Author: Press Room

The Prime Minister says he is “open” to New Zealand providing peacekeepers in Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached. Luxon’s comments come as top US and Russian officials plan to meet in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to discuss an end to the war – without Kyiv’s involvement – and European leaders held a crisis meeting in the wake of the US President Donald Trump’s overtures to Russia.Asked whether New Zealand would be prepared to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of any ceasefire, Christopher Luxon told RNZ that was something he would consider. “I think that is something…

By Phil Pennington of RNZ  Rocket Lab is poised to launch a satellite from Mahia Peninsula for a United States company looking to bolster military and spying operations. BlackSky’s plan is to add laser optic links later to its Gen-3 satellites to give “war-fighters real-time access to imagery during time-sensitive military operations worldwide”. It comes shortly after Rocket Lab won a part in a mega-deal to help develop hypersonic weapons for the Pentagon, prompting the firm to state it was “ready to serve the US Department of Defense”. The New York-listed, New Zealand-born company has also completed a design review…

Kāinga Ora has ended the tenancy of a tenant in Whangārei’s Tikipunga over allegations cats were being shot and neighbours threatened.Warning: This story contains details which some readers may find distressing.It comes after, in an unrelated case, Danielle Leaf-Marsh was evicted after what neighbours said was “psychological torture” from her parties and loud music.Another tenant, Roger Woodgate, had his Kāinga Ora tenancy of a Tikipunga property terminated at the end of January.The Tenancy Tribunal was told he was the sole resident of a two-bedroom property, and the tenancy had started on October 14, 2024.But Kāinga Ora said he had assaulted…

The Ukrainian President said he did not want any “coincidences” after his country was not invited to talks between the US and Russia in the Saudi Arabian city of Riyadh. ADVERTISEMENTUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he’s cancelled his scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia to avoid what he called “coincidences” following a meeting between US and Russian officials in Riyadh.Zelenskyy’s announcement came as he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks in Ankara, during which he said any Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations shouldn’t take place “behind the backs” of the parties involved.”We are completely honest and open. That’s why…

Police have appealed for information after a possible sighting of fugitive father Tom Phillips and his children alongside a state highway over the weekend in the first possible sighting of the family since October last year.A member of the public called police on Sunday to report four people dressed in camouflage sitting in a layby on State Highway 4, south of Te Kuiti, at around 8.30am.The sighting was around 100m south of the Tikitiki Rd intersection with Aramatai Rd.Police said the group was comprised of an adult, believed to be a man, and three other people, two of which were…

New Zealand’s new tourism slogan ‘Everyone must go’ which aims to attract Australians to visit has hit the international headlines. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Tourism Minister Louise Upston launched the Australian part of the tourism campaign last Sunday. Upston said it would cost taxpayers $500,000 and be followed by more campaigns targeting other places. RNZ then reported that the Green Party said the slogan could by applied to the long bathroom queues at local facilities, while Labour said it made New Zealand sound like a clearance-sale item. Media in the United States and United Kingdom have reported on the controversy…

Customs seized an estimated 101kg of cocaine at Auckland Airport over the weekend in what is believed to be the largest bust at a New Zealand airport.Officers identified bags of interest arriving on a Hawaiian Airlines flight on February 15.On examination, 85 bricks of a substance wrapped in black film and a clear plastic wrapping were found, with initial testing indicating a positive result for cocaine.This amount of cocaine was estimated to have a street value of NZ$35.4 million and to cause up to NZ$37.8 million in social harm and cost to New Zealanders.Customs seized an estimated 101kg of cocaine…

The Vatican has said Pope Francis has bilateral pneumonia but remains in good spirits. ADVERTISEMENTThe Vatican announced on Tuesday evening that Pope Francis has developed pneumonia in both lungs, after new tests showed a further complication in the condition of the 88-year-old pontiff.The pope’s respiratory infection also involves asthmatic bronchitis, which requires the use of cortisone antibiotic treatment. “Laboratory tests, chest X-ray, and the Holy Father’s clinical condition continue to present a complex picture,” the Vatican said. As a young man, Pope Francis had the upper lobe of his right lung removed.Nevertheless, the pope remains in good spirits, said Vatican…

The head of Stats NZ will exit his role and three service providers have been temporarily suspended from new contracts with some government agencies as an inquiry into alleged Census and health data misuse found major breakdowns in processes. Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche today released the findings of an inquiry into the protection of personal information collected during the 2023 Census and during the Covid-19 vaccination drive, spurred by allegations raised in the media last year.The inquiry did not make any findings as to specific allegations levelled publicly, however, it did conclude there was a raft of poor…

Queenstown’s most famous burger joint has fired a staff member and promised to do better after a racial slur was left on a customer’s docket. A Taiwanese tourist was shocked when she saw the server had written a slur used against Asian people on her receipt when she visited Fergburger with friends on Sunday. Not wanting to be named, she turned to social media and local tour guide Roxie Fu, who on Monday told the Otago Daily Times “the staff in Fergburger did not ask for the girl’s name, relying on calling out the number on the receipt to let her know…