Author: Press Room

A person has died following a “water incident” north of Tairāwhiti this afternoon.Emergency services are at an address on Te Araroa Rd in Hicks Bay, a police spokesperson told 1News in a statement.They were called just before 4pm.The death will be referred to the coroner.

Intelligence firm Graphika said a Beijing-linked campaign known as “Spamouflage” spread disinformation about Spain’s deadly floods last year. ADVERTISEMENTA Chinese online influence operation impersonated a human rights group in Spain to spread calls on social media for the Spanish government to be overthrown following deadly floods in Valencia last year, according to research by intelligence firm Graphika.The Chinese state-linked campaign — dubbed “Spamouflage” by analysts — posed as the Spain-based NGO Safeguard Defenders on social media platforms including Facebook, TikTok and X to circulate content criticising the government’s response to the floods that killed at least 225 people last October,…

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is considering whether it needs to revise trap standards after a “determined” kiwi was killed when its bill was caught in a pest trap.The dead North Island brown kiwi was found by a member of the public on Saturday in Northland’s Puketi-Omahuta Forest, west of the Bay of Islands.The person then alerted DOC.Kiwi Recovery Group technical advisor Emily King said the trap in question, a DOC200 housed in a wooden box, had been examined and was found to comply with best practice.Despite that, a determined kiwi managed to make its way in and had its…

The EIB, the largest multilateral lender, will double its funding for defence and security from €1 billion to €2 billion by 2025. Its group president defends a proactive approach to both sectors within the bank’s remit. “We are not a defence ministry,” she said on Thursday. ADVERTISEMENTThe European Investment Bank (EIB) is targeting a €95 billion investment in 2025, supporting initiatives ranging from clean-tech and AI to affordable and sustainable housing and climate action—while allocating just €2 billion to Europe’s security and defence industry. “I want to be very clear: we are not a defence ministry. We are Europe’s investment bank,…

Winston Peters – after initially saying nothing was wrong with his and Shane Jones’ comments – has now backed down after the Mexican Ambassador raised concerns.MPs were debating the Prime Minister’s Statement on Tuesday when Shane Jones yelled “send the Mexicans home” across the floor.Winston Peters then told Green MPs Lawrence Xu-Nan and Francisco Hernandez to “show some gratitude” for being in New Zealand.The Green Party has written to the prime minister and the Speaker of the House calling for action, saying the comments were “outwardly racist and xenophobic”.RNZ approached the Mexican embassy, which confirmed it was “following up this…

The front-runner to be Germany’s next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has faced criticism for accepting support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. ADVERTISEMENTFormer German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday issued a rare public rebuke of Germany’s main opposition leader, Friedrich Merz, for accepting help from the far-right to push tough new migration plans through parliament. Merz — the front-runner in Germany’s election next month — broke a long-standing pledge to not cooperate with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on Wednesday, when he accepted its votes in order to pass his migration proposal.The non-binding motion calling for stricter border…

The Coalition Government’s new school lunch programme has begun with some schools paying to help feed their students when deliveries were late.Associate Education Minister David Seymour, who spearheaded the transformation of the school lunches program, and the supplier acknowledged there had been some early issues. The six-year-old free lunch programme introduced by the Labour Government was remodelled by the coalition Government last year.The number of intermediate and secondary school students receiving lunches did not change but $130 million in funding annually was saved by using bigger suppliers.British multinational Compass Group now runs the program, tasked with creating nutritious, tasty meals…

Taranaki uri travelled to Wellington to witness the second and third reading of a bill formally granting Taranaki Maunga and its companion peaks legal personhood.Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passed into law following remarks made by members of Parliament in the house, unanimously commending the bill.As agreed under Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo (Taranaki Maunga) Collective Redress deed, Taranaki and the peaks – Panitahi, Patuhā, Kaitake and Pouākai – are now a legal person called Te Kāhui Tupua.It brings to a close nine years of negotiations between iwi and the Crown. Iwi negotiator Liana Poutu said…

The new tech “oligarchy” now operates beyond the control of most governments. Alexandra Andhov asks how a nation as small as New Zealand can regulate the power of massive forces such as Meta, Google and X Corp.The images of President Donald Trump at his inauguration surrounded by the titans of the global tech industry is a warning of what could come: a global digital oligarchy dominated by a tiny tech elite.Companies like Meta, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, X Corp, and OpenAI (all based in the United States) now operate beyond the control of most governments. Countries like New Zealand are increasingly…

It’s the last week of active service for the Defence Force’s old C-130 Hercules fleet after 60 years of missions across the globe.The C-130H Hercules arrived in New Zealand in 1965 and was almost immediately deployed to the Vietnam War – transporting army detachments to the country.The five old aircraft have collectively spent more than 17 years in the air locally and internationally.A C-130H Hercules on assignment in Antartica in 2022. (Source: Supplied)During their service, the aircraft have been used for search and rescue missions, delivering aid, and assisting disaster relief among other applications.”It’s almost second to none of any…