Author: Press Room
Around 150kg of cocaine worth an estimated $58.2 million has been seized from a shipping container destined for New Zealand by Customs officers at the Port of Tauranga.The container, which arrived from the Jamaican capital of Kingston, was assessed by Customs officers which led to the discovery of six duffel bags packed with bricks of cocaine.The bricks were marked with an X, the words “good luck”, and a coat of arms bearing the Latin phrase “Custodi Civatem Domine” which translates to Guard the City o Lord.In the last financial year, Customs officers in Tauranga intercepted 788 kilograms of cocaine, including…
New Zealand confectionery company RJ’s has confirmed it will no longer manufacture Jaffas, the iconic orange-coated chocolate sweets, citing declining sales.The Levin-based sweetmaker confirmed to 1News today that the treat had been pulled.”We are unfortunately unable to keep making Jaffas due to declining sales,” a company representative said.”We know this will be disappointing news for many Kiwis and loyal Jaffas fans around New Zealand. Many of us have grown up enjoying the classic flavour combo of the crispy orange shell and smooth chocolate centre.”However, there have sadly not been enough people buying Jaffas in recent times to support its continued ranging…
Foodbanks already struggling with demand are bracing for a winter surge and calling on the Government for guaranteed permanent funding.The coalition was providing $15 million for the community food sector from July but ongoing funding is uncertain.Manukau Foodbank, one of the largest in the country, recently had to cap the number of people getting food parcels.Manager Joel Williams said they supported more than 200 families each week, buying staples to plug gaps in donated goods.”We’ve got that mixture of high quality great products, rice, milk powder… down here, tonic water and crackers. That’s the tension that we sit in all…
A 16-metre Buddha statue is set to disrupt the peace and tranquillity of a small rural community in Waiwera Valley.Residents of the area, about 50km north of central Auckland, said they weren’t consulted about the sculpture – and because the council considered it art, no resource consent was needed.While the statue is currently still under construction, it will soon tower over the Waiwera Valley hilltop, much to the dismay of some neighbouring residents.“The size is just… that’s monstrous for a valley like this,” said Waiwera Valley Action Group spokesperson David Pennington.The structure is a representation of Buddhist master Guru Rinpoche,…
A dozen job seekers on the West Coast have graduated from a new Government-funded mining course as roles in the sector open up.The new recruits are part of the first course run by the Ministry of Social Development aimed at getting locals into mining. “Normally, you’d have to pay to be able to get this sort of training and stuff like that, so it’s been awesome. It’s that next step ahead, eh?” trainee Pete Brown told 1News.“I would never have thought I’d go looking into mining.”Another trainee, Lane Cruickshank, recently returned to the Coast after months between jobs.“It’s been good…
By Gavin Blackburn with AP Published on 02/07/2025 – 20:27 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTA Philippine campaign aimed at exposing what is calls China’s aggression in the South China Sea has shattered “the illusion of China being peaceful and friendly,” Lithuania’s defence chief said on Wednesday.Beginning in 2023, the campaign, which Manila calls a “transparency initiative,” includes publicising images of China’s aggressive actions in the disputed waters.”I believe that, in this case, revealing to the world how China is harassing the Philippine’s navy and fishermen of the Philippines in their own waters is very important because it shatters the illusion of China being a peaceful and friendly neighbour,”…
Canterbury business owners are no longer oozing with confidence as shoppers and other consumers resist the buying urge. Business sectors appear to be in different camps about trading prospects for the year ahead with some upbeat and others less hopeful because of delays to an expected lift in demand. Hospitality and retail businesses are among those less optimistic with cash tills more muted through tough winter months and they are looking forward to the opening of new major city sporting facilities. Lower interest rates should have given them reason for hope, but many businesses remain on fixed rates locked in…
No longer just a condition of middle age, type 2 diabetes is increasingly affecting children, teenagers and young adults in New Zealand. And our health system is nowhere near ready to manage this surge, writes Waikato University academic Lynne Chepulis.Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body stops properly using insulin, the hormone that helps control blood glucose. Glucose then builds up in the blood. Over time, that can damage the heart, kidneys, eyes, nerves and more.This condition is more aggressive in young people. It progresses faster, causes complications earlier, and is harder to manage, often due to the…
ADVERTISEMENTSince United States President Donald Trump’s inauguration, he has announced more than 50 new or revised tariffs, including pauses, backdowns, escalations and de-escalations.As the state of US-China trade relations remains uncertain, many US firms are considering alternative sources of supply. Without a shift to different sources, prices may rise, and US companies and consumers might need to reduce or replace one product with another, virtually similar one. In this scenario, Europe could play a key role, both as an exporter and an importer. “Europe faces an increasingly difficult challenge: how to transition from being a recipient of decisions made by…
Blis Technologies has settled patent issues with the company’s largest customer in Europe and a party associated with that customer. In May, when the probiotics company announced its full-year results, it said unexpected patent issues had taken up considerable time. The breach of contract by Bluestone Pharma GmbH (BSP) and Lactosan was advised to the NZX in October last year. Yesterday, in a market update, Blis said the negotiations had ended, with BSP and Blis agreeing the patent applications would be jointly owned. “This is a positive step forward for both Blis, BSP and Lactosan, and provides certainty of access…