Author: Press Room
A Waikato man who told his partner he “nearly half killed” his puppy has been sentenced to home detention and banned from owning animals for five years.Warning: This article contains content that could be disturbing to some people.The man was sentenced in the Hamilton District Court yesterday over his abuse of Milo – who has since made a full recovery and is with a loving new owner.The SPCA said Milo was attacked “multiple times” between January 1 and February 7 2023.The abuse saw the man kick, hit, and throw Milo into a heavy timber frame.In a text message to his…
Macron’s visit to Belgrade takes place less than five months after he hosted his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vučić, in Paris. This trip will be an opportunity for the two heads of state to discuss economic issues, defence, energy, and artificial intelligence. ADVERTISEMENTAfter having declared that Serbia’s future lies “within the European Union … and nowhere else” back in April, French President Emmanuel Macron continues his charm offensive in the Western Balkans. The head of state is set to travel for an official visit to Belgrade on 29 and 30 August, according to the Elysée Palace.One of the most burning topics will…
Meridian Energy’s full year net profit is more than 4.5 times greater than the year earlier, reflecting operating strength prior to the onset of a drought in May.The energy company said the net profit for the year ended June also reflected net gains on hedge instruments of $249 million compared with a net loss of $351m on hedge instruments in the year earlier.Key numbers for the year ended June compared with a year ago:Net profit $429m vs $95mUnderlying profit $909m vs $783mRevenue $4.86b vs $3.22bFull year dividend 21 cents per share vs 17.9 cpsChief executive Neil Barclay said the strong…
The Ukrainian president said the military counteroffensive in Russia’s Kursk region, which hosts a nuclear power plant, is part of the plan. ADVERTISEMENTUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine will present its “victory plan” to Washington in September. The Ukrainian leader aims to share it with both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, saying that its success depends on their support.Zelenskyy outlined four different parts of the plan: “One of the areas where part of the work has been done is the region of Kursk. The second is Ukraine’s strategic place in the world’s security infrastructure. The third is a powerful…
We’re a liquorice-loving nation, and one of the most popular ways to consume it is in an Allsort. We’ve all got our favourites, and sometimes — just like loyal liquorice fan Graham — we don’t get enough of the colour we covet. They’re called Licorice Allsorts, but are they created equal? Hilary Barry investigates.Yellow Licorice Allsorts are the best. They’re a smiley face emoji in a bite, and they taste like bananas without all the annoying things that bananas have, like skins, brown mushy bits, and vitamins.If I could get a whole bag of just the yellow ones, I’d up…
ADVERTISEMENTThe recent arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in Paris has raised concerns about use of the messaging app, which boasts 950 million users, including French President Emmanuel Macron. Telegram was already under scrutiny for its use by terrorists and far-right extremists. The app has faced restrictions across Europe, including temporary bans in Spain and channel deletions in Germany. Despite its strict rules on illegal content, however, the EU has signalled that Durov’s arrest is completely unconnected to the company’s obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA). So how safe is it for officials to be using the app?We discussed…
A dollar invested in the best performing KiwiSaver fund from the start would now be worth nearly $5, new data shows.Morningstar data shows the best performing funds since their inception.Top of the list is Milford’s KiwiSaver active growth fund, which had annualised growth since inception of 11.65% a year, and cumulative growth of 385.67%.Morningstar data director Greg Bunkall said that would mean every $1 invested at the start of the fund would be worth $4.85 now.It was followed by the OneAnswer KiwiSaver Sustainable International Share Fund at 375.06% and QuayStreet’s KiwiSaver NZ equity fund.On an annualised basis, Superlife’s KiwiSaver US…
According to the Ministry of Health, the total number of deaths in Andalusia due to the West Nile virus has risen to five, with 10 more people estimated to be infected. ADVERTISEMENTConcerns are mounting in Spain over the spread of the West Nile virus following two additional deaths in Seville, raising the total number of fatalities from the virus in the region to five this summer.Infectious mosquitoes have been found in towns near the Guadalquivir River, including Coria del Río. Earlier this month, residents of the town held a demonstration, urging the government to take more effective measures to stop…
Oasis’ original guitarist, Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs, is set to be part of the group’s reunion.The 59-year-old guitarist — who was an original member of the group but left in 1999 — performed with Liam Gallagher on the singer’s Definitely Maybe anniversary solo tour this summer, It has now been reported that he is on board for the highly anticipated run of comeback shows for the band next year. Members of Noel Gallagher’s group, High Flying Birds, are also expected to join the brothers on stage.A source told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “Bonehead is confirmed. They both wanted him in…
The defence in Philip Polkinghorne’s murder trial has said there were panic buttons in the bedrooms of the couple’s home, and the court has heard the murder accused’s communications were lawfully intercepted for a time after his wife’s death.Warning: This article contains content that could be disturbing to some people.Former eye surgeon Polkinghorne is accused of murdering his health boss wife Pauline Hanna at their home in Auckland’s Remuera in April 2021. The defence has argued that she committed suicide.The trial is in its fifth week. So far, the jury has heard from dozens of prosecution witnesses — but today…