New Zealand

A collection of 27 posts

Japanese Scientists Find Microplastics in Clouds

Microplastics have been found in clouds, a new study reports. The discovery suggests a mechanism for how microplastics—tiny pieces of plastic that are less than five millimeters long—could potentially affect the climate....

Research

New Zealand to Produce Lab-Grown Fruit

Amid a changing climate that could cause food insecurity, scientists at New Zealand's Plant and Food Research are attempting to grow fruit tissues inside a lab....

Science & Technology

New Zealand Brothers Jailed Over Sexual Assault of 18 Women

Two New Zealand brothers have been sentenced to 16 and a half and 17 years in prison for sexually assaulting 18 women at the bar and restaurant they managed in Christchurch.

New Zealand

Review: New Zealand Must Boost Defense Spending

On Friday, New Zealand introduced its first-ever national security strategy alongside the first phase of a defense review, calling for more spending on its military and the strengthening of ties with countries in the Indo-Pacific.

Military

New Zealand: Justice Minister Resigns Over Traffic Collision

New Zealand's Justice Minister Kiri Allen resigned on Monday, after being charged with drunken driving and refusing to accompany a police officer after she crashed into a parked car.

New Zealand

Auckland: Gunman Kills 2 Ahead of Women's World Cup Opener

At least two people were killed and several injured on Thursday after a gunman opened fire at a downtown construction site in Auckland, just hours before the FIFA Women's World Cup opening match.

World

Soccer: New Zealand Quits Qatar Match After Alleged Racism

On Monday, the New Zealand national men's football team walked away from its friendly [i.e. non-competitive] match with Qatar alleging on-field racial abuse and a failure to act by Qatari officials. Following halftime, with a 1-0 lead, New Zealand refused to return to the pitch.

Sports

Air New Zealand to Weigh Passengers Before Flights

On Monday, Air New Zealand began asking passengers to weigh themselves before boarding international flights departing from Auckland International Airport, as part of a month long trial to improve fuel efficiency.

New Zealand

New Zealand Hostel Fire Kills at Least 6, More Missing

At least six people died after the four-story Loafers Lodge hostel in Wellington, New Zealand caught fire just after midnight local time on Monday. Police say more than 50 people have been rescued but 11 still remain unaccounted for.

World

New Zealand Cancels Child Cat-Killing Contest Amid Outcry

On Tuesday, organizers of an annual hunting competition in New Zealand canceled a children's feral cat-killing event following massive backlash from animal rights groups.

Social issues

New Zealand: Cabinet Reaches Gender Parity For First Time

New Zealand has reached gender parity in its government cabinet for the first time in history, with women being the majority in the executive branch when the ministers outside the cabinet are included....

New Zealand

China Allegedly Jails Two Human Rights Lawyers

Two prominent Chinese human rights lawyers, Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi of the civil rights group New Citizens' Movement, were reportedly convicted of 'subversion of state power' and sentenced to over a decade in prison, according to one of the men's wives. However, a PRC court official said it was...

New Zealand

ProPublica Report: Justice Clarence Thomas Failed to Disclose Luxury Trips

US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas failed to disclose decades of luxury trips gifted by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow, according to a new ProPublica report published on Thursday....

Headlines

Australia Bans TikTok From Government Devices

On Tuesday, Australia banned Chinese-owned social media app TikTok from all federal government-owned devices amid data and security concerns, with Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus stating the measure would come into effect “as soon as practicable.'...

Politics

Finnish PM Concedes Defeat, Right-Wing Party Wins Vote

Finland's left-wing Prime Minister Sanna Marin conceded defeat in the nation's parliamentary election on Sunday as the opposition right-wing National Coalition Party (NCP) claimed victory in a tightly fought contest....

Finland

UK Joins Trans-Pacific Trade Pact

On Friday, the UK announced it has agreed to join an 11-country trans-Pacific trade deal, named the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) — a step PM Rishi Sunak's office called the biggest trade deal since Brexit....

Iran

UN Report: Global Cocaine Production Hits Record High

A United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report states that global cocaine production has reached record highs after declining during the COVID pandemic, as cocaine production increased by 35% between 2020 and 2021....

Cocaine

Facebook, Instagram to Get Paid Verification

On Sunday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook and Instagram users in Australia and New Zealand would soon be required to pay for the verified blue badge....

Computers & internet

New Zealand Declares Rare Emergency for Cyclone

New Zealand declared a state of emergency for just the third time in its history on Tuesday, as Cyclone Gabrielle destroyed roads, flooded homes, and left more than 100K people without electricity....

Metaculus

New Zealand Braces for Flooding from Second Atmospheric River

Residents of New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, are preparing for more heavy rain this week following its worst downpour on record Friday, which left at least four people dead and some 350 in need of emergency accommodation.

World

New Zealand: Labour Party Selects Chris Hipkins as PM

On Sunday, New Zealand's ruling Labour Party approved Chris Hipkins to replace Jacinda Ardern as leader, making him the 41st prime minister in the country's history.

World

New Zealand: PM Ardern Resigns

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Thursday that she will step down from her position on Feb. 7 in advance of the national election scheduled for Oct. 14. She reportedly plans to remain a member of Parliament until April.

Politics

New Zealand Delivers Record Rate Hike to Fight Inflation, Flags 2023 Recession

New Zealand's Reserve Bank (RBNZ) on Tuesday announced a raise in the official cash rate (OCR) by 75 basis points to 4.25%, as it steps up to fight inflation. According to Adrian Orr, the Reserve Bank's Gov., the rate remains "well above the 1 to 3% target range."

World

New Zealand: Women Reach Majority In Parliament for First Time

Soraya Peke-Mason from New Zealand's Labour Party was sworn into Parliament on Tuesday, forming a female majority in the legislative body for the first time in the nation's history.

World

New Zealand Proposes 'Farm Animal Tax'

On Tuesday, New Zealand's government proposed taxing greenhouse gases that farm animals make from bodily functions, including belching, in what would be a world first in tackling climate change.

World