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Pirate station Radio Hauraki broadcast its first scheduled transmission from beyond New Zealand’s 3-mile territorial limit on December 4th 1966. The MVTiri was anchored in the Colville Channel between Great Barrier Island and Coromandel Peninsula. · The brainchild of journalist David Gapes, Hauraki challenged the monopoly of the conservative New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation, whose programmes held little appeal for 1960s teenagers. When its…

You don't need an Advent calendar to know that Christmas is coming, but opening a little numbered door to reveal a prize is an idea that everyone—religious or not—can get behind. Here’s a brief history of Advent calendars and a few non-traditional designs of this popular tradition. · What Is Advent? · Advent is the four-week period beginning on the Sunday nearest the feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30) through the following three…

Estefania Primera could face 20 years in jail if found guilty as case raises questions about how closely migrants are being monitored · Estefania Primera, also known as La Barbie, is also accused of using her own children as drug mules. · After allegedly being imprisoned, beaten and raped, the woman needed help to make it across the lobby of the hotel so she could finally escape. · Emerging into downtown El Paso, court documents state, she…

Astrophysicists have detected the most energetic electrons ever recorded raining down on Earth. With trillions of times the energy of visible light, these cosmic rays seem to be coming from a powerful source relatively close to our solar system. · Earth is constantly being bombarded by cosmic radiation, most of it from our own Sun. But other sources, like quasars, supernovae and gamma ray bursts, can fire off particles at extremely high…

There’s plenty of evidence that ancient hominin species crossed paths on many occasions – but it’s never been quite as literal as a new discovery in Kenya. Paleontologists have discovered the first known example of fossil footprints left by two different species of ancient hominins on the same day. · The footprints date back 1.5 million years, left in the muddy shores of an ancient lake in what would have been a hot savannah environment. They…

ACT Local Government spokesman Cameron Luxton is urging councils across New Zealand to prioritise value-for-money in procurement, challenging what he calls “politically correct” policies. · Luxton claims that a focus on “progressive,” “diverse,” or “sustainable” outcomes undermines efficient service delivery and drives up costs for ratepayers. · “Council procurement should have one purpose: deliver quality services at the best possible value…

The Spinoff founder Duncan Greive’s appeal for reader support blamed halted taxpayer grants, which had “stopped dead,” for the site’s financial woes. · In an interview with Sean Plunket, Duncan Greive estimated The Spinoff’s taxpayer funding at “one or two million dollars.” However, journalist Graham Adams disputes this. · Adams cites NZ On Air records that show The Spinoff and its affiliates, Hex Work and Hexwork Productions, have received…

Most New Zealanders support banning young children from social media, according to a new poll. · University of Auckland researcher Dr Samantha Marsh said “So many parents have said to me that they would welcome a ban. Kids are more vulnerable to the adverse effects – and they’re more drawn to it.” she said. · The Horizon Research survey revealed that over three-quarters of respondents believe parents should ensure online safety, with 70%…

When you think of an eating disorder, chances are you picture a young girl with anorexia, or possibly bulimia. · You're not alone. Those conditions are most commonly portrayed in TV and film — and research shows the media usually depicts both as mostly affecting white women under 30. · However, binge eating disorder is a far more common condition — but is rarely talked about and is mostly misunderstood. · The condition also seems to be on the…

Kyiv is once again under threat from Russian missiles as Vladimir Putin claims to be seeking out Ukrainian "decision-making centres" to target following the use of new US and European arms on Russian territory. · It follows weeks of the war ramping up in rhetoric and fighting, as the long winter descends along the relatively stagnant eastern front. · Despite the difficulty of fighting in the conditions, both sides are attempting to reshape the…