22.2 C
Auckland
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
type here...
Home Blog Page 20

Search for man missing after falling into Manawatu River

Daily Telegraph NZ
-
0
Search for man missing after falling into Manawatu River
Manawatu River news
Stock photo.

A search has been launched this afternoon after a man went into the Manawatū River and has failed to resurface.

Emergency services were called about 1.35pm with a report that a man walking his dog at Ahimate Park had fallen into the river.

When he failed to reappear, his walking companion alerted emergency services.

A search was immediately commenced, involving Police Search and Rescue staff, a Swift Water Rescue boat, kayaks, drones, a helicopter, and numerous other volunteers.

Sadly, at this stage, the man has not been located.

Searching will continue this evening until dark.

The Police National Dive Squad has been notified.

Image credit: Patrick Hendry

InfoWars sale halted as judge orders review of purchase process

Daily Telegraph NZ
-
9
InfoWars sale halted as judge orders review of purchase process
InfoWars news
Image – infowars.com.

A judge has ordered an emergency hearing to review the controversial purchase of Alex Jones’s InfoWars by the satirical news site The Onion following concerns about the fairness of the bankruptcy auction.

The hearing, called by Judge Christopher Lopez, comes after it was revealed that The Onion had bought the site at a bankruptcy auction, but Jones’s legal team and a company affiliated with him raised questions about the bidding process.

A second bidder, First United American Companies, which is tied to one of Jones’s product-selling websites, contended that the auction was improperly conducted, with no open bidding round held. The judge has scheduled an evidentiary hearing next week to assess whether the auction was handled correctly, potentially delaying the sale.

While the exact bid amount from The Onion remains unclear, reports indicate it was lower than the $3.5 million bid from First United American.

Jones has claimed victory with InfoWars quickly returning online and Jones asserting that the site’s restoration represents a major “blow to the Deep State.”

Digger rams Martinborough café in failed ATM heist

Daily Telegraph NZ
-
8
Digger rams Martinborough café in failed ATM heist

Martinborough crime news

A stolen digger was used to smash into Kitchener’s Café in Martinborough late Friday night in an attempt to steal an ATM, leaving the building heavily damaged.

The suspect, who stole the digger from a nearby firm, rammed the café at high speed but failed to extract the cash machine before fleeing on foot.

Witnesses, including bar patrons ushered inside for safety, were unaware of the theft attempt amid the chaos.

Building owner Bruce Sullivan told media he was heartbroken over the damage, particularly as his daughters recently took over the business.

Local tradespeople have offered support to help repair the café, with police investigating and reviewing security footage.

Luxon and Xi seek stronger ties at APEC Summit meeting

Daily Telegraph NZ
-
7
Luxon and Xi seek stronger ties at APEC Summit meeting

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Lima, marking their first official meeting.

President Xi praised the “robust and steady” relationship between China and New Zealand, commending Luxon’s dedication to fostering bilateral ties since assuming office. He highlighted the decade-old comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations and expressed readiness to collaborate on new initiatives to benefit both countries and contribute to regional and global peace and prosperity.

In response Luxon stressed the importance of New Zealand’s longstanding relationship with China and the strong “people-to-people connections” between the nations.

He welcomed the resumption of air services, underlining its significance for bilateral exchanges.

The meeting, held amidst tight security, occurred against the backdrop of broader APEC discussions, where leaders are expected to address key economic challenges, including trade policies influenced by global shifts.

Gardening with Wally Richards: Herbicide damage

Wally Richards
-
1
Gardening with Wally Richards: Herbicide damage

Herbicide opinion

I am very concerned about the number of gardeners that have asked me why their tomatoes/beans/potatoes are growing funny this season.

When we say ‘funny’ we are referring to distorted or rolled leaves, new growth that is misshaped, beans that come up and die off and feather like foliage. These aspects are related to mainly tomatoes, potatoes, beans, grapes and roses.

The pictures that I have asked to be sent to me have all indicated herbicide damage.

Usually other plants in the same area appear to be unaffected which indicates that the amount of herbicide is very small at parts per million. Stronger amounts would kill the herbicide sensitive plants (tomatoes etc) and likely have shown as die back in other plants including weeds.

Where did the herbicide come from?

The first thought is from the spraying of weedkillers somewhere in the neighbourhood.

If someone nearby has sprayed on a day when spray drift can be carried by the wind then that is a possibility.

If someone has sprayed on a calm day within a few miles of your property then that could be the cause.

What can happen on a calm day is the minute droplets of spray are lifted on conventional air currents up into the air, from there, they are carried by air currents for any distance before dumping, maybe on your tomatoes.

The worst times for anyone to be spraying herbicides is on a windy or calm day.

The best time is on a day when there is a light breeze and the person spraying can direct the spray to target plants only.

Placing a shield over the nozzle of the sprayer is recommended to prevent any drift or uplift of the chemicals into the air.

You can make a shield very simply by taking the nozzle off the end of your spray wand, then making a hole in the middle of a plastic 2 litre ice cream container to fit nicely over the end of your sprayer’s nozzle, after which you screw the nozzle surround back on.

Most effective and all you need to do is place the ice cream container over the target weeds and pull the trigger. All the chemical spray stays inside the container.

Then move to the next weeds making sure you don’t drip herbicide on preferred plants.

If you are not using a shield then make sure your nozzle on your sprayer is not producing a mist, instead make sure it is producing heavy droplets by adjusting it.

You can always use a food dye in the mix to determine where your sprays are going.

Unfortunately you have very little control as to what other people are doing around you and your gardens are always at risk from airborne sprays.

If you know that a neighbour is spraying weed killers then the best thing to do is to apply good amounts of water to the foliage of your herbicide sensitive plants with the hose and water other plants as well.

By diluting any air borne chemical that may land on your plants will reduce the potential problem.

Every now and then I hear about gardeners who has sprayed their roses or gardens with a sprayer that has either a herbicide in the sprayer or has been used in the past for weed killing.

Herbicides are fairly good keepers and if you don’t use all the made up product there is a great temptation to leave it in the sprayer for next time. This is ok if you mark in bold letters on the sprayer, WEED KILLERS ONLY.

Have a separate sprayer for other sprays that are not weed killers.

Even if you are money conscious and wash out a plastic sprayer that has had a weed killer in it, there is a very good chance that you will damage roses, grapes, tomatoes, potatoes and beans if you use that sprayer on these plants.

This happens because the plastic is porous and it holds onto some of the herbicide which is very difficult to wash out completely, but can release out with other spray mixes.

Be safe, not sorry, as it costs a lot more to replace plants than buy a second sprayer.

So we have looked at the possibility of airborne sprays from our surrounds and our own sprayers yet there is a more devious way of harming your sensitive plants.

The first time I came across another herbicide problem was many years ago when a fertiliser drive to raise funds sold sheep manure to local gardeners.

The gardeners placed the manure around their roses and other plants and then over the next few weeks the roses and other sensitive plants curled up their toes and died.

What happened was this: a farmer had sprayed his paddocks with a herbicide to kill gorse/thistles etc and one which does not harm grass. The sheep came along a little later and ate the grass prior to going the the shearing shed.

The manure collect from the shed was full of herbicide.

A more common way is any herbicide used on the lawn to kill various weeds, the lawn is mowed and the clippings are taken to the dump at a cost or to a green waste recycling centre.

At the recycling plant they have no idea if there is a herbicide in the lawn clippings or not.

The herbicides available both to the home garden market and commercially can have a residue for very long periods which is about 6 months or more, not just a few mowing’s.

From what I can gather it can be as long as 18 months with the composting material been turned several times during that time, before it is safe to use.

Thus if you are making your own compost don’t place any lawn clippings in it that have been sprayed with a herbicide. The best solution for those clippings is to place them under well established trees and shrubs where no other plants are growing.

I have recently heard of several instances where purchased composted, vegetable compost and organic compost have been used in gardens and the sensitive plants such as tomatoes and beans have displayed damage.

Some of these purchased composts have been brand names which is really bad news.

I have used two makes of compost in recent times which come from Daltons and Oderings all of which have been ok.

There is a problem because of the large amount of composts been made and sold, is that you could get a bag that has herbicide residue in it where another is 100% ok.

The test if you are going to place around or plant sensitive plants into a purchased compost is to place a few bean seeds into the compost. If they come up ok you know there is not a problem.

If they don’t then take the bag back to where you got it from and complain.

Placing any herbicide residue compost around non-sensitive plants is not usually be a problem.

In the last year or two I have found some pea straw used as a mulch contained herbicides.

I think the commercial pea growers which sell pea straw want the plants to dry out quicker after harvesting the peas so they spray with Roundup to facilitate fast drying.

Not good.

But some interesting news with Trump becoming President and that is; Robert Kennedy Jnr has been given free reins to improve the health of the American people.

Here is what Kennedy has said.. FDA’s (The United States Food and Drug Administration) war on public health is about to end.

This includes its aggressive suppression of psychedelics, peptides, stem cells, raw milk, hyperbaric therapies, chelating compounds, ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, vitamins, clean foods, sunshine, exercise, nutraceuticals and anything else that advances human health and can’t be patented by Pharma.

“If you work for the FDA and are part of this corrupt system, I have two messages for you: 1. Preserve your records, and 2. Pack your bags…..”

The top five CEOs of pharmaceutical companies held an emergency teleconference at 1PM. on the 7th Of November.

A lawyer has confirmed that everyone is in a state of Panic!

Kennedy has also stated that he will stop the fluoridation of water supplies in America plus the pollution of the skies with what is called Chem Trails.

In another statement he is going to call for a halt on producing more vaccines and make them accountable for the harm they do, (which is an incredible cash cow for Big Pharma) and have the pharmaceutical companies focus on the “current chronic disease epidemic”.

My thoughts are he is referring to obesity of which seed oils and chemicals in our food chain are contributing to.

Hopefully these changes in America will also make sensible changes in NZ.

Image credit: Freddie Collins

Products mentioned are from Wallys Range of products and can be found in some garden shops or by Mail Order on www.0800466464.co.nz

Problems ring me at: Phone 0800 466464
Garden Pages and News at www.gardenews.co.nz
Shar Pei pages at www.sharpei.co.nz
Mail Order products at www.0800466464.co.nz

This time Trump really means business

Fyodor Lukyanov
-
4
This time Trump really means business
Donald Trump opinion
Image – @SUBRATA30016572, X.

The speed of his cabinet nomination announcements tells us that the Republican president-elect has a plan.

US President-elect Donald Trump has moved quickly to form his proposed new administration. His team is better prepared to take power than it was in 2016 – when neither the candidate himself nor the vast majority of his supporters believed he could win.

It’s too early to draw far-reaching conclusions, but in general, the composition of the preferred government reflects the ideological and political coalition that has gathered around the president-elect. From the outside, it may look motley, but so far it is all in line with Trump’s views.

Contrary to the perception actively propagated by Trump’s opponents, he is not an unpredictable and inconsistent eccentric. More precisely, we should separate his character and mannerisms, which are flighty, from his overall worldview. The latter has not changed, not only in the years since Trump entered big politics, but more generally in his public life since the 1980s. It suffices to look through the old interviews of the famed tycoon to see this: ‘Communism (in the broadest sense) is evil’, ‘the allies must pay up’, ‘the American leadership does not know how to make favorable deals but I do’, and so on.

Trump’s personal qualities are important. But more importantly, in a somewhat cartoonish way, he embodies a set of classic Republican notions. America is at the center of the universe. However, not as a hegemon that rules everything, but simply as the best and most powerful country. It must be the strongest, including (or especially) militarily, in order to advance its interests wherever and whenever it needs to. Essentially, there is no need for Washington to get directly involved in world affairs at all.

Profit is an absolute imperative for the future president (he is a businessman), and this does not contradict conservative ideals. America is a country built on the spirit of enterprise. Hence his rejection of over-regulation and his general suspicion of the extensive powers of the bureaucracy. In this, Trump joins forces with the equally flamboyant libertarian Elon Musk, who promises to rid the state of a hodgepodge of bureaucrats.

Musk himself is unlikely to be hanging around the president’s office for long, but politicians who think along these lines are likely to be there.

An important difference between the new Trump cohort and traditional Republicans is a significantly lower degree of ideologization of politics in general and international politics in particular. Domestically, the rejection of an aggressive agenda in the spirit of the Woke movement and the imposition of the cult of minorities (which the Republicans call ‘Marxism’ and ‘communism’) plays an important role. It’s about imposition, because the human right to any lifestyle is not in itself questioned by conservatives. For example, key figures around Trump – ardent supporter and former ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell and billionaire Peter Thiel – are married to men.

In foreign policy, the conceptual difference is that Trump and his entourage do not believe, as the Biden White House does, that at the core of international relations is the struggle of democracies against autocracies. This does not mean ideological neutrality. The idea of the ‘free world’ and criticism of ‘communism’ (in which they include China, Cuba, Venezuela, and by inertia, Russia) plays an important role in the thinking of many Republicans. But the defining factor is something else – intolerance of those who for various reasons do not accept American supremacy.

Trump’s choice for national security adviser, Michael Waltz, for example, speaks negatively and disparagingly of Russia, but not in terms of a need to be ‘re-educated’, but because it interferes with America. Marco Rubio, who is being considered for secretary of state, does not oppose regime change in his ancestral homeland of Cuba, but is otherwise not a militant supporter of American intervention anywhere.

The undoubted priority of the Trumpists and those who have joined them is to support Israel and confront its opponents, first and foremost Iran. Last year, Elise Stefanik, the likely US ambassador to the UN, publicly shamed the presidents of leading American universities in Congress for alleged anti-Semitism. It is worth remembering that the only really effective use of force in Trump’s first term was the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, the head of the special forces of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Trump is not a warrior. Threats, pressure, violent demonstrations – yes. A large-scale armed campaign and mass bloodshed – why? Perhaps because of the peculiarities of relations with China, which is clearly seen as the number one rival. Not in a military sense, but rather in the political and economic sphere, so any ‘war’ with it (forcing it to accept terms favorable to America) should be cold and ruthless. This also applies in part to Russia, though the situation is very different. All of this is neither good nor bad for Moscow. Or to put it another way, it’s both good and bad. But the main thing is that it is not the way it has been up to now.

Harris campaign slammed for $1 million payment to Oprah

Daily Telegraph NZ
-
5
Harris campaign slammed for $1 million payment to Oprah
Oprah news
Kamala Harris (L), Oprah Winfrey (R).

The Chicago Tribune has criticised Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign for spending a huge amount of money on celebrity-backed events, including $1 million paid to Oprah Winfrey’s production company, Harpo Productions.

Federal Election Commission filings reveal two $500,000 payments were made to Harpo following Winfrey’s appearances with Harris at campaign events. While Winfrey has denied receiving personal fees, the Tribune editorial suggested the production costs should have been listed as campaign donations and argued the campaign should have focused on substantive engagement with voters instead of celebrity endorsements.

The Tribune editorial board noted that while production expenses are valid, the optics of paying a celebrity-linked production company such sums might have detracted from Harris’ message.

The board argued that relying on celebrity events rather than substantive interactions with journalists and voters likely contributed to the campaign’s failure.

A Harpo spokesperson told Variety magazine that the payments were strictly for production costs, and Winfrey was not personally compensated. However, the editorial underscored the inefficacy of such strategies in addressing voters’ concerns and fostering trust in Harris’ leadership vision.

Snow White actress apologises for profane anti-Trump post

Daily Telegraph NZ
-
1
Snow White actress apologises for profane anti-Trump post
Rachel Zegler news
Rachel Zegler. Image – @rachelzegler, X.

Disney actress Rachel Zegler, known for her roles in West Side Story and the upcoming Snow White reboot, has apologised for a controversial social media post where she wished Trump supporters “never know peace” following the election results.

In her apology Zegler admitted she let emotions override reason, contributing to “negative discourse,” and pledged to foster positivity going forward.

The backlash over her comments, which criticised Trump’s victory and its implications for the country, has sparked concerns about potential impacts on Disney’s 2025 Snow White release. Known for her outspoken views, Zegler’s remarks have reignited debates about celebrities and political expression.

German pensioner arrested for sharing meme calling government minister an ‘idiot’

Daily Telegraph NZ
-
11
German pensioner arrested for sharing meme calling government minister an ‘idiot’

A Bavarian man’s home was raided for retweeting an image calling Economy Minister Robert Habeck an “idiot”.

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck has pressed charges against a 64-year-old man from Bavaria for sharing a meme calling him an idiot.

Sometime in June, Stefan Niehoff shared a meme featuring a photo of Habeck with an altered logo of a popular shampoo brand, changing it from Schwarzkopf (black head) to Schwachkopf (weak head). Police raided his home in Lower Franconia at dawn on Tuesday and seized his tablet.

Habeck’s lawyers have filed a criminal complaint against Niehoff, prosecutors in the town of Bamberg told the German news agency dpa on Friday. They added that Niehoff also faced charges of uploading an image to X that “referenced the Nazi era.”

The court warrant had authorized a search and seizure of all of Niehoff’s mobile phones, internet-enabled devices and digital storage media, according to documents obtained by the outlet Nius.

“I am 64 years old. I never imagined that it would come to this. This definitely has a GDR flavor,” Niehoff told Nius, referring to the former East Germany.

He said that officers of the Schweinfurt Criminal Investigation Department showed up at his house shortly after 6am, dragged him from bed for questioning and confiscated his tablet, traumatizing his daughter – who has Down syndrome – in the process.

Prosecutors in Bamberg have recorded Niehoff’s alleged offense as a “politically motivated right-wing crime.” Charges against the man claim he “published an image” of the minister “in order to generally defame Robert Habeck and to make it more difficult for him to carry out his work as a member of the federal government.”

The raid of Niehoff’s home was part of a countrywide “day of action against hate postings,” in which the German police searched 50 homes and carried out 90 investigations, according to Nius.

“When police are at the door, every perpetrator realizes that hate crimes have consequences,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser posted on X, bragging about the raids.

The opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD) party responded by reposting the meme on X and accusing Habeck of being a tyrant in disguise.

“This is what would happen to Germany under a Chancellor Habeck: the complete restriction of freedom of expression by a children’s book author who displayed maximum incompetence for three and a half years, but still feels called to greater things,” wrote the AfD.

Another German posted a mash-up of the Green’s campaign message (“Only Democracy Creates Freedom”) and a photo of police breaking down a door.

Habeck’s Greens are part of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s collapsing “traffic light coalition,” having received 15% of the vote in the last election. Their other most notable cabinet official is Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

Last week, in a video floating his candidacy for chancellor in the upcoming election, Habeck denounced the “fungus of populism” that he claimed was around Germany fueled by “authoritarian regimes with troll armies and bots.”

Fake police scam: Cash courier faces prison

Daily Telegraph NZ
-
4
Fake police scam: Cash courier faces prison

Jack Dylan Hennessy news

A visiting UK national, who scammed kiwis out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, won’t be leaving the country anytime soon.

Jack Dylan Hennessy faces three years, three months imprisonment over his involvement in a fake Police scam which emerged earlier this year.

The scam involves people being cold called by people posing as Police officers under the guise of asking them to assist a ‘covert Police operation’.

Victims are conned into withdrawing thousands in cash, to be collected in-person by a fake officer.

Twenty-six-year-old Hennessy took $337,700 in cash from Aucklanders.

Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton, from Auckland City’s Financial Crime Unit, says investigators worked quickly to track down the man who had been appearing at victims’ front doors.

“A short visit to rip off New Zealanders has turned into a three-year prison sentence,” he says.

“Right from the start our investigators were determined to make people aware and put a stop to this offending.”

Police acknowledge the sentence handed down in the Auckland District Court.

“It sends a message to the offshore organised criminal groups running these operations that we are not a soft target,” Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says.

In August Hennessy pleaded guilty to 27 charges, including 25 counts of obtains by deception.

“A prison sentence is a clear warning to those who may be recruited to be cash couriers by these criminal groups – we’ll catch up with you.”

Two other men are also facing court proceedings for their alleged roles in the re-emergence of the scam in other parts of the country.

Another UK national remains before the Wellington District Court after his arrest in August.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old Auckland man is still before the Waitākere District Court on a fraud charge.

In August, real Police officers from Waitematā District lay in wait for the man after he allegedly came to collect cash from another victim of the scam.

Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says: “Confidence scams such as this one impact their victims, who are often vulnerable members of our community.

“This has had a devastating financial loss for these victims.”

1...192021...1,472Page 20 of 1,472

© 2021-24 dailytelegraph.co.nz