Archive

Californian Wildfires Consume Over 130,000 acres

Posted 12:21pm Sunday 20th September 2015 by George Elliott

California has declared a state of emergency as wildfires consume more than 130,000 acres of land. State authorities have said the two wildfires, dubbed the “Valley fire” and the “Butte fire”, have destroyed more than 700 homes and displaced over 23,000 people. Flames Read more...

11 Refugee Children Killed as Boat Capsizes

Posted 12:18pm Sunday 20th September 2015 by Emily Duncan

A boat carrying refugees between Turkey and Greece has capsized, killing 34 people. Of these, 11 were children and four were babies. The boat, which was said to be overcrowded with Syrian refugees, capsized off the coast of the Greek island, Famakonski. The cause is believed to be high Read more...

Germany Imposes Border Controls for Refugees

Posted 12:16pm Sunday 20th September 2015 by Sana Basharati

Germany has imposed a temporary control on its border with Austria in an attempt to deal with the unprecedented influx of refugees into the country. More than 13,000 refugees arrived in Munich on Saturday 12 September. A day later, Thomas de Maizière, Germany’s interior minister, Read more...

2016 Executive Nominations

Posted 11:10am Sunday 20th September 2015 by Staff Reporter

The nominations for the 2016 OUSA Executive have closed, and an array of good-looking candidates have put their names forward to represent you next year. Voting is open via the OUSA website from 21 to 30 September, with the winners announced that evening. There are 10 voting positions on the Read more...

Auckland Trumps Otago for the Second Year

Posted 10:51am Sunday 20th September 2015 by Laura Munro

The University of Otago has been named as the only university in New Zealand whose worldwide ranking has dropped since 2014 in the QS world university rankings. In the recently released QS world university rankings, Otago was ranked at 173; this dropped from the 2014 ranking of 159. Otago has Read more...

Connectedness is Focus of Tribute Ceremony

Posted 10:48am Sunday 20th September 2015 by Oliver Gaskell

Over 400 individuals attended the recent World Suicide Prevention Day ceremony held on Thursday 10 September. The ceremony was held at St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Dunedin.  In an event organised by Life Matters, attendees paid tribute to the 569 New Zealanders who died by suicide Read more...

Reaching the Breaking Point

Posted 10:42am Sunday 20th September 2015 by Bridie Boyd

Dunedin bar The Break has been officially closed after the owners were found to be unsuitable applicants to operate licensed premises. The Dunedin District Licensing Committee made the ruling, and the bar closed its doors on Friday 11 September. Colin Weatherall, a committee member, said the Read more...

Execrable | Issue 24

Posted 10:36am Sunday 20th September 2015 by Laura Munro

In order to garner a greater student audience, the executive held its meeting in the university’s Main Common Room. One spectator attended with sushi in hand, though Critic assumes he was simply trying to watch the football playing on the projector. President Paul Hunt spoke of the upcoming Read more...

Medical Students Report Harassment and Bullying

Posted 10:31am Sunday 20th September 2015 by Joe Higham

A survey conducted by the New Zealand Medical Students’ Association (NZMSA) has revealed extensive bullying and sexual harassment of medical students in hospitals across New Zealand. The survey focused on fourth-, fifth- and sixth-year medical students on clinical placements. Of the Read more...

Premier League Transfer Spending Exceeds $2 Billion

Posted 11:58am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Daniel Lormans

The English Premier League has never been short of cash, and it has been flooded with even more money having recently negotiated a record-breaking broadcasting rights deal worth $12 billion over three seasons, far outstripping the previous $2 billion per season agreement. The deal cements the Read more...

News in Briefs | Issue 23

Posted 11:29am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Magnus Whyte

World Watch Adygea, Russia A special police unit has been set up in southern Russia to ensure security at weddings. The 40-strong detail will patrol the area making sure that wedding motorcades observe the highway code and nobody fires weapons from car windows. The people of Adygea have a Read more...

In My Opinion: Henry’s word | Issue 23

Posted 11:21am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Henry Napier

I get the distinct feeling that protesters against the TPPA are mostly gullible idealists with little idea of the reality of government or international relations. I don’t profess to be an authority, or even an expert. However, I feel justified in saying that I am intelligent enough to Read more...

Bill Concludes Five Treaty Settlements

Posted 11:18am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Henry Napier

Four Te Huki iwi have concluded Treaty of Waitangi settlements following the enactment of the Te Huki Claims Settlement Bill.  The four iwi are Ngāti Kuri, Te Aupōuri, Ngāi Takoto and Te Rarawa. The bill was accompanied by another Treaty settlement, which gave effect to a Read more...

Peters says Men Should Defend Their Own Country

Posted 11:15am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Henry Napier

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has called for male refugees from Syria to return home and help their country fight ISIS.  Last week Peters threw his support behind the emergency one-off intake of an extra 600 refugees from Syria, as well as a further 150 over the next three years. Read more...

When Human Rights Prevail

Posted 11:12am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Zahra Shahtahmasebi

A Kentucky clerk who was imprisoned after refusing to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples has been released from jail. Kim Davis was originally held in contempt of court after defying repeated orders by US district court judge, David Bunning, to issue the licences. She was jailed for five Read more...

Thousands Flee Syria for Europe

Posted 11:08am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Oliver Gaskell

More than 450,000 Syrians are expected to cross the Mediterranean Sea to seek refuge in Europe over the next year, UN officials announced last week. This is on top of the approximately 366,000 who have already attempted the journey this year. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has called for stronger Read more...

Marketing Students Oh So Successful

Posted 11:00am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Emily Duncan

Four marketing students from the University of Otago won the Marketing Association’s National Brand Challenge competition.  Teams from seven New Zealand universities were given a real-life case submitted by the beverage company Frucor. They were asked to market a new “Sparkling Read more...

Microsoft Recognises Innovative Students

Posted 10:56am Sunday 13th September 2015 by India Leishman

A student team from the University of Otago has won two prestigious awards for a virtual desktop project.  At the Tertiary Education ICT conference, the project was awarded the Microsoft Supreme Award and the Excellence in Technology Innovation Award. After three years of development, the Read more...

Cull says Dunedin May Welcome Refugees

Posted 10:52am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Joe Higham

Dunedin could become home to Syrian refugees arriving in New Zealand, but Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull says an adequate resettlement programme needs to first be established. Currently, New Zealand’s most southerly resettlement programme for refugees is in Nelson. Cull says before refugees Read more...

Attempts At Saving the Student Voice

Posted 10:49am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Bridie Boyd

Vice Chancellor Harlene Hayne has announced she intends to create new ways for students to contribute to university governance.  Hayne announced the proposal, which came after the number of student seats was halved earlier this year, in a University Council meeting on 8 Read more...

Student Throws Pot Plants, Not Charged

Posted 10:46am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Joe Higham

A student from the University of Otago has escaped charges after drunkenly attacking a Dunedin resident in her home on Saturday 29 August.  The attack, which lasted for several minutes, began after the intoxicated student followed her friend home. The student entered the victim’s Read more...

Execrable | Issue 23

Posted 10:40am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Laura Munro

President Paul Hunt kicked off the dryest meeting of this year by outlining that Vice President Isaac Yu has been finalising a review of the Dunedin Craft Beer and Food Festival as well as other OUSA events. Hunt said Yu will make “potential recommendations” based on “what students Read more...

The CensorShip has Sailed

Posted 10:36am Sunday 13th September 2015 by Jessica Thompson Carr

On Thursday 10 September, students, staff and members of the public gathered in the Link to silently protest the interim restriction order placed on Ted Dawe’s young adult novel, Into the River. The novel, which won the Best Young Adult Fiction and the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year awards Read more...

All Blacks Finalise Squad for Rugby World Cup

Posted 12:12pm Sunday 6th September 2015 by Daniel Lormans

The speculation from armchair critics is now over, and our 31-man All Blacks squad to defend the World Cup has been finalised. The squad balance suggests that the All Blacks will continue their open and attacking style of play — expect “spinning it wide” to try and scores in Read more...

News in Briefs | Issue 22

Posted 11:52am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Magnus Whyte

World Watch Yamalo-Nenets, Russia Residents of a remote region in Siberia are to be given rubber bullets to help them ward off polar bears. Polar bears are a common threat in the area and residents of one town have been trying to ward off one particularly obnoxious polar bear for more than a Read more...

In My Opinion: Henry’s word | Issue 22

Posted 11:45am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Henry Napier

The ideological distinction between the left and right has taken a blow, raising an interesting question: does it exist at all? 3 News recently ran a story about Labour’s associate education spokesperson Kelvin Davis attending a fundraiser for a Northland charter school, a decision that Read more...

No Plans to Accelerate Spending

Posted 11:40am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Hugh Baird

The government is confident that a slide in global markets this week does not spell recession for the country. Speaking to the media on Tuesday 1 September in the wake of “black Monday”, which saw markets around the world plummet, neither Key nor English believed that a slowing Read more...

Labour Calls for Refugee Quota Increase

Posted 11:36am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Henry Napier

The Labour Party has called on the government to increase New Zealand’s refugee quota. A recent press release urges that the 750 quota be increased by 250–500 people per year. The recent surge in refugees leaving Syria has placed pressure on countries around the region. The European Read more...

Rubbish Crisis in Lebanon Sparks Protests

Posted 11:29am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Zahra Shahtahmasebi

Thousands of Lebanese have rallied in the country’s capital, Beirut, to protest the “rubbish crisis” occurring in the city. Rubbish has been accumulating in the city since July after the closure of the city’s main landfill. More than 20,000 tonnes of garbage have piled up Read more...

European Refugee Crisis Escalates

Posted 11:25am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Bridie Boyd

The refugee crisis in the European Union has escalated, with more than 700 people attempting to enter Austria alone since 30 August. Refugees have also been trying to get into Spain via Morocco. One man was hidden underneath a car hood, with his body wrapped around the motor. He was treated Read more...

Singer’s Assault Comments Under Fire

Posted 11:19am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Staff Reporter

Rock singer Chrissie Hynde is under fire after claiming in a Sunday Times interview that provocatively dressed women should take responsibility if they are sexually assaulted. The Pretenders frontliner revealed that when she was 21 years old, she was sexually assaulted by members of a motorcycle Read more...

Jeans Too Tight for the Genes

Posted 11:11am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Bridie Boyd

A new study is hoping to identify a genetic link between obesity and diabetes in New Zealanders.  The million-dollar study will be the largest so far in the attempt to discover the genes that can predispose Kiwis towards type-2 diabetes and obesity. The study was announced at Maurice Read more...

Māori Bar “Shows No Credibility or Integrity”

Posted 11:07am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Oliver Gaskell

The Māori Party has condemned former All Black Byron Kelleher’s sports bar, “The Haka Corner”, claiming it disrespects Māori culture. The Māori-themed bar is set to open in Kelleher’s residence of Toulouse, France. The bar has come under fire for creating an Read more...

Otago Academic Wins Prime Minister’s Award

Posted 11:04am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Bridie Boyd

Otago’s Associate Professor Suzanne Pitama has won the Prime Minister’s Supreme Award for tertiary teaching excellence. Pitama, who is the director of the Māori/Indigenous Health Institute, was formally presented the award at the National Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards on 11 Read more...

Dumb Things Still Happen in Thirties

Posted 11:00am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Emily Duncan

A recent University of Otago study has confirmed that students aren’t the only ones waking up with Sunday morning woes. The study, conducted by Otago’s Jennie Connor, shows that adverse affects from drinking alcohol still occur as New Zealanders approach middle age. The study Read more...

Medical Students Safe after SDHB Budget Cuts

Posted 10:53am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Joe Higham

The Department of Health Sciences has said budget cuts in the Southern District Health Board are not expected to affect Otago’s medical students. The SDHB has introduced a five percent budget cut for most health providers in the southern region in an attempt to solve their financial Read more...

Closure of Department of Applied Sciences

Posted 10:48am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Joe Higham

Design students say they feel their majors have been “dismissed” after the University of Otago announced the Department of Applied Sciences will be closed. Zac Newton, a Design for Technology major, says students have “worked so hard to show the value of what we do [as design Read more...

Execrable | Issue 22

Posted 10:43am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Laura Munro

The meeting kicked off with OUSA Events Manager Dan Hendra outlining what will be involved in the upcoming Dunedin Craft Beer and Food Festival. Hendra said the event, soon to be held for the third time, has four strategic goals. These are to “achieve a true town and gown event”, to Read more...

Paralysed After Commerce Building Accident

Posted 10:41am Sunday 6th September 2015 by Joe Higham

The University of Otago must pay $60,000 to a woman left permanently disabled after slipping on tiling in the Commerce Building. In June 2013 Katherine Casey fractured her spine and pelvis in three places after slipping on the building’s tiles. Casey later sued the university and it Read more...

Updates | Issue 21

Posted 11:59am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Daniel Lormans

Football Manchester City kicked off the English Premier League season with ominous intent by winning their opening three games without conceding a goal and beating defending champions Chelsea 3–0. Formula One Lewis Hamilton dominated the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, taking pole Read more...

ITM Cup to Help Fine-Tune All Blacks

Posted 11:47am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Daniel Lormans

The ITM has lost some of its importance recently with Super Rugby and All Blacks games taking precedence over the domestic provincial championship. This season though — instead of wrapping their players up in cotton wool before the World Cup — some of the All Blacks have been released Read more...

Warriors Need a Miracle

Posted 11:44am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Daniel Lormans

With just two games remaining in the regular season, the New Zealand Warriors sit 10th on the NRL ladder having taken 22 points from 22 games. This doesn’t sound too bad on paper, but the nature of what was their sixth successive defeat has really compounded their late season misery — Read more...

News in Briefs | Issue 21

Posted 11:27am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Amber Allott

World Watch Barnstaple, United Kingdom A high school student who committed an armed robbery after believing he had failed his GCSE A-levels has been offered a place at the University of Plymouth. The 18-year-old was sentenced to three years and eight months at a young offenders’ institute Read more...

In My Opinion: Henry’s word | Issue 21

Posted 11:19am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Henry Napier

I was talking to my mum last week about New Zealand politics, and on the topic of the Labour Party she said: “I still can’t figure Labour out, what do they stand for?” As my mother often does, she hit the nail on the head. Labour has had, and continues to have, trouble Read more...

Health and Safety Bill Has “Fundamental Flaws”

Posted 11:16am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Henry Napier

The Health and Safety Reform Bill was back in the spotlight last week following a 14-hour parliamentary debate. The bill will now continue to its third reading where it is likely to pass into law. Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse, the minister in charge of the bill, has Read more...

Claim for Auckland Unlikely to be Heard

Posted 11:13am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Henry Napier

The Māori King has launched a Treaty claim for the wider Auckland area. Speaking at his annual coronation two weeks ago, King Tuheitia addressed the Kīngitanga’s new claim for sovereignty over the city. The king spoke to an audience of over 1000 people, including Prime Minister Read more...

ISIS Deputy Killed in US Airstrike

Posted 11:04am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Oliver Gaskell

The deputy leader of ISIS has been killed in an American airstrike on Tuesday 18 August, near Mosul, in Iraq.  Ned Price, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council, made the announcement in a statement from the White House on Friday 21 August. “Fadhil Ahmad al-Hayali, also Read more...

North and South Korea Attempt to Defuse Tensions

Posted 11:01am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Jessica Thompson Carr

North and South Korea have successfully met to defuse tensions between the nations after recent confrontations escalated. The talks ended on Tuesday 25 August with South Korea agreeing to halt propaganda broadcasts and North Korea expressing “regret” over the incident. Tensions Read more...

French Gunman Denies Terrorism Accusations

Posted 10:59am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Angus Shaw

Four men have been recognised for their bravery after overpowering a heavily armed gunman on a train in northern France. The three Americans and one Briton were subsequently awarded France’s highest honour, the Légion d’honneur, for their role in stopping what is suspected to be a Read more...

20 Killed in Bangkok Bombing

Posted 10:58am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Oliver Gaskell

More than 20 people have been killed and over 100 injured after a bomb exploded at a Hindu shrine in central Bangkok. The bomb, which killed nine tourists, exploded on Monday 17 August at 7pm local time. National police chief, Somyot Poompanmuang said in a press conference that the attackers Read more...

Victory for Vic Students

Posted 10:51am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Laura Munro

Victoria University of Wellington has announced that they will retain two democratically-elected student seats on their University Council. Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association President Rick Zwaan said, “it took a lot of work” to retain two student seats and Read more...

Execrable | Issue 21

Posted 10:49am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Bridie Boyd

With OUSA elections just around the corner, the executive had two major issues to discuss. First was the appointment of an independent arbitrator. The executive unanimously agreed that Professor Paul Roth, from the Faculty of Law, would take on this role. The role is in case the Returning Officer Read more...

Council Admits Cycle Network a Botched Job

Posted 10:46am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Sana Basharati

After admitting the South Dunedin Cycle Network was designed poorly, the Dunedin City Council has announced changes to the network will begin shortly. The main issues with the current network are a lack of signage and problems with vehicle access and road markings. Intersections are also said to Read more...

Central Countdown in the Crap

Posted 10:39am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Joe Higham

Central Dunedin’s Countdown store has been handed a three-day ban on selling alcohol as a result of selling illegally discounted drinks on two separate occasions earlier this year. The ban will run from 7–10 September. The store, located on Cumberland Street, was caught out after Read more...

OUSA Finally Fronts Up Debt

Posted 10:37am Sunday 30th August 2015 by Bridie Boyd

After refusing to make the payment for most of the year, the OUSA Executive have paid NZUSA the $21,275 owed in membership fees. After months of claiming they will “reallocate” the funds they contractually owe, Hunt announced the decision to pay on the day the money was due. When Read more...

F1 Season Reaches Half Distance

Posted 12:17pm Sunday 16th August 2015 by Daniel Lormans

Whether it is racing around the world’s best circuits or just racing to get to Castle 1 on time, the lives of Otago students and F1 drivers are hectic and require a lot of commitment — meaning we both deserve a break. As students are eyeing up some grab-a-seat deals to get back to Read more...

News in Briefs | Issue 20

Posted 12:02pm Sunday 16th August 2015 by Magnus Whyte

World Watch Reykjavik, Iceland One of the central streets in Iceland’s capital city has been painted in rainbow colours as part of the city’s annual Gay Pride festival. Dozens of people arrived to help transform the road, including the city’s mayor, Dagur Eggertsson. Reykjavik Read more...

In My Opinion: Henry’s word | Issue 20

Posted 11:48am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Henry Napier

In 2004, the Helen Clark-led Labour government passed the Foreshore and Seabed Act. Despite being greeted with outrage, the act set in train a series of events that ultimately preserved the Māori seats. That sounds contradictory, and it is. It’s a political paradox. In 2003, the Read more...

Craig Won’t Rule Out Auckland

Posted 11:44am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Hugh Baird

Former Conservative leader Colin Craig has not yet ruled out putting his hand up as a candidate in the race for the Auckland mayoralty next year. Craig has said he has been approached on many occasions to enter his candidacy for the position and admitted it is something he has not yet ruled out. Read more...

MP: the Bloggers are Harming the MPs

Posted 11:40am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Henry Napier

NZ First MP Tracey Martin has claimed Curwen Rolinson is in breach of the Harmful Digital Communications Act, passed in July. In a blog post, Rolinson, former leader of the NZ First youth wing, accused Martin of undermining party MP Andrew Williams. Speaking at the University of Otago last week, Read more...

UAE Puts a Ban on “Offending God”

Posted 11:34am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Emily Duncan

At the end of July 2015, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) passed a law that prohibits discrimination against religion.  Under the new law, it is an offence to commit an act that insults God, Islam, Christianity, Judaism or houses of worship, among other things. A breach of the law, which would Read more...

Aussies Desperate for Alcohol

Posted 11:31am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Oliver Gaskell

Vegemite is reportedly being used to make homemade alcohol in dry Indigenous communities across Queensland and the Northern Territory in Australia. In some areas, there have been reported instances of people buying up to 20 jars of the yeast-based spread at a time. However, Queensland police have Read more...

South Carolina Officer Shoots Unarmed Teen

Posted 11:27am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Jessica Thompson

Caucasian teenager Zachary Hammond was shot and killed by a police officer while eating icecream on a date in South Carolina. Hammond, 19, was shot twice in his shoulder and torso. He was unarmed. The incident occurred in the parking lot of a Hardee’s fast-food restaurant in Seneca. An Read more...

Ceremony Marks 70 Years Since Hiroshima

Posted 11:24am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Oliver Gaskell

A remembrance ceremony has been held at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park to mark the 70th anniversary of the US bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Political leaders, survivors of the attacks and Hiroshima locals attended the ceremony. At the ceremony, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Read more...

Students Getting the Dollars on Time

Posted 11:18am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Angus Shaw

StudyLink, working with the New Zealand Union of Students’ Association (NZUSA), has made efforts to improve its services for students. NZUSA said students were “deeply unhappy” with StudyLink’s service in 2013 and made improving StudyLink a top priority. In 2013, the Read more...

Lucky Day for Local

Posted 11:14am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Joe Higham

A University of Otago commerce student, Neihana Kahukura, from Invercargill, has won an annual nationwide Night ’n’ Day competition, claiming the jackpot prize of $10,000. The competition was called “Get Lucky 24/7” and took place over a 24-hour period on 24 July Read more...

Huge Hostel on Logan Park

Posted 11:11am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Joe Higham

The Otago Polytechnic has revealed plans to build a new 235-room hostel on land in Logan Park, subject to a sale of the land by the council. The building will cost “approximately $20 million”, although funding for this project is “still under discussion” according to Otago Read more...

OUSSC Organising Snowy Snow Week

Posted 11:06am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Emily Duncan

The Otago University Snow Sports Club (OUSSC) is taking a group of 45 students to Wanaka from 23–28 August for Uni Snow Week, a week-long event organised and run by the OUSSC executive.  The week is comprised of organised competitive and social events. The competitive events run for Read more...

Execrable | Issue 20

Posted 11:02am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Laura Munro

The team began with the disaffiliation of the Volleyball Scorpions. The club has had minimal contact with OUSA in the last two years and President Paul Hunt said “the club itself is happy to be disaffiliated”. OUSA’s Student Support Manager, Philippa Keaney, is writing a book Read more...

Financial Stress Causing Depression and Anxiety

Posted 10:54am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Laura Munro

The New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) has released its 2014 Income and Expenditure Survey, which shows that students are in a worse position financially than when the last survey was done in 2010. The survey found that housing costs across New Zealand have increased Read more...

Updates

Posted 11:59am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Daniel Lormans

Football Arsenal’s 1–0 victory over Chelsea in the FA Community Shield was Arsene Wenger’s first win over José Mourinho in 14 attempts. Mourinho subsequently tossed his runners-up medal into the crowd. Motorsport Hayden Paddon crashed his Hyundai i20 out of Read more...

Back to Beijing: Part II

Posted 11:53am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Daniel Lormans

Beijing will become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics after the Chinese capital was awarded the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. The final result of the two-year candidacy process was confirmed at the 128th International Olympic Committee session in Kuala Lumpur, Read more...

News in Briefs | Issue 19

Posted 11:29am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Magnus Whyte

World Watch Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam The authorities in Vietnam’s largest city have banned pets from its first pedestrian street. Nguyen Hue, a broad pedestrianised zone in central Ho Chi Minh City, opened to much fanfare at the end of April. But the local government has now issued a list Read more...

Republican Primary Kicks Off

Posted 11:17am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Henry Napier

The Republican primary is now in full swing, with the first debate taking place on Monday last week. The debate, which is being called the “Voters First” forum, featured 14 Republican candidates who each spoke for seven minutes.  The primaries are held before the presidential Read more...

Rumours Sparked Over Peters’ Successor

Posted 11:12am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Henry Napier

Speculation over who may succeed NZ First leader Winston Peters was stirred during the party’s conference last weekend. The annual conference took place in Rotorua, where a number of policies were announced in keynote speeches from Peters and fellow NZ First MPs. The party leadership became Read more...

Bin Laden’s Family Die in Suspicious Plane Crash

Posted 11:09am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Zahra Shahtahmasebi

Three members of Osama bin Laden’s family died in a plane crash in the English county of Hampshire on 31 July. The passengers were his stepmother Raja Bashir Hashem, 75, her daughter Sana bin Laden, 53, and his brother-in-law Zouheir Anuar Hashem, 56.  The family passed away, along Read more...

MH370 Plane Wreckage Found

Posted 11:06am Sunday 9th August 2015 by India Leishman

The remnants of the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 have been found.  The plane is believed to have crashed into the Indian Ocean. This follows wreckage of the plane being washed up onto the French island of La Reunion. Residents on the island spotted suitcases and what they Read more...

TPPA Negotiations Break Down

Posted 11:03am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Oliver Gaskell

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has suffered a major blow. Negotiations with Australia and other nations have broken down at the latest talks about the agreement.  The latest TPP talks, held in Hawaii at the end of July, were held back by a lack of consensus among the Pacific nations. Read more...

Vital Vaccine Victorious Against Virus

Posted 11:00am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Angus Shaw

A new vaccine could bring an end to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. A vaccine trial against the deadly virus has proven enormously effective, with initial findings showing 100 percent efficacy in individuals.  WHO (the World Health Organization) called the findings a Read more...

OUSA Refuses to Pay Debt

Posted 10:56am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Laura Munro

OUSA has been sent an invoice for $21,275 by the New Zealand Union of Students Associations (NZUSA) for the second half of its membership fee. Late last year, the executive withdrew its membership of the association. The NZUSA constitution, however, requires a one-year withdrawal period in which Read more...

Tasers Set to Shock the South

Posted 10:53am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Jessica Thompson Carr

On Friday 31 July, the decision was made to equip police in the southern districts of New Zealand with tasers. The decision was made to provide extra protection and control for police. Police Commissioner Mike Bush announced that “frontline police response staff will move to routine Read more...

New Zealander Refused Amnesty Pardon

Posted 10:45am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Bridie Boyd

The Last week, Wellington man Phil Blackwood was denied pardon in Myanmar, despite 7000 other prisoners being released for a holiday amnesty.  Early this year, Blackwood was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after using an image of Buddha wearing headphones to promote drinks at his Read more...

Execrable | Issue 19

Posted 10:40am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Bridie Boyd

This week’s meeting started off with latest round of grants being agreed upon. The Table Tennis Association was affiliated. President Paul Hunt put forward an executive restructure proposal for discussion. The proposal was for extending the vice-president position, which is currently 20 Read more...

Bog Blazes, Students Spectate

Posted 10:34am Sunday 9th August 2015 by India Leishman

Dunedin’s popular Irish bar, The Bog, caught fire on Sunday 2 August 2015, capturing the attention of many residents in the area.  Imogen Braddock, a member of the public who watched the fire, described it as “quite frightening”. By the time the fire was out, “a Read more...

No Miracle to Save Design Students

Posted 10:32am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Joe Higham

Students pursuing majors in Design for Technology and Clothing and Textiles have realised their courses will be phased out, according to class representative Ben Alder. The realisation came after a meeting between the Division of Sciences Pro-Vice Chancellor Keith Hunter and design school Read more...

Police Called to OUSA Executive BYO

Posted 10:22am Sunday 9th August 2015 by Laura Munro

OUSA Education Officer Zachariah Al-Alami is not facing disciplinary action after he was forcibly removed from a Dunedin restaurant for violence towards staff. The incident occurred at an executive dinner on 23 July 2015. The manager of the restaurant said issues began when Al-Alami attempted to Read more...

Street Art Begins on Castle Lecture Theatre

Posted 11:51pm Wednesday 5th August 2015 by Joe Higham

The work on a campus mural has begun. In collaboration with the University of Otago, OUSA has commissioned Canadian artist, Fluke, to work on a street art piece located on the outside of the Castle Lecture Theatres.  The work began on Tuesday 5 August, as part of a campus Read more...

Premier League Clubs Pre-Season Tour

Posted 12:16pm Sunday 2nd August 2015 by Daniel Lormans

The English Premier League season is kicking off this weekend, and the teams have been busy in the transfer market in an effort to improve on their position from last season. In preparation for the 2015–16 season, many of the teams embarked on what has now become standard practice — an Read more...

Opinion: The Art of Sport

Posted 12:14pm Sunday 2nd August 2015 by Daniel Lormans

With the theme of this week’s issue in mind, I spent some time thinking about whether or not sports can be considered as art. Art is a very subjective concept to define properly, but I see it as an expressive form of human creativity, skill and imagination that combine to produce a work/text Read more...

News in Briefs | Issue 18

Posted 11:47am Sunday 2nd August 2015 by Magnus Whyte

World Watch Transylvania, Romania A music festival is taking inspiration from the world’s most famous vampire and offering free or discounted tickets to people who give blood. The Untold festival takes place at the end of July, and organisers are hoping their “pay with blood” Read more...

Opinion: The Comeback of Judith Collins

Posted 11:41am Sunday 2nd August 2015 by Henry Napier

Former minister Judith Collins’ journey back to political significance is one of the most interesting undercurrents of New Zealand politics right now. It would be surprising if there was a backbench MP in history who had as much influence as Collins does today. Last year, Collins was forced Read more...

Labour Poll Sees Little Change

Posted 11:38am Sunday 2nd August 2015 by Henry Napier

Last week, 3 News released a political poll showing support for the Labour Party was unchanged as a result of recent controversy surrounding Chinese house buyers. The poll showed Labour at 31.1 percent, a mere 0.7 percent increase from previous polls. The party has come under fire in recent weeks Read more...

Craig Hands Out Accusatory Pamphlets

Posted 11:35am Sunday 2nd August 2015 by Henry Napier

Former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig is back in the media after announcing intentions to sue for defamation.  Craig has made claims that John Stringer, Cameron Slater and Jordan Williams all publicly made false allegations against him. These include recent allegations of sexual Read more...

Foul Play Suspected in Sandra Bland Death

Posted 11:28am Sunday 2nd August 2015 by Oliver Gaskell

African-American woman Sandra Bland, who was arrested for assault on a public servant on 10 July, has been found dead in her Texas jail cell three days after her arrest. Authorities claim the death was a suicide, but activists suspecting foul play have led to an investigation by Texas Read more...

Cinema Shooting Kills Two

Posted 11:23am Sunday 2nd August 2015 by India Leishman

The lives of two women have been cut short after a second cinema shooting took place in Lafayette, Louisiana, on 23 July. Jillian Johnson, 33, and Mayci Breaux, 21, were fatally shot during an evening screening of Trainwreck. The shooting left three dead, including gunman John Russell Houser, and Read more...

Cannabis Petition Lights Up Debate

Posted 11:21am Sunday 2nd August 2015 by Oliver Gaskell

A petition calling for the legalisation of cannabis in the United Kingdom has amassed over 150,000 signatures, making it likely to receive serious consideration in parliament. The online petition asks the government to allow the sale, production and recreational use of marijuana, citing Read more...

Tobacco Tax Could Save $3.87 Billion

Posted 11:18am Sunday 2nd August 2015 by Joe Higham

Research conducted at the University of Otago shows the continuation of yearly 10 percent tax increases on tobacco will have multiple benefits for society.  The research, directed by Professor Tony Blakely, looks at the outcome of the government’s yearly 10 percent tax increase on Read more...

Prisoner Voting Ban Breaches Bill of Rights

Posted 11:15am Sunday 2nd August 2015 by Joe Higham

A judgement delivered by the High Court in the recent case of Taylor v Attorney-General has deemed New Zealand’s blanket ban on prisoner voting a breach of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. Five prisoners had taken the matter to the High Court to challenge the legitimacy of the Read more...

Scarfie Grandma Spins a Yarn

Posted 11:11am Sunday 2nd August 2015 by Angus Shaw

A Whangarei woman has become the decoy-grandmother of all Scarfies this week after her hand-knitted beanies were snatched up in seconds.  Geraldine Edwards has been sending the Otago Chaplain, Greg Hughson, regular boxes of hand-knitted beanies for the past few months. Her only request: Read more...

ICT Students Can Rejoyce

Posted 11:06am Sunday 2nd August 2015 by Amber Allott

A new information technology graduate school, which is being built in association with local IT businesses and other South Island tertiary institutions, is set to be opened in Dunedin. From 2014 to 2018, the New Zealand government will be investing in the construction and development of Read more...