New Zealand announces new Matariki public holiday

Sunday, February 7, 2021 The New Zealand Government on Thursday announced the creation of a new public holiday, Matariki. Matariki marks the beginning of the M?ori New Year, which coincides with the rising of the star cluster Pleiades, known as Matariki in the M?ori language. The Matariki star cluster with known M?ori names. (Image: NASA, User:PJ_1004) At Waitangi, New Zealand […]

US bank Goldman Sachs accused of fraud

Saturday, April 17, 2010 US bank Goldman Sachs has been accused of fraud by the American regulator Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Goldman Sachs arranged a transaction at Paulson’s request in which Paulson heavily influenced the selection of the portfolio to suit its economic interests According to the SEC, Goldman Sachs failed to inform investors of a conflict of interest […]

As the Eurovision entrants return home, the home crowds weigh in

Monday, May 18, 2009 The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 is now over, but the newspapers of Europe are still alive with stories and comments, both positive and negative. Most of the Eurovision entrants have returned home from their sojourn in Moscow, Russia, and the newspapers across Europe have varied opinions. Most national newspapers congratulated their entrants on a job well […]

China overtakes Germany as world’s biggest exporter

Sunday, January 10, 2010 Chinese officials have said that their country’s exports surged last December to edge out Germany as the world’s biggest exporter. The official Xinhua news agency reported today that figures from the General Administration for Customs showed that exports jumped 17.7% in December from a year earlier. Over the whole of 2009 total Chinese exports reached US$1.2 […]

Toronto prepares for Monday transit strike

Saturday, April 9, 2005 TTC Streetcar The Toronto Transit Commission is expected to strike Monday. The TTC workers union, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, rejected a deal offered by TTC management. They last went on strike in 1999. The average daily ridership exceeds 1.3 million passengers. The city of Toronto has prepared to help deal with the forecasted traffic […]

Iranian International Master Dorsa Derakhshani discusses her chess career with Wikinews

Tuesday, April 14, 2020 Dorsa Derakhshani in Baku, 2017 (Image: Gibraltar Chess Festival) In February 2017, the Iranian Chess Federation announced two teenage chess players, Dorsa Derakhshani and her younger brother Borna Derakhshani, were banned from representing the national team. The federation announced their decision although Dorsa Derakhshani had previously decided and informed the chess federation she did not wish […]