Author: Press Room

Two large power companies are proposing a near $2 billion merger.Contact Energy, a full power generator and retailer, said it reached an agreement to take over electricity generator Manawa Energy.Contact would pay a combination of cash and its own shares to the equivalent of $5.95 for each Manawa share, which last traded just over $4, valuing the deal at just under $1.9b.It would also pay off Manawa’s debt which was reported as $81m in bank loans and $372.7m in bonds as at March 31, 2024.Contact’s chief executive Mike Fuge said the merger would make Contact more resilient and would diversify…

The two diplomats reached the Ukrainian capital by train from Poland on Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENTUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday for talks with top Ukrainian officials.Ukraine has been pressing its allies to allow the use of Western-supplied long-range missiles on targets in Russia, particularly after Blinken accused Iran of providing Moscow with Fath-369 short-range ballistic missiles at a news conference in London.“We hope that long-range equipment for strikes on the territory of our enemy will be reached and we will have it,” Ukrainian PM Denys Shmyhal told Lammy. “We hope…

Justin Timberlake is scheduled to enter a new plea in his drunken driving case in New York’s Hamptons, prosecutors said. Details of the plea set to be entered this week weren’t disclosed, but a person with knowledge of the deal said Timberlake has agreed to plead guilty to a less serious offence than the original charge of driving while intoxicated.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly about the case.Timberlake’s attorney, Edward Burke, declined to comment.The pop singer is set to appear in person in Sag Harbour Village Court…

A review into the flood that devastated Wairoa in June has found Hawke’s Bay Regional Council lacked a proper plan for managing the river mouth — and did not listen to locals who called for action before heavy rain was forecast.The Government commissioned the urgent review after more than 400 properties flooded when heavy rain pelted Wairoa on June 26.There was huge public backlash towards the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council for not digging a channel to let the rising river release into the sea sooner — known as “opening the bar”.The review by Mike Bush of Bush International Consulting, released…

All the latest military updates on the war in Ukraine. ADVERTISEMENTAt the end of August Ukraine presented to the US a list of potential targets in Russia that Kyiv aims to hit during its winter campaign.The list included airfields used by Russia to launch attacks on Ukrainian cities, which are within ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) range. According to the ISW, there are 245 military and paramilitary objects on the list.Watch our full video report above for more information.

A design comprising of more than 100 blue and white panels has been unveiled at the City Rail Link’s Karanga-a-Hape Station in Auckland.The CRL, a 3.45km underground rail link, is expected to be completed late next year, Auckland Transport’s website said.The development will include two new stations: Te Waihorotiu and Karanga-a-Hape.This morning, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland iwi led a dawn blessing at the Karanga-a-Hape site, which is located at Mercury Lane near Karangahape Road.Each of the panels contains “a selection of blue and white aluminium fins, to complete what is known as the station’s sky element”.”Their diamond pattern design represents Te…

Malmö in southern Sweden and Copenhagen in Denmark have faced escalating gang violence in recent years, which has intensified over the summer to the point where police from both countries are now operating across borders. ADVERTISEMENTWhen you walk around Malmö all appears to be very idyllic. But under the surface, there’s a less romantic truth. The Swedish city and Copenhagen on the other side of the Öresund strait, that separates Denmark and Sweden, have been hit hard by gang violence over the summer. Danish police report that three people have been killed and at least 25 attacks or attempted attacks…

A four-wheel-drive ban on a North Canterbury river during bird-nesting season could be extended.The Waimakariri District Council will consider a proposal from the Department of Conservation to close the upper Ashley Rakahuri River to vehicles while birds are nesting.Mayor Dan Gordon said he has requested staff to prepare a report for next month’s council meeting, after conservation staff addressed the council recently.”I have requested a report from staff to outline what options are available.”The lower Ashley River from the confluence of the Okuku River to the mouth, which is managed by Environment Canterbury, already has a vehicle ban during nesting…

Mario Draghi’s anticipated report received mixed reactions, with green groups accusing him of ‘dismissing the ecological crisis’ and the finance industry acclaiming the bulky report’s call for ‘massive investment’ amid austerity fears. ADVERTISEMENTFormer European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi called for significant additional investments up to at least €750-800bn each year — around 4.4-4.7% of EU GDP for decarbonisation, digitalisation, and defence — for the EU to catch up with global competitors like China and the US. Draghi outlined 170 proposals across several policy sectors with a particular focus on the clean and digital transitions. But how did European industry and…

REPORT: TIM SCOTT / PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY Bulk carrier Norse Innoshima docks at Port Otago’s Ravensbourne fertiliser pier yesterday. Port Otago commercial manager Craig Usher said the 183m-long, 25,240-gross ton vessel was on its maiden voyage to Dunedin, arriving from Timaru on Tuesday morning. The vessel was berthed at the Ravensdown works for discharge of fertiliser and was visiting for about 48 hours. It was not often the port welcomed a new-build vessel, but this was the second time this year a large vessel had arrived that was built in 2024, Mr Usher said. “Welcoming a new vessel to our wharves is always a pleasure.…