Author: Press Room

Veteran journalist Steve Braunias has covered many murder trials but none contained the privilege and depravity that captivated New Zealand during the eight-week Polkinghorne trial. Below is an exclusive extract from his new book, Polkinghorne, released today. His name was Polkinghorne. Polkinghorne, first introduced to the nation as ‘a person of suspect’, as he put it in his typically anxious and mangled English; Polkinghorne, whom the police quickly suspected of murder and then slowly, not altogether competently, went about investigating the amazing, very distracting, and apparently criminal extent of his sex life, finally arresting him for the murder of his…

ADVERTISEMENTThink of any EU policy you care about or benefit from, as a citizen, politician, or stakeholder.Whether it’s funding Ukraine’s reconstruction, boosting the continent’s competitiveness, or maintaining farm subsidies, all of it ties back to one foundational element: the EU’s long-term budget.That process begins in earnest this Wednesday, when the European Commission presents its first proposal for what is known in Brussels jargon as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), covering the period from 2028 to 2034.Behind almost every major fight in Brussels, there’s a battle over money. And this is the mother of them all.Commission President Ursula von der Leyen…

The Commerce Commission will be filing legal proceedings against Foodstuffs North Island and Gilmours over allegations of cartel conduct. The Commission said it would “shortly” file civil proceedings against the two companies for alleged breaches of the Commerce Act and the Grocery Industry Competition Act. Gilmours is owned by Foodstuffs North Island. Foodstuffs North Island has denied any unlawful conduct. It followed an investigation by the Commission into agreements the companies entered with a national grocery supplier regarding the supply of products to a hospitality customer. The supplier and customer both had “considerable volumes of business” with Foodstuffs North Island and…

A five-vehicle crash has caused delays on Auckland’s northwestern motorway this morning. Police were called to the crash at around 6.36am.Two southbound lanes between Lincoln and Royal roads are closed while the crash is cleared. The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including Trump’s deadline for Russia, legal action against a supermarket giant, and an unusual marathon record. (Source: Breakfast)”At this stage, there are no reports of serious injury,” police said. Motorists were asked to avoid the area or take an alternative route.

Police are investigating after a cannabis cake was brought to a shared lunch at Hawke’s Bay Hospital.Two staff members ended up in the emergency department after eating the cake, 1News understands. Health NZ says there were no clinical or senior medical officers involved.It is understood the individual who brought the cake to the hospital in Hastings resigned afterwards.In a short statement, police said they “are investigating an incident which occurred at the hospital on 30 June”.Health Minister Simeon Brown, asked about the incident this morning, said it was “completely unacceptable behaviour by the staff member involved”.He said Health New Zealand…

Meal-kit provider HelloFresh has pleaded guilty to misleading behaviour under the Fair Trading Act. HelloFresh was charged by the Commerce Commission for misleading customers in cold calls trying to get discontinued subscribers to sign up again. The claim related to conduct between February 2022 and July 2023, when previous HelloFresh customers were offered vouchers without being told that accepting them would reactivate their subscription. At the time, Commerce Commission deputy chair Anne Callinan said there was concern that some customers had been “misled into paying for services from HelloFresh they did not want through the use of misleading working and…

A man was arrested after police allegedly found a sawn-off shotgun and several bags of methamphetamine during an early-morning vehicle search in Auckland. Patrolling officers stopped a BMW travelling along Ocean View Road in Northcote just before 1am today. Officers searched the vehicle, and a loaded sawn-off shotgun was found in the driver’s footwell.Around 50 rounds of ammunition and several bags of methamphetamine were also found. The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including Trump’s deadline for Russia, legal action against a supermarket giant, and an unusual marathon record. (Source: Breakfast)A 22-year-old man was charged with two counts of unlawful possession…

HBO has officially started production on the highly anticipated Harry Potter TV series adaptation, the network announced Tuesday, also revealing a first look at the titular character.The photo released by HBO shows Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, donning the signature Hogwarts uniform paired with round-rim glasses and a lightning bolt scar, not unlike the iconic costume worn by Daniel Radcliffe in the eight-part film series.HBO has announced the cast to play Harry, Ron and Hermione in the TV adaptation of the Harry Potter franchise. (Source: Warner Bros Discovery)The show began production at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the UK, and…

A man who lived in an illegal boarding house in Queenstown says landlord James Truong instructed tenants to hide from MBIE inspectors as attention on the property grew.The man, who did not want his identity revealed, says he and another person were charged $440 a week to share a small room in a converted shed out the back of the house.The Ministry of Business and Innovation (MBIE) said Truong had been ordered to pay $113,723.56 for multiple breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act as well as refund 40% of the rent paid by tenants of an unlawful boarding house.Truong was…

Martin Cruz Smith, the best-selling mystery novelist who engaged readers for decades with Gorky Park and other thrillers featuring Moscow investigator Arkady Renko, has died at age 82.Smith died Friday at a senior living community in San Rafael, California, “surrounded by those he loved,” according to his publisher, Simon & Schuster. Smith revealed a decade ago that he had Parkinson’s disease, and he gave the same condition to his protagonist. His 11th Renko book, Hotel Ukraine, was published this week and billed as his last.“My longevity is linked to Arkady’s,” he told Strand Magazine in 2023. “As long as he…