The chairman of one of Rotorua’s ratepayer groups says Rotorua Lakes Council “once again is defaulting to secrecy” over the closure of the city’s famous Blue Baths.However the council, which has cited structural integrity concerns…

WARNING: Contains graphic details An Invercargill father called mental health services 40 times in the weeks before his son killed his stepson.Today, Joseph Kevin Boyle was found not guilty by reason of insanity of the murder…

James Hardie knew it had no insurance cover for potentially vast leaky building claims , an auditor told a major lawsuit today.David Ross told the High Court at Auckland he observed business realities facing James Hardie which…

A stunning time-lapse recorded by the captain of a Boeing 777-300 offers a rare cockpit perspective of the Milky Way and Southern Cross constellation set against a series of violent electrical storms.

Swiss Air pilot Ralf Rohner, 50, shot the nighttime footage while the passenger jet was cruising at an altitude of 10,000 metres, between Zurich and Bangkok.

While most passengers on the plane were sleeping, Mr Rohner captured the vast wonder of the Milky Way over northern India.

READ MORE: Pentagon's handling of UFOs under scrutiny

"There is quite a bit of thunderstorm activity normally in that area," Mr Rohner told 9news.com.au, explaining intense flashes of light in the distance.

After 28 years of flying, the veteran Swiss Air captain remains "very much in awe" of the night visuals he's treated to on his travels.

The first half of his time-lapse shows the Milky Way core above various active thunderstorms in the region of Lucknow, India.

Later, the Southern Cross and the stars Alpha and Beta Centauri slowly setting below the horizon can be seen in Mr Rohner's footage.

One of the threats pilots need to avoid on a night flight is thunderstorms, Mr Rohner said.

At night, thunderstorms are only visible on the aircraft's weather radar and sometimes by intermittent lightning.

READ MORE: Planes blocked from Belarusian airspace after Ryanair's forced landing

Mr Rohner's time-lapse, which compressed about 90 minutes of flight time into 40 seconds, has had more than 250,000 interactions on Facebook, "a lot of attention for my standards," he said.

The spectacular starry skies paired with flickering thunderstorms had captured people's attention, he said.

"This combination really looks stunning."

Mr Rohner said only certain atmospheric conditions and flight paths open up such prime shooting conditions.

"There shouldn't be too much moon, so it has to be around a New Moon, and it's more interesting if there's a Milky Way visible," he explained.

"So it depends on the season and the flight direction."

Mr Rohner's camera was fixed to the cockpit window with suction cups and surrounded by an anti-reflection skirt.

"After I installed it, I just pushed the button and let it run."

When not flying around the world, the Swiss father of nine-year-old twins is an avid landscape and night sky photographer.

Contact: ms******@******om.au

FOLLOW: Mark Saunokonoko on Twitter

Winter has officially begun with temperatures plummeting well below zero to mark the start of June.

The lowest temperature in Australia on the first morning of winter was Cooma Airport in New South Wales, which dipped to -5.5C at 6:16am.

The next coldest spots were Canberra Airport and Goulburn Airport, which both reached -5.2C between 7:00am and 7:30am.

READ MORE: More action needed to vaccinate aged care sector, top doctor warns

Here's the coldest temperatures recorded for each state this morning:

• NSW: Cooma –5.5C
• ACT: Canberra –5.2C
• Victoria: Omeo –3.2C
• Tasmania: Ouse –2.7C
• South Australia: Loxton 0.7C
• Queensland: Applethorpe 1.1C
• Western Australia: Gingin 3.5C
• Northern Territory: Jervois 9.0C

The capital cities are also expected to be in for a chilly day with temperatures in Hobart and Melbourne forecast to range between 6C and 15C forecast in both cities.

https://twitter.com/BOM_au/status/1399478292244205577

Troughs and a low are generating strong winds and showers in WA's west and south, most intense in the south.

A trough is also causing patchy rain from Western Australia's north to South Australia's west.

Moist south-easterly winds on the Queensland and Arnhem coasts are bringing showers.

A high is keeping elsewhere dry.

READ MORE: Why you should book your summer holidays now

https://twitter.com/weatherzone/status/1399176925109575680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtimeline%7Ctwterm%5Eprofile%3Aweatherzone%7Ctwgr%5EeyJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2hvcml6b25fdHdlZXRfZW1iZWRfOTU1NSI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJodGUiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3R3ZWV0X2VtYmVkX2NsaWNrYWJpbGl0eV8xMjEwMiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJjb250cm9sIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH19%7Ctwcon%5Etimelinechrome&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.weatherzone.com.au%2Fincludes%2Ftwitter%2F

The final morning of autumn was a frosty affair in south-eastern Australia, with a few places registering their lowest temperature in several years.

A lingering cold air mass, combined with clear skies and light winds beneath a large high pressure system, have provided perfect conditions for prolific overnight cooling during the last couple of nights.

Melbourne recorded its coldest May morning in 72 years on Sunday with temperatures plummeting to 1.7C and Adelaide Airport's coldest May morning in 36 years (2.2C).

The frost was widespread once again yesterday as temperatures plummeted across southeastern Australia, making for a wintry final morning of autumn.

In Victoria, Mangalore Airport reached -3.3C, Yarram hit -4.1C and Omeo fell even further to -5.7C – all recording their coldest morning in four years on Monday.

Melbourne's low of 3C was only a slight improvement from Sunday morning's 1.7C.

In NSW and the ACT, Monday was the coldest morning in three years for Canberra and Bombala both dropping to -6.3C, while Fowlers Gap plunged to -1.8C.

Sydney cooled to 9.6C on Monday morning. While this wasn't as cold as Saturday morning (8.6C), it was the city's 10th morning below 10C in May, which hasn't happened for a decade.

Looking ahead, overnight temperatures will warm up in southeastern Australia during the next few nights, thanks to northerly winds and increasing cloud cover ahead of an approaching low pressure system.

The wild surf conditions will persist today for NSW due to a a slow-moving low pressure system near New Zealand is bringing large swells to the region.

Waves exceeding five metres are expected along the coast easing during the day with residents warned of coastal erosion in south-facing areas.

Police have turned to the public for answers after finding the body of a missing man in a pond in Sydney's south last month.

Detectives uncovered the remains of Scott Bradshaw, 42, at the Rockdale Bicentennial Park on May 3.

He was last seen alive about 1pm on April 24 in Brighton Le Sands and was reported missing on April 30.

READ MORE: Road workers injured in fiery truck crash on Sydney motorway

The death is being treated as suspicious.

On Saturday, police divers carried out a further search of the pond, recovering clothing which investigators suspect belonged to Mr Bradshaw.

Investigators today released CCTV of people in Bicentennial Park on April 24.

Police do not believe they are involved in Mr Bradshaw's death but would like to speak to them as part of their inquiries.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.

Travel is up, COVID-19 cases are down, and vaccines have been put in many arms.

The coronavirus pandemic isn't over, but Memorial Day weekend looked more like it did before the virus upended life in the US more than a year ago.

Americans celebrated their first holiday weekend since the CDC changed its masking guidance on May 13 – allowing fully vaccinated people to not need to wear masks indoors, and they don't have to keep their distance from others.

LIVE UPDATES: All the latest breaking news on Melbourne's coronavirus lockdown

Mask mandates melted away. As of Friday, California, Hawaii, New Mexico were the only states with mask mandates for everyone.

People are increasingly on the move. AAA estimated that more than 37 million people in the US would travel at least 80 kilometres from home over the Memorial Day weekend – 13 per cent down from 2019, but 60 per cent above last year.

And the US set a pandemic-era record number of passengers travelling through US airports in a single day – 1.96 million – on Friday, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

President Joe Biden praised what vaccination progress has been made, expressing a sense of hope ahead of the unofficial start of summer.

"We're not just saving lives. We're getting our lives back, " Mr Biden said during remarks at Sportrock Climbing Centre in Alexandria, Virginia on Friday.

Vaccines have helped make a gradual return to normalcy possible.

More than 166 million people in the US – 50.1 per cent of the population — have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of early Friday, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. About 40.2 pre cent of the population is fully vaccinated, the CDC says.

Cases have fallen since a short rise in mid-April: The country has averaged more than 21,600 COVID-19 cases a day over the past week – 69 per cent below the spring 2021 peak of more than 71,200 on April 14, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Last year, public health specialist Dr Saju Mathew was worried about case spikes that followed holiday travel and congregating.

"This year I am not as worried. What a difference these vaccines have made," Mathew, a primary care physician in Atlanta, told CNN on Saturday.

READ MORE: Kamala Harris delivers keynote to Navy graduates in 175-year first

But with mask mandates evaporating — and maybe with unvaccinated people dropping their masks against CDC guidance – the unvaccinated "have become more of a threat to each other," he said.

"All the more reason I hope the unvaccinated crowd will get that incentive to get vaccinated," Mathew said.

The CDC on Thursday predicted that daily cases, hospitalisations and deaths will fall over the next four weeks. The CDC ensemble forecasts concluded that there will be a total of 596,000 to 606,000 COVID-19 deaths by June 19.

As of Friday, COVID-19 has killed at least 593,364 people and infected more than 33 million in the US, according to Johns Hopkins.

Pent-up travel demand unleashed

In Florida's Miami Beach on Saturday, a vaccinated Mississippi couple told CNN that they were among a group of about 50 relatives and others who met there this week to celebrate a birthday.

"Being able to come out of your room, go to the beach, go to … places to eat, something to drink — it's been great," Arnett Lock-McNair said. "… We're going back to a little bit of normalcy."

"We go to some interior places, you have to wear your masks, but for the most part, we're almost forgetting about it," her husband, Dwight McNair, said.

The US is seeing an unleashing of pent-up travel demand, AAA spokesperson Robert Sinclair told WNYW in New York on Friday.

"We're seeing … the so-called revenge travel, where people (were) able to save a lot of money because they weren't traveling to work last year," and are now spending it, Mr Sinclair said.

In Santa Monica, California, Mayor Sue Himmelrich told CNN Saturday she was happy to have people return to the beach. Much of the city's revenues come form tourism and parking, "and all of that went to basically zero for several months last year."

READ MORE: US 22-year-old wins $1 million COVID-19 vaccine lottery

They relied on layoffs, retirements and federal funds to keep financially afloat. She's keen on increased tourism during weekends like this.

"People are coming back to the beach. Back to the pier which was shut for a long time last year. And we're hopeful that we'll be back," she said.

Greg Morena, owner of the restaurant The Albright, told CNN he was thankful for the crowds streaming back onto the Santa Monica Pier and for an uptick in business for Memorial Day weekend.

"Life has returned. I mean, we're back. Thank God," he said. "This last year has been really difficult. Keeping people employed, advocating for what we think is the right way to do it, but it's been a real challenge."

Biden warns: 'We're not done yet'

The country's improved COVID-19 outlook is boosted by continuing efforts by states to get people vaccinated. Ten states have reached the Biden administration's goal of vaccinating 70 per cent of adults by July 4 with at least one dose.

Also, nearly three-quarters of seniors are now fully vaccinated, according to CDC data.

On Friday, Mr Biden said despite the growing light at the end of the tunnel, "We're not done yet."

"We have to reach those who are not vaccinated and make it as easy as possible for them to get protected," he said.

Meanwhile, in Georgia, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order prohibiting schools and school districts from requiring students and workers to wear a face covering while on campus.

The new order, effective from yesterday, also eliminates rules for restaurants, bars, conventions, childcare facilities, live performance venues and other organisations. Previous executive orders eliminated regulations for camps and sporting events, according to a press release.

"As hospitalisations, cases, deaths, and percent positive tests all continue to decline – and with vaccinations on the rise – Georgians deserve to fully return to normal," Mr Kemp said in the release.

"With safe and effective vaccines widely available and the public well-aware of all COVID-19 mitigation measures, mandates from state and local governments are no longer needed."

Vaccine disparities continue in vulnerable communities

The slow return to normalcy is made possible by vaccines, and those who choose to take them. But there is a segment of the US population that is not getting vaccinated as quickly, and it's not all by choice.

Socially vulnerable counties in America are experiencing lower vaccination rates, according to CDC data published Friday.

A CNN analysis of the federal data found counties that are lagging behind the overall COVID-19 vaccination rate tend to be poorer and less educated, with less access to computers and the internet.

This digital and economic divide contributes to disparities in health care access generally, experts say, and access to COVID-19 vaccines is no exception.

"With too many things in health, we focus on the individual behaviour without looking at the systems that either make it easy or not for someone to practice that healthy behaviour," Dr Richard Besser, president and chief executive officer of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, told CNN.

The CDC used a social vulnerability index, which assesses counties based on 15 factors in four categories: socioeconomic status, household composition, race and ethnicity, and housing type and transportation.

READ MORE: Biden orders more Intelligence investigation of COVID-19 origin

More vulnerable counties have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but those same communities have also lagged in vaccination rates.

"Health behaviours (like getting a COVID-19 vaccine) are, in part, a personal choice," Dr Besser said. "But one of the things that's often said is that the choices we make depend on the choices that we have. For someone who doesn't have internet access, there's not much choice there in being able to go online and schedule your appointment."