The first charter school, Mastery Schools New Zealand – Arapaki, will open in early 2025, focusing on improving literacy and numeracy. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

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Christchurch charter school to bring Australian success model to New Zealand

The first charter school under New Zealand’s revived regime will open in Christchurch in early 2025. Associate Education Minister David Seymour said Mastery Schools New Zealand – Arapaki will focus on literacy and numeracy for Years 1 to 8.

Drawing inspiration from an award-winning Australian model, he cited accelerated academic achievements and an attendance average of 82% across Mastery Schools Australia’s campuses. “MSA provided another option for students who were disengaged from the state system, and the results speak for themselves,” he said.

28 November 2024

Putin bans adoption of Russian children to countries allowing gender changes

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill banning the adoption of Russian children by individuals in countries that permit gender reassignment procedures.

“It is extremely important to eliminate possible dangers in the form of gender reassignment that adopted children may face in these countries,” stated Vyacheslav Volodin, a Russian politician who backed the legislation.

28 November 2024

US retail giant scraps DEI policies after pressure from anti-woke crusader

In a major shift, Walmart, the US’ largest employer (1.6 million employees and USD$800b market cap) has agreed to abandon several Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.

The move comes after discussions with anti-woke activist Robby Starbuck, who has previously influenced companies like John Deere and Ford.

Starbuck declared this Walmart agreement “the biggest win yet for our movement.”

28 November 2024

SolarZero placed into liquidation despite leading New Zealand’s solar energy market

SolarZero, once New Zealand’s largest solar and battery firm with around 15,000 customers, announced its liquidation on Tuesday, citing unsustainable operating losses and liquidity issues.

The company, which pioneered solar subscription services and operated Australasia’s largest virtual power plant, ceased operations effective immediately, leaving over 160 employees without jobs.

28 November 2024

Minister orders review of Sport NZ funding strategy

Sport and recreation minister Chris Bishop has launched an independent rapid review of Sport NZ, targeting how the organisation allocates public funds.

An insider claimed the funding strategy appears to have become “a cash free-for-all,” with some groups receiving funding despite “a pretty tenuous claim to helping get Kiwis active…”

Sport NZ staff were only notified of the review earlier this week.

28 November 2024

Northvolt’s EV battery collapse highlights Europe’s reliance on China

Northvolt, once Europe’s flagship battery producer, has filed for bankruptcy protection, leaving the continent further behind China in the global race for electric vehicle (EV) dominance.

Despite USD$50b in future orders and producing approximately 60,000 batteries weekly, the

Swedish-based company has nearly USD$6b in debt.

Critics blame the collapse on waning EV demand, mismanagement, and over-reliance on Chinese technology, as well as Europe’s failure to support its fledgling battery industry effectively.

28 November 2024

Climate chaos: COP29 ends with contentious climate finance deal

The COP29 summit in Azerbaijan concluded with nearly 200 countries agreeing on a divisive climate finance deal with wealthy nations pledging at least USD$300b annually by 2035.

This falls short of the trillions requested, with critics calling for grants over loans that could burden poorer countries with debt.

The agreement also avoids direct mention of last year’s COP28 commitment to transition away from fossil fuels due to opposition led by Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing nations.