Author: Press Room
Firefighters are battling a large fire at a building in Hokitika, the former site of a mental health facility. Crews responded to multiple 111 calls at Seaview Terraces Hokitika, shortly after 7am this morning. Seven fire trucks, two tankers and multiple support vehicles are on site working to extinguish the blaze and are expected to be there “for some time”.The fire is not currently being treated as suspicious. There have been no reports of any injuries. A fire investigator was expected to attend to the scene. The fire was at the former site of the Seaview Hospital and Asylum.More to…
The diver who died at Lower Hutt’s Lowry Bay this week has been identified to RNZ as 46-year-old Wellington real estate agent Chu Minh Looc, also known as Jack.Friend Jack Gordon told RNZ he was an avid scuba diver, who had done a lot of training.He said they often went diving together and were meant to go later this week.”I’m the one who got him in the water for the first time ever,” Gordon said. “He was a really determined guy and really passionate about diving.”He just loved supplying his family with seafood. Seafood is so hard to come by…
Chase host Bradley Walsh appeared to be in disbelief when Chaser Anne Hegerty took a personal jab at him in a recent episode of the game show.In the episode, a contestant named Suzanne mentioned she enjoyed watching Coronation Street in her spare time with her husband.Earlier in his career, Walsh played the role of Danny Baldwin in the British soap from 2004 to 2006, and was written out of the show after he moved on to other roles.In the episode shown recently in the UK, Hegerty – known to viewers as The Governess – took Walsh by surprise.The Chase’s Anne…
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese have reiterated their positions on recognising Palestinian statehood, but neither would shed light on a possible timeframe for that move.Other Western nations, including France, the United Kingdom, and Canada, have recently declared an intention to recognise a state of Palestine at an upcoming United Nations summit next month.That consideration also comes at the same time as the United States – a staunch ally of Israel – conducts trade negotiations over its roll-out of tariffs – including 15% on New Zealand goods.But, speaking from Queenstown after their annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders’…
The North Island’s Desert Road – State Highway 1 – is closed because of snow.MetService has issued a road snowfall warning, saying up to three centimetres of snow could fall on the highest parts of the road before 11am Saturday.”Snow may accumulate at times above 800 metres, with lesser amounts down to 600 metres,” the forecaster said. “Snow showers may continue for the remainder of Saturday but accumulations on the road are not expected.”MetService predicted a cold, wet weekend for many parts of the country, with snow also expected for Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago and Southland.At Lewis Pass in the South…
A fire at a police station in the Coromandel destroyed a garage and a police car early this morning. Police said emergency services were called to the Tairua police station at around 5.20am. “The garage and a police car at the rear of the station have been destroyed, while the station has sustained minimal damage,” Inspector Mike Henwood said. There were no reports of injuries. Henwood initially said the fire was being treated as “suspicious”, however police said in an update at 1.30pm that it no longer was. A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesperson said two firetrucks responded to…
The family of a 75-year-old Samoan woman with dementia, who went missing after leaving her Glen Innes home alone earlier this week, says they are “eternally grateful” to the community for helping her return home safely.Her daughter, Rina Tuigamala Sua, said the experience showed the challenges Pacific families face when seeking help and hopes that the government will streamline the process for pensioners with dementia.Peta, only one name, recently moved to Glen Innes after living in West Auckland for decades. On the afternoon of Wednesday, August 7, she left her daughter’s home without a phone, money, or any means of…
By Euronews Published on 09/08/2025 – 15:32 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT A huge fire has erupted in Vesuvius National Park in Italy’s western Campania region. The situation is critical, and to help manage the emergency, the Campania Civil Protection has called in the Army to guard roads, open access routes, and supply water to the tankers. The National Civil Protection Department is also sending a support team to the Terzigno coordination centre and providing air support. “In order to fight the flames and ensure the greatest possible air coverage for the extinguishing activities, six Canadairs of the national fire-fighting air fleet, coming from…
One person has died and three others were injured in a crash on State Highway 23 near Whatawhata this morning.Emergency services were called to the scene after a car crashed into a tree near Ferguson Rd just after 9am.”Two other people have serious injuries, and one person has a minor injury,” a police spokesperson said. The Serious Crash Unit were notified of the crash and were investigating.Te Pahu Rd and Ferguson Rd was closed for a period of time while emergency services were at the scene but has now opened.
Passenger satisfaction for Wellington’s rail services has slumped for the third year in a row, while bus patronage is increasing.Metlink’s annual passenger satisfaction survey shows 89% of all rail passengers surveyed were happy, down from 92% last year and 94% the year before.Just 58% of rail passengers on the Wairarapa line — which runs between Masterton and Wellington — reported being satisfied with services.Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Thomas Nash said trains were not as reliable or punctual as they should be, due to significant maintenance and upgrades on the network.That, along with staff shortages on the Wairarapa line had caused…