A man carrying a hammer and a meat cleaver attacked a high-profile anti-mafia priest in Rome during a march against organised crime this week. Father Antonio Coluccia is known for his efforts to rescue young people from the drug trade. Coluccia immediately vowed the assault won’t interrupt his work. “I will continue my fight which Read more
All the monks, including the abbot, in a Buddhist temple in central Thailand, have been dismissed after they tested positive for methamphetamine. Nearby villagers were concerned they could not do any merit-making by donating food to monks. But a District official Boonlert Thintapthai said more monks would be sent to the temple to allow villagers Read more
Two drug policy experts have identified gaps and challenges in New Zealand’s proposal for legalizing recreational cannabis. Associate Professor Chris Wilkins and Dr Marta Rychert of Massey University argue in Addiction that New Zealand’s Cannabis Legislation and Control Bill (CLCB) needs to be strengthened in two critical areas: Set a formal minimum price for cannabis Read more
The Salvation Army Church has arrived in Samoa. They began their mission last Sunday at their Worship and Community Centre in Moto’otua. Lat year a delegation from Auckland met with the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoito seeking permission for the Army to establish a presence in Samoa. As a result of the meeting, Sa’ilele wrote asking the Army to Read more
A Palmerston North family has been flung into social media stardom after a video of them feeding the homeless went viral. “Maybe when people see a patched gang member like myself doing this kind of thing in the community, they might change their perceptions,” said Te Kaipo Ahuriri, Tūhoe. A Facebook video has reached more Read more
Melanie* knows there’s nothing in her home or mannerisms that would point to her past. Plainly dressed in khakis and a large grey cardigan, her fine tawny hair pulled back in a loose bun, she fidgets only slightly, running her long fingers heavy with rings repeatedly around her eyes. She doesn’t feel qualified to talk about getting Read more
At the beginning of my sophomore year of high school, a close family friend passed away. The day of the wake, I went to school and informed my friend that I was feeling extremely anxious about having to go to one for the first time. That friend handed me two pills, telling me that they Read more
Comedian and actor Robin Williams died on August 11, 2014. According to local law enforcement authorities, he probably died by suicide. Williams had it all: a rare talent, a great career, family, friends. However, talent, wealth, fame, family, and friends can mean nothing when you suffer from an acute, deep depression, and believe you have Read more
According to doctors as many as one in five Australians has a problem with substance use and and many of those people will develop an addiction.The annual cost to the community is estimated at $50 billion. That is more each year than the entire National Broadband Network is predicted to cost to build over 10 Read more
St Peter’s College and Hato Paora College have joined other 9 other schools in the Manawatu in proposing a blanket boycott of all legal-high retailers throughout the wider Manawatu region. Their support has added weight to a Palmerston North mother’s campaign to stop retailers in the Manawatu from selling legal highs. Esther McLean has proposed Read more