Author: Press Room

A soldier accused of filming women during sex without their permission laughed about the accusations when confronted about them, a court martial has heard.Corporal Manu Smith is facing three counts of making intimate visual recordings.He has pleaded not guilty.A hearing at the Burnham Military Camp began this morning and is expected to take three days.Smith has been accused of making the recordings of two civilian women, without their knowledge or consent.He has contended he thought he had permission.Prosecutor Flight Lieutenant Hannah O’Byrne told the court both women would say Smith recorded them without asking, and then sent the recordings via…

A jailed businessman has been further sentenced in the Auckland District Court — this time for taking part in the management of a business while bankrupt and concealing property worth more than $1.7 million.Aaron Coupe was jailed for four years in January 2025 for managing companies while prohibited under the Companies Act.His latest sentencing, which took place on June 6, added three years and nine months, which would mean he could serve up to eight years and two months in total, according to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.During his second bankruptcy in 2022, MBIE said Coupe breached restrictions…

Auckland ratepayers will receive new property valuations tomorrow, showing an average 9% drop in residential capital valuations.It comes as the council prepares to roll out a 5.8% average rates increase from July.The new rating valuations, based on property market trends in May 2024, show variations across property types and locations throughout the region, with industrial, lifestyle, and rural properties bucking the downward valuation trend.Auckland Council chief financial officer Ross Tucker said the valuations reflect the economic downturn since the previous valuations in June 2021.”As we know, the last council valuations from June 1, 2021 were completed close to the market…

A third of the cars stopped in Invercargill over two days last week “should not have been on the road”, police say.Southern District Police pulled over 161 vehicles as part of an operation targeting antisocial road user behaviour in the region on Friday and Saturday night.Of that number, 54 were sent for inspection, 12 were issued green stickers, and 16 were slapped with pink stickers.Green stickers indicated compliance issues, while pink stickers signalled the vehicle was unsafe to be driven on the road.The police operation targeted antisocial road user behaviour in Invercargill. (Source: NZ Police )Southland area road policing manager…

The Government has announced another multi-million dollar funding boost for Tourism New Zealand in a bid to attract 72,000 more visitors to our shores.Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said $13.5 million in funding would help to target the core markets of Australia, the United States and China over the next few years.”This investment is expected to generate around $300 million in spending, which is a very strong return on investment,” she said.”International visitor numbers continue to climb and this boost will help drive further economic growth throughout the entire country.”Less than two months ago, she announced a separate $13.5…

New Zealand’s richest people might be getting wealthier, but the same can not be said for the rest of us.The National Business Review released its annual rich list this week, which showed the country’s wealthiest people are collectively worth more than $100 billion, up from $95.55 billion last year.But, over 2024, the net worth of all households declined by $4.185 billion.Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan said average household wealth had fallen since the end of 2021, which was unsurprising given that housing made up about half of household assets.House prices remain well below their 2021 peak.Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan…

Published on 09/06/2025 – 12:40 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTIn yet another massive overnight attack, Russia launched a total of 499 drones and missiles at Ukraine on Monday.According to the official statement by Ukraine’s Air Defence forces, 479 of them have been downed. In a record wave of strikes, Moscow launched 479 Shahed‑type attack drones and various decoy UAVs, four Kh‑47M2 “Kinzhal” air-launched ballistic missiles, 10 Kh‑101 cruise missiles, three Kh‑22 cruise missiles, two Kh‑31P anti‑radar missiles and one Kh‑35 cruise missile.Ukraine reportedly neutralised 479 of the incoming targets, shooting down 292 and jamming 187 via electronic warfare. Head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian…

A woman whose dental implant and bone graft failed and who suffered an undiagnosed infection for eight months says she still has pain, headaches and brain fog four years on, and ended up losing her job as a result.In a report released today, the Health and Disability Commission has criticised the dentist for failing to adequately explain the risks of the procedure, and for poor record-keeping and medication management.The complainant, known as “Ms A”, had an implant-supported crown placed in her upper left central incisor by a specialist periodontist in 2009.However, after two years of problems with the implant starting…

A man has appeared in court charged with attempting to smuggle an estimated 2kg of methamphetamine through Auckland International Airport concealed inside a portable barbecue grill.The foreign national had arrived n Auckland on a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday when he was identified for a baggage search. “Upon examination of the suitcase, a brown cardboard box was located, revealing a portable electric barbeque grill containing two vacuum-sealed packets of methamphetamine concealed under the grill plate,” Customs New Zealand said. A brown box containing the barbecue grill. The methamphetamine had a street value of approximately NZ$600,000 and would have…

Published on 09/06/2025 – 10:15 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTPoland and NATO nations scrambled fighter jets early Monday to secure Polish airspace following Russian airstrikes near its border with western Ukraine, authorities said. The Polish armed forces stated on X that these measures were to ensure security in regions next to at-risk areas over concerns that Russian stray missiles might veer into Poland.”In connection with the intensive air attack of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, activity of Polish and allied aircraft in the Polish airspace began in the morning hours,” the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command said on Monday.The Polish military…