Family and friends of Joseph Day will gather tomorrow to celebrate the Kiwi cameraman’s life after he died in the United Kingdom about a month ago. The 31-year-old, a former TVNZ employee, had been living in Bristol when he vanished…

A man who used his car as a weapon has met his victims at a restorative justice session, and offered to pay the vet bills for the pet dog that was injured.Jac Rhys Howells, a 24-year-old shearer from Rangiora, also offered to pay…

National leader Christopher Luxon said the Government needs to “take stock” of New Zealand’s gun problem after an “horrific” wave of gang-related shootings in Auckland overnight.”Clearly we have a big challenge with illegal guns…

Jetstar has unveiled what its new fleet of Airbus aircraft will look like in the sky, complete with special paint that improves aircraft fuel economy.

The budget airline marked its 18th birthday in the Australian market today by revealing its new livery for what will be a fleet of 38 Airbus A321LR NEO aircraft servicing Australia's most popular domestic routes.

Jetstar's new-look aircraft is not just a branding exercise – the airline says the specially-formulated paint will indirectly help the environment and cut down on fuel costs.

READ MORE: Fifteen dead after Texas school shooting

The livery uses a two-coat system consisting of a base coat and a clear coat, which in simple terms reduces the weight of the paint by up to 30 per cent.

This weight saving is anticipated to save up to 108 tonnes of fuel every year across the whole fleet and a saving of nearly 350 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Jetstar Group chief executive officer Gareth Evans said the new aircraft won't just benefit the business but the customer too, by providing up to 50 per cent quieter engines and overhead bins with 40 per cent more storage space.

"These modern aircraft are world-class in terms of performance, comfort and sustainability, ensuring our customers will enjoy a new range of benefits on board," Evans said.

"In addition to flying on our most popular domestic routes, the long-range NEOs open up new international opportunities, providing us with an opportunity to expand our international network and deliver on our promise to offer more low fares to more destinations."

READ MORE: Radio announcers caught up in fake Facebook profile scam

The new Airbus aircraft also boast wider seats than the existing Jetstar fleet, and include flip-down smartphone and tablet cradles, with every seat offering USB power access.

The airline is expecting to take delivery of eight A321LR aircraft between August 2022 and May 2023, with a full suite of 18 aircraft here in Australia by mid-2024.

A further 20 aircraft of the same variety will then arrive sometime between 2024 and 2029.

National Leader Christopher Luxon said the Reserve Bank’s decision to hike the Official Cash rate by 50 basis points on Wednesday was “disturbing news” for people with mortgages. It came as the Bank forecast the most difficult borrowing…

A recent report is raising the alarm about a growing trend in extreme, short bursts of rainfall across Australia.

The Bureau of Meteorology's Special Climate Statement 76 said that short and intense rainstorms have increased by about ten per cent in some regions over the past decade, especially in northern parts of the nation.

According to the report, released in the wake of the catastrophic floods which hit Queensland and New South Wales earlier this year, the warming climate will see more heavy rainfall events become even more intense in the future.

READ MORE: Radio announcers caught up in fake Facebook profile scam

"A warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapour than a cooler atmosphere," the report outlined.

"This relationship alone can increase moisture in the atmosphere by seven per cent one degree Celsius of global warming".

The report also detailed the record-breaking rain that flooded south-east Queensland and eastern New South Wales earlier this year.

The Bureau said that during the February and March floods, more than 50 areas recorded more than one metre of rain in one week.

According to the report, some areas were hit with 2.5 to 5 times their monthly average rainfall.

READ MORE: 'Be careful, he's shooting!': Texas business owner describes chaos amid rampage

Destructive episodes of flash flooding swallowed entire towns from Maryborough in Queensland down to Grafton in NSW, and a collective 22 people died as a result.

The report said for dozens of towns, "this was the wettest week since 1990".

READ MORE: Ditch trade bans and we'll talk, Albanese tells China

"Some areas of south-eastern Queensland had their highest flood peaks since 1893, though the lower Brisbane and Bremer rivers and Lockyer Creek peaked below the levels of both January 1974 and January 2011 floods," the report outlined.

Northern NSW saw all previous flood level records broken.

Lismore's Wilsons River peaked at 14.4 metres on February 28, breaking the 1954 record of 12.27 metres.

READ MORE: Fifteen dead after Texas school shooting

The Bureau said the rain was a result of a combination of weather systems.

"A large volume of humid tropical air moving onshore over eastern Australia was lifted in the atmosphere to produce heavy rain and thunderstorms," the report said.

The climate statements aim to provide details surrounding significant weather events that impact Australians.

The most recent analysis of the February-March floods has been added to a historical collection of reports dating back more than 15 years.

Researchers have shared early findings of a major study into the impacts of long Covid in New Zealand – showing that fatigue, pain and depression and anxiety are common among sufferers. Long Covid , a constellation of symptoms…

An extra 1.5 million Australians are eligible for a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose under new guidelines from ATAGI.

Interim Health Minister Katy Gallagher said she had received the advice this week.

A fourth dose is now recommended for people with underlying health conditions and people who have a disability.

READ MORE: Twenty-one dead after Texas school shooting

They will be able to receive the fourth dose from May 30.

This is alongside the previously eligible categories: people aged 65 and over, residents of aged care homes, people who are severely immunocompromised, and Indigenous people aged over 50.

"Essentially, for people who think they fall into that category, check it out and make sure you are getting your fourth dose," Gallagher said.

READ MORE: Radio announcers caught up in fake Facebook profile scam

The updated advice from ATAGI comes ahead of a winter where it's feared the flu will strike vulnerable populations alongside a resurgent COVID-19.

Gallagher said there was no issue with vaccine supply.

However, a fourth dose was not yet being advised for the general population.

READ MORE: Ditch trade bans and we'll talk, Albanese tells China

"So their clear advice is that the fourth dose extension is for those people who would be most susceptible and most vulnerable to severe disease from contracting COVID," Gallagher said.

She said the incoming full-time health minister, who is set to be sworn in next week, will receive a full briefing on COVID-19 in Australia, including whether further measures were needed to address it.

READ MORE: Peter Dutton to run unopposed for Liberal leadership

People are being urged to check that they have working smoke alarms after two house fires in which the occupants were “lucky” to get out. “In recent weeks we’ve had a couple of house fires with people who were lucky to get out of…

Police have issued a trespass notice to those occupying Mahanga Bay on Wellington’s Miramar Peninsula. The occupation formed after the anti-mandate protest at Parliament was broken up earlier this year. Area prevention manager…