Articles from ‘elocal magazine’

In September 2023, Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka stood at the United Nations General Assembly podium and delivered a speech outlining his "Zone of Peace" concept. · In a region drawn into geostrategic competition between the United States and China, Rabuka envisioned a Pacific space free from great power division and serving the  global good. · Underpinning the concept are key Pacific Island security instruments, such as the 2050…

The design of the New Zealand ensign that was to be flown by ships owned by the colonial government was established by the publication in the New Zealand Gazette of a proclamation by the governor, Sir George Bowen. · The British Admiralty had moved s few years earlier to standardise the ensigns flown by British and colonial ships. Vessels owned by colonial governments were to fly a blue ensign with the Union Jack at top left and the ‘badge’…

Although brain-implanted electrodes do help minimize the effects of Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders, implanting and activating those electrodes can be a tricky process. That's why scientists are now developing an alternative, in the form of tiny injectable magnetic discs. · Implanted electrodes are utilized in a type of therapy known as deep brain stimulation (DBS). As its name implies, this treatment involves delivering…

The influence of the United Nations (UN) and its specialised agency, the World Health Organization (WHO) in New Zealand’s domestic affairs raises concerns about the country making their own decisions. · A recent example involves Associate Health Minister Casey Costello, who has faced criticism for citing advice supporting Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) as a tool to reduce smoking. · Regardless of the validity of this advice, it’s important to…

The handling of the COVID pandemic was flawed from the start, argues Dr Andrew Bamji, a retired consultant rheumatologist. Lockdowns, masks, and vaccines, he says, were unnecessary and ineffective measures. He notes that repeat vaccinations might even increase the risk of serious side effects. · Instead, he suggests that early and proper treatment for the few who were seriously ill was the only intervention needed from the beginning. · Bamji…

We are all familiar with Saint John Paul II’s description of the Culture of Death in his 1995 encyclical, Evangelium Vitae. The good Pope, of course, was not the first to notice and give expression to this phenomenon. · In 1922, T.S. Eliot released to the world his account of the Culture of Death in the form of a modernist poem of 434 lines. He called it “The Waste Land.” Despite the fact that its message is cloaked in obscurity, scholars…

Just weeks out from the 2024 US Presidential election and despite such enormous change since 2020, with a major war in Europe and the spiralling conflict in the Middle East, some in the race are more concerned with re-litigating the result of that vote. · Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, has cast an enormous shadow over US democracy in an eye-wateringly long list of attacks on US institutions, individuals and gripes against…

Just weeks ago, Science Minister Judith Collins staked her own credibility on that of NIWA, saying she still had confidence in the climate agency’s competence, but today she might be regretting that. · NIWA’s research skills were already in doubt after the Hawkes Bay flood review found that major historic storms were missing from NIWA’s research, meaning assurances about how rare major storms like Cyclone Gabrielle were didn’t hold water, so to…

In 1967 Denny Hulme became the first – and so far only – New Zealander to win the Formula One World Championship. In his 10 seasons in F1, Hulme won eight races and stood on the podium 33 times. He finished third in the overall standings in 1968 and 1972. · After winning a Driver-to-Europe scholarship in 1960, Hulme became a protégé of the legendary Australian driver Jack Brabham, whose F1 team he joined in 1965. · The 1967 championship…

After two decades of research, forensic scientists have finally confirmed that the remains buried in Seville Cathedral, Spain, belong to the famous 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus. · Using advanced DNA analysis, researchers matched the remains with those of Columbus’ son, Hernando, and his brother, Diego, who are also buried in the cathedral. This breakthrough has resolved long-standing doubts about whether the bones in Seville…