Author: Press Room

Three Southland roads are at risk of reverting to gravel as the district council struggles to maintain its network amid funding issues.A report prepared for a Wednesday meeting said Southland District Council had the second largest road network in the country with close to 5000km of roads.But, with a small ratepayer base — and unable to secure enough funding from the National Land Transport Plan — it was now having to make sacrifices.That included reverting sections of three sealed roads back to gravel because it was not economical to maintain them.The roads in question were Crooked Rd near Riversdale, Waterloo…

A helicopter search is underway for a man who went missing while swimming in a group at Auckland’s Piha Beach this afternoon.Lifeguards witnessed the group being swept out to sea in a rip at around 4pm, according to a Surf Life Saving spokesperson. Police said six swimmers were involved. “Police are aware five swimmers were rescued. However, the sixth member of the group was not located,” a spokesperson said.”Search efforts are ongoing to locate this man,” police said. “The police Eagle helicopter has also deployed to assist with aerial-based searches.”An Auckland Coastguard patrol helicopter has also been called to join…

Foreign Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand isn’t getting the “reciprocal reaction we expect” from Kiribati as the two nations’ relationship hits rock bottom.1News revealed yesterday that New Zealand’s entire aid programme to Kiribati was put on hold while it’s reviewed because of a lack of “open dialogue” from the small country.The move came after Kiribati President Taneti Maamau pulled out of a pre-arranged meeting with Foreign Minister Winston Peters last week, just days before it was set to happen. Peters had repeatedly tried to meet with Maamau, who is also Kiribati’s Foreign Minister.Speaking about the decision to hold aid,…

A group of Wairoa retirees are gearing up for a legal battle, saying their landlord has breached a Tenancy Tribunal order against rental increases.Already financially stretched by living off their pensions, the retirees fear that any unreasonable increase to their current rent will leave them without the means to survive.The group received a letter before Christmas advising them their rent would increase from $360 to $415, starting on January 27 this year.The retirees were adamant that the rent hikes were unreasonable and planned to go to court to prove it. The group have had two years of legal battles against…

Pascal Lamy, the former chief of staff to European Commission President Jacques Delors and former two-term head of the World Trade Organization, told Euronews how the EU should deal with Donald Trump if the American president follows up on threats to impose tariffs. ADVERTISEMENTUS President Donald Trump should realise that the EU is a big market and could retaliate in a tariff war, harming US exporters, Pascal Lamy told Euronews’ Shona Murray in an exclusive interview Radio Schuman features today.The former European Commissioner for Trade and twice Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), downplayed the importance of Trump’s “show”…

The Prime Minister has hinted National will campaign on asset sales next year, saying an election win in 2026 would be the mandate he needed to push ahead with asset sales next term.Christopher Luxon has ruled out selling off state houses but says he is open to having a wider conversation with voters at the next election and pursuing other asset sales next term.He told reporters on Tuesday morning an election result would be an acceptable mandate, and he does not see a referendum on the issue being required.Asked if he planned to campaign on it next year, Luxon said…

One person has died following a crash on State Highway 1 in Wellsford, north of Auckland, this morning.Police said the crash occurred around 8.20am and involved a truck and another vehicle.“The serious crash unit is examining the scene and diversions remain in place.”Police anticipate the road will open early afternoon.“Police continue to advise motorists to allow additional time to reach their destinations.”

Japanese technology shares fell on Tuesday as a global market rout sparked by the emergence of a low-cost Chinese artificial intelligence model entered day two, with investors questioning the sky-high valuation and dominance of AI bellwethers. Shares of Nvidia, the poster child of the AI boom in recent years, dragged US stocks lower, sinking 17% on Monday and wiping $593 billion from the chipmaker’s market value, a record one-day loss for any company. It all stemmed from a free AI assistant launched by Chinese startup DeepSeek last week that the firm said uses less data at a fraction of the cost of services available currently,…

A second person has appeared in court in relation to a firearms incident at a Middlemore Hospital car park on January 4.Police said a firearm was allegedly “fired from a vehicle” in the incident. No-one was injured. A 23-year-old man appeared in Manukau District Court over the weekend, and will reappear today.Detective inspector Shaun Vickers said the Counties Manukau offender prevention team executed a search warrant late last week.He has been charged with committing a dangerous act with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and commission of an offence with a firearm.A 34-year-old man was previously arrested and faces charges…

Conservationists say efforts to reintroduce a rare forest songbird in Auckland have “exceeded all expectations” after at least 55 hihi chicks hatched in a regional park this summer.The chicks are the first to hatch in Auckland’s Shakespear Regional Park’s Open Sanctuary following a major translocation project last year.Forty adult hihi were moved to the park from predator-free nearby Tiritiri Matangi Island by Auckland Council, Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society and Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust in June.“The success of this project will give hihi the boost it needs to flourish again, and Aucklanders an opportunity to experience these little treasures in their…