Wednesday, March 4

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Failed attempts on Donald Trump’s life ‘miracles’ – Melania Trump
World News

Failed attempts on Donald Trump’s life ‘miracles’ – Melania Trump

Former first lady Melania Trump joins Republican presidential nominee, former US president Donald Trump on stage after he officially accepted the Republican presidential nomination on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on 18 July 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Photo: Andrew Harnik / Getty Images via AFP The failed assassination attempts of former US president Donald Trump have been described by his wife as "miracles". Former US first lady Melania Trump gave a sit-down interview to Fox News ahead of the release of her memoir, Melania. "I believe it was the time that I tell my story and the truth because a lot of misinformation and falsehoods written about me and I want to put the record straight and people can learn some things that were never discuss...
In pictures: Hurricane Helene batters Florida
World News

In pictures: Hurricane Helene batters Florida

Nick Ward wears goggles to protect his eyes against the wind as he walks past a capsized boat being washed against the ashore, in St. Petersburg Florida, as Hurricane Helene lies offshore, on 26 September. Photo: AFP/ Getty - Joe Raedle Evacuation orders have been issued for some parts of coastal Florida ahead of the arrival of the potentially deadly Hurricane Helene. Authorities in the area are pleading with people to take precautions and move from dangerous areas, as winds could reach more than 209km/h, and seawater pushed inland by the storm could reach 6.1 metres in some places - as high as a two-story building. The storm was already causing damage and flooding in some areas while offshore, on the evening of Thursday 26 September, Florida time (about midday Friday NZ time). Here's w...
Ellen DeGeneres’ new Netflix comedy special sets out to prove she’s sorry. But is she sorry enough?
World News

Ellen DeGeneres’ new Netflix comedy special sets out to prove she’s sorry. But is she sorry enough?

By Karl Puschmann* Opinion -The clue is right there in the title. Ellen DeGeneres' new comedy special is called For Your Approval and throughout its 70-minute run time it becomes obvious that the cancelled comic doesn't just want our approval, she needs it in the same way that we need oxygen. But are we prepared to give it? Not you or I personally, but rather 'we' the amorphous collective blob of opinion and judgement that cancelled the once-beloved comic and chatshow host three years ago and now have to decide if we deem this act of self-flagellation worthy of absolution. Ellen DeGeneres doesn't offer is a wholehearted and sincere apology for being mean in For Your Approval. Photo: Netflix Or if we don't. But the real questions posed by For Your Approval aren't whether or not we'r...
Wellington bookings chocka, ahead of big events weekend
Business

Wellington bookings chocka, ahead of big events weekend

Hotels are filled up and it's expected restaurants will be full this weekend, with lots on in the capital. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller Accommodation in Wellington is booked up this weekend due to a double whammy of the World of Wearable Arts and an All Blacks game - and it's a welcome boost, Hospitality New Zealand says. The hospitality sector has been hurting in recent years due to a number of factors, including Covid-19 and the cost of living crisis. But Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Steve Armitage told Midday Report that the events this weekend were already providing increased trade. "We've seen increasing footfall right through the city, not just from a hospitality point of view but into retail as well." The All Blacks play Australia at Sky Stadium on Wellington's wate...
What do we know about Diddy’s infamous parties and the celebrities who attended them?
World News

What do we know about Diddy’s infamous parties and the celebrities who attended them?

Sean "Diddy" Combs arrives for the 2018 Met Gala on May 7, 2018, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Photo: AFP / Angela Weiss This story contains details that may may upset some readers US hip hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs' arrest on sex trafficking charges and various sexual assault lawsuits has put the spotlight on those he associated with and had ties to, including celebrities who attended his famous 'White Parties', most of whom have remained quiet since his scandal. The 54-year-old rapper was arrested in New York this month, roughly six months after federal authorities conducting a sex trafficking investigation raided his luxurious homes in Los Angeles and Miami. What is going on with Sean 'Diddy' Combs? The father of seven has continuously denied criminal wrongdoing a...
Hundreds of jobs at risk under proposal to close Timaru meatworks
Business

Hundreds of jobs at risk under proposal to close Timaru meatworks

Workers leave a surprise meeting where they were told they could lose their jobs. Photo: Tim Brown/RNZ Alliance Group has announced a proposal to close its Smithfield meatworks in Timaru. It told workers consultation would run until 11 October and a final decision was expected to be made by 18 October. If the closure went ahead, Alliance said wherever possible it would offer workers the opportunity to apply for re-deployment at the company's other plants. However it anticipated there would be a significant number of redundancies. Photo: Alliance/supplied The lamb processing season finished at the Smithfield plant on Wednesday. Venison processing was still running, but workers were told there were no shifts on Friday and to attend the meeting instead. Alliance chief executive Will...
New Zealand naval vessel sails through Taiwan Strait for first time since 2017
World News

New Zealand naval vessel sails through Taiwan Strait for first time since 2017

By Lewis Jackson, Reuters Defence Minister Judith Collins said and naval vessels from New Zealand and Australia sailed through the sensitive strait on Wednesday. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Naval vessels from New Zealand and Australia sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, according to a statement from New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins on Thursday. The two ships sailed through the sensitive strait from 2pm local time on Wednesday in what Collins described as a routine activity consistent with international law. "The New Zealand Defence Force conducts all activities in accordance with international law and best practice," she said. It was the first time a New Zealand naval ship had passed through the strait since 2017, she added in a statement. A Japanese newspaper...
Consumers more optimistic following interest rate cuts
Business

Consumers more optimistic following interest rate cuts

Photo: Consumers are feeling more confident about the future but are still frustrated with the current economic conditions. The ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence index rose 3 points in September to 95.1 - a reading below 100 indicated pessimism. It was the third straight month of improvement but remained below the long-term average of 114. ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner said inflation and interest rates coming down was making consumers feel better about the future. "Essentially when inflation took off consumer confidence absolutely tanked and then as inflation was falling it was recovering until we got all those nasty recession headlines. But it does seem now that the interest rate cuts have injected a bit more optimism into the picture." But Zollner said it was important people re...
Priyanka Chopra, Samantha Ruth Prabhu come together for Citadel
Entertainment, Movies

Priyanka Chopra, Samantha Ruth Prabhu come together for Citadel

Actors Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Samantha Ruth Prabhu on Tuesday night joined the cast members and creative teams behind the Citadel universe to celebrate the upcoming releases of Citadel: Diana and Citadel: Honey Bunny ahead of their worldwide launch. Priyanka, who plays Nadia in season 2 of Citadel, joined the event alongside the executive producers of the Citadel franchise, Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, and David Weil.           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Priyanka (@priyankachopra) Meanwhile, Samantha Ruth Prabhu who takes the lead role in Citadel: Honey Bunny as Honey, attended the event alongside directors Raj & DK and writer Sita R. Menon. Representing the I...
New Zealand calls for veto reform at UN General Assembly
World News

New Zealand calls for veto reform at UN General Assembly

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has condemned countries' "abuse of the veto" at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He also used his speech to announce New Zealand would campaign for a seat on the UN Security Council for the 2039-2040 term. Aotearoa was voted onto the Security Council in 2014 after a 10-year campaign, serving two years in 2015 and 2016. In Friday's speech, Peters spoke about New Zealand's history with the UN, concerns about "abuse of the veto", Russia's war on Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza. He began by reflecting on the creation of the UN Charter in San Francisco after World War II, saying New Zealand's concerns about the veto could be traced that far back. "Forged in the immediate aftermath of that war, then-New Zealand prime minister Peter Fraser ...