Author: Press Room

Fatman Scoop, the rapper who topped charts in Europe with Be Faithful in the early 2000s and later lent his distinctive voice and ebullient vibe to hits by such artists as Missy Elliott and Ciara, died after collapsing on stage at a US show, according to officials and his family. He was 53. The cause of his death wasn’t immediately clear.The rapper was performing at a venue in Connecticut when he collapsed Friday evening (local time), town chief of staff Sean Grace said. Local mayor Lauren Garrett posted on Facebook that he had a medical emergency. Concertgoers and paramedics tried…

Signage highlighting a gang patch ban will be placed at the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council building due to “recent events”, a spokesperson has confirmed.On Wednesday, a vote on whether to keep Māori wards was held, which resulted the council retaining them. After the vote, a video was filmed which showed members of the Mongrel Mob doing a haka while wearing gang patches, celebrating the outcome.The Prohibition of Gang Insignia in Government Premises Act 2013 prohibits the display of gang insignia on premises of departments of the public service, the police, Crown entities, local authorities, and schoolsYesterday Local Government Minister Simeon…

Key points:New figures confirm a continued slowdown in construction of new housingConstruction Minister Chris Penk said the numbers reinforced that it was “too hard and too expensive to build”Labour’s Kieran McAnulty says the Government has scaled back community housing initiatives and made it difficult for councils to fund infrastructure.The number of new homes consented in New Zealand fell 22% in the 12 months to July, according to Stats NZ.New figures released today indicated an ongoing slowdown in the construction sector. There was an increase in the numbers on a short-term basis as compared to the month before, however, the annual…

The new regulations and system of penalties are an extension of rules education minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis announced in March which saw pupils face expulsion for filming classmates and ridiculing them online in a bid to clamp down on cyberbullying. ADVERTISEMENTStudents at schools in Greece will be required to keep their mobile phones inside their bags at all times during lessons when the new academic year starts on 11 September.The new regulations were announced after a meeting between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his education minister, Kyriakos Pierrakakis.”Students can bring their mobile phones to school, but they must keep them inside…

There is a risk non-loyalty club members are paying a higher price for groceries than they should, Consumer NZ says — although this is denied by supermarkets.Both major supermarket operators now offer “member pricing” to people who are part of their loyalty programmes. Woolworths has member pricing as part of its Everyday Rewards, and New World has the Clubcard scheme.People who are not members or who do not present their cards do not receive the advertised discounts, which can sometimes mean paying significantly more.Consumer NZ spokesperson Gemma Rasmussen said her organisation was dubious about loyalty programmes.”I think there’s definitely a…

Leaked documents show West Coast Health has proposed closing weekend urgent primary care and after-hours services and using a telehealth service instead.The proposal — marked as confidential and for Te Whatu Ora staff only — stated high workloads and recruitment issues in the region had put pressure on primary care practices and their staff.It said clinicians could no longer sustain working weekends or after hours after working full-time shifts.The document proposed West Coast practices adopted a telehealth service provide by Ka Ora Telecare National Rural Telehealth Service.”This would increase capacity in the after-hours system and improve access by replacing short…

Hundreds of mourners from Tainui waka have already made their way on to Tūrangawaewae Marae today to pay their respects to King Tuheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII on the first day of his tangihanga.Locals say they are devastated but have come together to mourn and to host what will be the largest tangi in decades.Attendee Tiaki Gillett said her heart broke at the news of his death but it was important they were there to support the family and “do what we need to do”.“It’s very important to come so that you can feel a part of this kaupapa, so…

A driver has allegedly blown nearly six times the legal alcohol limit during a morning traffic stop in Taupō, shocking local police.The Hawke’s Bay man, 33, already on a zero-alcohol licence, was pulled over and breath tested yesterday before midday. Officers pulled his vehicle over after it was seen allegedly weaving within its lane and travelling slightly over the speed limit. Bay of Plenty road policing manager inspector Logan Marsh said the standard of driving hadn’t initially rung “alarm bells” for police.”Though the standard of driving behaviour wasn’t anything that rang immediate alarm bells, police signalled for the vehicle to…

This article was originally published in Italian The 35-year-old Moroccan man was deported for crimes against people and property. He was already being monitored by the country’s Counter-Terrorism Unit following a knife attack he carried out in France. ADVERTISEMENTA 35-year-old Moroccan citizen, already known to the police for a knife attack in France where he shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’, was expelled from Italy on 29 August, following his conviction of crimes against people and property.Police in Lucca reported that the expulsion took place with direct accompaniment to Casablanca, where the man was handed over to Moroccan authorities. The news was also confirmed…

As Canterbury police announce they have arrested every member of the Comancheros’s Christchurch chapter in a drug bust, there are signs the gang is growing in power and reach.An eight-month police investigation, called Operation Avon, alleged the gang organised for drugs and cash to be relayed between Auckland and Christchurch every few weeks.Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson said police believed $15 million worth of drugs were moved between the North and South Island.Eighteen men, aged between 18 and 55, were arrested and have appeared in court in Christchurch and Auckland on charges included participating in an organised criminal group, conspiracy to…