Author: Press Room

Former EU Commission José Manuel Barroso said Putin told him he didn’t want Ukraine to exist as an independent state. He said he told him his goals during the twenty five meetings he had with him during his tenure. ADVERTISEMENTFormer President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso said Putin once described Ukraine as an ‘artificial country created by the CIA and by the European Commission’.In an exclusive interview for Euronews, Barroso who was president from 2004 – 2014 said Putin told him that ‘his goal was to stop Ukraine from becoming a fully independent state. During his tenure he…

The Government’s crackdown on gangs has officially begun, with a series of regulations coming into effect at midnight. 1News breaks down the new rules.No gang patches in publicGang patches were already banned from schools, hospitals, courts, and other premises managed by central and local governments, but gang insignia is now banned from all public spaces.Gang insignia displayed inside cars is also covered by the ban. Police stopped a 51-year-old man in Hastings three minutes after the new laws took effect overnight after seeing a large Mongrel Mob sign on the dashboard of his car. The sign was confiscated and the…

This article was originally published in French Nearly 20 EU member states have signed a letter of intent to step up cooperation and share the costs of developing common defence systems. ADVERTISEMENTStrengthening European air and missile defence capabilities is now one of the priorities for military cooperation within the EU. A total of 18 EU member states have signed a letter of intent to pool their efforts in this strategic sector.”We’re talking about all capabilities, including anti-missile systems and anti-drone systems. So this is a crucial point because having an advantage in the air defines the war,” explained Paweł Ksawery Zalewski,…

Dunedin’s TGC Homes is the highest ranked southern business on this year’s Deloitte Fast 50 index — placing eighth with revenue growth of 398%. Announced at a function in Auckland this week, the annual index ranked businesses experiencing rapid revenue growth over three years, setting the benchmark for fast growth businesses in New Zealand. TGC Homes — the names being the founders’ three initials — was established in 2016 by Charles Blair, George Hercus and Tom Nailard, who all met through mutual friends. Their goal was to meet the significant changes in housing needs in the city, driven by changing…

A Mongrel Mob gang associate has been arrested and faces multiple charges after allegedly fleeing police and driving dangerously across Auckland’s motorway network overnight.Inspector Juliet Burgess said the vehicle was seen speeding along the Southern Motorway near Greenlane at around 11.30pm.”The driver failed to stop, before conducting a U-turn and driving the wrong way up a southbound on-ramp.”No pursuit was initiated, but the police Eagle helicopter located the vehicle driving dangerously on the Mount Wellington Highway and through Ōtāhuhu.”Burgess said the helicopter continued to follow the vehicle, providing updates as it re-entered the motorway, heading north at excessive speed, then…

A Tauranga woman was allegedly found to be more than four times over the legal breath alcohol limit after she was clocked speeding while schools finished for the day. At around 2.50pm on Tuesday, police spotted a vehicle travelling at 80km/h in a 50km/h zone on State Highway 2 near Bethlehem. Police conducted a roadside breath test after stopping the vehicle on Te Paeroa Rd. The driver was found to be more than four times over the legal breath alcohol limit. The 42-year-old’s vehicle was impounded, and her licence was suspended. She was also issued an infringement for speeding and…

The warrants for the Israeli prime minister and former defence minister pertain to crimes against humanity and war crimes. The ICC did not disclose Deif’s warrant of arrest, stating it was a “secret”. ADVERTISEMENTThe International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas millitary commander Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, aka Mohammed Deif.In a written statement on Thursday, the ICC said Netanyahu and Gallant are responsible for committing “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane…

Mei Whaitiri, the woman who became the model for the casting of Napier’s iconic Pania of the Reef statue, has died age 86.Whaitiri was just a student of Hukarere Māori Girls when photographs of her in a piupiu and her mother’s greenstone hei tiki would be used by an Italian marble company in the process of creating the 60kg bronze statue.Mei Whaitiri as a young girl with the Pania on the Reef bronze statue. (Source: 1News)According to local lore, Pania was a beautiful young girl who lived in the sea. By day, she swam with other sea creatures but at…

Known for a decades-long political career dedicated to social justice, Prescott died at a care home after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. ADVERTISEMENTJohn Prescott, the former British deputy Prime Minister for a decade under Tony Blair and a key figure of the New Labour movement, has died aged 86. Prescott died on Wednesday in a care home “surrounded by the love of his family and the jazz music of Marian Montgomery,” his family said. He had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Known for his dedication to social justice, Prescott was an important figure in British politics, serving as deputy prime minister from…

Video has emerged showing the moment a person grabbed a rifle from a driver, who had allegedly pointed it in the direction of police after earlier being seen driving at “excessive speed”. A 31-year-old Head Hunters gang associate now faces several charges over the “extremely dangerous” incident which ended in Glen Innes, according to police. Footage on social media showed a black car driving erratically in a grass reserve, before a person approached the vehicle, appearing to reach into the driver-side window. A rifle could then be seen being pulled out of the car and thrown into nearby bushes. Shortly…