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Health Coalition Aotearoa have called for the current Associate Minister for Health to be replaced over her proposed plan for tobacco taxes. Official documents show Minister Casey Costello is looking into a three-year tobacco tax freeze. Co-chair Boyd Swinburn says this proposal is the latest in a string of 'anti-health' measures. "Wanting to repeal the smokefree legislation that was brought into place in 2022, bringing in smokeless tobacco, taking the excise tax off heated tobacco, and now looking into taking the CTI adjustment off- this is all out of the tobacco industry playbook." LISTEN ABOVE

Dr Francl, who loves a cup of Assam without milk, urges her fellow Americans not to microwave tea, but to get a kettle instead. But the US Embassy insisted it would “continue to make tea the proper way – by microwaving it”. The Cabinet Office weighed into the row afterwards, with a statement saying: “We appreciate our special relationship, however, we must disagree wholeheartedly. “I think Americans don’t know how to make a good cup of tea. If you order tea when you’re out to eat in the US, you get an awful cup of tea, even at a really good restaurant,” she said.

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:36 am, January 25th, 2024 - 63 commentsCategories: health, nz first, Social issues, Tobacco, uncategorized - Tags:British American Tobacco will be pleased. Currently the tax on tobacco increases by the rate of inflation. Currently, tobacco excise is increased each year in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). RNZ has learned Costello is proposing a three year freeze on CPI-related excise increases for smoked tobacco. “The additional information you provided to us proposed also to freeze the excise on smoked tobacco for three years,” the document says.

More than 3 million breath tests were carried on on New Zealand motorists in 2023 - the most in a decade - and police have now revealed who and where the worst drink drivers were. Provisional figures show there were 3,097,698 breath screening tests performed across the country in 2023, up 26 per cent from the 2.4 million completed in 2022. Police performed more breath screening tests in 2023 than the year before. Photo / Duncan BrownThe driver with the highest recorded breath alcohol reading was a man in Waitematā who blew 1977 - meaning he was 6.9 times over the legal breath alcohol limit. For drivers 20 and over, the limit is 250 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau New Zealand (IAB New Zealand) has appointed Angelina Farry as the organisation’s next CEO. Farry has over 20 years’ experience in the New Zealand advertising industry, working in large network agencies including DDB Aotearoa, Saatchi & Saatchi and TBWA\NZ Group, and has previously run her own agency business. Prior to joining The IAB New Zealand Angelina was Managing Director of TBWA\NZ Group’s Eleven. “The IAB New Zealand sits in a unique position within the digital advertising industry, connecting our members across the entire value chain from advertisers, advertising agencies, publishers, research, recruitment, and tech companies. The IAB New Zealand plays a key role in the nation’s digital growth, and membership enables local businesses to be part of that conversation.

Video / NZHeraldWarning: Distressing contentA Christchurch woman says she woke up in the back seat of a car parked on Signal Hill as a man was raping her. The defendant, a 20-year-old from Dunedin, pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual violation by rape and said while the woman had been “wobbly” the intercourse was consensual. The woman says she does not remember the details of meeting the man or the drive to the Signal Hill lookout. The man accused of rape says the intercourse was consensual and counsel Meg Scally admitted the Crown’s case was “quite confronting”. I was asleep, passed out.”The defence case is that the pair had been chatting at the lookout before engaging in consensual intercourse.

But RNZ has seen a Ministry of Health document, sent to Costello, which says the minister is proposing to freeze the excise tax. A Cabinet paper in 2020 said raising excise tax was a big factor in people stopping smoking. The report linked the big fall in smoking rates with the increases in excise tax since 2011. That could deliver a win for companies producing what are known as Heated Tobacco Products, or HTPs. Hoek said removing the excise tax from heated tobacco products would be welcomed by the tobacco industry.

A Cabinet paper in 2020 said raising excise tax was a big factor in people stopping smoking. The report linked the big fall in smoking rates with the increases in excise tax since 2011. That could deliver a win for companies producing what are known as Heated Tobacco Products, or HTPs. Philip Morris urged the government to "establish a tax rate for heated tobacco products significantly below the tax rate" for smoked tobacco. Hoek said removing the excise tax from heated tobacco products would be welcomed by the tobacco industry.

Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter SubscribeJan. 24 (UPI) -- A plane was delayed at New Zealand's Wellington International Airport due to a well-dressed hazard on the runway: a penguin. The airport said on social media that the "unusual little visitor" wandered onto the tarmac, leading airport staff scrambling to get the flightless bird to safety. AdvertisementAn airport spokesperson said an Air Chathams flight had been preparing to take off when the blue penguin, or kororā, wandered out onto the runway. "The pilot and passengers patiently waited while Wellington Airport staff raced out to collect and help the visitor," the post said. Jack Howarth, the airport's wildlife officer, took the penguin to the Wellington Zoo to be checked out.

He thought he was visiting New Zealand’s capital city. Instead, the owner of Headquarters Bar took a journey through a harrowing ‘third world’ wasteland. Leo Molloy, owner of Headquarters Bar, failed Auckland mayoral candidate and stale lump of Play-Doh imbued with the soul of an angry wasp, spent last weekend

"A Costco staff member named Ju gave us a courtesy call checking how we are all doing. READ MORE: Mum-of-two's brutal holiday admissionGill reconnected with Costco staff who helped her give birth in the store bathroom. Then the 'horrible' letters started arrivingWhen the couple failed to hear their baby's cries, the Costco staff member broke the sac open. Celebrity mums who gave birth at 40 plus View Gallery"We appreciate people's enthusiasm, but we haven't been contacted by the company to talk about that. Gill and Keith Bay with Ju and the Costco staff member who broke the Kiwi mum's sac.

One of my favourite things I’ve been watching lately is The Boys. I’ve just done Gen V but I didn’t love it as much as The Boys. I don’t read stories, but I read a lot of articles online. Always drum and bass. I make drum and bass so I listen to my own stuff more than anything because I’m always making it and mastering it.

Both Lee and Seymour’s interviews were with ANI, an Indian news agency that has been accused of being a propaganda tool for the Hindu nationalist Indian government. In 1992, following a years-long push from rightwing Hindu group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Hindu paramilitary organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a riot of Hindu protesters demolished the mosque, sparking riots throughout India. Former prime minister Chris Hipkins meets Narendra Modi (Photo: Pool)Why are there so many rightwing Hindu networks outside of India? The RSS has many branches outside of India, including in Kenya, the US, the UK and as a registered charity to promote Hindu culture in New Zealand. “There’s a lot of support from the diaspora to uphold the values of India as a Hindu nation,” he says.

The world must brace for a second wave of trade disruptions from the Red Sea crisis even after the conflict has been resolved, the boss of a shipping giant has warned. Delays could last for months even after Houthi attacks on ships passing through the Bab El-Mandeb strait have stopped, according to Cameron Bowie, UK managing director at Hapag-Lloyd. It is the latest sign that the crisis could keep inflation higher for longer as higher shipping costs filter through the world economy. That is the second wave of concern that we need to manage. The Houthis have carried out more than 30 attacks on commercial ships, sparking an international naval response and retaliatory missile strikes from the US and UK.