Author: Press Room

New Zealand businessman and former political party leader Sir Bob Jones has died. He was 85. Sir Bob earned his wealth through his property investments, holding a $2 billion portfolio of commercial buildings in Auckland, Wellington and Glasgow. Sir Bob was a well-known boxing fan, having commented on matches and written columns. Jones earned a university blue in boxing while at Victoria University of Wellington. In 1983, Sir Bob launched the short-lived New Zealand Party in an attempt to oust then-Prime Minister Robert Muldoon from Parliament. His party amassed 12.25% of the vote but, because this was prior to MMP,…

Two carriages of the TranzAlpine scenic train separated by about one metre while pulling into Arthur’s Pass Station due to a broken coupler component, a Transport Accident Investigation Commission report has found.The report, released yesterday, said the separation on December 17, 2023, was discovered as a crew member walked between the carriages, which were used for luggage storage and a kitchen. Only crew were authorised in these areas, and no one was injured.Earlier that day, shortly after departing Christchurch, the train’s second front locomotive suffered a fault, causing a “sudden jolt and temporary loss of power”, the report said.The faulty…

Torrential rain brought flooding, slips and road closures to parts of North Canterbury, but local leaders say they came out relatively unscathed.There were reports of slips in the Lees Valley, behind Oxford, while rivers rose around Hamner Springs, closing a local campground.But local councils say recent investment in flood defences ensured the region was protected against the rain, including new pumps in Kaiapoi.Waimakariri District Council chief executive Jeff Millward said the rainfall was similar to rain events in 2014 and 2021.But the council has made significant investment in stormwater infrastructure over the last 10 years and established a specialist flood…

ADVERTISEMENTMore than 60,000 users in Italy are playing Fantapapa, an online video game inspired by fantasy football that requires players to assemble a team of cardinals whom they believe have the best chance of becoming the next pope. To participate, players must choose 11 cardinals whom they see as the frontrunners in the upcoming conclave, set for next week. They must then also designate a “captain” — the cardinal they imagine is the one most likely to become the next pontiff — and a “goalkeeper,” or the one who they think is the least papal. Once they’ve hand-picked their “team,”…

An Auckland bus driver has been stood down after a passenger was allegedly assaulted and later died in hospital.Police said the man in his 60s had been found unconscious with head injuries at a bus stop on Great South Rd in Papatoetoe at around 2.15pm on April 27.He was taken to Auckland Hospital’s intensive care unit but died of his injuries on Wednesday.A 34-year-old man was arrested and appeared in the Manukau District Court on Thursday, charged with assault.Auckland Transport confirmed a driver who worked for contracted provider Go Bus was stood down from work.“We were devastated to hear about…

A new study has found vaping more than doubles the risk of serious lung disease.A longitudinal study published by Oxford University has found people who vape, even without a history of smoking, are 2.29 times as likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Respiratory physician Dr Stuart Jones said it was one of the first studies to truly spell out the long-term risks of vaping.Vaping. (Source: TVNZ)”The important part with this is, with a lot of the previous studies a lot of the vape users had been previous smokers and the data wasn’t so clear, whereas in this study the…

ADVERTISEMENTAround six months ago, the nationalist pro-Russian candidate Călin Georgescu came out of nowhere to win the first round of the country’s presidential elections, boosted by an unprecedented TikTok campaign.However, 48 hours before the second round was set to be held, the results were annulled over concerns about his campaign and potential Russian interference. As a result, Romanians will cast their votes again this Sunday. We spoke with Euronews’ Bucharest bureau chief Andra Miron-Diaconescu about how Georgescu vanished into thin air and current election frontrunner and so-called ‘MAGA’ man George Simion. In this episode, we also look at another meeting…

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has likened the “catastrophic” caulerpa seaweed invasion to the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis — which led to one of the country’s biggest biosecurity responses and the culling of 176,000 cattle.Potaka’s comments came after visiting the Bay of Islands to see firsthand the “disastrous and catastrophic” impacts of the super-spreader caulerpa seaweed.He visited the biggest mainland caulerpa infestation at eastern Bay of Islands Omākiwi Cove this morning, in the wake of 500 tonnes of caulerpa washing ashore due to high winds and waves of ex Tropical Cyclone Tam over Easter.Potaka said caulerpa’s impact was “disastrous and catastrophic”…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ Hundreds of Ford utes are being recalled because of a problem that could cause them to crash. Ford has issued a recall notice for Ranger and Everest utes made between 2022 and 2025, with an Everest 3L Lion engine. It said due to a manufacturing defect, the left engine camshaft sprocket might fracture. “As a result, the engine could stall leading to a sudden loss of motive power whilst driving.” That could cause an accident, which could result in serious injury or death, it said. It said owners of affected vehicles would be contacted in…

The armed offenders squad was called to a property in Kawakawa, Northland last night after two men carrying guns arrived demanding a vehicle. Police were called to the property on State Highway 1, just south of the Kawakawa township, after 9pm, following a report that two men had arrived at the address. According to Detective Inspector Rhys Johnston, the two men were carrying firearms and demanded a vehicle parked at the property. “The occupants managed to leave the address without injury and contacted police,” Johnston said. Police initially thought the two offenders were still at the property, so the armed…