By RNZ The Stroke Foundation is urging people to get vaccinated against Covid-19 to help reduce the risk of a debilitating stroke.Its chief executive Jo Lambert told Morning Report new studies show more severe infections of Covid-19…
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Covid 19 Delta outbreak: 173 new cases in the community
There are 173 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today.Of those cases, 154 are in Auckland, 15 are in Waikato, one is in Northland, two are in Bay of Plenty and one is in Lakes DHB. There is also a case in Canterbury but who…
Simon Bridges first to put name forward for leadership
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Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Farm Cove Intermediate School student tests positive
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The fear of missing out and the psychology of Black Friday
From its somewhat chequered origins in the 1950s when Philadelphia police reportedly started using the term to describe the traffic chaos in the streets after Thanksgiving, Black Friday has transformed into one of the most highly-anticipated shopping events of the year.
But there's more to the shopping craze than just shopping bags and the swiping of credit cards.
Consumer behaviour expert Associate Professor Maxwell Winchester from Victoria University said it's an event that tells us about a deeper need within all humans – a fear of missing out.
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"People don't really like to miss out on things," Professor Winchester said.
Professor Winchester said when an item is presented as being scarce then hype is created and more can be charged for it.
"It gets in the media a lot and then even more people are interested. It's almost like a vicious cycle," Professor Winchester said.
"So that's probably what the retailers are playing on here, is if you create a fear of missing out, then people will react to that.
"If there are limited stocks, and they're heavily discounted prices, some consumers who do feel [like they are] missing out will certainly be in there trying to get hold."
That fear of missing out, combined with concern over scarcity of products, is what Professor Winchester said can sometimes even fuel violence.
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Footage of shoppers being trampled in the US have emerged over the years, with the New York Post reporting that between 2006 and 2018, 44 Black Friday incidents left at least 11 dead and around 109 injured, including a man who shattered his hip after being pushed into a shelf of discounted presents.
"When things are extremely scarce, and there's competition for something that is very scarce, then people will resort to violence to ensure they get what they feel they deserve," Prof. Winchester said.
Prof. Winchester said this type of shopping-related violence was also seen at the start of the pandemic.
"People were going to supermarkets and filling trolleys and taking not their fair share of toilet paper and other items. And there were some instances where the shoppers will get violent and or abusive towards the customers who were hogging."
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Content creator and student Annika said she's felt the anxiety of missing out on Black Friday.
"I think it's just the bombardment of emails. It's all over social media. So, it's really hard to escape," Annika said.
"Because it is, you know, the limited time offers it's competition to purchase things before it runs out.
"I think that sort of adds to that sort of pressure that people feel with Black Friday."
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Prof. Winchester said it is important that when it comes to shopping events like Black Friday consumers stay rational.
"Look at what prices you can get from different retailers and do some research," Prof. Winchester said.
What are China's 'artificial islands' and why are there concerns?
They don't appear on most world maps, but China's "artificial islands" are an important sector of the globe that world powers are anxiously keeping watch over.
The islands and their mega resources, which have suddenly emerged in the past six years, have drastically tipped the power balance in the South China Sea – a key to much of the world's international trade.
Dr Malcolm Davis, a Defence Strategy and Capability Senior Analyst from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, has broken down the dispute over the islands and what they mean for the rest of the world.
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How did new islands come about?
China moved to start creating the artificial islands in the South China Sea in 2014, building them on top of rocks or reefs which were close to the water's surface at high tide.
Dredging ships were used to scoop up the sea floor to build up the islands on top of the rocks.
The manmade islands span an incredible almost 3200 acres of new land, according to research by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.
The space which the islands now occupy was previously not considered territory under International Law.
A number of Asian countries have claims over the South China Sea, however China claims the islands as their territory, and is using the islands to further their claim over the region as a whole.
In 2016 an international tribunal found that China had no right to claim ownership of the sea and ruled that China had violated international law in constructing the islands.
What are the islands being used for?
The entirety of the islands are being used to bolster China's military capability.
Aerial photographs of the islands reveal the military bases do not even allow space for a tree.
The military spaces host missile systems, radars, runways capable of handling heavy aircraft, fuel storage facilities to support military operations and naval facilities.
Dr Davis said the resources concentrated on the islands give China the power to potentially overwhelm The Association of Southeast Asian Nations' military – which includes input from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Using the islands, China has the potential to project military power all the way down to northern Australia or into the Indian Ocean.
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Why are the islands concerning?
The islands, and the power they give China, are concerning for a number of reasons.
As well as massively strengthening China's military capabilities in general, they strengthen China's claim over the South China Sea.
They give China overwhelming power to control the very important international waterway, which much of the world's maritime commerce travels through.
If China is allowed to control the South China Sea, they could control much of the world's international trade, particularly the traffic that goes through those waters.
Trade shipments worth trillions of dollars pass through the South China Sea every year.
Control of the sea would also give China a much greater ability to isolate and coerce Japan in a crisis, Dr Davis said.
This will particularly be a risk if – or when – China starts military conflict over Taiwan.
What is likely to happen regarding these islands in coming years – if anything?
There are a range of things China could do in coming years that could increase tensions, according to Dr Davis.
He said there will be activities in the South China Sea that will warrant international attention.
One possibility is that China might declare an Air defence identification zone in the South China Sea, which mean permission would need to be sought for all proposed air movements across the area.
Dr Davis said the move is likely to occur and believes Australia would challenge it.
Another strong possibility is that China may seek to invade Taiwan and try to claim Taiwanese islands in the South China Sea, particularly Pratas Island.
Dr Davis said it was widely expected that China would make a move on Taiwan in the second half of this decade.
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The artificial islands in the South China Sea will then be crucial in the subsequent military conflict, which would likely see US intervention, followed by intervention from Australia and Japan.
Dr Davis said the artificial islands would serve as a "theatre of operations" for China.
Is anything being done about them?
The United States and Japan conduct Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS) over the islands.
A recent US aircraft on a similar mission was recently met with repeated demands to leave as it approached one of China's new ocean bastions.
Australia also conducts observations in the South China Sea, but has not yet been willing to do transits that directly challenge China's claims to the territory, like FONOPS.
China has previously made repeated demands for US aircraft near its ocean bastions to leave the region.
Dr Davis said ASEAN's focus was more on diplomacy at the moment.
He said the organisation was trying to create a code of conduct to manage actions in the South China Sea, however wasn't challenging China on its illegal actions.
READ MORE: Australia to join US in keeping watch over Chinese artificial islands
Green-eyed 'Afghan Girl' from famed photo evacuated to Italy
National Geographic magazine's famed green-eyed "Afghan Girl" has arrived in Italy as part of the West's evacuation of Afghans following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the Italian government said Thursday.
The office of Premier Mario Draghi said Italy organised the evacuation of Sharbat Gulla after she asked to be helped to leave the country. The Italian government will now help to get her integrated into life in Italy, the statement said.
Ms Gulla gained international fame in 1984 as an Afghan refugee girl, after war photographer Steve McCurry's photograph of her, with piercing green eyes, was published on the cover of National Geographic. McCurry found her again in 2002.
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In 2014, she surfaced in Pakistan but went into hiding when authorities accused her of buying a fake Pakistani identity card and ordered her deported. She was flown to Kabul where the president hosted a reception for her at the presidential palace and handed her keys to a new apartment.
Italy was one of several Western countries that airlifted hundreds of Afghans out of the country following the departure of US forces and the Taliban takeover in August.
In a statement announcing Ms Gulla's arrival in Rome, Mr Draghi's office said her photograph had come to "symbolise the vicissitudes and conflict of the chapter in history that Afghanistan and its people were going through at the time."
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It said it had received requests "by those in civil society, and in particular by non-profit organisations working in Afghanistan" backing Ms Gulla's plea for help to leave the country.
Italy organised her travel to Italy "as part of the wider evacuation program in place for Afghan citizens and the government's plan for their reception and integration," the statement said.
Richard Branson’s Surprize: A&B Mom Wins 2 Tickets to Space in Virgin Galactic Lottery
A mother from the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda has won two tickets, worth $450,000 each, to be among Virgin Galactic’s first space tourists, the company announced.
Keisha Schahaff, a health and energy coach, said she wanted to take the trip of a lifetime into Earth’s orbit with her 17-year-old daughter, a science student living in Britain who dreams of one day working for NASA.
Virgin Galactic had organized the fundraiser lottery contest on the Omaze platform.
Schahaff said she saw an advertisement on a Virgin Atlantic flight and decided to take a shot at the prize.
“I entered the sweepstakes after I saw an ad when I was taking my daughter to school, but who would have thought that I’d actually win. My daughter is studying STEM and wants to work at NASA, and I hope to share this experience with her because it would be an incredible dream come true for both of us, and our entire family,” she told People.
The amount Schahaff donated was not made public, but entry started with a minimum contribution of $10.
“I just filled out the application, did what was required… not realizing that I would have actually gotten a response to it,” she said.
Schahaff said she was shocked when Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson surprised her with the news at her home in early November.
“I just thought I was doing a zoom interview,” she told AFP.
“When I saw Richard Branson walking in I just started screaming! I couldn’t believe it.”
“I always was interested in space as a little girl,” she added.
“This is a great opportunity for me to feel alive and to just make the greatest adventure ever.”
“I’m very encouraged to inspire others to also live their dream.”
The drive attracted nearly 165,000 participants in eight weeks and raised $1.7 million which will be donated to the NGO Space for Humanity, which works for wider access to space, Virgin Galactic said in a statement.
Schahaff will be among the first of Virgin Galactic’s space tourists, however, her place in the line has yet to be determined, a company spokesperson said.
“To be the first astronaut right now from the Caribbean Islands is such an honor,” she adds.
“I want to bring the flag of Antigua and Barbuda to space with me! Right now, I’m trying to live in the moment, take it all in and I hope my daughter and I — as a future astronaut!— can be an inspiration for women and girls everywhere.”
Branson beat Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos in their billionaire space race and made history when he flew in his company’s test mission to space earlier this year.
The British septuagenarian, along with five other team members, embarked on the company’s first fully crewed flight test and flew to an altitude of 53.5 miles above Earth’s surface on July 11.
After the trip, Branson said that one of his next goals was to see the first Virgin Galactic customers take off on their trips to space.
“Being able to give people of all ages and backgrounds equal access to space, and in turn, the opportunity to lead and inspire others back on Earth, is what Virgin Galactic has been building towards for the past two decades,” said Branson.
The company has already pre-sold some 600 space tickets between 2005 and 2014, and another 100 since August when they were relisted for a price of $450,000.
Their aim is to sell 1,000 tickets in total before the launch of commercial flights, the first of which is to take place in late 2022, the company spokesperson said.
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U.S. Heads for Record Nicaragua Deportations, Despite Ortega Criticism
Nov 25 (Reuters) – The United States began deporting a record number of Nicaraguan migrants this year data reviewed by Reuters show, as people flee the Central American country to escape a crackdown against dissent by President Daniel Ortega.
Erlinton Ortiz was deported last year, one of over 5,000 Nicaraguans returned from the United States since 2019, into the hands of an administration that Washington has accused of civil rights abuses, corruption and holding sham elections.
Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla and Cold War antagonist of the United States, argues he is defending Nicaragua from adversaries plotting with foreign powers to oust him.
Ortiz said he fled Nicaragua in 2019 to seek U.S. asylum after university friends he had helped to organize anti-Ortega protests were arrested and thrown into a jail that critics say is used to torture political prisoners.
But rather than receiving a sympathetic ear to his plight, Ortiz said he was expelled after a brief appearance before a New York judge.
Manuel Orozco, a migration expert at Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue think tank, said the United States needs to bring asylum decisions in line with it foreign policy on Nicaragua, which President Joe Biden this month accused of “repressive and abusive acts.” His administration banned members of the Nicaraguan government from entering the United States, in response to an election it says was rigged in favor of Ortega.
Nicaraguan asylum seekers face different threats to those from other Central American countries, where rampant crime and poverty, rather than party politics, mostly forces migrants to head to the United States, Orozco said.
Under U.S. law, asylum seekers cannot secure U.S. residency because they are fleeing gang violence. They must convince authorities they have credible fear of persecution on grounds of their race, religion, nationality, or political opinions.
“In Nicaragua, it’s about state terrorism,” Orozco said.
The White House did not reply to a request for comment.
The number of Nicaraguan immigration cases waiting to be heard by judges has exploded from 4,145 in 2018, when mass protests engulfed the country, to over 34,000 last month, according to data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse of Syracuse (TRACS), a research group at Syracuse University.
Over 19,000 of those cases were added this year, a record.
Most cases end in deportation. Over 60% of deportation proceedings for Nicaraguans led to removal from the United States in 2019, when over 14,000 deportation cases were filed.
Only 1,253 Nicaraguans were allowed to stay in the United States, and many cases from 2019 remain unresolved, TRACS data show.
After five months waiting in detention centers for his hearing, Ortiz said he was deported to Nicaragua in January 2020 after a brief appearance before a New York judge. He said he had no lawyer, did not understand why he was deported, and destroyed his U.S. court documents so Nicaraguan authorities could not use them against him.
Reuters could not independently verify Ortiz’s account.
When he landed in Nicaragua he was taken to an interrogation room, where police told him he would be charged with terrorism and that he should await an appointment with police at his parents’ home, he said.
Instead, Ortiz escaped to a safe house and left Nicaragua to try his luck a second time seeking U.S. asylum. He was paroled in July and is now waiting for his next hearing in California.
Nicaragua’s government did not reply to requests for comment about the case.
Authorities caught over 50,000 Nicaraguans trying to cross the U.S. border illegally in 2021, up from 2,291 in 2020, according to Customs and Border Protection data.
Nicaraguans once made up a tiny fraction of migrants in U.S. immigration courts. For decades, annual deportation filings were below 5,000. But in the fiscal year 2021, it had the sixth-highest number, just behind Mexico, according to TRACS data.
“Not all of the (U.S.) judges know what’s going on in the country, the country conditions, and they may confuse Nicaragua with the Northern Triangle countries,” said Astrid Montealegre, lawyer and President of the Nicaraguan American Human Rights Alliance, referring to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
“They are just automatically doing deportation.”
An official at the U.S. Executive Office for Immigration Review at the U.S. Justice Department said immigration judges adjudicate asylum claims case-by-case and consider all evidence submitted by both parties.
Reporting by Jake Kincaid in Mexico City Additing reporting by Steve Holland in Washington Editing by Dave Graham, Daniel Flynn and Alistair Bell
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