Author: Press Room

Did your New Year’s resolution include shedding a few unwanted pounds? Maybe attempting to commit to regular exercise? January is a month where many people resolve to improve their health and fitness, but often those goals fall by the way side as the bustle of life intervenes. Recent figures from ExerciseNZ show 31% of adults and 81% of adolescents globally fall short of the recommended physical activity levels. New Zealand ranked among the worst for physical inactivity, with more than 50% of adults and 90% of children not meeting those guidelines. Oamaru-based personal trainer and nutritionist Melissa Smith says it…

Trade union leaders and environmental campaigners are among over 250 groups warning against a bonfire of red tape as the second von der Leyen commission presses on with its core goal of shielding European industry from US and Chinese competition. ADVERTISEMENTEurope must not sacrifice workers’ rights and environmental protection in the hope of undercutting the US and China, civil society groups have urged as the EU executive finalises a ‘competitiveness compass’ that will guide the new European Commission’s policymaking over the coming five years.The first major initiative of the second EU executive to be headed by Ursula von der Leyen…

A hip-hop superstar beef was cranked up another notch as Drake sues Universal Music Group for defamation over rival Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us.The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New York City, alleges UMG published and promoted the track even though it included false paedophilia allegations against Drake and suggested listeners should resort to vigilante justice. Lamar is not named in the suit.The result, the suit said, was intruders shooting a security guard at Drake’s Toronto home, as well as online hate and harassment, a hit to his reputation and decreasing his brand’s value before his contract…

Reading Cinemas is set to return to central Wellington years on from its closure after it was revealed the cinema chain’s owner intends to redevelop the building.The cinema building on Courtenay Pl closed in 2019 due to seismic concerns and sat unused until Reading International entered a $38m Sale and Purchase Agreement with Prime Property Group announced yesterday.A seismic upgrade would be undertaken as part of the redevelopment to reopen the building as a cinema complex.Prime Property Group chief executive Eyal Aharoni said the cinema would continue to be operated by Reading International.”The deal is, we bought the site, and…

Despite reassurance from the European Commission regarding gas supply security, EU stockpiles hold 16% of gas less as compared to the beginning of 2023. Only Portugal has a gas storage volume exceeding 100%. ADVERTISEMENTThe suspension of Russian gas flows through Ukraine has sparked concerns about the gas supply across the EU. Moscow previously supplied nearly 40% of the EU’s natural gas through pipelines.The latest figures show that Portugal has the highest working gas storage volume, exceeding 100%. Sweden follows at 88%, and Poland at nearly 79%. By contrast, the Netherlands has the lowest working gas volume in storage at 48.96%, followed by…

A surge in demand from students taking up sport, music and art is stretching resources at Canterbury schools.Kaiapoi High School principal Jason Reid says more students have been signing up for sports and clubs since the Covid-19 restrictions of 2020/21.Music has seen a huge boost, putting pressure on limited instruments and music tutors.Last year, the school had to find nearly $50,000 to buy more instruments and pay for more lessons due to the demand, Reid said.Even then, there were waiting lists.”We’ve had donations of instruments to provide opportunities, but I can’t get enough instruments and tutors.”You hear all the time…

In some EU countries, as many as four-fifths of the population believe in tropes such as Jews controlling the media, the Anti-Defamation League said. ADVERTISEMENTAround half of the world’s adult population holds deeply entrenched antisemitic attitudes, double the number from a decade ago, a new survey by US campaign group the Anti-Defamation League has found. In some European countries, as many as four-fifths of adult populations believe in tropes such as that Jews control the media and business, or are responsible for most wars.“Antisemitism is nothing short of a global emergency,” ADL Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement.“It’s…

Helicopters and multiple fire crews are responding to three vegetation fires burning in the Waikato, Auckland and Manawatū-Whanganui regions this evening.Crews were called to a vegetation fire in the Tahorakuri Forest area northeast of Taupō at around 12.40pm.Thirty-two firefighters from Taupō, Tokoroa, Lake Taupō and Lake Okareka brigades were in attendance.”Twelve trucks, tankers and support vehicles are on the ground, while two helicopters are working from the air. A third helicopter is about to take off to head to the fire,” a spokesperson said.The fire was not “contained or controlled” and was around four hectares in size as of 3.15pm,…

The Moscow-controlled breakaway region of Moldova will receive gas as a “humanitarian gesture” from the Kremlin, while the rest of the country will remain cut off after Russia halted supplies on 1 January, citing alleged unpaid debts. ADVERTISEMENTMoldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria will receive gas from Russia as “humanitarian aid,” but the rest of the country will remain cut off from Moscow’s supply, the Kremlin-backed separatist leader Vadim Krasnoselsky said on Wednesday. Moldova and Transnistria both declared an emergency after Russia cut gas supplies on 1 January, citing an alleged $709 million (€688m) debt for past supplies — an allegation…

What would the job ad for a start-up employee look like? Many start-ups use phrases like “dynamic, fast-moving team” and “customer-obsessed”. They promise you’ll “challenge the status quo” and be “at the forefront of innovation”. And, universally, they ask that you be “comfortable with ambiguity”. Ambiguity, or uncertainty, is a defining start-up characteristic. One of the best colleagues I’ve ever worked with hated ambiguity. You could see the distress in her body language. And this discomfort was one of the greatest strengths in our team. She was so uncomfortable with ambiguity that she would always try to get rid of…