*Jacinda Ardern gives birth to her baby* Journalist (to baby); "How do you like New Zealand so far? Beautiful isn't it?"

Hope our friends in the #Pacific have been paying attention to this: nytimes.com/2018/06/25/wor…

Law enforcement in the UAE is some sort of perverse lottery. theguardian.com/world/2018/aug…

"I was in a ridiculous situation at times, writing letters to myself and then acknowledging myself and thanking myself for my co-operation [in order to] have a paper trail." Heh. radionz.co.nz/news/national/…

theguardian.com/news/2018/aug/…

"He wore a large bandage across his forehead, saying he was injured when an opposing lawmaker lobbed a copy of the Sri Lankan constitution at his head." Sri Lankans do politics on another level entirely... theguardian.com/world/2018/nov…

#MeriKirihimete and a happy mid-summer lay-about to you all.

I had gotten used to not hearing of atrocities out of Sri Lanka. ...

The World Cup's grumpiest. es.pn/2XzjSjb

All the very best for 2020, everyone!

All the best for this new year, everyone! ☺

americanaffairsjournal.org/2017/11/wester… "“Puzhong, I could see in your eyes that Peter’s story affected you.” And I would tell them I didn’t feel anything. I was quite confused."

elpais.com/elpais/2018/03… A man in Spain longs for the happiness of his childhood being raised by wolves. But the wolves don't see him as a brother anymore, and his cave is now cottages and gates.

"Puzzled when the reporter pressed for more, Ardern turned to Merkel and explained with a smile: 'she wants to know if you found me likable.'" We are an insecure bunch in this country.. (nytimes.com/aponline/2018/…)

thespinoff.co.nz/business/21-04…

Apparently, to some people 'lucked out' can mean to have _bad_ luck, as opposed to having a stroke of good luck. old.reddit.com/r/newzealand/c…