Author: Press Room

Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell and Environment Southland gave an update on Southland and Clutha this afternoon.On Thursday, strong winds caused widespread damage to parts of the country. Southland and Clutha District remain under states of local emergency as communications, power and water are still limited in some areas.Farming communities have also been isolated amid the damage.Today, officials said the states of local emergency are likely to stretch into next week as thousands of residents remain without power or water.

An 18-year-old Dunedin man has been arrested in connection with an online bomb threat targeting a Wellington mosque earlier this week.Detective Sergeant Dean Pearce said the man was arrested last night and has now been charged with causing harm by posting digital communication.He was scheduled to appear in Dunedin District Court on October 27.”Enquiries into this matter are continuing and police cannot rule out further charges,” he said.The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) said the threat included the exact address of the Wellington Islamic Centre (Kilbirnie Masjid).”As a necessary precaution, all community activities have been stopped at…

A homicide investigation has been launched after a man who was shot in Te Puke died in hospital this morning.Police said it received a report at about 10.30am yesterday of a person having been admitted to hospital with a critical gunshot wound.Despite best efforts from medical experts, the man died this morning, said Western Bay of Plenty investigations manager Detective Senior Sergeant Natalie Flowerdew-Brown.”Police are now working to establish the full circumstances of what has occurred, and to locate those involved.”A scene examination is taking place in the Maneoka area. Nearby residents could expect to see an ongoing police presence…

Labour Day is a public holiday that falls on the fourth Monday in October and commemorates the eight-hour working day.This year, it’s on 27 October in New Zealand.Unlike Christmas, Easter and Anzac Day, shops do not have to close, but labour laws state people who work must be compensated.Large chain stores generally open on Labour Day in New Zealand, with some – such as The Warehouse and Noel Leeming – opting to hold Labour weekend sales.Supermarkets generally also open, although their hours may change, so it’s worth checking with the individual store whether this is the case.Restaurants and cafes often…

Several orange-level weather warnings have been issued as a “significant storm” moves across New Zealand on Labour Day, bringing heavy rain and strong wind to many regions, including heavy snow to the Canterbury High Country.MetService said the active low pressure system would impact large areas of the country on Monday and Tuesday.Heavy rain warnings were in place for the central North Island hill country, Taranaki Maunga, the Tararua Range, and the Richmond and Bryant Ranges. Further south, warnings covered the headwaters of Canterbury’s lakes and rivers, the ranges of Westland north of Haast, and the ranges of Grey and Buller,…

One person has died after a single-vehicle crash in Morrinsville overnight.Emergency services were called to Matuku Rd around 2.45am on Sunday, where a car had flipped into a paddock.Police said one person was found dead at the scene.”The road remains closed while the serious crash unit conducts a scene examination,” a police spokesperson said.”Traffic management is in place, and motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.”Fire and Emergency NZ responded with one crew from Morrinsville.The fatality was the first of the Labour Weekend road toll period, which began at 4pm on Friday and ends at 6am next…

A Hamilton mother worries for the safety of her family and the public, after her son was attacked outside his high school.The Fraser High School student was heading to his car during the school’s lunchbreak on Monday. The car was parked on the main road outside the school grounds, when he was confronted by “two carloads of men wearing balaclavas”.Mother Lady-Joe TangataTerekia told RNZ the two vehicles circled the area, before her son was smashed and stabbed several times.”There’s six of them that tried to abduct him,” she said. “He put his hand in his pocket, and then he just…

Actor Frankie Muniz has shared a picture of himself and his on-screen brothers from the set of the upcoming Malcolm in the Middle revival.Muniz returns as the titular character, with Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield set to reprise their roles as his brothers Francis and Reese, respectively.Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek will also return as Malcolm’s on-screen parents Hal and Lois.Dewey, Malcolm’s third brother, will be played by a different actor than the original.A photo posted on social media showed Muniz, Masterson, and Berfield reuniting.”I was told not to post this yet, but then I remembered the theme song,” Muniz…

An 18-year-old Dunedin man has been arrested in connection with an online bomb threat targeting a Wellington mosque earlier this week.Police said the man was taken into custody on Saturday night and was assisting police with inquiries.”Charges are yet to be confirmed,” a police spokesperson said.The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) said the threat included the exact address of the Wellington Islamic Centre (Kilbirnie Masjid).”As a necessary precaution, all community activities have been stopped at Kilbirnie Masjid. All the other mosques and Islamic centres in Wellington have been advised of the threat.”FIANZ thanked police for their swift…

Former US vice president Kamala Harris has signalled she may run for the presidency again in 2028, telling the BBC she is “possibly” considering another bid for the White House.Harris, who was defeated by Donald Trump in the 2024 election, told the BBC she was confident a woman would become US president in her grandniece’s lifetime.Asked if it would be her, she said, “possibly”, confirming she was considering another run at the top job.Harris said she had not yet decided but said she still sees herself as having a future in politics.”I am not done,” the former vice-president said. “I…