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Whānau Wednesday · RĀAPA | WEDNESDAY · We’ve made it to the middle of the week! · Feeling connected to others is strongly associated with better wellbeing, because it gives us a sense of meaning, safety, support and purpose. Give yourself — and your loved ones — a mid-week boost, by reaching out to a friend or whānau member you would like to catch up with. · You could connect with the important people in your life today, by: · Sending them a…

Many households in New Zealand earn less than the average of $132,000 per year. Even though these individuals have jobs, their incomes are too low to lift them out of poverty. This is often due to rising living expenses, thereby pushing them towards ‘in-work poverty.’ · Economist Satish Ranchhod highlights how essentials like food, rent, and non-discretionary expenses like mortgage rates are gobbling up most of the income, leaving little for…

A vaccine manufacturer based in India launched defamation proceedings against researchers who published a study that reported adverse events in people following covid-19 vaccination. · The manufacturer also sued the editor of the international journal which published the study and demanded that the offending article be retracted immediately. · The peer-reviewed study · The study at the centre of the controversy is a post-marketing safety…

Almost 80 years after the creation of the United Nations, the Summit of the Future this month represents a timely effort to revitalise UN-based multilateralism to address the shared global challenges of our time. · Only 16 percent of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets are on track to be achieved by 2030.  · War is raging in many parts of the world, with rising tensions among nuclear powers. The consequences of climate change are…

Tautoko Tuesday · RĀTŪ | TUESDAY · It’s no secret that the pandemic, rising costs and extreme weather events have made things tough for our local businesses and organisations over the past few years. Today, we encourage you to tautoko/support an independent merchant or community organisation. Why not purchase a small gift for a friend from a local creator, or post about an awesome business or community group on social media? A little tautoko…

In a remarkable topical twofer, not only is Microsoft turning to nuclear power to run its data centers, it's commissioned the restarting of the infamous Three Mile Island station – the site of the worst commercial nuclear accident in US history. · This is one of those stories where it's hard to decide which angle to approach it from, so I flipped a coin and it came up Microsoft. One of the biggest trends in the tech field is how much big…

RĀHINA | MONDAY · Start the week off with an act of kindness. On the first day of MHAW, take some time out of your day to help someone in a small but meaningful way. Even one simple thing, like carrying groceries or holding a door open for a stranger, can create a chain reaction of kindness that uplifts the whole community. · Ideas for how you can help someone today: · - Do you know someone who has a lot going on at the moment? Take some kai…

It looks like something out of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie Land, but this pink lake is very real. Its name is Lake Hillier and it’s found on a small island off southwest Australia. · Lake Hillier is a saline lake, but the water’s high salt content levels – said to be similar to those of the Dead Sea – is only one factor for the pink hue. The organisms living in Lake Hillier also contribute to the water staying pink year-round, and even once it’s…

The weather may not be the best for outdoor activities, so why not spend some time in the kitchen making the sofest, fluffiest, simply the BEST cinnamon rolls in the WORLD.  You'll never go back to any other recipe once you try this one!  · Makes about 10 mid size rolls. You can make 12 if you make them smaller.  · Ingredients · For the dough: · ¾ cup (180g) warm milk (whole milk or 2% preferred)  · 2 ¼ teaspoons quick rise or active yeast…

A new climate science study claims that clouds and sunlight—not carbon dioxide—are driving global warming. · In the study, scientists Ned Nikolov and Karl Zeller challenge the mainstream view that CO2 is the primary cause of global warming. · Using satellite data, they argue that changes in the planet’s albedo—its ability to reflect sunlight—are responsible for the rise in temperatures, and not increasing greenhouse gases. · “When clouds…