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The Guardian
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Beautiful, isolated and expensive: US expats on life in New Zealand
Californian Larry Keim has learned a thing or two in his 20 years living in New Zealand: good dill pickles are hard to come by, understanding kiwi slang will get you far, and if you think you're going to get rich, forget it, 'that ain't gonna happen'. 'But [New Zealand] is rich in so many other things that, at the end of the day, matter more.' For Americans looking to escape political division in the US or simply wishing for a slower pace of life, New Zealand is often considered an enticing alternative. Political crises and administration changes in the US regularly ignite waves of American interest in New Zealand – visits to immigration websites skyrocket, property searches soar and online forums fill up with urgent questions about what life is like in the island nation. Billionaires have also looked to use New Zealand as a 'bolthole' far away from the threat of societal turmoil. Most recently, the relaxing of rules for New Zealand's so-called 'golden visas' to attract wealthy investors has seen a surge in applications from the US, including plenty – according to immigration consultants – driven by a desire to escape president Donald Trump's administration. So what advice would recent US migrants offer to their compatriots? Some themes emerged: relish the free healthcare, embrace the work culture and natural beauty but brace for high living costs and feelings of isolation. Sarah Parlow did not arrive on a 'golden visa' but deliberately moved to New Zealand a week before Trump's inauguration in January. 'When I saw the Republican party captured the House, the Senate and the presidency on election night, I just knew it would be disastrous for women's rights, LGBT rights, and the American people in general,' Parlow says. 'I just really wanted to be somewhere else for a while.' The Auckland-based nurse and life coach says it has been an easy landing. 'It's been a place where I feel I can recalibrate'. Stats NZ estimates 1,388 Americans migrated to New Zealand in the three months to the end of February, a jump of 1,127 on the same period a year earlier – 537 arrived in February alone, which is believed to be one of the highest monthly totals from the US on record. However, Amy Armstrong, who moved to New Zealand with her husband, Miles Nolte, and son Beck in 2022, has a warning. 'You should feel pulled to be here,' she said, 'not just pushed to get away from [the US].' 'I think it's really easy coming from a place of feeling desperate in the United States right now, to assume that if you can get to New Zealand, it's this golden parachute,' Nolte says, cautioning that not everything in New Zealand comes easy. The couple arrived in New Zealand after Armstrong was awarded an Edmund Hillary Fellowship and they have just gained residency. Their move was partly motivated by the US's political climate but mostly driven by a thirst for adventure and love of the outdoors. In this respect, the country has been generous – the wild spaces are beautiful and accessible and there is a real sense of 'community-mindedness', Armstrong says. But there have been shocks. The housing can be cold and getting a job is often about who you know, as much as what you know. 'The reality is, most people get jobs [here] based on knowing somebody,' says Nolte – an experienced writer, producer, hunter and fisher. 'I have been a little shocked at how cloistered the market … and the connections have been.' For Wellington-based video editor Sam, who wished to use only his first name, the workplace culture was a surprising discovery – one he relishes for the lengthy holiday periods and better work-life balance but which also required steep learning curves. 'In New Zealand, the relationships come first … if you're in a position of leadership, you have to develop that relationship or it won't work out,' says Sam. Sam and his wife moved to New Zealand in 2016 after falling in love with its natural beauty three years earlier. He is particularly struck by how access to free healthcare 'gives you more freedom and latitude to try new things'. 'That made me realise, as an American, how much of your life and the decisions you make are tied to your ability to get healthcare,' Sam said. Some Americans warned would-be migrants that the cost of living is high in New Zealand compared with the US, and said they had sometimes struggled to form friendships with locals. Meanwhile, the distance between New Zealand and the US can lead to loneliness. 'Sometimes it can feel very isolating [if] you're just here on your own and your family's 3,000 miles away,' says Monique, who wished to give only her first name, and who moved to New Zealand in 2006. Yet, not one regretted their choice to move, nor had any pressing desire to return to the US. 'I have a life here that I wouldn't be able to have in California – I can afford to keep myself healthy [and] don't have to pay for my prescriptions,' says Debbie, a retiree who has called New Zealand home since 2005. 'New Zealand is a beautiful country and I am proud to be part of it.'
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Beautiful, isolated and expensive: US expats on life in New Zealand
Californian Larry Keim has learned a thing or two in his 20 years living in New Zealand: good dill pickles are hard to come by, understanding kiwi slang will get you far, and if you think you're going to get rich, forget it, 'that ain't gonna happen'. 'But [New Zealand] is rich in so many other things that, at the end of the day, matter more.' For Americans looking to escape political division in the US or simply wishing for a slower pace of life, New Zealand is often considered an enticing alternative. Political crises and administration changes in the US regularly ignite waves of American interest in New Zealand – visits to immigration websites skyrocket, property searches soar and online forums fill up with urgent questions about what life is like in the island nation. Billionaires have also looked to use New Zealand as a 'bolthole' far away from the threat of societal turmoil. Most recently, the relaxing of rules for New Zealand's so-called 'golden visas' to attract wealthy investors has seen a surge in applications from the US, including plenty – according to immigration consultants – driven by a desire to escape president Donald Trump's administration. So what advice would recent US migrants offer to their compatriots? Some themes emerged: relish the free healthcare, embrace the work culture and natural beauty but brace for high living costs and feelings of isolation. Sarah Parlow did not arrive on a 'golden visa' but deliberately moved to New Zealand a week before Trump's inauguration in January. 'When I saw the Republican party captured the House, the Senate and the presidency on election night, I just knew it would be disastrous for women's rights, LGBT rights, and the American people in general,' Parlow says. 'I just really wanted to be somewhere else for a while.' The Auckland-based nurse and life coach says it has been an easy landing. 'It's been a place where I feel I can recalibrate'. Stats NZ estimates 1,388 Americans migrated to New Zealand in the three months to the end of February, a jump of 1,127 on the same period a year earlier – 537 arrived in February alone, which is believed to be one of the highest monthly totals from the US on record. However, Amy Armstrong, who moved to New Zealand with her husband, Miles Nolte, and son Beck in 2022, has a warning. 'You should feel pulled to be here,' she said, 'not just pushed to get away from [the US].' 'I think it's really easy coming from a place of feeling desperate in the United States right now, to assume that if you can get to New Zealand, it's this golden parachute,' Nolte says, cautioning that not everything in New Zealand comes easy. The couple arrived in New Zealand after Armstrong was awarded an Edmund Hillary Fellowship and they have just gained residency. Their move was partly motivated by the US's political climate but mostly driven by a thirst for adventure and love of the outdoors. In this respect, the country has been generous – the wild spaces are beautiful and accessible and there is a real sense of 'community-mindedness', Armstrong says. But there have been shocks. The housing can be cold and getting a job is often about who you know, as much as what you know. 'The reality is, most people get jobs [here] based on knowing somebody,' says Nolte – an experienced writer, producer, hunter and fisher. 'I have been a little shocked at how cloistered the market … and the connections have been.' For Wellington-based video editor Sam, who wished to use only his first name, the workplace culture was a surprising discovery – one he relishes for the lengthy holiday periods and better work-life balance but which also required steep learning curves. 'In New Zealand, the relationships come first … if you're in a position of leadership, you have to develop that relationship or it won't work out,' says Sam. Sam and his wife moved to New Zealand in 2016 after falling in love with its natural beauty three years earlier. He is particularly struck by how access to free healthcare 'gives you more freedom and latitude to try new things'. 'That made me realise, as an American, how much of your life and the decisions you make are tied to your ability to get healthcare,' Sam said. Some Americans warned would-be migrants that the cost of living is high in New Zealand compared with the US, and said they had sometimes struggled to form friendships with locals. Meanwhile, the distance between New Zealand and the US can lead to loneliness. 'Sometimes it can feel very isolating [if] you're just here on your own and your family's 3,000 miles away,' says Monique, who wished to give only her first name, and who moved to New Zealand in 2006. Yet, not one regretted their choice to move, nor had any pressing desire to return to the US. 'I have a life here that I wouldn't be able to have in California – I can afford to keep myself healthy [and] don't have to pay for my prescriptions,' says Debbie, a retiree who has called New Zealand home since 2005. 'New Zealand is a beautiful country and I am proud to be part of it.'
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gavin Newsom demanded $787M from Fox News in his defamation lawsuit. The number isn't a coincidence.
Gavin Newsom alleges Fox News defamed him by misrepresenting a call with Trump. He asked for $787 million in damages, echoing the amount Fox News paid to settle Dominion's lawsuit. Newsom's lawsuit also cites a defamation suit Trump filed against CBS. California Gov. Gavin Newsom sued Fox News on Friday, accusing the media company of defaming him by misrepresenting his interactions with President Donald Trump. The figure Newsom demanded in damages might sound familiar: $787 million. That's nearly identical to the $787.5 million that Fox News and its parent company, Fox Corporation, agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems in 2023 after the media company promoted falsehoods that the election technology company rigged the 2020 presidential election. Dominion's lawsuit was filed in Delaware Superior Court, the same venue where Newsom filed his lawsuit on Friday. Newsom's private lawyers, Michael Teter and Mark Bankston, worked with the same Wilmington-based law firm that Dominion used, Farnan LLP, to file their suit in the Delaware court. Newsom alleges Fox News defamed him by calling him a liar when he denied speaking with President Donald Trump on June 9. Around that time, Trump had sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles over Newsom's objections. Demonstrators had held protests around the city in opposition to the president's immigration policies. At a press conference on June 10, Trump said he spoke to Newsom "a day ago." In fact, Newsom says, they spoke for 16 minutes around midnight on June 7 Eastern time (or June 6 Pacific time), the day Trump first sent the troops. Newsom posted phone records on social media showing the timing of their call. But his lawsuit says Fox News host John Roberts misled readers about the timing in his own social media posts, anyway. The lawsuit also says Jesse Watters, a Fox opinion host, falsely called him a liar. "Why would Newsom lie and claim Trump never called him? Why would he do that?" Watters said, according to the suit. The chyron on the screen at the time read "Gavin lied about Trump's call," the lawsuit says. Newsom's lawsuit says Fox News hasn't learned the lessons of the Dominion lawsuit, and that it misled its viewers for political reasons. "Unfortunately, the past two years have shown that the Dominion settlement did not serve as the deterrent many had predicted, as Fox has continued to launder the stream of false information flowing out of the White House," the lawsuit says. "Gov. Newsom's transparent publicity stunt is frivolous and designed to chill free speech critical of him," Fox News said in a statement. "We will defend this case vigorously and look forward to it being dismissed." Dominion's lawsuit proved embarrassing for Fox News. Depositions and emails obtained by the election technology company during the litigation process showed that then-host Tucker Carlson said he "passionately" hated Trump and that Rupert Murdoch wanted to make the now-president a "non-person" after the 2020 election. The company is also defending a separate pending lawsuit from Smartmatic, another election technology company that says it was defamed, in a New York court. Fox News has denied the allegations in Smartmatic's case, which remains ongoing. The First Amendment makes it difficult for public figures, like Newsom, to succeed in defamation lawsuits. They must prove in court that the defendant acted with "actual malice," meaning the company or person knew they were lying or recklessly disregarded the truth. In a demand letter to Fox News, Newsom's lawyers said he would voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit if the outlet "retracts the claim that he lied when speaking about President Trump not calling him on June 9," and Watters issues an on-air apology. "If Fox News wants to lie to the American people on Donald Trump's behalf, it should face consequences — just like it did in the Dominion case," Newsom said in a statement. "I believe the American people should be able to trust the information they receive from a major news outlet. Until Fox is willing to be truthful, I will keep fighting against their propaganda machine." Trump himself has sued numerous media outlets, many having been dismissed. Disney settled a lawsuit with him earlier this year, and he is in ongoing settlement discussions with Paramount over a "60 Minutes" episode on CBS News that he says misleadingly edited an interview with Kamala Harris. Trump sued CBS in Texas, alleging it violated the state's consumer protection laws by editing an interview with Kamala Harris in a way he says is misleading. Newsom sued Fox on Friday under a similar California law. He said Fox "intentionally misled the public by purposefully broadcasting a deceptively edited video." "As President Trump has stated in his own complaint, 'News organizations…are responsible for accurately reporting the truth of events, not distorting an interview to try and falsely make their preferred candidate appear coherent and decisive,'" Newsom's lawsuit says, quoting from Trump's. Read the original article on Business Insider
CBS News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Video shows "narco sub" loaded with 3.5 tons of cocaine being intercepted in Pacific Ocean off Mexico
Combating narco-subs and narco-terrorism in the U.S. and abroad The Mexican navy seized 3.5 tons of cocaine hidden in a semisubmersible vessel off the Pacific coast, authorities said Friday, while releasing video of the "narco sub" being intercepted. The vessel, manned by three people and carrying 180 packages of cocaine, was detected during a maritime patrol in waters off the southern state of Guerrero, the navy said in a statement. Authorities released images of the seized drugs next to a Mexican naval ship as well as video of the craft being intercepted at sea. The Mexican navy seized 3.5 tons of cocaine hidden in a semisubmersible vessel off the Pacific coast, authorities said Friday, while releasing video of the "narco sub" being intercpeted. Mexican navy It is the latest in a series of major drug hauls showcased by the Latin American nation, which is under pressure from President Donald Trump to curb narcotics smuggling. Mexican authorities have seized more than 44.8 tons of cocaine at sea since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office in October, the navy said. That month, the navy announced that it had seized more than 8.3 tons of an unspecified type of drugs found in a semisubmersible and a convoy of other vessels off the Pacific coast — a record for a single operation at sea. In early June, authorities said they had seized nearly 42 tons of methamphetamine worth more than $50 million during raids on illegal drug labs on land. Mr. Trump has cited trafficking of illegal drugs — particularly the synthetic opioid fentanyl — as one of the reasons for the tariffs he has imposed on imports from Mexico. The Mexican navy seized 3.5 tons of cocaine hidden in a semisubmersible vessel off the Pacific coast, authorities said Friday. Mexican Navy Semisubmersibles, which cannot go fully underwater, are popular among international drug traffickers as they can sometimes elude detection by law enforcement. The vessels — which are often spotted in Colombian waters while heading to the United States, Central America and Europe — have also been intercepted off Mexico in recent months. In November, the Mexican Navy said it seized 3.6 tons of cocaine aboard a semisubmersible off the Pacific coast which was spotted about 153 miles off the resort of Acapulco. Last August, Mexico seized more than seven tons of cocaine in two separate raids in the Pacific Ocean, and dramatic video captured the high-speed chases on the open sea.
CBC
9 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
Pentagon strips activist Harvey Milk's name from Navy ship in latest diversity purge
Social Sharing U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the USNS Harvey Milk will be renamed after a Second World War sailor who received the Medal of Honour, stripping the ship of the name of a slain gay rights activist who served during the Korean War. In a video posted to social media, Hegseth said he was "taking the politics out of ship-naming." The ship's new name will honour Navy chief petty officer Oscar V. Peterson, who was awarded the highest military decoration posthumously for his actions during the 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea in the Pacific. The decision is the latest move by Hegseth to wipe away names of ships and military bases given by former U.S. president Joe Biden's Democratic administration, which in many cases chose to honour service members who were women, minorities, from the 2SLBGTQ+ community and more. It follows earlier actions by Hegseth and U.S. President Donald Trump to purge all programs, policies, books and social media mentions of references to diversity, equity and inclusion in the military and elsewhere. Hegseth's announcement comes during Pride Month, as does the Pentagon's campaign to force transgender troops out of the U.S. military. "We're not renaming the ship to anything political. This is not about political activists," said Hegseth, who earlier this month ordered Navy Secretary John Phelan to put together a small team to rename the USNS Harvey Milk replenishment oiler. He said Peterson's "spirit of self-sacrifice and concern for his crewmates was in keeping with the finest traditions of the Navy." Pride Toronto links funding woes to Trump's anti-DEI agenda 16 days ago Duration 2:01 'Re-establish warrior culture' When Hegseth announced the decision to rename the ship, officials defended it as an effort to align with Trump and Hegseth's objectives to "re-establish the warrior culture." Peterson served on the USS Neosho, which also was an oiler. The ship was damaged during the Battle of the Coral Sea, and even though Peterson was injured, he managed to close the bulkhead stop valves to keep the ship operational. He died of his wounds. The Navy in 1943 named an escort ship after Peterson. The USS Peterson served for more than two decades and was decommissioned in June 1965. The USNS Harvey Milk was named in 2016 by then-Navy secretary Ray Mabus, who said at the time that the John Lewis-class of oilers would be named after leaders who fought for civil and human rights. Harvey Milk, who was portrayed by Sean Penn in an Oscar-winning 2008 movie, served for four years in the Navy before he was forced out for being gay. He later became one of the first openly gay candidates elected to public office, in San Francisco. He was assassinated in 1978 by a disgruntled former city supervisor.
