Author: Press Room
A 19-year-old man has been arrested in relation to a fire at a mosque in Auckland yesterday.Emergency services were called to the mosque on Astley Ave in New Lynn at around 9am on Tuesday following a report of a fire that was determined to have been deliberately lit. CCTV showed a person breaking into the building just before 1am and lighting the fire. The fire continued to smoulder “until just after 9am when it became visible and emergency services were called”.Today, Waitematā CIB Detective Inspector Callum McNeill said a 19-year-old man has been arrested. He said police were still working…
A shooting in Poitiers, France that killed one person and left four injured has been linked to local drug trafficking. A suspect is now in custody as the investigation continues. ADVERTISEMENTA suspect connected to a shooting in Poitiers, France last Thursday that killed one person and injured four others has turned himself into police in Paris, according to the Poitiers prosecutor’s office. During a Halloween event organised by an association that attracted many young people, shots were fired in front of a kebab restaurant. The dead and injuried victims were all minors. According to BFMTV, prosecutor Cyril Lacombe has stated that “checks…
Authorities want to use the Wairoa showgrounds as a floodway to save the town from a disaster.A plan has been devised to unleash the Wairoa River in periods of heavy rain through land near North Clyde, fixing a troublesome kink in the river that failed the suburb during Cyclone Bola and Gabrielle.Two different pathways for the floodway are now being put to the community by a group given $70m by the government to provide Wairoa with new flood mitigation.The Wairoa Flood Protection Stakeholder Group’s proposals would put Māori land, several homes, and the showgrounds in the direct path of potential…
A group of residents say jetskiers on Ōhiwa Harbour will be a risk to safety, a menace to wildlife and a bad fit for the culture of the Eastern Bay of Plenty harbour.Seven Ōhiwa residents opposed to jetskis using the harbour voiced their concerns about Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s new Navigational Safety Bylaw, both at a hearing earlier this year and, more recently, at a meeting with council staff.Ōhiwa Reserves Care Group’s Meg Collins said she wanted jetskis to be banned or for the regulations to go back to the status quo.”With 80% of the harbour being exposed at…
A 19-year-old man has appeared in Waitakere District Court charged with arson and burglary after a fire at an Auckland mosque.Emergency services were called to Imam Reza Mosque in New Lynn just after 9am yesterday, following a report of a fire that was believed to have been deliberately lit.The man appeared today via video link and has been granted interim name suppression.It’s alleged the man broke into the building just before 1am and set the fire. The fire continued to smoulder until just after 9am when it became visible and emergency services were called.Fire damage inside Imam Reza Mosque in…
Auckland’s Santa Parade will celebrate its 91st year with a well-known Australian pup making her first appearance.Bluey will have her own float in the festive parade on Queen Street on November 24.Many other floats are expected to energise the parade, including one made entirely of LEGO, a giant pink guitar inspired by K-pop, and a Kiwiana caravan that captures the spirit of a Kiwi summer. There will also be a team of new “elves” dedicated to keeping the city safe. Community wardens from the the council’s safety team, police, Māori Wardens, Community Patrols NZ, and Auckland Transport will oversee the…
The man on trial accused of killing Christchurch woman Yanfei Bao is now conducting his own defence.Tingjun Cao is accused of murdering the 44-year-old real estate agent. He has denied the charge.The trial at the High Court in Christchurch is now in its third week.Justice Preston briefed the jury on the situation this morning, telling them Cao had chosen to waive his right to counsel.“He is entitled to do that, Mr Cao wishes the trial to continue, and he wants to conduct his own defence from this point on. After hearing from Mr Cao himself and his previous counsel and…
Unemployment has risen to a near four-year high as businesses shed staff and people stop looking for work.Stats NZ numbers, released today, show the annual unemployment rate for the three months ended September rose to 4.8%, from 4.6% in the previous quarter.The rate is slightly below financial market expectations and is the highest since December 2020.But, it is below the Reserve Bank’s expectations, which were for a 5% rate.The increase in unemployment has been fuelled by reduced demand for workers and as migration surged to fill previous shortages in the labour market.”While net employment remained stable, there were changes in…
Tax-to-GDP ratio has seen a slight decline across the EU in 2023. However, trends varied significantly amongst different countries. ADVERTISEMENTTax-to-GDP ratio is the weight of taxes and net social contributions on a country’s gross domestic product.France saw the highest ratio (45.6%), followed by Belgium (44.8%) and Denmark (44.1%), according to the latest Eurostat data.On the other side of the spectrum, the lowest ratios were reported in Ireland (22.7%), Romania (27.0%) and Malta (27.1%).The EU average for 2023 was 40%, just 0.7% down from the previous year.Tax-to-GDP ratio went up in 11 EU countries between 2022 and 2023. The biggest increases…
Three people have been arrested after an aggravated robbery in Rotorua involving weapons and a stolen vehicle.Police said offenders, armed with a machete and other weapons, entered the Te Ngai Road Caltex Service Station in Owhata, Rotorua at about 6am this morning.”They threatened a staff member, stole cash, vape products and cigarettes.”The offenders then left in a stolen vehicle which they dumped nearby.”Police said the vehicle was stolen from Hamilton. It was recovered and would be returned to its owner.After police were alerted to the location of the vehicle, a dog and handler tracked the previous occupants of the vehicle…