Author: Press Room

Russia claims it has seized control of Vyshneve village in Donetsk near the strategic hub of Pokrovsk, while Ukraine reports it has intercepted 66 of 96 drones launched by Russia. ADVERTISEMENTRussia launched 96 drone attacks towards Ukraine on Saturday and Sunday, with Ukraine’s military claiming to have shot down 66 of them, according to Ukrainian media.Kyiv, Sumy, Chernihiv and Kharkiv were reported to be among 10 regions affected by the drone attacks. In Kyiv, debris from one of the drones caused damage to civilian infrastructure.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in a message posted on X on Sunday that, “Over the…

One person has died and three others have been seriously injured in a crash on the Crown Range near Queenstown this afternoon.Emergency services were alerted to the crash involving two vehicles around 3.55pm.”Crown Range Road has been closed at the intersection with Gibbston Highway / State Highway 6,” a police spokesperson said.”The road is expected to remain closed for some time as the serious crash unit examines the crash scene.”St John said it responded with four helicopters, four ambulances, one manager, one rapid response unit and one major incident support team.”Our crews assessed and treated seven patients: three in a…

Paiporta was one of the hardest hit towns following the deadly floods that devastated Spain last week. ADVERTISEMENTAn angry crowd threw mud and yelled insults at the Spanish royals and government officials upon their arrival to Paiporta, one of the hardest hit towns on the outskirt of Valencia city by last week’s floods that killed at least 211 people. Security officials held up umbrellas for the for the royals and officials to project them from the flying objects, while the crowd yelled insults such as “murderers!” and “get out, get out!”Queen Letizia, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, left the scene following…

The Hawke’s Bay fruit-growing community is rallying around a group of Tongan seasonal workers who were involved in a serious bus crash just hours after landing in New Zealand this morning.Emergency services responded to the crash between Rotorua and Taupō at around 7.30am.St John responded with four ambulances, two helicopters and a rapid response unit. It also sent a major incident support team.Immigration NZ national manager Pacific Mike Sorensen confirmed this afternoon that the accident involved a bus carrying 30 Tongan workers travelling to the Hawke’s Bay to start work with their employer Mr Apple.They had been picked up from…

The Government is set to make a major announcement on the post-earthquake “on-sold programme” as costs continue to climb and delays leave hundreds of homeowners still waiting for settlement.The support package was created in 2019 to provide ex gratia payments to eligible homeowners in Canterbury to cover the over-cap portion of the cost to repair natural disaster damage.It covers properties that were repaired post-earthquake and signed off, but once resold it became clear the work was not to standard, with many homes needing entire rebuilds.The original budget for the programme was $300m, but Treasury has revealed to 1News under the…

More Kiwis are facing charges for cannabis possession offences even after police were directed five years ago not to prosecute unless it was in the public interest to do so. In 2019, the Misuse of Drugs Amendment was passed into law, giving police discretion on whether to prosecute when someone is found in possession of an illicit drug for personal use.Police were directed to consider whether prosecution is required in the public interest or if a health-centred approach would be more beneficial.(Source: 1News)Ministry of Justice data showed more than 2100 cannabis possession charges were filed in 2019, but this number…

A father and son prospecting duo have unearthed a gold nugget worth more than $10,000 in a remote river on the West Coast of the South Island, a discovery they said was like winning the lottery.The first sign of something unusual was the urgent beeping of their metal detector, said gold prospector Anthony Thom.”It got louder, louder, louder and then we thought, ‘well it must be junk’, because you don’t get a screaming target like that.”The hobbyist, exploring a remote West Coast river with his son Dillon, said the signal was so strong he assumed it was an old can…

One person has died after a single-vehicle crash where a car collided with a power pole on Auckland’s North Shore early today.Police said they responded to the incident on Lake Rd, Hauraki at around 5.50am.”One person was transported to hospital in a critical condition where they have since died,” a spokesperson said this afternoon.Three others were taken to hospital, two in a moderate condition and one with minor injuries.”The Serious Crash Unit conducted a scene examination and the road has since reopened.”Inquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.”Police responded to the single-vehicle crash at around 5.50am on Saturday.…

A Pacific community leader is lauding the improvement of parks in South Auckland, saying it makes up for decades of under-investment.Apulu Reece Autagavaia, who is the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board chair, says the area has long been over-looked by decision-makers.“That’s why recently, the local board has upgraded the Aorere playground and changing sheds, Hillside South playground, Othello playground, Ngati Ōtara playground, clubrooms and netball courts, Pearl Baker playground, and new toilets and changing sheds at Te Puke o Tara playing fields.”Funding from the Ōtara-Papatoetoe and Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board has revitalised several playgrounds and facilities, including Pearl Baker Reserve in Ōtara, Puhinui…

Police are appealing for information on a man driving a silver van after a young girl was allegedly assaulted on Hamilton’s Silverdale Road yesterday.Police detective sergeant Johnathan O’Bryne said police received reports of a young girl’s arm being grabbed by a man who was driving along the road at 8am yesterday.”The girl was shaken but otherwise physically unharmed.”The man is reported to have been driving a silver van, initially parked on the wrong side of the road, facing toward Morrinsville Road.”Members of the public reportedly tooted at the van at the time, police said.“Police would like to hear from these…