Saturday, March 7

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Jetstar accused of misleading customers on flight disruption compensation
Business

Jetstar accused of misleading customers on flight disruption compensation

Jetstar aplogised for errors made regarding compensation in 2022 and 2023. Photo: 123rf The Commerce Commission is filing charges against Jetstar for misleading consumers about compensation for flight delays and cancellations. The commission said under aviation law customers must be reimbursed when flights were disrupted for reasons within an airline's control, such as staffing and mechanical issues. Costs that may be reimbursed included meals, accommodation or replacement travel. The commission claims Jetstar discouraged consumers from seeking compensation and likely denied legitimate claims in 2022 and 2023. In a statement general manager Vanessa Horne said airlines should not mislead their customers. "The Commerce Commission expects large businesses to take their responsibilities und...
Nine killed, thousands wounded as pagers explode in Lebanon
World News

Nine killed, thousands wounded as pagers explode in Lebanon

By Laila Bassam, Reuters An ambulance rushes wounded people to the Beirut Medical Center after pagers used to communicate exploded across Lebanon. Photo: AFP / Anwar Amro Militant group Hezbollah ha s promised to retaliate against Israel after accusing it of detonating pagers across Lebanon on Tuesday, killing at least nine people and wounding thousands of others who included fighters and Iran's envoy to Beirut. Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makary condemned the late afternoon detonation of the pagers - handheld devices that Hezbollah and others in Lebanon use to send messages - as an "Israeli aggression". Hezbollah said Israel would receive "its fair punishment" for the blasts. The Israeli military, which has been engaged in cross-border fighting with Iran-backed Hezbollah sinc...
IRD pauses sharing personal data with social media giants
Business

IRD pauses sharing personal data with social media giants

Photo: AFP Inland Revenue (IR) says it has paused sharing people's personal data with social media giants. RNZ revealed last week Inland Revenue shares the details of up to half-a-million taxpayers with Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn, several times a month for targeted advertising campaigns. The department is reviewing the practice after warnings that its hashing method does not protect personal data. "Inland Revenue has received a number of complaints since the story first ran," it said on Tuesday. "Our review into the use of hashing is ongoing and as part of that IR has paused the creation and uploading of new custom audience lists." This puts a block on its ability to run social media ad campaigns. It was also now working with the Privacy Commissioner's Office which "has contacted IR ...
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs pleads not guilty to sex trafficking
World News

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs pleads not guilty to sex trafficking

By Luc Cohen and Jonathan Stempel, Reuters Sean "Diddy" Combs is accused of a decades-long scheme of sex trafficking and racketeering. Photo: MARIA ALEJANDRA CARDONA/AFP Sean "Diddy" Combs used his fame as one of the biggest names in hip-hop to coerce women into engaging in demeaning sex acts as part of a decades-long scheme of sex trafficking and racketeering, according to a three-count federal indictment unsealed on Tuesday. Starting in 2009, Combs used his vast media empire including his record label Bad Boy Entertainment to transport women, as well as male sex workers, across state lines to take part in recorded sexual performances called "Freak Offs" in which the music mogul would watch and masturbate, prosecutors said. Wearing a black T-shirt and grey sweatpants, Combs pleaded ...
Decision due on Auckland pulp and paper mill closure
Business

Decision due on Auckland pulp and paper mill closure

Photo: Jessica Hopkins/RNZ Workers at the Oji paper recycling mill in Auckland will find out Wednesday whether they will keep their jobs. Oji Fibre Solutions said it was considering closing its Penrose mill, partly due to high power prices. Up to 75 workers would be affected. Earlier this month, 230 workers at Winston Pulp International were told the sawmill and pulp mills near Ruapehu were both closing for good. A meeting was due to start at 8am. E Tu union spokesperson Joe Gallagher told Morning Report the mood at the mill head of the meeting was "pretty sombre". "I think people are resigned to the fact that this morning they're going to be told there's a closure, that's yet to be confirmed." He said a combination of factors was behind the current situation, including power and gas p...
How and why pagers exploded across Lebanon
World News

How and why pagers exploded across Lebanon

Lebanese soldiers stand guard as an ambulance rushes wounded people to a hospital in Beirut after pagers detonated killing at least eight people. Photo: AFP / Anwar Amro At least eight people were killed and nearly 3000 wounded when pagers used by Hezbollah members, including fighters and medics, detonated simultaneously across Lebanon. Here's what we know so far about the pager blasts. When and where did the blasts take place? The detonations started around 3.30pm local time in Lebanon in the country's south, the southern suburbs of Beirut known as Dahiyeh and the eastern Bekaa valley - all Hezbollah strongholds. They lasted for around an hour, with Reuters witnesses and residents of Dahiyeh saying they could still hear explosions at 4.30pm local time. According to security sources and...
Australian company changes building consent software after muscling into market
Business

Australian company changes building consent software after muscling into market

The software many councils use to process building consents may cost more in the future, with the increased fees likely to passed on. File photo. Photo: 123rf An Australian company fined more than a million dollars for muscling into the market for software that processes building consents is making IT changes that could push up consenting fees in many cities and districts. Objective Corporation's new moves could push up IT costs at cash-strapped councils. When Objective took over the two closest local competitors in the building consent software market in 2019, the court said it was advised this "would effectively hand over the New Zealand market to Objective". The listed Sydney company went ahead with the takeovers, but later admitted its move had "substantially lessened competition" a...
At least 8 dead, thousands wounded as pagers explode in Lebanon
World News

At least 8 dead, thousands wounded as pagers explode in Lebanon

By Laila Bassam, Reuters An ambulance rushes wounded people to the Beirut Medical Center after pagers used to communicate exploded across Lebanon. Photo: AFP / Anwar Amro At least eight people were killed and 2750 others including Hezbollah fighters, medics and Iran's envoy to Beirut were wounded when the pagers they use to communicate exploded across Lebanon, security sources and the Lebanese health minister said. Lebanon's information minister Ziad Makary said the government condemned the detonation of the pagers as an "Israeli aggression". Hezbollah also blamed Israel for the pager blasts and said it would receive "its fair punishment". The Israeli military declined to comment on Reuters enquiries about the detonations. Read more: A Hezbollah official, speaking on condition of an...
‘It’s scary out there’ – tenants say times are tough, even if rent growth is slowing
Business

‘It’s scary out there’ – tenants say times are tough, even if rent growth is slowing

At the end of last year, rents were increasing at a rate of more than 7 percent a year. File photo. Photo: RNZ Christchurch woman Tara has seen her rent increase from $480 a week to $580 in the past two years - and she's now living in a smaller house. She had to move because the owners wanted to move back in. "It took four months to find something 'affordable' that was dry and near my son's kindy." She said she was staring to feel real pressure. Her sole parent support is $618 a week and she also receives Working for Families and child support. She says without those, she would be in real trouble. She has not accessed any additional support. "I often find the applying for assistance more stressful than helpful and I have been doing small amounts of contract work which makes it practical...
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs charged with racketeering, sex trafficking
World News

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs charged with racketeering, sex trafficking

By Luc Cohen and Jonathan Stempel, Reuters Sean "Diddy" Combs is accused of a decades-long scheme of sex trafficking and racketeering. Photo: MARIA ALEJANDRA CARDONA/AFP Sean "Diddy" Combs used his fame as one of the biggest names in hip-hop to coerce women into engaging in demeaning sex acts as part of a decades-long scheme of sex trafficking and racketeering, according to a three-count federal indictment unsealed on Tuesday. Starting in 2009, Combs used his vast media empire including his record label Bad Boy Entertainment to transport women, as well as male sex workers, across state lines to take part in recorded sexual performances called "Freak Offs" in which the music mogul would watch and masturbate, prosecutors said. The 54-year-old rapper and producer was arrested in Manhatt...