Author: Press Room

ADVERTISEMENT In a series of online posts, internet users have claimed that Sweden is “seeking to deport immigrants who have acquired Swedish citizenship” for having allegedly failed to “integrate into Western society.” These posts have been doing the rounds on social media for months, with one shared in December amassing more than 4 million views. However, the claim is misleading and does not fully align with the Swedish government’s position. What is Swedish government’s stance on migration? The Swedish government — composed of a centre-right coalition, propped up by the far-right Swedish Democrats (ECR) — has made cracking down on…

Police have released the name of a woman found unresponsive in a Parnell apartment block last month, as investigations continue into the circumstances of her death.The woman was named as 59-year-old Leiann Rae Davis.Emergency services were called to the Cracroft St building on August 7 just after 9.30pm and Davis was pronounced dead at the scene.Police Auckland Central area investigations manager Martin Friend said Davis’ death remained unexplained.“A post-mortem examination was carried out on Friday, the results of which are inconclusive,” he said.“Police have since completed a scene examination at her apartment and the circumstances of her death remain under…

New Zealand’s newest multi-millionaire has claimed their prize – a jaw-dropping $20.25 million – following Saturday night’s Powerball draw.Lotto NZ confirmed to 1News that the lucky winner claimed their life-changing prize on Monday. The winning ticket was purchased via MyLotto by someone in Christchurch.The numbers were 19, 21, 11, 35, 6 and 33. The bonus ball was 27 and the Powerball was 3.The Powerball prize was $20 million, while the winnings included a quarter share of Lotto First Division at $250,000.Three other players would also be celebrating after winning $250,000 apiece with Lotto First Division. The winning tickets were sold…

A southern council is asking the public to be mindful of its staff following an uptick in threatening behaviour and abuse.Invercargill City Council’s most recent health, safety and wellbeing report identified a “key trend” of rising psychosocial incidents involving council staff.It also showed a trend of verbal abuse and threats of violence to equipment.Councillor Lesley Soper said the issue seemed to be tracking in the wrong direction and asked if it was isolated or part of a definite pattern.Council group manager Trudie Hurst said even if incidents were isolated, the organisation took a risk-based approach which could include changes such…

Explainer: A recently passed law aims to give victims of sexual offences more control over name suppression orders for convicted offenders.WARNING: This story mentions sexual violence.In June, Parliament unanimously passed the Victims of Sexual Violence Bill, which ensures the courts cannot issue a permanent name suppression order for an adult convicted of a sexual offence, unless the victim agrees to it.It comes into effect at the end of October.We often hear of “prominent figures” facing charges reported in the media. The label — a prominent New Zealander, a former political figure or a prominent musician — keeps their identities under…

The Government is weighing up its position on the recognition of Palestine as a state.Foreign Minister Winston Peters said today the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is rightly “at the forefront of the global agenda”.He took an oral item to Cabinet today about recognition of a state of Palestine, ahead of a formal consideration of the issue in September.Peters also said he would be travelling to New York in late September, to present UN leaders with New Zealand’s approach.But first, Peters said New Zealand would “need to weigh up” whether sufficient progress was being made against certain benchmarks to warrant New…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ ANZ has trimmed some of its home loan rates – and there are predictions that other banks may soon follow. The country’s biggest bank said it would cut its one-year fixed rate special by 16 basis points to 4.79 percent. It said that was the lowest that rate had been since June 2022. The other main banks are advertising 4.89 percent. The six-month special would drop to 5.14 percent and the two-year rate to 4.89 percent. The other banks are offering 4.95 percent for two years. Grant Knuckey, managing director for personal banking, said the…

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking from Parliament after his weekly meeting with Cabinet.Last week was a busy one in politics, with road-user charges foreshadowed for all light vehicles to replace petrol tax and criticism of the Government over unemployment figures.This afternoon, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced the Government was weighing up its position on the recognition of Palestine as a state.At the weekend, Luxon also met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Queenstown. The two leaders spoke about “geopolitical tensions, issues of trade and economic relationships, and conflict in the world”, Albanese said.

Advocates are disgusted by the shooting of three endangered sea lions in the South Island at the weekend.Two died while a third was euthanised, after being shot at the Waitaki River mouth, north of Ōamaru, on Saturday.Police and the Department of Conservation are investigating.Sea Lion Trust co-chair Shaun McConkey said he found the shootings unfathomable.”I personally can’t understand it. It seems crazy to me,” McConkey said.”The only defence that we’ve heard from any members of the public is over concern that the sea lions are stealing their fish — somehow.”It followed the death of three sea lions in the Catlins…

An elderly woman found slumped over a coal range in her Renwick home with burns to almost half of her body was cooking before she died, a coroner has found.Margaret Rita Gould, 93, died on December 11 last year at Hutt Hospital, as a result of burns sustained in the fire at home.She lived alone on a large property in Renwick, near Blenheim. After hearing beeping from a smoke alarm about 3.30pm on December 10, a woman who lived in another part of the property ran towards Gould’s house, where she saw black smoke coming from the kitchen.She went inside…