Author: Press Room

Credit trends are improving, though the number of company liquidations remain high as tax debt collection has intensified following a more lenient approach taken during the Covid years.Credit reporting service Centrix said there was a 12% drop in the number of customers with debt arrears in August over July, or 1.8% on the year earlier.”Consumer arrears, year on year have improved, and that’s a trend which is good. And if we start to see consumer sentiment improve, then that should flow through into businesses which will be a really positive outcome for New Zealanders,” Centrix chief operating officer Monika Lacey…

ADVERTISEMENT Political support is growing across the European Union for a groundbreaking plan to issue a €140 billion loan to Ukraine based on the immobilised assets of the Russian Central Bank, which would help the country sustain its economy and armed resistance. “It’s a very good idea,” Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said at an informal summit of leaders on Wednesday. “I think that we have to go forward with that.” His Swedish counterpart was equally positive. “We have long argued in favour of a more offensive way of using the frozen assets because it’s simply not acceptable to have…

The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including spring snow closes roads in the south, a strong quake crumbles buildings in the Philippines, and why the FBI director’s gifts to NZ officials had to be destroyed. Spring snowfall has closed roads in the south of the South Island. Two more measles cases have been detected in Northland.A powerful earthquake has damaged buildings in the Philippines. FBI director Kash Patel’s presents to NZ officials have had to be destroyed. A climber has taken on a gravity defying challenge, climbing in mid air around a course built on to a glider.

ADVERTISEMENT How long will it take Europe to build a drone wall? And how should it be financed? EU leaders arriving in Copenhagen on Wednesday to discuss European defence seemed to have wildly different views, with the traditional geographical divide holding firm on this sudden, but long-expected key European security aspect.  Baltic and northern countries have embraced the project and called for unity and solidarity following a series of airspace violations in the past few weeks in Poland, Estonia, Romania and Denmark. Evika Siliņa, Latvia’s prime minister, for instance told reporters that she believes a drone wall along the eastern…

A series of wire and cable thefts in the Kawerau area may be linked to a strong chemical smell residents have been suffering.The current theory is that the thieves are using fire to strip the cable down to its valuable metal. Since September 21, Bay of Plenty Regional Council has received 41 calls to its Pollution Hotline regarding a strong chemical smell of burning plastic or rubber.At first it was suspected to be a resident burning rubbish or an industrial site.Regulatory compliance manager Stephen Mellor said while the calls were most frequent at the beginning of last week and they…

It has been a “bitter night” for parts of the South Island as plummeting temperatures brought snow and prompted some road closures. A road snowfall warning remained in place for Lewis Pass (SH7) until later this morning, while a strong wind watch was also in effect for Wairarapa and the Tararua District from 8am until 2pm today, as west to northwest gusts may be severe in exposed places.The forecaster said Crown Range Summit received a “fresh dusting of snow overnight”. “It’s been a bitter night for the southern South Island as a cold front has brought some freezing conditions across…

ADVERTISEMENT The pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity led by Maia Sandu may have scored a win in Moldova’s parliamentary elections, but the flood of Russian-backed disinformation which emerged on social media during the country’s electoral period is still garnering traction. One false claim that spread across social media on 24 September—just days before the election on Sunday 28 September—alleged that France had agreed to pay Moldova to dispose of its toxic waste. The allegations gained traction on X when a video styled as a TV news report with an apparent AI voiceover claimed that Sandu had agreed to take…

The family of a woman who went missing in Auckland more than a month ago say there’s been no sightings and no bank movements since she disappeared.Te Anihana Pomana was last seen leaving the SkyCity hotel in central Auckland just after 5am on August 21. The 25-year-old left all her belongings in the hotel.In a social media post, a representative of the family made an emotional plea for Pomana to come home.”Our baby sister, where are you our beautiful girl? Thinking of the very first time I held you and the last time,” she said.Te Anihana Beau Pomana, 25, was…

ADVERTISEMENT The latest Eurostat data on the products and services people can afford to buy tells a story of two Europes. Around 27.5 million European Union citizens live in conditions of severe deprivation, whether social or material. Material and social deprivation refers to the inability to afford some goods or services, which are considered desirable or even necessary to lead an adequate life. The highest rates were found in Eastern Europe, with Romania coming first. Here, 17.2% of people struggle to make ends meet. It is followed by Bulgaria (16.5%) and Greece (14%). These three countries also topped last year’s…

Small businesses in New Zealand, whose Facebook and Instagram accounts have been wrongfully suspended, can now send their appeals to a dedicated inbox, after the Small Business Minister Chris Penk stepped in to talk to Meta for a human-based solution.RNZ has heard from over 30 New Zealanders and small businesses who’ve had their accounts suspended after being accused of breaching Meta’s rules – including accusations of posting child exploitation material.The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including spring snow closes roads in the south, a strong quake crumbles buildings in the Philippines, and why the FBI director’s gifts to NZ officials…