Author: Press Room

The protests took place while AfD was opening its election campaign in the central city of Halle on Saturday. ADVERTISEMENTThousands of people across major cities in Germany on Saturday protested the rise of the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of a 23 February general election.In one of the protests at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the German capital, participants lit up their phones, blew whistles, and sang anti-fascist songs.Some activists, including the group calling itself Fridays for Future, dubbed the Berlin rally the “sea of light against the right turn.” In Cologne, protesters carried banners denouncing…

The Justice Committee chair says the Treaty Principles Bill select committee process is “unusual, but still business as usual.”National MP James Meager also acknowledged it was “just not practical” to be able to listen to everyone who wanted to make an oral submission, despite receiving thousands of requests.Oral hearings began on Monday, with the committee set to listen to 80 hours of submissions in total after the Bill received an unprecedented number of written submissions.David Seymour – who is in charge of the Bill – would be the first to make an oral submission this morning, in addition to the…

Thousands took to the streets of Brussels on Sunday demanding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza as well as sanctions against Israel by both the Belgian government and European Union. ADVERTISEMENTThousands marched on the streets of Brussels on Sunday, calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and urging both the Belgian government and the European Union (EU) to sanction Israel.Protesters demanded the protection of the Palestinian population, the release of politically detained individuals, and access to international aid for those in Gaza currently facing a humanitarian emergency. Organisers on social media also urged the Belgian government to impose a comprehensive international military…

Growers on the east coast have successfully grown a new variety of melon better-suited to New Zealand’s climate.Melon growers at Gisborne-based food producer LeaderBrand have been busy taste-testing their latest melon variety.They’ve never been mass-grown in the country before and are so new, they don’t even have an official name. Anyone wanting to have a taste for themselves will get the chance soon, with the melons hitting supermarket shelves in the coming weeks.LeaderBrand head melon grower Andrew Rosso told 1News the melon is something most Kiwis haven’t had before. “It’s really nice and it’s not as musky as the rock…

World leaders will be attending the ceremony at Auschwitz on Monday including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Britain’s King Charles III. ADVERTISEMENTOn Sunday, hundreds gathered at the Auschwitz Memorial in Wertheimpark, Amsterdam, to honor the victims of the Holocaust on its 80th anniversary. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof joined the solemn event, standing alongside survivors and members of the public.Jacques Grishaver, representing the Dutch Auschwitz Committee, spoke about the enduring pain of the Holocaust and the responsibility it places on humanity. “The pain has not gone away,” he said. “But it has always given me the…

It’s been two years since the Auckland Anniversary floods killed four people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage to properties and infrastructure across New Zealand’s biggest city.The storm dumped a record-breaking 307mm of rain on Auckland in four days — more than half the expected rainfall for a year. Emergency services rushed to hundreds of calls for help as more than 2000 slips and flooding paralysed the city’s transport and water networks, closing major highways and Auckland Airport.Up to 10,000 properties flooded, forcing hundreds into emergency accommodation. Auckland Council is in the process of categorising these properties, based…

Imported cars lined up at the Port of Auckland. PHOTO: JASON OXENHAM. The December quarter remained tough for New Zealand’s used vehicle market as import levels collapsed — ex-overseas used vehicle transactions were down 33% year-on-year. Outside of imports, vehicle transaction levels have started to recover and the public-to-public segment continued to take the largest share, a research note from Forsyth Barr last week said. Those factors impacted heavily on 2 Cheap Cars Group and the Colonial Motor Company’s recent updates. Given its targeted markets, Turners Automotive had so far remained more resilient to broader industry weakness, supported by market…

A Dunedin couple planning to extend their pet cremation services as far as Queenstown and Wanaka hope to provide a more local experience for owners around Otago. Stonegate Pet Cremations Ltd co-director Brendan Derbyshire said he and his fiancée and veterinarian Cally Hammond-Tooke had been looking at opening a pet crematorium for the past six to seven years, and had recently secured a lease at Invermay where they would operate. Mr Derbyshire, originally from Melbourne, said when they moved to Dunedin about two years ago they noticed a gap in the market. “There wasn’t a lot of services around, and…

Tonight’s Good Sort is Ray Goddard, who spends every Tuesday volunteering at Lake Taupō Hospice. The 100-year-old veteran, who served in the Navy during World War II, now spends his time among his beloved books as a volunteer stocking and maintaining the library. “Sixty or 70 books on these shelves here are from my own home,” he said proudly. The library is named after Goddard, who started it when the new Hospice building was constructed, and has been a stalwart among its dusty shelves ever since. His second job is providing great company for the patients – but he has…

Maritime New Zealand officials raised concerns about aspects of the Manahau barge before it arrived in New Zealand, documents released to 1News show.Westland Mineral Sands, the company which runs the barge, said the concerns were based on historic information and it has confidence in the vessel’s capability. But one union thinks lessons need to be learnt.The motorised barge ran aground on Carters Beach on August 31 last year during poor weather. The barge was eventually refloated without incident and remains in Nelson under a detention notice.Documents lay out lead-up to groundingEmails released to 1News under the Official Information Act show…