The New Zealand housing market is at the whim of multiple cross currents, with conditions quiet in Auckland but pressure building in other key markets. According to the latest ASB review, the national market can expect increased house price inflation in 2020, with falling interest rates and renewed population growth likely to increase the heat. Westpac economists offered a similar view in their latest assessment, with national prices rising and Auckland likely to return to flat growth after a year out in the cold.

As the US-China trade war continues to intensify, New Zealand is left wondering how it will be affected. As the first member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to sign a free-trade agreement with China in 2008, New Zealand has become somewhat dependent on the Asian giant. From dairy and agricultural products through to timber and tourism, roughly 20% of New Zealand's exports head to China.

Everyone knows about the positive impacts of exercise, with cardio and strength routines able to improve your health and upgrade your quality of life. Getting regular exercise is not always easy, however, with lifestyle constraints and existing physical problems often getting in the way. It's important to work through these problems, however, with arthritis, painful joints and stiffness responding well to the right exercises.

In order to deal with climate change, corporate greed and political inertia, a multitude of new energy solutions are required. While renewable solar and wind power is an important piece of the puzzle, scientists are also developing clever ways to capture existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and turn it into usable fuel. This transformative process almost sounds too good to be true, with “direct air capture” technology able to clean up the environment and produce eco-friendly liquid fuel at the same time.