Author: Press Room
OPINION: The AI future will require unprecedented amounts of power, and embracing nuclear energy is an obvious, clean solution that could boost the NZ economy for generations. But do we have a leader with the courage? By Thomas ScrimgeourArtificial Intelligence is transforming our world, though not in the way most people imagine. While the knowledge industry revolution is still around the corner, the warehouse-sized computers driving this innovation can’t be built fast enough.Data centres already consume roughly 2% of global electricity, which is more than 10 times New Zealand’s annual generation, and this figure is projected to double by 2026.…
OPINION: The government says the planned charge is a fairer way to pay for road maintenance, but why stop there? Professor of human geography Simon Kingham outlines some potential opportunities. The government heralded its plan to move New Zealand’s entire vehicle fleet to road-user charges as a fairer method of funding road maintenance.For owners of electric and diesel vehicles, this is nothing new. They already pay road-user charges based on the distance travelled.What you need to know as road user charges coming for all vehicles – watch on TVNZ+But for petrol vehicles, it is a shift away from fuel excise…
Much of the North Island can expect rain today, with there also being a risk of thunderstorms, while some roads in the South Island have been affected by snow. MetService said this morning that “most areas” in the North Island would experience some rain today. Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay “should stay dry until the afternoon”, MetService said. It said there was a risk of thunderstorms across the North Island, with “short bursts of heavy rain expected at times”. Wellington could also expect windier conditions, made up of southerlies gusting at about 100km/h in exposed places. The region was under a…
By Susan Edmunds of RNZ Staff at media company Stuff have voted to take strike action. It is understood they are unhappy about the company’s plans to split their collective agreement into two, which they feel would reduce their bargaining power. The company separated into two different entities last year. Stuff Digital administers stuff.co.nz, Neighbourly and its audio and video divisions. Newspaper brands and their own websites like The Post, The Press and The Waikato Times are run by Masthead Publishing. Trade Me recently took a 50 percent stake in Stuff Digital, which staff are understood to feel should enable…
It was only a few months ago that US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last met in the Oval Office, but today’s face-to-face between the two leaders looked markedly different.For much of their February exchange, during which Trump and Vice President JD Vance blasted Zelensky as “disrespectful” and warned about future American support for his country, Zelensky crossed his arms and looked askance at the US leaders. There was a moment of laughter in the White House when the reporter who previously criticised the Ukrainian President’s choice of attire complimented today’s look. (Source: Associated Press)The presidents often…
A teenager who died after crashing a tractor was eating, drinking and using his phone before the vehicle left the road.Trenton Karl Jones, 18, died from severe head and neck injuries after the tractor he was driving crashed through a barrier and rolled down a steep bank on Queen Charlotte Drive near Cullen’s Point in the Marlborough Sounds on October 21, 2021.In findings released on Tuesday, Coroner Rachael Schmidt-McCleave said the 18-year-old’s death was entirely preventable. But she did recommend Marlborough District Council should install a metal barrier at the site to prevent similar deaths in future.”Had [Jones] been fully…
The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including Zelensky’s suit becomes hot topic at peace summit, a cold blast on the way, and Auckland FC lures new signing back home. After he was heckled for his attire at a meeting in February, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky had a warmer welcome to peace talks at The White House today. Hamas has reportedly agreed to the terms of a new ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar. There’s a wintry blast on the way, with snow and thunderstorms possible. New rules around foreign buyers entering the housing market could narrow the eligibility, says…
By Susan Edmunds of RNZ Food prices are rising but people ducking out for a pint of milk or loaf of white bread have been especially hard hit by increases in the last year. Stats NZ data shows that between June 2006, the start of the available data, and July this year, the combined cost of a loaf of sliced white bread and bottle of standard milk rose from $4.35 to $6.58. But much of that increase was concentrated in the past year. In July 2015, the cost was $4.45, although the bread that Stats NZ was using in its…
A “dangerous overtaking incident” on the road to Whakapapa ski field last weekend has resulted in a driver being summonsed to appear in court for dangerous driving.Dashcam footage of the incident showed two vehicles overtaking a shuttle bus on Bruce Rd at around 9.20am on August 16.The second vehicle – a Volkswagen Golf – was seen narrowly avoiding a head-on collision with an oncoming Mercedes, cutting back in front of the bus at the last second.In an update today, Commercial Vehicle and Safety Team Inspector Mike Brooklands said officers identified and located a driver as a result of information provided…
By Amandine Hess & Frederic Garçon Published on 18/08/2025 – 21:16 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT Matthieu Dewit is a regular at Pukkelpop, a music festival held near Hasselt in north-east Belgium, where he uses his wheelchair to navigate the wooden walkways between dancers and festival-goers, from a DJ set to a rock stage. Back in 2017, one of his friends posted a message on social media, sharing a desire to attend the festival in a wheelchair. That’s how he became acquainted with Inter, a Flemish agency that works to make festivals accessible to people with reduced mobility. Since then, Dewit has returned to Pukkelpop almost…