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New Zealand’s new free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council is a major win for both sides. · Todd McClay, New Zealand’s trade minister, announced the long-awaited deal on Thursday with his counterparts in Doha, Qatar. It is a remarkable, yet also surprising sudden success: the genesis of the agreement lies in talks that began in 2006. · The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is made up of six countries that are among the world’s…

The Old-age Pensions Act that came into law on November 1st 1898 gave a small means-tested pension to elderly men and women with few assets who were ‘of good moral character’ and had been leading a ‘sober and reputable life’ for at least the previous five years. · In the early 1880s Colonial Treasurer Harry Atkinson had proposed a needs-based insurance scheme funded by levies on workers topped up by income from Crown leases. This would have…

Every year around October and November, Hindus around the world celebrate Diwali, or Deepavali—a festival of lights that stretches back more than 2,500 years. Diwali 2024 falls on Thursday, October 31 to Friday, November 1. In India, the five-day celebration traditionally marks the biggest holiday of the year. · Like many Hindu festivals, there isn’t just one reason to celebrate the five-day holiday. Pankaj Jain, a professor of anthropology,…

Politicians should recognise that rising levels of political abuse are often framed as being driven by gender or race, but this perspective may misrepresent the issue. In today’s climate, if abuse is gendered or racial, it might be as equally directed towards white males as it is towards anyone else. · In 2009, former Prime Minister John Key was physically assaulted by a radical activist at Waitangi. Recently, New Plymouth councillor Murray…

Need a quick Halloween treat for the kids or the kids at heart!! This recipe for Easy Halloween Eyeball Jelly Cups is pretty eye-catching!  It is easy to make, fun and tasty too!!  The perfect Halloween treat! · You will need-  · Ingredients · - Lime jelly - 170 g - Marshmallows, to decorate - Smarties, to decorate - Black and red writing icing, to decorate · Method · 1. Put the jelly crystals in a large measuring cup, add 2 cups of boiling…

Rapid weight loss can cause a greater loss of muscle mass than losing weight slowly. The popularity of newer weight-loss drugs that shed pounds quickly has raised concerns among researchers about how this will affect the health of our muscles, which do more than just give us strength. · Skeletal muscles, the ones attached to bones, have a dual role. First, they provide structure and function and are essential for physical movement, maintaining…

Despite the risk of plunging the Middle East into all-out war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has two compelling reasons for continuing Israel's devastating assaults on Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. · The first is Netanyahu's Zionist ideology. The second is his political opportunism. · Zionism's ‘iron wall' · The level of shock and fear among Israelis created by Hamas's October 7 attacks should not be underestimated. · Hamas's…

The mining industry receives more than half of Australia’s Fuel Tax Credits Scheme, which is set to cost the government $9.6 billion this year. Recent calls to revise the scheme add to a long line of critiques, pushing for reforms to its current setup. · The scheme enables businesses to offset fuel costs by providing tax credits based on eligible activities such as transport, agriculture, construction, commercial fishing and mining. · This…

With less than a week until the most divisive and hotly contested US presidential election in recent memory, a new threat has emerged. · Artificial intelligence is contributing to the flood of misinformation around the candidates and the issues. · While research around this area is limited, confected images to "expose" scandals or laud candidates for their heroic, if fictional, acts can raise public fears of information manipulation just when…

The Epsom electorate, held by ACT Party leader David Seymour, is at risk as New Zealand’s Representation Commission considers cutting one seat from Auckland for the 2026 election. · Law professor Andrew Geddis explained that, with central Auckland’s growing population demands, “Epsom… could be split into nearby electorates” to balance numbers. · Recent census data led Stats NZ to drop the total electorates to 64, which may dissolve Epsom to…