Author: Press Room

Consultation is being being held with staff working on Shortland Street, which is now being screened three nights a week instead of five. TVNZ confirmed to 1News that South Pacific Pictures, the producers of the long-running soap opera, had “entered into consultation with individuals who are part of the Shortland Street production and on permanent employment contracts”.A spokesperson said the proposal came after changes to the format of the show.Shortland Street had aired five episodes a week since 1992, but in 2025 returned to screens on a three episode a week schedule.”We’ve made changes to Shortland Street’s format to enable…

Seven people have appeared in court following a Destiny Church-linked protest at an Auckland library during a Pride event last month. Protesters stormed the Te Atatū Community Centre and Library during a children’s event hosted by a drag king on February 15.Around 30 children and adults were barricaded inside during the incident. Those who appeared this morning faced a range of common assault charges.A 67-year-old man was also facing a charge of indecent assault alongside two common assault charges. A 44-year-old man faced a charge of injuring with intent.All seven defendants, four men and three women, were remanded on bail…

A federal judge dismissed the charges against a Minnesota man accused of hiding a stolen pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in the 1939 musical The Wizard of Oz after prosecutors informed the court that he died on Sunday.Jerry Hal Saliterman, 77, of Crystal, who had been in poor health with lung disease and other ailments, had been scheduled to change his plea to guilty in January but that hearing was postponed indefinitely after he was hospitalised.Federal prosecutor Matthew Greenley notified the court in a one-page motion Monday that Saliterman died Sunday but did not say how or…

An attempt by Canadian-born billionaire Jim Grenon to take control of NZME’s board is “under consideration” by the government’s takeovers regulator.Private equity tycoon Grenon, a New Zealand resident since 2012, bought a 9.3 percent stake in NZME for just over $9 million.NZME is publisher of a number of newspapers, including the New Zealand Herald, as well as operating radio stations and property platform OneRoof.Within days of taking the stake, Grenon had written to the company’s board proposing that most of its current directors be replaced with new ones, including himself.But on Tuesday, the Takeovers Panel, which ensures shareholders have opportunity…

A New Mexico court granted a temporary restraining order today against the release of certain records related to the investigation into the recent deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.The order is in response to a request by Julia Peters, a representative for the couple’s estate. She urged in a motion filed last week that the court seal records in the case to protect the family’s right to privacy in grief under the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.Peters emphasised the possibly shocking nature of photographs and video in the investigation and potential for their dissemination by…

A food safety investigation has found a school lunches meal that burnt a Gisborne student came in packaging that was not designed for commercial reheating, and the incident could have been avoided if good processes were in place and followed.Ilminster Intermediate School principal Jonathan Poole said earlier this month that the incident occurred after a student picked up the lunch and was walking with it to a seat, Stuff reported.”It was too hot, it dropped, it exploded, and splattered all over his leg and basically gave him second-degree burns.”The boy was treated at A&E.New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent…

The warrant means that any police officer who encounters the president of the country’s Serb-majority entity of the Republika Srpska must arrest him immediately. ADVERTISEMENTThe Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has issued a nationwide arrest warrant for Milorad Dodik and two others, after the President of Bosnia’s Serb-dominated Republika Srpska entity ignored a state-level one last week.The other two are the entity’s Prime Minister Radovan Višković and National Assembly Speaker Nenad Stevandić. The warrant means that any police officer in the country who encounters them must arrest them immediately.They are all accused of anti-constitutional conduct. Bosnian media reports that Stevandić…

A man was arrested and more than 70 bags of drugs, including cannabis, cocaine and MDMA, were seized from a car parked in Auckland’s Beachlands overnight.Police received a report of a suspicious vehicle parked on Wakelin Rd with the engine running at around 2.20am.Inspector Rakana Cook said police approached a man who was sitting in the passenger seat and believed to be under the influence of drugs.”Upon seeing police, the man has attempted to get into the driver’s seat and drive off, however, he was quickly taken into custody.”Officers noticed a strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle and…

Grammy-nominated singer Teddy Swims will perform two shows in New Zealand later this year. In October, the 32-year-old from Atlanta (whose real name is Jaten Dimsdale) will bring his I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy tour to Christchurch and Auckland across two nights. On Tuesday 7 October the singer, behind songs like chart topper Lose Control, will take the stage Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch, and Auckland’s Spark Arena on October 9. Tickets go on sale for American Express members on it’s website at 1pm on Wednesday, March 19 and for Frontier touring members on Thursday, March 20 at 1pm via its…

Trade Me is warning people to be wary of scam texts claiming to offer high-paying jobs via the company.A series of recruitment scam messages have been circulating, often from people claiming to represent Trade Me Jobs.They said that they were looking for part-time assistants to do online work for an hour a day, to be paid anywhere from $488 to $2378 per day.Recipients were told all they need was a phone or computer for the salary-plus-commission job, and could also expect maternity leave and statutory holidays — but applicants needed to be at least 25 years old.Head of Trade Me…