing of the device in the foam of a chair was "almost undetectable".
He said, "Mate I carefully cut the foam of the chair to make way for the device and then glued it back together."
He was asked whether he swept away the bits of foam under the chair or whether he just left them there.
He said, "Mate no one's perfect."
Continued below.
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The martial arts expert, acting on instructions from the director of black ops, used one of his 375 methods.
TUESDAY
We held a hastily arranged interview session to recruit a top surveillance man before the next Wallabies vs All Blacks Bledisloe Cup match in Wellington on Saturday.
One applicant stood out.
The director of black ops asked, "Have you any prior experience in gaining access to secret information?"
He told a long story about hacking into files kept by an individual named Whaleoil, and passing them on to an author who wrote a book called Dirty Politics. One of the purposes of the book was to overthrow the New Zealand government.
The director of black ops asked whether the book succeeded in overthrowing the government.
The applicant said it seemed strange that he had to ask, and the director explained that it wasn't strange in the least, because no one in Australia took the slightest interest in New Zealand politics.
"We're the same," said the applicant.
The director asked, "You mean Kiwis don't take any interest in Australian politics?"
"No, in New Zealand politics."
WEDNESDAY
The director of black ops posed as a maid at the All Blacks' hotel in Wellington, and planted a listening device created by our top surveillance man.
The martial arts expert asked if there was any trouble. The director said he was groped by a couple of players from the Waikato Chiefs.
THURSDAY
We listened in to an All Blacks team meeting. There was a lot of animated conversation about a television show called The Real Housewives of Auckland. Many of the players said they liked a character called Gilda.
The conversation then turned to Auckland real estate.
After an hour, it switched to rugby.
Someone said, "Who are we playing on Saturday? I forget."
A voice replied, "The Aussies."
The laughter from the room was so loud that it crashed the listening device.
FRIDAY
We held a meeting to discuss this week's botched attempt to covertly tape the All Blacks.
The director wore his maid's costume.
He was asked whether he was going to return to the All Blacks' hotel and plant another listening device.
"No," he said.
The motivational psychologist was asked how to get a result on Saturday. "Bring in Quade Cooper," he said. "Mate," said the psychic, "we're stuffed."
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11700950&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/0151ab46b2acd5e910aacb90cc17a12ff7dd723c5dacbe21e2c7e14aededa08d.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T18:49:45 | null | 2016-08-29T00:20:21 | While politicians in the US debate what to do around the plague of mass shootings occurring in their country, an unlikely group is taking definitive action: architects. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701441%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_030812CSTGSCHRISTCHURCH_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Jarrod Gilbert: Watch Christchurch to see how good building design can make cities safer | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | While politicians in the US debate what to do around the plague of mass shootings occurring in their country, an unlikely group is taking definitive action: architects.
When a gunman killed 20 students at a school in Sandy Hook in Connecticut, the town decided to build a new school and the architects had crime in mind when they designed it.
The new school has a broad front entrance that allows for open surveillance while a rain garden - in effect, a form of moat - acts as a boundary. The entrances have been designed to allow greater control as to who enters the building.
The designing of buildings and public spaces to inhibit crime is not new. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, or CPTED (pronounced sep-ted), was devised in the 1970s but has become increasingly popular in recent times, including in New Zealand.
In fact, one of CPTED's leading exponents, Dr Franks Strokes, is a Kiwi.
Using his ideas as well as others from around the world, the Ministry of Justice devised CPTED principles in 2005 that they have pushed out to city councils around the country, although uptake has been variable. One place where CPTED has been adopted as a priority is in Christchurch. An inner city needing to be entirely rebuilt following earthquakes required careful thought and CPTED was seen as important to that.
Christchurch's top cop, Superintendent John Price, is an enthusiast of preventing crime rather than simply responding to it, and he is one who has identified the value of good design. "I'd rather not have to deploy [so many] police officers in the CBD, I want the CBD to largely police itself. And if we can do that through some basic CPTED principles, which we can, then we should".
One standout example in Christchurch is the Bus Interchange that replaced the pre-quake rabbit warren which was a hotbed of crime and disorder.
Continued below.
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Statistics show that crime in the new interchange has dropped dramatically. Police calls for service are just a quarter in the new bus terminal compared to what they were in the old one. And while we must be extremely cautious making such comparisons because the city pre-quake and now is so different, even in relation to the temporary interchange crime has fallen sharply.
The police are convinced this has much to do with the new design, and if they're right then that's big.
What did these improvements cost? Well, in this instance, nothing. The architect told me that good CPTED does not have to increase the budget. He also said it should also be invisible to the public. This is because CPTED isn't an architectural style, it is a series of measures and techniques that can be applied to any kind of building or space. People may notice that a place "feels good" without knowing why.
The Bus Interchange in Christchurch includes toilet facilities that open directly on to a shared, observable foyer meaning people can be noticed if they are lingering in unusual ways. This discourages nefarious behaviour as the public unknowingly become guardians of the space. People are less likely to commit crime if they think they are being observed.
Alcoves and other potential entrapment spaces have been minimised, and the use of many visually permeable barriers in areas such as the bicycle storage area allow for observation ahead of travel, and maximise natural surveillance.
The footpath outside of the building is wide, and subtle changes in the pavement material mark the distinction between waiting and walking areas - to make it less likely people will bump into each other (particularly late-night revellers) and thus reduce the likelihood of fights.
But CPTED is not just about reducing crime. A key idea of CPTED is a rejection of a "fortress mentality" meaning it seeks to maximise the use of public spaces by connecting places together with corridors and pathways that are well lit and open. In doing so you don't just minimise crime, you increase liveability. When places feel safe people naturally use them more.
If Christchurch gets it right, the many "no-go" areas that we expect in central cities may be completely designed out.
While town planners and architects in New Zealand don't have to consider mass shootings like they do in the US, tackling complex issues like crime by designing spaces that are safe and inviting is nevertheless attractive here.
The Christchurch experience is one that we should all watch with interest.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701441&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/e137889dd9307faeb22d83901b09e17a31f663733f7f0f20fffdc2ed7d9a1df5.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T18:50:11 | null | 2016-08-30T17:36:53 | The European Union on Tuesday ordered Apple to pay a record 13 billion euros in back taxes in Ireland, saying deals allowing the US tech giant to pay almost no tax were illegal. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11702024%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/GettyImages-597888988_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Apple hit with $13b tax bill in Ireland | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Video will play in Play now Don't auto play
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The European Union on Tuesday ordered Apple to pay a record 13 billion euros in back taxes in Ireland, saying deals allowing the US tech giant to pay almost no tax were illegal.
In a ruling that is set to anger Washington, the European Commission said the world's most valuable company avoided tax bills on almost all its profits in the bloc under the arrangements with the Irish government.
Ireland has been seeking to attract US multinationals by offering extremely favourable tax conditions, known as sweetheart deals.
"The Commission's investigation concluded that Ireland granted illegal tax benefits to Apple, which enabled it to pay substantially less tax than other businesses over many years," EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said.
"In fact, this selective treatment allowed Apple to pay an effective corporate tax rate of one per cent on its European profits in 2003 down to 0.005 per cent in 2014," she said in a statement.
Ireland immediately said it would appeal against the decision and Apple is also expected to challenge it.
"I disagree profoundly with the Commission's decision," Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan said in a statement. "The decision leaves me with no choice but to seek cabinet approval to appeal the decision before the European Courts." The tax repayment order, by far the largest in the EU's history, follows a three-year inquiry into whether Dublin's tax breaks for Silicon Valley titan Apple amount to illegal state aid.
Apple has had a base at the southern city of Cork since 1980 and employs 5,000 people in Ireland, through which it routes its international sales, avoiding billions in corporation taxes.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, in a Washington Post interview published August 13, said he hoped to "get a fair hearing" on the matter.
Continued below.
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"If we don't, then we would obviously appeal it," he added.
Immeidately after the ruling was handed down, Apple issued a statement saying it will appeal.
'NO BIAS AGAINST US'
The US stepped up its fight last Wednesday against the commission's crackdown on tax avoidance by Apple and other multinational companies, accusing it of unilateralism and overstepping its mandate.
In a white paper, the US Treasury said the commission probe into alleged special tax treatment that certain EU countries gave Apple, Amazon, Starbucks and Fiat Chrysler "undermines the international tax system." The EU has made taxes a core issue since the LuxLeaks scandal in which it was revealed that European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's native Luxembourg gave companies huge tax breaks while he was prime minister.
In October Brussels ordered US coffee giant Starbucks and Italian automaker Fiat to each repay up to 30 million euros ($34 million) in back taxes to the Netherlands and Luxembourg respectively.
The US has acknowledged the problems around the issue of multinational firms obtaining state aid, in the form of secret and extremely lucrative tax breaks, from Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg for setting up business in those countries.
But it said those deals were made under international treaties and accepted tax practices.
Last week the European Commission denied it was targeting US companies in particular and said that EU rules do not allow national tax authorities to give tax breaks to some companies that are not available to others.
"There is no bias against US companies," it said in a statement. Washington has also expressed concern about EU antitrust cases targeting tech giant Google alleging that it has unfairly suppressed competition.
The massive sum, some 40 times bigger than the previous known demand by the European Commission to a company in such a case, could be reduced, the EU executive said in a statement, if other countries sought more tax themselves from the US tech giant.
Apple, which with Ireland, has already said it will appeal the decision, paid a tax rate on European profits of between 0.005 and one per cent, the Commission said. | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11702024&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/e53883b49a9b1f43747fb90d20f494e144b4b2251ba1e958a086dd860cdb798a.json |
[
"Chris Rattue Is A Sports Columnist For The New Zealand Herald."
] | 2016-08-30T06:49:35 | null | 2016-08-30T04:58:08 | Greg Alexander admits to being baffled by the Warriors' travails. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701965%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/McFadden4_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Greg Alexander: 'Time should be called on Andrew McFadden' | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Greg Alexander admits to being baffled by the Warriors' travails.
But the former NRL, State of Origin and Australian test star - who is making his mark as league's high profile TV comments man - says time should be called on coach Andrew McFadden after two extremely disappointing seasons.
The Warriors' top eight hopes disintegrated in the shock defeat to the Tigers at Mt Smart Stadium meaning a fifth consecutive season without finals football. The silence from Warriors HQ has been deafening since Sunday with none of the usual support for McFadden from chief executive Jim Doyle.
Former Warrior Alexander said: "I forecast the Warriors in my top eight again and they pulled the wool over my eyes again. I don't know what I was thinking considering they lost eight in a row at the end of last season with the same coach. I need to lay on a couch and be examined.
"We seem to go in circles and end up saying the same things again and again.
But five years outside the top eight is way too long for a side like the Warriors.
"Yes, just for the hell of it (change the coach). We can go through all those reasons, the things that might have conspired against them. But it didn't work last year, and it didn't work this year. So change it.
"I was surprised he stayed after losing the last eight games last year. I thought 'that's it'. That can't work. It's obviously broken and needs to be fixed."
Radio Sport's Mark Watson speaks with Warriors coach Andrew McFadden:
Continued below.
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Mark Gasnier, another former Aussie star turned top TV analyst, was non-committal over the coaching situation, saying club insiders alone would know the "culture and dynamics". But he was mystified by some McFadden selections, suggesting the coach was trying to keep others happy with regular changes in the halves and at fullback once Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was injured.
"I definitely don't have enough information to offer an opinion on whether he should stay or not," Gasnier said. "But sometimes you have to make (selection) decisions that don't please everyone but benefit the group."
Is there light at the end of the tunnel then?
"At the moment, the game doesn't always reward the most talented team but instead rewards the most disciplined and patient and some might even say boring teams," said Gasnier.
"The Warriors have to find that balance - their problems are more mental than physical. Consistency is the key to unlocking the Warriors. It's not as if you guys can't do it though - look at the All Blacks. They are a perfect balance of extreme talent and being really mentally tough."
Gasnier said his time at the Dragons proved a point.
"We had a champion team in 2005 and 2006 but were inconsistent and didn't win a comp," said Gasnier.
"In 2010 we had a lesser team on paper but one that was broken down to jobs that individuals needed to do to achieve our goal, a premiership. The most important thing was an unbelievable commitment to that goal both on and off the field."
Australian league caller Andrew Voss, who covered the Warriors in 2013, believes the club must confirm its coaching intentions quickly, and thinks McFadden deserves another season to prove his worth...unless Storm supremo Craig Bellamy becomes available.
Voss said: "I take things like injuries and golden point defeats on board. But from all angles they have under-achieved - I predicted they would make the top four.
"They need to sort out their defence - poor defence puts too much pressure on the attack. There are numbers you can't avoid - they conceded 36 points on Sunday, and 561 for the season. Only one club has conceded more.
"Every great coach will tell you that when it comes to defence, you can give players structure but it takes effort and attitude. Individually and collectively, they have to take a look at themselves." | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701965&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/1ade8339afeb66a697ad8e11d00efc784daa5bdda332f299005909b6540916b3.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T18:50:40 | null | 2016-08-26T07:58:41 | His is the face we see whenever anything goes wrong for police. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11700938%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/SCCZEN_130716NZHMMOCONNOR2_1024x765.jpg | en | null | Long-time public face of police retires | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Senior sergeant Greg O’Connor, the public face of the police for many years, is stepping down.
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His is the face we see whenever anything goes wrong for police.
He's there when an officer is killed, shot, bashed or mucks up. He's there when a pursuit goes wrong, turns into a fatality. He's there in the ear of the lawmakers, constantly pushing them to do better for his troops.
But, after October, you won't be seeing Greg O'Connor in that role again. After more than 20 years at the helm of the Police Association, he is stepping down, handing over the reins and heading off to try his luck in other fields.
O'Connor was first elected as president in 1995. By then he'd been a cop for 20 years, starting in Wellington as a cadet before advancing to a role as an undercover officer then detective.
He's still a senior sergeant but since his election has been seconded full time to the association, where he also chairs the board of directors, and the Police Welfare Fund.
It's a job he has been passionate about and one he is not looking forward to leaving.
But, it's time.
"I said three years ago that this would be my last term," he said.
"I've been a police officer for 40 years. But I'm young enough and I want to do something else before I retire or turn my toes up.
"I'm not sure what I want to do. I'm an open book. I'm doing what I've always advised other people not to do - I'm going without something else to go to.
Continued below.
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"I would like to think I can find something that I can be as passionate about as I have been about this. I'm hoping that there is something out there.
"I haven't seen anything yet that's spun my wheels, if you like. I'd like to think I could get out there and still make a difference."
O'Connor has a few things he wants to tick off his bucket list. Writing - he's a keen poet - and public speaking are at the top. He also wants to spend a bit more time with the family that have regularly and unavoidably taken a back seat to policing and its issues over his tenure.
It's a bit of a leap of faith. It's a hard job to walk away from. "I've seen a lot of people stay on one term too many. I promised I would leave and if you start hanging on you're compromised to an extent. I don't think it was really an option to stay on.
"And the association is in good shape, we've got some good people who can come through and carry on the good fight.
"I have to say I'm probably at the top of my game at the moment ... "It's a good time to hand over the reins to someone else.
"Whoever comes in, they can build on what I've done."
During his time as president O'Connor has been the voice of the police, the mouthpiece for his members. Whatever their issues are, he brings them to the table. Contrary to what some think, the views he gives are not his own.
Firearms and the arming of the force has been one of the ongoing battles, with a renewed focus this week after claims at a select committee hearing at Parliament that a mass shooting is "inevitable" unless the country's gun laws are tightened.
O'Connor has taken a lot of flak for the fight he has led, and he makes no apologies. However, he does want people to remember that it's only one of the issues he's front footed over his two-decade run.
"I'd hate that to be the defining point of my time here. It just happens to be the issue at the end," he said.
"In 2009 we had nine police officers shot, two of them fatally. Police did nothing. At the time I said to the commissioner 'look, we've got to do something here'.
"If that happened in any industry you'd start to get a political build-up ... A demand for something to happen. The members were saying nine of us have been shot and nothing's changing. That's when we went to Norway and found that they were in the same situation as us and they were having the same debate."
As a compromise, Norwegian police implemented a guns-in-cars strategy which O'Connor said appeased front liners who felt that their concerns had been acknowledged and addressed.
"In New Zealand nothing changed. As a result there was a build-up within our membership, a demand that police officers be armed. We had our annual conference and a remit was passed that police officers should be armed. So that is the official stance of the Police Association."
At the time 70 per cent of front line members wanted to be armed, and 60 per cent of all members felt the same. A public survey showed that half of New Zealanders were also on board with an armed police force.
"The police finally adopted what we call the Norwegian model, putting firearms in some of the cars," O'Connor said.
"That was late but the officers felt someone was listening and there was an acknowledgement that things had changed out there. That's the time a lot of firearms started to appear on the streets as well."
The introduction of firearms to police cars took the sting out of the demand, O'Connor said, but the association still felt it was a necessary evil.
"I think that will happen and it's sad, but that's when the true debate will start. There'll be a realisation that, hey, it's time. I hope that doesn't happen."
The number of firearms in the community was a huge concern for the association. O'Connor said officers were seizing guns on a daily basis. The fact they were so readily available coupled with the "preparedness" of criminals and would-be offenders to "have a go" at police was dangerous.
"Our members have been telling us for three or four years that they have been stumbling across firearms day to day that they just simply were not coming across before,' he told the Herald.
"We have been writing about this for years. The last three police ministers have all said 'what problem? There is no problem.' Then Kawerau happened, four officers shot on the job and all of a sudden the minister says 'oh, we better have an inquiry'."
In March Police Minister Judith Collins announced an inquiry into the availability of firearms in New Zealand as a direct result of four police officers getting shot during a cannabis operation in Kawerau.
"I think as long as something meaningful comes out of this arms review, it might stem the flow of firearms [into] illegal hands, then maybe we can stay unarmed," O'Connor said. "But it'll be that major incident that will make it happen. To me it's one of those issues where the politics have taken over the policy."
O'Connor believes the New Zealand police are a great force, and one the public should be proud of. But like any government agency, there's always a way to improve.
For him the simplest way to bolster the force is, to bolster the force.
"One of the best things happened in Counties Manukau. It was almost a bit of a basket case. I used to visit there and everyone was down in the mouth, there were homicides every weekend, nobody really believed they were making a difference there.
"Then in 2008 the district got an injection of 300 staff and District Commander Mike Bush [now the Police Commissioner] used them smartly. He didn't just tack them on to existing structures, they set up a whole new structure - and it worked.
"The rest of the country has been expected to do exactly the same thing, without the extra staff. I think if you proportionately gave that level of staff to districts around the country, the public would get a very, very good service. They don't get as good a service as they got."
When O'Connor started out as a fresh-faced constable, aged 19, in Wellington, the job was very different. There was no need for tasers or pepper spray. There was no such thing as methamphetamine. Officers didn't go into confrontations expecting an offender to whip out a sawn-off shotgun or machete.
But the biggest difference was respect. Police had a lot more of it than they do today, he said.
"Even in the early years ... police officers still did get hidings and there were assaults but there was still a basic understanding that the uniform did provide protection. Even the criminals knew there was a line you didn't cross. That line's gone now.
"There's basically a generation that's growing up, I believe, without consequences."
O'Connor said fleeing drivers was the kick-starter to that. He said there was a "whole generation" prepared to take the cops on.
"They will have a go if the police try to pull them over. If they have a go, they know police will have to pull out.
"They've grown up well aware that police have very limited powers, so it doesn't take long before that translates through to everything else they do - like assaults."
That attitude led to police having to be more brutal. OC spray, tasers, stab-proof vests were introduced.
O'Connor said the way police behaved was reflective of their society.
"If you've got a more brutal society, you've got a more brutal police," he said.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11700938&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/16e39780917613aeaddccb5427301914c1796ce4f0b5ae875334a9f794dcd566.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T22:47:12 | null | 2016-08-26T22:35:57 | They better believe any publicity is good publicity. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11701041%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/vogue_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Vogue magazine slammed for photoshopping disabilities onto able-bodied ambassadors | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Victoria Craw
They better believe any publicity is good publicity.
Vogue Brazil has come under fire for a controversial campaign that sees disabilities photoshopped onto able-bodied models in a bid to promote the Paralympics.
The fashion bible announced their collaboration with paralympic ambassadors Cleo Pires and Paulo Vilhena on Friday in a campaign called "We Are All Special Olympics".
The campaign shows stark pictures of them in sportswear against a white background with what appears to be their disabilities in full view.
However the picture is actually a composite with the disabilities belonging to table tennis player Bruninha Alexandre, who had her right arm amputated when she was just three months old, and volleyball player Renato Leite, who has a prosthetic leg.
The fact the athletes do not feature in the picture has got many fired up online, saying it is "ridiculous" they have used able-bodied models rather than the genuine athletes.
However those involved aren't fazed by the outcry, saying it has helped to generate publicity for the event which was the goal all along.
"Participating in the campaign was an honour for me. The atmosphere in the studio was total happiness and pride," said Vogue Brazil's art director Clayton Carneiro.
Continued below.
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"For those who do not know, the idea of the campaign came from the paralympic ambassador, Cleo Pires. We knew it would be a punch in the stomach, but we were there for a good cause, after all, almost no one bought tickets to see the Paralympic Games."
Brazilian table tennis player Bruninha Alexandre said she was proud to be part of the campaign and posted a picture of the smiling foursome on Instagram.
Vogue Brazil
It's not the first time Vogue has become the centre of a Photoshop saga. In April a picture of Victoria Beckham made headlines from Vogue China after it appeared something was missing - although others claimed it was just an optical illusion.
The Rio Paralympics start on September 7.
- news.com.au | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11701041&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/43092344399dac8b41a4877fa21996b4a9e2279cd22cd6b36f7909d110b72f43.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T08:49:01 | null | 2016-08-29T08:24:42 | Australia has a new millionaire. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fentertainment%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1501119%26objectid%3D11701622%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_1_vs_100_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Could you answer these questions for $1 million? | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Australia has a new millionaire.
Tonight on Channel Nine's Hot Seat, 67-year-old Edwin Daly won the major prize for the first time in the show's history.
The retiree from South Australia landed in the Hot Seat for question seven and answered the next nine questions correctly to walk away with the million-dollar prize.
Still on a high from the episode which was filmed two weeks ago, Daly told news.com.au that despite his win he doesn't consider himself as a "smart guy".
"I just have a velcro brain," he said.
"My daughter often has said to me that I have a head full of useless information, but it turned out to be quite useful this time."
So what does he plan to do with his $1 million?
"We've got a lot of ideas," he said.
"We are committed Christians ... so the first 10 per cent will go to God's work. We'll hopefully do something to help out our kids but that will happen after we've seen a financial adviser."
If you're wondering if you would have been able to answer the Hot Seat questions correctly, well, it's time to put yourself to the test.
Have a crack at the questions below - and find out the answers at the bottom of this story.
Continued below.
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Good luck!
QUESTION 1
A classic children's party game based on a chase around a circle is 'duck, duck' what?
A: Turkey
B: Goose
C: Dodo
D: Crow
QUESTION 2
Which of these is commonly called a "grease monkey"?
A: Fast food cook
B: Motor mechanic
C: Hairdresser
D: Bodybuilder
QUESTION 3
Who starred alongside Andie MacDowell in Four Weddings and a Funeral?
A: Hugh Jackman
B: Paul Bettany
C: Hugh Grant
D: Paul Behrer
QUESTION 4
The label on a jar of Vegemite says it contains what "vitamins for vitality"?
A: A
B: B
C: C
D: V
QUESTION 5
In Australia, traditionally used for storing clothes and household items for use after marriage is a what "box"?
A: Honour
B: Comfort
C: Bliss
D: Glory
QUESTION 6
"Lockjaw" is another name for which disease?
A: Tetanus
B: Diphtheria
C: Leprosy
D: Measles
QUESTION 7
Who wrote the 1969 hit song The Real Thing?
A: Molly Meldrum
B: Ross Wilson
C: Johnny Young
D: Angus Young
QUESTION 8
When the Australian city of Darwin was founded in 1869, it was given what name?
A: Kakadu
B: Katharine
C: Palmerston
D: Arafura
QUESTION 9
Which author created the character Pippi Longstocking?
A: C.S. Lewis
B: Astrid Lindgren
C: A.A. Milne
D: Anna Sewell
QUESTION 10
Which of these former Australian politicians served the longest term as prime minister?
A: Gough Whitlam
B: Malcolm Fraser
C: Bob Hawke
D: John Howard
QUESTION 11
Which of these celebrities was born Thomas Mapother?
A: Tom Cruise
B: Tom Jones
C: Tom Hanks
D: Tom Petty
QUESTION 12
Which of these sports is most similar to 'korfball'?
A: Hockey
B: Basketball
C: Baseball
D: Cricket
QUESTION 13
Which astronaut served as a US senator for over two decades?
A: Alan Shepard
B: Neil Armstrong
C: Buzz Aldrin
D: John Glenn
QUESTION 14
Which of these English royals was not put to death at the Tower of London?
A: Mary, Queen of Scots
B: Anne Boleyn
C: Lady Jane Grey
D: Catherine Howard
QUESTION 15 - FOR $1 MILLION
Commonly known by his nickname, what was the full name of 'Banjo' Paterson?
A: Albert Burke
B: Andrew Barton
C: Adam Beaufort
D: Adrian Banks
DISCLAIMER: ONLY SCROLL DOWN IF YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO KNOW THE ANSWERS
QUESTION 1 - B
QUESTION 2 - B
QUESTION 3 - C
QUESTION 4 - B
QUESTION 5 - D
QUESTION 6 - A
QUESTION 7 - C
QUESTION 8 - C
QUESTION 9 - B
QUESTION 10 - D
QUESTION 11 - A
QUESTION 12 - B
QUESTION 13 - D
QUESTION 14 - A
QUESTION 15 - FOR $1 MILLION - B
- news.com.au | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11701622&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/9dcf0c33748fe8fcc9ef3aa5ddd4327f23b38db5941328f9c895693cb5e2147c.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T22:50:06 | null | 2016-08-30T20:59:13 | The senior police officer in charge of protecting Prince William and wife Kate at their home in Norfolk has dramatically quit her post after apparently criticising her force publicly - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Flifestyle%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D6%26objectid%3D11702086%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/GettyImages-479559586_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Officer in charge of protecting William and Kate resigns | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | The senior police officer in charge of protecting Prince William and wife Kate at their home in Norfolk has dramatically quit her post after apparently criticising her force publicly on social media.
Norfolk and Suffolk assistant chief constable Sarah Hamlin, 48 - who earned a salary of £100,000 - announced her departure after 30 years' service in a series of controversial tweets today.
The officer was appointed in 2014 to lead the Royalty Protection team providing security to William, Kate, Prince George and Princess Charlotte at their home Anmer Hall on the Queen's Sandringham estate.
But this morning she astonished her 3,600 followers on her official Twitter account by saying that she was leaving as her "values" no longer fitted with the force.
She tweeted: "After 30 years @NorfolkPolice I've resigned to the fact that my values no longer fit the org.
I can't make a difference, support front-line."
In a later tweet, she posted: "And so I wish colleagues & friends all the best. Let's hope policing can recover & the officers & staff welfare is prioritised."
Ms Hamlin who was appointed to her ACC post in June 2014, then added: "To clarify I am retiring! Looking forward to spending time with family and friends. Playing golf and kayaking!"
The mother-of-two did not respond to requests to clarify why she appeared to be saying that her values no longer matched those of Norfolk Police which she joined at the age of 18.
Continued below.
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The Norfolk force has been forced to make a series of cuts in the last five years to trim its budget by £25million. Money has been saved with a string of re-organisations and by jointly running many services with Suffolk Police.
Last week the force said it was still trying to save a further £5million when it announced a plan to revamp its website to allow members of the public to fill in forms to report crimes on-line.
As part of the plan, it announced a pilot scheme to temporarily close the public desk for visitors to report incidents at Thetford police station.
A sign at the station will instead direct visitors to the local library so they can report incidents on-line with trained librarians helping them to fill out forms if they did not have internet access themselves.
Ms Hamlin joined Norfolk Constabulary in 1986 and was initially based at King's Lynn, serving both in uniform and as a detective in all ranks up to and including Chief Inspector.
She was promoted to ACC in June 2014 when she was made the collaborative lead for Protective Services in Norfolk and Suffolk, overseeing the delivery of serious and organised crime, intelligence, major investigation, forensics and specialist operations along with Criminal Justice and Royalty Protection.
In February this year, she wrote a lengthy piece on her blog comparing her career to skiing, saying she endured "a lot of ups and downs and most definitely some challenging mountains to conquer."
She listed advice which she would have given herself on becoming a police officer 30 years ago, saying she always "had to be responsible, accountable - never off duty."
Ms Hamlin added: "I genuinely can't walk past trouble. And I take on everyone's issues because I want to make stuff ok and fix problems. I don't know what it's like to walk on by."
She also urged young officers to be true to themselves, saying: "A lot has been written about the culture of policing.
"However, I believe the value of my contributions has been about continuing to stand by my personal values and beliefs.
"My tough 'downhill ski' moments have been when I have been asked to work contrary to my personal beliefs.
"But when I've challenged views I feel less stressed. Even if others don't agree, I can at least say that I discharged my personal responsibility by pointing out the alternative view."
She added in the blog: "Don't make yourself indispensable. No matter how much you think some people will notice, they will only notice if it suits them.
"Look after your mental health just as much as your physical health. Listen to those who genuinely care for you in and out of work. Don't be played by agendas.
"People will use you. It's your choice to be used but also your choice not to be. And therefore expecting reward or recognition is a fallacy. Some people have enough emotional intelligence to say thanks. Many don't - but choose to try and do the right thing regardless.
"Trying to do the right thing is enough. In policing you will often have to make the 'least worst decision' and expect someone will criticise you.
A spokeswoman for Norfolk Constabulary said she was unable to comment on Ms Hamlin's tweets, saying: "It's not for us to discuss. We are not going to comment further."
Instead the force issued a statement saying that "one of East Anglia's most senior police officers has announced her retirement".
The announcement included a statement from Ms Hamlin saying: "I've had a fantastic career and thoroughly enjoyed my 30 years with Norfolk Constabulary and latterly in also working with the Suffolk Constabulary.
"I have many fond memories and without doubt these are the best forces I could have wished to work with.
"I consider though that now is the right time for me to retire to spend more time with family and friends as I look to pursue my other dreams."
Norfolk's Chief Constable Simon Bailey said: "As an Assistant Chief Constable for both forces, Sarah has made some significant contributions across many different areas.
"As head of protective services she has helped shape everything from intelligence to major investigations, and throughout her career she has worked closely with some of the most vulnerable members of society.
"Alongside this, Sarah has played a key role in helping us all to think differently about how we deliver policing in today's online world."
Suffolk's Chief Constable Gareth Wilson said: "Sarah's joint role across Suffolk and Norfolk helped us to work together more effectively.
"In this challenging financial climate, collaboration has helped deliver our services more efficiently and Sarah's knowledge and experience has made a real difference."
Lorne Green, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk Lorne, added: "I was sorry to hear the news that ACC Sarah Hamlin will be leaving Norfolk Police.
"In the three-and-a-half months I have been Police and Crime Commissioner, I have had the opportunity to work with her a number of times and have been impressed by her commitment and professionalism.
"I am aware of the important contribution she has made over 30 years and am disappointed the Constabulary will no longer benefit from her knowledge and dedication. I know she had even more to give, but wish her well in her retirement."
Ms Hamlin was praised in 2001 for starting up the SOS Bus Project, a multi-agency initiative to assist young people needing help in Norwich's club land.
The project which is still running acts as a first point of contact for young people who may be suffering illness or injury, emotional distress or be vulnerable as a result of being unable to get home.
The shock announcement on Twitter comes after Ms Hamlin used her social media page to hit back at complaints regarding a police terrorism exercise carried out in Norwich earlier in June.
Locals living in Norwich criticsed the training exercise, which took place between the hours of 1am and 4am and many said it woke them up and left them feeling frightened.
The ACC added that officers were simply trying to keep the public safe after the brutal Orlando massacre, when gunman Omar Mateen killed 49 people in Florida.
She tweeted: "Having seen the tragedies in Orlando I am flabbergasted to hear of complaints when @NSFirearmsDept are training to keep us safe."
Ms Hamlin later posted to say add the force had informed people about the drill and "tried not to frighten folk whilst doing realistic training".
- Daily Mail | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11702086&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/c9c40a4edbc50517cda970de6a96c3e8445d0155ee0cd94a30a48ee58993e96f.json |
[
"Brian Rudman Is A Nz Herald Feature Writer"
] | 2016-08-30T18:50:25 | null | 2016-08-30T00:37:45 | Bureaucrats can sometimes be their own worst enemies. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fopinion%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D466%26objectid%3D11701823%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_310816SPLBROMHEAD1_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Brian Rudman: All aboard another bureaucratic blunder | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Bureaucrats can sometimes be their own worst enemies.
Take Auckland Transport and advertising. Back in March, AT, wearing its road signage policeman's helmet, jumped up and down about unknown mayoral candidate, Vic Crone, buying space on commercial billboard sites in Parnell and Orewa to promote herself.
The advertisements breached an obscure bylaw banning electoral signage anywhere outside an arbitrary nine week pre-election day period. Crone bounced back with a legal opinion saying the bylaw breached her freedom of expression under the Bill of Rights.
She quipped her sign was no more dangerous than former All Black Dan Carter in his undies.
AT responded with a defence of the bylaw, accompanied by an apparent step back. It said it would review the rule after the election.
As yet, no action has been taken against the candidate.
As a bus user, my immediate shock was not about any restrictions on Crone's freedom of expression - after all, she got more publicity than she could ever have dreamed of as a result of the bylaw furore - but at AT's hypocrisy.
The bylaw had been introduced in 2013 to avoid, I later read, "confusion and unnecessary visual distraction."
Yet at the very time AT was fussing about hypothetical and fleeting "visual distractions" to passing motorists, their bus fleet was slowly being enveloped in wrap-around advertising, obstructing travellers' views out into the world's most liveable city.
If ever there was a case of causing confusion and unnecessary visual distraction, there it was, being inflicted by NZ Bus, AT's major private provider of bus services.
Continued below.
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At the time, the AT bureaucrats claimed there was nothing they could do. Three years on, the good news is, they've finally found a way to let the daylight back in.
New bus operating contracts are being introduced and included is a ban on window-blocking bus advertising.
Brendon Main, group manager AT Metro Operation says "there will be no advertising on bus windows with the implementation of our new contracts ... It will be great for our customers."
Shame it took so long.
The bad news is that it's going to take another two years to get the job done. Many of us will have a long wait before we can be guaranteed a clear view out.
Three years on, the good news is, they've finally found a way to let the daylight back in.
First to see the light will be passengers on the southern buses, where the new contracts come into force on October 30. Out west, it's May 2017.
Travellers like myself on the central routes have a year to wait, while those in the east will have to wait until November 2017. North Shore travellers are last in the queue, with no change until March 2018.
It is ironic that Auckland Transport has been so slack about banning signage that has blighted the travel experience of untold thousands of its customers over several years, particularly on wet winter nights when it's difficult to actually see where one is going, yet has pursued a mayoral candidate for breaching some obscure electoral signage bylaw of questionable legality, for an offence that upset no one.
There was more good news on the public transport front at yesterday's AT's monthly board meeting in a report celebrating the success of "HOP penetration on public transport."
We're told, 86 per cent of journeys are now paid for by use of the electronic swipe card.
This is worth celebrating, even if the journey there was long and tortuous.
It was way back in 2009 that AT's predecessor, ARTA, signed a deal with international services giant Thales to deliver Auckland a $98 million integrated public transport ticketing system.
Following that came the fiasco with the Snapper card, when losing tenderer, Wellington-based Infratil, somehow convinced AT that its card would work seamlessly with the Thales system and we keep them in the game.
It didn't, and much confusion and shouting and legal threats and delays ensued.
Still that's all behind us now, with just over 965,000 AT HOP cards having been sold, compared with the original target for the same period of 338,000.
With Auckland's total population only 1.57 million, I wonder where all these cards have gone, but I guess that's the least of AT's worries.
The more cards sold means more "stored value" back in the HOP trust account. As of June 2016, the balance was $11.8 million.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11701823&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/26c0b36b538c1f4dac0833f291c3040a6b9f59ad1e83b7b3936759d08d762ed8.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T18:50:46 | null | 2016-08-26T06:52:39 | New Zealand is becoming known as a digital guinea pig, the perfect location for software firms and app developers to quietly test and refine their products before releasing them to - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Ftechnology%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D5%26objectid%3D11700920%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201635/467dcd270ab3ee7b810ff62db075ff3183cb223d_1024x761.jpg | en | null | Nano Girl Michelle Dickinson: Kiwis become digital guinea pigs | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | New Zealand is becoming known as a digital guinea pig, the perfect location for software firms and app developers to quietly test and refine their products before releasing them to the world.
We are an ideal place for digital piloting, with the IDC ConsumerScape 360 report finding the average New Zealand consumer owns seven digital devices of which at least four are internet-capable "smart" devices.
It's not just our love of devices that makes us a great digital testing site; we also boast the world's fastest 4G speeds, thanks to Spark and Vodafone launching their LTE on two frequency bands. This high-speed network enables our smartphones to watch high-definition streaming videos which may explain how we doubled our adoption of paid for video streaming services like Netflix and Lightbox from 12 per cent to 24 per cent in just one year.
With our relatively small, predominantly English-speaking population and high digital engagement, we are one of the best countries for tech companies to try out and modify their new products in.
Last month we were one of the first three countries where the smartphone game Pokemon Go was released. Designed to encourage players to purchase virtual extras by spending real money, the game generated $366 million of revenue in the first five weeks and doubled Nintendo's stock price. Not only does this show the lucrative capabilities of the software world but also highlights the need to test and debug products first for a successful global release.
New Zealand also has one of the highest social-network adoption rates in the world, with 86 per cent of us accessing Facebook in the last 30 days, far ahead of the worldwide average of 75 per cent.
The IDC survey reported that 22 per cent of New Zealand Facebook users indicated they are "constantly" using the service, showing how a growing segment of us now see online as an intrinsic part of our lives rather than a tool we tap into when needed.
This is probably why Facebook is now trying out a new buy-and-sell feature called "marketplace" just on its Auckland users right now. We have been Facebook's testing ground for years and many features we see in New Zealand never actually make it to the global stage after failing on the Kiwi one. Facebook had tried to offer us a service where status updates could be promoted for a small fee, and a disappearing snapchat-like messaging system, both of which we rejected as a nation and both of which were dropped by Facebook.
Continued below.
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All of this digital device usage obviously has the potential to create great opportunity for us in the global economy as we are seen as the place for new technology to grow; however when added up the figures might cause some of us to reflect on the extent of our device use.
The IDC report found the average New Zealand consumer spends six hours 42 minutes a day using a smart device such as a smartphone, tablet or computer and the Statistics New Zealand time-use survey data showed we also watch an average of two hours 8 minutes of television a day.
When added up that puts us Kiwis at over 61 digital hours per week.
To put this in context, a Science Advances journal article found New Zealanders sleep for 56 hours and 28 minutes a week. This makes us the nation that spends more time with our digital devices than we do sleeping.
How will that affect us in the long run? Maybe that's the next experiment for us guinea pigs.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=11700920&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/5dc22e5d0ec7f399158a4ee4a809a49ccc8d72fa15023fbe24590ef9c08f4592.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T08:49:03 | null | 2016-08-29T05:57:28 | A Canterbury farm is devastated after 500 of their dairy cows worth around $1million have gone missing. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701598%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_GettyImages-157330755_1024x768.jpg | en | null | 500 cows stolen from Canterbury farm | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | A Canterbury farm is devastated after 500 of their dairy cows worth around $1million have gone missing.
Farm administrator Pennie Saunders posted on Facebook to try and track down the missing herd.
"We have had approximately 500 cows stolen from our large dairy farm in the Ashburton area."
Saunders told the Herald the "phenomenal" theft was first noticed in late August but could have taken place earlier.
"It's significant, it's huge, there's no joking about it. We're now focused on coming up with a farm management plan on how to manage it, to be able to cope.
"We're not wanting to be a sob story, we just want if anyone knows anything about it then get in contact with the police."
Saunders said it has hit the farm's shareholders hard. She estimates the cows are worth around $2000 each as they are in calf and have been fed well over winter.
They have a herd of 1300.
Saunders knows three or four other farms in the area that have been affected by livestock theft.
"I've never heard of anything as significant as this... People generally take a truck load."
A lot of people on social media have asked "how could you not notice?" said Saunders. But she explains that at that this time of year there was a lot of stock movement, with the cows divided and not all of them milking meant it wasn't visually obvious.
Continued below.
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"That number of cows could be grazing at three different properties as well as having animals on the dairy platform.
"Late last week we became aware we were short on cows as we noticed production was down."
Canterbury Police received a report on August 25 that up to 500 cows had been stolen from an Ashburton farm. They confirmed they were making enquiries.
If anyone has information which may be of use please contact Canterbury Police on 03 363 7400 and quote file number 160825/7150 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701598&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/968e41e4c95cbaccb480674f4ef8b35a1c097ac2ffe917694e57ece1254a2a79.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T02:50:16 | null | 2016-08-31T02:30:04 | James Rolleston has been transferred to a rehabilitation facility. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fentertainment%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1501119%26objectid%3D11702296%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_121214NZHJOFILM05_1024x768_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Boy star, James Rolleston, out of hospital | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | James Rolleston has been transferred to a rehabilitation facility.
The Waikato District Health Board announced that the actor, 19, was transferred from Waikato Hospital this afternoon.
Rolleston was injured in a horror car accident on the night of July 26 when the car he was travelling in crashed into a bridge in east Opotiki, where he is from.
Rolleston and fellow passenger Kaleb Maxwell were taken to Tauranga Hospital before Rolleston was transferred to Waikato Hospital's ICU.
"Half the bridge" ended up in the car, said a volunteer firefighter, who described the crash site as a "total mess".
The car was written off and police were forced to shut down the road for an hour to clear the wreckage.
Rolleston became a household name after starring in Taika Waititi's cult hit Boy, as well as roles in The Dead Lands with Te Kohe Tuhaka and The Dark Horse alongside Cliff Curtis.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11702296&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/ae87c98c01c82622d3b52a28bd1d4e7ecc6fb2fee16c9975d88001f13c842d30.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T18:50:26 | null | 2016-08-30T18:02:48 | Two Kiwi parents living in Perth are distraught after their baby boy died of suspected meningitis after being sent home by two separate hospitals. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11702029%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/png/201636/Capture_1024x763.png | en | null | Kiwi baby turned away from two Australian hospitals dies | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Two Kiwi parents living in Perth are distraught after their baby boy died of suspected meningitis after being sent home by two separate hospitals.
Princess Margaret Hospital and Midland Public Hospital both turned Malakai Matui Paraone away, misdiagnosing him with a pulled elbow and teething when his mother Nicole Thompson took him in on two consecutive nights.
The seven-month-old had a temperature, joint pains, a rash and lack of movement on the right side of his body when Thompson took him to Midland Hospital on Monday last week.
On Tuesday, he was rushed to Princess Margaret Hospital by ambulance after his conditioned worsened and he started vomiting, but was sent home with panadol.
It was only on his third visit to Princess Margaret on Thursday that hospital staff realised Malakai was dying.
He was immediately put into intensive care, but it was too late.
Baby Malakai died on Friday after being put on life support.
Thompson and Malakai's father, Te Keepa Paraone, are blaming the hospitals' negligence for their son's death.
"They know they've done wrong," Thompson told Nine News.
Continued below.
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"If they had done their job properly, my son would still be here.
"Three days I tried to get him help, three days. Two hospitals, one doctor's surgery, an ambulance trip."
She even accused staff at Midland Hospital of laughing at her when she suggested her son's symptoms might be related.
"I really do feel like going to that Midland hospital and saying 'You know how you laughed at me for asking those questions, well my son passed away," she said.
"I am going to fight this to the end. My son was strong for four days. I'm going to be strong for him and I'm going to get the justice he deserves."
While it was not yet clear exactly what he died of, Thompson said hospital staff believed he had meningococcal meningitis.
The couple have vowed to fight for answers.
PMH and Midland Hospital told Nine they were unable to comment on individual patient's cases and the matter would be investigated by the coroner.
A fund raising page set up to cover baby Malakai's funeral costs has been set up, reaching its $15,000 target in less than a day.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11702029&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/4de3d8f56b611b2b1286dab726592bc800d83f899ac6628e585f2ffeee0dcd6a.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T00:50:10 | null | 2016-08-29T22:44:21 | A social media discussion has revealed that when it comes to appearance, men are just as self-conscious as women. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Flifestyle%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D6%26objectid%3D11701752%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/men_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Men admit their secret body hang-ups | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | A social media discussion has revealed that when it comes to appearance, men are just as self-conscious as women.
The talk included everything from pressure to have six-pack abs, to fears about penis size and excessive sweating.
The discussion kicked off on Reddit after one user posted the question, "To all the guys out there, what are you most self-conscious about?"
The thread attracted more than 5700 starkly honest comments.
One commenter wrote, "I've got gynecomastia, breast tissue development in males, it's incredibly difficult to get dressed in the morning. There is basically one type of shirt you can wear, that is the dark colour with thick fabric. And still, the puffy protruding nipples are noticeable. If you want to ruin a guy's young life give him gyno".
Others discussed height and posture issues.
"What my face looks like from the side," said one man as he reflected on body hang-ups.
"The majority of the times I see my own face is head on in a mirror, so whenever I see myself from the side I think I look weird. Also I have bad posture, neck sticks too far forward."
"How I smell," wrote another man. "I follow all the rules for hygiene, but I can still smell myself often and it freaks me out. Especially once I start sweating a bit."
Acne was another key concern, with some saying nothing had helped the problem, while others believe a low carb diet helped to keep spots at bay.
Continued below.
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Baldness was mentioned often, with one man lamenting that if you don't have the right head shape for hair loss, you end up looking like a "giant toe."
Too much body hair, a lack of a social life, fears about being considered boring, and even being bad at sports all got mentions in the online forum.
And it seems, weight is a universal concern for both sexes, with one man saying he dislikes his thighs.
"I can't wear regular fit jeans unless the waist is a larger size. Loose fit is my life..."
"The struggle is real," wrote another, "keep looking and when you find a pair that works buy like 4 pairs, the crotch always gets worn down for me from my thighs rubbing together... "
-nzherald.co.nz | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11701752&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/9b129111527d65cb308b53d0383cfed401e41486912d21f87c6af75f4c663d9d.json |
[
"Property Editor Of The Nz Herald"
] | 2016-08-28T22:49:12 | null | 2016-08-28T19:40:09 | A Christchurch-based property chief expressed shock at the scale of Canterbury building company liquidations but says it shows problems with the sector. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11701312%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_A_290514BLMBUI11766701_H138_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Property chief shocked by Canterbury building liquidations | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | A Christchurch-based property chief expressed shock at the scale of Canterbury building company liquidations but says it shows problems with the sector.
John Hare, chief executive of Holmes Group and the former principal engineering adviser to the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, said the scale of collapses took him aback but he was well aware of the issues.
"I must admit, the numbers surprised me but I'm not surprised it's happening," Hare said.
He was reacting to a Stuff report today on sector failures.
"More than 60 construction-related Christchurch companies have been liquidated this year, owing creditors an estimated $40 million. Analysis of hundreds of insolvency records found about 160 companies in the building industry registered in Canterbury have gone bust since January 2015. The building industry's woes have been well-publicised, with the collapse of firms including Stonewood Homes, H & R Garlick, Goodlife Homes and Urban Construction," Stuff reported.
Hare said he knew of the issues.
"We had earthquakes and suddenly it became a goldrush and to be a contractor you only needed to have a ute and a dog, as the saying goes. A number of people saw an opportunity, thought they could go into business and 'it's great, there's EQC funding and it's a gravy train'."
"Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. They did slap-dash work and got called back three times and they had mountains of work. Tradesmen were driving all over town with nothing getting finished and it just became an escalating cycle," Hare said.
The scale of repairs to more than 65,000 residences was unprecedented in New Zealand, he said, "in a city without the capability for that."
Continued below.
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Ivan Stanicich, Canterbury Registered Master Builders president, said he was not surprised by the scale of liquidations Stuff had reported.
"Not at all. It's just a numbers game. The more work you do, the more problems you have. The issue is more the boom-bust cycle. I've been in the business 36 years and we've continually had boom-bust cycles," Stanicich said, warning that Auckland could suffer the same fate in time.
He called for better training and more skills to smooth the cycles.
Demand in Canterbury had been too high "and the supply of quality labour too low. Master Builders has been concerned about this for several years. It's very hard to upscale quickly to cope. You can't do it," Stanicich said.
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith this month issued the first part of an insolvency law review, including measures to address issues around voluntary liquidations.
Insolvency practitioners were under-regulated, that document said, recommended a new licensing body be formed and that companies or shareholders should not be able to appoint liquidators.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11701312&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/f14bac5572dda07fdd40ded04349900b993d14f9c1e6fdf2eae21480b4711eeb.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T02:48:50 | null | 2016-08-29T01:25:34 | Video of one-punch assaults that happened within minutes of each other in Auckland have been released. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701480%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/pic_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Watch: Video of 'one-punch' assaults released in bid to find attackers | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Video will play in Play now Don't auto play
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Video of "one-punch" assaults that happened within minutes of each other in Auckland have been released.
Three people were knocked out from single punches on July 2. Police are seeking information on the "cowardly" attackers in the footage.
The first attack occurred at 4am on Jean Batten Place. The victim was punched once and knocked unconscious. He suffered a fractured nose, stitches to the head and bruises to his elbow, tailbone as well as cuts to his upper and lower lips.
The next attack happened only five minutes later and just around the corner on Fort St. The offender punched two people rendering both victims unconscious. The first victim suffered a concussion and a displaced jaw, while the second victim also suffered a concussion and a wound to his face.
Police say the incidents are not related, but both are being investigated.
Detective Inspector Chris Cahill said it was incredibly alarming to see such violent behaviour, which can have life-altering consequences for victims.
"The unprovoked attacks in these videos are appalling and we are appealing to members of the public who know who these offenders are to get in touch with the police immediately."
The first video shows the offender in a black jacket, dark hat and white pants. In the second video the offender appears to be strongly built and wearing a white T-shirt, dark pants and white shoes.
Police urge any members of the public who may know who these offenders are, or have witnessed these events to contact Constable Luke Curran on 021 191 2672 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701480&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/9e04022bb519bac4430b69f50a63f96f382bdb50f9af3db51d0ecbe4434bb1f0.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T10:50:28 | null | 2016-08-31T08:32:09 | An extensive archive offering a behind-the-scenes look at Donald Trump has come out today. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fworld%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D2%26objectid%3D11702403%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_AP160829170235_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Massive 398-document archive on Donald Trump released | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Gavin Fernando of news.com.au
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An extensive archive offering a behind-the-scenes look at Donald Trump has come out today.
The archive, released by The Washington Post, is comprised of thousands of pages in financial reports, interview transcripts, immigration records and other raw material, organised into 398 individual documents.
This was all used in the development of Trump Revealed, a biography of the Republican presidential nominee put together by a team of The Post's reporters.
The book was released by publishing company Scribner last week.
Trump gave the team more than 20 hours of interviews, but did not permit them to speak to family members, or staff members (past or present) who had signed non-disclosure agreements.
Here are some things about the billionaire candidate we've learnt.
TRUMP HAD A PRIVILEGED UPBRINGING
The illusion of Trump as a 'self-made' billionaire isn't exactly correct.
According to The Post, Donald Trump's grandfather made a reasonable fortune from real estate, although it wasn't a huge one. It was his father, Fred, who became very successful in New York real estate.
Fred Trump built thousands and thousands of apartments across the state of New York; a hard-working businessman who was ahead of his time in the industry.
Continued below.
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Donald Trump benefited greatly from this, growing up in a world of wealth and privilege. He went to private school, was the only family in his neighbourhood to have a Cadillac, and was to follow his father's business ventures.
That said, it was noted he was able to connect with blue-collar workers and less wealthy people in a way that other people with his privileged status may not have been able to. They say that he always spoke to and connected with the construction workers.
TRUMP IS PROOF CELEBRITY LIFE CAN BE VERY LONELY
Trump, of course, is one of the biggest global celebrities there is. But he himself admitted he doesn't have a lot of people he can turn to.
Former classmates of the candidate told The Post that, as a child, Trump was uncontrollable and obnoxious; they even claimed he once pelted a neighbour's toddler with rocks and got into physical altercations with his teachers. He was said to be very full of himself and struggled to retain close friendships - a trend that would continue throughout his life.
The Post's senior editor, Marc Fisher, told NPR Trump led a "strikingly solitary life for someone so public".
Trump said "he really doesn't have the kinds of friendships that most people would describe... and never really has."
Even women who were romantically involved with him over the years alleged that he'd never take them upstairs, but would prefer to watch TV by himself with a bag of sweets.
When asked who he would turn to if he was going through troubled times, Trump said he would turn to his adult children.
It's a known fact that he has a close relationship with Ivanka, his eldest daughter, who has been a key part of his campaign.
TRUMP ALLEGEDLY SHOWED RACIAL BIAS WHEN RENTING HIS PROPERTIES
The Post has alleged that Donald Trump refused to rent apartments to black people.
They said federal investigators found evidence that Trump's employees would secretly mark applications of minorities with codes, such as 'No. 9' or the letter 'C' for 'coloured' people.
Testers were periodically sent, including city agency and housing officials, representing themselves as potential tenants who would then file reports.
Eventually, enough evidence was filed to suggest racial bias was definitely taking place in the selection process.
For example, an African-American man who went to inspect an apartment had his application denied, with the agent telling him there was no room.
The following day his wife, a white woman, went for the exact same apartment, and was told they'd be delighted to have her.
The @WashingtonPost quickly put together a hit job book on me- comprised of copies of some of their inaccurate stories. Don't buy, boring! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 23, 2016
TRUMP MAY HAVE VOTED FOR HILLARY CLINTON 16 YEARS AGO
It seems almost incomprehensible that Trump may have ever endorsed his now-opponent Hillary Clinton, but he didn't deny it.
Back when she was running for the US Senate of New York in 2001, he even had a fundraiser for the state Democratic Party in his apartment.
When Post reporter Michael Kranish asked him if he voted for her, he didn't actually know who the candidate running against her was.
"You have to understand that for the most part in New York, whoever gets the Democratic nomination wins," he said.
"Did you vote for Hillary Clinton?" pressed Kranish.
Trump responded: "I never say who I'm going to vote for, I never tell. I know. But I did have a fundraiser for the party at the time. "I think you know and I've said it pretty loud and clear that I get along with all politicians. I felt it was an obligation to get along, including with the Clintons and including with a lot of other people. It was very important for me to get along with politicians in my business."
Smooth.
When asked about this case, Trump denied that the case was specifically against him and his father, and did not admit to wrongdoing.
TRUMP MAY THREATEN YOU IF YOU WRITE A BOOK ABOUT HIM
Donald Trump gave the journalists behind the book a veiled warning during one of their very first interviews.
When reporters Robert O'Harrow, Drew Harwell and Shawn Boburg called him for a chat on May 23, he immediately expressed scepticism over the book: "What is this for, the book, the book that's being written in less than a week?"
"Yeah, it's a tight deadline, but it's a little longer than a week," said O'Harrow. "We're certainly working diligently, and...'
At this point, Trump cut him off, saying: "I just hope the book could be fair because, otherwise, you know, we'll see what happens. But it would be nice if the book could be fair. But we'll see."
For what it's worth, Trump has publicly slammed the book following its release.
TRUMP (SORT OF) ADMITTED HE EXPRESSED INITIAL SUPPORT FOR INVADING IRAQ
Trump has frequently claimed he opposed the invasion of Iraq from the get-go.
But in a 2002 Howard Stern interview, when Trump was asked if he was in favour of invading Iraq, he replied: "Yeah, I guess so. I wish the first time it was done correctly."
Speaking to The Post'sDan Balz and Jenna Johnson, he again said he'd been against the war from the start.
Then, he referenced the Howard Stern interview, saying: "That was a while before the war started. And even then, I was, I don't know. That's the first time I was ever asked the question.
"Don't forget, I'm a businessman. Nobody is asking me about the Iraq War. But Howard is a friend of mine. If you go back to 2004, I was strongly against that war. And I was against it before it ever started because I said it's going to destabilise the Middle East. And Hillary voted for it. But beyond that - because maybe she was given bad information.
"Beyond that - because I said it was going to destabilise the Middle East. Everything I said was exactly right."
TRUMP CLAIMED HE'S NOT AN INSULTING PERSON
Trump refused to accept that he insulted anyone.
It's a touch ironic, considering his infamous insults are the sort of thing Trump routinely makes headlines for.
When asked if this was a political tactic, he responded: "I don't feel I insult people. I don't feel I insult people. I try and get to the facts and I don't feel I insult people.
"I hear what you're saying but I do not feel that I insult people. Now, if I'm insulted I will counterattack, or if something is unfair, I will counterattack, but I don't feel like I insult people. I don't want to do that."
His official Twitter account tells another story.
Obama is, without question, the WORST EVER president. I predict he will now do something really bad and totally stupid to show manhood! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2014
Hey @realDonaldTrump - In case you're looking for that tweet you deleted .. I got it right here. pic.twitter.com/a6F98q5xGU — Lenny Jacobson (@Lennyjacobson) April 17, 2015
TRUMP REFUSES TO BELIEVE HIS FANS ARE INSULTING PEOPLE
At one point, the reporters asked Trump what he thought about his fans calling Hillary Clinton a "b*tch", and wearing T-shirts that read: "Trump that b****".
"Is that an appropriate word for your fans to be using?" Post political reporter Jenna Johnson asks the candidate.
"I have not heard that," he replies. "I don't like that. But I have not heard that. I would not be happy if I heard it. No, I have not heard it."
He then hastily changes the subject: "Did you see that the crowds are getting bigger and bigger?"
TRUMP WILL HANG UP ON YOU IF HE DOESN'T LIKE THE QUESTION
Donald Trump allegedly created his own press agent. The Post said he would call reporters saying his name was "John Miller", but wouldn't even bother to disguise his voice.
He would then give them fake news tips, telling them he would be at glamorous events with glamorous people.
At the end of one interview, the journalists asked Trump about this alter ego.
This is the transcript as it appears in the archive:
Boburg: "Mr Trump, we just have two more questions and then we'll let you run. The story today about John Miller. Did you ever employ someone named John Miller as a spokesperson?"
Boburg: "I think he hung up. I'm pretty sure he hung up."
O'Harrow: "Yeah, he hung up. That's the end of the interview with Donald Trump. This is Robert O'Harrow, Shawn Boburg, and Drew."
The reporters later spoke to his assistant, who said she "heard they got disconnected".
"Actually, he can't take the call now," she said. "I don't know what happened, but we're going to have to reschedule maybe for another day?"
"Boy, those were really negative questions," she added. "Do you have any good questions to ask him? Some positive questions?"
Alas, the John Miller inquiry remains unanswered.
- news.com.au | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11702403&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/b5c0c422bb30d4247ae16130db48ccd2a36e1f195e21cc8cbca9e7451edf91e9.json |
[
"Kelly Makiha Is The Rotorua Daily Post'S Head Of News"
] | 2016-08-29T18:49:26 | null | 2016-08-29T04:40:39 | A Rotorua youngster is giving up a sixth birthday party so her friends can instead put their money towards a fund for Valencia Davies, a young girl fighting a life-threatening skin - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701574%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_290816sp13_1024x761.jpg | en | null | Madisyn passes up birthday gifts for Valencia | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Video will play in Play now Don't auto play
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A Rotorua youngster is giving up a sixth birthday party so her friends can instead put their money towards a fund for Valencia Davies, a young girl fighting a life-threatening skin condition.
Madisyn Majurey will turn 6 on Thursday and her mum expected to have a celebration on Saturday with her daughter's friends.
But upon hearing about Valencia's story, Madisyn instead suggested her guests go to a family fun day being held on Saturday to raise money for Valencia and her family.
The Rotorua Daily Post reported on Saturday the 9-year-old Owhata Primary School pupil has been in hospital since the start of the month after contracting rare skin condition SJS (Stevens Johnson Syndrome).
Valencia is on the road to recovery, after a risky time when she found it difficult to breathe as sores and lesions took hold of more than 60 per cent of her body.
However, doctors say she could have life-long scarring. Valencia's family are also struggling financially since her father was made redundant with the closure of Lumbercube and her mother has had to take time off work.
Madisyn's mother, Erin Majurey, said she tried to teach her children the importance of thinking of others in times of need.
"[Madisyn's suggestion] honestly brought tears to my eyes. My kids are so caring and compassionate anyway and that's something I've tried to instil so it wasn't really a surprise that she wanted to give up something that most 6-year-olds really hold onto. I was so proud."
Continued below.
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Ms Majurey said she had offered birthday party options including Playtopia, Flip Out, going to the movies or a picnic.
"She just suggested 'why don't we get everyone to go along on Saturday instead and donate money?'."
Ms Majurey said she had already bought her daughter a bike, which she would still be getting on her birthday as a nice surprise and reward for her gesture.
Madisyn's teacher at Glenholme Primary School will hand out invitations to her class to go to the family fun day.
Valencia's mother, Ene Mikaere, said she cried when she saw a video on Facebook which showed Madisyn talking about her birthday sacrifice.
"To think that someone so young can come up with such an amazing gesture. I was blown away with this precious gem's video.
"I'm looking forward to meeting the beautiful darling and her mummy at the fundraiser."
How can you help?
Those wanting to donate to Valencia's Road to Recovery can make a deposit here:
https://givealittle.co.nz/donate/Cause/valenciasroad2recovery
The family fun day is being held at Owhata Primary School from 10am to 2pm.
Any donations and contributions can be taken to Owhata Primary School. Contact Eleanor Mahaki for any queries, phone (021) 353 267. | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701574&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/f49c761d6bd685b496aa4126f43241a85dbf249b0def66e9b0353d357e507ac8.json |
[
"Kurt Bayer Is A Herald Reporter Based In Christchurch"
] | 2016-08-30T00:49:50 | null | 2016-08-29T23:40:08 | The Czech tramper who survived a month trapped in a remote South Island bush after witnessing her partner fall to his death has penned heartfelt thank-you letters to her rescuers. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11701784%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/pizova_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Czech tramper Pavlina Pizova thanks rescuers after Routeburn Track tragedy | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | The Czech tramper who survived a month trapped in a remote South Island bush after witnessing her partner fall to his death has penned heartfelt thank-you letters to her rescuers.
Pavlina Pizova was with partner Ondrej Petr, 27, when he slipped and died on the Routeburn Track on about July 27.
She spent three freezing nights sleeping in the open before traipsing through waist-deep snow to a Department of Conservation warden's hut where she sheltered for almost a month.
Pizova, in her 30s, was finally rescued last Wednesday.
Yesterday, she made a substantial four-digit donation to Queenstown Police, Wakatipu Land Search and Rescue [SAR] and DOC, according to Vladka Kennett, Consul for the Czech Republic, who has been helping Pizova recuperate after her ordeal.
Pizova also gave her rescuers a moving letter to express her gratitude for their "enormous effort" to bring her to safety, and get Petr back to his family.
"Nothing can express how grateful I am that our tragedy happened in this area, with your expertise," she wrote to police and Land SAR.
"I'm overwhelmed by your empathy and gentle support. From the bottom of my heart, Pavlina Pizova."
To DOC she wrote that its "well-maintained infrastructure literally saved my life".
Continued below.
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"Thank you and my apologies for any inconvenience caused."
A post-mortem on Petr's body was completed yesterday.
The police investigation has now been completed.
Pizova is desperately trying to book flights home to the Czech Republic.
Kennett said they hope that Pizova will be reunited with her family back home by the
weekend.
It's understood that Petr's body will be repatriated this week.
Pizova is "doing really well", Kennett said, considering what she had gone through.
Police say extreme and severe conditions, including heavy snow and the risk of avalanche, along with her injuries - frostbite and possible hypothermia - prevented
Pizova from walking to safety.
She used ashes to make an "H" help sign in the snow and fashioned snow shoes with sticks during the weeks she spent trapped eating food left behind by DOC workers.
Although the Czech pair failed to tell people of their tramping plans, Pizova's tale of survival has been labelled "courageous" and "resilient". She has been praised by police and DOC for remaining at the hut, waiting to be rescued.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701784&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/ad1136f68b5450d80585fcd366954eedb2922c8e44568179b849db6bc43dc4d6.json |
[
"Patrick Mckendry Is A Rugwriter For The Herald."
] | 2016-08-29T06:49:02 | null | 2016-08-29T05:27:46 | Unless Wallabies coach Michael Cheika breaks the law or is guilty of gross misconduct, he won't be fired by his employers the Australia Rugby Union. However, they would be advised - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701584%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/GettyImages-542909942_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Patrick McKendry: Michael Cheika needs to be reined in | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Video will play in Play now Don't auto play
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Unless Wallabies coach Michael Cheika breaks the law or is guilty of gross misconduct, he won't be fired by his employers the Australia Rugby Union. However, they would be advised to have a word with him, at least, about his responsibilities.
At the moment he is failing himself, the team, and the game.
Cheika was signed last year following Ewen McKenzie's departure as head coach and with the Wallabies at a low ebb, meaning he will be on a valuable, cast-iron contract. The ARU, with their significant financial issues, simply can't afford to fire him in a money sense before his contract expires after the World Cup in 2019, but they can't afford to let him continue to run amok, either. It's time to rein him in.
It's one thing, after six consecutive defeats, to deflect from another poor performance by your team to blame referee Romain Poite, although bringing Nigel Owens into it when the Welshman wasn't involved in either of the two Bledisloe Cup tests this year was downright unusual.
It was also odd to hear him complain about a pre-test meeting between his All Blacks counterpart Steve Hansen and Poite, a meeting which simply didn't happen, but it's another matter entirely to be filmed by the match broadcaster apprently using the sort of abusive language not fit to print on a general news site. The broadcaster did not capture the sound, but the words used seem apparent from the film.
Clearly enraged by something on the field at Westpac Stadium during his team's 29-9 defeat, and with the Australian flag pinned to the wall behind him in the coaches' box, Cheika appears to shout: "Oh, f*** off, f*** off, you f***ing cheating ****".
There is no indication who Cheika was referring to. The Wallabies and Australia Rugby Union have been approached for comment.
That apparent outburst alone should have attracted the attentions of match organiser Sanzaar, who last year refused to enforce a suspension on the then Waratahs coach for confronting referee Jaco Peyper at halftime in a match against the Blues. That transgression should have triggered a World Cup ban, as Cheika was already in trouble for allegedly verbally abusing a television camera operator in South Africa.
There is a trend here of poor behaviour being condoned by the rugby powers and it is continuing, just as the poor behaviour of the Wallabies is. The Australians tried to do a hatchet job on Dan Carter in the World Cup final last year, with prop Sekope Kepu continually targeting the All Blacks playmaker off the ball.
Their performance at Westpac Stadium was fuelled by the frustration of the 42-8 humiliation a week earlier in Sydney. Their vaunted "improved attitude" appeared little more than a determination to disrupt the All Blacks with niggle and sledging. Nick Phipps' act of throwing one of Malakai Fekitoa's boots into the crowd was embarrassing.
As a self-made millionaire, Cheika doesn't need the job to pay his mortgage. He's already well off financially and recent behaviour appears to reflect that.
That's why it's doubly important that he be reminded that the game's laws apply to him as well. He has a responsibility to be a role model for his players at least and the edge creeping into their game isn't a good look for anyone.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701584&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/cba1a33012ea207e6641ab4ab24e5b44147d87cd529f4329ed221e3b0d3cbf9a.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T22:48:55 | null | 2016-08-28T20:20:41 | Prime Minister John Key has defended the cost of housing in New Zealand, saying under his Government house prices had gone up only 43 per cent. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fbusiness%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D3%26objectid%3D11701320%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/GettyImages-532642912_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Key responds to housing 'state of emergency' calls | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Aimee Shaw
Prime Minister John Key has defended the cost of housing in New Zealand, saying under his Government house prices had gone up only 43 per cent.
In response to Labour housing spokesperson Phil Twyford's calls for the Government to "declare a state of emergency", Key defended his Government's actions.
"National house prices under the 9 years Helen was Prime Minister went up 102 per cent, under us they went up 43 per cent," he said.
Listen: John Key speaks to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking housing affordability:
"Auckland house prices under them and under us, broadly in Census terms, went up the same. If it's a national state of emergency now, in a crisis now, why wasn't it when Helen was Prime Minister?"
Key told NewstalkZB's Mike Hosking the cost of an average Auckland house is nine times that of the average earnings.
"To give you an example Sydney is 12 times and we're about the same with Melbourne," he said.
"If you want to resolve this issue then absolutely build more houses and there is no question that this is not happening - we're in the middle of a building boom."
Continued below.
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Social housing Minister Paula Bennett said Government was doing everything it could.
Listen: Phil Goff speaks to Early Edition's Rachel Smalley about housing:
"I don't think Phil Twyford is engaging his brain, he's just come out with 'state of an emergency' without actually thinking about what that would mean."
Auckland mayor hopeful Phil Goff launched his campaign with a housing policy aimed at slowing down immigration.
Our transport and housing provisions are simply not coping with that level of growth as most of that growth is coming in Auckland.
"Our transport and housing provisions are simply not coping with that level of growth as most of that growth is coming in Auckland," he said.
"My challenge to Government or any Government is that either you've got to slow down the rate of migration or provide the funding that lets us put that infrastructure in place."
- with additional reporting from Newstalk ZB.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11701320&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/c5f65d68c329929b35500317386d6d7a9abe1a5108f89031eae551c87ca34f73.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T00:50:36 | null | 2016-08-30T21:58:10 | The owner of the food caravan that was stolen from a Massey carpark and then found again by a member of the public estimates the cost from thefts and damage is around $2500. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fnz%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D1%26objectid%3D11702126%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_290816SPLCARAVAN2_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Items missing after stolen caravan retrieved | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | By Melissa Nightingale, Susan Strongman
The owner of the food caravan that was stolen from a Massey carpark and then found again by a member of the public estimates the cost from thefts and damage is around $2500.
Chanidsara 'Eve' Supra-At Taku, 30, and Gritsaru 'Ize' Janshinorat, 29, had started up the food truck business selling chicken and pork buns and dumplings five months ago, and said they invested about $25,000 into the caravan and equipment.
The caravan was stolen from a carpark on Sunday morning, but a member of the public spotted it parked on West Coast Rd with a tarpaulin over it, and connected it to a Facebook post he'd seen about the stolen vehicle.
The caravan was returned to the young Thai couple on Tuesday, but some items have been stolen, including the power generator.
Ize said other missing items included three boxes of pork buns, all the soft drinks, and some foil.
There was also damage to the bumper, and the number plate had been smashed off.
Ize had been unable to get a full idea yesterday of how much was stolen or damaged, as he could not touch anything inside the caravan before it was tested for fingerprints.
"I have to go and clean it up," he said.
The power generator alone would cost about $700 to replace, but at a rough estimate Ize expected the damage and thefts would add up to about $2500.
Waitemata Police "are following very positive lines of inquiry to identify the alleged offender", Senior Sergeant Matt Laurenson said on Tuesday.
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11702126&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/da84893c09401fd2cb6972777f335c0ce6277eea48a50f65453da2a28d52ecf1.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T00:49:42 | null | 2016-08-29T20:28:01 | An English journalist has called the non-citing of All Blacks prop Owen Franks a 'complete joke decision'. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fsport%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D4%26objectid%3D11701674%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/160827_allblacksvaus_GD2385_1024x768.jpg | en | null | 'Complete joke decision': UK journalist speaks out about Owen Franks non-citing | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | An English journalist has called the non-citing of All Blacks prop Owen Franks a 'complete joke decision'.
Franks wasn't cited for his alleged eye gouge incident on Wallabies lock Kane Douglas during Saturday night's test and the decision has not gone down well around the globe.
The backlash against Franks and SANZAAR has not relented, with the Daily Mail's Chris Foy voicing his disapproval of the decision to let Franks go unpunished while speaking to Andrew Mulligan on Radio Sport's Crowd Goes WIld Breakfast.
"They've absolutely got away with it, it's a complete joke decision," Foy said.
"Judging by my timeline on Twitter and a lot of the reactions of people I follow or see or speak to, everyone's in agreement.
"I mean I've had former players I've spoken to and heard from, and in this part of the world [the UK], everyone seems completely in agreement, because partly, in Europe, in the United Kingdom, there's been various cases in the past couple of years where things that didn't seem quite as bad examples as that particular offence have ended up with players being cited, go to a hearing, found guilty and banned for a long time when it seemed particularly accidental.
"So then we see those happening, and then we see what happened at the weekend and think 'this is completely inconsistent', which is the thing that infuriates everyone.
Continued below.
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"If you go anywhere near that area [the face region], you're in trouble. It doesn't matter if you meant it as a sickening offense. Even if it's an accidental thing.
"We'll sympathize with those people when it's really obvious it's accidental, but they've still been punished by the judiciary for doing that, so then when you see this one, where it looks like he has one go, then he has another go, and you think it's a pretty open and shut case.
Shocking that Owen Franks isn't even being cited re alleged gouging incident. Match commissioners must review NZ matches like this... — Chris Foy (@FoyChris) August 28, 2016
"I'm absolutely staggered that they've seen that and not taken any action. It was completely obvious what happened."
Foy went on to criticize the uncertainty and confusion that surrounds the laws of the game.
"One of rugby's problems is there's too many shades of grey about the laws. It's too open to interpretation and debate, that's one of the issues the game has got."
- NZ Herald | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11701674&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/dda1e568fc7da95a31db77d7fdae1e0a8d4ee49ddcf7c5442b4be05c08fd43c9.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T20:47:51 | null | 2016-08-27T20:15:50 | A heartbreaking series of pictures capture the moment a pet owner treated her dying dog to a fun-packed final day before taking the beloved animal to the veterinarian and saying a - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fworld%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D2%26objectid%3D11701149%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/dogxx_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Woman treats dog to fun-packed final day before saying goodbye | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | A heartbreaking series of pictures capture the moment a pet owner treated her dying dog to a fun-packed final day before taking the beloved animal to the veterinarian and saying a final goodbye.
An Imgur user shared 26 images of the dog, which appears to be an American pit bull terrier, enjoying some of her favorite things alongside her owner.
Entitled 'Dogs are too amazing to let go, but sometimes it happens and they will forgive you', the first photo shows the dog sitting in the front seat of a car holding her head down low.
"I don't know if she knows or not," the pet owner wrote over the photo.
The next image shows the dog giving her best expression of sad, puppy dog eyes to the camera, with the caption: "She trusts me to make a choice. No matter how hard it might be."
With her head turned back towards the road, the poor dog has closed her eyes in the next photo, appearing to be exhausted.
"But I know she's tired," the female pet owner wrote over the heartbreaking photo.
The next snap shows the sweet dog sticking her head out of the window during the car trip.
"The stairs are hard. The hills are mountains. The pills don't work," the pet owner wrote over the photo.
Continued below.
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"But if I have to make that choice. Then let's make the last day the best one yet," she said in two photos of the dog who still looks sad in the eyes.
In making the dog's last day the best, the owner first treats her to some pampering and captured a few images of her being washed at a local Pet Smart store.
"Aroma therapy to make you relax and feel amazing too," her owner wrote over an image of her all soapy with suds.
After receiving treatment, the dog had a heart-shaped "beauty mark" put onto her coat for a little decoration.
Next up, it was time for a meal in the shape of a McDonald's cheeseburger.
"One last delicious meal," the pet owner wrote over one of the images showing her dog chowing down on what appears to be a cheeseburger from the fast food restaurant.
The next photo shows a young boy and girl as they say their goodbyes to the dog who appears even sadder at the prospect of leaving them.
But the dog cheers up in the next few images, as she sports a pink bandanna around her neck while playing with an old friend - another dog.
The two are seen smiling as they sit and stand next to each other for the final time.
She's treated to a little more pampering while "enjoying the cool air" outside her owner paints her nails with a pink colored polish to match the pink bandanna.
"She's my pretty old girl," the owner captioned an image of her dog all dolled up.
The second to last photo in the series shows the dog in the car with owner, as they ride to the vet clinic.
And the last photo is heartbreaking. The owner can be seen tightly hugging the dog as its life slips away.
The photo series coincides with National Dog Day, celebrated August 26 in the United States.
- Daily Mail | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11701149&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/d2817fc080767d0bf9c6be83e406df12ebfbf7785c67b1c5c90de1b059003e52.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T02:48:08 | null | 2016-08-28T01:39:29 | Six weeks on, Adelaide Stratton remembers fear, pain, and blood rushing down her face. - New Zealand Herald | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzherald.co.nz%2Fworld%2Fnews%2Farticle.cfm%3Fc_id%3D2%26objectid%3D11701209%26ref%3Drss.json | http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201636/SCCZEN_280816SPLSTRATTON1_1024x768.jpg | en | null | Stranger saved Adelaide's life in Nice | null | null | www.nzherald.co.nz | Video will play in Play now Don't auto play
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Six weeks on, Adelaide Stratton remembers fear, pain, and blood rushing down her face.
She remembers screams. And panic. And blood. So much blood.
But mostly she remembers clinging to a stranger's hand, and it squeezing hers back.
She remembers a gentle, calming voice in a language she doesn't know saying words she didn't understand. And it's attached to a body shielding her from corpses she didn't know surrounded her, but her saviour knew he didn't want her to see.
She begged him not to leave her alone on Bastille Day in Nice, amid the devastation caused by a madman terrorist in a truck which almost killed her.
Adelaide, 22, knows she's one of the lucky ones. And the vibrant Sydneysider, despite a catalogue of injuries that almost killed her and will be with her for a lifetime, also knows she has one person to thank for it: humble Frenchman Patrick Sergent.
The pair's story as 85 people lay dying around her in the wake of Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel murderous death drive is told in a touching story on Sunday Night tonight.
Former Channel Seven presenter and journalist Chris Bath delivered it at the request of Adelaide's family - close friends of Bath's.
But it's a story which is Adelaide's alone, told with flashes of humour and spirit, despite the legacy of pain that comes with the crushed base of her head which should have killed or paralysed her, the vivid scar which crosses her forehead, internal cranial injuries, and the ferocious burn from being dragged by the truck which mars half of her right leg.
Adelaide was holidaying with three friends, and had been celebrating Bastille Day at a pool party days after arriving in Nice when news of the fireworks lured them towards the promenade on July 16.
Continued below.
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The four became separated - Chiara Ronzel and Bridget De Jong on foot - and Adelaide and Bridget's boyfriend, Marcus Anderson, opting for the bus.
They disembarked, unknowingly, into hell.
The truck hit both of them as the terrorist carved his deadly path.
"I heard nothing. I remember where I was ... we were walking along and then ... nothing," Adelaide tells Bath.
Marcus looked up to see his friend facedown, motionless.
"I didn't know if she was alive or dead," he says. And he couldn't get to her. He tried, but collapsed, complete with busted ribs and a punctured lung.
Ten metres away, Adelaide woke to find someone holding her hand.
"I just couldn't leave her, and she didn't want me to go away," Patrick, who speaks no English, tells Bath via a translator.
"The truck missed us and I went to see if I could help people maybe still alive."
"She gripped my hand strongly I was both sad and happy to see someone was alive."
She didn't know his name, just his face, and saw "his long hair coming over" as he asked in French could she hear him, and tried to stop the blood.
"And I always had his face to look at. I didn't have to look at anything else around me," she says.
As Patrick blocked the bodies around her from her view, police shot Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel dead 70m away.
Then they stopped ambulances coming in for an hour, fearful of accomplices and bombs.
Patrick refused to leave her side. She clung to his hand in the ambulance, saying "please don't leave".
He stayed. He won't answer directly answer the question of if he saved her. He just says: "what's for sure is she didn't want to release my hand and neither did I".
Sunday Night chronicles Adelaide's journey through dizzying pain, the arrival of her boyfriend, Matt from Australia, and then her mother Chantelle, in Nice, defying doctors orders and her own battle with Multiple Sclerosis to be with her daughter.
In and out of consciousness in hospital, Adelaide initially thought she'd tripped over "because I'm a massive klutz".
Reality intruded when she came to enough to hear the screams of pain from those around her.
Somewhere along the line, the French president visited. She was so wired she just babbled at him. He looked her in the eye and said "This is not France".
She didn't know who her saviour was when he came to visit.
"He said 'it's me, Patrick', and I said 'sorry, I don't know you'. Then he grabbed his heart and it clicked."
They communicated by gestures: "I think our looks conveyed it. Words were of no use ... we were just connected."
Adelaide's and her family's journey is far from over.
Chantelle had to leave France, just as Adelaide did, in a wheelchair because her MS flared.
Typically, despite her worsening condition, Chantelle says "it was pretty comical really:".
Boyfriend Matt, filmed a video diary in hospital, marking off a checklist of recovery: milestones like cleaning teeth, eating, walking.
At one stage, her head swathed in bandages, face injuries shielded with sunglasses, and clearly under the influence of strong painkillers, Adelaide looking comically ridiculous asks Matt has he seen much of the hospital. She observes: "I've only seen the ceiling."
And she has no words to thank Patrick.
"How do you thank someone," she says "who saved your life?"
She finds them by making a terrorist's story her story.
"My story isn't about him or what he did," Adelaide tells Bath.
"It's about Patrick and how people helped. My story is about love and helping others and the beautiful things that can come from the terrible.
"It isn't about him at all."
- news.com.au | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11701209&ref=rss | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.nzherald.co.nz/b94b6ddd88b74c97810a9bfa6e3f2e3b1004d1aee28e4eed8e2470b2cd5933b7.json |
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