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Trump is too afraid that even the briefest US aid cut-off window to Ukraine as punishment for Zelensky’s attacks against Russian refineries would be exploited to break through the front and lead to eternal speculation that he secretly helped Putin win the most significant conflict since World War II Zelensky has made a fool out of Trump by continuing to bomb Russian refineries despite Trump earlier claiming to have brokered a deal whereby…

Barbara on Trump’s UN day: nation-state vision vs Lula’s globalism, Shield of America vs narco-terror, and peace moves on Ukraine and Iran while Europe talks war. Media obsesses over desk bans; he closes on AI as industrial renaissance, not apocalypse. Barbara Boyd · This Wednesday update argues President Trump used his UN General Assembly speech to indict globalization and mass migration, contrasting his “nation state” vision with Brazil’s…

In this opinion, Dr Vernon Coleman recalls meeting young men who were prepared to die rather than lose the only home and community they knew. He draws on that experience to argue that military power alone cannot defeat people determined to defend their country and dignity. Applying the lesson to Iran, Coleman contends that Donald Trump misunderstands the resolve of those he seeks to overpower. Note: The following extract is taken from Vernon…

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says a ceasefire without a negotiated settlement is unacceptable to Moscow, while Ukraine and 51 other countries call for an immediate, unconditional truce. At the UN General Assembly, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accuses the US and Israel of double standards and alleges US war crimes. Meanwhile, reports from Ethiopia say Tigrayan forces have seized the region’s main airport, suspending flights.

Ukraine says it has struck a major Russian oil facility near Moscow. The reported attack comes amid concerns about diesel availability and refining costs, but the extent of the refinery’s damage and any resulting disruption to fuel supply remain unclear. INR Report: Based on reporting by Tyler Durden for ZeroHedge , published 21 September 2026. · What Happened at the Moscow Refinery? · ZeroHedge reports, citing Bloomberg, that Ukrainian drones…

As Western governments commit billions in financial and military support to Ukraine, the contributor questions whether they are giving sufficient attention to pressures at home. Drawing on political developments in Britain, Germany, France and the United States, this opinion examines public concerns about living costs, strained services and government spending, and asks how leaders should balance overseas commitments with domestic priorities. El…

President Donald Trump used his address to the United Nations General Assembly to defend his administration’s economic and military record, outline its approach to Iran and reaffirm US national sovereignty. His speech also addressed Ukraine, Venezuela, Greenland, international institutions and artificial intelligence, raising questions about the direction of American foreign policy and its implications for New Zealand. INR Report: Based on…

The fear was real. The lockdowns were real. COVID-19 was real. But what did New Zealand's decision-makers actually know about the danger, what evidence supported testing and vaccination policies, and did extraordinary restrictions remain justified as that evidence changed? Six years later, newly released government documents allow New Zealanders to examine the decisions that transformed their lives Report by eLocal - Part 1 of 3 Part 2 here · …

Investigative journalist Nicky Hager has turned his attention to the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union, alleging that the organisation sits within a wider network of politically aligned advocacy groups whose relationships are not always apparent to the public. But some of the book’s strongest allegations remain disputed, and Newsroom notes there is no conclusive evidence of coordination between the Taxpayers’ Union and the coalition Government Report…

Sue Grey West Coast–Tasman candidate lawyer and NZ Outdoors & Freedom party leader says her exclusion from the Taxpayers’ Union’s Greymouth election debate highlights the questions about political influence, gatekeeping and supposedly independent political organisations raised by investigative journalist Nicky Hager in his new book Dirty Work. Hager’s investigation focuses on the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union and political influence on…