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Key gives up on us, keeps International Democratic Union.
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, February 10th, 2017 - 33 comments
The Herald informs us that Key is going on the speaking circuit and will go back into finance (not that he ever left). Like John Howard before him, he also intends to carry on chairing the International Democratic Union of right-wing parties. Not a surprise.
Hard Brexit
Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, January 18th, 2017 - 97 comments
Theresa May has finally set out some guidelines on the shape of Brexit. Out of the single market, rejecting the European court, full border control.
What would happen if the EU fell apart?
Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, December 8th, 2016 - 22 comments
The EU has had a difficult year and its future looks uncertain. What happens if it goes?
Angela Merkel’s values
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, November 19th, 2016 - 30 comments
Angela Merkel has offered Donald Trump close cooperation on world issues, but with a rather important tag.
The Trump peace dividend: opportunity for rapprochement
Written By: - Date published: 11:25 am, November 12th, 2016 - 76 comments
Walking back the last 5 plus years of escalating military, economic and diplomatic proxy war between Russia and the United States will be difficult. But it has to be done.
Women wearing clothes
Written By: - Date published: 1:26 pm, September 2nd, 2016 - 109 comments
In France and Italy there have been recent examples of men telling women what they can and cannot wear.
European Union v Apple and the US
Written By: - Date published: 8:02 am, September 1st, 2016 - 49 comments
And in Europe the EU has taken steps against Apple for rampant tax evasion and an EU-US free trade deal appears to be dead.
The great slowdown
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, August 11th, 2016 - 69 comments
Eight years after the Global Financial Crisis the major western economies are stagnant. Is this the new norm?
The EU thinks that our tax system’s clean bill of health is not so clean
Written By: - Date published: 8:08 am, August 2nd, 2016 - 43 comments
The European Union is considering sanctions against New Zealand for operating as a tax haven and the proposed reforms by John Sherwin may not be enough.
Why do they hate us?
Written By: - Date published: 11:09 am, July 21st, 2016 - 73 comments
658 deaths due to terrorism in Europe and the Americas. 28,031 terrorism deaths in the Middle East and rest of the world.
BREXIT Sitrep
Written By: - Date published: 11:39 am, July 17th, 2016 - 72 comments
BREXIT has brought into sharp relief the cleavages in British politics. The ordinary members of the UK Labour Party are consolidating their take back of Labour from entitlement minded Blairite Third Way careerists.
Military coup underway in Turkey: Erdo-gone?
Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, July 16th, 2016 - 135 comments
The attempted military coup appears to have been quickly and effectively put down by pro-Erdogan forces.
Nice attack
Written By: - Date published: 11:14 am, July 15th, 2016 - 160 comments
As is being widely reported, a truck has been used as a weapon to kill around 60 people in Nice, as crowds celebrated Bastille Day. Many shots were fired and the driver is dead. Motives are not yet known, and (at time of writing) no group has claimed responsibility.
Farexit
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, July 5th, 2016 - 98 comments
UKIP leader Nigel Farage has announced that he is standing down as leader. Although he will continue to be a Member of Parliament of the very institution he campaigned for the UK to leave.
UK Labour now what?
Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, July 2nd, 2016 - 73 comments
What will happen to the UK Labour Party? The chances of a split into a pro Corbyn activist based and Union based Labour Party and a MP dominated careerist party appear to be very high.
Borexit; Now it’s Just Getting Weird.
Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, July 1st, 2016 - 98 comments
Boris Johnson has sensationally quit the race to lead the UK Tory Party. And Jeremy Corbyn has had a worse day than usual. Where will it all end?
Chilcot, Corbyn and the UK Labour Party caucus.
Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, June 29th, 2016 - 62 comments
Three dots.
Updated
Muppet of the month
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, June 29th, 2016 - 39 comments
The UK Labour Party caucus provided some tough competition but for utter hypocricy UKIP leader Nigel Farage is clearly the political muppet of the month.
A Socialist perspective on Brexit, the European Union and the coup on Corbyn
Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, June 29th, 2016 - 27 comments
Details of a public forum to be run tomorrrow evening by Socialist Aotearoa to discuss Brexit, a Marxist critique of the European Union, and the very British coup against Jeremy Corbyn.
Remembering our personal political power
Written By: - Date published: 12:32 pm, June 27th, 2016 - 23 comments
Even in times of upheaval there are things we can do. Here are 11 post-Brexit ways to act right now.
Political carnage in England
Written By: - Date published: 6:12 am, June 27th, 2016 - 131 comments
Deep divisions in both Labour and the Conservatives and a possible breakup of the UK. Interesting times.
Corbyn Coup; Hilary Benn is Sacked for Disloyalty
Written By: - Date published: 2:52 pm, June 26th, 2016 - 129 comments
Jeremy Corbyn is fighting back against those plotting to force his resignation. But is it too little too late?
Brexit remorse
Written By: - Date published: 10:18 am, June 26th, 2016 - 250 comments
Should a referendum be binding when the promises that secured the result are immediately dumped?
BREXIT: where it was won and lost
Written By: - Date published: 11:32 am, June 25th, 2016 - 78 comments
Scotland, Northern Ireland and London voted to stay in the EU. Every other region voted BREXIT. The Midlands and Yorkshire overwhelmingly so.
Brexit: Cameron Resigns
Written By: - Date published: 7:40 pm, June 24th, 2016 - 225 comments
Top Tory David Cameron has resigned in the wake of the Brexit vote. The buffoon Boris Johnson is tipped to take over at No 10 Downing St.
Should I stay or should I go?
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, June 24th, 2016 - 24 comments
Brexit or bremain whatever happens today the United Kingdom will never be the same.
Brexit or Bremain
Written By: - Date published: 6:06 am, June 24th, 2016 - 123 comments
Britain is in its final hours of voting in the historic and contentious EU referendum. Will it be Brexit or Bremain? Update: Brexit it is.
Brexit
Written By: - Date published: 1:51 pm, June 15th, 2016 - 54 comments
Brexit is looking more and more likely, and the consequences are difficult to predict…
Going electric
Written By: - Date published: 10:40 am, April 19th, 2016 - 70 comments
Old Zeeland showing New Zealand the way.
The secrecy uprising
Written By: - Date published: 2:59 pm, April 15th, 2016 - 29 comments
It is clear from John Key’s irresponsible reaction to accusations of NZ being a loosely controlled tax haven, that we are becoming an international target. Contrast that with European reactions, and then have a look at the David Brin’s prophetic reasons for the fictional Helvitica War…
Simplicity
Written By: - Date published: 11:57 am, April 9th, 2016 - 62 comments
Good shit happening in France.
- ‘It was just the right word’: When ‘bugger’ took New Zealand by storm
Summer reissue: It’s a quarter of a century since the nation was stopped in its tracks by a dog saying the word ‘bugger’. This is the complete history of Buggermania – the ad, the controversy, and the enduring legacy. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we ...5 days ago - On being undeniably, irretrievably old
Summer reissue: David Hill is in his ninth decade. In a touching tribute to his late friend, he challenges some myths about ‘old farts’. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign ...5 days ago
- The half-a-million-dollar decision that still haunts the book industry
Summer reissue: Narrative Muse was awarded $500,000 to boost sales of New Zealand books. Three years later, industry insiders report that it has had little, if any, impact. What went wrong? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. ...5 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 2 January
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 2 January appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago - Daily crossword, Thursday 2 January
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-title { font-size: 1.2em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .entry-meta { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center; margin-top: 0.5em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-meta { font-size: 0.8em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .avatar { height: 25px; width: 25px; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail{ margin: 0; margin-bottom: 0.25em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail img { height: auto; width: 100%; ...5 days ago
- Obituary: Former Race Relations Conciliator Wally Hirsh dies
Brought to this country by his German Jewish refugee parents in 1938, Hirsh said his membership of a minority gave him special sensitivity to race issues. ...6 days ago - A total eclipse of the Moon, Saturn’s rings ‘disappear’, meteors and more: your guide to the s...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Lomb, Honorary Professor, Centre for Astrophysics, University of Southern Queensland The totally eclipsed Moon on 26 May 2021. Geoffrey Wyatt, Powerhouse Museum, CC BY In addition to the annual parade of star pictures or constellations passing above our heads each night, ...6 days ago - The surprising ways ‘swimming off’ a hangover can be risky, even if alcohol has left your system
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Peden, NHMRC Research Fellow, School of Population Health & co-founder UNSW Beach Safety Research Group, UNSW Sydney Wanderlust Media/Shutterstock It’s the morning after a big night and you’re feeling the effects of too much alcohol. So it can be ...6 days ago
- Getting jiggy with it: Inside the wild world of competitive speed puzzling
Summer reissue: If you thought jigsaw puzzles were meant to be relaxing, think again. Tara Ward lifts the lid on one of the Masters Games’ most intense and demanding events. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please ...6 days ago
- All 85 of The Spinoff’s rankings, ranked from worst to best
Summer reissue: The rankers become the ranked: Hera Lindsay Bird tackles the most meta ranking of them all. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. ...6 days ago
- Set your political imagination free (and some pleas for humanity in the NY)
Opinion: I got this book as holiday reading (I know, what a nerd!) but read it straight away. Although David Runciman is a professor, he also does popular podcasts and this is very accessible. It wanders through an eclectic bunch of thinkers who share a goal of “liberating our political ...6 days ago
- The NZ ‘voice of the century’ who wound up in a psych hospital for 16 years
Summer reissue: Mina Foley was a formidable talent dogged by wild rumours about her mental breakdown. What is the truth? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a ...6 days ago
- Ten wild political predictions for 2025
For the eighth year in a row, The Spinoff asked a hand-selected group of experts for their most outlandish political prophecy. And for the eighth year in a row, they did not disappoint. Madeleine Chapman (editor, The Spinoff) Winston Peters will realise just how bad it feels to hand over ...6 days ago
- How Mukpuddy conjured up a bold new vision of Badjelly the Witch
Mukpuddy co-founder Ryan Cooper tells Alex Casey about bringing Badjelly to a whole new generation of New Zealand kids. They conjured Badjelly back with a simple tweet. It was sometime in 2018 when Ryan Cooper’s co-founder of Mukpuddy animation studios Alex Leighton was sketching a witch, and wondered aloud if ...6 days ago
- Daily crossword, Wednesday 1 January
The post Daily crossword, Wednesday 1 January appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 1 January
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-title { font-size: 1.2em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .entry-meta { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center; margin-top: 0.5em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-meta { font-size: 0.8em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .avatar { height: 25px; width: ...6 days ago
- Animal Justice Party Condemns Planned Mass Euthanasia Of 1,000 Canada Geese In Christchurch
"This mass slaughter is an ineffective, inhumane, and costly waste of ratepayers' money," says Danette Wereta, General Secretary of the AJP. "It’s a short-term fix that fails to address the root causes of the issue and risks exacerbating the problem ...7 days ago - A ‘genocidal project’ – Dr Abu-Sittah on Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s health system
Democracy Now! Gaza’s Health Ministry has confirmed that close to 46,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s ongoing assault, but Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah estimates the true number is closer to 300,000. “This is literally and mathematically a genocidal project,” says Dr Abu-Sittah, a British Palestinian reconstructive surgeon who worked in ...7 days ago
- Pacific leaders remember Jimmy Carter’s ‘pivotal role’ for CNMI
By Mark Rabago, RNZ Pacific Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas correspondent The Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas has paid tribute to former US President Jimmy Carter who died yesterday. “Carter played a pivotal role in the historic establishment of the CNMI as a Commonwealth in political union ...7 days ago
- Vaping kits to be made free for smokers to help them quit
The government will be supplying vaping starter kits to stop-smoking services around the country next week to help adults quit. ...7 days ago
- The discovery of a rare new fossil sheds light on NZ’s extinct dolphin-like reptiles
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Scofield, Adjunct Professor in Palaeontology, University of Canterbury An artist’s impression of a Platypterigius ichthyosaur. Dmitry Bogdanov, CC BY-SA Ichthyosaurs were reptiles that swam in the seas during the time of the dinosaurs. They evolved separately around 250 million years ago, ...1 week ago
- Humans will soon be able to mine on the Moon. But should we? 4 questions to consider
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Evie Kendal, Senior Lecturer of Health Promotion, Swinburne University of Technology Project Apollo Archive/Flickr By the end of this decade, nations and private companies may well be mining the surface of the Moon. But as space becomes accessible to more nations ...1 week ago
- NZ report card 2024: how the country fared in 25 key global and domestic rankings
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Getty Images If it’s good enough for school and university students, it’s good enough for entire countries, too. This report card provides a snapshot of how New Zealand fared across a wide ...1 week ago
- The majority of drowning victims in Australia are men. There are strategies to keep everyone safe
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Hartley, Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Whether it’s sun-soaked beaches, winding rivers, or backyard pools, the aquatic environment is central to the Australian lifestyle. For many, water is a source of leisure, sport, and relaxation, but ...1 week ago
- How to stay safe in a New Year’s Eve crowd
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Risk & Resilience, UNSW Sydney Elias Bitar/Shutterstock December 31 brings masses of people together to usher in the new year. But when massive crowds gather to party, certain risks – such as overcrowding or alcohol-related ...1 week ago
- In 2025, let’s make it game on – not game over – for our precious natural world
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darcy Watchorn, Threatened Species Biologist, Wildlife Conservation & Science Department, Zoos Victoria, and Visiting Scholar, School of Life & Environmental Science, Deakin University Jakub Maculewicz/Shutterstock It’s just past midnight in the cool, ancient forests of Tasmania. We’ve spent a long day ...1 week ago
- Star Wars can teach us about the economy or as Yoda might say, ‘about economics, it can teach’
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Economists may sometimes sound like they are speaking a language out of this world. But perhaps there are lessons about economics from a galaxy far, far away. The ...1 week ago
- What was damnatio memoriae? How to get cancelled in Ancient Rome
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Hanaghan, Senior Research Fellow in Latin Christianity in Late Antiquity, Australian Catholic University Munzir Rosdi/Shutterstock People throughout history have deliberately tried to forget corrupt or criminal leaders who offend the public’s sense of morality or justice. The term damnatio memoriae ...1 week ago
- What has The Warehouse done to my favourite song?
Summer reissue: Alex Casey watches on in horror as the red shed makes a mockery of a beloved 1999 classic. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a ...1 week ago
- 2025 New Year Honours: Six people named Knights and Dames
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has named six people Knights or Dames as part of the 2025 New Year Honours. ...1 week ago
- How the Gen Z broccoli haircut became big business for a teen barber
Summer reissue: Three teenage barbers in Mt Albert have capitalised on a viral haircut to build businesses on Instagram. Duncan Greive gets a haircut and a lesson in modern business. Photography by Jin Fellet. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these ...1 week ago
- The cultural Cabinet’s top picks
Laura Walters, political editorBookThe Men Who Killed the News: The inside story of how media moguls abused their power, manipulated the truth, and distorted democracy by Eric BeecherPerhaps 2024 was the best and worst year to read this book by Aussie media executive Eric Beecher. At a time when news ...1 week ago
- ‘My grandmother lived to 112; despite cancer I’m good for a few more years’
Comment: About a year ago, a very close friend of mine told me that she had stage four cancer. I knew what it felt like to make that phone call telling friends and whānau of one’s plight because I had the same experience and, at the time, was in the ...1 week ago
- Hastening 2024’s demise with unstructured days of reading
Opinion: Many of us will be pleased to see the back of 2024 with its global unrest, recession and uncertainty. Longer, sunnier days signal that the dumpster fire that was this year is fast coming to an end.To hasten 2024’s demise I’ve started dreaming about my summer holidays: unstructured days of ...1 week ago
- The true story behind New Zealand’s emporium empire
Summer reissue: Before $2 shops and Temu, there were Arthur’s, Geoff’s and Pete’s Emporiums – and that was only the beginning. As these local institutions mark their biggest day of the year, Gabi Lardies delves into their shared history. Editor’s note: This story was first published on October 31, 2024. ...1 week ago
- The first Wellingtonian
Summer reissue: Hundreds of years ago, a man named Tara founded the first permanent human settlement in Wellington. The city still bears his name: Te Whanganui a Tara. But what do we actually know about him? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue ...1 week ago
- Can Sandringham’s South Asian flavour survive gentrification?
Summer reissue: Thirty years ago, Sandringham wasn’t known for Indian food at all. What will it look like in another three decades? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up ...1 week ago
- Daily crossword, Tuesday 31 December
The post Daily crossword, Tuesday 31 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 31 December
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- Palestine protest group condemns NZ’s ‘normalisation of apartheid’ over Israeli tennis player
Asia Pacific Report A Palestine solidarity group has protested over the participation of Israeli tennis player Lina Glushko in New Zealand’s ASB Tennis Classic in Auckland this week, saying such competition raises serious concerns about the normalisation of systemic oppression and apartheid. The Palestine Forum of New Zealand said in ...1 week ago
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