Author: Press Room
A lucky paddleboarder had a close encounter with a pod of orcas, including two extremely curious youngsters, off the Kāpiti coast yesterday. Graeme Stevens was paddling off the coast when he spotted the pod. He lingered back to give them some space when he described two young ones coming over to “check him out”. In the video one of the orcas swims over to Stevens before turning on its side to get a better look at him, it then shows off its tail by jumping out of the water. Two of the young orcas curiously checking out paddleboarder Graeme Stevens.…
It was all just a joke.A set up that made Levi Hawken and his mates laugh, riotously.Its maybe too far to say the joke backfired, but it changed Levi’s life forever and he didn’t love all of it.He’s the “Nek Minnit” guy, going viral back in 2011 in a big way – at the time, the saying was everywhere. Hawken said of the time: “I didn’t really know that it was going to get that big. I think by the time I realized it was sort of like how do you control this?”The saying is no longer yelled at him…
An initiative to divert millions of plastic and metal lids and caps from landfill is expanding into Wellington.Foodstuffs in partnership with the Packaging Forum are establishing collection sites at 11 New World and Pak N’ Save supermarkets across the region.They would join Earthlink Lower Hutt, Sustainability Trust Wellington and Otaihanga Zero Waste Kapiti as collection points for caps and lids in the Wellington region.Since its launch in September, the Caps and Lids Recycling Scheme has diverted about four tonnes of caps and lids from landfill.Wellington joins Auckland, Tauranga and Christchurch, in the programme which now has about 50 drop-off points…
This article was originally published in Polish US Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth has lauded Poland as a “model NATO ally” in his first visit to Warsaw on Friday, where he met with President Andrzej Duda and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. ADVERTISEMENTPete Hegseth made his first bilateral state visit as US Defence Secretary on Friday, meeting with Polish President Andrez Duda and Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in Warsaw.“It’s quite intentional that our first European bilateral (visit) is right here in Poland,” Hegseth said after the meeting.“We see Poland as the model ally on the continent,…
Nine helicopters and 45 firefighters are fighting a scrub fire in Canterbury that has closed a section of SH7.Fire and Emergency New Zealand said it received multiple calls just after 2.30pm for the fire that has taken blaze on SH7 in the Island Hills. When it arrived the fire was 300m to 300m in size and firefighters are now working to extinguish it.FENZ said the fire is “currently not contained” at this stage.”We have evacuated nearby properties as a precaution.”SH7 near Island Hills in Canterbury is closed due to a scrub fire. (Source: Facebook: NZTA)New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi…
A key piece of infrastructure that will enable economic growth for the Bay of Plenty by connecting the Rangiuru Business Park to the highway has been blessed by mana whenua.The interchange will open the industrial business park to nearby Te Puke and Pāpāmoa East and provide easy access to the Port of Tauranga, Rotorua and Whakatāne via the Tauranga Eastern Link.An official opening ceremony for the $60m bridge and interchange was held on Friday with Regional Development Minister Shane Jones cutting the ribbon.Representatives from Tapuika and Waitaha iwi led the pōwhiri and karakia to welcome manuhiri (guests) and gift the…
A group of European countries has been quietly working on a plan to send troops into Ukraine to help enforce any future peace settlement with Russia, with the UK and France at the forefront of the effort. ADVERTISEMENTUkraine’s Western partners have been quietly working on a plan to send troops to the country, an AP report claimed on Saturday. Britain and France are leading the effort, though details remain scarce. The countries involved in the discussions are reluctant to tip their hand and give Russian President Vladimir Putin an edge should he agree to negotiate an end to the war he…
New sensors have been installed in Christchurch’s Port Hills to help prevent fires from spreading, and to save property and lives.Imported from Australia, the four sensors use a combination of thermal imaging, a 360-degree camera, and air quality technology.Christchurch City Council’s Michael Healy said the system uses a thermal camera to look for heat spots.He added it will also scan for smoke and check the air quality before comparing the two and looking for the early stages of a fire.Healy said if anything is detected then emergency services will be alerted, who can check the cameras and respond adequately.“And then…
“Intergenerational debt” is how the Hastings mayor is describing the enormous financial impact from Cyclone Gabrielle.The region is two years into a predicted 10-year recovery, with many residents still living in limbo, communities still cut off and no money earmarked for some broken bridges.The cyclone ravaged Esk Valley, and while lush green fields can be spotted today, it is still bearing the scars of the devastating weather event.Some vibrant community cul-de-sacs are now a ghostly road to nowhere. Two years on, some residents are choosing to stay put in their now category three land.Esk Valley resident Claire O’Connor Bryant is…
US President Donald Trump has rolled out his plan to increase US tariffs to match the tax rates that other countries charge on imports, possibly triggering a broader economic confrontation with allies and rivals alike as Trump hopes to eliminate any trade imbalances.”I’ve decided for purposes of fairness that I will charge a reciprocal tariff,” Trump said in the Oval Office at the proclamation signing on Thursday (local time).”It’s fair to all. No other country can complain.”Trump’s Republican administration has insisted that its new tariffs would level the playing field between US manufacturers and foreign competitors, though these new taxes…