Author: Press Room

Police have released the name of a woman whose body was found in a burnt-out vehicle on a beach near Dargaville last week.She was Jasmaine Corin Reihana, 35, from Paihia. Her body was discovered in the vehicle on Ripiro Beach on September 9.Detective Inspector Al Symonds said police have launched a homicide investigation and are looking into the circumstances leading up to her death.“Police are supporting the whānau of the deceased at this difficult time, who we will continue to keep updated as the investigation continues.“We understand this was a distressing incident for those involved and the wider community.“We would…

Members of the public have been asked to be on the lookout for a juvenile pygmy blue whale which was freed from beneath a wharf on Kawau Island yesterday.The whale, measuring 14 to 15 metres in length, first became wedged under the private Schoolhouse Bay wharf on Monday morning. It was freed around 6pm last night after part of the wharf was dismantled. The Department of Conservation (DOC) joined forces with the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust — with support from marine construction companies Stanaway Marine and STF — as part of the rescue effort.DOC said the whale showed “a little…

The Crown ended its case by saying Philip Polkinghorne’s final insult was to blame his wife Pauline Hanna for her own death three years ago — but his defence says Polkinghorne is the one who has been insulted.”The final insult Dr Polkinghorne faces from April 5, 2021 through to today’s date has just been made,” defence lawyer Ron Mansfield told jurors today.”The first insult he faced was when the police attended his own address… when they walked through that door with an ‘open mind’, they would have us believe.”This initial insult, Mansfield said, was his client being treated as a…

Arms exports have fallen dramatically from the previous year, and no more permits have been issued for weapons sales since March. ADVERTISEMENTGermany has stalled new weapons exports to Israel as a result of legal challenges, according to Reuters, quoting a source close to the Economy Ministry. Since March, no more permits have been issued for arms exports, with numbers dwindling in the months prior, effectively putting all sales on hold, German domestic press reported. Export volumes have fallen sharply since the previous year — from €326 million to €14.5 million as of August this year. Germany’s Federal Security Council —…

A polar vortex has led to snow and thunderstorm watches being issued for much of the motu by MetService today, as a chilly blast springs into action.This afternoon severe wind gusts closed lanes on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, with NZTA saying lanes will remain in 4×4 formation for the rush hour commute.Drivers are warned to expect reduced speeds, lane reductions and possible temporary full closures. Hail has been reported in Milford on Auckland’s North Shore, and in Snells Beach, north of the city. MetService has issued an orange strong wind warning for Northland south of Whangārei, Auckland, Great Barrier Island,…

Women’s rights, climate change, colonialism, harassment in school and the war in Ukraine are the topics covered by the three fiction and two documentary films that were nominated for the LUX Audience Film Award 2025, by the European Parliament. ADVERTISEMENT”Animal” by Greek director Sofia Exarchou, “Dahomey” by French director Mati Diop, “Flow” by Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis, “Intercepted” by Ukrainian-Canadian director Oksana Karpovych and “Julie Keeps Quiet” by Belgian director Leonardo van Dijl are shortlisted by the European Parliament for the LUX Audience Fİlm Award 2025.”European cinema reflects the challenges and hopes of our society. This year’s finalists, each in their distinct form,…

Fonterra is to invest $150 million in a new cool store at its Whareroa site (above) in Taranaki. Chief executive Miles Hurrell said it would enable the co-operative to keep growing. The new cool store will be the size of three rugby fields. It will be able to house around 26,000 tonnes of cheese, and increase the site’s capacity by about 5000 tonnes. The Whareroa site processes up to 12.5million litres of milk per day and produces 30% of Fonterra’s cheese, and several other products including butter, casein and powders. Construction will begin next month and take three years in…

A man has been charged with murder over the 2022 death of Ariki Rigby.The 18-year-old’s body was found in a burnt-out car in Havelock North in September 2022.Detective Inspector Dave de Lange said today a 32-year-old Auckland man has been charged with murder and arson and will appear in the Manukau District Court tomorrow.The man was living in Hawke’s Bay at the time of Rigby’s death and police will seek a transfer of the charges to Napier District Court.”Police have informed Ariki’s whānau that an arrest has been made,” de Lange said.”While they are very pleased that someone is being…

Renovated in 2018, the facility in Toropets is estimated to have stored tonnes upon tonnes of military goods, including explosives, artillery shells and ballistic missiles. ADVERTISEMENTA Ukrainian drone attack on a significant Russian weapons stockpile in the Tver region in the early hours of Wednesday might be the Ukrainian army’s biggest hit against Moscow’s arsenal since early 2022.The blast from the strike was so strong that earthquake monitoring stations picked it up as if it were a minor earthquake, while NASA reported a series of heat sources spotted by its equipment from space.The facility in Toropets is estimated to have…

A Counties Manukau police officer has pleaded guilty to falsifying records of people breaching bail conditions without conducting a physical check, according to the police watchdog. In May 2019, police notified the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) that it suspected the officer may have been falsifying bail breaches and the number of bail checks he was carrying out.In January 2019, the officer conducted a bail check on a man who was required to remain at a residential address in Ōtāhuhu. According to the officer, he knocked on the man’s door but the man did not answer. The officer then went…