Author: Press Room

The youth charity trust which launched what amounts to a hostile takeover bid for a prominent Auckland state school says it has withdrawn its application due to mounting public pressure and concern for the safety of its students. Bangerz Education and Wellbeing Trust (BEWT), lodged a proposal to the Charter School Agency to convert Kelston Boys’ High School into a charter school from term one 2026. The controversial bid sparked a public outcry after the school’s acting principal Dan Samuelu announced the school did not support it and had concerns about the trust’s ability to work with the community. The…

Otago’s economy is the envy of many others — strong, resilient and growing, a new report says. The ANZ bank put the spotlight on Otago in a report released yesterday and called it one of New Zealand’s most recession-proof regions. Unemployment remained low, more houses were getting built, there were more businesses, exports grew and the economy had diversified, the bank said. Growth was particularly dramatic in Queenstown Lakes, followed by Central Otago. Dairy and meat products were the top export earners for Otago and fruit had shifted from being a modest contributor to a major export pillar. “The regions…

A helmetless dirtbike rider has attracted the attention of police – resulting in two arrests, the dirtbike being impounded and several firearms being uncovered at a Waikato property.The man was first observed by police riding a dirtbike without a helmet at around 7.40pm on Monday along Main Rd in Te Kauwhata. Senior Sergeant Mary van Dongen said police signalled for the man to stop, but he failed to do so. Main Rd, Te Kauwhata. (Source: Google Streetview)”Due to the nature of driving, police did not pursue and instead noted down the details of his bike for follow up,” she said.…

The European Commission is today unveiling its “Digital Omnibus”, a plan meant to simplify the EU’s sweeping digital regulations. Among the legislation it covers is the AI Act, which was adopted last year. The legislation is being implemented only gradually – but with the Omnibus, the Commission has officially announced that some provisions on the riskiest iterations of the technology are set to be delayed. In particular, the Ominbus offers more time for businesses and organisations deploying “high-risk” AI technologies, which are used for purposes such as analysing CVs, evaluating school exams or assessing loan applications, will now not come…

Police say they have located a body during the search for missing Upper Hutt woman Anita Hart.The 61-year-old was reported missing on November 13 after last being seen on CCTV around 11.43am on November 12, walking along Gillespies Rd towards Akatarawa Rd. Detective Senior Sergeant Kylee Cusin said Hart was “sadly located deceased” today.“While this is not the outcome we hoped for, we hope it will help provide some closure for her family and loved ones,” Cusin said.Hart’s daughter Julia posted on Facebook, thanking the community and search teams for their support.“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to…

Published on 19/11/2025 – 17:43 GMT+1 •Updated 17:52 Albania deserves to become a member of the European Union as soon as possible after a decade of reforms and civil support, Prime Minister Edi Rama told Euronews. The Western Balkan membership hopeful has entered the final stretch of negotiations with the EU and looks at 2030 as a possible entry date to the bloc. Albania has been a candidate country for more than a decade, but has benefited from the geopolitical impulse to enlarge the union triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As a result, Albania is now seen as…

You could say it is a Selfe-made business. Oamaru Honda has been named Honda motorcycle dealer of the year, acknowledging the work of the Selfe family and their wider team in what could truly be described as a family business. It was established by Rick and Janis Selfe in the 1970s and, over time, their three sons Blair, Brad and Leighton all joined the business. Leighton, who looks after sales and marketing and finance, said there was no real boss as the three brothers all did their own thing. Blair was responsible for the workshop and parts while Brad was…

New Interislander ferries and portside infrastructure will cost $1.86 billion, in addition to the half-billion spent on the cancelled iRex project, the Government has revealed.The long-awaited cost estimates come after years of political wrangling over the delayed replacement vessels — one of the coalition’s first political headaches in office.Rail Minister Winston Peters said the new “no nonsense” infrastructure programme was helping save the taxpayer money when the two ships enter service in 2029.”Next week we will travel to Guangzhou with the Ferry Holdings chairperson and ships programme director to acknowledge the significant agreement, not just between the shipyard and Ferry…

Ultra-processed foods are fuelling a rise in obesity and other serious health problems, according to international experts who say urgent policy changes are needed.A series of papers published in The Lancet today warned such products – high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats – were linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and mental health issues. Researchers argue governments must act with measures such as mandatory front-of-pack labelling, sugary drink taxes, and bans on junk food marketing to children.Health NZ data released today showed one in three adult New Zealanders, 34.2%, were classified as obese, up from 31.3% five years…

House prices are rising again across the EU, and many single youngsters are facing increasing barriers to getting on the property ladder. After a brief dip in 2023, property price tags inflated again in 2024 and surged by 5.4% in Q2 2025, according to the latest Eurostat data. One of the social fallouts is that people who are not in a relationship are feeling increasingly shut out of the housing market. More specifically, 37% of solo dwellers now believe they will never be able to buy a home. This is one of the key findings of a new survey of…