Māori tribes in New Zealand appeal to King Charles for intervention
Representatives from over 80 Māori tribes have appealed directly to King Charles III, urging him to intervene in New Zealand’s domestic policies amid escalating tensions over the government’s approach to Māori rights.
The National Iwi Chairs Forum, a collective of tribal leaders, has penned an open letter to the monarch, expressing alarm over what they describe as ongoing breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi – New Zealand’s founding document signed in 1840 by Māori chiefs and the British Crown. The treaty is considered pivotal in protecting Māori rights.
“We’ve had 184 years of pandering to the decency and goodwill of the government, and it is not reciprocated,” Mr Aperahama Edwards, chair of the Ngāti Wai tribe and a forum leader, was quoted as saying by The Guardian. “The thinking here is to bring [these issues] to the attention of King Charles with the hope he can intervene.”
The two-page letter highlights concerns about legislative changes introduced by New Zealand’s rightwing coalition government, which critics argue have rolled back Māori rights. These include curbing the use of the Māori language in public services, dismantling health institutions designed to address inequities, and introducing a controversial bill that could radically alter treaty interpretations.
Earlier last month, around 10,000 people took to the street, marching towards Wellington to oppose the bill that seeks to redefine the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. First signed in 1840 between the British Crown and more than 500 Maori chiefs, the treaty lays down how the two parties agreed to govern. The interpretation of clauses in the document still guide legislation and policy.
The Act New Zealand party, a junior partner in the ruling centre-right coalition government, unveiled the bill, which it had promised during last year’s election. The party has criticised the sharing of some governance matters between the state and Maori, arguing non-Indigenous citizens are losing out because of policies designed to uplift Maori.
But Maori and their supporters say the bill undermines the rights of the country’s Indigenous people, who make up about 20 per cent of the population of 5.3 million.
Coalition partners the National Party and New Zealand First are only supporting the legislation through the first of three readings. Both parties have said they will not support it to become legislation, meaning it will almost certainly fail.
Prime minister Christopher Luxon previously reaffirmed that his National Party would not support the bill’s progress beyond the first reading.
However, the forum in its letter accuses the government of attacking the treaty, with policies that risk disconnecting Māori children from their heritage, threatening the protection of land and sea resources, and reducing the Waitangi Tribunal’s role. The tribunal investigates treaty breaches and has previously criticised the government’s direction.
Māori leaders fear these measures have fuelled anti-Māori rhetoric and soured their relationship with the Crown.
Professor Margaret Mutu, a forum chair and academic at the University of Auckland, described the policies as “a serious violation of the treaty” and called on the King to remind the government of its obligations.
The letter begins by recognising King Charles’s familial ties to Māori leadership and the legacy of Queen Victoria, who oversaw the treaty’s signing. It references the King’s 2022 Commonwealth address, where he spoke of acknowledging historical injustices and building a future that benefits all citizens.
“As a constitutional monarch of the Crown and a descendant of Queen Victoria, we seek your intervention to ensure that the government does not diminish the Crown’s honour,” the letter states, adding that signatories are united in their “grave concerns” for the future of Māori families.
Additional reporting by agencies
Japan Airlines offers to deliver your luggage when you visit Tokyo
Japan Airlines has offered to deliver your luggage to your hotel when you visit Tokyo — for a reasonable price.
The airline announced the launch of its same-day delivery service in a press release on December 5. The baggage delivery service, which costs 4,500 yen ($29 USD) per suitcase, is available to foreign travelers arriving at terminal three at Haneda Airport.
Japan Airlines explained the new initiative is designed to address congestion issues in Tokyo’s public transportation.
“The service aims to provide a seamless and stress-free travel experience by ensuring that tourists can enjoy their time in Tokyo without the burden of carrying heavy luggage,” the press release read. “By offering this service, JAL is committed to enhancing the convenience and comfort of foreign visitors, contributing to a more enjoyable and efficient travel experience.”
The same-day delivery service covers 14 districts throughout Tokyo, including Shinjuku, Shinagawa, Chiyoda, Chuo, Minato, Koto, Ota, Shibuya, Taito, Toshima, Bunkyo, Sumida, Meguro, and Edogawa.
However, travelers — including Japanese residents — arriving in Tokyo must apply for the service ahead of time. According to the Japanese Airlines website, all passengers are required to “make a reservation and payment using the 2D barcode on the poster in front of the ‘JAL ABC counter’ located in the arrival lobby.”
“After completing the application, issue a baggage sticker from the issuing machine next to the poster, attach it to your suitcase, and then check it in at the ‘JAL ABC counter’ located in the arrival lobby,” the airline said.
The delivery destination is restricted to hotels only. For those who check-in to the delivery service before 4 p.m. local time, they will receive their luggage at their hotel by 8 p.m. Meanwhile, travelers who arrive at the airport between 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., their baggage will be delivered by 10 p.m.
The same-day delivery service is just the latest initiative from Japan Airlines encouraging travel throughout the country. In September, the company announced it will be offering international passengers complimentary domestic flights to any destination within Japan.
Now, a passenger arriving from Singapore could fly into Tokyo and jet off on a domestic flight to Sapporo in northern Japan for no extra fees. However, visitors must book an international flight with Japan Airlines and a corresponding domestic flight in the same reservation, as separate domestic bookings will not be eligible.
Only passengers departing from the following countries can receive the offer: U.S., Canada, Mexico, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, India, China, and Taiwan.
Thai teacher sentenced to 111 years in jail for abusing underage boy
A 32-year-old school teacher in Bangkok has been sentenced to 111 years in jail for grooming and sexually abusing an underage boy.
He has also been ordered to pay 1.5m baht (£34,700) in damages to the victim and 650,000 baht (£15,000) to his mother for the serious crimes he committed while teaching at a school in the Phitsanulok province in northern Thailand.
The man has been sentenced to 111 years for grooming and 18 years for sexually abusing the underage boy. Since the two terms run concurrently, he will serve the longer sentence of 111 years.
Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation said on Tuesday that the teacher, identified by only his first name Tee, was arrested on 24 June as part of its inquiry into a modelling agency in Pathum Thani, which was suspected of grooming and sexually abusing children.
The department determined that Tee had conspired with Danudet Saengkaew, 28, owner of the Nene Modelling Agency, to groom children.
According to the department, evidence indicated that the pair may have sexually abused over 1,000 victims.
Danudet admitted to the crime earlier this year after police discovered more than 500,000 images of child sexual abuse in his possession, The Nation Thailand reported.
He was convicted of nearly 60 offences and sentenced to 121 years and 223 months in prison on 11 February. Danudet was also ordered to pay 2.1m baht (£48,000) in compensation to eight victims identified by the Department of Special Investigation from the photos.
According to a Thai outlet, Thairath, Tee targeted male students. The boy he was found guilty of sexually assaulting was under 15 at the time.
Tee admitted to abusing children at various locations within the school, including restrooms and the audiovisual room, as well as in his car.
Payal Kapadia is first Indian woman director to bag Globes nomination
Payal Kapadia made history as the first Indian woman director from the world’s most populous nation to secure a Golden Globe nomination for her trailblazing film All We Imagine As Light.
Kapadia, 38, has been on a hot streak with her first full-length feature film since winning the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
The film secured two nominations at the 82nd Golden Globes this year in the Best Director category and the Best Motion Picture in a Non-English Language.
The Hindi-Malayalam language film tenderly weaves the stories of three subaltern women through hardship, loneliness and empathy in the metropolis of Mumbai – a city where millions of aspirations get trampled under the weight of reality.
In her five-star review for The Independent, Clarisse Loughrey wrote: “All We Imagine as Light is a portrait not only of a place, and all the social and political forces that drive it, but of the intensity of feeling it coughs up.”
Kapadia in a statement said she was “deeply honored by this nomination and grateful to the HFPA [Hollywood Foreign Press Association] for this recognition. This is a celebration of everyone who worked so passionately on the film.”
All We Imagine as Light was released in theatres in India on 22 November. Kapadia on Tuesday announced the film will be re-released at selected theatres this Friday.
She will compete in the Best Director category alongside Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez, Sean Baker, Anora, Edward Berger for Conclave, Brady Corbet for The Brutalist and Coralie Fargeat for The Substance.
Kapadia’s film also bagged the Best International Film at the New York Film Critics Circle and Gotham Awards and brought home the award for Best International Feature.
Despite being univocally loved by critics and viewers as one of the most acclaimed films of the year, it was snubbed by India for its submission for the best international film at the Academy Awards.
Ravi Kottarakara, president of the Film Federation of India, sent Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies for the awards, explaining that the selection committee felt “that they were watching a European film taking place in India, not an Indian film taking place in India”.
Kapadia told the Associated Press that she was “really happy with the film they chose. It’s a really nice film. I liked it a lot. But I feel like these kind of statements, I don’t know what purpose they serve”.
“The committee that made the selection was 13 men. Is that very Indian? Then I don’t mind so much.”
This year’s Golden Globes ceremony comes three years after its 2022 ceremony was boycotted following a 2021 exposé by the Los Angeles Times, accusing its voting body, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), of a lack of diversity.
The organisation has since reformed, expelling problematic voters and expanding its membership from around 85 to 300, including 10 per cent Black representation.
The 82nd Golden Globes will be held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles on Sunday, 5 January, beginning at 5pm (local time)/8 pm ET.
Taiwan ‘alarmed’ as largest Chinese fleet gathers near island
Taiwan says Chinese has deployed its largest naval fleet in nearly three decades to the waters around the island, describing the development as “very alarming”.
Taiwan’s defence ministry described what appeared to be the latest round of Chinese military exercises as a more significant threat than previous iterations, given the unprecedented scale of Beijing’s naval deployment.
Around 90 Chinese navy and coast guard ships were still in waters near near Taiwan as of Tuesday afternoon, a Taiwanese security source told Reuters.
China has issued no comment on why the vessels have been deployed. Beijing will often announce such military drills in advance.
The development came after Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te went on a diplomatic tour that included stops in the US.
Defence ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang, speaking in Taipei on Tuesday, stated that the current deployment spans from Japan’s southern islands to the South China Sea, marking the largest Chinese naval manoeuvre since 1996 military drills surrounding Taiwan’s presidential elections.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said 47 Chinese military aircraft operated near the island over the previous 24 hours, along with 12 navy vessels and nine civilian agency ships.
At least 26 aircraft were seen north of the island near China’s Zhejiang province, 15 flew around the southwest and six over the Taiwan Strait.
Mr Sun said: “Regardless of whether they have announced drills, they are posing a great threat to us. The current scale is the largest compared to the previous four.”
Chinese military activity was aimed at sending a message not only to Taiwan but also other countries in the region, a Taiwanese official told Reuters on Tuesday.
Another Taiwanese security official told the news agency that the aircraft were simulating attacks on foreign naval vessels and practising repelling civilian and military planes as part of a “blockade exercise”.
China had deployed ships from its northern, eastern and southern theatre commands, the official said.
Taiwan’s coast guard reported at least seven Chinese vessels conducting “grey zone harassment” throughout the day. The tactic, described as deliberate provocation short of conflict, includes regular military incursion by air and sea. Wang Ting-yu, head of Taiwan’s parliamentary defence and foreign affairs committee, called on Beijing to act as a “civilised neighbour” and cease its “troublemaking”.
The Taiwanese defence ministry activated combat readiness exercises and warned that unilateral provocations could destabilise peace in the region. “Such actions will not be welcomed by the international community,” it said.
China’s ongoing military activity coincides with its establishment of seven temporary no-fly zones near its eastern Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, prompting speculation about further drills or weapons testing. The restrictions are in place until Wednesday. However, Beijing has yet to announce any specific exercises and its defence ministry has not commented.
With no Chinese announcement describing the nature of the military activity, Taiwanese officials are describing it as a training exercise, said Taiwanese Lt Gen Hsieh Jih-sheng.
He added that “training” can develop into drills, and drills can become war.
“It’s in the status of regular training,” he said at a news conference. “But under the status of normalised training, it’s able to mobilise military forces on such a large scale and carry out exercises in such a large area.”
The US State Department, meanwhile, urged China to exercise restraint. “A routine transit by president Lai should not be used as a pretext for military pressure,” a spokesperson said on Monday.
Western observers have expressed concern over the scale of the Chinese deployment, which a Taiwanese official claimed targeted the entire island chain stretching from Japan to Borneo. The move, they claimed, sought to “intimidate militarily” and exert control over critical waterways.
Beijing’s military posturing around Taiwan in recent years has raised fears of conflict in the region.
US defence secretary Lloyd Austin, addressing sailors in Japan, emphasised the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and upholding the international “rules-based order”.
“And so we want to see this region, this area remain open to freedom of navigation and the ability to fly the skies and international airways whenever we want to,” he said.
China, which regards Taiwan as its territory, has denounced president Lai as a “separatist”. Taiwan’s government maintains that its sovereignty is a matter for its people to decide.
Additional reporting by agencies
Malaysia vows to act on bullying at top military academy abuse claims
The Malaysian government has unveiled plans to tighten safety protocols of the country’s military university amid backlash over a series of bullying and “inhumane” abuse cases.
The National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM), which comes under the purview of the Ministry of Defence and the Malaysian Armed Forces, has faced increasing scrutiny after multiple disturbing cases of misconduct.
The most recent case involved a 19-year-old cadet who was stomped on by a senior officer, resulting in fractures to his ribs and spine, reported news agency Bernama on 22 November. Another incident, reported in October, involved a senior cadet accused of pressing a hot iron to the chest of his junior, leaving burn marks. The accused has been charged in court.
The new measures at UPNM would include more frequent roll calls and additional closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the university’s training academy, announced country’s defence minister Khaled Nordin on 8 December.
“If fights occur, roll calls may be conducted at 10pm or 2am, depending on the situation, to ensure better monitoring and response,” Mr Khaled told reporters.
The defence minister was responding to questions about potential new regulations or platforms for victims to file complaints at UPNM. He confirmed that bullying incidents often involve cadets, particularly as students from various years interact in the academy. “The academy is where all students from the first- to fourth-year interact. The three to four years (age gap), senior-junior dynamics can lead to such cases,” Mr Khaled added.
The increase in safety measures follows remarks from the Malaysian King, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who had called for an end to the “inhumane” culture of bullying at the university. Also the chancellor of the university, the Sultan on 3 December stated, “If the bullying and abuse continues, don’t associate my name with the university anymore.”
Expressing regret over the continuing bullying cases at UPNM, he noted that they had resulted in serious injuries and even death in the past. “This is an inhumane act. I want the defence ministry to take this seriously because bullying cases have occurred several times in ALK UPNM,” he said in a post on his official Facebook page.
The King’s remarks came in the wake of reports of a 22-year-old cadet causing injuries to a junior by stomping on him with spiked boots. In a separate incident, another cadet officer was accused of using a steam iron to burn his junior.
In his comments on 8 December, Mr Khaled emphasised that the defence ministry would not tolerate any form of bullying. “What’s crucial is to send a clear message that we will not compromise on such behaviour. We will take firm action and ensure the punishments are widely publicised,” he said.
This is the second time in recent weeks that the defence minister has spoken out about measures to curb bullying at the university. Earlier in November, Mr Khaled had announced that five cadet officers involved in bullying incidents had been expelled from UPNM and the Malaysian Armed Forces. The expelled officers were also ordered to pay compensation for the costs incurred during their studies.
The most serious case involved navy cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, who died in 2017 after being tortured by his peers. Earlier this year, six former UPNM students were sentenced to death for their involvement in Zulfarhan’s death, after an appeals court overturned their initial prison sentences.
Prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has also weighed in on the issue, stressing that the culture of bullying within Malaysian educational institutions is systemic and must be addressed urgently.
“It’s a small group that does not represent all students, but the culture allows it… a culture of thuggery, bullying, and gangsterism within the education system,” Mr Anwar said during an event at UPNM on 1 November. He further warned the education minister to take a firm stance on bullying, advising that authorities must not tolerate such behaviour.
US woman jailed in Australia for illegally bringing gold-plated pistol
An Australian court sentenced an American woman to 12 months in jail for sneaking in a gold-plated gun in her luggage last year.
Liliana Goodson, 30, pleaded guilty to charges of illegally importing an unauthorised firearm and ammunition into Australia.
Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court sentenced her to a year in jail, of which four months will be served in full-time custody.
The woman arrived at Sydney airport in April 2023 from Florida to attend clown school and was arrested at the airport after customs recovered the 24-carat gold-plated pistol in her bag.
Goodson told the court that she brought the pistol worth $3,000 (£2353) for her protection.
She was charged with violating customs laws that prevent weapons from being brought into the country.
When asked by the customs officers at the airport if she was carrying any prohibited items with her, she said she was not and when asked about the gun she claimed she forgot about it, the court was told during a previous hearing.
“Oh yeah, I forgot about that,” Goodson responded when officers asked: “What about the gun in your bag?”
However, her phone’s search history revealed she had researched on the internet about “can I have a gun in my suitcase?” and even set a calendar prompt in her phone to remind her to “put gun in suitcase”.
She told the court that she brought the gun into the country for her protection but claimed that she was “scared” to use it and would have just “pistol whip” in case of emergency.
“If that didn’t do it I would probably just pistol whip,” Goodson told the court.
She said that she planned to keep it under her vehicle’s passenger seat and that its permit was back in Alabama.
The court was told that she had used banned substances in recent years, such as psychedelic drugs, synthetic cannabis, and crystal meth.
After the hearing, Goodson was taken into custody and was asked to remove all her jewellery before she was handcuffed.
She was also fined $1,000 and ordered to get drug counselling following her release from prison.
Magistrate Susan Horan on Monday highlighted Australia’s strong control laws and said there was a need to deter similar offences in the future.
“Australia has a strong stance against firearms,” she said.
Australia has some of the world’s toughest gun laws that were introduced after a shooting in the Tasmanian town of Port Arthur in April 1996 killed 35 people and wounded another 23.
The new laws banned the sale and importation of all automatic and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns, forced most buyers to present a legitimate reason for ownership, and wait 28 days to complete the purchase.
It also resulted in a mandatory gun buyback with the Australian government confiscating and destroying nearly 700,000 weapons. That move alone cut the number of gun-owning households in the country by half.
Champion cyclist pleads guilty over Olympian wife’s death in Australia
Former world champion cyclist Rohan Dennis has pleaded guilty to a charge related to the death of his wife, fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins, who was killed in a car incident outside their home in Adelaide on 30 December last year.
Hoskins was struck by a vehicle driven by Dennis, and although he was initially charged with dangerous driving causing death, he admitted to the lesser charge of creating the likelihood of harm.
Jane Abbey KC, representing Dennis, informed the court on Tuesday that both the defense and prosecution had agreed to drop the original charges, with an aggravated charge of creating the likelihood of harm being brought instead.
“What is agreed that will happen today is that there will be a plea to count three … the original charges will be dropped,” Ms Abbey said in the court to magistrate Justin Wickens.
The charge acknowledges that Dennis’s actions were reckless, though it does not hold him responsible for his wife’s death. “So there was no intention of Mr Dennis to harm his wife and this charge does not charge him with any responsibility for her death,” she said.
Dennis, 34, who retired from cycling in 2023, will be sentenced at a later date.
Mr Wickens told the court that Dennis was driving while his wife was near or on the vehicle, either knowing it was likely to cause harm or being recklessly indifferent to the potential for harm. The offense was considered aggravated because the couple was in a relationship.
Hoskins, 32, sustained serious injuries in the incident and was taken by paramedics to Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment, where she later passed away.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and a five-year driving ban.
Dennis, who pleaded guilty, was released on bail and is set to be sentenced in the district court on 24 January.
Hoskins was laid to rest in her hometown of Perth in January this year, and a public memorial service was held in Adelaide in February, where Dennis attended with their two children.
Hoskins, a world champion and two-time Olympian, received tributes worldwide following her death. Hoskins and Dennis married in 2018.
Hoskins competed in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics in the team pursuit and was part of the squad that won the 2015 world title in the same event. Dennis, a two-time world champion in the road time trial, also won silver in the team pursuit at the 2012 Olympics and bronze in the road time trial at Tokyo 2020.
Dennis made history in 2015 by becoming the seventh Australian to wear the Tour de France yellow jersey and also won the 2015 Tour Down Under.
On social media, users were angry at the lesser charge. One wrote: “Furious, he struck a plea deal to a lesser charge, does that mean it was a lesser death? Or the death of a lesser human, or a lesser Mum, or a lesser wife, or a lesser champion cyclist?”