Author: Press Room

Pat Conlon, grandson of decorated war veteran Elmer James Conlon, says it was “gut-wrenching” to have his grandfather’s war medals stolen moments before he was due to be reunited with them after more than 40 years.The medals had been lost to the family for decades but, after a long search, they were finally tracked down and sent by courier to Pat. Just metres from their destination, the priceless family heirloom was stolen from a rural mailbox near Wellsford — before Pat could reach them. “They were the only thing I had from my grandfather,” Pat said. “To think they were…

A 14-year-old boy has been jailed for killing Enere McLaren-Taana at Dunedin’s bus hub.The then-13-year-old, who has permanent name suppression, was charged with murder after stabbing the 16-year-old Trinity Catholic College student with a large kitchen knife in May last year.He was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter by a jury in the Dunedin High Court earlier this year.Justice Osborne, who oversaw the jury trial, sentenced the teenager to three-years-and-three months in prison, refusing the defence’s application not to enter a conviction.During his sentencing, he told the defendant that aggravating factors included carrying and concealing a long knife,…

ADVERTISEMENTSpain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently claimed that his country is responsible for the creation of half of all new jobs in the eurozone.While giving a speech at the Federal Committee of his centre-left PSOE party, Sánchez praised the improving state of Spain’s employment figures.”Despite all the difficulties we have encountered both internally and externally, Spain is moving forward,” Sánchez said on 5 July. “We contribute 40% of the growth and half of the new jobs in the eurozone.”However, the official figures from Eurostat paint a different picture. They show that some 157,125,000 people were employed in the first quarter…

The jury in the murder trial of Julia DeLuney has heard she questioned her uncle at the funeral about whether any money was hidden in the kitchen.DeLuney is accused of murdering her 79-year-old mother Helen Gregory at her home in Khandallah, Wellington, in January 2024, a crime which she denies.Giving evidence this morning, the victim’s brother Peter Wilson, who lives in Australia, told the court about a conversation he had with DeLuney, his niece, at the funeral.”What do you know about the kitchen?” she asked. “Is any money hidden in the kitchen?”Wilson said he told her he knew nothing —…

Published on 11/07/2025 – 7:00 GMT+2•Updated 7:01ADVERTISEMENTUkraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an explicit appeal to his European allies at a meeting in Rome, saying “We need finances.””We will shoot down everything if our partners hear what I have told them. We have found a solution – interceptor drones,” Zelenskyy said.That appeal comes after at least 2 deaths and 16 people were injured overnight into Thursday after Russia attacked Kyiv with another mass missile and drone strike, according to Ukrainian officials. The strike reportedly caused fires across the city and came a day after the heaviest aerial attack of Russia’s full-scale invasion…

Police have released the name of a teenager who died after a car crashed into a house near Kumeū.He was Elliot Ellis New, aged 16, of Whangamatā. Police said he was a passenger in the vehicle when it crashed on the Coatesville-Riverhead Highway at 8.20pm on June 27.At the time, four teenagers were admitted to hospital. Three of the injured were stabilised, however, it was revealed on July 2 the fourth teenager died after he succumbed to his injuries.Police said several investigations were being carried out into the circumstances of the crash.Superintendent Nalia Hassan said: “Our thoughts remain with Elliot’s…

ADVERTISEMENTIn Strasbourg on Thursday 175 MEPs voted in favour of a motion of censure against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her Commission, 360 against, while 18 abstained. Here are five takeaways from the political groups’ behaviour during the vote which spell trouble for von der Leyen and her team as she manoeuvres the rest of her second mandate as President of the EU executive.Less support for the CommissionThe 360 MEPs who voted against the motion of censure — and therefore defended the European Commission — are fewer than the 370 who approved the Commission back in November…

There was a net migration loss from New Zealand to Australia of 30,000 people in the December 2024 year, Stats NZ has revealed. Stats NZ international migration statistics spokesperson Sarah Drake said the net migration loss from New Zealand to Australia was similar to the 29,400 loss in 2023.”The loss in 2024 is the largest for a calendar year since 2012, but below the record loss of 43,700 in the March 2012 year.”It is a long-standing trend with the net migration loss to Australia averaging around 30,000 per year between 2004 and 2013. This dropped to around 3000 between 2014…

A young jockey has been named as the victim of a serious dirtbike crash in Hamilton.Ngakau Hailey, 18, died after he collided with a car at the intersection of Willoughby and Mill Street in Whitiora about 3.25pm.Hailey was taken to hospital with critical injuries, where he later died.Two young people inside the car were also taken to hospital with moderate injuries.Lincoln Farms’ boss John Street paid tribute to Hailey, and recalled the first time meeting him when he rode their horse Billy Lincoln to victory at Pukekohe.”It was a great ride and I actually met his mother after the race.…

One of New Zealand’s earliest and most significant archaeological sites is at risk of rising sea levels driven by climate change, according to a new study.Referred to as the birthplace of the nation, the Wairau Bar, or Te Pokohiwi o Kupe, in the Marlborough region is widely regarded as the landing site of the first settlers from Polynesia.One of the study’s authors Corey Hebberd of local Rangitāne o Wairau iwi told Breakfast that the site had been subject to science and research in the 1940s, despite protest from local iwi. He said it resulted in the remains of 60 tupuna…