Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Jul 11

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Jul 7

a piece on the recent PNG/Bougainville drought and the challenge to get relief to some of the world's most remote islands and atolls. with contributions and photos from CARE Australia

t.co/CZhTtnPlUH

https://aapnews.aap.com.au/glance/news/inside-the-race-to-relieve-drought-stricken-png-islands

t.co

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Mar 26

so sad

1

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Mar 26

Interview with Rob Sherman, the ex-Australia & NZ technical director and now Fiji coach on the challenges minnow nations face
nit.com.au/13-03-2025/1...

Minnows Fiji prepare for date with World Cup destiny

By their own admission they're a long shot, but the Bula Boys are giving it everything this month as they attempt one of the biggest shocks in FIFA World Cup history.For the first time, FIFA has affor...

nit.com.au

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Mar 26

Sydney FC striker Jaushua Sotirio's late-career defection from Australia to New Caledonia
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/892118...

Stalwart's shot at World Cup history with New Caledonia

Either Tahiti or New Caledonia will have a shot at the biggest boilover in FIFA World Cup history...

www.canberratimes.com.au

1 1

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Mar 26

A feature on Fiji's path through qualification and their attempts to lure more eligible players to represent the Bula Boys
www.1news.co.nz/2025/03/20/f...

Fiji Bula Boys hold 'life-changing' World Cup dream

For the first time, FIFA has granted the Oceania confederation a confirmed place at the tournament.

www.1news.co.nz

1

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Mar 26

New Zealand 3-0 New Caledonia match report (not sure why the big G credits Reuters here...)
www.theguardian.com/football/202...

New Zealand deny New Caledonia to reach 2026 World Cup

Michael Boxall scored his first goal for New Zealand when his country needed it the most, helping sending the All Whites to the 2026 World Cup

www.theguardian.com

1

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Mar 26

Did New Zealand enjoy the easiest World Cup qualification of all-time? (Not quite, but for decades)

sportnation.nz/article/the-...

The true impact of New Zealand's fast lane to FIFA World Cup

New Zealand have booked their spot in next year's World Cup, benefiting from a major change to qualification that has knock-on effects throughout Oceania.

sportnation.nz

1

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Mar 26

NZ Football want to re-ignite Soccer Ashes clash with Australia after qualifying for 2026 World Cup
aapnews.aap.com.au/glance/news/...

NZ call for fresh Soccer Ashes clash with Australia

The Soccer Ashes - the re-ignited rivalry between the Socceroos and All Whites - would be the perfect way to tune up for a World Cup, New Zealand Football say.

aapnews.aap.com.au

1

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Mar 26

reporting thread on Oceania FIFA World Cup qualification over the past fortnight... 🇳🇿 🇫🇯 ⚽ 🇵🇫 🇳🇨

1 2

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Mar 19

A piece today on Winston Peters' diplomatic tour of New York and DC. The foreign minister has let on very little, and that's deliberate.
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/892057...

In US talks, a cautious NZ is keeping its head down

New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has capped a week of talks in New York and Washington...

www.canberratimes.com.au

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Mar 18

Of course we knew USAID cuts would kill many, many innocent and poor people, despite what Trump & Musk say. This piece suggests more than one million this year alone due to cuts in HIV treatment. The gut punch is that medicines cost 12 cents a day.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Opinion | Musk Said No One Has Died Since Aid Was Cut. That Isn’t True. (Gift Article)

A journey through the front lines of global poverty shows that when the world’s richest men slash aid for the world’s poorest children, the result is sickness, starvation and death.

www.nytimes.com

1

Reposted by Ben McKay

Aliya Danzeisen @alinasu33.bsky.social · Mar 15

Adding this to top of my thread. I agree this is so important, it is helpful and it's healing. Coming off today's beautiful Unity Hui

38 78

Reposted by Ben McKay

Dave Itzkoff @ditzkoff.bsky.social · Feb 22

Guy who doesn’t even respond to the mothers of his children: reply to my email or you’re fired

520 2.7K 15K

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Feb 22

pretty direct messaging from the new Vanuatu PM

4

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Feb 21

Collins told AAP she wanted to head to US to meet Hegseth in coming months, that would likely be after Peters travels to meet Rubio. (No reprise of their double-act, sadly)

Our write-up of China's naval adventure:
www.northweststar.com.au/story/889846...

Chinese navy off Australia's coast a 'wake-up call'

Australia and New Zealand are working together to monitor a Chinese naval task group which has been labelled...

www.northweststar.com.au

1

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Feb 21

Collins also gave an interview to Al Jazeera, she blamed Labour for defence attrition:
"It was to do with the way that the previous government had used defense to run COVID lockdowns and managed isolation facilities. So we lost a lot of people through that."

www.aljazeera.net/politics/202...

وزيرة دفاع نيوزيلندا للجزيرة نت: المحيط الهادي قد يكون منطقة صراع

تحدثت وزيرة دفاع نيوزيلندا جوديث كولينز -في مقابلة مع الجزيرة نت- عن الإنفاق الدفاعي والوضع الأمني في منطقة المحيطين الهندي والهادي، فضلا عن حلف شمال الأطلسي وعلاقة بلادها مع واشنطن وبكين.

www.aljazeera.net

1 1

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Feb 21

On the JD Vance speech she saw in Munich, Collins said she "agreed with a quite a lot of what he said about democracy and freedom of speech". Her main takeaway from Munich was the need to up defence spending. (This will obviously be happening through the Defence Capability Review and May budget.)

2 2

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Feb 21

"(NZ) were the pretty much the only people that I'm aware of that got told. Certainly a lot of the Pacific nations, that ICBM (missile), which could be nuclear-capable, what they got told was nothing until after it was happened." Collins on ZB

1 1

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Feb 21

Also said China's intercontinental missile test last October did Beijing reputational damage in the Pacific.

"The consequence that I saw was that a lot of Pacific nations that had only seen the really great side of China, which is economic growth ... suddenly felt very disrespected." cont...

1 1

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Feb 21

On Russia aggression: "I think they got away with (the 2014 annexation of) Crimea, and they saw a moment of what they seemed as weakness in the West, and they thought they'd do it again and take over Ukraine in 10 days.

Will they get away with the ground invasion?
"We certainly hope not."

1 1

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Feb 21

On Monday, PM Chris Luxon said he was "open" to New Zealand sending a peacekeeping force to Ukraine. Yesterday, Collins told AAP this:
"NZ and Australia have spent a lot of time, and particularly men's lives, defending democracy in Europe, and we don't want to have to do it again."

1 1

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Feb 21

Fascinating media round from NZ Defence Minister Judith Collins in last 24 hours. Beginning with Trump's deranged comments on Zelenskyy, NZ's approach to proposed Russia-Ukraine peace talks:

www.canberratimes.com.au/story/889836...

New Zealand distances itself from Trump on Ukraine

Defence Minister Judith Collins says Ukraine President is not a dictator, nor did he start the war with...

www.canberratimes.com.au

2 1 5

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Jan 29

seven days to put it in writing

Ben McKay @benmackey.bsky.social · Jan 29

and now we only have a week to submit on this. what gives!

1 1