Symptoms include brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus, extreme fatigue, and immune system changes in some individuals who received mRNA COVID vaccines. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

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Economy

Health

Briefing for 24 February 2025

Yale study links mRNA COVID vaccines to potential post-vaccination syndrome

A Yale University research team has identified a condition called post-vaccination syndrome (PVS) in some individuals who received mRNA COVID vaccines.

The study, led by immunologist Dr Akiko Iwasaki, suggests that PVS may cause brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus, extreme fatigue, and immune system changes.

China’s surprise live-fire naval drills near NZ and Australia spark security fears

China has conducted a second round of live-fire naval exercises in the Tasman Sea, forcing flight diversions and raising security concerns in New Zealand and Australia.

The NZ Defence Force (NZDF) confirmed that personnel on HMNZS Te Kaha witnessed live rounds being fired from the Chinese warship Zunyi’s main gun during Saturday’s drills.

Shane Jones: ‘Woke Māori’ can dish it out but can’t take it

New Zealand First’s Shane Jones isn’t backing down from his fight against what he calls “woke Māori” and divisive politics.

In an interview with Moana Maniapoto, Jones argued that Māori should focus on economic advancement rather than identity politics.

Dismissing critics who see his policies as anti-Māori, he said, “Woke Māori can throw insults but can’t take their own medicine.”

US Embassy pulls funding from NZ education provider

A New Zealand-based group has lost a US Embassy grant after refusing to let American officials vet its course on disinformation for alignment with US foreign policy.

Dark Times Academy, which was set to train Pacific Island journalists, declined requests to hand over course materials and a participant list—moves that co-founder Mandy Henk said would have compromised academic independence and breached New Zealand privacy laws.

Artificial sweeteners may increase heart disease risk by triggering insulin surges

Aspartame, a widely used artificial sweetener, may contribute to heart disease and diabetes by triggering insulin spikes and chronic inflammation, according to new research.

A study published in Cell Metabolism found that mice consuming aspartame developed arterial plaque build-up—a key risk factor for strokes and heart attacks—faster than those consuming sugar.

Bureaucracy is strangling New Zealand’s growth potential

New Zealand’s economic potential is being stifled by a regulatory culture of “no,” argues Bryce Wilkinson.

Bureaucratic hurdles make everything from expanding a port to hosting a concert a logistical nightmare, while regulatory overkill fuels high costs in housing, construction, and banking.

Even basic reforms, such as allowing tourists to work remotely while visiting, are met with knee-jerk opposition.

New Zealand’s political elite: a corrupt inner circle

New Zealand’s top jobs are controlled by a “corrupt inner circle” of political insiders who reward their mates, argues economist Robert MacCulloch.

Speaking on The Platform, he called out a rigged system where the same unqualified people rotate through high-status positions—regardless of which party is in power.