Football: Kiwi own-goal hat trick helps US to SheBelieves Cup win

LOS ANGELES -- Three own goals by New Zealand defender Meikayla Moore helped deliver the reigning Women's World Cup champion United States a 5-0 victory Sunday over the Football Ferns in the She Believes Cup.

Moore, who plays for Liverpool in the English Women's Championship, knocked US crosses in the fifth, sixth and 36th minutes into the Kiwi net.

US forward Sophia Smith kicked the ball from the left side and Moore's attempt to stop the ball with her right foot only sent it into the goal.

Seconds later, American defender Sofia Huerta charged upfield and crossed the ball from the right wing to the heart of the penalty area, where Moore deflected it into the goal.

US striker Margaret Purce charged in from the right wing into the penalty area in the 36th minute and flicked the ball in front of the goal, where it deflected into the goal off Moore's left foot.

The 25-year-old from Christchurch slumped forward, bent at the waist, for several seconds after watching the third own goal. She was soon replaced and consoled on the sidelines.

It marked the first match the US women had ever gotten the benefit of three own goals, their pressuring early attack a byproduct of settling for a goal-less draw in their tournament opener against the Czech Republic.

"This game we just came out with a wad of energy and I think that was big for us," Smith said.

"There was just more urgency for us to get in behind and score goals and create opportunities so I would say overall we played with energy and urgency."

US reserve Ashley Hatch nodded home a goal off a Huerta pass in the 51st minute and Mallory Pugh scored a final goal off a feed from Hatch three minutes into stoppage time.

The Americans improved to 17-1-1 in the all-time series against New Zealand, including a 6-1 US rout at last year's Tokyo Olympics.

The US women stretched their home soil unbeaten streak to 64 matches, including 57 triumphs and seven draws. They have kept 16 straight home clean sheets since last surrendering a goal in a 3-1 win over Japan in 2020's She Believes Cup.

- Iceland wins 2-1 -

The Americans conclude the round-robin tournament on Tuesday against Iceland, which defeated the Czechs 2-1 in Sunday's second game.

Natasha Anasi scored in the 11th minute and Selma Sol Magnusdottir followed in the 18th to give Iceland a half-time lead. Michaela Khyrova answered the for the Czechs in the 85th minute but it was not enough.

The US women must defeat Iceland in order to capture the title, while a draw on Tuesday will be enough to give Iceland the crown.

The Football Ferns, who opened with a 1-0 loss to Iceland, will close against the Czechs in the final double-header at Frisco, Texas.

The tournament serves as a warm-up for US qualifying for next year's Women's World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics. That North American event will be played in July at Monterrey, Mexico.

New Zealand will serve as co-hosts with Australia of the 2023 Women's World Cup, where the United States hopes to win a record third consecutive crown.

Agence France-Presse

New Zealand lifts virus curbs, says Delta elimination in sight

WELLINGTON - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday said nationwide coronavirus curbs would be lifted, bar in the biggest city of Auckland, as the country gets on top of an outbreak of the Delta variant.

New Zealand had been largely virus-free, excluding a small cluster of cases in February, until an infected traveler from Australia seeded an outbreak that prompted Ardern to impose the national lockdown last week.

Ardern, who said restrictions would be eased outside of Auckland from Wednesday, is continuing to pursue an elimination strategy for the disease.

"We are within sight of elimination, but we can't drop the ball," Ardern said at a televised news conference. "Day by day we are making very good progress. What I don't want to do is move too quickly and then see a resurgence."

About 1.7 million people in greater Auckland, the epicenter of the outbreak, will remain in a full level 4 lockdown until at least Sept. 14.

The easing of the alert status to level 2 from level 3 in the rest of the country will allow the reopening of schools, offices and businesses. Regional travel will also be allowed.

Face masks will still be required inside most public venues, including shops and malls. Indoor hospitality venues will be limited to 50 patrons and outdoor venues to 100 people.

Daily new cases in the current outbreak have dropped from a peak of 85 on Aug. 29 to 20 on Monday.

The current outbreak is responsible for 821 of the country's total of about 3,400 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. It has reported 27 deaths.

Ardern's tough lockdowns and international border closure helped rein in COVID-19, but the government now faces questions over a delayed vaccine rollout and rising costs in a country heavily reliant on an immigrant workforce.

Just about 30% of the country's 5.1 million people has been fully vaccinated, the slowest pace among the wealthy nations of the OECD grouping. (Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Jane Wardell)

-reuters

Hero refugee chased gunman away from New Zealand mosque

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — When Afghan refugee Abdul Aziz saw a man brandishing a gun outside his mosque in Christchurch, he ran towards the attacker armed with the only weapon he could find -- a hand-held credit card machine.

Seven people were killed when a white supremacist stormed Linwood Masjid -- the second mosque he attacked on Friday -- as worshippers knelt to pray.

But the death toll could have been much higher if not for the heroic actions of Aziz, whose efforts to distract and chase the gunman away have attracted widespread praise.

"You don't have much time to think, whatever you think of, you just do it, you know," Aziz told AFP, brushing off the "hero" tag as local Muslims gathered to thank him for saving relatives and friends.

Aziz and his four sons were worshipping at the mosque when they heard the loud cracks of a gun being fired outside the building.

Initially thinking someone was setting off firecrackers, Aziz became suspicious and ran out of the mosque, grabbing a small credit card processing device.

Outside, he was stunned to find an armed man wearing military-style fatigues.

"At first, I didn't know if he was the good guy or the bad guy. But when he started swearing, I knew he was not the good guy," he said.

Aziz hurled the machine at Tarrant and then ducked between several cars as the self-confessed fascist unleashed a barrage of shots at him.

Aziz then heard one of his sons call out, "Daddy, please come back inside!"

Unhurt, Aziz picked up an empty shotgun that the gunman had discarded and shouted "come on here" repeatedly in an effort to draw him away from his sons and the other worshippers.

"When he see the gun in my hands, I don't know what happened, he dropped the gun and I chased him with my own gun... I managed to throw the gun on his car and smash the car window, and I could see he was a bit frightened."

Aziz kept chasing the attacker as he sped off in his car.

The 48-year-old then returned to the mosque where he was greeted by scenes of carnage.

Aziz, an Australian, moved Down Under as a child refugee. He lived in Sydney for almost three decades before moving to Christchurch a few years later.

He says he has nothing but contempt for the attacker.

"A lot of people tell him he is a gunman. But... a man never hurts anybody. He is not a man; he is a coward," Aziz said.

source: philstar.com

Lorde makes king’s ransom in royalty deal though ‘decision wasn’t made on money’

WELLINGTON | Chart-topping New Zealand teenager Lorde has landed a multi-million dollar contract for the rights to her songs, it has been reported.

The Auckland singer-songwriter, who turned 17 last week, signed with boutique music publisher Songs Music in a deal believed to be worth around US$4 million after a fierce bidding war involving major labels, the Wall Street Journal said.

It said the size of the sum is remarkable because Lorde, whose hit “Royals” has spent six weeks at number one in the US charts, co-writes most of her songs with collaborator Joel Little, meaning she owns only 50 percent of the copyright for the compositions.

Lorde’s manager Tim Youngson said the singer, whose real name is Ella Yelich O’Connor, opted for New York-based Songs Music for creative, not commercial reasons.

“Even before signing her they were bringing her options for collaborations and introducing her to other songwriters,” he told the newspaper. “The decision wasn’t made on money.”

Lorde signed a recording contract with Universal in New Zealand as a 12-year-old, achieving a breakthrough this year with the release of “Royals” and her debut album “Pure Heroine”.

Music publishing deals such as the one signed by Lorde give a company the right to license songs and ensure that a fee is paid when they are used commercially, which is usually split between the writer and the company.

source: interaksyon.com

Fans to get sneak peek at new ‘Hobbit’ film in London, NY, LA, Wellington

WELLINGTON | Hobbit fans will get a sneak peek at the second film of the trilogy — “The Desolation of Smaug” — after director Peter Jackson announced a global live presentation next month.

Cinemas in London, New York, Los Angeles and Wellington will be satellite-linked on November 4 for an event including a question and answer session with cast members, Jackson said on his Facebook page.

The time difference means it will be November 5 for Kiwi fans.

Jackson did not say who would be involved, but the official Hobbit website on Monday said cast members would include Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans and Andy Serkis.

Additional cinemas will be set up in select locations worldwide where fans can gather to watch the event live. It will also be streamed on the Internet.

Jackson, a New Zealander, said further details on locations and timings would be released in coming days on the official Facebook and Twitter pages.

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” is not due to be officially premiered until December 13.

The first film in the series, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”, was released in December last year with the final chapter “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” scheduled to come out in July next year.

According to the Hobbit website, production of the the trilogy has so far cost US$561 million. “An Unexpected Journey” took in just over US$1 billion at the box office.

source: interaksyon.com

28-year-old female author from New Zealand wins Man Booker Prize

WELLINGTON - New Zealand Prime Minister John Key led tributes Wednesday to author Eleanor Catton after her novel "The Luminaries" won the Man Booker Prize, describing it as a "truly amazing achievement."

Catton, 28, became the youngest Booker winner and only the second New Zealander to claim the prestigious prize for fiction, after Keri Hulme's "The Bone People" won in 1985.

"This is a hugely significant achievement on the world stage for a New Zealander," Key said in a statement, adding that Catton's youth made the win "even more extraordinary."

"This will be a tremendous boost for young New Zealanders in the arts and is a testament to the obvious talent and hard work of Eleanor Catton."

Catton's publisher Fergus Barrowman of Victoria University Press praised the Booker judges for selecting the 832-page doorstopper, the longest novel to ever win the prize.

He said it was a "big, ambitious book written by a fearlessly intelligent and talented writer" that would help lift the profile of other New Zealand authors.

"It's fantastic, you can sort of hear the doors creaking open ... a success like this is a reminder that books can come from anywhere," he told Radio New Zealand.

"Often the most interesting, the freshest and most lively books come from outside the main centers, it's going to do a great deal for other New Zealand writers."

Catton told the New Zealand Listener magazine this month that her second novel took three years to write and another two to research.

The Auckland-based writer said she had considered how the £50,000 ($80,000) winner's cheque and global exposure presented by the prize could change her life.

"What a sum of money this size means is that essentially it's a temptation to leave behind an earlier version of yourself," she said.

"But it's a treacherous temptation because obviously we can't do that at all."

There was also some amusement among New Zealanders that Canada had been quick to claim Catton as their own.

She was born in Ontario while her father, a Kiwi academic, was completing a doctorate at the University of Western Ontario, then moved to New Zealand at age six.

"I feel very much a New Zealander," she told Fairfax Media last week.

source: interaksyon.com

Fresh fruits, vegetables keep young people happy: NZ research

WELLINGTON - An apple a day not only keeps the doctor, but also the psychiatric counselor away for young people, according to a New Zealand study.

Eating more fruit and vegetables could make young people calmer, happier and more energetic in their daily life, researchers at the University of Otago found.

Psychology researcher Dr. Tamlin Conner, and Dr. Caroline Horwath and Bonnie White, of the Department of Human Nutrition, investigated the relationship between day-to-day emotions and food consumption.

A total of 281 people with an average age of 20 completed an Internet-based daily food diary for 21 consecutive days, said a statement from the university Thursday.

Each day, they rated how they felt using nine positive and nine negative adjectives, and answered five questions about what they had eaten that day.

Specifically, participants were asked to report the number of servings eaten of fruit and vegetables (excluding juices and dried fruit) and several categories of unhealthy foods like cookies, potato crisps and cakes.

The results showed a strong day-to-day relationship between a more positive mood and higher fruit and vegetable consumption, but not other foods.

"On days when people ate more fruits and vegetables, they reported feeling calmer, happier and more energetic than they normally did," Conner said in the statement.

The researchers also found that eating fruits and vegetables predicted improvements in positive mood the next day, suggesting that healthy foods could improve mood.

"After further analysis we demonstrated that young people would need to consume approximately seven to eight total servings of fruits and vegetables per day to notice a meaningful positive change," said Conner.

The study was published in the British Journal of Health Psychology on Thursday.

source: interaksyon.com

Ex-Viva Hot Babe Asia Agcaoili reveals ties to Megaupload

Former actress, TV host and Viva Hot Babe Asia Agcaoili has revealed her ties to cashiered cyberlocker Megaupload in an article she wrote for the January 2013 issue of FHM Philippines.

Although it was an editor’s comment that named Megaupload, Asia shared details of her life after she left showbiz and stopped writing her popular sex column in FHM — including her long association with the file sharing site whose controversial founder, Kim Dotcom, is married to a Filipina.

“Well, from Manila I moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands, where I lived for two years,” she said, adding that she got married there and had a son. Her husband, whom she did not name in her article, is Bram van der Kolk — a handsome Dutchman often described as a dead ringer for Matt Damon. Bram is also the chief programmer for Megaupload, which the US government took down last year with a massive copyright infringement indictment.

Now 29, Asia calls herself “a full-time housewife and mother” –except her household is far from ordinary. In 2009, she moved to New Zealand with Bram and their son Xander and lived in Kim Dotcom’s lavish mansion just outside Auckland.

In the early hours of January 20, 2012, that mansion became the scene of an FBI-sponsored commando-style raid that shut down Dotcom’s internet empire, seized all his company’s assets and saw his arrest, along with Bram and several others.

“That day was very traumatic for me,” Asia admitted. Initially, being “woken up by a man in police uniform” appealed to her naughty side.

“I thought my husband [had] hired a male stripper to perform a dance routine, and then realized after a few hours that it was not a joke at all,” she said.

That raid was subsequently declared illegal by a New Zealand court. Dotcom and his co-accused are fighting extradition to the US, where they are charged with racketeering, copyright infringement and money laundering.

On Sunday, Dotcom held a grand launch for a new content storage service called Mega, which technology blog Gizmodo has called “maybe the most private, invincible file-sharing service of all time”.

source: interaksyon.com

The health benefits of organic barley grass

MANILA, Philippines - As producer and manufacturer of nutritional products containing the best organic barley grass powder from New Zealand, Sante International Inc. carries on with its objective to provide high-quality goods and services while offering income-generating opportunities for Filipino households.

Established in 2008, Santé International uses only the best organic barley grass certified by Biogro, New Zealand’s leading organic certifier. 

Santé has introduced the exceptional properties of organic barley grass that has enhanced the well-being of its consumers as evidenced by testimonies of celebrities recovering from serious diseases, from parents of sickly children to ordinary people.

“Seeking helpful sources like barley in order to maintain our physical wellness need not be expensive, but also should be of good quality and effective for sharing to others,” said Jesus Joey Marcelo, chief executive officer of Santé International.

Dr. Yoshihide Hagiwara, a Japanese doctor, scientist, inventor, pharmacologist and entrepreneur, said, “Barley grass is the only vegetation on earth that can supply nutritional support from birth to old age.”

With over 200 plant species researched in 13 years, Hagiwara found that barley grass is the most excellent source of nutrients the body needs for growth, repair and well being.

Barley is also recognized as the most nutritious of all plant foods, a total health food that boosts the proper functioning of organs and the immune system since it contains essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes plus chlorophyll, phytonutrients, and phytochemicals.

To cater to the growing needs of the health conscious, Santé International offers several products that underwent a meticulous and patented process where important vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and amino acids are preserved.

Grown in the rich Canterbury plains of New Zealand, Santé Pure Barley New Zealand is blended with nature’s most potent sweetener, Stevia, and has soluble fiber that completely dissolves in cold water without sedimentation.

Santé Pure Barley also lowers bad cholesterol levels and blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease and is a powerful source of antioxidants that may prevent cancer.

Santé Pure Barley New Zealand helps people who are constipated, has slow metabolism and a weak immune system. Its high fiber content promotes regular bowel movement and acts as detoxifier that removes heavy toxic elements in the body.

Packed in blister strips of 10 vegetable capsules, it is rich in chlorophyll, a deodorizer that helps control bad breath, urine and fecal odor and body odor, and is safe and recommended for vegetarians and even vegans.

For the coffee aficionados, Santé Barley Fusion is the best option, with its combination of young barley and Robusta coffee beans that will surely wake the senses through its luscious creamy taste.

All these products comply with BioGro New Zealand Organic Standards and do not contain pork, lard or other elements of impurities defined under Islamic law, thus, halal-certified. These products are only sold by trained agents, sellers and franchisees of the company to preserve product quality standards.

“We want our partners to as well conform with our mission of building and maintaining the highest level of competence and excellence in developing wellness products and services,” said Ronnie Piñon, chief marketing officer of Sante International.

For more information on Sante International Inc., visit www.santebarley.com.

source: philstar.com

Newest Internet Sensation Kimpoy Feliciano To Appear In GMA-7 Shows

MANILA, Philippines – With almost one million hits on YouTube, Kimpoy Feliciano (Paolo Vivas Feliciano) is easily the newest internet sensation.

Kimpoy, who became famous for his pick-up lines, is in the country for a three-week vacation. The 19-year-old based in New Zealand is set to appear as guest in several GMA-7 shows including “Manny Many Prizes” and “Party Pilipinas.” He will also trade pick-up lines with the Boy Pick-Up of “Bubble Gang,” Ogie Alcasid.

Kimpoy is overwhelmed by his growing popularity on the Internet, saying it is something he did not foresee.

“Hindi ko po talaga ini-expect kasi ‘yung sa Tumblr ko, Twitter ko, ganyan, sa Facebook, for friends lang po talaga ‘yun. Nakakagulat na lang na dumami na lang ‘yung followers ko,” he said on “24 Oras,” August 28.

During his “Manny Many Prizes” taping, Kimpoy was introduced to another Youtube singing sensation Zendee Rose Tenerefe who has been following him on cyberspace.

“Sabi niya two years na po daw niya akong pina-follow sa Tumblr, eh. Pero nagme-message daw siya sa akin (pero) hindi ko naman napapansin, eh,” he said.

Asked who among the Kapuso actresses he wants to meet in person, Kimpoy said, “Siyempre si Julie Ann San Jose.”

When pressed for reasons, he quipped, “Eh lagi…basta si Julie Anne. Boom!”

source: mb.com.ph

Some Important Points for Comparing Home Loans

Buying a house can be an exhilarating experience. Every home owner in NZ has felt the rush of surveying houses for sale, finding that perfect bargain and making the life changing decision to buy. The vast majority of us have then gone through the process of applying for a home loan to make that dream a reality. When deciding on a home loan, there are a number of factors that the savvy buyer should take into consideration before signing on the dotted line.

When finding a house, you will inevitably shop around until you locate the best fit for your needs. The same should always also be true for a home loan. Be sure to search far and wide for the most competitive terms and suitable structure for your financial situation. When buying a house, what you are really signing up for is a loan. It only makes sense then that you would apply the same level of care and reasoning to your choice of loan provider as you would to choosing your new address. Just as there are a plethora of houses for sale in NZ, so too are there an a number of reputable home loan providers who will be willing to talk you through anything you need to know and work with you to put you in your new home.

It is also important to take ownership of your own financial situation, and stay objective in deciding whether you can feasibly pay back the loan. Take any offer and work out what your monthly repayments would be, and be sure to include the possibility of interest rate increases if the terms include a floating rate. This will often seem cheaper in the short term, but you should also factor in the possibility of having to make larger repayments in the future. If you are sitting on the borderline of just barely being able to afford a loan then it is usually a good idea to take a step back and rethink whether you can actually afford this house.

Though you may be emotionally attached to a new property, there are plenty of lovely houses for sale within NZ and it is better to find one that you can definitely afford rather than signing up for an untenable loan. Your real estate agency can often help talk you through the home loan process, assisting you in drawing up a budget and facilitating a dialogue between you and your loan provider. So long as you stay smart and only sign up to what you can actually afford, you are bound to find long term happiness in the house of your dreams.

For New Zealand house rentals go to Century 21. Article Source: http://www.articlebiz.com/article/1051548536-1-some-important-points-for-comparing-home-loans/