Author: Press Room
New Zealand Post has suspended some forms of shipping to the United States as President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs loom. This included American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. On its website, NZ Post said there were some restrictions on what could be sent to the US and US territories. This included suspending a number of services temporarily “until further notice”, while formal processes around the new US tariffs were being finalised. The suspended services included sending with economy, economy tracked, economy plus, courier and express. Letters sent via economy letters and documents sent via…
A 25-year-old woman has been arrested after allegedly trying to spend more than $6000 by using “ghost-tapped” credit cards. Police alleged the Chinese national was involved in a text scam ring. Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton said police were called to a Newmarket store after the woman tried to use multiple phones to make a paywave purchase of more than $6000.“Police were contacted by security at the time and the woman was arrested by our staff on arrival,” he said.“It will be alleged that unsuspecting Kiwi’s credit card details were used by ghost-tapping with several smart phones.”Police have laid seven…
Four people have been arrested after an alleged aggravated robbery in Auckland this morning led to armed traffic stops being conducted on two stolen vehicles on Auckland’s North Shore and in the Waikato region.Police said a group of men arrived at a Kerrykeel Dr property at around 5am on Thursday reportedly armed with weapons including a firearm.The group allegedly stole property and a vehicle from the address, Detective Inspector Karen Bright said.The police Eagle helicopter located the stolen vehicle heading north on State Highway 20.”Eagle observed this vehicle travelling in tandem with a second vehicle, which was also stolen,” Bright…
Monica Lewinsky is keenly aware of what it feels like when your name is no longer your own and becomes attached to a character conjured by others. An affair that she had with President Clinton nearly 30 years ago as a White House intern made her an international headline.So, when Lewinsky read that Amanda Knox, another woman whose image precedes her, wanted to adapt her memoir for the screen, she felt she was in a unique position to help.Knox was on a study abroad programme in Italy in 2007 when one of her housemates, Meredith Kercher, was killed. She and…
Gloriavale Christian School will remain on notice despite providing Government officials with an updated action plan. The private school had failed to meet three of the eight registration criteria, with a July Education Review Office report determining that it was not a physically and emotionally safe space for studentsSchool leaders were asked to provide an action plan to fix the school’s issues to avoid its registration being suspended or cancelled. Yesterday, officials from the Ministry of Education met with the principal and the Board of Trustees to review the school’s updated plan and supporting evidence.Ministry spokesperson Coralanne Child said they…
Two North Canterbury schools fear for the safety of students and residents if a Woodend Bypass toll is imposed, as motorists “rat-run” to avoid paying it.Kaiapoi North School and Te Kura o Tuahiwi already faced issues with speeding motorists, and their communities feared it would only get worse, as motorists looked for alternative routes to avoid getting hit in the backpocket.Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency announced last week it proposed a toll for the planned Belfast to Pegasus Motorway, which included the Woodend Bypass.It proposed two tolling points, with each charging $1.25 per passing light vehicle, and $2.50 for heavy…
People are being urged to keep flammable products out of their wheelie bins after a fire broke out in a Picton rubbish truck.After noticing smoke on Tuesday, the driver offloaded the waste in the car park of the Picton cemetery, before the Picton Volunteer Fire Brigade showed up.The Marlborough District Council said in a statement that quick thinking from the driver and a prompt response from the brigade had prevented a serious fire.People needed to avoid putting ashes, batteries, butane gas cylinders and helium cylinders into their wheelie bins as they posed a significant fire risk.Solid waste manager Mark Lucas…
A family jet ski stolen from a Waitākere property is back in the hands of its owner after he found it on Facebook Marketplace this week.The owner spotted the jet ski, reported stolen five years ago, while searching online for a replacement craft.Waitematā West Area prevention manager Inspector Kelly Farrant said the owner arranged a meeting with the seller in Henderson, which police also attended.“The victim was able to clearly identify the vehicle from the colours and other various markings,” she said.“The seller was cooperative and handed over the jet ski without incident upon finding out the item had been…
A long list of high-profile guests have been announced for Armageddon Expo, due to take place in Auckland in October. Organisers this afternoon announced the pop culture expo’s line-up of guests, describing it as “the dream team”. Among those appearing are the familiar faces of Elijah Wood, known for his role as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings; and Andy Serkis, whose pioneering work in motion capture performance has seen him appear in numerous films, from Star Wars to the Marvel universe to Planet of the Apes, and famously as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings. Also in…
Twelve people have been charged with the murder of a Rotorua man last month — seven of them from a small Bay of Plenty town.Zain Taikato-Fox, 20, was found critically injured on the side of State Highway 33 by four men shortly after 7pm on Saturday, July 26.He died from his injuries in Rotorua Hospital two days later. (Source: rnz.co.nz)Armed police carried out a search warrant in Maketū this morning, alongside others in Rotorua and Whanganui.Detective Inspector Craig Rawlinson said it was a “big day” for the town.”Most of those arrested are from Maketū, and these arrests will have a…