Author: Mike Bain/cvnznews.com

By Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has departed for New Delhi to formally sign the New Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement, a deal the Government says will unlock major export gains in one of the world’s fastest‑growing economies. The signing delegation includes MPs from across Parliament and more than 30 New Zealand business representatives. The agreement — long sought by successive governments — will eliminate or reduce tariffs on 95% of New Zealand’s exports, with 57% duty‑free from day one, rising to 82% once fully implemented. Key sectors including sheep meat, wool, forestry, coal, and most industrial products…

By Mike Bain/cvnznews.com New Zealanders receiving a benefit are being urged to think carefully before tapping their KiwiSaver for financial hardship, with officials warning that withdrawals can unintentionally affect entitlements. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) says many people don’t realise that once money is taken out of KiwiSaver, it is treated like any other cash asset — and in some cases, as income. That can influence payments such as the Accommodation Supplement or Temporary Additional Support. Graham Allpress, MSD’s group general manager of client service delivery, said the impact varies from person to person, but anyone considering a hardship…

ACT has welcomed cross‑party support for a parliamentary motion condemning antisemitism, following new data showing a continued rise in antisemitic incidents in New Zealand. The Antisemitism Worldwide Report recorded 143 incidents in 2025, up from 131 in 2024, 134 in 2023, and just eight in 2022—a trend consistent with the global surge in antisemitism seen over the past several years. All parties in Parliament agreed to ACT’s motion without notice, which stated: “That this House condemn all incidents of antisemitism in New Zealand, and affirm that antisemitism has no place here.” ACT Leader David Seymour said the unanimous support underscored…

By Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has retained the National Party leadership after the caucus voted in support of him during a three‑hour meeting at Parliament today. Luxon delivered a brief statement afterwards, saying speculation about his leadership was “now closed”. He took no questions and said he would not take part in what he described as a “media soap opera”. National MPs leaving the meeting confirmed Luxon remained leader but did not disclose details of the vote, citing caucus confidentiality. The confidence motion followed a turbulent morning at Parliament, including senior whip Stuart Smith’s absence from caucus due…

By Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Colin Thorne — the globally celebrated centenarian parkrunner and beloved Whangārei figure — has died aged 102, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, service and extraordinary determination. Thorne completed 265 parkruns over nine years, becoming one of the movement’s most admired participants worldwide. He was the first person on the planet aged over 100 to reach the 100‑parkrun milestone, a record unlikely to be matched any time soon. Even this month, after shifting to a wheelchair, he continued turning up on Saturday mornings, insisting on crossing the finish line on foot. Former Whangārei mayor Sheryl Mai and…

Update; Tuesday April 21 : 8:30 am Wellington remains under an active state of emergency with Red heavy‑rain warnings in place; people in low‑lying, flood‑prone and hill‑slope areas should stay alert, avoid travel where possible, and move to higher ground immediately if waters rise. Wellington’s Mayor Andrew Little told Ryan Bridge TODAY despite it being reasonably quiet overnight, he’s warning people “anything could happen today”. Little said Wellingtonians need to stay vigilant. “It looks like the worst is over… but anything could happen today.” Little said the rocky hillside where a lot of Wellington homes are located becomes porous once…

By Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says legal verification of the New Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has been completed, with both countries agreeing to formally sign the deal on 27 April in New Delhi. The ceremony will take place in front of a large delegation of Indian and New Zealand business leaders. McClay says the agreement represents “once‑in‑a‑generation” access to a market of 1.4 billion people and an economy projected to become the world’s third largest. He argues the FTA is vital amid global instability and will allow New Zealand to begin the parliamentary treaty‑examination process,…

Rueters: Pope Leo urged Angolans on Sunday to overcome divisions after decades of bloody conflict in an address to an estimated 100,000 people who flocked to a Mass in a dirt field near the capital Luanda. In one of the biggest events of his four-nation Africa tour, the pope called Angola, which experienced a bloody, 27-year civil war from 1975 to 2002, a “beautiful yet wounded country.” He urged Angolans to “build together a country where old divisions are overcome once and for all, where hatred and violence disappear.” At the end of the Mass, the pope decried the recent…

By John Stonestreet/Breakpoint.org  Trans activists loudly claim that medicalizing gender confused youth is “settled science” and saves lives. This is meant to shut down any doubt or debate on this critically important topic. Thankfully, a few undeterred scholars are asking important questions and demonstrating just how false trans activists’ claims really are. An impressive new Finnish study, published in the Swedish academic journal Acta Paediatrica, is extending the damning conclusions of the UK’s 2024 Cass Review. The report was unequivocal in concluding that the so-called “settled science” of trans medicine “is an area of remarkably weak evidence” and the “reality…

OPINION: Oliver Hartwich. With energy prices spiking, an old idea has gathered fresh momentum: break up the big electricity companies. New Zealand First put the proposal on its agenda at the party’s State of the Nation address, calling for the four gentailers, companies that both generate and retail power, to be split apart. When people are hurting, the urge to do something is understandable. But doing something is not the same as doing the right thing. I should disclose that several gentailers, and Chorus, are members of The New Zealand Initiative, which I run. But the case against splitting them…

RNZ Pacific reporters The Fiji military has found itself at the centre of a national firestorm following the death of a wellknown drug peddler Jone Vakarisi in military custody last Thursday. Conflicting reports have emerged over the weekend regarding the death of Vakarisi, who was reportedly linked to major criminal networks. News of his death broke while top military and police brass were gathered on Bau Island, paying their final respects to the late President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau. The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), in a statement on Saturday, said Vakarisi’s death was due to “a sudden and severe…

By Mike Bain/cvnznews.com The Government has announced a package of temporary measures to help schools cope with soaring fuel costs caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with Education Minister Erica Stanford confirming increased mileage rates, cash grants for small schools, and accelerated replacement of diesel boilers. Stanford, speaking alongside Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, said she had instructed the Ministry of Education to contact every school to assess the impact of fuel‑price pressures and identify where immediate support was needed. She said the Government was preparing for “a range of potential future scenarios” as the fuel crisis continues…

By Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com Updated 5pm Monday 20 April The Wellington region has been placed under a state of emergency as torrential rain, flash flooding and landslides hammer the lower North Island, with authorities warning the worst weather is still to come. MetService has upgraded Wellington and Wairarapa to red heavy‑rain warnings — its highest alert level — signalling a “threat to life” from dangerous river conditions, rapidly rising water, and widespread slips. The agency says slow‑moving thunderstorms are dumping intense, localised rain, with residents describing the downpours as “torrential” and streets turning into fast‑moving streams. Civil Defence says the situation…

By Colin Ambler/cvnznew.com New Zealand First has unveiled a new election policy aimed at breaking up the supermarket duopoly, arguing it will deliver fairer prices for families and restore balance for local food producers. The announcement comes as the party records its latest position in the 1News Verian Poll, alongside the newest preferred‑Prime‑Minister rating for leader Winston Peters. The party says New Zealanders have endured years of rising grocery bills while Woolworths and Foodstuffs control more than 80 percent of the market. The Commerce Commission has previously reported the two major chains earning around $1 million a day in excess…

By Colin Ambler/cvnznews.com The Green Party has used its 2026 State of the Planet address to argue that New Zealand must break its dependence on global fossil‑fuel markets and adopt a Government‑led National Electrification Plan. The speech comes as the party records its latest result in the 1News Verian Poll, a data point that continues to shape the political backdrop for its climate‑focused messaging. Co‑leader Marama Davidson opened the address by linking the Middle East crisis to New Zealand’s vulnerability to global energy shocks. She said the conflict was “first and foremost a human catastrophe”, citing civilian deaths, destroyed livelihoods…

By Manuel Ribeiro/Euronews. After visiting Cameroon, Angola is the third leg of Pope Leo XIV’s 11-day tour of Africa. People hope for appeals for peace and for him to tackle the economic woes of the oil- and rare-earth-rich nation. After visiting Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV landed in Luanda, Angola on Saturday, where he was welcomed by faithful. The Holy Father is about to become the third pontiff to visit Angola, after John Paul II (1992) and Benedict XVI (2009). Meanwhile, during Pope Leo XIV’s plane journey on Saturday he said that it was “not in my interest at all” to debate…

By Mike Bain/cvnznews.com Former senior Labour minister Michael Wood says he “lost balance” during his time in Cabinet and accepts full responsibility for the airport‑shares saga that forced his resignation in 2023. Speaking in an interview on TVNZ’s Q+A programme, Wood said he had begun the process of selling his Auckland Airport shares by instructing his broker, but admitted he failed to ensure the sale was completed. “I was a hard‑driving Cabinet minister, working 80 to 90 hours a week and pushing major reforms,” he told Q+A. “In parts of my life, I lost balance — and sorting out the…

By Saboor Sakhizada The US-Iran conflict reflects a fundamental strategic mismatch: Washington seeks swift victory, while Tehran aims for endurance and survival. Escalation and pressure alone have failed to produce decisive results, as Iran absorbs and adapts to challenges over time. A shift toward patient, incentive-based strategies is essential to reshape the conflict’s trajectory and avoid prolonging the war indefinitely. Despite the removal of senior Iranian officials, Operation Epic Fury has yet to deliver the outcome Washington sought. As of last week, following 21 hours of direct talks facilitated by Pakistan, the US walked away from negotiations with its Iranian counterparts. As US…

By PWN Staff. Meta’s reported development of an AI version of its founder Mark Zuckerberg has reignited an unusual but increasingly persistent conversation at the intersection of technology, identity, and ancient prophecy. According to reporting, the company is building a photorealistic, interactive digital version of Zuckerberg capable of engaging employees in real time–trained on his voice, mannerisms, and strategic thinking. What might sound like corporate innovation to some is, to others, a striking echo of imagery found in the Book of Revelation. In particular, the “image of the beast” described in Revelation has long fascinated theologians. The text describes a…

By Steve Gatena The alarm goes off.You reach for your phone before your feet hit the floor.Coffee, commute, clock in, clock out.No direction. No fire.Just the quiet hum of a life running on a preset course. God didn’t wire you for autopilot.He wired you for a destination. Maybe life handed you reasons to stay stuck.A past easier to hide from than to face.Voices telling you this is as good as it gets. Paul had more reasons than most to stay grounded.And yet Philippians 3 is one of the most forward-moving passages in Scripture:”Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what…

By Partner News Agency At least three vessels attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz reported being hit by gunfire after Iran’s military declared on Saturday it was once again closing the chokepoint in response to the United States’ blockade of Iranian ports, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move came a day after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the strait was now open to all commercial vessels in the wake of the ceasefire reached in Lebanon. An outgoing convoy of eight tankers transited the waterway before the renewed closure was announced, Reuters reported. It was the first major movement of vessels…

By PNW Staff On a recent episode of The Tucker Carlson Show, Tucker Carlson did something few in conservative media have dared to do: he openly questioned whether Donald Trump could, in any sense, fit the biblical profile of the Antichrist. It wasn’t a throwaway comment. It was a carefully framed warning. Carlson pointed to Trump’s recent sharing of AI-generated images depicting himself alongside Jesus–imagery he argued crossed into mockery of the Christian faith. From there, he turned to Scripture, invoking the chilling description of the coming “man of lawlessness,” a figure who will “oppose and exalt himself over everything…

By Jonathan Tobin/JNS.org The headline published by the far-left outlet. The Intercept was spot on, even if most of the information in its article was slanted or downright false. In declaring that, “The Dam Breaks: Democratic Senators Overwhelmingly Reject Arms Sales to Israel,” the rabidly anti-Israel publication said nothing less than the truth. In the last year, the last vestiges of pro-Israel sentiment in the Democratic Party have more or less collapsed. In the vote held on April 15, 40 of 47 Democratic members of the U.S. Senate voted in favor of one or two of the proposals put forward…

By Staff Writers/JNS/Org When U.S. President Donald Trump sent Vice President JD Vance to negotiate with members of the Iranian regime in Islamabad, people initially thought that Vance–reportedly the most outspoken voice in the Trump administration against going to war with Iran–would be a soft touch. When the talks in Pakistan broke down, however, Vance’s position could hardly have been tougher. Having seen the Iranian regime up close, he said, he was absolutely certain that these people must never be allowed to get nuclear weapons. In recent days, he has again taken a position which contradicted previous assumptions about his…

OPINION: Ani O’Brien. How Liam Hehir convinced me I was wrong Last week, in my weekly political wrap up I wrote: Again we find ourselves with another lot of coup rumours. Yesterday, Luxon insisted repeatedly that he has the full support of his caucus. Sadly, the only time a leader has to say that is when he does not. My assessment of things is that the end of the road is nigh for the Prime Minister. He can not continue fending off these attacks. And I no longer think he should. Leadership coups are messy and difficult to get right,…

By Russell Moore. In the past few weeks, the president has posted an Easter message that used profanity and threatened civilizational genocide, has issued threats to the pope, and has posted an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus. (He now says he was portraying himself as a doctor.) After all this, even some of the president’s supporters feel humiliated and angry. I think it’s worth asking what exactly is coming to light in this moment and whether it could disrupt a means-to-an-end cultural Christianity. For years, some evangelicals have told us Donald Trump might be the disruptor we need to bring us back to Jesus. For the first time, I…

By Dianne Apen-Sadler As the Australian airline prepares for the first test flight on its new A350-1000ULR aircraft, we take a look at what passengers can expect onboard. Ultra-long-haul flights are a divisive topic among frequent fliers. Would you rather have the chance to stretch your legs, potentially grab a shower in the lounge, and eat some non-airplane food on a layover, or is your priority getting to your destination as quickly as possible. Love them or hate them, Australian airline Qantas is betting big on the sector with the launch of the world’s longest commercial flight next year. Passengers aboard the…

By Dean Foley/Australian Correspondent. Rising fuel prices linked to the Iran war are pushing more drivers across the United States to search for bargains and in many regions, the cheapest option is turning up on Native American reservations, where tribally owned stations can sell fuel at significantly lower prices. Junelle Lewis, from the Seattle area, drove to the Tulalip Reservation to fill up after noticing a sharp price difference on a phone app. “I purposely drove here just for the gas” she said, describing the savings compared with stations closer to home. The story says Lewis’s experience is increasingly common…

By Damilola Makinde  My doctor is a Muslim woman. When we speak, faith is an easily acknowledged part of the conversation. She introduces it in her Islamic dress; I introduce it with my occupation. It is clear as we speak that we have something in common beyond our sex and our experience as ethnic minorities in the United Kingdom. Beyond the immediacy of our London living—the din of traffic, the proximity of global foods—is our sense of the transcendent. We each understand the other to be living for something beyond themselves, and not just something, but someone. Someone above, to whom…

By Steve Gatena You just introduced yourself at a networking event.Name, company, title.On the drive home, you thought,Is that really who I am? Or just what I do? Your job isn’t who you are. It’s what you do.What you do will always flow from who you are. That’s the sequence that changes everything: BE → DO → HAVE.Before the impact comes the identity.Before the output comes the input.This isn’t a self-improvement formula. It’s a discipleship one The fact that you’re asking “who do I want to be?” means you’re already further along than most.That shift in question is the beginning…

By Associated Press . The U.S. Navy’s sea blockade against Iran appears to be working. Iran-linked or sanctioned vessels that have left the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz have stopped or turned around, shipping data firms say. They appear to have jammed or faked their locations in some instances, complicating an uncertain and risky shipping situation. The blockade that started Monday “has been fully implemented,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command. “U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going in and out of Iran by sea.” The action could put serious pressure on the Iranian…

OPINION: Teasi Cannon “You are a personal and professional offense to me!” The words pierced my heart and echoed in my mind for weeks. My pastor — the man whose ministry had shaped my life for more than 23 years — believed I’d somehow damaged his reputation, and he was furious. Despite our best efforts to bring clarity and biblical resolve, a few months later, my husband and I were left with no choice but to leave the church we’d built, loved, and faithfully served. We were broken and utterly confused — and because of a toxic leadership structure with…

Supplied by Partner News Agency. Pope Leo XIV’s recent visit to the Mosque of Algiers–where he removed his shoes, stood in silent reflection before the mihrab, and expressed gratitude for being in “a place that represents the space proper to God”–is not a harmless gesture of goodwill. It is a deeply consequential moment that raises serious questions about how the highest office in the Catholic Church is choosing to represent Christian truth in the public square. Because this is not simply about respect. No one is arguing against basic courtesy toward Muslims or any other religious group. Christians are called…

by Dean Foley/Australian Correspondent. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has confirmed she “had no concerns whatsoever” about the employment of her national campaign director, in a statement issued shortly after sacking him for the thing she had no concerns about. A party spokesperson said the vetting process for senior One Nation staff remained “robust”, consisting of one phone call, a vibe check and a final sign-off from whoever happened to be in the room. “We have an extensive screening procedure” the spokesperson explained. “Step one, we ask if they’re loyal. Step two, there is no step two.” Senator Hanson told…

By Partner News Agency. Abortion in South Korea is increasingly being shaped by commercial forces and global pharmaceutical interests, according to a presentation at an April colloquium hosted by a Seoul-based bioethics institute, which warned that the growing use of medication abortion reflects a broader shift from a medical and ethical issue to a profit-driven industry. The April colloquium of the Seongsan Institute for Bioethics, held April 11 at Yongsan Station in Seoul, featured Dr. Jang Ji-young, the institute’s secretary general and a physician at Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital. Speaking on “How does abortion become an industry? The U.S.…

By Colin Ambler/cvnznews.com Brian Tamaki has launched a fresh push to put the size of New Zealand’s Parliament back in the hands of voters — but the move raises a deeper question politicians rarely want to answer: Do they support fewer MPs, or do they simply prefer longer, safer terms in government? The Destiny Church leader has begun a citizens‑initiated referendum campaign asking New Zealanders whether the House of Representatives should be cut from 120 MPs to 65. The proposed question — “Should the House of Representatives be reformed by reducing the number of Members of Parliament from 120 to…

Opinion: Ani O’Brien. Note: I was a vegetarian for 10 years and previously worked at the SPCA. I am a believer in high animal welfare standards and think that many animal welfare groups do a great deal of good work. Many of them are a bit nuts though. There I was, scrolling the apps, when a familiar Kiwi farmer’s face appeared with a message that sounded quite good. I halted in my tracks and bestowed a view on the video’s tally. The gist was that our imported farming products should live up to our national animal welfare standards. Fair enough,…

by Mandy Te/Interest NZ. A mixture of political optics, an election year and a free trade agreement that doesn’t deliver the typical level of market access into India that New Zealand is used to in its trade agreements, has led to a political scrap putting the future of the deal in question. Labour is accusing National of pushing through a rushed, secretive India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), as it seeks more details on visas for students and investment. But that has raised eyebrows in National, with Trade Minister Todd McClay telling interest.co.nz they had four months of engaging “extensively” with Labour on…

By John Stonestreet/Andrew Carico. The prophet Isaiah warned, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.”  A modern example, as Dr. Al Mohler recently described on The Briefing, is the “moral incoherence” of believing life is sacred and valuable while also rejecting any consequences for those who take it.   Recently, the state of Georgia charged a woman with the murder of her 22- to 24-week-old baby, who died within an hour of birth after her mother took abortion pills at home to terminate the pregnancy. This is the first murder charge in the state related to its six-week abortion ban. The Washington Post article that covered this story concluded by citing a 2022 Economist/YouGov poll. According to the poll, 19% of respondents think a woman who…

Overseas funding for Christian mission work in India could be inhibited by a proposed amendment to a law surrounding foreign funding. The amended Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment Bill would allow the Indian government to seize the assets of any organization that has its FCRA license blocked or that has a lapsed license. The FCRA license is what permits NGOs in India to accept foreign funding. Joseph D’Souza, head of the All India Christian Council, said, “This is a dangerous and deeply alarming crisis, with immediate and potentially irreversible consequences.” Critics of the new law fear it will be used by…