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She taught herself to play, built her own recording environment, developed an international following and secured a deal with one of America's best-known independent heavy-music labels. Now Auckland-raised artist VANA is taking her uncompromising sound to audiences around the world. Her journey is a reminder that New Zealand talent does not need permission to succeed. VANA: From Auckland to the World Stage · A Kiwi Voice That Refuses to…

Police are renewing their appeal for a crucial witness to come forward following the shocking attack on a five-year-old girl at Myers Park in central Auckland. The child has now been discharged from hospital, but her family faces a long and difficult recovery. !Original police-supplied image of the man sought as a witness · Police are seeking to identify and speak with this man, who was reportedly present when the Myers Park attack began. He…

At just 17 years old, Christchurch filmmaker Kenta Lord has achieved something remarkable. His short film Trace has won Best International Film at the All-American High School Film Festival in New York, recognised as the world's largest student film festival. With three additional major nominations, the young New Zealander is proving that ambition, creativity and determination can take Kiwi talent onto the world stage. eLocal Report: Based on…

They wear motorcycle patches, ride powerful bikes and share a love of the open road. But for members of Riders Supporting Kids (RiSK), the greatest reward isn't the ride. It's helping children who might otherwise be forgotten. Founded by Steve Curtis and his late wife Jolene, this remarkable lower North Island motorcycle club is turning compassion into action, with an ambitious goal of collecting $50,000 worth of toys for Kiwi kids. eLocal…

Microsoft's global service outage has disrupted businesses, government agencies and essential communications across New Zealand, leaving thousands unable to access email and workplace systems. With Outlook, Teams and other Microsoft 365 services affected across 74 countries and territories, the incident raises serious questions about New Zealand's growing dependence on overseas technology giants and whether the country is adequately prepared…

Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev claims workers at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant are being deliberately targeted by Ukrainian forces simply for continuing their jobs under Russian control. In an exclusive Sanchez Effect interview, he reveals the human toll of operating a nuclear facility in a war zone. Likhachev also discusses Rosatom's global expansion despite sanctions, why Germany's nuclear shutdown was a strategic mistake, and…

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is facing criticism from within his own parliament after publicly mocking US President Donald Trump during sensitive peace negotiations with Russia. Ukrainian MP Aleksey Goncharenko has questioned whether his country's leader is genuinely committed to ending the conflict, arguing that political humour has no place when Washington is attempting to broker a settlement. The confrontation exposes growing…

India's purchases of Russian oil have surged to record levels, while European countries continue importing refined petroleum products from Indian facilities processing Russian crude. New figures highlight the contradictions in Western energy sanctions, as governments attempt to restrict Moscow's oil revenues while confronting shortages and soaring fuel prices. For New Zealand, the developments raise a familiar question: when global energy…

European leaders gathered in Dublin to reaffirm their support for Ukraine, even as diplomatic negotiations involving Washington, Moscow and Kiev continued elsewhere. Historian Tarik Cyril Amar argues that Europe's political establishment has become an obstacle to peace, unwilling to reconsider a strategy that has brought years of destruction and enormous economic costs. But is continued European support prolonging the conflict, or is it…

Washington backs Vladimir Putin's proposal for a joint Russia-Ukraine humanitarian operation in war-torn Konstantinovka, with foreign media invited to observe. Putin says he wants peace but questions whether it is achievable while Europe discusses deploying troops to Ukraine after the fighting ends. Meanwhile, the Trump administration blames Tehran for growing instability across the Middle East. Later, our guest panel examines Washington's…