Author: Press Room

Heavy rain and severe northwest gales are set to impact much of the South Island and parts of the lower North Island from tomorrow.A raft of weather warnings and watches have been issued by MetService.”An intense front embedded in a strong and moist northwesterly flow moves north over the South Island on Sunday and onto the North Island on Monday bringing heavy rain, mainly to the west of the South Island,” the forecaster said.”Severe northwest gales are likely to affect many South Island areas and the lower North island.”An orange heavy rain warning is in place for the Westland District,…

France’s Notre Dame Cathedral will open its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed it in 2019. More than a thousand world leaders, dignitaries and worshippers are set to attend the reopening celebration on Saturday evening. ADVERTISEMENTThe iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, is set to reopen its doors on Saturday for the first time since a fire in 2019 nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark.The relatively swift restoration of the cathedral – which took nearly two centuries to build – is seen as a win for French President Emmanuel Macron who had championed an ambitious,…

Lotto’s Powerball jackpot has grown to $20 million after no tickets won it this evening.Tonight’s winning numbers were 27, 16, 3, 24, 7, 29, bonus ball 13 and Powerball 9.However, three lucky players from Auckland, Napier and Upper Hutt will share $1 million, winning $333,333 each with Lotto First Division.The winning tickets were sold at Andrew Spence Pharmacy in Napier, Pak’nSave Upper Hutt in Upper Hutt, and on MyLotto to a player from Auckland.Strike’s major prize was also not won this evening and will be $500,000 on Wednesday night.

Analysis: New research shows how vaping addiction is affecting New Zealand’s youth, writes Anna DeMello.Vaping rates among young people continue to be a major public health concern, both in Aotearoa New Zealand and elsewhere.New vape legislation currently before the health select committee proposes a ban on disposable vapes and restrictions on retailers (except specialist vape shops) which would no longer be able to display vaping products.Currently, vaping products are widely available and aggressive marketing of youth-oriented designs and flavours has encouraged experimentation among young people.These products contain nicotine and have powerful addictive potential. They also carry other risks, such as…

A hero who saved worshippers during the Christchurch mosque shootings and a police officer who was fatality shot while trying to assist his partner are among those to be recognised for acts of bravery today. They are among a group of 38 Kiwis awarded for their actions during acts of bravery in some of New Zealand’s most high-profile events of recent years. Those being recognised in the 2024 New Zealand Bravery Awards have been honoured for their work to try and save lives during tragedies including the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, the 2021 Dunedin supermarket stabbing, the 2021 New Lynn…

In this edition, we look at whether TikTok’s algorithms could have swayed the Romanian presidential elections, and ask if Europe should ban under-16s from social media. ADVERTISEMENTOur guests are Petros Fassoulas, Secretary General of European Movement, TikTok influencer Soundous Boualam and Robert Taylor from New Direction.The panel reflected on the rise of TikTok over the past few years. Topping the first round of presidential elections in Romania two weeks ago was Călin Georgescu, an unknown populist, triggering a number of reflections on the role played by the social media network’s algorithms.Rival candidate Elena Lasconi has said Russian bots were responsible…

As a new report highlights the grim reality of the 50,000 New Zealand women it calls “unhoused, unnoticed and unsafe”, Indepth reporter Gill Higgins investigates the story of one of those – Cheyenne of Tauranga – and talks to her sister Misty, who’s determined to help the sister she loves into a home of her own. Watch this story on our home for news, indepth and consumer stories TVNZ+Most of us are free to ignore the growing group of homeless people in New Zealand, but Misty from Hamilton doesn’t have that option. Misty is a young mum, but it’s not…

A Russian attack on Ukraine’s southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia has killed at least nine people and wounded close to 20 others, according to Governor of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Ivan Fedorov. ADVERTISEMENTFootage released by Ukraine’s State Emergency Service showed firefighters putting out fierce fires on Friday night in the aftermath of the deadly attack. Air raid alerts sounded across the city from 17:00 local time (16:00 CET) as Ukraine’s Air Force warned of more potential attacks. Fedorov says the Russian shelling of Zaporizhzhia targeted a service station, which was destroyed, and caused damage to several nearby homes, businesses and vehicles on the streets.Fedorov called…

A Taranaki farmer, who has been ordered to pay $180,000 over his objection to the Mt Messenger Bypass route on State Highway 3, says the decision will ruin him.The Environment Court awarded the costs to the Minister for Land Information after earlier ruling 11 hectares of Tony and Debbie Pascoe’s farm required for the project could be purchased under the Public Works Act.Tony Pascoe said the couple, who farm beef cattle in Mangapēpeke Valley, would be left with no home and no way to make a living.”How are we going to survive? I’ve worked hard all my life and then…

It’s hatching season for the endangered tarapirohe, or black-fronted tern, along the banks of the Clarence River in the Kaikōura Ranges.But, over the course of three nights, one feral cat destroyed a colony of 94 nests, with only eight surviving.Speaking to Breakfast this morning, ecologist Baylee Connor McClean, who had been monitoring the tarapirohe population, said the number of birds had plunged from 180 to 20.Although some of those were adults that had left their nests, McClean said it meant about 60 chicks had been killed.“We had 20 cameras set up over different nests and, on the same three nights,…