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Te Pāti Māori proposes using public money to help establish Māori-owned supermarket chains. The announcement raises questions about access to business funding, who would bear the financial risk, and how the proposed investment compares with other demands on New Zealand’s public purse Report by eLocal · Te Pāti Māori has proposed $100 million in seed funding for Māori-owned supermarket chains and regenerative and organic farming training as part…

An award-winning senior police officer has been charged in connection with an alleged fraud involving nearly $18 million. Police say the alleged offending was unrelated to his duties, but the case raises questions about how public institutions manage conflicts of interest and maintain confidence when one of their own faces serious criminal allegations. Report by eLocal · A senior New Zealand police officer is facing 70 charges under the Crimes…

Labour has proposed a new corporate homicide offence for workplace deaths, drawing support from families of the 29 men killed at Pike River Mine. The proposal raises a central question for New Zealand: how would the new offence differ from existing workplace safety law, and what would be required to prove it? Report by eLocal · Labour has promised to introduce a corporate homicide offence if elected, with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment…

In this opinion piece, Tracy Lynch reflects on how COVID-era policies affected families, workplaces and communities, and how ordinary people came to enforce decisions made by authorities. She asks what evidence supported those decisions at the time and argues that accountability should focus on the records, advice and decision-making behind them, rather than blame between neighbours. Her central message is that decisions affecting people’s…

In this opinion piece, Andy Loader examines Labour’s proposal to outlaw price gouging in essential goods and services. He questions how unfair pricing would be defined and argues that regulating prices could discourage supply without addressing the underlying causes of high living costs. Comparing the parties’ supermarket policies, Loader contends that taxation, regulation and broader economic policy deserve greater scrutiny. Labour have…

Moscow and its surrounding region came under an overnight Ukrainian drone attack, with reported deaths after a residential building was struck and an oil refinery also hit. The attack coincided with the third and final day of Russia’s nationwide State Duma elections. Voting continued in regions bordering Ukraine and near the front line despite shelling and security threats. In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy maintains that elections…

President Donald Trump has signed legislation expanding US sanctions against Russia and authorising tariffs of up to 100 percent on certain major buyers of Russian energy. The law is intended to increase pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine, but its effects will depend on how Washington uses its new powers and how affected trading partners respond INR Report: Based on reporting by RT HERE, examined against the White House announcement and…

John Mearsheimer argues that the positions of Russia and Ukraine have become so far apart that diplomacy cannot end their war under present conditions. His assessment draws attention to territorial control and security guarantees, while raising a further question: can the two sides negotiate arrangements that neither currently considers acceptable? INR Report: Based on an interview with political scientist John Mearsheimer by Fyodor Lukyanov…

The European Union has disbursed another €3.3 billion to Ukraine for military procurement as Kyiv confronts a reported $27 billion defence funding gap. The payment is part of an existing €90 billion loan programme, while outstanding reform requirements and corruption investigations raise separate questions about financial oversight. INR Report: Based on reporting by RT for RT HERE  · The European Commission confirmed on 18 September 2026 that…

Canada is negotiating access to a European Union loan programme that will finance Ukraine’s military and government spending through 2027. The arrangement could open new contracts to Canadian defence manufacturers, but would also require Ottawa to contribute to the EU’s borrowing costs. INR Report: Based on reporting by RT HERE · Canada Negotiates Access to European Defence Contracts · Canada has expressed interest in joining the European…