Author: Press Room

Some patients waiting for a heart scan to diagnose potentially life-threatening conditions have been given a death sentence as a result of huge delays.The situation is so grim a group of doctors wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon late last year begging for help to improve cardiac health care.According to The Heart of Aotearoa New Zealand Kia Manawanui Trust, at least 15,000 patients around the country are currently waiting for an echocardiogram – an ultrasound scan used to diagnose heart conditions – for cardiac and cancer treatment.Trust medical director Dr Sarah Fairley said Waikato and Wellington were…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ  Residents of Te Atatū Peninsula might be without a supermarket until next year – but data compiled by RNZ shows they’re in a better position than shoppers in many parts of the country. The West Auckland suburb’s Woolworths supermarket building and site has been bought by Foodstuffs and will be reopened as a New World. It was reported this week that the 15,000 residents of the peninsula would have to travel to Te Atatū South to find their closest supermarket, or to Pak’n Save in Lincoln Rd. RNZ set out to find whether it was…

A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled that Mariah Carey did not steal her perennial megahit All I Want for Christmas Is You from other songwriters.Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani granted Carey’s request for summary judgment on Wednesday (local time), giving her and co-writer and co-defendant Walter Afanasieff a victory without going to trial.In 2023, songwriters Andy Stone of Louisiana — who goes by the stage name Vince Vance — and Troy Powers of Tennessee filed the $20 million (NZ$34.7 million) lawsuit alleging that Carey’s 1994 song, which has since become a holiday standard and annual streaming sensation, infringed the…

Two south Auckland park benches, at the centre of anti-social and indecent behaviour complaints from residents, may stay put after plans to remove them fell through.Last October, the Manurewa Local Board, on advice from Auckland Transport (AT), agreed to remove two benches at Randwick Park, situated opposite Magic Way.However, the board’s decision to remove the benches faced criticism from the community, who complained about the lack of consultation.The benches were to be removed and relocated for use at a Russel Rd bus stop, costing between $300 to $400 per seat.At the local board meeting on Thursday, AT’s report said following…

Deborah Manning saw a use for the tonnes of unwanted food that would have otherwise gone to waste. She has now been recognised nationally for her salvaging efforts. The Dunedin lawyer turned social entrepreneur won the Genesis Energy sustainability award at the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards last night. Ms Manning, before the event, told the Otago Daily Times it was an honour to be a finalist. “I think it’s really important that I want people to know that this award is not just about me – it reflects the collective effort of so many people who believe in the…

Three men have been arrested after a man in his 80s was killed after his house was set on fire in Stokes Valley last year.Ian David Moller was critically injured in a fire at a block of flats in Hanson Grove last November.A homicide investigation was launched after the 82-year-old succumbed to his injuries several days later, on November 10.It was the third alleged arson at the property in the past month, with two other incidents on Thursday, November 10, and Monday, November 14.The trio — aged in their 20s and 30s — were arrested this morning after police carried…

Security guards at Westfield shopping centres across New Zealand and Australia will be issued with body cameras, a year after six people were fatally stabbed at a mall in Bondi.Joel Cauchi fatally stabbed six people at Westfield Bondi before he was shot and killed by a police officer on April 13, 2024.Scentre Group, which owned and operated 42 Westfield malls – 37 in Australia and five in Aotearoa – confirmed the bodycam rollout, citing “safety and security”.”Our security approach is created in partnership with law enforcement and government agencies. We invest in our security practices and continuously improve our capability,…

Russia alone is planning as many new nuclear reactors as the entire European Union. Experts say how much the bloc should invest to meet its energy needs. ADVERTISEMENTNuclear remains one of the most important energy sources in the EU. It accounts for 22.8% of all electricity generated across the bloc. Following Germany’s shutdowns, there are now only 12 nuclear energy producers in the EU.France, with its 57 reactors and 338 GWh per hour, is the largest provider, generating 55% of the EU’s output. Spain is next with over 9%, followed by Sweden with almost 8%. However, investment in nuclear energy…

Good-quality preloved wares will be up for grabs at a consignment sale in Dunedin this weekend. The Kids Preloved Winter Market, run by K2 Consignments, will be held at the Edgar Centre, with hundreds clothes and items for children and teenagers for sale. Event organiser Karena Garrett said consignment sales were all the rage in the United States where she grew up, but not common in New Zealand. “I went overseas last winter and went to a consignment sale, and I said, ‘why aren’t we doing this in Dunedin?” Selling items on Facebook Marketplace or organising a market stall could…

Warning: This story contains content some readers may find distressing.A disabled mental health patient who was “manipulated and groomed” into a sexual relationship with a staff member has described how she has lost trust in both men and nurses, a court has heard.It was part of a victim impact statement that was read to the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday as former nurse Peter Ogden was sentenced.The 54-year-old had pleaded guilty to one charge of ill-treatment of a vulnerable adult, after he engaged in a relationship with a vulnerable patient at a Christchurch mental health facility between 2021 and 2022.Judge…