Author: Press Room
New Zealanders right around the country have been celebrating Matariki, with many of them up well before dawn to watch the rising of the star cluster which heralds the start of the Māori New Year.It became an official public holiday only in 2022, but it’s already become one of our most meaningful days and the first holiday to recognise Te Ao Māori. It was the first new public holiday since Waitangi Day became a public holiday in 1974.The date of Matariki changes from year to year, but it will always fall in June or July.A public holiday is held for…
By Euronews with AP Published on 20/06/2025 – 12:39 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTRussian drones struck the Black Sea port city of Odesa and the northeastern city of Kharkiv overnight, killing at least one person, Ukrainian officials have said. The attacks against Odesa sparked fires at several apartment blocks, Ukraine’s Emergency Service said. Flames engulfed a four-storey residential building in the city, which partly collapsed and injured three emergency workers. A separate blaze spread across the upper section of a 23-storey high-rise, leading to the evacuation of 600 residents. In total, one person was killed and 14 others were wounded in the overnight strikes against the port…
A homicide investigation has been launched following the death of a woman in Tūrangi, south of Tāupo, this morning.Emergency services were called to an address on Hinerangi St at around 6.30am where the victim was found dead.A homicide investigation is underway and a scene guard is at the property.Police said they would like to hear from any witnesses or anyone with CCTV footage from the incident.Anyone with relevant information should contact police on 105.
State Highway 6 through Marybank in northern Nelson will remain at 60km/h after the community rallied to keep the lower speed limit, much to the relief of locals.The New Zealand Transport Agency confirmed the decision yesterday afternoon.The 1.8km section of SH6/Atawhai Dr was slated to return to a mix of 80 and 100km/h speeds as part of the Coalition Government’s automatic reversals of Labour-era speed limit reductions.The change would have saved 13 seconds of travel time.But a massive grassroots campaign, led by local parents, opposed the changes and eventually prompted Transport Minister Chris Bishop to backpedal, asking NZTA to engage…
ADVERTISEMENTEurope hopes to use diplomacy to avoid the threat of all-out war in the Middle East, amid fears that the conflict between Israel and Iran could engulf the wider region. On Friday, the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, together with the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, will hold talks with representatives of the Tehran regime in Geneva. The meeting aims to de-escalate the fighting between the two Middle Eastern powers, which began when Israel launched airstrikes against Iran and killed some of its top military commanders last Friday. The Europeans seek to initiate a form…
Bay of Plenty turtle owners are now required to securely house their pets as the regional council changes its pest plan to prevent escapees.While unlikely to form a sewer-dwelling gang of martial arts fighters, escaped or released pets can harm ecosystems and native species.The Regional Pest Management Plan sets the Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s priorities and goals for managing animal and pest plants, and includes rules to comply with the Biosecurity Act.A recent council review has resulted in new species being added as pests, and changes to how others are categorised.As of this week, all wallaby species known to…
Pausing nearly $20 million in development assistance is “patronising” and “inconsistent with modern partnership”, Prime Minister Mark Brown has told the Cook Islands parliament.New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has paused $18.2 million in development assistance to the Cook Islands, due to a lack of consultation regarding a partnership agreement and other deals signed with Beijing earlier this year.The pause includes $10 million in core sector support, which represents four percent of the country’s budget. On Wednesday local time, Brown said the money would have been used for health, education and tourism marketing.”The relationship between the Cook Islands and New…
It is unclear at this stage whether food or drink from an Auckland New World which was damaged in a fire on Tuesday can be sold or donated.The fire broke out shortly after 11am on Tuesday at the store in Freeman’s Bay. Damage inside the store has been called “extensive”, and Foodstuffs said it will take some time to determine when the store may be able to reopen.But, asked whether items from within the store could be sold or donated, a Foodstuffs person told 1News the “short answer is – too early to know”.”Fire and Emergency completed their operations at…
Two New Zealand embassy staff and their family members have been evacuated from Tehran overnight, the Foreign Affairs Minister says. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said they were evacuated by land to Azerbaijan and New Zealand’s embassy in Tehran was temporarily closed.”An opportunity arose overnight to get our Embassy staff out of Iran, as part of a convoy alongside government officials from other countries,” Peters said. “The New Zealand Government has a duty of care to its staff posted overseas, so we did the responsible thing to get them out of harm’s way.He said the government “do not want New…
Lotto’s Powerball jackpot has rolled over to $30 million after it wasn’t struck in last night’s draw.Strike Four also rolled over and will be worth $400,000 on Saturday.Two players did win Lotto first division and claimed $500,000 each.The winning tickets were sold at New World Papakura and on MyLotto to a player from Auckland.The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds including what will happen to food after supermarket blaze, Trump’s dithering over the Middle East, and winter car care tips. (Source: 1News)The $30m draw will be held on Saturday evening.”It’s important to remember that big jackpots still have small odds,” Lotto…