The New Zealand dollar recently hit two year lows as it reacted to a strong US dollar and changes in China's economic forecasts. The Kiwi dropped as low as 67.76 US cents in early July, with the trade-weighted index dropping to 72.73. A strong US dollar and rising Federal Reserve interest rates have put downward pressure on the Kiwi over recent months, with international pressures also mounting as the Chinese currency effectively devalued by 2 percent in its biggest devaluation in almost three years.

Household waste is a major problem across the world, with 50 tonnes of waste thrown away every second and 12 container ships filled each day. As if this wasn't bad enough, waste production is set to double by 2030 unless we make some drastic changes. The waste industry is a huge and growing business, with most waste either going to landfill or burned as it releases toxic dioxins into the atmosphere. Now more than ever, it's up to individuals to take responsibility for their own household waste.

With so many large residential property deals getting headlines, it's easy to forget about the really big fish in the world of real estate. Commercial property sales of $3.8 billion have been recorded in New Zealand over the year, including some massive deals in the Auckland city centre. According to a report from Colliers International, major office transactions led the way, with strong interest from syndicators and overseas interests.

From expensive foods and supplements through to skincare products and cosmetic surgery, everyone wants to stay young for as long as possible. As it turns out, however, the best way to stay youthful and age gracefully is available to everyone and costs absolutely nothing. Time and time again, regular exercise has proved to be the best way to stay young, with physical workouts able to lower the levels of inflammation that are responsible for subjective ageing and so many age-related diseases.  

There are a number of strange coincidences at the heart of the universe, and the closer you look, the more baffling they seem to get. In fact, some of the most remarkable scientific discoveries of recent decades can be described as coincidences, with the laws of the universe itself possibly tailored to the emergence of intelligent life. From the delicate balance of dark matter and dark energy through to the size of the moon, let's take a look at some of the weirdest cosmic coincidences according to science.

Business confidence has dropped sharply across New Zealand, with a growing number of businesses feeling pessimistic in the face of rising labour costs and slow progress on housing and infrastructure projects. According to the ANZ Business Outlook Survey, 27 percent of 354 firms surveyed expect general business conditions to deteriorate over the coming 12 months, an increase from 23 percent the month before. The situation is especially pronounced in Auckland, with the Auckland Chamber of Commerce recently saying business confidence in the city was in "free fall".

The New Zealand housing market had a solid month in May, with median house price growth reaching a new high and a big jump in the number of homes for sale across the country. According to the latest figures from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ), 7578 residential properties sold in May, which was 19 percent higher than April and 1.3 percent higher than May 2017. A big part of this growth can be attributed to foreign buyers, who accounted for almost 20 percent of all sales in central Auckland and 3.3 percent of national sales.

Western interior design has always been influenced by and drawn inspiration from other cultures. The exotic world of Japanese design has been a particularly fruitful source of ideas over the years, from the shapes and colours of traditional Japanese rooms through to the minimalism of kanso and the philosophy of zen. Whether you're choosing new furniture or undergoing a full renovation, many of the elements of Japanese design can be incorporated directly into western homes.  

From the computer networks that run the office through to the fast foods you enjoy at the end of the day, everything in modern life seems to be speeding up. The faster we go, the less we seem to get done, however, with urgency often leading to stress and anxiety. We all know that patience is a virtue, and according to science, it may also be beneficial for our physical and mental health. Having patience gives you the ability to wait and heal, the time to stay cool and collected, and the personal space that everyone needs for real health and well-being.

Most of us are content playing tennis on the weekends or kicking the soccer ball with the kids after school. For others, however, sport is a much more exciting and dangerous endeavour. From BASEjumping and bull riding through to luge and endurance ocean racing, some sports are much more likely to lead to injury and death than others. Let's take a look at some of the world's most dangerous sports to see if you're ready to swap the golf clubs for a bucking bull or wingsuit.