Author: Press Room

The US-based Institute for the Study of War says the use of conscripts in Kursk is a domestic ‘vulnerability’ for the Russian president. ADVERTISEMENTUkraine’s chief commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said his forces have captured some 600 Russian soldiers since the start of their cross-border incursion into Kursk region three weeks ago.It is believed that most of these prisoners of war are conscripts. Young and relatively inexperienced soldiers, who probably thought they would not see any real fighting in their mandatory year-long military service.They would certainly not have expected to see combat on Russian territory. But analysts believe they currently make up…

An Air New Zealand flight from Auckland to Wellington was forced to turn around this morning amid high winds in the capital.”There are high winds in Wellington which could disrupt some flights,” a spokesperson for the airline said.”NZ417 has returned to Auckland and customers will be accommodated on the next available service. “We advise customers to keep an eye on the Air New Zealand app or the arrivals and departures page on our website.”Flight tracking website flightradar24 showed the plane circled Wellington before heading back to Auckland.The Air New Zealand website shows a number of other flights arriving into the…

Adele’s Munich residency venue is set to become the world’s first portable stadium.The singer will play her final show in the German city on Saturday and the 74,000-capacity purpose-built structure could be used to hold major concerts around the globe – much like the ABBA Arena constructed in East London for their digital Voyage concert residency.A music insider told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “It would have been a catastrophic loss of money for an entire stadium to be built only for these 10 Adele shows, even though the tickets aren’t cheap. But a load of different superstars, such as…

A New Zealand skydiver has died in Australia after a landing went wrong during a group jump earlier this week.Liam Newman, 25, died at a rural property in western Queensland on Tuesday. His workplace iFLY Brisbane Indoor Skydiving confirmed his death in a post on social media.”He was a much-loved staff member of our team and our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.”The Australian Parachute Federation (APF) said Newman was an experienced skydiver.”[He had] successfully landed more than 600 jumps since taking up the adventure sport in 2022.”The federation said it believed his parachute opened and functioned…

One cancer patient’s survival chances have been cut dramatically after a six-month wait for a bone marrow transplant.He is now having to repeat a gruelling – and expensive – chemotherapy to get back to the stage he was at the start of the year, so he can undergo the procedure.According to advocates, increasing wait times for transplants are putting lives at risk, and also costing the health system more.Alex* was diagnosed with an aggressive blood cancer just over a year ago and given a 50/50 chance of survival. That was sobering news for the 40-something father-of-one, a relative of an…

Rolling out rooftop solar and batteries to more homes will cut the cost of living and secure an increasingly cleaner electricity grid, the energy market manager says.In the meantime, a two-year extension of NSW’s Eraring, Australia’s largest coal-fired power station has helped to improve reliability, Australian Energy Market Operator CEO Daniel Westerman said on Thursday.Speaking to the operator’s latest 10-year outlook to address fears development has stalled, Mr Westerman warned investments in new generation, storage and transmission must be delivered “on time and in full” to maintain a reliable supply of electricity to homes and businesses.The 2024 Electricity Statement of…

Two people were arrested in Auckland’s Glen Innes after a report of “suspicious activity” and amid the discovery of several firearms and 70 grams of methamphetamine. Police were called at around 2.25am this morning after two men were seen “acting suspiciously” on Farringdon Street. Senior Sergeant Megan Dalton said they were reported to be in possession of a firearm. “Police staff attention was drawn to two vehicles travelling together. We followed these vehicles before they separated, and officers stopped one soon after on Jellicoe Road.”Shotgun shell casings were found in one vehicle, and the driver, a 22-year-old man, was taken…

A car has crashed into the lobby of an apartment building in Auckland’s city centre this evening. Police said the crash on Vincent St was reported at 5.15pm.”Three people are reported to have minor to moderate injuries,” a spokesperson said.Footage captured by 1News shows a vehicle inside the lobby at Eclipse Apartments after crashing through the doors.Firefighters can be seen sweeping glass and moving bystanders out of the way. Resident Gracie Bryan, who lives on the floor below the lobby, said she heard a “loud bang” during the crash.”I heard the crash, felt a rumble, and ran straight up.”The resident…

By Kate Green on RNZ Meridian’s boss denies the energy company is profiteering and insists they’ve invested in the sector despite making millions in profits and dividend payouts. Meridian released its annual report on Wednesday, showing a net profit more than 4.5 times greater than last year. But while big manufacturing companies like Panpac and Winstones have shut down production to cut costs, the companies that generate and sell electricity say most households are yet to see big bumps in their power bills. Meridian’s chief executive Neal Barclay told RNZ the percentage of household spending being directed at power bills had actually…

Key pointsUp to $7 million will be spent to build three new ministerial offices at Parliament amid an accommodation squeeze at the complex.Speaker Gerry Brownlee said the renovation was essential with staff already crammed into offices. The Finance Minister says it’s a “pragmatic approach”.But Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the spending was “hugely hypocritical” while the Government was also urging agencies to find savings and cut costs. The Government is being accused of hypocrisy by Labour as it looks to spend up to $7 million dollars on three new offices for ministers.The move would force Parliament’s restaurant, Bellamys, to downsize…