Author: Press Room

Police say they are working to locate a man who escaped a police transport van in Taupō this evening.Samir Derek Belhajjam, 30, fled from a police transport vehicle at the Taupō District Court at around 6pm.”He was wearing green prison-issue shorts and T-shirt, along with an orange hi-vis vest,” a police spokesperson said.”Residents may notice an increased police presence as staff work to locate him.”Anyone who saw Belhajjam or had information on his whereabouts was asked not to approach him but to call 111 immediately.1News has contacted the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Corrections for comment.

Elon Musk has taken the side of an MEP allied to Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán in a dispute over alleged electoral censorship by Brussels. Euronews looks at the details. ADVERTISEMENTHungarian MEP András László has hit out at what he sees as double standards from Brussels over foreign interference.For years, Fidesz, the ruling party to which László belongs, has complained about overseas actors — from Hungarian-American philanthropist George Soros to the US government — meddling in domestic politics. Fidesz leader Viktor Orbán has also been accused of limiting media and academic freedom as he attempts to maintain his nearly 15-year grip on…

Despite the cost-of-living crisis, Southland tourism operators are enjoying a booming summer season. A predominantly international market is lapping up the best of this season’s Murihiku tourism activities and has filled accommodation sites across the Southland region. “It’s been going pretty well and doing a little bit better than last year,” Beach Road Holiday Park Invercargill co-owner Arty Shirley said. “There’s been quite a few French people and quite a few from India. “And we’ve had a lot of Te Araroa [trail] walkers call in, and they stay a night. “We’re right until about mid-March.” Walking tour operator Cheeky Kiwi…

Ōamaru is back in the spotlight once again with the return of a big Hollywood film production.Netflix is making a seven-episode limited series based on Nobel Prize-winner John Steinbeck’s classic novel of the same name, East of Eden, in the South Island region.Filming is now in full swing this week with the town’s heritage precinct front and centre.Ōamaru Whitestone Civic Trust chairperson Richard Vinbrux told 1News: “There’s a huge crew around. “Most of our businesses will have some additional income from this. So it’s good for us. It’s also good promotion for Ōamaru — once again.”The series will feature Oppenhemier…

Drones with thermal imaging equipment will survey a vegetation fire on the Coromandel Peninsula tonight to identify deep seated pockets where the fire is burning, which firefighters will attack tomorrow.Multiple crews and helicopters continued to battle the vegetation fire today on the Coromandel Peninsula, after it was brought under control yesterday — but fully extinguishing the blaze was likely to take “several days”.Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) said Black Jack Rd will open for access tonight once crews have stood down for the night, but stop/go traffic will resume in the morning to ensure safety to firefighters and the…

The Security Service for Ukraine announced on Saturday that it had captured two soldiers from North Korea in Russia’s Kursk region and they are being questioned in Kyiv. ADVERTISEMENTUkraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he’s prepared to return two captured North Korean soldiers to Pyongyang in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war held in Russia.That statement comes after the Security Service for Ukraine (SSU) announced on Saturday that it had captured two soldiers from North Korea in Russia’s Kursk region.”If Kim Jong Un even remembers these citizens of his and is capable of organising an exchange for our warriors held…

A Dunedin-based cancer diagnostics company’s share price halved after a decision by a United States healthcare provider to revoke coverage for its flagship product. After a trading halt over the weekend, Pacific Edge said in an announcement to the stock exchange yesterday it “cannot believe” Medicare administrative contractor Novitas did not review its most recent evidence for its Cxbladder cancer tests, after committing to do so in writing, and is considering a legal challenge. Last week Novitas, which has jurisdiction for Pacific Edge’s US laboratory, dealt a blow to the company by denying coverage for the cost of its Cxbladders…

Air New Zealand has been named the world’s safest airline for the second year in a row, narrowly beating trans-Tasman rival Qantas.The Airline Ratings site rated the safety and in-flight product of 385 airlines using its own seven-star rating system.In creating its report, the site considered a wide range of factors, including fatal accidents, audits from aviation’s governing and industry bodies, industry-leading safety initiatives, fleet age and more. Another factor was how airlines handled these incidents.However, the report left out incidents such as bird strikes, turbulence injuries and weather diversions, since the airlines had no control over these occurrences.AirlineRatings.com editor-in…

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at an annual security conference on Sunday that Sweden is not at war but there is also no peace, the news agency TT reported. ADVERTISEMENTSweden has said it will contribute up to three warships to a NATO effort to increase the alliance’s presence in the Baltic Sea as it tries to guard against sabotage of underwater infrastructure, the government announced.The Swedish military also will contribute an ASC 890 surveillance aircraft, Stockholm said.And the country’s coast guard will contribute four ships to help monitor the Baltic, with a further seven vessels on standby.The government said this…

A family friend says the death of a migrant worker at an Auckland workplace has destroyed a family.A memorial service held for Jun Jiang on Monday in the suburb of Wiri was filled with tears and emotion.The 37-year-old Chinese national came to New Zealand on a work visa to work for Auckland company SD Aluminium, in late 2022. His wife, Jia Fan, later joined her husband on a partner visa with their 8-year-old daughter.But Jiang fell from a scissor lift while moving aluminium extrusions at the company’s Albany warehouse in December, and died last week in Auckland City Hospital.Jiang’s wife…