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Air taxis might be the next big thing but they can't get very big if there's no place for them to land. AutoFlight Aviation Technology is developing a vertiport that's essentially a solar-powered barge that can go where it's needed – water permitting. VTOL air taxis based on a new generation of multi-rotor craft might fulfill the promise of the old helicopter passenger services that emerged in America and Britain in the 1940s and 50s, only to…

Maori are the “Indigenous People of New Zealand”. At least that is what some would have us believe. · Many of the so-called tribal elite of the Iwi have been claiming that their people have a partnership right under the Treaty of Waitangi, and they are trying to achieve a co-governance role in NZ. One of the factors they use to back their claims for a partnership is the supposed status of Maori as the indigenous people of NZ. · We have been…

The first recorded use of the term “Black Friday” was applied not to post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping but to a financial crisis: specifically, the crash of the U.S. gold market on September 24, 1869. Two notoriously ruthless Wall Street financiers, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk, worked together to buy up as much of the nation's gold as they could, hoping to drive the price sky-high and sell it for astonishing profits. On that Friday in September,…

Who said getting older means slowing down? At Acacia Cove Retirement Village, life is about rediscovering freedom, connection, and fun. With nearly everything taken care of for you — from maintenance to gardening — your days are yours to fill with what you truly enjoy. Join a club, take a swim, or simply relax and soak in the peaceful surroundings. Life here is resort-style living at its best. For over 25 years, General Manager Bruce Cullington…

Sonya Oakes’ son, Eru Oakes, 29, died in October after being found with a gunshot wound at his Te Puke home. Three men have been charged with his murder. As she supports her four surviving sons through their trauma, Oakes has turned her grief into a public campaign pushing for stronger consequences for violent offenders. Her petition for “Eru’s Law” calls for three main changes. · First, longer sentences for violent crime, especially homicide.…

Parents across New Zealand want schools to obey the law, drop the Treaty obsession, and return to their core job of lifting literacy and maths, not trying to run government policy from the classroom. Some teachers, principals, and Boards of Trustees have become so fixated on Treaty politics that they’ve turned classrooms into ideological battlegrounds. This loud faction is driving this trend, pouring time, training hours, and school resources…

Want to make Santa some delicious chewy cookies?  Then try our Christmas cranberry & pistachio white chocolate cookies!  We recommended making extra for cute gifts (or for your own midnight feasts). And, dont expect the first batch to last until the big day! They are so delicious you will making them again.  · Ingredients · - 170g Flour - ½ tsp Baking Soda - ¼ tsp Salt - 115g  butter - ½ cup Brown Sugar - ¼ cup White Sugar - 1 Woodland…

Many of us are currently opening little doors to reveal chocolate, gin or lipgloss, culminating on December 25th when the real orgy of present-opening will begin. In some households, dogs and cats have their own advent calendars, while rabbits can feast on no-mince pies to get them in the festive spirit. And this year in particular, advent windows are popping up all over the Christmas-celebrating parts of the world, with Christmassy scenes…

As Labour convenes in Auckland this weekend for its annual conference, the political atmosphere is almost unrecognisable from the despondent aftermath of the 2023 election defeat. The party that won just 26.9% of the vote less than two years ago now sits between 32-38% in recent polls. One-term governments are no longer unthinkable. Chris Hipkins, improbably, remains secure in his leadership without any meaningful challengers circling. Yet this…

Ingredients · - Roughly 1kg sourdough or a crusty white bread - Olive oil, for frying - 1 onion, finely chopped - 2 leeks, thickly sliced - A small bunch of thyme - 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped - 3 tsp smoked garlic granules - 2 tsp garlic granules - 250g fresh cranberries - 200g dried apricots - Zest of 2 oranges and the juice of 1 - Zest and juice of 4 lemons - 500ml hot vegetable stock · Timings · Prep time: 20 minutes ·…