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22 Aug 2025

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Which region has the highest KiwiSaver balance?
A fund manager is worried the retirement savings scheme could hard code any income inequality.

JPMorgan hires two investment bankers to bolster services to energy companies

The AI race is on. Google needs its engineers to keep up with the competition.

US to rule on biofuel waivers, but big oil refiners may need to wait, sources say

Glencore targets 1 million tons of copper in Argentina over coming decade

Kiwis in the dark over Instagram, Facebook account suspensions
A dumpling restaurant owner said he paid thousands of dollars to a marketing company in Dubai to help him reinstate his Instagram account.

Labour candidate Peeni Henare stands by gang-patch law repeal claim
His party has previously stated it would not repeal the legislation, if it became government.

One aspect of this economy flight was a revelation
The food is fine, the entertainment and cabin service solid, but one part of the flight was outstanding … thanks to Elon Musk.

Israeli-made drones not ruled out by NZ Defence Force
The military had already sourced bomb-clearing robots from Israeli firm Roboteam before the Gaza conflict.

Millie Bobby Brown and husband adopt a baby daughter
The Stranger Things star and Jake Bongiovi say they're are "beyond excited to embark on this beautiful next chapter".

French streamer's death 'not due to trauma', autopsy finds
The online personality known as Jean Pormanove was found dead in his home in Nice on Monday.

Fresh thinking on fundraising for schools leads to a second not-for-profit venture
Funding HQ founder Jenni Giblin has just launched FundED, her aim to transform school fundraising across the country in response to what she sees as a crisis.

All Blacks to be boosted by returning big guns
All you need to know ahead of the All Blacks team naming for Sunday’s rematch with Argentina.

Asus says new Xbox gaming features coming to older Ally models
The most exciting thing about the ROG Xbox Ally handheld, at least for me, isn’t that it’s an Xbox. Nope, it’s the fact that it isn’t an Xbox, it’s a Windows 11 PC, albeit a teeny-tiny one. And with Microsoft onboard, it’s packing a refreshed, streamlined build of Windows that’s all about gaming. Asus says that the updated interface is coming to the older ROG Ally and Ally X handhelds, too. This isn’t all that shocking — Microsoft itself confirmed that the new interface is coming to other Windows-based handheld gaming PCs, starting in 2026. But it’s nice to get confirmation from manufacturer Asus that its older designs are definitely getting these enhancements. Asus representative Whitson Gordon said so at the Gamescom conference in Germany, speaking to PCGamer: “Now we’re not leaving Ally and Ally X users out in the cold, if you already have those devices. We’ll eventually be bringing some of those Xbox experiences to those devices … They’re not going to roll out at the exact same time, but they will come to those devices soon.” Exactly which features we’re talking about here aren’t specificed. Since Asus software runs a pretty extensive interface layer on top of Windows 11 on the original Ally and Ally X, the same way that SteamOS on the Steam Deck is running on top of Linux, it seems like it’ll be a big project to get the tweaked version of Windows on the older hardware. Asus might insist on keeping some of the Armoury Crate app and similar middleware in there. If it were up to me (candy and nuts, et cetera), I’d offer customers a way to wipe off the original build, and install Windows 11 fresh once those new handheld gaming UI tweaks are available. That’s definitely part of Microsoft’s plan, since it can’t be unaware that Windows 11 is something of a yoke around the neck of gaming handhelds compared to the lightness of SteamOS on the Steam Deck. SteamOS is expanding with official offerings like the Lenovo Legion Go S, and even being offered as an alternative on the ROG Ally. The ROG Xbox Ally handheld, along with its upgrade ROG Xbox Ally X counterpart, will go on sale on October 16. The price has yet to be announced…probably because the chaotically ephemeral nature of U.S. tariffs makes it a gamble to set any price in stone even a couple of months from now.

Gang shootings spark escalated police presence in Levin
Four incidents in three days has seen a Gang Conflict Warrant placed across Otaki, Shannon, Foxton and Levin.

Minnesota joins other states suing TikTok over child exploitation claims as divestment ban looms

Security report pointing finger at China welcomed with a warning
Community leaders call for awareness of potential risks when dealing with China but want to avoid stigmatising Chinese New Zealanders.

What to watch: High-level popcorn thrills in robot-heavy Alien: Earth
The new expensive-looking TV version of the Aliens movie franchise has some cool actors - including a Kiwi - doing some interesting things.

Wellington Water's responses to information requests unlawful - Ombudsman
A watchdog has found the organisation acted "unreasonably" on a number of occasions.

Officials warn of damage to diplomatic relations in secret climate change memo
Officials raise concerns on government's climate change stance in mistakenly released advice.

Attempted spying conviction for soldier who was less Bond, more bumbling
New Zealand's first-ever conviction for attempted espionage has been handed down, but the soldier at the centre of the case was less James Bond and 'maybe more like a bumbling wannabe-spy'.

NZ joins calls for urgent, independent foreign media access to Gaza
It's one of 27 countries to sign a joint statement by the Media Freedom Coalition.

‘Goosebumps’: NZ’s next rugby prodigy poised to ‘light up the world stage’
Jorja Miller has emerged as a generational talent who the Black Ferns can weaponise to frighten the fancied England side at the Rugby World Cup.

Sony’s 5-star wireless noise-canceling headphones are 43% off today
Life is noisy and hectic, and sometimes you just want to focus on whatever it is you’re listening to, whether it be your favorite artist’s newest album, your favorite podcast, or your favorite audiobook. Well, if you’re in need of a new set of noise-canceling headphones, the fantastic Sony WH-1000XM4 is on sale for $198 on Amazon, a massive 43% discount down from its original $350 MSRP. These are easily some of the best wireless cans with active noise cancellation. A few years back, our friends at Tech Advisor reviewed the Sony WH-1000XM4 and gave it a perfect 5-star score and their Editors’ Choice award for its noise cancellation performance, audio performance, and how light and comfortable they are. Also worth noting is that these headphones deliver a fantastic 30-hour battery life, plus a quick 10-minute charge gives another 5 hours of playback. The headphones feature touch sensor controls, enabling users to pause, play, or skip tracks, control volume, or activate a voice assistant. It has a slight learning curve, but it’s nothing so bad that you’ll need more than a day to get used to. These headphones are flawless and absolutely worth it for over $150 off on Amazon. They’re an instant buy for anyone who wants fantastic noise canceling, great battery life, and an overall 5-star experience. Save 43% on one of the best wireless noise-canceling headphonesBuy now at Amazon