Holiday Breakfast

A warning from the Government that everyone needs to play by the rules, when it comes to closing on public holidays.
Two New World stores in Wanaka face $1000 fines for opening over Easter.
Workplace relations minister Michael Wood admits the current fines aren't a major deterrent, to stop businesses breaching Easter trading laws.
But told Tim Dower he's disappointed the supermarkets deliberately and openly flouted the law.
"They can make their justifications for breaking the law, but New Zealand is ultimately a nation of laws."
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A patient infected with a mutant strain of COVID-19 who was hospitalised in Adelaide is now in a critical condition, health authorities have confirmed.
The man, in his 40s, is one of 12 people in South Australia with COVID-19, all of whom acquired the virus overseas.
SA Health moved the man, who has the South African variant of the virus, from a dedicated quarantine hotel for positive cases to the intensive care unit at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
SA Health confirmed to NCA NewsWire the man’s condition had been upgraded from serious but stable to critical.
He is the first person in South Australia to be admitted to ICU with coronavirus since May last year.
It comes a day after SA acting chief public health officer Michael Cusack said the man had the South African variant, which contains a mutation which appears to make it more contagious.
“One person was taken from Tom’s Court (medi-hotel) to the Royal Adelaide Hospital this morning because they were unwell and are currently being assessed there,” Dr Cusack said on Saturday.
“This is a male in his 40s we believe has the South African variant.
“Clearly if someone is deemed unwell enough that they have to go to hospital, we have concerns for their welfare, but obviously they are in the right place.”
Dr Cusack said the patient had been suffering shortness of breath.
“Whether they’re sufficiently short of breath or their lungs are sufficiently impaired that they will need to remain in hospital is still to be determined by the emergency department at the Royal Adelaide,” he said.
South Australia recorded just one COVID-19 case on Sunday which was a child who had returned from overseas and is in isolation.
The state also administered 145 vaccinations for COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the total to 28,759.

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More than 104.2 million people, or 31.4% of the U.S. population, have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some 59.8 million people, or 18% of the population, have completed their vaccination.
The seven-day rolling average for daily new cases in the U.S. increased over the past two weeks from 54,471 on March 19 to 64,616 on Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The seven-day rolling average for daily new deaths in the U.S. decreased over the past two weeks decreased from 1,160 on March 19 to 847 on Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

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It's "highly likely" vaccination certificates will be required for international travel, Australia's Federal Minister for Government Services said Sunday.
"There is still a range of decisions for governments to make, it's highly likely that a certificate will be required for international visitors to Australia and we will continue to work with our international counterparts on our framework for vaccination certificates," Stuart Robert said.
"Australians can have assurance the certificate they will have will be robust, it will be anchored to them, so they will know it's their certificate, and it will be widely accepted."
He didn't confirm, however, whether they'll lead to a faster opening of international borders, saying he'd leave "any commentary" up to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
"But any requirement for borders to open up will require vaccination and it will require the widespread use of a certificate and that is what we are talking about today," Robert added.
"Australians can have enormous confidence that the digital certificate or the paper-based certificate they have will be robust."
Otago University epidemiologist Michael Baker told Tim Dower it's inevitable that there will be some method of recording vaccine status.
"And if you don't have one, you may have a different process when you arrive." 
He says that there have already been certificates required for entering certain countries for things such as yellow fever.
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Surcharges will be appearing on some hospitality bills today as we observe the Monday-ised Waitangi Day.
Waitangi Day fell on Saturday, but it is being recognised as a public holiday today.
CEO of Hospitality New Zealand Julie White told Tim Dower that the public holiday rules kick in on the day itself - so there were surcharges on Saturday.
And the Monday-isation means that there is a double-up.
"That also has the same public holiday rules. Everyone working today gets time and a half."
White says she cannot comment on whether people are only entitled to one lot of time and a half if they worked both days, as it will depend on individual agreements.
She says that people can continue to trade without a surcharge if they wish to, but it can be costly. 
"30 percent of costs in some venues is directly linked to wages, so if you've got time and a half, the cost recovery is why the surcharge is put on."
Some people may just choose not to trade today, White says. 
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The Queenstown-Lakes District is expected to be New Zealand's worst-hit region when it comes to the economic cost of Covid-19.
Newly released figures show the region is expected to have 9000 fewer jobs by 2022 and its economy is forecast to take a $785 million hit.
This is according to data from Infometrics - just publicly released by Treasury, which commissioned the economic forecasting agency to research Covid-19's impacts on the regions.
The data shows, perhaps unsurprisingly, that Queenstown – the country's tourism and hospitality capital – would bear the brunt of the Covid-19 economic fallout in New Zealand.
Employment in the region is forecast to drop by 28.5 per cent by in the two years to March 2022.
Senior Economist Gareth Kiernan told Tim Dower there are also a number of other towns that could be impacted.
"Mainly the ones that were very heavily reliant on international tourism - so the Mackenzie District, parts of the West Coast, Kaikoura."
However, he says the way the country has bounced back means all of this could change. 
"The way the New Zealand economy has been performing has continued to exceed expectations."
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Tens of thousands of people have hit the streets in Myanmar to protest the military coup there.
Leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained by the country's military, over claims last year's election was fraudulent.
In Auckland, hundreds marched in solidarity on Friday urging our Government to take a stronger stance on the issue.
New Zealand Myanmar Ethnic Council Chair Christalin Thangpawl told Tim Dower civil unrest is growing.
"We fear for the safety and future of our friends and family in Myanmar. 
"This coup is a violation of Myanmar's constitution."
She says our Government should be doing more to help.
"We call on the New Zealand government, and also the United Nations Security Council, to condemn in the strongest possible language."
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Fluff up your favourite recliner and get ready to drown the piercing shriek of reality in a warm bowl of nacho cheese: It's Super Bowl time again! Yes, you cannot get rid of the Super Bowl. It's scientifically impossible. When the world as we know it is reduced to ashes, all that's left will be cockroaches and the Lombardi Trophy.
And Tom Brady, of course.
Here's everything you need to know about this year's game so you can immerse yourself in the momentary illusion that everything is fine and the only thing to worry about is what potato chip ad will pop up next.
What time is the Super Bowl and how can I watch it?
Super Bowl LV (that's 55 for you non-Romans) will kick off at 12:30 p.m for New Zealand crowds. 
It will be broadcast live on Sky Sport and Spark Sport. 
Where is the Super Bowl being played?
This year's championship is being held in Tampa, Florida, at Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The stadium is also known as "Ray Jay," and sources tell us fans actually do call it that! We thought it would be like "Hotlanta," where if you actually said it they'd laugh you out of the city.
What teams are playing in the Super Bowl?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be playing the Kansas City Chiefs in a garish red-on-red matchup that's sure to shave the top layer of your cornea clear off. If you have colourblind vision, this one may prove difficult. The game will be historic because it's the first time a team will be playing in its home stadium for the Super Bowl. (Super Bowl host cities are decided years in advance and have nothing to do with the actual fate of the teams from a given season.)
Does the stadium have a boat in it?
It does! Well, technically it's a ship. (Technically technically it's a non-functioning replica attraction.) The pirate ship at Raymond James Stadium fires off cannons whenever the Buccaneers do a good job in the game. Of all of the Florida sports things, this feels like one of the Florida-iest. (Second to the beautifully deranged home run statue at Marlins Park in Miami, which was temporarily removed but returned to the outfield last year. Yes, the dinger fish is back!)
Don't the Tampa Bay Rays have a tank full of actual rays in their baseball park? That also feels pretty Florida.
Yes.
What players should I know about?
One of the big storylines this year will be of crabbed age and youth. They cannot play together. Youth is full of pleasance. Age is full of wheat grass and mindfulness incantations.
In the role of crabbed age, we have Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady, who is 43 (normal in human years, ancient in football years). Youth will be played by Patrick Mahomes, the 25-year-old quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs. Mahomes is also the guy from the State Farm commercials, and Brady is the figure that looms at the foot of your bed whenever you have a night terror.
Wasn't Tom Brady on the Patriots?
Funny story! Brady ended his historic run as Patriots QB last season, and then signed on with the Buccaneers. Oh, what a laugh we all had! Moving to Florida? Typical retiree behaviour! It's not that the Buccaneers were bad, per se, but they weren't the Patriots.
But just like that, they're headed to the Super Bowl, and their New England expatriate looks like he's Benjamin Buttoning harder than ever. Who's laughing now? Not Tom Brady. That would disrupt his chi. The only people laughing are the folks that operate those pirate ship cannons, and whoever thought up the unforgivable Bucs pun, "Tompa Bay."
Are there any other players I should know about?
Don't worry! Brady didn't have to make the move to Florida alone. The Tampa Bay brass gifted him an Emotional Support Gronk. Rob Gronkowski, tight end and longtime New England teammate of Brady's, came out of retirement specifically to don the red and pewter and take a shot at another championship with his buddy. Now THAT's friendship.

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Novak Djokovic was about to respond to a question about Australian Open crowds when he paused, thought for a moment, and then asked an official if fans were still allowed into Melbourne Park for the year's first major.
That was still the plan on the eve of the tournament: up to 30,000 daily — about 50% of capacity.
But it's been such a crazy 12 months since Djokovic won his eighth Australian Open title, right up to this week's 24-hour shut down of matches during the tuneup tournaments because of a coronavirus scare, that it was only prudent to check.
"Is crowd still allowed? I don't know, things are changing day-to-day," he said, asking the moderator at his news conference Sunday. Getting the nod, he continued. "It's great that at least you have, even if it's a small percentage of the people attending the match, it's still something. It still feels that you're not — I don't want to say alone on the court, but ...
"When you play in front of an empty big stadium, it just feels very strange."
There was no certainty until last month that the Australian Open would even be staged. There was no certainty until recent weeks of how many fans would be allowed in. All those decisions rest with the state government and health officials, and can change quickly.
It could be a relatively slow start for the crowds on Monday, when Djokovic opens against Jeremy Chardy. Paying spectators will have to get familiar to the three-zone system in place to divide up Melbourne Park's three main arenas. It's all designed to assist with social distancing.
Other major events in Melbourne were canceled, including the Formula One season-opener last March, when fans were lined up outside the circuit to get in for the first practice sessions. The Australian Football League grand final was moved interstate for the first time ever because of a hard lockdown and curfews during a COVID-19 outbreak.
That was a bonus for top-ranked Ash Barty, who lives in Queensland state and not only got to see her favorite team, the Richmond Tigers, play in the Grand Final but also to present the premiership trophy to the winning captain.
Meanwhile, sports events around the world were canceled, postponed or played in venues without fans. The major tennis championships were no exception. Wimbledon was canceled in 2020, there were no fans permitted at the U.S. Open and very few allowed at Roland Garros.
Players have become familiar with the so-called bio-secure bubbles at other tournaments, and had to endure a more stringent 14-day hotel quarantine after arriving in Australia on 17 charter jets.
The reward for the quarantine is freedom, relatively speaking, to go out in public to restaurants, cafes and shops. Face masks are mandatory indoors. Australia's closed international borders and relatively low number of COVID-19 cases means life goes on fairly normally in many parts of the country.
Serena Williams has been playing in Melbourne at this time of year since 1998, has won seven titles of her 23 career major titles here and said it's a city where she likes to go out.
No. 2 Simona Halep, who had difficulty adapting to the conditions in Australia until a run to the final in 2018, plans to go shopping and enjoy life outside of the bubble.
The three-week delay to start the Australian Open this year will mean a slightly different atmosphere — the summer holidays are over, for a start — but that's unlikely to upset organizers or players.
With so few international visitors, the Australian players will get the biggest boost from the crowds, but so will others who feel like they're adopted by the locals.
Maria Sakkari got a lot of support from the large Greek community in Melbourne during one of the tuneup tournaments.
"I have my Greeks here, which feels great," Sakkari said. "That's the first thing I'm looking forward to when I come to Australia, so it was great.
"I don't have a professional...

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Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are getting better across much of the United States. But that progress could quickly reverse if people celebrate the Superbowl with people who don't live with them, according to health experts.
"When people get together in private residences in close proximity, that is one of the single most effective ways to spread this disease," Kentucky Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack said. "We can't afford to have the disease spread now, with these mutations and these variants."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, "while the instinct may be to celebrate together, we cannot get cocky."
"We must continue doing the things we know are effective at taming the virus: wear a mask, adhere to social distancing, and avoid gatherings," he said. "We can beat this thing, but we must stay smart."
Why Covid-19 numbers are getting better
After an abysmal start to winter -- marred by record-breaking new cases, hospitalizations and deaths -- new cases and hospitalization figures are improving.
The US just marked its eighth consecutive day with less than 100,000 people hospitalized for Covid-19 hospitalizations, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
And the seven-day average of new cases has dropped from 220,000 on January 6 to 120,000 on Saturday.
Such good news is probably the result of holiday-related infections tapering off, as well as Americans doing a better job with safety precautions, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
"That's what I think is going on: a combination of the natural peaking, as well as people doubling down on the public health measures," Fauci told MSNBC on Friday.
But daily Covid-19 deaths are still high. For weeks, the US has reported a daily average of more than 3,000 Covid-19 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The average daily death toll exceeds the number of lives lost in the 9/11 attacks.
Fauci: There's probably not enough time for certain 1-dose studies
The two vaccines currently administered in the US -- from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna -- both require two doses, spaced three or four weeks apart.
But supply is still limited. And health experts have debated whether the US should give first doses to as many people as possible now, at the risk of delaying second doses for some people.
Fauci said that there may not be enough time to study how much protection is provided by one dose or how long that protection might last.
"By that time, we will already be in the arena of having enough vaccines to go around anyway," Fauci told NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday.
"From a theoretical standpoint, it would be nice to know if you just get one dose, how long the durability lasts and what (is) the level of effect," Fauci said. "So it would be great to have the study, but I don't think we could do it in time."
Fauci said he believes "you can get as many people...their first dose at the same time as adhering within reason to the timetable of the second dose."
Meanwhile, a third vaccine -- which requires only one dose -- might become available to the public in the coming weeks.
Johnson & Johnson officially asked the US Food and Drug Administration for an emergency use authorization of its one-dose Covid-19 vaccine Thursday. A decision could be made by the end of this month.
AstraZeneca's vaccine will be discussed
Early data suggests two doses of another vaccine, this one from Oxford/AstraZeneca, provide "minimal protection" against mild and moderate Covid-19 from the B.1.351 variant first identified in South Africa, the University of Oxford said Sunday.
Viral neutralization against the B.1.351 variant was "substantially reduced" when compared to the earlier coronavirus strain, according to a news release Sunday from the University of Oxford.
The study, which has not been released, included about...

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