Author: Press Room
A 50-year-old man has been found guilty of arson and murdering five people at a Wellington hostel. The jury, of six women and four men, took 17 hours to decide following a nearly five-week trial at the High Court. The man, who can be now named as Esarona David Lologa, lit the two fires at Loafers Lodge in Newtown on May 16, 2023.Esarona David Lologa (Source: 1News)Five people died. They were Michael Eric Wahrlich, 67, also known as Mike the Juggler; Melvin Parun, 68; Kenneth Barnard, 67; Peter Glenn O’Sullivan, 64; and Liam James Hockings, 50.There is no dispute he…
The police officer shot by fugitive Tom Phillips has been discharged from hospital. He was the first officer to reach Phillips, who had been attempting to flee police on a quad bike during the early hours of September 8. The bike had been spiked and was stopped on the side of the road. As he got out of his car, the officer was shot with a “high-powered rifle” at close range and was struck in the head and shoulder. A second patrol unit arrived and engaged Phillips, who died at the scene.An aerial photo of the scene where Marokopa fugitive…
All of Lotto’s counters, as well as the MyLotto app and website, will be going offline later this weekend for a “major” tech upgrade. Lotto said the services would be closed from 7pm on Sunday until late afternoon on Monday next week (Sep 29). It means that Lotto counters will be closed, and MyLotto users won’t be able to access their accounts. Instant Kiwi online will be unavailable from 6pm on Sunday. Keno and Bullseye draws will run on Monday, but results won’t be published later in the day. Tickets for Keno or Bullseye games must be purchased before the…
ADVERTISEMENT The leader of Moldova’s ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) has said the upcoming elections will “define the country’s future not just for the next four years, but for many, many years ahead.” Igor Grosu’s party has held a strong parliamentary majority since 2021, but risks losing it in Sunday’s vote to elect a new 101-seat legislature, with no other viable pro-European alternatives on the ballot but several Russia-friendly ones. Grosu, who is also the speaker of parliament, said Sunday’s vote is no longer just a choice between East and West, but a choice between peace and war.…
Sealord is proposing to cut a further 59 jobs and make parts of its Nelson operations seasonal. Friday’s announcement comes just three weeks after the commercial fishing company said it was planning to close its coated fish factory with the loss of 79 jobs. Sealord is proposing to operate its wetfish and byproducts factories and its fresh fish trawler, the Thomas Harrison, during the hoki season from May to September instead of year-round. Chief executive Doug Paulin said 81 permanent staff would keep their jobs in Nelson, as well as 400 seasonal roles under the proposal. “We would prioritise roles for our…
A driver has been caught travelling at more than 150km/h while allegedly being more twice the legal alcohol limit in Auckland’s Pakuranga last night. Inspector Ann Wilkie told 1News that police air support spotted a vehicle driving dangerously on Botany Road at around 11pm. “The vehicle was estimated to be travelling in excess of 150km/h.” That was over three times the speed limit. Police stopped the vehicle on Hope Farm Road, where the driver underwent a breath screening test and was found to be more than twice over the legal alcohol limit. The 34-year-old man had his vehicle impounded and…
One person has been critically injured following a serious crash on State Highway 1 near Huntly this morning. Emergency services were called to the single-vehicle crash near Ralph Road at around 11.50am.The southbound lane of SH1 is closed, and police are currently at the scene. Travellers are advised to follow diversions and expect delays.
A long-awaited flyover in east Auckland which will reduce congestion at one of the country’s busiest intersections has been officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony today.Rā Hihi, also known locally as the Reeves Rd Flyover, directly links the Pakuranga Highway to the Waipuna Bridge in east Auckland.The 600m-long, 10m-high structure carries four lanes of traffic – two in each direction – and will ease congestion around the Pakuranga Town Centre.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Transport Minister Chris Bishop, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown were all present at this morning’s opening.Auckland Transport will open the flyover…
Emergency services were on standby at Auckland International Airport this morning after the pilot of a flight from Sydney declared a mayday over the Tasman due to a fire alert from the cargo hold.Flight QF 141 left Sydney earlier this morning and landed safely in Auckland at around 11.47am.Qantas told 1News the pilot issued a mayday call following an “intermittent alert from the cargo hold indicating fire”.“The aircraft landed safely at Auckland Airport and passengers have disembarked,” a spokesperson said.“Preliminary investigations report that there was no fire in the front cargo hold. Our engineers will inspect the aircraft to determine…
Three New Zealanders are developing dementia every hour, according to alarming new research from Auckland University, with a total of 500 new cases every week.The study commissioned by Alzheimer’s NZ shows:One in four Kiwis will die with dementiaNearly 170,000 New Zealanders will live with dementia by 2050Annual costs will top $10 billion – double today’sRates will climb fastest among Māori, Pacific and Asian communitiesAlzheimer’s NZ chief executive Catherine Hall said dementia was “not a problem for the future”.”It’s one of the greatest health challenges New Zealand faces now.”If we don’t act urgently, it risks overwhelming our health and aged care…