Author: Press Room

A woman in her 40s has died following what police have described as “a water-related incident” off Maraetai Beach, in east Auckland, this afternoon.Police said in a statement that emergency services were called to the scene around 3.30pm.”Attempts to resuscitate the woman were unsuccessful and she died at the scene,” the statement said.Water Safety NZ reported 57 drowning fatalities so far in 2024, seven fewer than the 10 year average.

ASB Bank services are back up and running after customers reported issues accessing the bank’s mobile app and online banking services on Saturday morning. In an update on X, the bank said the ASB mobile app and other online banking services were now back up and running as normal. Earlier on Saturday, it said it was aware some customers were having issues accessing the ASB mobile app and other online banking services. “Our teams are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. “Credit and debit card payments are not affected. “We’re sorry for the inconvenience and thanks for…

A new round of New Zealand Defence Force recruits are learning to deactivate lethal explosives to prepare for work in war zones around the world – and bases and camps closer to home.The explosive ordnance disposal trade is a small speciality in our military, where recruits learn to locate, identify, destroy, or deactivate ammunition and explosives.”They can have quite catastrophic consequences if they don’t get it right,” NZDF senior instructor Matt Dyson told 1News.The initial trade training requires courses spread across two years, before participants go off to the Army and Air Force to start new jobs.To help with training,…

This week’s key events presented by Euronews’ senior energy and environment reporter Robert Hodgson Key diary datesMonday 28 October: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) releases annual 10 New Insights in Climate Science 2024 policy report, ahead of  COP29. Wednesday 30 October: Ex-Finnish President Sauli Niinisto will present Ursula von der Leyen with a report on defence preparedness.Thursday 31 October: Former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta, and Mairead McGuinness, European Commissioner, Financial services, financial stability and Capital Markets Union discuss investment at the International banking Conference in Madrid.In spotlightADVERTISEMENTThere are now just two weeks to go before world leaders gather in the Azeri capital Baku to pay hommage to the goal…

Aurora Energy could be allowed more room to invest in network capacity in Queenstown and Central Otago and to shore up electricity supply. If the extra capital expenditure is permitted, the result will flow into customer bills from 2026. It would likely have a “relatively modest” impact on consumer bills in the Central Otago and Wānaka pricing area, and a lower impact in the Dunedin and Queenstown zones, the Commerce Commission said. The commission last week released a draft decision that would permit Aurora to have an additional allowance on top of the previously agreed price path. The pricing plan…

The construction of more than 300 new houses will begin next month as part of a build-to-rent project in Auckland.Simplicity Living, owned by KiwiSaver provider Simplicity, now has resource consent for its Remuera development purchased from Ellerslie Racecourse.Managing director Shane Brealey said it was a great location — close to schools, a supermarket and a hospital, and rents will be affordable.”We are looking for residents that are looking for a secure tenure, more affordable rental opportunity for their housing solution and because we’re very efficient in our design and construction and delivery, we don’t have to push the rents like…

The two prime ministers inaugurated the Tata Aircraft Complex in Vadodara, boosting India’s defence sector with the Airbus-Tata partnership producing C-295 planes. ADVERTISEMENTIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez inaugurated India’s first private military aircraft plant in Vadodara in an effort to boost the Asian country’s defence and aerospace manufacturing.The two leaders were in the Indian state of Gujarat to launch the Tata Aircraft Complex, which will manufacture Airbus C-295 transport planes for the Indian Air Force in partnership with Airbus Spain.Sanchez, greeted by the country’s cheering crowds, said the project was a triumph of Modi’s…

New Zealand will become one of the first countries in the world to test out Apple’s latest innovation in health.The company will launch a new clinical-grade hearing test users can take at home and transform its new AirPods Pro 2 into hearing aids for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.”There are more than a billion people around the world with mild to moderate hearing loss,” said Apple’s Vice President of Health, Dr. Sumbul Desai.“There’s a lot we can do to improve their well-being and quality of life, and that’s why this was so important to us.”The technology works to…

At least six people were injured in a Russian strike on a Kharkiv apartment building, while two men were killed in Kherson. ADVERTISEMENTAt least six people have been injured following a Russian strike on a nine-storey apartment building in Kharkiv.According to Kharkiv’s Mayor Ihor Terekhov, emergency crews scrambled to rescue residents in the early hours of Monday. A 16-year-old girl was among the casualties as three apartments on the upper floors were destroyed.In the port city of Kherson, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on the Telegram messaging app that an elderly man was killed after a drone dropped explosives on him,…

Law changes proposed for alcohol sales rules will treat West Aucklanders like adults by scrapping the alcohol licensing trust monopolies, an ACT MP says.Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify that the bill would abolish alcohol licensing trust monopolies, not the trusts themselves.Currently, publicly-owned alcohol licensing trusts operate in West Auckland — as well as Invercargill and Mataura in Southland — are used to run hotels, taverns and off-licences, with the profits going back to the community.But if passed, MP Simon Court’s member’s bill would abolish all alcohol licensing trust monopolies.The current system is a mess, with confusing inconsistencies,…