Author: Press Room

Police seek witnesses after fatal Manawatū crash

Police are seeking help from the public after a fatal early morning crash near Palmerston North on Sunday.Emergency services were called to the crash at about 9am, Detective Sergeant Shelley Ross said.A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesperson said a car was found upside down in a ditch on Hansens Line in Newbury – between Feilding and Palmerston North. “Sadly, a deceased person was found near the vehicle,” Ross said.The crash was believed to have occurred at around 3:20am.Police were seeking any witnesses to at least two vehicles travelling together in the Palmerston North or Newbury areas around the time of…

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Then & Now: Māori Language Week 50 years on – and beyond

This year’s Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori marks the 50th anniversary of its fight to put the language at the centre of Aotearoa’s present and future.In response to the half-century milestone, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori–Māori Language Commission is inviting the country to take on 50 reo challenges to celebrate.Tumu whakahaere (chief executive) Ngahiwi Apanui-Barr said the challenges build on their previous campaign ‘Reo Māori Moment’ where a million people pledged and took part in a single moment in time to speak, sing, read or sign in Māori.It’s been 50 years since the week-long celebration began, but…

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Man accused of k retail crime spree arrested in Auckland

A man alleged to be behind $90,000 worth of retail crime has been arrested following a police operation in Auckland. Police said the arrest was made at West Auckland’s Lynnmall just after 7.30pm last Thursday. The 25-year-old man faces 26 shoplifting charges and two burglary charges relating to incidents in Mt Albert, Henderson, Auckland and New Lynn between April and September this year.Waitematā west area prevention manager Inspector Kelly Farrant said the man had been a person of interest in the prevention operation.He is due to appear in Waitākere District Court later this month. “Our area prevention team will continue…

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How are overweight and obesity affecting EU citizens?

By&nbspJulián López & Loredana Dumitru & Euronews Published on 15/09/2025 – 15:34 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT Overweight and obesity levels continue to skyrocket in Europe, according to a report by the European Food Information Council, a consumer-oriented non-profit organisation. Levels have risen both among adults and children. Some three-quarters of men in Romania (76%), Poland (76%), Croatia and Slovakia (74%) are overweight or obese. Meanwhile, men in France (41%), the Netherlands (54%) and Denmark (56%) are less likely to be overweight or obese. The highest percentages of overweight and obesity among women were reported in Ireland (62%), Romania (58%) and Croatia (58%).…

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Wet weather and strong winds to return later this week

The intense weather may be gone for now – but MetService is forecasting wet weather and strengthening winds for parts of the country from Wednesday.Over the weekend, powerful winds with gusts of up to 120km/h left thousands without power in the upper North Island. However, today and Tuesday, MetService has forecast some reprieve, with sunny skies and warmer temperatures than usual on the eastern side of the country. On the western side, showers are possible, with heavier bursts in the South Island.MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said parts of the Hawke’s Bay struggled to reach double digit daytime temperatures just a…

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Suitcase murder-accused’s spending surged after husband’s death

A forensic accountant has told the High Court at Auckland the spending of a woman accused of murdering her children and hiding their bodies in suitcases skyrocketed after her husband’s death.Hakyung Lee faces two charges of murder over the deaths of her children Yuna and Minu Jo in 2018.The bodies of Minu Jo and Yuna Jo, aged six and eight at the time of their deaths, were discovered in suitcases almost four years after they were killed, when a family bought the contents of an abandoned storage locker in an online auction.Lee’s standby counsel argued she was insane at the…

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Swedish Prime Minister rebuffs Orbán’s child assassin claims as “outrageous lies”

Published on 15/09/2025 – 13:31 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has publicly rebuffed a post on social media platform X by his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orbán, alleging that Swedish criminal gangs are exploiting and forcing underage girls to be assassins. Orbán had posted a video citing a German newspaper report from Die Welt about Swedish gangs recruiting teenage girls to commit violent crimes such as murders or bombings. “The Swedish government lectures us about the rule of law. Meanwhile, according to an article by Die Welt, criminal networks are exploiting Swedish children as killers, knowing the system won’t convict.…

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More jail time for Christchurch pair over tax fraud

Two Christchurch offenders have had additional prison time added to their sentences after admitting to a large-scale tax fraud targeting income tax refunds, student loan payments, and Working for Families entitlements.Marlanna Harris was sentenced in the Auckland District Court on June 13 to a further 14 months in prison, while Richard Rapana was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court on September 12 to a further nine months in prison.Both were already serving prison terms.Between May 2019 and January 2022, Harris and Rapana together tried to get more than $400,000 that they were not entitled to, receiving just over $115,000. Inland…

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Man forfeits property, ute and cash in New Plymouth

A New Plymouth man has been forced to forfeit a property, a Ford Ranger, more than $100,000 in cash, and over $36,000 held in bank accounts to the Crown following drug manufacturing and supply convictions. The money from the seized assets would be used within the Taranaki community for projects including reducing methamphetamine harm. In 2019, police carried out two search warrants as part of an investigation into the manufacturing and distribution of illicit drugs. Eight LSD tablets, 94g of methamphetamine, and 82g of cannabis was located and around $56,000 cash was found hidden around a property.While the investigation continued,…

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Govt to consider changing rules to allow more Eden Park events

The Government will launch an investigation into planning rules that restrict the number of concerts and events at Eden Park, as ministers suggest the constraints could be limiting the venue’s economic potential. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Tourism Minister Louise Upston said current restrictions under the Auckland Unitary Plan may be preventing the near-50,000-seat stadium from hosting more concerts, sporting events, and large-scale functions.”Concerts and major sporting events held at Eden Park inject millions of dollars into Auckland’s economy from locals and visitors alike – but current planning rules could be holding Eden Park back from doing more,” Upston…

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