World News – Page 6

‘That’s Not A Knife’ on the launch pad at LC-2. Supplied / Rocket Lab

New Zealand-founded company Rocket Lab has successfully launched its latest space mission for the US Department of War.

The HASTE rocket, called ‘That’s Not A Knife’, lifted off from Wallops Island in Virginia in the US at 1pm on Saturday (NZ time) from Launch Complex 2 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.

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It was Rocket Lab’s second successful launch of a hypersonic test mission for the US Department of War’s Defense Innovation Unit, and the seventh HASTE rocket launch overall. Rocket Lab said all HASTE missions to date have achieved 100 percent success.

The launch was the company’s third of the year and its 82nd overall.

HASTE stands for hypersonic accelerator suborbital test electron, and is a suborbital testbed launch vehicle.

Suborbital missions enter space but don’t stay there.

The mission deployed DART AE, a scramjet-powered aircraft developed by Australian aerospace engineering firm Hypersonix, into a suborbital hypersonic flight environment at several times the speed of sound.

‘That’s Not A Knife’ mission payload. Supplied / Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab said the work was supporting a critical national priority to advance hypersonic technology for the United States and its allies.

Rocket Lab’s vice president of global launch services, Brian Rogers, said the launch was another proud moment for the HASTE team and a great showcase of the important commercial platform it has become for the Department of War.

‘That’s Not A Knife’ on the launch pad at LC-2. Supplied / Rocket Lab

“Regular and reliable HASTE launches are helping to accelerate hypersonic readiness for the nation, and we take pride in providing the foundation to a new era of testing of this critical technology to protect the United States space security,” said Rogers.

Hypersonix chief executive Matt Hill said successfully flying DART AE in a real hypersonic environment marked a major milestone for the company’s flight test programme and moved it closer to delivering reusable hypersonic capability.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 28, 2026

Cacao-free chocolate is in the pipeline, but it won’t taste the same

Source: Radio New Zealand

As climate change threatens cacao plantations, chocolate manufacturers are investigating “cacao-free pathways” to meet global demand.

Currently, the best options are chocolatey products either grown in labs or produced from fermented plants, according to new research by New Zealand’s Rabobank. But connoisseurs won’t find their taste an exact match, warns research analyst Paul Joules.

“It can be close. But obviously, those who have very specific taste buds will know exactly what they’re looking for, and it probably won’t be exactly that,” he tells RNZ’s Nine to Noon.

Because it only grows close to the equator, cacao is “a very volatile crop”, says Paul Joules.

Pablo Merchan Montes / Unsplash

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Kiwis adore chocolate, but with the average price for a 250-gram block now sitting at $6.89, it’s on the way to becoming a luxury item.

In the West African countries of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, where 60 percent of cacao beans are produced, bad weather, ageing cacao plantations and crop disease have had a “big, big impact” on the chocolate market in recent years, Joules says.

“The fact that cacao does have to be grown in close proximity to the equator really makes it a very volatile crop in terms of its production. It only really works in very specific countries and very specific climates.”

Faux-co: Alternative chocolate production on the rise

Nine To Noon

How big chocolate companies are trying to shore up cacao production and explore alternatives is the subject of Rabobank’s recent global ‘Beyond the Bean’.

Although a synthetic chocolate product made in a Californian lab was deemed “basically indistinguishable from regular dark chocolate” by a Guardian writer last year, recreating chocolate in a laboratory is still too expensive and energy-intensive, Joules says.

Mt Maunganui chocolate company Solomons Gold makes dark chocolate with ethically sourced beans from the Solomon Islands.

The Modern Forager

Soaring cocoa price not all sweet

Pacific Waves

To produce a chocolate-like substance without cacao beans, he says the fermentation of grains and seeds, including oats, sunflower seeds and barley, is looking like the best bet.

Without the magic bean that gives chocolate its health benefits, distinctive creamy texture and “very unique” taste, fermented chocolate alternatives can’t deliver quite the same taste, though, he warns.

“You can’t completely replicate it, particularly if you’re fermenting. That’s actually one of the key issues.

“There are some who’ve tasted and said, ‘Well, the taste, it’s close, but it’s not quite there. There are reports that it can be quite a bit more bitter.

“It can be close. But obviously, those who have very specific taste buds will know exactly what they’re looking for, and it probably won’t quite be exactly that.”

Cacao is also produced around the Pacific in Samoa, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu.

Tthe Cacao Ambassador

In the next few years, we’ll likely see chocolatey fermented products turn up as an ingredient in biscuits and cereal bars, Joules says.

Traditional cacao-based chocolate, though, remains the cheapest to produce, and will thankfully be around for a while longer.

“The lion’s share of the market is very much the traditional cocoa bean… That typical chocolate bar is probably going to continue to be [made from] your standard cocoa bean.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 27, 2026

Vanuatu and Fiji on alert as tropical depression gains strength

Source: Radio New Zealand

TD09F is currently located 90 kilometres southwest of the Vanuatu capital Port Vila. Zoom Earth

Met services in Fiji and Vanuatu are closely monitoring a tropical depression forecast to become a cyclone on Friday afternoon.

According to the Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre in Fiji, the centre of the system, designated TD09F, is currently located 90 kilometres south west of the Vanuatu capital Port Vila.

Senior forecaster Stephen Meke said it is expected to continue intensifying.

“At the moment the system is gradually tracking towards the south-southeast. It is expected to move just to the west of the southern parts of Vanuatu in the next few hours,” Meke said.

“The anticipation is for it to become a tropical cyclone sometime around midday to evening today (Friday).”

Tropical cyclone threat track map: TD09F as at 6am NZT Friday 27 February 2026. Fiji Meteorological Service

Meke said parts of central and southern Vanuatu will already be experiencing wet weather.

“Currently they are experiencing heavy rain. Most parts of Vanuatu there is a lot of cloud cover. The anticipation is for it to bring in a lot of strong winds and that is what is observed.

“Especially over where the cloud band is, which is basically over the central and southern parts of Vanuatu which is getting some 20 to 30 knot winds, near gale force winds over Vanuatu at the moment.”

If it becomes a cyclone this afternoon the system will be named Cyclone Urmil.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 27, 2026

Hillary Clinton faces off with House lawmakers in Epstein probe

Source: Radio New Zealand

By Annie Grayer, CNN

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, pictured in February 2026. ADAM BERRY / AFP

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is facing off with the House Oversight Committee in a closed-door interview as part of the panel’s investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Thursday’s (local time) deposition in Chappaqua, New York, is the culmination of a vigourous fight by both the former secretary of state and former Democratic President Bill Clinton over testifying in what they denounced as a Republican plot against them.

Clinton has said she cannot recall ever meeting Epstein and only interacted with his former associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, a handful of times. Republicans, however, insist her testimony is vital to their probe, while Democrats have argued their colleagues’ fixation on the former secretary of state is purely political.

“I want everybody treated the same way. That’s not true for my husband and me because other witnesses were asked to testify. They gave written statements under oath. We offered that,” she told the BBC in an interview earlier this month. “Why do they want to pull us into this? To divert attention from President (Donald) Trump. This is not complicated.”

Clinton is being interviewed the day before her husband’s appearance, which will be the first time a former president has been forced to testify in a congressional probe. The pair of interviews will be videotaped and transcribed, and lawmakers from both parties will have the opportunity to ask questions.

The Clintons only agreed to comply with their subpoenas for closed-door depositions after the House had moved toward a bipartisan vote to hold them in criminal contempt of Congress for refusing to appear as scheduled.

The former secretary of state was accompanied by her attorneys, who have been working through painstaking details of what areas could be covered during questioning.

The location for the depositions, the Clintons’ hometown of Chappaqua, was negotiated between Kendall and Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, in hopes of avoiding the indignity and precedent-setting move of summoning a former president to Capitol Hill for questioning.

Proceedings halted for a short time

Lauren Boebert WIN MCNAMEE / GETTY / AFP

Meanwhile, AFP reports the hearing was paused after a photo of the former Secretary of State taken during the deposition was posted online, an apparent breach of the rules.

The photo appeared on the X account of right-wing commentator Ben Johnson who credited the image to Republican committee member Lauren Boebert, prompting lawyers to discuss how to proceed.

“Benny did nothing wrong. Proceeding with deposition,” Boebert wrote on X after an advisor to Clinton, Nick Merrill, told journalists the hearing was paused while lawyers established “why possibly members of Congress are violating House rules”.

The hearing, while closed to the public, is being recorded. Images and video may be released later, possibly following Bill Clinton’s testimony to the committee on Friday (Saturday NZ time).

The hearing has now resumed.

Days of preparation

To prepare, the Clintons in recent days have hunkered down to not only refresh their memories about the Epstein years, but to prepare to counter potentially hostile congressional investigators. Their separate appearances speak to the differences in information the two could offer to the committee.

The Clintons and members of the House Oversight Committee have agreed to five topic areas for the depositions, a person familiar with the agreement told CNN. They are:

Alleged mismanagement of the federal government’s investigation into Epstein and Maxwell;
the circumstances and subsequent investigations of Epstein’s 2019 death;
the ways the federal government could effectively combat sex-trafficking rings;
how Epstein and Maxwell sought to curry favour to protect their illegal activities;
and potential violations of ethics rules related to elected officials.

Initially, the Clintons wanted their subpoenas for depositions to be waived for sworn statements under oath, an accommodation that Comer granted to several other witnesses in the investigation. But the Oversight Committee chairman wanted them to appear on his terms.

Clinton attorneys and the Republican-led panel negotiated behind the scenes for months, through email exchanges, letters and phone calls to try and find an off-ramp.

When the Clintons did not appear for their scheduled depositions in January, Comer scheduled a vote to hold the pair in criminal contempt.

“Every person has to decide when they have seen or had enough and are ready to fight for this country, its principles and its people, no matter the consequences. For us, now is that time,” the Clintons wrote in January when they announced they would not be appearing for their in-person scheduled depositions.

Triple the number of Democrats voted to hold the former president in contempt compared to the former first lady, but the bipartisan votes took House Democratic leadership by surprise.

Bill Clinton has never been accused by law enforcement of any wrongdoing related to Epstein, and a spokesperson has repeatedly said he cut ties before Epstein’s arrest on federal charges in 2019 and was unaware of any crimes.

A CNN review showed the former president travelled on Epstein’s private plane at least 16 times, and he was pictured in Epstein case files released by the Justice Department with women in a jacuzzi, as well as with Maxwell.

Survivors of Epstein’s abuse and lawyers representing them told CNN that they believe it is important for the Clintons, and especially the former president, to testify. In interviews, they stressed that the presence of an individual in the Epstein files and their cooperation with Congress does not indicate wrongdoing.

In the current political environment, victims of Epstein hold far more sway with many Democratic lawmakers than a sense of loyalty to the Clintons. More than 40 current House Democrats were born in 1980 or later, giving them different memories of Bill Clinton’s presidency than party leaders who were in Washington when he ended 12 years of Republican control of the White House.

–CNN / AFP

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 27, 2026

The ‘first-night effect’: Why it’s hard to sleep when you’re somewhere new

Source: Radio New Zealand

It’s nighttime and you’re exhausted. But the hotel bed feels wrong. The mini fridge won’t stop making that low, irritating hum. The power outlet lights feel brighter than the sun. Outside, random car honks and noises make sleep feel like a distant possibility.

Many of us struggle to sleep in new environments, even when we’re physically tired.

But why? The short answer: a mix of biology and psychology.

Don’t toss and turn all night. Sleep can come to you.

IAN HOOTON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

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Your brain is wired for predictability, especially at night, during our most vulnerable behaviour: sleep.

A combination of internal and external cues work together to create the right conditions for rest.

Internally, your body signals that it’s time to sleep by decreasing core body temperature and increasing the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin. This makes you less alert.

Externally, your environment needs to support these signals, not compete with it. At home, your typical pre-sleep wind-down habits and familiar surroundings tell your body it is safe to sleep.

But sleeping somewhere new often disrupts these sights, sounds and sensations your body relies on.

There may be different light levels (for example, from hotel room clocks or street lights), unfamiliar noises (such as elevators, traffic and neighbours) and different bedding (for instance, a firmer mattress or softer pillows).

And you may be doing different activities, such as eating out late or working on a laptop on your bed.

An alert brain in a new place

From an evolutionary perspective, lighter sleep or more frequent awakenings when we’re somewhere new may be protective, allowing us to detect potential threats more quickly and respond to danger.

This is known as the “first-night effect”. It means when we sleep somewhere new, our brains don’t fully switch off.

Brain activity recordings have shown that during the first night in a new environment, the left side of the brain remains more responsive to unfamiliar sounds, even during deep sleep, compared to the second night. Once we become familiar with the space, this vigilance usually fades.

But even when we start to get used to a new environment, other factors can still interfere with our sleep.

Stress, travel and emotions

Sleeping in a new environment can also be stressful.

Your brain may be running through logistics and to-do lists, thinking about your early flight, or scenarios where you forget important belongings. Maybe you’re also experiencing jet lag.

Emotions such as homesickness, excitement, anticipation or anxiety can disrupt sleep as well. Even positive stress – for example, feeling excited about a big trip – activates the same arousal systems in the brain as negative stress. The brain doesn’t distinguish why those systems are switched on.

Unfortunately, a heightened arousal system and sleep are competitors. When your stress response is active, it directly interferes with the brain’s ability to disengage and transition into sleep, even when you’re physically exhausted.

But some people actually sleep better away from home

For some of us, being away from home can actually remove everyday distractions: there are no household responsibilities, no unfinished tasks competing for attention, and clearer boundaries between “work time” and “rest time”.

The change of environment may also reduce bedtime rumination, which is often triggered by familiar home environments tied to stress, deadlines or to-do lists.

Better sleep when we are away may be to do with the amount of sleep we usually get at home. Research shows that individuals who are not getting enough sleep at home are likely to get better sleep when travelling.

If your sleep improves when you’re away, it might be an opportunity to consider how stimulating or busy your usual sleep environment has become – and what you can do to make it calmer.

Tips for sweet dreams at home or away

Reassure yourself. If you have a rough night of sleep in a new place it doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with you. It’s a normal, protective response from a brain that’s tuned to safety and familiarity. You might need a night or two to settle in.

Choose sleep-friendly accommodation when you can. Many hotels are deliberately designed to support good sleep and these features, such as pillow menus, melatonin-rich foods on the room-service menu, or even a personal sleep butler, can make a real difference.

Plan for a slower first day. If you know you’re sleeping somewhere new, expect that the first night might not be your best. Where possible, avoid scheduling demanding tasks the next morning and give yourself time to adjust.

Pack your sleep routine in your suitcase. Just as parents might do for their small child, pack your sleep routine with you. If you have a particular pillow case or a sleep mask, or a certain scent that helps you sleep at home, try bringing these with you so your brain has some familiar cues in an unfamiliar environment.

If you notice you sleep better away from home, take a look at your home sleep routine and environment. Keep your room cool and dark and make your bed comfortable with supportive pillows and fresh bedding. Establish a relaxing wind-down routine: dim lights and limit screens in the evening, and stick to consistent bed and wake times, even on weekends.

Charlotte Gupta is a sleep researcher, at the Appleton Institute, HealthWise Research Group, CQUniversity Australia. Dayna Easton is a postdoctoral research fellow, at the College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 25, 2026

What people with tourette’s want you to know

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson has explained he left the British Film and Television Awards (Baftas) ceremony early on Monday night, aware his outbursts were causing distress.

Davidson was attending the ceremony to support the film I Swear, which tells the story of his life living with the syndrome. Tourette’s can cause involuntary movements and sounds, including words.

Davidson’s outbursts during the ceremony included a racial slur while actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindon, who are Black, were presenting an award.

Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo present during the BAFTA Film Awards in London.

Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for BAFTA

. He said he was “deeply mortified” that people might have thought otherwise.

There are valid criticisms about how the Baftas and the broadcaster handled the situation and failed to properly acknowledge the hurt caused, whether or not it was intended.

But the syndrome Davidson has spent his life educating people about remains sadly misunderstood. So let’s take a look at Tourette’s and the tics it causes.

A neurological disorder

Tourette’s is a neurological disorder characterised by unintentional movements and vocalisations, known as tics.

While the exact cause of Tourette’s is not fully understood, it is likely to be complex and multifactorial.

Various genes have been linked to the condition, and we know it runs in families, so it likely has a strong genetic basis.

We also know that other environmental exposures during key periods of brain development contribute to the onset and course of the condition, such as complications during pregnancy and birth, illnesses and infections, and intense stress.

Tourette syndrome also rarely occurs in isolation, with many diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and learning disorders.

What are tics?

Tics are thought to be caused by changes in brain circuits involved in impulse control and inhibition.

People with tics often experience uncomfortable physical sensations that build up in the body called premonitory urges. These urges are difficult and often impossible to suppress, and the only way to alleviate the urge is to tic.

It is a bit like when we experience itching on our skin or tingling in our nose, sensations we relieve by scratching or sneezing.

Tics vary between people and fluctuate in frequency, type and intensity, which can be challenging to manage.

Some tics are brief movements and sounds, such as forceful blinking, facial grimacing, head jerking, sniffing, throat clearing and grunting. These are referred to as “simple” tics and are very common, particularly in young children.

Other tics involve more elaborate patterns of movements and sounds – often involving several parts of the body.

These are “complex” tics. They include motor tics like hitting oneself, kicking or dropping to the floor, and vocal tics like repeating words or phrases. This can include socially inappropriate terms such as slurs or swearwords.

It is believed the Tourette’s brain sometimes struggles to control “forbidden” impulses. A person may experience urges to say taboo words and phrases, or make inappropriate actions, when they see or hear certain things within their environment.

How common are tics?

Tics are very common among children, with simple tics occurring in up to one in five children aged between five and six. These normally resolve in a short space of time, with many people unaware they are tics.

For one in 100 children, their tics will persist and become more severe. Having both motor and vocal tics for at least 12 months, meets the diagnostic criteria for Tourette syndrome.

While Tourette’s typically first appears in early childhood, onset can also occur during adolescence and adulthood.

For most children, tics will peak during early puberty, typically between 10–12 years of age, before reducing.

But for about one in four people with Tourette syndrome, their tics will be lifelong. Around 50,000 Australians currently live with a life-long tic disorder.

The use of obscene and socially inappropriate words and phrases, referred to as coprolalia, only occurs in about 15–20% of people with Tourette’s.

Unfortunately, coprolalia is often what gets portrayed in media and entertainment, impacting the public’s understanding of Tourette’s.

Is there a cure?

Tourette syndrome currently has no cure.

Ideally, treatment should include evidence-based behavioural interventions for tics. However these can be difficult to access, with few psychologists trained in these interventions.

Other psychological therapies aim to address the person’s stress and anxiety – which are factors known to increase tics – but not their tics.

Medications are also commonly prescribed if the tics are impacting the person, but these are not effective for everyone and often have side effects.

An exhausting and disabling condition

The frequent urge to tic disrupts attention and concentration, and the tics themselves can impact many aspects of daily living, such as dressing, eating, watching TV, and even relaxing.

Tics can also cause discomfort and injury, such as muscle soreness, cramping, whiplash, dislocations and broken bones. The research I’ve done with colleagues shows two-thirds of people sustain injuries from their tics.

I was involved in a national survey in 2025 involving more than 200 people with Tourette’s and their caregivers. They told us about the challenges they faced including:

long wait times for diagnosis
little understanding of tics and the condition from health workers and teachers
a lack of support and limited treatment options
a severe negative effect on mental health.

The social stigma, bullying, exclusion and exhaustion of living with this condition often leads to significant mental health struggles.

Our research shows around 70 percent of people living with Tourette’s struggle with anxiety disorders and one in three experience depression. One in four adults and one in ten children with this disorder have attempted suicide.

People with Tourette’s want to be understood and accepted

Tics are not something they are doing for attention. They increase when a person is stressed, anxious or excited, and trying to hold them in can make them worse.

Not everyone experiences coprolalia but, for those that do, the inability to inhibit taboo language can lead to public scrutiny and cause embarrassment and shame. This leads to many avoiding social situations and a life of isolation.

Melissa Licari is a Senior Research Fellow in Child Disability, The University of Western Australia; The Kids Research Institute.

Where to get help

Help

Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.

Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 25, 2026

UK police finish search of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s property in Berkshire

Source: Radio New Zealand

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Max Mumby/Indigo

British police say they’ve finished searches of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s property in Berkshire following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

The former British prince was released last Thursday, pending further investigation, after he was questioned at a Norfolk police station about his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The US Department of Justice published millions of files related to Epstein last month, which revealed information that’s put a cloud over numerous high-profile figures in the UK and US.

It’s believed Mountbatten-Windsor was under investigation for his time as a trade envoy from 2001 and 2011.

Emails appeared to show him discussing confidential information obtained in that role with Epstein.

Mountbatten-Windsor had not commented on the latest allegations but had repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

The New Zealand government yesterday said it would back a move to remove him from the line of succession, should the UK government propose to do so.

Mountbatten-Windsor had already been stripped of his royal titles by his brother, and New Zealand’s head of state, King Charles.

Thames Valley Police Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright today said “Officers have now left the location we have been searching in Berkshire. This concludes the search activity that commenced following our arrest of a man in his sixties from Norfolk on Thursday.”

He confirmed their investigation is ongoing, but there were unlikely to be further updates “for some time”.

Searches of Mountbatten-Windsor’s property in Norfolk concluded last Thursday.

Former UK ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, was also arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, relating to his time as UK Business Secretary on Tuesday.

Emails released by the US Department of Justice appeared to show him discussing confidential information with the disgraced financier too.

He was released on bail later the same day, pending further investigation.

Mandelson hadn’t commented on the latest allegations, but had previously denied any wrongdoing.

He was removed as UK Ambassador to the US by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer last September, when it emerged he’d maintained a relationship with Epstein after his conviction.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 25, 2026

Will a couples therapist take sides? An expert explains

Source: Radio New Zealand

Should we do couples counselling? Are we happy? Are we both pulling in the same direction? How can we get our spark back?

These kinds of questions are normal in a society that places such importance on coupledom, despite there being no handbook or one-size-fits all approach.

Many people seek out couples counselling when going through a rough patch, or wondering how to improve their relationship. And no doubt the hit show Couples Therapy has boosted public interest in this type of counselling.

Many who seek couples counselling do so because they’re arguing and disagreeing a lot with their partner.

Unsplash / Rizki Ardia

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Should we get couples counselling?

Relationship satisfaction changes over time. Research shows even knowing this can help couples navigate the usual ups and downs of life together.

Some research also shows couples therapy can help lower relationship distress (which might include things such as frequent arguments or feeling dissatisfied in your relationship).

It may be suitable for some couples who want to work through infidelity or stressors such as caregiving responsibilities.

Others may seek out preventative couples counselling, which is focused on finding ways to improve communications before your relationship reaches crisis point.

Does it work? Well, some research has found certain types of counselling did help cut the divorce rate among newlyweds – but so too did getting couples to simply watch romance movies together and discuss the themes with their partner.

Overall, much depends on your motivation for seeking counselling and the mindset you’re bringing to it. Ask yourself: what do I want to work on, and what do I hope to achieve?

If your goal is to get someone to “take your side”, counselling may not help. A good couples counsellor should remain neutral, and they’re not there to take sides.

Many who seek couples counselling do so because they’re arguing and disagreeing a lot with their partner. If that’s you, it might help to let go of notions about who is “right” and move beyond anger. Instead, the focus in counselling may be on finding new conflict resolution skills.

Counselling may help with:

improving communication skills
making better connections with each other
exploring the couples’ hopes for the future
identifying what’s blocking them from achieving these goals.

Couples counselling isn’t always about staying together. Some use it to explore how to separate in a way that centres the needs of children.

Others may have specific issues with intimacy or sex. In that case, a sexual health counsellor or sex therapist may be more suitable than a standard couples counsellor. You can find one via professional organisations.

With a sex therapist, you and your partner might talk about things such as:

mismatched libidos
bodily changes, for example, to do with ageing
expectations around sex
communication around sex
making adjustments to the way you interact to resolve these issues.

Importantly, though, not everyone needs therapy, or would benefit from it.

It’s no silver bullet.

Not for everyone

The problems or harms in some relationships will not be resolved through talking therapy. The most obvious is where violence and/or coercive control is used: safety planning, not couples counselling, is more appropriate.

And it’s important to remember the problems that lead people to conflict or counselling sometimes have structural causes that can’t be “fixed” by a few therapy sessions. For instance, perhaps your relationship is suffering because you’re experiencing stress at work, financial pressures, or you’re supporting a partner with depression. These are complex structural issues.

It’s also unclear how long the benefits of couples counselling last. One study noted “many distressed couples benefit during relationship education courses but that these benefits decline when the program ends.”

How do people choose a counsellor?

There’s a wide range of therapeutic techniques.

One famous approach is called the Gottman method, where couples focus on things such as creating “love maps” recording what you know about your partner, nurturing fondness, turning toward each other instead of away and solving problems. Famously, the Gottman approach also identifies the “four horsemen” of a relationship apocalypse: criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling.

Other couples counsellors will take more of a psychological or psychoanalytical approach, informed by techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy.

At the end of the day what matters most is that you and your couples counsellor “click”; if you don’t gel with yours, it’s OK to find a new one.

Love is about doing

It can be helpful to use American author bell hooks’ idea of love as a practice of “doing” rather than a passive “being”. In other words, love is about doing things (for each other, together, or for yourself to fuel your relationship) rather than just about “being in love”.

Couples in long-term, contented relationships engage in day-to-day love practices, such as making a coffee for your partner, or watching a show together.

So, consider snuggling up on the couch with your partner to watch something together. Perhaps even Couples Therapy can provide a healthy prompt to reflect on and appreciate one another in a new light.

Priscilla Dunk-West is professor of social work, Victoria University.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 24, 2026

Australian police charge New Zealand man after finding extremist videos on his phone

Source: Radio New Zealand

Australian police have charged a New Zealand man over alleged violent extremist material. Supplied

Australian police say they have charged a New Zealand man found with videos of violent extremist material on his phone.

They say the 24-year-old was stopped for a baggage examination at Perth Airport on Monday after he arrived on a flight from overseas.

Police said his phone contained videos of a number of terrorist attacks, including violent killings overseas linked to varying ideologies, and videos showing manufacturing of home-made explosives.

The Western Australia Joint Counter Terrorism Team executed a search warrant at a Perth property and seized a computer.

The man has been charged with possessing or controlling violent extremist material.

Australian Federal Police Commander Nick Read said police worked closely with security partners to prevent the spread of violent extremist material, which undermined Australia’s social cohesion.

“There is no place in Australian society for violent or extremist content, which terrorist organisations use as a tool to radicalise members of the community, particularly young or vulnerable people,” he said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 24, 2026

‘Ultra-processed foods are making us sick’ – lawsuit against manufacturers

Source: Radio New Zealand

The lawsuit alleges the companies deliberately designed the foods to be addictive, in full knowledge they make people sick. File photo. RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

A US attorney who is suing some of the biggest food manufacturers is accusing them of deliberately designing products to be addictive – despite the harm they are known to cause.

David Chiu has brought a lawsuit against prominent ultra-processed food manufacturers, including Coca-Cola, Nestle, Kellog and Craft Heinz.

The lawsuit argues the US government is picking up the bill for the serious health consequences from their products, such as obesity, diabetes and cancer.

It also alleges the companies deliberately designed the foods to be addictive and marketed them to maximise profit, in full knowledge they make people sick.

Ultra-processed foods are not just junk food, but anything full of chemical-based preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, and artificial colours and flavours.

Chiu – a San Francisco city attorney – told Checkpoint studies showing the danger of these foods spurred on the legal action.

“The massive data sets that have come out that show that ultra-processed foods are making us sick, plain and simple.”

With products from all companies involved in the lawsuit also available in New Zealand, Chiu said it should be a worry here.

“Our case is about companies that have designed these foods to be addictive, marketed it to maximize profits, and like the tobacco industry years ago, they knew their products made people very sick, but they hid the product, hid the truth from the public.

“They’ve made untold billions. They’ve left taxpayers to clean up the mess.”

Chiu said the comparisons to the tobacco industry were more than just a coincidence, with some of the big tobacco companies buying out major food companies throughout the 1960s and 70s.

“Big tobacco literally transferred its people, its ideas, its technology around addiction science from the tobacco industry to this food industry, this ultra-processed food industry. And they used the big tobacco playbook to research, design, and market addictive products.”

While some argued that consumers had a choice when it came to what food they bought, Chiu said the industry’s massive reach had essentially removed that decision.

“The industry likes to say that consumers have choice. You can buy whatever you want, and if someone wants to buy Pringles or potato chips or crackers, that is up to them.

“The ultra-processed food industry has worked to create this illusion of choice, but they’re actually depriving consumers of choice. You don’t really have a choice when 70 percent of what you see in the supermarkets are ultra-processed foods.”

In the court documents, Chiu mapped the increase of chronic diseases against the growth in ultra-processed foods.

He said the link between the foods and diseases was clear.

“As the level and consumption of ultra-processed foods have risen, so have chronic diseases. Obesity, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, heart disease, kidney disease, even depression, and this has been particularly alarming in children.

“We are seeing preventable diseases that no one has seen in kids, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.”

While companies may market their products as healthy, Chiu warned that consumers must be aware of what they were purchasing.

“There are well-known definitions of ultra-processed foods within the scientific community. And in California state law, our state legislature recently passed a definition of ultra-processed food, which is quite clear.

“We are talking about foods that are made-up of artificial ingredients that are created by combining these artificial chemicals with industrialized processes.”

Chiu said he was not aiming for a full ban of all ultra-processed foods, but wanted more accountability from the companies creating and selling them.

“What we want to ensure is a couple of things. One, that this industry is held accountable when it comes to deceptive practices and advertising. We need to have real transparency in what these products are.

“We have had as a society to pay for billions and billions and billions of dollars of healthcare for the diseases, the cancers, the obesity, the type 2 diabetes that so many folks are receiving.

“We believe that we should receive some restitution to pay for the health care costs that have come about through the actions and the knowing actions of this industry. “

He hoped that the lawsuit would be a first step in encouraging others to put pressure on the companies responsible.

“All of our reliance on ultra-processed foods is decades in the making. We can’t reverse it overnight, but we certainly can get some accountability and move this conversation forward.

“I also encourage others who care about this, whether they are in government or elsewhere, to hold this industry accountable.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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‘Ultra-processed foods are making us sick’ – lawsuit against manufacturers