Author: Press Room

Bay of Plenty surf lifeguards were kept busy on Thursday, rescuing 27 kayakers in Whangamatā and clearing the water for a shark swimming between the flags in Tauranga.The kayakers were being swept out to sea by strong offshore winds, which had been catching people off guard in recent days, Surf Lifesaving New Zealand Eastern region manager Chaz Gibbons-Campbell said.From about 2pm on Thursday, Whangamatā lifeguards spent three hours rescuing the group of kayakers trying to battle the wind to get back to safety, he said.”We’re getting really strong offshore breezes in the afternoon, and it’s catching a lot of people…

Slovak PM Robert Fico said his government was discussing retaliatory measures against Ukraine after Kyiv shut off a pipeline supplying central Europe with Russian natural gas. ADVERTISEMENTSlovakian leader Robert Fico has threatened to cut financial aid for more than 130,000 Ukrainian refugees living in the country as part of a set of retaliatory measures against Ukraine over its decision to halt the flow of Russian gas through its territory to Slovakia. In a video message posted on Facebook, Fico said his Smer party would also consider cutting electricity supplies to Ukraine and demand the renewal of gas transits or compensation…

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex’s new cookery show has been billed as an “inspiring” take on the “genre of lifestyle programming”. After months of speculation about her new career move – and following her first Instagram post in years on New Year’s Day – the 43-year-old announced online that she is fronting a Netflix series called With Love, Meghan. A show description from Netflix has also stated: “This inspiring series, produced by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-to’s and candid conversation with friends, new and old.”Meghan shares personal tips and tricks, embracing playfulness…

Firefighters have contained a bush and pine tree slash fire that was earlier threatening at least one property in remote Pataua South, near Whangārei. A Fire and Emergency spokesperson told 1News crews received multiple calls to the fire in Pataua South, just over 26km east of Whangārei, shortly after 2pm. In an update shortly after 5pm, a spokesperson said the fire had been contained and was no longer spreading. Aerial crews remained on scene to fully extinguish the bush and pine tree slash blaze, but ground crews had been withdrawn. At its peak, the 200m by 100m fire required four…

Fake newspaper and magazine covers are a tactic often used in Russian propaganda. ADVERTISEMENTA fake version of the front cover from the French satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo is doing the rounds on social media.It depicts Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Quasimodo, one of the main characters of The Hunchback of Notre Dame by French writer Victor Hugo.The headline on the alleged front cover says “What’s a reopening of Notre Dame without a hunchback?”, referring to the reopening of the iconic Parisian cathedral in December.Also featured in the image are French President Emmanuel Macron shaking hands with US President-elect Donald…

A 32-year-old man has appeared in court, charged with the murder of a policewoman in central Nelson early on New Year’s Day.The accused was granted interim name suppression at the Nelson District Court.He was earlier driven by police escort to court — passing along the route a flower tribute to deceased officer Lyn Fleming outside Nelson’s police station. As the man walked into the court, surrounded by police staff, he covered his face with a shirt. A member of the public yelled at him as he entered the building. Flowers in front of Nelson’s central police station on Friday morning.…

The research group Huygens Institute helped digitise the archive in a project subsidised by the Ministries of Justice, Education and Health. ADVERTISEMENTThe Netherlands has published a database with the names of almost half a million Dutch people who are suspected of collaborating with the Nazis during the country’s WWII occupation.The ‘War in Court’ project lists around 425,000 mostly Dutch citizens who were investigated for working with German occupying forces and have been made public for the first time.Of the people included in the database, more than 150,000 appeared in court and faced some form of punishment.The records of these investigations…

A pilot killed in a helicopter crash while agricultural spraying in a remote area of New South Wales has been identified by her partner as Zoe Murdock.The 39-year-old was spraying a rolling hill country farm near Boorawa River on December 4 when the Robinson R44 helicopter she was flying collided with terrain and was destroyed. Her partner James O’Kane said Murdock was laid to rest on December 31, 2024. “I think we owe it to her to get her achievements recognised at a national level, and inform the aviation industry of her passing,” he said. O’Kane said she was “highly…

The Eagle S is suspected of damaging the Estlink-2 power cable which runs under the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia by dragging its anchor along the seabed on Christmas Day. ADVERTISEMENTPolice in Finland say the crew of a Russia-linked tanker suspected of damaging a power cable under the Baltic Sea have been detained indefinitely.The Eagle S crew consists of 24 people with Finland’s Central Criminal Police imposing movement restrictions on eight.”During interrogations and investigations, the police have tried to find out who was involved in the incident and who was responsible for the ship’s course during the incident. Accordingly,…

Canterbury Fire and Emergency say firefighters attended two separate house fires in Christchurch over the last 24 hours — both involving bathroom heaters that have been banned by WorkSafe. In March last year, retailers voluntarily recalled the Serene S2068 model of wall mounted bathroom heaters after a manufacturing defect caused fires and overheating events. WorkSafe issued a prohibition of sale and use notice on the Serene S2068 heaters following a spate of similar fires last year. In a post online, Fire and Emergency New Zealand said the latest incidents were a “timely reminder” to check the bathroom heaters in your…