Author: Press Room

ADVERTISEMENTWe are joined this week by the EU Commissioner Glenn Micallef, responsible for Inter generational Fairness, Youth, Culture & Sport, Samira Rafaela, Former Dutch MEP, now Visiting Fellow at Cornell University in NYC and Rareș Voicu, the President of the European Youth Forum – an organisation representing 100 youth groups from all over Europe. In this special edition, we take a look and what it is like to young in Europe on the same week the European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen told the German paper Zeit that “the West as we knew it no longer exists”.From cyber bullying to…

Members of the public have voiced concern on social media about the delay in notifications from authorities, following a wild thunder and lightning storm that lashed Auckland overnight on Friday.However, Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) general manager Adam Maggs defended the agency’s response.He said the agency began speaking to MetService about midnight on Easter Friday, and a severe thunderstorm watch was issued shortly after.Fire and Emergency said they received hundreds of calls for help in Auckland overnight, due to the storm.Between 11.30pm Friday and 4am Saturday there were 223 weather-related calls asking for firefighters’ help, including two water rescues where people…

Oscar-nominated actor Haley Joel Osment has been charged with public intoxication and cocaine possession after his arrest earlier this month at a Northern California ski resort.The Mono County District Attorney’s office announced the misdemeanor charges against the 37-year-old actor, who starred as a child in movies The Sixth Sense and A.I.Osment was arrested April 8 at the Mammoth Mountain ski resort on suspicion of public intoxication, District Attorney David Anderson said in a news release.The actor was due to be arraigned on July 7.His representative did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the charges.Osment rose to fame and…

State Highway 25 at Manaia bridge in the Coromandel has reopened after the river earlier burst its banks and flooded the highway. New Zealand Transport Agency said the Manaia river burst its banks after heavy downpours from ex-cyclone Tam, which travelled down from Northland and Auckland to Coromandel and Bay of Plenty. State Highway 25 also reopened at Hikuai earlier this morning, after a closure at the intersection with SH25A.  “SH25A is open between Kōpū and Hikuai, but at a reduced temporary speed limit,” NZ Transport Agency said.  “Difficult driving conditions continue around the Coromandel Peninsula and road users are advised…

Police and whānau are urgently looking for a man who vanished from Auckland Airport after checking in for a flight and clearing security but never boarding his plane.Kory-Dean Wirihana was due to fly to Christchurch on Friday morning for a netball tournament.According to his whānau, the 36-year-old checked for his flight at the Auckland Domestic Airport before clearing security.However, he never boarded the plane.”Our brother last made contact at 4am this morning, he checked in for his flight,” a family member wrote on social media on Friday.With no phone and no car, he “literally disappeared from the airport”, they said.”His…

ADVERTISEMENTDozens of people, including journalists, appeared before a court in Istanbul on Friday, accused of attending banned demonstrations and disobeying police orders to disperse during anti-government protests that were triggered by the jailing of the city’s opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu.Imamoglu, seen as the main challenger to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22-year rule, was arrested on 19 March and jailed days later on corruption charges.His imprisonment has been widely viewed as politically motivated and sparked nationwide protests. The government insists Turkey’s judiciary is independent and that the courts operate freely.A total of 189 defendants, most of them university students, began…

One person has died following a serious crash between a car and a cyclist in Haumoana this morning — taking the preliminary Easter road toll to two.Police were called to Mill Rd in Hawke’s Bay following a crash between a car and a cyclist shortly after 10.30am. “Despite best efforts by emergency services, one person died at the scene,” a police spokesperson said. The road remained closed while a scene examination was conducted.A diversion was in place via Tukituki Rd and Waimarama Rd. Motorists were advised to plan ahead and expect delays.While not yet confirmed, the death would be included…

Police have issued an amber alert for a 16-year-old missing in New Plymouth. Police said Inara Caldwell left her house on Mangroei Rd, New Plymouth yesterday at about 1.30pm. A police spokesperson said Inara has autism, and described her as having dark hair and brown eyes.Coupled with the incoming weather warnings, lack of adequate clothing and unfamiliarity of the area, “police have serious concerns for Inaras safety” and wish to ensure she is safe. She was last seen leaving on foot wearing a backpack, a grey t-shirt, black track pants, black high top converse shoes and black headphones. Anyone with…

Intense thunderstorms and heavy downpours which “developed intensity quickly” overnight caused localised flooding across some parts of Auckland. It follows days of heavy rain and strong winds across the North Island due to ex-Cyclone Tam.MetService meteorologist Alec Holden told 1News that this morning’s thunderstorms and downpours caused localised flooding across the region, particularly from Albany to Mount Roskill which experienced the most rain. “Those were the areas that saw the worst of that thunderstorms, and they saw between 55mm to 110mm [of rain] overnight and the surrounding suburbs caught between 30mm to 50mm.” Cars and homes were surrounded by floodwaters…

Firefighters have extinguished a large blaze in a three-storey apartment block in West Auckland overnight. Fire and Emergency New Zealand manager Michael Anderson told 1News fire crews were called to the three-storey residential apartment block near Stephen Avenue in Henderson, shortly before 8.30pm yesterday. He said the fire was on the second and third floors. Fire crews were called to the three-storey residential apartment block near Stephen Avenue in Henderson. (Source: 1News)”The fire was escalated to third alarm, and at it’s peak we had 12 appliances in attendance including two specialist ladder trucks,” he said. Anderson said there were no…