Articles from ‘elocal magazine’

Auckland motorists have seen petrol prices plunge to $2.12 a litre, as a price war erupts around U-GO – a no-frills, self-service petrol brand rolled out across the city. · With average prices for 91 octane hovering near $2.51, the steep discount has triggered competitive cuts from rivals like Mobil. · But experts say the low prices are unlikely to last, and the competition may not be what it seems. · U-GO stations, currently operating at nine…

Two new ‘non-financial’ benefit sanctions have come into effect: “Money Management” and “Community Work Experience.” · Under Money Management, half of a person’s benefit is loaded onto a payment card that can only be used for essentials like groceries and transport. · ACT leader David Seymour, who championed the changes, said “If you want the freedom to spend cash as if it’s your own, then you should earn it yourself. · Social development…

A paradigm shift in the way we treat spinal injuries is now in sight, with the world's first regenerative cell therapy being granted approval for a registrational Phase I clinical trial. It's a historical milestone that could successfully treat what has, until now, been an incurable condition. · This week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approved the global clinical trial to…

The relationship between pathology in the brain and alterations in the gut microbiome could lead to therapies — even if it’s not clear which changes come first. · Throughout 2021 and 2022, researchers at Ghent University Hospital in Belgium watched with cautious optimism as nearly 50 people with early stage Parkinson’s disease visited the clinic as part of a trial of a potential treatment1. · Everyday tasks had become difficult for these…

All throughout the world, insect populations are declining at an unprecedented rate. Insects are often overlooked or dismissed as pests, but they play vital roles in ecosystems. Understanding the causes of this decline and why it matters is crucial if we want to preserve biodiversity and protect the delicate systems that sustain life on Earth. · Global insect populations have been declining at an alarming speed. A 2019 review published in…

A central pillar of the government’s climate plan is now in doubt, after Todd Energy confirmed its carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at the Kapuni gas field is commercially unviable without further incentives. · The plant was expected to deliver a third of the emissions cuts required to meet New Zealand’s 2025–2030 climate targets. · In 2027, Todd had aimed to store up to 2.7 million tonnes of CO₂ underground. · Government planners…

New Zealand has joined 23 countries – including the UK, France and Canada – in demanding that Israel immediately allow foreign aid into Gaza, as warnings mount of a humanitarian catastrophe. · Foreign Minister Winston Peters told RNZ’s Morning Report that the blockade had become “intolerable” and that Israel had gone “far too far” in its response to Hamas terrorism. · “We’ve had enough of this and we want the matter resolved—and now,” Peters…

For businesses, Finance Minister Nicola Willis 2025 Budget’s headline policy is a new tax incentive that allows them to write off 20 percent of new asset purchases, such as equipment or tools, against their tax bill. · The Budget also includes large savings from the recent changes to pay equity rules. The government’s move to make it harder to pursue industrial pay equity claims is expected to save nearly $3 billion per year. · From April…

The FDA has announced a policy shift on Covid-19 vaccination, stating it will no longer support universal booster approvals without robust clinical evidence of benefit—particularly for healthy individuals under 65. · A new article in the New England Journal of Medicine by Dr Vinay Prasad, incoming director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), and Dr Marty Makary, FDA Commissioner, outlines a new framework aimed at…