New Zealand likes to see itself as a principled nation — small, independent, and willing to stand up for public safety even when powerful interests object. We banned nuclear weapons when others told us it would be economically reckless. We rejected certain trade pressures when they conflicted with national values. We pride ourselves on sovereignty. Yet when it comes to COVID-19 and the unprecedented deployment of mRNA technology, New Zealand…

A paper published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society entitled *“Identifying and quantifying potentially problematic prescribing cascades in clinical practice: A mixed-methods study”* throws a sharp light on mistakes that were made by physicians, GPs, hospital staff and epidemiologists during the pandemic. A prescribing cascade occurs when adverse effects result which are not recognised as caused by the drug; after which another…

Next week, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, convicted for the Christchurch mosque attacks, will appear before the Court of Appeal. He will argue that his guilty pleas were extracted through coercion and abuse rather than entered freely. *Summarised by Centrist* Tarrant was sentenced in August 2020 to life imprisonment without parole after admitting to murdering 51 people, attempting to murder 40 others, and committing a terrorist act during the 15…

Who says getting older means slowing down? At Acacia Cove Retirement Village, retirement is about rediscovering freedom, connection, and enjoyment. With everyday tasks like maintenance and gardening taken care of, your time is truly your own — giving you the space to focus on what matters most to you. Whether it’s joining a social group, enjoying a swim, or simply unwinding in tranquil surroundings, life here is relaxed, fulfilling, and…

The shooting of 21 Nigerian coal miners during a 1949 protest constituted an extrajudicial violation of the right to life, a judge in the African state has ruled *British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. ©  Benjamin Cremel - WPA Pool/Getty Images* [RT]A Nigerian court has ordered Britain to pay £420 million ($570 million) in compensation to the families of coal miners killed by colonial authorities in the West African country…

Ryan Wesley Routh stalked the US president with a rifle during his 2024 campaign *A screen grab shows police forces arresting Ryan Wesley Routh in Florida. September 16, 2024. ©  Getty Images* [RT] A US federal court has sentenced Ryan Wesley Routh to life in prison for attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at his Florida golf resort in 2024. Prosecutors said Routh, who was reportedly obsessed with the Ukraine conflict,…

Newly unsealed documents linked to the convicted sex offender have renewed scrutiny of the billionaire’s personal life and health-related dealings *Bill Gates. © Getty Images / Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News* [RT] Bill Gates has apologized for his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying he was *“foolish”* to spend time with him. In an interview with 9 News Australia released on…

It’s possible that the US – whether under Trump 2.0 or whichever administration, including a possible Democrat one, comes afterwards – might agree to transfer its tactical nukes to Estonia in parallel with a possible British F-35A deployment to the latter’s base there. *Andrew Korybko* The Daily Mail cited Pentagon funding proposals to report in late December that the US plans to once again store tactical nukes in the UK upon renovating …

Washington is reportedly building a network of influencers to counter Brussels’ censorship machine *A protester wears a "Make Europe Great Again" hat at an anti immigration rally in Warsaw, Poland, May 10, 2025 © Getty Images / Omar Marques* [RT] The US State Department will fund *“MAGA-aligned think-tanks and charities”* in Europe as Washington steps up its fight against censorship in the EU and UK, the Financial Times reported on Friday. …

It’s suppositionally possible that the Financial Times’ report becomes reality, but to be absolutely clear, this is pure guesswork and it’s much more likely that Russia won’t agree to that. *Andrew Korybko* The US signaled its support for NATO troops in Ukraine last month after Trump’s Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner praised the principle of security guarantees for the first time right after France and the UK committed to…