Author: Press Room
More than 750,000 New Zealanders currently live in areas at risk of major flooding – a number that could rise to 900,000 with three degrees of global warming.The figures come from a five-year national research programme led by Earth Sciences New Zealand, which has also launched the country’s first consistent nationwide flood hazard viewer.The online tool allows people to see whether their homes or communities fall within areas at risk from one-in-100-year rainfall events, and how that exposure could change under future climate scenarios.“Currently it’s around 750,000 people who are affected — with three degrees of warming that could go…
Belgium has found itself the butt of several jokes online, after various French media outlets reported that the country bought a fleet of F-35 fighter jets that it won’t be able to use, because its airspace is too small. The articles all begin with the same sentiment, leaning into the friendly French-Belgian rivalry by referring to a “blague belge”, or “Belgian joke”, and noting the €5.6 billion sum that the government in Brussels shelled out for 34 of the US-made jets back in 2018. However, there’s just one problem, according to the French articles: being a small country, it won’t…
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has had his first face to face encounter with US President Donald Trump at a leaders’ dinner hosted at the APEC Summit in South Korea. It is the first face to face meeting between the pair, but they have spoken on the phone once previously. President Donald Trump waits as New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon poses for a photo with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (Source: Associated Press)Trump and Luxon met briefly before the dinner began and came out together joking with one another — Trump telling Luxon in front of international media —…
The Netherlands voted on Wednesday in a parliamentary resulting in a too close to call result with rightwing frontman Geert Wilders of the Party for Freedom (PPV) and rising progressive leader Rob Jetten of the D66, both getting 26 seats. The difference between the two parties, as of Thursday morning, with more than 98% of the votes counted, is just a mere 2.000 votes. It could take several days before the final result is confirmed. Here is what we know so far: 1. The (unexpected) rise of D66 D66 was projected to get only 17 seats, compared to the 26…
A global outage impacting Microsoft cloud products has disrupted some Air New Zealand systems this morning.Air New Zealand chief customer and digital officer Jeremy O’Brien said the outage was “affecting a number of our systems, including our ability to process payments and digitally process boarding”.”If you’re travelling today, please be aware our teams will be managing some processes manually, which may result in longer wait times and delays. We recommend customers keep a close eye on the AirNZ app or website for the latest updates on their flight and allow plenty of time at the airport.”We know this disruption is…
Is the average European worker’s dream to become a clerk in the Netherlands? There’s no study to prove it, but one thing’s clear: no other group of employees in Europe feels happier with their pay. Dutch administrative and support services workers have the lowest complaint rate about their pay, at only 14.5%, followed by Netherlands-based utility workers (like engineers, electricians, plumbers, waste management operators) at 17%, and Dutch civil servants with 23%. That’s according to a major study on 16,000 workers in 16 European countries and 15 working sectors by SD Worx, a pan-European HR firm. But the same can’t…
The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including Luxon meets Trump, a big payday on the way for farmers, and a message in a bottle from World War 1 washes up. The Prime Minister and the President bantered on their way to an event. A new interactive tool has been launched for people to assess their risk of flooding as the planet warms. Fonterra’s deal to sell some famous brands should go through today. Drone footage of the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica has been released. A message in a bottle from two Australia soldiers in WWI has washed up…
Several police staff are under investigation, including an officer who has been stood down after inappropriate material was found on a police-issued device.It follows an audit of staff internet usage sparked by the resignation of former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming.McSkimming faces eight charges of possessing objectionable publications, including child sexual exploitation and bestiality over a four-year period.Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Jill Rogers confirmed to RNZ a police officer had been stood down from duty for “inappropriate content on a police device”.”The officer is under employment investigation for serious misconduct, relating to inappropriate, but not objectionable, material on a Police-issued…
The Prime Minister has fired back at Chris Hipkins over what he says was an attack on his personal finances.Labour leader Chris Hipkins criticised Christopher Luxon on Wednesday for making hundreds of thousands of dollars – tax-free – in recent property sales.”Why should he be able to make more than $600,000 in one year from flipping properties whilst the people who go out and work hard every day for a living pay tax on every single dollar that they earn?”The Labour Party announced on Tuesday it would campaign on a capital gains tax on property, excluding the family home and…
A mechanic believes a look at the Warrant of Fitness system was “overdue”, but said Kiwis would need to change some of their habits for the proposed changes to work. Yesterday, the Government opened a series of proposed changes to transport law up for public consultation, with a shakeup to the frequency of WoF and CoF A checks among the ideas put forward. Under the proposed changes, the first WoF for new vehicles would last 4 years. Vehicles between four and 10 years old would need checks every two years, while those older than 10 would still need to get…