Articles from ‘elocal magazine’

Internet freedoms declined for the 15th consecutive year, according to a new Freedom House report that warns governments are rapidly eroding online privacy in the name of safety, regulation, and child protection. The report finds that 21 of 72 countries attempted to block VPNs or other privacy tools over the past five years, while many democracies are now adopting policies once associated with authoritarian states. Freedom House says this…

Despite the advice of two of the most successful pop anthems of the last two decades, when it comes to depression, no one can just “shake it off” or “let it go.” If we jump back to 1988, we’ll find the advice “don’t worry, be happy” to be just as worthless. People can’t simply “think their way” out of depression, and hectoring them to do so probably makes them feel worse, which can lead to terrible results. That’s because depression isn’t…

New Zealand is in the midst of a debate over a single word: “corruption.” The explosive police cover-up scandal involving former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming and then-Commissioner Andrew Coster has rattled public trust. But is it corruption? In a country that prides itself on being “least corrupt”, many leaders are tripping over themselves to avoid the term. This reluctance at the top is now part of the scandal’s fallout, raising…

Kick-start the day with this colourful plate of pancakes! I’ve been making simple pancakes with oats and bananas for the longest time. One day, I saw a picture of some beautiful green pancakes and it inspired me to throw in a handful of spinach. It doesn’t affect the taste; it just adds nutrition. This is a great way to use up sweet, overripe bananas INGREDIENTS For the sauce (this will make double the amount you need) - 200g frozen mixed…

A 10,000-year-old archaeological site in central Turkey offers a glimpse into daily life at the dawn of the agricultural age, including what ancient people ate—and how they made yogurt. By analyzing proteins left on pottery shards found at the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük, researchers discovered that Neolithic people were making and eating yogurt—or something like it—at least 8,000 years ago. It wasn’t exactly the thick, tangy yogurt of…

The question isn’t just whether Te Pāti Māori (TPM) is chaotic, but whether the media have failed to hold it to account. Some reporters appear wary of criticising TPM, fearing accusations of racism. Conflicts around Toitū Te Tiriti, undeclared properties, and public outbursts drew little scrutiny. Critics say restraint born of cultural sensitivity has become bias, leaving TPM largely unchecked. Media indifference or protection? Is the…

A moist and richly flavoured sponge served with booze-spiked whipped cream This intensely appley bake works just as well for pudding as it does afternoon tea  The cake is so intensely appley and so moist – because of the olive oil – that it needs to be offered in all its naked glory. It’s better, as both a pudding and an afternoon cake, served with a flavoured whipped cream (Marsala is good, or apple brandy) or nothing at all. …

For years, women have been called bigots for saying what everyone knows to be true. That males have an unfair physical advantage over females in sport. Now, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has finally caught up with reality. The IOC is set to announce a full ban on males in female Olympic events early in the new year. Even if those males say they are women. Even if they have long hair. Even if they throw tantrums. The decision…

Labour leader Chris Hipkins says he’s comfortable being called a socialist, arguing New Zealand needs “a more active role for the state” to tackle what he sees as excessive profits by supermarkets, banks and energy companies. Speaking to RNZ’s 30 with Guyon Espiner, Hipkins praised New York’s newly elected socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, saying his win reflected global frustration with capitalism. Hipkins said the “economic system isn’t…

The late Bruce Jesson captured something essential about New Zealand politics when he observed in the 1980s: “The National Party governs for capitalists. The Labour Party for capitalism”. Jesson was writing for Metro Magazine at the time, as their politics writer. What he meant was simple: National tends to hand out favours to their mates in business, cutting deals that keep the rich happy one by one. Labour, on the other hand, steps in during…

The Free Speech Union is thrilled that the Education and Training Amendment Bill (No 2), which it was extensively involved in, has passed its Third Reading and will become law. This is a huge victory and a pivotal moment as the Bill promises to restore free speech on university campuses and their character as institutions that protect and value rigorous debate, says Stephanie Martin, spokesperson for the Inter-University Council on Academic…

Yesterday’s bombshell report from the Independent Police Conduct Authority has exposed what Public Service Minister Judith Collins starkly described as corruption within New Zealand’s police force. On the question of whether the IPCA findings amounted to corruption, Collins was blunt: “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck”. Her assessment of the scandal was equally damning: “a total lack of leadership and integrity at the highest…

In my opinion, this is the best way to cook pork so that it’s still lovely and juicy. You can make the colcannon ahead of time and reheat it in a saucepan on a low heat. Just add a little more milk to loosen it. The sauce is very rich and has a strong flavour, so use sparingly. Ingredients For the colcannon - 40g butter - 2 onions, finely sliced - 150g savoy cabbage, shredded - 1kg potatoes (choose good mashers), peeled and cut into…

by Dr Michelle Ann Smith Originally published 26 Aug 2014 ‘[This] has been the busiest, gloomiest and most exciting fortnight I have ever passed. The war has suddenly left Taranaki and broken out here.’1 So wrote Rev Vicesimus Lush, Anglican minister, in his journal on July 19th 1863. Only a month before, he had speculated that the fighting was not expected to ‘extend beyond the Taranaki.’2 With war breaking out within his parish borders,…

Caffeine appears to do the opposite of what you might think when it comes to the heart. Scientists have found that a cup of coffee a day actually protects the heart from atrial fibrillation – a condition that can lead to stroke and heart failure. University of Adelaide and University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) researchers have led a randomized clinical trial of 200 adults from Australia, the US and Canada with AF to test coffee's…

Hani lay face down as the blood from his two neighbours’ heads seeped into the sand around him. The bullet wounds were still fresh and rifle barrels were warm in the hands of the Arab militiamen standing above him. The two women’s lives had ended on the outskirts of the Sudanese city of El Fasher because they had dared to move. They were among dozens that were shot for disobeying the order to lie still by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)…

The number of mortgagee sales in New Zealand has almost doubled since May, reflecting the growing strain on borrowers from high interest rates and falling household incomes. Interest.co.nz’s Greg Ninness reports that 119 properties were advertised for mortgagee sale in the first week of November, up 98 percent from 60 in early May, the highest level since tracking began in 2022. More than half of the listings (54 percent) are in Auckland,…

NZ First has quietly withdrawn its members’ bill defining “man” and “woman” in biological terms to make way for a new proposal banning public fireworks sales. Many supporters of the party are dismayed by the move, while others say it shows the party’s preference for publicity over policy. The “ban on fireworks” announcement was timed for maximum attention, landing a day before Guy Fawkes Night and featuring a press release quoting Winston…

On June 26, 1974, a checkout employee at a Marsh supermarket in Troy, Ohio became the first person to scan a grocery item—a pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit chewing gum—using a Universal Product Code (UPC). Better known as a barcode, UPCs soon became ubiquitous, used everywhere from grocery and retail stores to hospitals and Mars rovers. The innovation arose as a way to solve the manual, time-consuming processes that plagued grocery stores, but…

A record number of New Zealanders are heading across the Tasman, drawn by higher wages and a lower cost of living as the domestic economy falters. Provisional data from Stats NZ shows 73,900 citizens left in the year to August 2025, the highest annual departure on record. More than half moved to Australia, where wages are stronger and residency rights are automatic. In 2024, New Zealand recorded a net migration loss of 30,000 people to…