Save the Queen Street Society’s request for an interim injunction to stop council work in lower Queen St has been declined – with work on Queen St to start this Monday. The group – which has Heart of the City boss Viv Beck on its…

A man wanted in relation to the Sofitel Hotel shooting in Auckland last month has been arrested.The man was arrested by Armed Offenders Squad members at a rural property near Kerikeri.The 27-year-old received medical treatment…

Rotorua’s mayor and two councillors have accused Waiariki MP Rawiri Waititi of “misinformation”, with one councillor labelling his comments over a sewerage fault a “political stunt”.However, Waititi says their comments are a “classic…

The consumer watchdog is working with Queensland authorities to investigate a Sea World plush toy linked to the death of a six-year-old boy on the Gold Coast.

Deklan Babington-MacDonald was playing with the penguin toy on Anzac Day when he suffered critical injuries in a "severe accident" and was flown to hospital.

His family were later told he would not recover and his life support was removed last Friday.

READ MORE: Sydney COVID-19 restrictions back

The toy, a plush penguin wearing a harness attached to a long lead, has been taken off the shelves at Sea World however a recall has not yet been issued.

A statement from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it was aware of the incident but did not have sufficient information to provide advice on risks or hazards associated with similar products.

"The ACCC is always saddened to hear of a death or serious injury or illness of a child involving a consumer product," the statement reads.

"The ACCC is talking with the Queensland authorities investigating the incident to gain further information relevant to progressing our assessment.

"If a supplier becomes aware of a serious injury, illness or death caused by a product they supply, the supplier must make a mandatory injury report through the Product Safety Australia website.

READ MORE: India coronavirus crisis 'grim' as nation clocks 290 cases per minute

"If a supplier finds that a product they supply if unsafe, the ACCC expects the supplier to conduct a voluntary recall to advise consumers of the risk, address the safety issue, or remove the product from the market.

"Consumers can also report products they consider to be unsafe to the ACCC through the Product Safety Australia website.

"At this stage we do not have sufficient information regarding the incident to provide advice for consumers on risk or hazards to avoid with a specific product category."

Details of safety standards, product bans, and voluntary recalls are available on the ACCC website.

An online fundraiser for Deklan's family has raised more than $15,000.

Test your brains with the Herald’s afternoon quiz. Be sure to check back on nzherald.co.nz for the morning quiz tomorrow. To challenge yourself with more quizzes, CLICK HERE.

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Australia's High Commissioner to India and former NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has described the harrowing scenes of India's COVID-19 crisis as "pretty grim" as the country alarmingly clocks 290 new cases every minute.

Speaking to Today from New Dehli, Mr O'Farrell said it was relatively safe inside an embassy compound, but outside those protected walls it was like disaster had struck.

"It's been a grim day overnight for India – 412,000 new infections, something like 290 every minute," he said.

LIVE UPDATES: Michael Slater called 'spoiled prat' by minister

"Of course, regrettably last night almost 4000 people died. That's a significant challenge. More than three million people have now died as a result of this pandemic."

The Australian Government has "temporarily paused" flights from the coronavirus-ravaged country until at least May 15, with threats of criminal sanctions for anyone who flouts the travel ban.

Mr O'Farrell today said he is "confident" about flights from India resuming in mid-May.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs and other government agencies are doing everything they can to ensure that people who are vulnerable in India can get home," he said.

"I'm an optimist, I'm looking forward to the resumption of flights and looking forward to a concerted effort to reduce the numbers here in India.

"Certainly that's what those Australians in India keen to get home would like to see."

READ MORE: Aussie stuck in India sues to overturn travel suspension

Mr O'Farrell shut down suggestions of "political blow-back" from the Indian government since Australia temporarily banned flights.

"I think India understands that national governments make decisions that suit their interests," he said.

"The prime minister said last week this temporary pause was intended to help strengthen the quarantine system, to try and put a pause in the increasing rates of infections being noticed in these quarantine centres, but more importantly the impact that potentially could have on the adjacent health facilities."

Vulnerable Indian-Australians will get priority on repatriation flights once they resume, Mr O'Farrell confirmed.

READ MORE: Deputy PM defends India travel threat: 'we needed to send a message'

He said the number of vulnerable people in India had increased from 600 to 900 over the past week.

But there were "signs" of falling infection numbers in the country's two largest cities of Mumbai and New Dehli, Mr O'Farrell said.

In good news, 8.6 tonnes of vital medical equipment, oxygen concentrators and more than 1000 ventilators have arrived in India from countries around the world.

"The fact is that the globe is once again responding to a humanitarian crisis here in India, and they are doing so in part because of India's great efforts earlier this year in providing 66 million doses of vaccines to more than 70 countries around the world free of charge," he said.

READ MORE: 'Horrible' weeks ahead as India catastrophe worsens

Reminded about Mother's Day, Mr O'Farrell said he had regrettably "forgotten" amid the chaos and paid tribute to families who have loved ones in India.

"I particularly feel sorry for the Australians of Indian origin whose family and loved ones, including elderly mothers, are in India at this time," he said.