Navigation for News Categories
Comment & Analysis
Featured Comment & Analysis stories
What’s a ‘black moon’? Here’s why it’s worth looking up at the sky this week
While you've probably heard of a "blue moon" before, this might be the first time you've encountered its ominous-sounding counterpart.
-
Kiwi kids see marketing for unhealthy products 76 times a day
21 Aug 2025Media headlines, industry figures and research confirm what many parents suspect: marketing to children has not only grown in scale but also in sophistication.
-
Why Putin is not ready to meet with Zelensky, and may never be
21 Aug 2025Analysis: The Russian President has no reason to acquiesce at this point. Having made zero concessions, he has seen payoffs including the summit in Alaska.
-
We've been sending animals to space for decades - yet there's still no rules to protect them
20 Aug 2025Analysis: As space exploration expands, the absence of legal protections for animals becomes increasingly problematic.
Comment & Analysis headlines with summaries.
-
Who'll win the Rugby World Cup? We ran 10,000 simulations
20 Aug 2025Analysis: So where does that leave the defending champions, the Black Ferns?
-
Donbas: The object of Putin's desire and the crux Ukraine war
As negotiations over a potential deal to end the war intensify, much of the discussion has centred around a part of the country's east.
-
Road-user charges can pay for more than just road maintenance - NZ could lead the way
Analysis: If all of NZ's vehicles paid road-user charges, this would be the chance to do more than raise revenue for road building and maintenance.
-
In Ukraine, a dark cloud lifts - until Trump's next move
19 Aug 2025Analysis: When the US President greeted Volodymyr Zelensky with a broad smile, the dark cloud of dread suddenly vanished.
-
Why has trust in news fallen? The answer is more complicated than we thought
15 Aug 2025Trust in news media is not exclusively linked to trust in authorities because news isn't just another institution - it's the democratic expression of the public interest in things.
-
UN plastics pollution deal a flop, some blame USA
16 Aug 2025Analysis - Fiji's delegate says failing to set production limits is like "mopping the floor without turning off the tap," while China wants to address the full life-cycle of plastics.
-
What Putin really wants from Trump - and it's not peace
15 Aug 2025Analysis: Alaska is unlikely to have been on many people's bingo cards for a summit between the US and Russia.
-
Iran's rulers face existential choice after US-Israeli strikes
Analysis: The clerical elite stands at a crossroads: defy pressure to halt its nuclear activity, or concede and risk a fracture.
-
Trump says Putin has fooled a long list of US presidents. Is he one of them?
Analysis: Now the Russian leader gets a prize - a summit that catapults him back onto the world stage.
-
For Trump, Putin summit presents the ultimate test of dealmaking
13 Aug 2025Analysis: Among the constants in Donald Trump's turbulent career have been a flair for drama and a belief in his dealmaking powers.
-
AI is peeling back the layers of 'low-value' work - NZ may be well-placed to adapt
13 Aug 2025As generative AI advances at breakneck speed, it is upending assumptions about which jobs are "safe" from automation.
-
New fossils affirm NZ as a cradle of their evolution
13 Aug 2025Remarkable new fossil discoveries are driving a significant reassessment of our understanding of the early evolution of penguins.
-
What can we learn from the PM's answers on Palestine and Gaza during Question Time?
National avoided taking a stand on Palestine in Parliament's urgent debate. What can we learn from the PM's answers on Palestine and Gaza during Question Time?
-
Vape brands bypass marketing regulations to target young people
Globally, one of the main drivers in increasing numbers of young people vaping is the promotion of vapes on social media.
-
Greens look to be tail wagging the dog - should Labour worry?
11 Aug 2025Analysis: If Labour's manifesto remains light on detail for too long, the Greens could end up setting the agenda and the terms of debate by default.
-
How Warriors lost grip on top four with third straight defeat
10 Aug 2025Analysis: Coach Andrew Webster's bold switcheroo backfired badly against the Bulldogs.
-
How influential NZ schools hastened the demise of NCEA
8 Aug 2025Analysis: As New Zealanders digest the news about government plans to scrap NCEA, we should also consider the role prestigious schools plyaed.
-
Gaps emerge over potential Trump-Putin summit
Analysis: While the Kremlin claimed a meeting next week was all but agreed to, the US says nothing has been finalised.
-
Could we get vaccinated against the gastro bug norovirus?
7 Aug 2025If we've got vaccines for so many other viruses - including Covid-19, which emerged only a few years ago - why don't we have one for norovirus?
-
Trump's tariffs crash into delicate geopolitical reality
7 Aug 2025Analysis: The US President faces a unique challenge balancing all of his simultaneous demands with Russia, China and India.
-
NCEA isn't perfect but we shouldn't forget why it was introduced
Analysis: The system has flaws, but a return to an exam-based model may not make the grade.
-
How noisy, bright city nights disrupt and change birdsong
6 Aug 2025Analysis: Birds, just like humans, also suffer when their sleep is disturbed.
-
Lawson gets pass mark after first half of F1 season
4 Aug 2025Analysis: Liam Lawson can go into Formula 1's summer break knowing he has made progress in his first full season in the championship.
-
Soaring food prices prove the Gaza famine is real – and will affect generations to come
5 Aug 2025Analysis: The words and pictures documenting the famine in the Gaza strip are horrifying.
