Gordon Campbell: On The PM’s Indonesian Guest, And West Papua

Out By 24,000: Treasury Child Poverty Estimate Wrong

The Treasury has revised the child-poverty projections it provided to the Government in December 2017. As outlined in the Treasury’s 17 January media release, the previous estimate was based on code that included a modelling error...More>>

ALSO:

• RNZ - Treasury poverty estimate out by 24,000 children

Mentions Russia: NZ Joins Condemnation Of Nerve Agent Attack

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says the New Zealand Government has grave concerns over the use of a chemical nerve agent in the United Kingdom resulting in critically serious injuries to some of those exposed. More>>

ALSO:

• National - Ardern-Peters Govt needs to stand alongside UK

IPCA (And Privacy Commission): Police's “Exit International” Checkpoint Was Illegal

The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that Police were not justified in stopping vehicles at a vehicle checkpoint to identify individuals who had attended an “Exit International” meeting in Lower Hutt on 2 October 2016. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Police - Police response to IPCA report
• Privacy Commissioner - Operation Painter: Findings in privacy investigation
• End of Life Choice Society - The End-of-Life Choice Society wants an apology from police
• ACT - Police Commissioner Must Resign
• Family First - Police Right To Investigate Promotion & Enabling of Suicide
• Other 'investigatory tricks': NZ High Court - High Court Decision: Crawford v New Zealand Police

Economy: GDP Rises On Strength In Services

The economy, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), grew 0.6 percent in the December 2017 quarter, Stats NZ said today. Growth was driven by increases in the service industries but was tempered by falls in the primary sector. More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - NZ economy softer than expected in 4Q
• RNZ - GDP growth slowed by hot weather
• National - GDP figures show Government must nurture growth
• NZ Council of Trade Unions - Latest economic figures show commentary out of step

Innovative Partnerships:Govt Launches R&D; Programme

Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods has today formally launched the Innovative Partnership programme which aims to attract future-focused international innovators and firms to undertake R&D; and develop their products in New Zealand.... More>>

ALSO:

• National - Megan Woods should stop re-announcing R&D; programmes
• Image Out-Link - Innovative Partnerships

Planes And Oil: Current Account Deficit Widens To $2.0 Billion

New Zealand's seasonally adjusted current account deficit widened to $2.0 billion in the December 2017 quarter, Stats NZ said today. The $407 million increase in the deficit was mainly driven by New Zealand importing aircraft and other transport equipment, and crude oil. More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - NZ current account deficit narrows in 4th qtr

Video And Report: Cory Doctorow Talks Machine Learning And Big Data

International internet and digital technology commentator Cory Doctorow talked about machine learning and big data at the Privacy Commissioner’s PrivacyLive event on 13 March 2018 in Wellington. More>>

Gordon Campbell: On The #MeToo Movement In Sweden

The #MeToo campaign has been approached by Sweden in an impressively systematic fashion. As Bloomberg News reports, #MeToo subsets have emerged in almost every imaginable sector of Swedish society.. More>>

Binoy Kampmark: Meddling For Empire - The CIA Comes Clean

One of the difficulties behind the podium stance of virtue taken by the US political establishment on Russian interference in the country’s electoral process is one of simple hypocrisy. More>>

UN Rights Office On Syria: The “Monstrous Annihilation” Of Eastern Ghouta

Since the Syrian Government and their allies escalated their offensive against opposition-held Eastern Ghouta on 4 February, there have been more than 1,200 civilian casualties, including at least 346 killed and 878 injured, mostly in airstrikes hitting residential areas... Ninety-two of these civilian deaths allegedly occurred in just one 13-hour period on Monday. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - NZ increases humanitarian funding for Syrian war victims
• UNHRC - Zeid urges international action as violence soars in Syria
• Image via Out-Link - Eastern Ghouta is another Srebrenica, we are looking away again | The Guardian

Cyclone Gita: 70% Of Tonga Population Affected

The full scale of destruction is beginning to emerge from Tonga in the aftermath of the severe tropical cyclone Gita. Around 50,000 people, or almost 70% of the country’s population, have been affected, a third of whom are children. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - PM to Tonga, Samoa, Niue, and the Cook Islands - Further Cyclone Gita help - Emergency relief supplies to depart for Tonga - New Zealand to assist following Cyclone Gita - Cyclone Gita - thoughts with the Pacific, MCDEM staffer sent
• Delegation of the European Union to the Pacific - EU supports the victims of cyclone Gita in Tonga
• Govt of Tonga - Tropical Cyclone Gita: Tonga State of Emergency
• RNZ - Samoas clean up after being swamped by cyclone - Samoa assesses damage
• Council for International Development - The best thing you can do to help Tonga - send cash
• Charities - Oxfam - Tearfund - Rotary - Caritas - Habitat for Humanity - UNICEF - CWS - Rotary - Pacific Humanitarian Team
• Banks - ANZ - NZ Post/Kiwibank
• CLIMsystems - Tracking Models for Tropical Cyclone Gita
• Free calling - Spark - Vodafone - 2degrees donating income
• Digicel - Digicel Tonga’s network restoration well underway
• Heilala Vanilla - Foundation Provides Relief Support to ‘Eua, Tonga - Heilala Vanilla Update | Cyclone Gita
• Marlborough District Council - Mayor urges support for Pacific neighbours
• BusinessDesk - Tower says summer storms will cost about $5 million
• PCRIC - Record Insurance Payout for Tonga Following Cyclone Gita
• Paul Bayly - Pacific led climate change research is vital to development
• Image Out-Link - Tropical Cyclone Gita Slams Tonga : Natural Hazards

Howard Davis Review: Smelling the Merchandise - The Death of Stalin

Having satirised British democracy with such devastating effect, Armando Iannucci has now turned his lens on the dangers inherent in Soviet authoritarianism. Every gag is girdled with fear and the bleak humour is so pitch black it could only have been pumped from deep underground. More>>

Howard Davis Review: The Creole Stylings of Cécile McLorin Salvant

"You only get a singer like this once in a generation or two," commented Wynton Marsalis, who has repeatedly hired her to front his jazz orchestra and mounted a 25 foot high portrait of her on the exterior of Lincoln Center. “She radiates authority. She has poise, elegance, soul, humour, sensuality, power, virtuosity, range, insight, intelligence, depth, and grace.” More>>

Max Rashbrooke Review: The King's Singers and Voices New Zealand

To be good at one thing is impressive; to be so versatile across a range of genres is truly exceptional. The latest incarnation of this six-strong male singing group includes Kiwi Christopher Bruerton, and it was a delight to hear him sing the solo on the achingly beautiful My Love Is like a Red, Red Rose. More>>