Author: Press Room

The first dissection of the world’s rarest whale will be carried out in Dunedin this week.The male spade-toothed whale washed ashore at the Taieri River mouth in July.The 5m-long whale has been carefully preserved to allow local Māori and a team of scientists to learn as much as possible about the marine mammal. “It’s quite important for us in that according to our beliefs and our traditions, this whale is a gift from Tangaroa, deity of the ocean,” Ngāi Tahu’s Tūmai Cassidy told 1News. International marine biologist Dr Joy Reidenberg is among a team of scientists — from here and…

European Commission top brass set to visit steel multinational’s Belgian plant this week in the wake of a warning that low-carbon steel projects won’t go ahead without further policy support from Brussels. ADVERTISEMENTArcelorMittal’s decision to put on ice plans for a switch to hydrogen-based ‘green’ steel production at sites across Europe has been met with alarm from climate campaigners and renewable energy producers.“This is a setback for green steel production in Europe,” the trade association RenewableH2 told Euronews. “Renewable hydrogen and renewable electricity are the duo that will deeply decarbonise steel production and strengthen its competitiveness here in Europe.”“The new…

The world’s top 100 arms producing companies recorded profits of almost 600 billion last year, benefiting from wars in Gaza and Ukraine and a generally tense geopolitical situation. ADVERTISEMENTCompanies producing arms and military services increased their profits across the world by 4.2% reaching profits of €598 billion in 2023, according to an analysis by the Stockholm International Peace Institute (SIPRI).In Europe, arms companies profits increased by 0.2%, a relatively smaller regional increase that doesn’t accurately reflect an increase in orders and demand, according to the study.The top arms companies that held their spot in the top 100 are pan-European company…

The start of summer is forecast to be very warm for many areas of the country, with some places topping 30 degrees this coming week.NIWA Meteorologist Chris Brandolino said eastern parts of both islands were set to be the hottest.”Even as early as Monday tomorrow we’ll find temperatures reaching well into the 20s, but it’s really Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday where we’ll find probably three consecutive days at least where the highest temperatures reach 30 or higher; Hawke’s Bay, Canterbury, Marlborough, even parts of interior Otago.”Even outside those areas, places like the Waikato, the Auckland region and Northland will find temperatures…

An Air New Zealand flight from Wellington to Sydney diverted to Auckland this afternoon after experiencing an “engine issue” an hour into the flight, the airline says.Flight NZ249 from Wellington to Sydney departed Wellington shortly before 3pm on Sunday.The website FlightRadar24.com showed the aircraft diverting sharply toward Auckland shortly after leaving Wellington.Head of flight operations Hugh Pearce said the engine was shut down and the aircraft was diverted to Auckland as is standard operating procedure. It landed safely just after 5.20pm, he added.”The matter will now be investigated. Customers will rebooked on the next available service. We thank them for…

Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins has pledged at the party’s annual conference in Christchurch if elected in 2026 his government would resume SmokeFree Aotearoa, complete Dunedin Hospital’s rebuild and said NZ would not join AUKUS.Beginning his closing address to the party’s annual conference in Christchurch, Hipkins said: “We are going to make this the first one-term National government in New Zealand’s history.”Labour would bring together government, businesses, unions, researchers, innovators and the social sector to tackle the problems of today and tomorrow, he said.”We need a vision and a plan and this government has neither,” he said.”We can change the…

The issue of immigration is a prime target for misinformation in countries across Europe, and Portugal is no exception. EuroVerify takes a look at some of the claims by the Portuguese far right. ADVERTISEMENTAndré Ventura, leader of the far-right Chega party, recently claimed that 20% of Portugal’s current prisoners are foreigners, making a clear link between immigration and crime levels.At a recent demonstration in Porto, Ventura said that crime in the city had increased by 9% in the past year and that 30% of arrests made in general are foreigners.”We know that 20% of the current prison population are also…

A historical re-enactment has taken place in Dunedin today to mark 150 years since the first trout was caught legally in New Zealand.Alexander Campbell Begg caught the first trout under licence in the Water of Leith on December 1, 1874 – the first day of the then-Otago Acclimatisation Society’s three-month trout fishing season.The Otago branch of Fish & Game recreated the historic moment on the Leith and invited some of Begg’s descendants.Alexander Campbell Begg. (Source: Otago Daily Times)His great-great granddaughter Lal Mulligan had the original fishing rod at her home and was unaware of its significance until someone from Fish…

The National Rally (RN) could topple the government of French Prime Minister Michel Barnier over its proposed 2025 social security budget. ADVERTISEMENTFrance’s far-right National Rally (RN) party threatened again on Monday to back a no-confidence vote over a budget dispute that could bring down Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s centre-right government within days.RN president Jordan Bardella said that his party would trigger the motion unless “there is a last-minute miracle” over the proposed 2025 social security budget that aims to save the state €60 billion through tax increases and spending cuts. The party’s mainstay Marine Le Pen had previously given Barnier…

Twelve people were arrested and more than 180 infringement notices were issued as police monitored a gang gathering in rural Nelson today.Just one of the dozen arrests was for wearing gang insignia which became illegal under legislation that came into force last week.Other arrests were for breaching bail and release conditions, drug possession, and driving offences.Three vehicles were impounded by police and 182 infringement notices were handed out.Around 2800 breath screening tests had been conducted at checkpoints around the Nelson area since Friday morning. Just two returned over the legal limit. Tasman district commander Superintendent Tracey Thompson said locals that…