Author: Press Room

A man who died in hospital after he sustained injuries at a Gisborne address earlier this week has been named by police.He was Wayne Tamahori Dewes, 67.Police were called at 4.20am on Monday after a man was taken to Gisborne Hospital with severe injuries.”Tragically, the man passed away a short time later,” a police spokesperson said.Initial inquiries indicate the man’s injuries were sustained at a residence on Tolerton Ave, Elgin.Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Moorhouse said a scene guard remained at the address and police hoped to release the scene later today.”Police are supporting the family of the deceased at this…

A recent “checkup” on EU candidate countries reveals how well the nine hopefuls align with the bloc’s health standards. ADVERTISEMENTCountries aspiring to join the EU have significant work ahead to meet the bloc’s health standards, which involve aligning with the EU’s complex health regulations.As Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, who is tapped to take on the role of Health Commissioner in the next mandate, put it: “Enlargement is among the top three issues our leaders are discussing nowadays.”This year’s evaluation of candidate countries’ progress toward becoming EU members sheds light on the health-related reforms still needed for EU alignment.Many candidates must still adapt…

A motorcyclist has been seriously injured in a fleeing driver incident that blocked lanes in Auckland’s Waterview Tunnel this afternoon.Police received reports of a motorcyclist riding on the wrong side of the road in the northbound lane of the Southwestern Motorway near Walmsley around 2.30pm.Inspector Juliet Burgess said police signalled for the motorcyclist to stop but they failed to do so and fled from police.”Police blocked the northern end of the Waterview Tunnel and again signalled for the motorcycle to stop. It did not stop and fled back into the tunnel.”Footage seen by 1News showed two police cars blocking the…

A delegation of MEPs travelling to Texas to meet American counterparts three days after the US elections next week is aiming to make first contact with a new regime, whether Trump or Harris wins, according to its members. ADVERTISEMENTSome 16 MEPs are expected to mingle with 12 US Congressmen and women, in Fort Worth, Texas, during the 89th EU-US inter-parliamentary meeting for a transatlantic legislators’ dialogue on 8 and 9 November. The inter-parliamentary meeting is usually an opportunity for lawmakers from both side of the Atlantic to exchange views on their legislative agenda and priorities. But this time, the trip has…

KiwiSaver helps thousands of buyers through the doors of their first homes each month. But data shows that, although the process goes smoothly for most, hundreds are having to give their money back. Inland Revenue data shows that in September, 108 people returned $4.4 million in funds they had withdrawn from KiwiSaver for a first home purchase. In the same month, 3430 people withdrew money. The month before, 131 people returned money. Key Mortgages mortgage adviser Jeremy Andrews said it was becoming more common. “The main time we’d see this is when timeframes on purchase agreements are tight.” He said…

Labour has called for the Government to “pause” and review funding for mental health programme Gumboot Friday after comments by its leading ambassador Mike King about alcohol and mental health. King first made the comments about alcohol and mental wellbeing on Newstalk ZB yesterday. “Alcohol is not a problem for people with mental health issues. It’s actually the solution to our problem,” he said.King later said: “I would suggest to you that alcohol has prevented more young people from taking their own lives than it actually takes their own lives.”I’m a drug addict, an alcoholic; my whole life, I’ve used…

The Auditor-General is launching an inquiry into how ministers handled conflicts of interest when it came to fast-tracked projects.Earlier this month, the coalition published a list of the 149 projects being considered through the Fast-track Approvals bill.It also highlighted the projects in which relevant ministers declared a potential conflict: eight for Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and one for Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop.In a statement issued on Thursday afternoon, Auditor-General John Ryan said he would investigate whether “appropriate systems and processes” were in place to ensure ministers promptly identified all conflicts and took sufficient steps to manage them.He said that…

By Jo Moir of RNZ  In a major breakthrough, New Zealand has finally struck a trade deal with the six Gulf nations, ending an almost two decade-long effort by multiple governments. The deal, concluded in Doha overnight, will deliver duty free access for 99% of New Zealand’s exports over 10 years. It comes after New Zealand in September this year concluded a free-trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates – the fastest the country has ever struck, taking just four months. Together with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) deal, 51% of New Zealand’s exports to the Middle East region will now…

Nearly 100 years of speedway racing at Western Springs is coming to an end after Auckland Council voted to move all racing to Onehunga.However, the process to get there has been called a shambles, with a derailed council meeting, claims of misrepresentation and a split council vote.Things got messy last week when a report to Auckland Council’s governing body meeting suggested Speedway New Zealand supported moving to Waikaraka Park, Onehunga.During the meeting, councillor John Watson tabled a letter from Speedway New Zealand stating it had been misrepresented.President of Speedway New Zealand Lani Thompson told Morning Report on Thursday she had…

Ahmet Özer, the mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt district and a member of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), was detained on Wednesday by anti-terrorist police over his alleged connection to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK. ADVERTISEMENTHundreds of people have gathered in Istanbul to protest against the arrest and removal from office of a mayor from Türkiye’s main opposition party for alleged links to a banned Kurdish militant group.Ahmet Özer, the mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt district and a member of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), was detained on Wednesday by anti-terrorist police over his alleged connection to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party…