Author: Press Room

The Niuean government is supporting a family’s battle to allow the father to be able to travel to New Zealand.Nigerian man John Asanso is a respected businessman who’s been living in Niue since 2006 but because of a mistake more than two decades ago is unable to travel here.Asanso came to New Zealand in 2002 using his uncle’s passport – an action he regrets and one he fronted up to right away.He moved to Niue after his appeal failed – but his relationship with his late Niuean partner failed as, once there, he wasn’t allowed to return to New Zealand.Over…

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Over 100,000 Kursk residents were displaced after Kyiv’s troops came over Russia’s western border in August. ADVERTISEMENTUkraine is reportedly losing ground in the Russian province of Kursk, with a senior Ukrainian military official saying over 40% of land seized has been lost.  Russia deployed tens of thousands of troops to Kursk after Kyiv’s forces launched their surprise incursion, surprising Moscow two and a half years into their full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At the height of the incursion, Ukraine reportedly controlled up to 1,376 square kilometres, though sources in Kyiv’s military say this has now decreased to 800 square kilometres. Ukrainian President Volodymyr…

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Four pilot whales have died in a mass stranding on a beach in Northland this afternoon. Project Jonah, the Department of Conservation (DOC), police and local iwi Patuharakeke were called after 40 whales were stranded on Ruakākā Beach.Three adult pilot whales and one calf has since died, DOC told 1News in a statement. “DOC staff and Project Jonah are on site, and there is some concern that the pilot whales will re-strand themselves. DOC staff and Project Jonah are monitoring the situation and staying vigilant for further possible strandings.””The local iwi Pareharakeke will be at the beach maintaining watch overnight.…

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A colourful street mural has been completed in Wellington to mark 50 years since an ugly chapter in New Zealand’s history: the dawn raids.The dawn raids began in Auckland in 1974 as part of a targeted government crackdown on Pasifika migrants, many of whom were deported despite the majority of overstayers being British or American. It tore families apart and inflicted trauma still being felt today.The mural, designed by local artist Liana Leiataua, is designed to be a healing wall, with her 88-year-old father Mulufuiana as the muse.As an 18-year-old scout he sailed from then Western Samoa to New Zealand…

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There are 13 candidates in the running for Romania’s top job, including two clear favourites, but none of them are expected to gain an absolute majority, meaning the presidential race will go to a run-off on 8 December. ADVERTISEMENTPolls have opened in Romania in what’s widely expected to be the first round of the presidential election, the first in a series of votes before the end of the year.There are 13 candidates in the running for Romania’s top job, including two clear favourites, but none of them are expected to gain an absolute majority, meaning the presidential race will go…

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One person has died following a crash involving two motorbikes in Tokoroa’s Kinleith this afternoon.Emergency services were called to the scene on Ongaroto Rd / SH 30, around 2km west of Tram Rd, around 12.45pm.One person was critically injured. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and they died at the scene.A second person was taken to hospital in a moderate condition.The serious crash unit has carried out a scene examination.Inquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.The road was closed while emergency services attended the scene and has now reopened.

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Ukraine, known as the Breadbasket of Europe, is a major global supplier of grain and before the Russian invasion it regularly exported around six million tonnes of grain every month from its Black Sea ports. ADVERTISEMENTUkraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said 321 port facilities have been damaged in Russian drone and missile strikes since last July, potentially hindering Ukraine’s ability export its grain to countries around the world.”Ukrainian food exports provide food for 400 million people in 100 countries around the world. Food prices in Egypt, Libya, Nigeria and other countries in Africa directly depend on whether farmers and agricultural…

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Concern is swirling around the quality of teaching at New Zealand’s education service for the deaf, after a protest by three primary school children earlier this month.The pupils – aged 8 and 9 – attend a class run by Ko Taku Reo, a publicly funded service which is designed to provide education to deaf children through both New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) and English.But it’s claimed the service has, at times, been using teachers that are not fluent in sign language, leaving some students unable to understand their lessons.Concerns bubbled over two weeks ago when three deaf students in Christchurch…

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The closure of New Zealand’s largest parent support centre and education provider is being described as a real loss, incredibly saddening and a historic moment, after seven decades of advocating for women, new parents and young families.The Parents Centre Aotearoa charitable trust, which offers childbirth and parenting classes in more than 60 locations, announced on Friday that it would close at the end of the year. It has been in operation since the 1950s.In a post on Facebook, the trust said that, like many charities, it had been working “in a challenging operating environment and the board has made the…

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A South Auckland community board has heeded the call of distressed residents fed up with ongoing attacks on pets by roaming dogs in the area.The Manurewa Local Board has launched a plan to fund additional animal management patrols in the suburb next year.Auckland Council data released last month shows there has been a 19% rise in dog attacks on other animals in Auckland over the past 12 months.The figures also revealed that between July 1 and October 10 last year, there were 104 reports of dog attacks on cats across the entire Auckland region. It’s unknown whether any of the…

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