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# Why???? · This question relates to two main issues: · 1. 1. Why are Maori trying so hard to divide the population by ethnicity? 2. 2. What do they expect to gain from this? · 1.      The recently defeated Labour government was guilty of taking New Zealand down a path of race based co-governance by unelected tribal elite on the basis of a “mythical partnership” requirement of the Treaty of Waitangi. · I say “mythical” deliberately…

It is a story whose characters and actions are so implausible that at times it seems like the wild invention of a work of fiction. But the Diamond Necklace Affair was a scandal that was all too responsible for the eventual execution of Marie Antoinette—the last Queen of France before the French Revolution. · Most shocking, perhaps, is that the Queen was totally unaware of the elaborate scam. · It all began with a dubious “countess”—Jeanne de…

The foundation was established in Australia by the Kiwi-born ophthalmologist (eye doctor) to treat eye problems in poorer countries. Within six years, 200,000 people had their sight restored via cataract surgery. · When he moved to Australia in 1965, Fred Hollows was shocked by the number of Aboriginal people with preventable eye disorders. Reducing the gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ turned into a lifelong passion that would see…

From the family sheep station in Shag Valley, East Otago, amateur radio operator Frank Bell sent a groundbreaking Morse code transmission that was received and replied to by London-based amateur operator Cecil Goyder. · Frank and his older sister Brenda were radio pioneers. Invalided home from the Western Front in 1917, Frank revived a boyhood interest in wireless communication while recuperating. He helped pioneer the use of short radio waves…

The oil boom of the late 2000s created significant headwinds for Iranian manufacturers. As the value of oil exports surged, the Iranian rial appreciated, real wages rose, and foreign goods flooded the Iranian market. Middle-class families relished in their newfound purchasing power, gladly buying French cosmetics, Korean appliances, and Turkish clothing while shunning domestic brands. This is how Iran caught a textbook case of “Dutch…

Liam Payne had everything he could ever have dreamed of while still a teenager. As a member of One Direction, there was a string of No 1 hits, adoring (mostly female) fans, millions in the bank and a lifestyle that involved travelling the world by private jet and performing to packed-out stadiums. · But he'd made a pact with the devil and, not surprisingly, he came off worse. · Now, in the aftermath of his tragic death, it's hard not to come to…

Chief Justice Sir James Prendergast’s statements when delivering judgment in the case of Wi Parata v The Bishop of Wellington would influence decision-making on Treaty of Waitangi issues for decades. · Prendergast was attorney-general from 1865 to 1875, and then chief justice of the Supreme Court until 1899. · The Wi Parata case involved a block of land at Porirua which Ngāti Toa had given to the Anglican church on the understanding a school…

In a historic move, the Port Hedland Council in Western Australia voted 5-2 to call for the immediate suspension of Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines. · The motion is grounded in concerns over DNA contamination found in the vaccines, reportedly 145 times higher than the safety limits set by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). · The motion calls for all 537 local councils in Australia to be notified, along with registered…

The once-hyped lab-grown meat industry is collapsing and insiders are now admitting failure. Julian Mellentin, a food consultant, believes it will be remembered as “one of the biggest failures in food history.” · Even test marketing failed. People just don’t want to eat something that came from a bioreactor. · Lab-grown meat, originally backed by big names like Bill Gates and Richard Branson, promised to revolutionise farming but couldn’t…

A surprise discovery in a remote Australian desert region has given us new clues into the evolution of complex animal life, dating back more than 500 million years. The numerous fossils of the animal now known as Quaestio simpsonorum also show clear left-right asymmetry, concrete evidence of when complex lifeforms took shape on Earth. · This fossil find is significant, as the preservation of soft-bodied marine animals from the Ediacaran period…