Police confirmed the fatal crash.
Tag Archives: oceania
Incident at Oranga Tamariki youth justice facility Korowai Manaaki in Auckland
Two fire engines are at the scene.
Airport chaos as flight cancellations hit east coast
Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane airports have been hit by widespread delays and cancellations, with some passengers being told they will not be able to fly until Tuesday.
Sydney Airport said many of their delays and cancellations were pre-emptive due to the potential for strong winds this morning.
Eighteen flights were cancelled – a total of five per cent of aircraft flying in and out of the city.
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Many travellers are waiting almost half an hour longer for their flights, with about 88 per cent of flights in Sydney impacted by delays.
It comes as New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland students are all on school holidays.
Virgin Australia passengers seem to be experiencing the most cancellations.
"Multiple Air Traffic Control shortages occurring across the network over the last two days as well as a reduction to one runway in Sydney yesterday has caused number of crew displacements and operational issues that are now impacting flights in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane today," Virgin Australia spokesperson told 9News.com.au.
"More disruptions are expected due to the ongoing impact of the industry wide disruptions over the last two days, and we will continue working to keep our guests updated.
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"All guests impacted by cancellations today are being recovered onto the next available flights.
"We apologise to any guests impacted by delayed or cancelled services, and we are working tirelessly to ensure all guests reach their final destination."
9News understands Qantas is expecting a number of delays due to ongoing impacts of yesterday's operations and restrictions on crew hours.
Many are worried about missing connecting flights including a cruise departing from Brisbane and other international destinations.
One passenger told 9News their family would not be able to get on a new flight until Tuesday so they were now going to have to drive home to the Central Coast and lose a lot of money.
A group of eight said they were placed on numerous flights but were now going home about $20,000 out of pocket.
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Fears for rest home residents after Wesley Care Centre in Mt Eden, Auckland, to shut down
The rest home has 51 beds for elderly residents, who will now have to find a new home.
Whaikaha the first ministry with a name in all of NZ’s official languages
Whaikaha – the first govt ministry with a name in all official languages of NZ.
More video of Auckland Harbour Bridge clip-on lanes swaying emerges
A 50-millimetre gap was seen opening and closing last year
Chinese company pays $200 million for employees to have kids
China's Trip.com, one of the world's largest online travel agencies, is introducing new childcare subsidies worth 1 billion yuan ($206 million) to encourage its 32,000 employees to have kids.
Workers who have been with the company for at least three years will receive an annual bonus of 10,000 yuan ($2070) for each newborn child every year from the child's first birthday until they reach the age of five. The policy will take effect on Saturday.
"Through the introduction of this new childcare benefit, we aim to provide financial support that will encourage our employees to start or grow their families without compromising on their professional goals and achievements," Trip.com executive chairman James Liang said in a statement on Friday.
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Trip.com's announcement follows similar initiatives by smaller Chinese companies and comes as the country faces a demographic crisis.
China's population shrank in 2022 for the first time in more than 60 years, with just 6.77 births per 1000 people — the lowest birth rate since the founding of Communist China in 1949. The country is now the world's second most populous nation, having fallen behind India, according to the United Nations.
Beijing scrapped its decades-long "one child" policy in 2015, initially allowing married couples to have two children. But after a brief uptick in 2016, the national birth rate has continued to fall.
The issue is a key concern for policymakers, as it could have profound implications for the country. It adds to the problem of an ageing population, could affect economic growth, and reduce tax revenue and contributions to a pension system that is already strained.
At Trip.com, all full-time employees who have worked for the company for three years will qualify for the bonus, regardless of their gender, position or job location, the company said in a second statement in Chinese.
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"I have always suggested that the government give money to families with children … to reduce the family's child-rearing costs and help more young people fulfil their desire to have multiple children," Liang said in that statement.
"Companies can also play a role within their own capabilities to build a favourable reproductive environment," he added.
There are other examples. Beijing Dabeinong Technology, an agricultural company, said last year that it would give a 90,000 yuan ($18,600) cash bonus to employees if they had a third child, according to state media, including the China Securities Journal. Giving birth to a first or second child would lead to payments of 30,000 yuan ($6200) and 60,000 yuan ($12,400) respectively, the reports said.
Last month, QiaoYin City Management, an urban sanitation services firm, announced that it would offer a 100,000 yuan ($20,700) bonus to employees for giving birth to a third child. The move was aimed at reducing the financial burden on the families of young employees and responding to the government's call to encourage births, the company said.
The falling birth rate isn't the only worry for Beijing. Fewer people in China are also getting married, which could compound the problem.
READ MORE: Millions of drivers at risk of new $577 fine
Some 6.83 million couples married in 2022, according to data released by China's Ministry of Civil Affairs earlier this month. That's down around 10.5 per cent from the 7.63 million marriages registered in 2021 and is the lowest number on record since the ministry began publishing the data in 1986.
Policymakers further relaxed limits on births in 2021, allowing three children, and ramped up efforts to encourage larger families, including through a plan released last year to strengthen maternity leave, and offer tax deductions and other perks to families.
But those efforts have yet to yield results amid changing gender norms, the high cost of living and education, and economic uncertainty.
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New Zealand weather: Planes hit by lightning, sports cancelled and heavy snow for school holidays
Heavy snow is tipped for the lower SI, with squalls and rain in many NI areas.
Island in Sydney Harbour to be handed back to First Nations owners
Significant steps in transferring the ownership of Me-Mel (Goat Island) back to Aboriginal ownership have been made by the NSW government.
The government has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Me-Mel Transfer Committee, with $43 million committed to "restore and remediate" the island.
The committee will provide options for cultural, tourism and public uses of the site as well as advice on managing the site.
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A business case will also be developed.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the government was listening to the First Nations community throughout the process.
"The island will be a symbol of reconciliation in the heart of Sydney Harbour," Minns said.
"That is what the signing of this agreement is all about.
"I thank the previous government and its former premiers for their commitment to this project over many years."
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Teens caught after alleged aggravated robberies in Auckland, dramatic chase on first day of school holidays
Police track down four suspects, aged about 15 or 16, following dramatic chase.