Author: Press Room

Russell Brand got out of a sleek black Mercedes and took his first steps toward a court where he faces charges of rape and sexual assault in a scene far removed from a walk down a Hollywood red carpet.The actor-comedian, wearing a black collared shirt open to his midsection and sporting a gold cross, was quickly mobbed by cameras. He stood bolt upright and paced slowly forward through a crush of media and onlookers, protected by a ring of bodyguards and uniformed police officers.The comedian, author and Get Him To The Greek actor gave a thumbs-up motion as he entered…

The main road to Akaroa on Banks Peninsula is still blocked, days after intense rainfall flooded State Highway 75.The highway from Christchurch has been closed from Motukarara to Little River since Wednesday night, and extreme caution is still advised on the remainder of the route to Akaroa.Photos and videos shared by residents on social media show fallen trees and other major damage on the highway, which is the only road connecting communities like Akaroa to the rest of Canterbury.Cracks in Lighthouse Road in Akaroa. (Source: Christchurch City Council)Aerial footage captured by the Christchurch City Council on Thursday evening showed farmland…

ADVERTISEMENTAt least three people have been injured after a car drove into a group of people in the southwestern Germany city of Stuttgart, police have said.The city’s police said in a post on social media that the incident happened Olgaeck district and that traffic restrictions are in place in much of the city centre.The driver of the car was arrested at the scene, police said.String of similar attacksGermany has seen a spate of such incidents in recent years.Two people died on 13 February after they were injured in a car-ramming attack on a labour union demonstration in Munich.Some 39 people…

ADVERTISEMENTGlobal economic turbulence is not shaking the determination of Europeans to travel this summer.A new consumer study of 20 European countries found that the vast majority (70%) – won’t hold back on leisure spending and are planning to tick off at least one experience from their bucket list.Travel and tourism are the most important activities for 89% of experience-seekers. Also, 32% of them say they are ready to spend over €1,000 on it.Gen Z and men more inclined towards holiday spendingAccording to the Mastercard report, Gen Z is the most hedonistic generation. Nearly half of the respondents (48%) in that…

Mr Mod is at peace with letting go a large mid-century collection of often rare design in his “grand finale”, Tim Cronshaw writes. A celestial globe picked up at a flea market is perhaps Ross Morrison’s greatest find over a lifetime of dealing and trading in decorative arts. The Christchurch collector and dealer, specialising in the mid century movement of interior design, could at once see the value of the 1810 spherical antique made by the Cary globe-maker family. “I found that in a flea market in California. First of all I saw the base sitting on the ground and I realised…

ADVERTISEMENTThe Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson, says there is an “absolute need to get control on migration,” in an interview with Euronews.He reiterated his proposal to significantly increase the amount of money Sweden offers to migrants as a financial incentive to leave the country. The current grant is €900 per adult. However, this initiative has had limited success so far. In 2023, only one out of 70 applications was approved, according to the Swedish Migration Agency.To reverse this trend, a new government proposal would raise the amount to €32,000, an increase of 3,400%.Though the concept of financial incentives for…

Auckland and Northland’s emergency medical response capabilities have been boosted with a new air ambulance helicopter.Associate Health Minister Hon Casey Costello and ACC Minister Scott Simpson unveiled the new helicopter as part of a national fleet upgrade designed to improve aeromedical services across the country.Speaking at Northern Rescue’s Ardmore base where the aircraft was now stationed, Costello said the helicopter represented a “major advancement” in aeromedical service delivery.”We are pleased to see it become operational in this part of the country.”The Leonardo AW169 aircraft, the first of its kind to enter service under this initiative, features enhanced safety, improved flight…

ADVERTISEMENTManfred Weber, president of the European People’s Party (EPP), no longer views the US as the stabilising global force it once was.In an exclusive interview with Euronews, he expressed concern over what he described as “disruptive and erratic behaviour” during the early Trump administration, which is now 100 days into its work reshaping the global order.”In a world where America is not anymore the stable anchor and gives not this kind of orientation, Europe is even more asked to do so. And again, the biggest party of Europe must provide Europe exactly with this thinking and this content,” Weber said.The…

A person has died in a serious accident at the Te Anau transfer station this afternoon.Police were called to the incident about 3.30pm.Southland District Council group manager Fran Mikulicic said the whole of council was shocked and saddened by the tragedy.“All our thoughts and sympathy are with the family of the deceased,” she said.Police and council contractor WasteCo staff were on site at the transfer station.The investigation would continue for some time, the council said, and WorkSafe had been notified of the accident. WasteCo was contracted by Southland District Council to operate the transfer station.The transfer station would be closed…

ADVERTISEMENTThe European Commission is sticking to its estimate that member states could spend up to €650 billion on defence over the coming four years despite just half of governments requesting more fiscal headway to boost investments in the sector in time. The EU’s executive proposed in March as part of its ‘Readiness 2030’ plan to ramp up defence expenditures to allow member states to request the activation of the national escape clause in the bloc’s Stability and Growth Pact in order to allow them to temporarily deviate from stringent fiscal rules to invest in defence.Under the proposal, member states would…