Articles from ‘elocal magazine’

Caption: Greek actress Mary Mina, Dec. 4, 2025. Photo: Xinhua · On Thursday, Greece held the Olympic flame handover ceremony for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Winter Games at the historic Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. The flame was carried into the stadium by world wrestling champion Georgios Kougioumtsidis, who then passed it to Italy’s Olympic champion Jasmine Paolini and cyclist Filippo Ganna, symbolizing the long-standing ties between…

We talk a lot about money in politics in New Zealand, but we rarely actually examine it in detail. Today that changes. I’m pleased to announce the publication of Following the Money in 2025, the Democracy Project’s inaugural annual audit of political donations in New Zealand. This is the first report of its kind, and I hope it will become an indispensable resource for journalists, researchers, and citizens who want to understand who is funding…

New Zealand First is regrettably opposed to the India Free Trade Agreement announced today, Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters says. · “We consider the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement to be neither free nor fair,” Mr Peters says. “Regrettably, this is a bad deal for New Zealand. It gives too much away, especially on immigration, and does not get enough in return for New Zealanders, including on dairy." “New Zealand First urged its coalition…

Labour leader Chris Hipkins says voters will see a very different Labour Party at the 2026 election, arguing the country has “moved on” and claims that the party’s policies have shifted accordingly. His flagship economic pitch centres on a capital gains tax targeted at investment and commercial property, a long-debated Labour policy. Labour claims the proposed tax would fund three GP visits a year, a Future Fund, cervical screening and other…

These look good but require a bit of dexterity (the construction is quite Blue Peter-ish, if I’m honest). If you don’t want the hassle, just roll each strip of pastry into a pinwheel (the shape of a pain aux raisins). You don’t have to use Parma ham and Parmesan, you can use regular cooked ham and thinly sliced Gruyère. You end up with a Christmas tree that has flavours similar to those of a croque monsieur. · Ingredients · - 1 tbsp olive…

By any modern political measure, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s announcement that the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement is a “landmark moment” ticks every box of good optics. There are the celebratory adjectives, the breathless timelines, the diplomatic phone calls, and the familiar promise that growth, jobs, and prosperity are just around the corner. But optics are not outcomes. And for New Zealanders who have lived through three…

The High Court has ordered the government to temporarily suspend its planned ban due to take effect this week on new prescriptions of puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria, pending further court orders. The case arose after Cabinet agreed last month to stop all new prescriptions of puberty blockers, formally known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues, until the results of a major United Kingdom clinical trial expected…

The concept of gathering in convivial settings to enjoy a sumptuous feast has persisted throughout the history of humankind. Dating back as far as prehistoric man, the consumption of substantial amounts of food to celebrate the midwinter solstice has been discovered through archaeological finds in locations such as Stonehenge. In the time of the Romans, the winter festival known as Saturnalia began on the 17th December and involved a week-long…

A South Auckland local body election will be re-run after a District Court judge ruled that voting irregularities materially affected the result, raising wider questions about the integrity of New Zealand’s postal ballot system and oversight of local elections. Local Government Minister Simon Watts says he is closely monitoring the case after Judge Richard McIlraith voided the Papatoetoe subdivision result for the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board. …

As reported by X political commentator Suit and Tie, a search of Parliament’s written questions database shows that MPs Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke and Takuta Ferris do not appear at all, meaning neither has submitted a single written parliamentary question since entering Parliament more than two years ago. For the record, Oriini Kaipara is also missing from the list, although she was elected more recently. Mariameno Kapa-Kingi appears to have…