Author: Press Room

Published on 19/08/2025 – 7:45 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has intensified a specific kind of propaganda campaign, which consists of digitally altering and faking news reports from mainstream news outlets. For instance, a news segment which was aired on the Euronews programme Good Morning Romania in February recently surfaced on pro-Russian social media accounts and Telegram channels. They took a statement made by Cristian Diaconescu, head of Romania’s presidential chancellery, out of context, to make it seem like he supported the idea of Romania leaving NATO and joining Russia. “Romania must join Russia. We…

A man who was convicted of fatally stabbing a fellow homeless man then mutilating his ears will have his case heard by the Court of Appeal — 27 years after he was jailed.Warning: This article includes details of graphic violence and sexual assault.Lon Reti was found guilty of murdering Leslie Edmonds at a squatters’ house in central Christchurch in 1997. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and remains in prison.But a three-year investigation by the Criminal Cases Review Commission has found evidence related to Reti’s personal history and mental health was not put before the court. The CCRC released its…

ADVERTISEMENT They say that inspiration comes from the most unexpected places. But who would have thought that a public office setting could inspire romantic – and oftentimes dark and even forbidden- erotic fantasies?  Those politicians from Spain, France, Austria or the UK used their own experience and put on paper their romantic or sexual life. Here are their stories.  Think of this not as a reading list, but as a peek into a rather unexpected literary niche.  Thomas Oberreiter, Austrian Ambassador to the European Union (2023-2025) At the end of July, a story made jaws drop in Brussels: Austria’s representative…

OPINION: The AI future will require unprecedented amounts of power, and embracing nuclear energy is an obvious, clean solution that could boost the NZ economy for generations. But do we have a leader with the courage? By Thomas ScrimgeourArtificial Intelligence is transforming our world, though not in the way most people imagine. While the knowledge industry revolution is still around the corner, the warehouse-sized computers driving this innovation can’t be built fast enough.Data centres already consume roughly 2% of global electricity, which is more than 10 times New Zealand’s annual generation, and this figure is projected to double by 2026.…

OPINION: The government says the planned charge is a fairer way to pay for road maintenance, but why stop there? Professor of human geography Simon Kingham outlines some potential opportunities. The government heralded its plan to move New Zealand’s entire vehicle fleet to road-user charges as a fairer method of funding road maintenance.For owners of electric and diesel vehicles, this is nothing new. They already pay road-user charges based on the distance travelled.What you need to know as road user charges coming for all vehicles – watch on TVNZ+But for petrol vehicles, it is a shift away from fuel excise…

Much of the North Island can expect rain today, with there also being a risk of thunderstorms, while some roads in the South Island have been affected by snow. MetService said this morning that “most areas” in the North Island would experience some rain today. Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay “should stay dry until the afternoon”, MetService said. It said there was a risk of thunderstorms across the North Island, with “short bursts of heavy rain expected at times”. Wellington could also expect windier conditions, made up of southerlies gusting at about 100km/h in exposed places. The region was under a…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ Staff at media company Stuff have voted to take strike action. It is understood they are unhappy about the company’s plans to split their collective agreement into two, which they feel would reduce their bargaining power. The company separated into two different entities last year. Stuff Digital administers stuff.co.nz, Neighbourly and its audio and video divisions. Newspaper brands and their own websites like The Post, The Press and The Waikato Times are run by Masthead Publishing. Trade Me recently took a 50 percent stake in Stuff Digital, which staff are understood to feel should enable…

It was only a few months ago that US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last met in the Oval Office, but today’s face-to-face between the two leaders looked markedly different.For much of their February exchange, during which Trump and Vice President JD Vance blasted Zelensky as “disrespectful” and warned about future American support for his country, Zelensky crossed his arms and looked askance at the US leaders. There was a moment of laughter in the White House when the reporter who previously criticised the Ukrainian President’s choice of attire complimented today’s look. (Source: Associated Press)The presidents often…

A teenager who died after crashing a tractor was eating, drinking and using his phone before the vehicle left the road.Trenton Karl Jones, 18, died from severe head and neck injuries after the tractor he was driving crashed through a barrier and rolled down a steep bank on Queen Charlotte Drive near Cullen’s Point in the Marlborough Sounds on October 21, 2021.In findings released on Tuesday, Coroner Rachael Schmidt-McCleave said the 18-year-old’s death was entirely preventable. But she did recommend Marlborough District Council should install a metal barrier at the site to prevent similar deaths in future.”Had [Jones] been fully…

The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including Zelensky’s suit becomes hot topic at peace summit, a cold blast on the way, and Auckland FC lures new signing back home. After he was heckled for his attire at a meeting in February, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky had a warmer welcome to peace talks at The White House today. Hamas has reportedly agreed to the terms of a new ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar. There’s a wintry blast on the way, with snow and thunderstorms possible. New rules around foreign buyers entering the housing market could narrow the eligibility, says…