Author: Press Room

An Auckland man has been arrested and a BB gun seized after what police have called a “road rage incident” with road workers.At around 12.49pm, police were told a man in a vehicle had pulled out a firearm during an encounter with workers on Great North Rd in New Lynn.The Police Eagle Helicopter was deployed, and tracked the vehicle to a property, also on Great North Rd.Police said ground units cordoned off the home and officers appealed for the occupants to come out.”A man was arrested without further incident,” the police statement said.When conducting a search of the property, police…

A “significant amount” of cannabis plant and resin, two firearms, one of them a prohibited military-style semi automatic rifle, and ammunition were among items seized by police during the search of a Kapiti Coast property last week.Police said they went to the address of a Mongrel Mob prospect in Waikanae Beach on November 15 to assist with an unrelated matter.Constable Sam Lewis of the Wellington Gang Disruption Unit said police located cannabis at the address which led to a subsequent execution of a search warrant and the discovery of a “significant amount” of cannabis plant and resin.”While inside the address,…

Long-running New Zealand current affairs magazine North & South will stop printing for the time being.In a statement, a representative said the decision had been made to hold the print production of the magazine temporarily to focus on developing a “robust digital presence for the brand with every intention to be back early in 2025”.”On the back of flat advertising sales and increasing pressure from advertisers, we have decided it’s time to get serious about the digital offering for North & South. “There is a lot of equity in the North & South masthead but it is without a digital…

The mother of Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore has asked an inquest into her suspected suicide to remember her daughter with the kindness and dignity that she deserved.On Monday, coroner Luella Dunn opened an inquest for Podmore, who died in a suspected suicide in August 2021 — less than 24 hours after the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics.The inquest got off to an emotional start when Podmore’s family made opening statements to the court.Before evidence got underway, Podmore’s mother, Nienke Middleton, took the opportunity to remind the court who the person behind the headlines was.Family of the late athlete make…

How on Earth could a man and three kids go into hiding for three years and not be found?That’s a question which often comes up for private investigator Chris Budge — who spoke with 1News about finding fugitive father Tom Phillips and his three children was harder than most people might realise.”Remember, this is somebody who has lived in this area all their life.”Last month, Phillips and his three children were filmed walking on farmland about 3km south of Marokopa by young pig hunters. Prior to this, Phillips and his three children Jayda, now 11, Maverick, nine, and Ember, eight,…

Friends and family of Yanfei Bao — who was killed in Christchurch in July last year — have gathered to remember her.The 44-year-old mother and real estate agent was last seen on her way to show a house to a prospective client, and her body was found a year later in farmland on the outskirts of Christchurch.Chinese national Tingjun Cao is on trial in the High Court at Christchurch, accused of her murder.A funeral service was held for her on Monday, with the organisers saying they wanted to remember her beautiful life and incredible accomplishments.About 100 people gathered at Our…

Tahiti have won through to the final four in qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, denying fellow Oceania underdogs Vanuatu a shot at glory.The main island of French Polynesia — the overseas collectivity of France — defeated Vanuatu 2-0 in Auckland on Monday in a crunch qualifier.Benoit Mathon made sure of progression with a second-half penalty after Jonathon Spokeyjack’s earlier own goal.The loss ends the World Cup dream for defender Brian Kaltak, the Central Coast title-winner and highest-profile Pacific player in the A-Leagues.Tahiti, the tiny island of just 190,000 people, would be the smallest to ever qualify to a…

The presence of paralytic shellfish toxins has sparked a warning for the public not to collect or consume shellfish gathered in parts of the Bay of Plenty.”Routine tests on tuatua from Waihi Beach have shown levels of paralytic shellfish toxins more than double the safe limit,” New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said.The warning extended from the southern end of Pāuanui Beach down to the entrance of Tauranga Harbour, by Mount Maunganui. The warning also included Tauranga Harbour.”Please do not gather and eat shellfish from this area because anyone doing so could get sick.”Affected shellfish include bivalve shellfish…

There is no electric transport on the roads, and ‘invincibility’ points for heat, water and electricity have been set up across the city. ADVERTISEMENTThe southern Ukrainian city of Odesa has been without electricity for two days, following Russian attacks which damaged critical energy infrastructure.Emergency power outages have been introduced across the region, and some facilities have been switched to generators.”We hope the electricity will come back. There was no water all day, in the morning and until 6-7 pm, and there is no electricity,” says Natalia, a resident of Odesa.’Invincibility’ points have been set up across the city, where residents…

A hypothermic man on Mount Taranaki sparked a near six-hour rescue effort on Saturday in a incident police hope others learn from.At about 6.30pm, the man called for help after he realised he was going into hypothermia.He had been on a day trail run when he was caught out by weather in very cold temperatures, police said.”Unprepared for the local conditions, the solo traveller was running out of food, water, and phone battery, and was 1400 metres up the mountain when he phoned for an ambulance.”Taranaki Police Search and Rescue, the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter and alpine cliff rescue members were…