Author: Press Room

A contentious bill allowing terminally ill adults to end their lives has fractured traditional party lines and left some MPs in disagreement with their colleagues. ADVERTISEMENTMPs in the United Kingdom are set to vote on an assisted dying bill on Friday — a controversial issue that has split traditional party loyalties. The legislation — which was first introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater — would allow adults who have less than six months to be given help to end their own lives, subject to approval from two doctors and a judge, for the first time in the country. The vote…

Auckland Airport’s domestic terminal saw major disruption this morning after a passenger “refused to fully comply” with security screening and entered a restricted area.The incident began at about 6.40am this morning, an Aviation Security Service spokesperson said.”A security breach occurred at Auckland Airport domestic screening point,” they said in a statement.”A passenger undergoing security screening refused to fully comply with the process and left the screening point into a restricted area prior to the process being complete.A queue for security at Auckland Airport’s domestic terminal. (Source: Supplied)”The person was located by Aviation security officers and removed from the restricted area.…

The unexpected victory of far-right leader Calin Georgescu in the first round of the Romania’s presidential election has sparked a debate about the level of Russian influence in the country. ADVERTISEMENTRomania has never been pro-Russian and politicians backed by Russia rarely present themselves as such, Romanian centre-right MEP Siegfried Muresan told Radio Schuman in today’s episode. Muresan said this applied to Calin Georgescu, the little-known far-right populist and TikTok personality who unexpectedly won the first round of Romania’s presidential election, adding that he had put forth an ”anti-European stance, seeking to undermine Europe, its values, and the rule of law.”Georgescu…

Two Mongrel Mob members and one associate have been arrested after a man was allegedly shot through the leg with a spear gun in front of his young children in Hamilton late last week, leaving him critically injured.Police received multiple calls about an incident on Coates St in Hamilton East at around 11.30am on Saturday.A man had been putting his young children into his car when he was approached by two unknown males wearing Mongrel Mob regalia, a police spokesperson said.”Words were exchanged before the man was then assaulted.”The victim’s partner, along with a member of the public tried to…

An Auckland family who have been hit by flash flooding say it feels inhumane that their family home is not eligible for a council buy-out when all of their neighbours will be getting one.Brendon Deacon and his young family have twice had extreme flooding at their property, first in 2021 when they had to escape on a kayak in the middle of the night, and again in January 2023.All of their nearby neighbours were labelled category three under the council’s buy-out scheme, meaning there was an intolerable risk to life at their properties, and they would be bought out.But the…

Whangārei District Council has voted to reject the Ministry of Health’s directive to add fluoride to its water supply.After over an hour’s discussion in front of a packed public gallery yesterday, councillors voted seven to six, with one abstaining, to halt fluoridation plans.Whangārei mayor Vince Cocurullo, deputy mayor Phil Halse, and councillors Jayne Golightly, Phoenix Ruka, Marie Olsen, and Simon Reid supported the motion put forward by councillor Gavin Benney. Councillor Deborah Harding abstained from voting.WDC was one of 14 councils identified as the most high-risk for dental disease and required to fluoridate its water by March 2025 under a…

Eden Park has been granted consent to host up to 12 concert events featuring six different artists in a calendar year.The announcement follows “extraordinary public support” that saw more than 2000 submissions made with 94% in favour of an increased number of live music events at the stadium.Eden Park was previously limited to six concerts per year that could take place on weekdays, Saturdays, Sundays preceding a public holiday, and public holidays — subject to restrictions under the resource consent.Eden Park’s chief executive Nick Sautner said it was a “landmark moment for Auckland and New Zealand’s entertainment scene”.”Expanding venue availability…

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday put net migration at more than 900,000 in the year to June 2023, numbers Starmer blamed on the previous Conservative government. ADVERTISEMENTBritish Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the government intends to overhaul the immigration system after new data showed arrivals to the country had hit a record high.Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday put net migration at more than 900,000 in the year to June 2023, numbers Starmer blamed on the previous Conservative government.”Time and again, the Conservative Party promised they would get the numbers down.…

Grammy award-winning artist Drake is heading back to New Zealand to play two shows early next year.The Canadian rapper announced the dates for his upcoming The Anita Max Win Tour – his first performances in the country since 2017.The tour will kick off in Australia on February 9 in Melbourne, followed by shows in Sydney and Brisbane.He will play two consecutive shows at Auckland’s Spark Arena on February 28 and March 1.The tour takes its name from a viral moment from Drake’s December 2023 livestream on Kick, where he introduced the “alter ego” Anita Max Win — a play on…

Two UK nationals are set to be deported for their involvement in a text phishing scam which police say “plagued Kiwis with millions of fraudulent messages”.Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton from the Auckland City Financial Crime Unit said the texts impersonated well-known and trusted organisations.Some victims lost between $10,000 and $100,000, he added.Alvin Agyeman Acheampong and Alexander Manfo, both nineteen, were sentenced in the Auckland District Court on Tuesday.Acheampong was sentenced to two years in prison on multiple charges for fraud offences committed during the scam. He was convicted on representative charges of accessing a computer system for a dishonest purpose,…