The Press newspaper in Christchurch has just published its “Power List” — a ranking of the fifty most influential people in the South Island. It’s a series of articles that updates the list they published two years. The 2026 edition, compiled primarily by senior journalist Philip Matthews, is worth reading closely. Not just for the names, but for what the list reveals about where power actually sits in Te Waipounamu, and how much of it has…
Winston Peters’ speech was classic Peters: part campaign launch, part economic indictment, part nationalist manifesto, and part cultural pushback. It was delivered with confidence, humour, confrontation, and a heavy appeal to political memory. The overall message was that New Zealand is in deep trouble, that the country has been weakened by decades of bad decisions from both Labour and National, and that New Zealand First is the only party…
They might not want US hawks to obsess over the scandalous optics of Trump 2.0 continuing its talks with Russia while Russia is helping Iran kill US troops, which could manipulate the public into pressuring Trump 2.0 into ending these talks for good. · Andrew Korybko · Putin’s envoy to the US Kirill Dmitriev retweeted Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna’s condemnation of Politico’s latest report alleging that he conveyed Putin’s proposal for…
Trump rejected Israel's South Pars strike and blasted NATO as "cowards" — both serve Britain's Great Game. The Japan deal shows what replaces it: sovereign energy, nuclear power, and critical minerals. · Susan Kokinda · President Trump publicly rejected Israel's strike on Iran's South Pars gas field and criticized NATO for refusing to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, arguing both reflect a long-running “Great Game” strategy…
Former chief of the FBI and ex-special counsel in the probe into alleged Trump-Russia ties, Robert Mueller, has passed away · FILE PHOTO. Robert Mueller. © Getty Images / Alex Wong · [RT] US President Donald Trump has gloated over the death of Robert Mueller, a key figure behind the Russiagate probe, stating he will no longer be able to “hurt innocent people.” · Mueller, who led the Federal Bureau of Investigation…
Iran releases footage of its drones targeting Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv after Israel confirmed at least three planes were hit there. Even as it keeps bombing Iran, the US lifts sanctions on the Islamic Republic's oil shipments - for the first time in 30 years - in a bid to avoid a global market collapse. The illusion of Trans-Atlantic unity fades, as Donald Trump brands European NATO members 'cowards' for refusing to join his…
The auto giant’s profits fell by almost half in 2025 · © Getty Images / picture alliance / Contributor · The EU’s largest automaker, Volkswagen (VW), has announced that it will cut about 50,000 jobs in Germany, citing plunging profits, soaring energy costs and mounting trade pressures. · In its annual report on Tuesday, VW said that net income nearly halved in 2025, falling to €6.9 billion (over $8 billion), its…
Over $430 billion has been spent to service the debt, which is approaching $39 trillion, the Congressional Budget Office states · © Getty Images / Greggory DiSalvo · [RT] The US government has borrowed some $1 trillion in the five months since October, adding to the ballooning federal deficit, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has reported. · The estimates have come amid media reports claiming that the US military…
Team Russia finished third at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Italy, and athletes were awarded state honors for their performance · Russia’s Anastasia Bagiyan and guide Sergey Sinyakin celebrate gold in the 20 km freestyle event at the XIV Winter Paralympics. © Sputnik / Yuri Kochetkov · [RT] Five Russian Paralympians have been added to the ‘kill list’ run by Ukraine’s state-backed Mirotvorets website, which publishes the…
Even the Ukrainian leader’s staunchest supporters have refused to give him a concrete date for membership · Vladimir Zelensky speaks to the press in Kiev, Ukraine, February 24, 2026 © Getty Images; Danilo Antoniuk · [RT] Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has once again demanded a “clear date” for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. However, the prospect of Zelensky’s…
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