US President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, offering the “full support” of the US government to bring those responsible for the St. Petersburg subway bombing to justice. The US president expressed his deepest condolences to the victims and their loved ones, and to the Russian people, according to a White House readout of the call.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/trumps-beltway-kind-words-russia-and-obamacare-redux-20-ns-p-201573

Jaguar has unveiled a new app in the UK that allows drivers the opportunity to pay for their petrol from within their car. Using the app interface, which appears in the touchscreen menu of the Jaguar, drivers can select the type of fuel they require and the dollar amount needed. They then simply fill up the car as normal, without having to head into the service station office to pay.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/car-torque-jaguar-launches-cashless-fuel-fill-ups

Just a few months ago Motu questioned whether the government’s $2 billion investment in ultra-fast broadband (UFB) had resulted in business productivity gains but it’s a different story with education. A Huawei-subsidised study by the think tank out today has found a positive but “small” correlation between UFB and academic performance in primary schools.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/ufb-increases-primary-school-academic-performance-motu-cg-p-201530

Contact Energy is hoping the switch to the AA Smartfuel customer loyalty scheme from Flybuys will help in its bid to retain customers. The electricity and gas retailer has been bleeding customers for well over a decade but has taken a number of steps in recent years to try to stem that outflow, including spending $250 million on a new SAP system to help it better manage customers.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/contact-hopes-aa-smartfuel-will-help-it-keep-customers-jr-p-201538

A Christchurch developer of beehive monitoring technology is trying to raise money to launch an app that lets beekeepers check the condition of their hives from their smartphone. Five-year-old Hivemind is launching a monitor that uses wi-fi to track and report data on hive humidity, temperature and bee count.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/christchurch-inventor-capitalises-beehive-health-cs-p-201532

South Africa’s political and economic turmoil has resulted in a credit rating downgrade. This means the debt has been given junk status for the first time in nearly two decades. All of the three main ratings agencies have been reviewing South Africa’s status in the light of controversial political moves by President Jacob Zuma to sack half his cabinet at a midnight move last Thursday night.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/editors-insight-south-africas-zuma-gambles-populist-lurch-left

So, no inquiry, then, into the allegations in the Nicky Hager/Jon Stephenson Hit & Run book. The decision, announced yesterday by Prime Minister Bill English, is not a surprise. The government has waited until the fallout from the initial book launch and there has been no shortage of such fallout.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/no-inquiry-hit-and-run-its-not-over-yet

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) says it is preparing to deploy “artificial intelligence” to “humanise government” when it comes to interactions with citizens. AI is a burning hot commodity right now and questions remain over its effectiveness and safety, as well as what it is.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/artificial-intelligence-government

LookSee organisors say more than 48,000 tech workers around the world have submitted an application in the hope of being flown free to Wellington for a job interview. The longlist is now being whittled down by Workhere to a short-list of 1000 (presumably using brute force techniques), whose CVs will be sent to participating companies including Chorus, Trade Me, Weta Digital and Xero.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/48000-apply-free-trip-wellington-tech-job-interview-ck-p-200282

Kiwifruit marketer Zespri says it can rescind licences and pull out vines if a police investigation into the alleged illegal transfer of Gold3 and Gold9 varieties confirms wrong-doing. It’s the first potential breach of Zespri’s plant variety rights offshore, although it has had to take action in the past against New Zealand growers for over-planting the new variety beyond the terms of their licence.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/zespri-could-pull-out-illegally-planted-vines-china-following-investigation-fr-p-201517