Author: Press Room

An Auckland man who smuggled card skimming equipment into New Zealand and withdrew more than $60,000 has been sentenced. The 21-year-old and another man hid the equipment in low-value electronics like air fryers. He was sentenced to six months’ community detention and 12 months’ supervision at the Auckland District Court yesterday after being convicted of knowingly importing goods for dishonest purposes and possessing goods designed with intent to facilitate the commission of crimes involving dishonesty. Cold coming, PM’s press secretary scandal, science of sleep (Source: 1News)The other man, also a 21-year-old Aucklander, was sentenced to 10 months’ home detention on…

Three people have been charged with manslaughter over the Loafers Lodge fire that killed five people in Wellington in 2023.The charges follow a two-year investigation into whether the state of the building and the management and compliance of its fire safety systems contributed to the fatal outcome.Michael Wahrlich, Melvin Parun, Peter O’Sullivan, Kenneth Barnard and Liam Hockings died in the blaze that began shortly after midnight on May 16, 2023.A 50-year-old man had previously been charged with murder in relation to deliberately lighting the fire.Cold coming, PM’s press secretary scandal, science of sleep (Source: 1News)Detective Senior Sergeant Timothy Leitch said…

ADVERTISEMENTHacking the way to the prescription: digital black markets and remote consultations give an easy access to weight loss drugsIn a world chasing speed—fast food, fast fashion, fast tech—it’s no surprise that quick slimming is the latest obsession. But the demand for rapid weight loss has opened a controversial new chapter in global health: the widespread use of prescription-only diabetes medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro for aesthetic purposes.These drugs, part of the GLP-1 class, were developed to help manage type 2 diabetes. Yet their dramatic side effect—substantial weight loss—has made them wildly popular among people with no underlying medical need.…

By Eva Kershaw of Frank Film Richard Emerson is lauded as the godfather of New Zealand craft beer. His name may ring a bell – “Emerson’s” is branded on the red-banner logo that sits on the label of some of this country’s most loved craft brews. Emerson’s has been a paragon of the Dunedin brewing scene since it was first founded in 1992. From its conception on a kitchen stovetop to early production using repurposed dairy vats, it’s not just the brewery that has an interesting history. The founder himself has a pretty good story too. Emerson was nine years…

Auckland deputy mayor Desley Simpson has announced she intends to serve as Wayne Brown’s deputy again if they are both re-elected.In a midday media conference at the Auckland Town Hall on Thursday, Simpson said she would not be challenging Brown for the mayoralty.”After a lot of deliberation, I’m pleased to advised that I’m standing again for the fine ward of Ōrākei. I really enjoy being the councillor for that board, and that’s why I am going to ask for their support for another term.”Simpson said she had gotten to know Brown “really well” in the past three years and found…

A woman who forged a medical degree from a top New Zealand university and worked as a doctor in the United Kingdom for more than 20 years has been ordered to pay close to NZ$1 million in compensation or face further jail time.Zholia Alemi, 63, posed as a psychiatrist while she worked for the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) and was paid around NZ$2 million over the course of her employment.She never had the medical qualifications necessary.She denied 20 offences, including forgery, but was jailed for seven years after being convicted at the Manchester Crown Court in 2023.She had previously…

The country’s natural gas supply is running out faster than previously thought. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said previous forecasts showed annual gas production falling below 100 petajoules (PJ) by 2029, but revised forecasts indicated that level would be reached by next year. A petajoule or PJ is a unit measurement of energy use commonly used for large-scale energy use, with one petajoule equal to one million billion joules. MBIE also said as of January this year, natural gas reserves were down 27% compared to last year – also falling faster than previously estimated. “In 2024, natural gas…

Ownership of a public reserve in Ngongotahā will be gifted back to the whānau who donated it decades ago.Backers of the move included former Te Pāti Māori co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell, who said it was once part of the family farm.Rotorua Lakes Council agreed to dispose of the “surplus” 810sq m section in April after a majority of public submissions supported this.Last week, councillors voted to gift the land back to descendants of the original owners, without charge.That was rather than asking the descendants to pay up to $38,000 in costs for the return, or the council selling the property…

“What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen on social media?”That’s the question Re: News asked teenagers, and the answers were extreme. Content warning: This story discusses graphic violence and death. “Oh, I’ve seen someone get their neck slit open in a mall.” “Lots of 9/11 stuff and people getting murdered.” “I’ve seen someone get smashed with some knuckledusters straight to the head, and he is bleeding out of his brain.” Watch the full video here on TVNZ+New research from the New Zealand Classification Office found the most common type of harmful content young New Zealanders are seeing is real-world graphic violence.…

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it was an “absolute shock” to learn a press secretary working in his office was reported to police for allegedly recording audio of sex workers without their consent before joining his staff.Luxon’s acting deputy chief press secretary, Michael Forbes, resigned yesterday morning after allegations emerged that he had recorded audio without the consent of Wellington sex workers, Stuff reported.It was also alleged that the press secretary had images on his phone of women exercising at a gym, shopping, and taken through a window while getting dressed.Speaking to media on the resignation, the PM said Forbes’…