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Grim verdict for NZ: No respite from downturn this year - global research group BMI
Photo / 123rfNew Zealanders shouldn’t expect any meaningful rebound from recession this year, according to a gloomy prognosis by international research agency BMI. “After falling into technical recession in [the first quarter], real GDP growth is unlikely to have rebounded in [the second quarter],” said economists at BMI, a unit of Fitch Group. BMI has retained its view that real GDP growth will decelerate sharply in 2023, coming in at just 1 per cent. The report noted the impact of higher interest rates and recessionary conditions in the private sector. “Both the services and the manufacturing PMIs eased in June, combining to pull the headline index down, with the manufacturing PMI falling further below 50 (47.4) and the services PMI hovering just above 50 (50.1).”The manufacturing PMI fell further in July, to 46.3.
Source:New Zealand Herald
August 14, 2023 21:55 UTC
Chinese spying, infiltration 'notable' security threat to New Zealand: Report
New Zealand's secret service has published a report calling Chinese spying and influence operations a "complex intelligence concern," prompting calls for new laws to protect the country's democracy against foreign interference. The report comes as governments around the world face growing concerns over Chinese infiltration and influence operations on foreign soil, including “long-arm” law enforcement. "Most notable is the continued targeting of New Zealand’s diverse ethnic Chinese communities," it said. The Chinese Embassy said it "strongly deplored and firmly rejected" the report, saying China doesn't interfere in other countries' internal affairs. According to The Post newspaper: "The Government has been quietly considering creating new foreign interference crimes to better prosecute foreign agents, and a foreign agent register to increase transparency of state-backed activity."
Source:Stuff
August 14, 2023 18:59 UTC
Ethiopian police nab hundreds under state of emergency, say witnesses
Al Jazeera English published this video item, entitled “Ethiopian police nab hundreds under state of emergency, say witnesses” – below is their description. In Ethiopia, lawyers and witnesses say authorities have arrested hundreds of people in Addis Ababa. Authorities declared a state of emergency in the Amhara region earlier this month, after fighting between the army and rebels known as Fano. Rights groups say ethnic Amharas are being targeted in the mass arrests. Samuel Getachaw is a Freelance Journalist who joins us live on Skype from Addis Ababa to discuss the latest updates.
Source:New Zealand Herald
August 14, 2023 15:12 UTC
Focus: Covid 19: Government ditches all remaining restrictions
In This Story: COVID-19Covid-19 is the official WHO name given to the novel coronavirus which broke out in late 2019 and began to spread in the early months of 2020. Symptoms of coronavirusThe main symptoms of coronavirus are:a persistent new cough (non productive, dry)a high temperature (e.g. head feels warm to the touch)shortness of breath (if this is abnormal for the individual, or increased)Latest News about Covid-19Below are stories from around the globe related to the 2020 outbreak of novel Coronavirus – since the WHO gave the Covid-19 naming. Most recent items are posted nearest the top. 5 Recent Items: COVID-19
Source:New Zealand Herald
August 14, 2023 13:15 UTC
Digital orchard: A new technology to help food production
John Mawson and his colleagues are building an orchard which will bear fruit of a very different kind. In fact, it is a digital apple orchard. The project is part of the work New Zealand scientists from Plant & Food Research are pushing ahead. Mawson is leader of the Plant & Food Research Growing Futures Direction Digital Horticultural Systems. They are using a technique known as “digital twinning” to replicate a real orchard.
Source:New Zealand Herald
August 14, 2023 12:12 UTC
Third-generation avocado breeder finally produces the 'perfect' avocado
David and Judi Grey grow avocados on their 13-hectare orchard in Waerenga-a-Hika, near Gisborne; they produce close to 24 tons of avocados each year. However, there has been an extra ton of avocados grown recently, consisting of the ‘GreyStar’, ‘Eclipse’ and ‘Titan’ varieties. This green-skinned trio is attracting a great deal of interest across the country and overseas. Out of a slew of new seedlings, the first to be earmarked for continuation was ‘GreyStar’, “because it was very precocious”. Also, they are mature at different times, with ‘Titan’ first in November, ‘GreyStar’ from December on, and ‘Eclipse’ very late from March onwards through the winter months.
Source:Stuff
August 14, 2023 12:11 UTC
NZ Herald Justice reporter: Lots of evidence for jury to consider as they deliberate Dickason verdict
A reminder the trial of triple murder-accused Lauren Dickason case is decided by a jury, not the experts. She doesn’t deny killing her three daughters in Timaru in 2021, but is mounting a defence of infanticide and insanity. The jury retired for deliberations just before 2pm - returning to again watch the police interviews with the accused, and her husband. The Herald's Anna Leask says Justice Cameron Mander told them to weigh up the evidence they've heard. "Don't get bogged down on what these leading experts and police and all sorts have told them- take the evidence into account that they think is right and go from there."
Source:New Zealand Herald
August 14, 2023 12:02 UTC
Daily review 14/08/2023
Written By: notices and features - Date published: 5:30 pm, August 14th, 2023 - 15 commentsCategories: Daily review - Tags:Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …Share this: FacebookLinkedInRedditPinterestMastodonTwitterPrintEmail
Source:Stuff
August 14, 2023 11:04 UTC
WorkSafe won’t prosecute labs over health and safety issues
Persistent pain affects physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing, and is one of the most prevalent long-term conditions in New Zealand. In this article, clinical pharmacist Vanessa Brown discusses persistent pain, including its causes, symptoms and treatments. She also explores the concept of central sensitisation and its role in persistent pain
Source:Stuff
August 14, 2023 09:16 UTC
NZ First and Winston seek anti vax vote
Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:37 am, August 14th, 2023 - 52 commentsCategories: covid-19, health, nz first, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, winston peters - Tags:Winston Peters clearly hopes that enough of us have short memories. From the article:Stuff has identified several other announced NZ First candidates who have shared false or extreme views about the pandemic and other topics. NZ First’s candidate vetting is not very good. Either that or it has calculated that there is a sufficiently large coalition with anti vaxers to get it over the line. And the good old Winston side show, that has cursed New Zealand politics for decades, is going to get another airing.
Source:Stuff
August 14, 2023 08:43 UTC
Big jump in Auckland rents in June quarter
The sharp increase in rent in the second quarter (April to June), which took the median rent for newly tenanted properties in the Auckland Region to $630 a week, came after an extended period in which rents in the region had remained relatively flat. Between the fourth quarter (Q4) 2021 and Q1 2023, the median rent in Auckland bounced around between $590 and $600 a week, followed by the sudden jump to $630 a week in the second quarter of the year. The big increase in Auckland rents in the second quarter was particularly significant because the national increase was just $5 a week. (See the table below for the quarterly and annual median rent movements in all major urban districts). A sudden jump in population will inevitably have an effect on demand for housing which will feed through to rents.
Source:Stuff
August 14, 2023 05:50 UTC
Open mike 14/08/2023
With Temperature and Other Climate Extremes Shattering Records, Should We Call it 'Global Boiling'? 'Weirding'? A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on theduring the past week: Sun, Aug 6, 2023 thru Sat, Aug 12, 2023. Story of the WeekThe U.N. Secretary-General ...
Source:New Zealand Herald
August 14, 2023 00:15 UTC
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Pennsylvania house explosion: Blast leaves four people dead, one missing
Four people are confirmed to have died in the explosion and one person is missing. Video / APFour people are dead and a fifth is unaccounted for following a house explosion in western Pennsylvania that destroyed three structures and damaged at least a dozen others on Saturday morning, authorities said. The cause of the explosion is under investigation by Plum and county law enforcement and the county fire marshall’s office. Rafal Kolankowski, who lives a few houses away, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette the explosion broke the windows in his house and knocked him and his wife to the ground. After recovering and checking on his son, Kolankowski went outside and a woman told him another woman had been upstairs and a man was in the basement.
Source:New Zealand Herald
August 13, 2023 23:17 UTC
WATCH: Missing 2yo girl Willow’s emotional reunion with whānau in West Auckland
Speaking of dedication, Willow's cousin, Aroha Tecklenberg added: "We know nearly everyone on this street here, and they're all lovely people. They've come over. They brought us food. They know Willow and we've walked Willow around here so many times.”
Source:Stuff
August 13, 2023 21:55 UTC