A chilling testimony in the investigation of two brothers’ deaths in Mexico, the Finance Minister is gearing up for the Budget and concerns over a very tight corset.
1 Swarbrick accuses Finance Minister of 'let them eat cake' approach
Labour and the Greens have hit out at aspects of the Finance Minister's pre-Budget speech, labelling the launch of a new agency a "rebrand" and calling Nicola Willis' "meaningful but modest" tax relief "crumbs".
This morning, Willis announced a new standalone 'Social Investment Agency', which will replace the Social Wellbeing Agency — part of the Public Service Commission.
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said New Zealanders could "expect tax cuts in the form of crumbs for everyone except those who own for a living".
"These decisions come at the cost of gutting public services, cutting half-price public transport, chopping fees-free prescriptions and slashing benefit increases, making life all the more difficult for anyone but those at the top.
"The Minister of Finance is basically just saying, let them eat cake."
2 'F***ed up three gringos' - Chilling testimony in slain Australians case
A Mexican court has heard disturbing details about how Jesús Gerardo, known as "El Kekas," allegedly confessed to killing Perth brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad.
During the hearing today, El Kekas, dressed in an orange jumpsuit and white sneakers, was handcuffed and chained to the floor. He remained impassive as García Cota, now a key prosecution witness, recounted a conversation where he admitted to the crimes to her after returning from the Baka California campsite.
"I essentially f****ed up three gringos," he allegedly told her. When she inquired further, he allegedly responded, "I killed them."
3 Ponsonby shooting suspect's death 'not suspicious' - police
The death of a man sought by police following a fatal shooting in Auckland's Ponsonby on Sunday is not being treated as suspicious.
After a manhunt, Killer Beez gang member Hone Kay-Selwyn, 31, was found dead near Taupō yesterday.
A postmortem examination was completed this morning.
"His death is not being treated as suspicious and is being referred to the coroner," Detective Inspector Chris Barry said in an update today.
4 Lachlan Jones: Inquest gets heated as father gives evidence
The father of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones still has more questions than answers more than five years after his son's death.
The 3-year-old was found in a council sewage pond just over a kilometre from his home in January 2019.
Two police investigations found Lachlan accidentally drowned but his father, Paul Jones, said that conclusion lacked common sense.
5 Budget 2024: Willis promises 'meaningful but modest' tax relief
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed this year's Budget will include widespread tax relief for working New Zealanders.
Willis confirmed the move in a pre-Budget speech to the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce this morning.
"We will be sticking with Kiwis through the economic rough patch and ensuring you get to the other side, stronger and better-off than you are today," she said. "I can confirm that our Budget will deliver further tax relief.
ONE DANGEROUS DRESS
Kim Kardashian has served up controversial Met Gala looks for over a decade.
Every year, her waist seems to shrink further in ever tightening corsets. Her outfit by Maison Margiela Artisanal for the Met Gala 2024 was no exception. At this event, though, the corsetry was so extreme that viewers seemed more concerned by Kardashian’s seeming inability to breathe, rather than stunned by her fashion statement.
But a tiny waist can come at a terrible price – what happens to the internal anatomy when subjected to such extreme compression?
ONE OLD-SCHOOL FASHION TREND
Do you know what your colours are?
The fashion trend of the '80s is back thanks to a social media surge, so Seven Sharp tasked their “low-end fashion” reporter Lucas de Jong to give it a go.
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