Author: Press Room
A bid to build a dam in the shadow of the failed Ruataniwha scheme in Central Hawke’s Bay has been given a $3 million injection from the Government.The money will be used to find out if the massive project to store water on the Makaroro River is viable — commercially, environmentally and technically.Regional Development Minister Shane Jones said the perilous state of water security and resilience in Hawke’s Bay could no longer be ignored.He announced at the Regional Growth Summit in Hastings on Friday that a grant would come from the Regional Infrastructure Fund for the pre-construction development of the…
A Hells Angels gangmember was arrested and had his bike seized as he stopped for gas after fleeing police in Auckland last night.Senior Sergeant Scott Cunningham said the rider’s behaviour drew police’s attention as he travelled at speed heading south on the Southern Motorway at around 8.15pm.”Staff have attempted to stop the bike, however it failed to do so and a pursuit was not initiated.”The police Eagle helicopter has then provided commentary, where the rider was spotted at nearly twice the legal speed limit.”Cunningham said the rider exited the motorway at Beach Rd and was arrested when he stopped to…
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University has opened the doors to Wellington’s first living building, Ngā Mokopuna, and reawakened its wharenui, Te Tumu Herenga Waka, in a dawn ceremony today. In line with tikanga, the wharenui was closed in 2021 to allow construction to get underway next door.Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Māori) Rawinia Higgins (Tūhoe) said it has brought a taste of what’s possible in the city if there is vision, care and a commitment to Te Tiriti.“As the first living building in the capital, Ngā Mokopuna is a vision of sustainability, infused with indigenous wisdom—a place for people to get inspired and be…
The first round of the elections saw a previously unknown far-right nationalist candidate Călin Georgescu top the polls in a shock result. ADVERTISEMENTThe Romanian presidential run-off between far-right candidate Calin Georgescu and centrist pro-EU Elena Lasconi is now off, after the Constitutional Court (CCR) cancelled the results of the first round of votes and announced entirely new elections will be held instead. This dramatic and unprecedented decision comes just as the voting has begun in the diaspora.”The electoral process for the election of the president of Romania will be resumed in its entirety, with the government required to set a…
Police have named the man who died in hospital after sustaining critical injuries in an assault in Porirua over the weekend.Emergency services were called to Kotuku St, Elsdon at around 2am on Sunday.Detective Senior Sergeant Peter Middlemiss named the man as 43-year-old Sean Remnant.”Sean, who was a resident of Tītahi Bay, passed away in hospital this week after he received critical injuries in the assault.”Middlemiss earlier said the death was being treated as “suspicious” and that police “remain focused on determining what occurred prior to Sean’s death and understanding the cause of his injuries”.”We know that Sean was at the…
The former European Commissioner has denied criminal allegations made against him, after reports police found thousands of euros while raiding his properties. ADVERTISEMENTDidier Reynders on Friday formally denied criminal accusations made against him, after it emerged that the Belgian police were investigating him on suspicion of money laundering.On Friday, Belgian media outlet RTBF reported that the investigation into Reynders – previously Belgian finance and foreign minister and more recently EU Justice Commissioner – concerned around €1 million in suspicious funds.Speaking through a lawyer, Reynders said he was helping the magistrate in charge with inquiries and that the case related to…
Almost five days after three climbers from the US and Canada went missing on Aoraki Mt Cook, police revealed today they “do not believe the men have survived”. The search for Kurt Blair (56) and Carlos Romero (50) from the United States, and a Canadian national was launched on Monday after they were reported overdue.Due to poor weather conditions on the mountain, the search was paused late Monday and only resumed today when two drone operators were helicoptered up. Police believe the trio suffered a fatal fall, Donna-Marie Lever reports. (Source: 1News)Today, Aoraki Area Commander Inspector Vicki Walker said a…
Macron is set to choose a new prime minister after the government lost a no-confidence vote this week. ADVERTISEMENTAfter a no-confidence vote toppled Michel Barnier’s government, French President Emmanuel Macron received several political parties on Friday in Paris to discuss forming a new government. The Socialist Party, part of the left-wing coalition New Popular Front (NFP) seems to be open to the idea of working with other parties to attempt to break the current institutional deadlock.”There’s a choice between making grand speeches and doing nothing,” said Olivier Faure, the Secretary General of the Socialist Party.”We’re ready to take on our…
Two teenagers on the run from the coalition’s boot camp programme is not a reason to end it, the Children’s Minister says.Karen Chhour appeared at select committee this afternoon, just a day after news broke that one of the boot camp participants had died in a car crash in Tīrau last week.Earlier in the day, Oranga Tamariki was grilled by MPs and revealed two participants of the programme have absconded since the tangi for the deceased teenager earlier this week.Chhour was only told about one of the escapes, and said it was “unacceptable” that information was not passed onto her…
In an exclusive interview with Euronews, Jakov Milatović calls EU enlargement an insurance policy for “the security of the European continent”. ADVERTISEMENTMontenegro’s youngest-ever president at the age of 36, Jakov Milatović, was elected in May last year, winning a landslide majority on an unabashedly pro-EU platform.An economist by trade and former minister of economic development, Milatović has balanced his ambitions for Europe with a desire for closer relations with Serbia. This is despite the fact that he disagrees with his former federal state partner on crucial issues, most of all the recognition of Kosovo.Whereas Serbia has not yet recognised Kosovo…