Author: Press Room

ADVERTISEMENTThe commissioner-general of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has said he fears Gaza may soon no longer be a “land for Palestinians to live in” amid intensified Israeli airstrikes and ground operations.Asked in an interview with Euronews earlier this week about Israeli plans to control the Gaza Strip in its entirety, Lazzarini said: “We have seen many (Israeli) plans, some of them more dystopian than the other.”One of those plans, seen exclusively by Euronews last week, suggested the IDF could temporarily introduce martial law and force civilians into designated security zones.“There is absolutely no safe place,”…

You will not see the name Donald Trump anywhere in the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update, but the United States president looms large over the financial predictions contained within. The capricious, cavalier manner in which Mr Trump has upset the global trade system in recent weeks has done some serious damage to the vehicle Finance Minister Nicola Willis planned to drive to a prosperous future — an export-led economic recovery. “Going for growth” is a terrific slogan, but for it to mean anything someone actually needs to be buying what NZ Inc is selling. New Zealand stood a fighting chance…

Wellington City Councillors have saved beloved community assets including the Begonia House from the chopping block while shaving back tens of millions for council projects.In October last year, the council voted not to sell its 34% stake in the Wellington International Airport as part of its 10-year budget – the long-term plan.The sale meant the long-term plan needed to be amended.The changes saw then Local Government Minister Simeon Brown install Lindsay McKenzie on the council as a Crown observer.Due to the lack of the airport share sale the council has had to look at setting up a small investment fund…

By Euronews with AP Published on 22/05/2025 – 18:34 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTThe United Kingdom has signed an agreement handing over control of the disputed Chagos Islands to Mauritius, with Westminster saying the deal protects the future of a US-UK military base that is important for British security.The Chagos Islands, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, includes the largest island Diego Garcia which hosts a key naval and air base used by the US.Under the agreement, the UK will pay Mauritius €120 million each year to lease back the base for at least 99 years.Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the base is “right at the…

The latest date for the testing of New Zealand’s emergency mobile alert system has been announced.The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said it will take place on Sunday, May 25 between 6-7pm.Civil Defence Emergency Management director John Price said the nationwide test ensured the system would continue to perform as it should during future events.”If you get an alert you should stop and read the message, and take it seriously. It will tell you what the emergency is, what to do and where to go for more information.”Price said it was important to remember that emergency mobile alerts were an…

ADVERTISEMENTIn a vote held on Thursday, MEPs endorsed measures that aim to reduce the EU’s reliance on fertilisers and farm produce from Russia and its ally Belarus, while simultaneously cutting off financial support for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.Set to take effect on 1 July, the new tariffs will target certain nitrogen-based fertilisers, increasing duties from 6.5% to levels approaching 100% over a three-year period, effectively halting most imports.Russia currently supplies 25% of the EU’s nitrogen-based fertilisers, amounting to an estimated €1.3 billion annually. Additional duties will also be imposed on agri-food imports such as meat, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables from…

Changes to KiwiSaver could disincentivise higher income earners from saving and put extra pressure on businesses, an advocate says. Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced as part of Budget 2025 yesterday the default rates of employee and matching employer KiwiSaver contributions would be raised from 3% to 4% of salary and wages, phased in over three years. But the government’s annual contribution would be halved from 50c to 25c for each dollar a KiwiSaver member contributed per year, starting from July. Members with an income of more than $180,000 would also no longer receive the government’s contribution. “Putting these changes together,…

It’s a month dedicated to awareness of Tourette’s Syndrome – with a campaign message that couldn’t be more contradictory: “Please Ignore It”.The Tourette’s Association of New Zealand is driving a campaign this year which it said boils down to “anti-awareness”.General manager, Emma Henderson, said research shows about 1% of people live with Tourette’s Syndrome or tics, making the conversation about how to respond to someone’s tics an important one.Tourette’s Association of New Zealand general manager Emma Henderson. (Source: Supplied)“When people around you ignore the tics — instead of reacting, staring, or commenting — it helps take away some of the…

By Gavin Blackburn & Laila Humairah Published on 22/05/2025 – 20:41 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTGeorgia’s government remains committed to European Union accession and believes the “process goes in a very active way,” First Deputy Prime Minister Levan Davitashvili said.Speaking to Euronews on the sidelines of the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on Wednesday, Davitashvili, who also serves as minister of economy and sustainable development, said there had been no shift in official government policy and Tbilisi had already fulfilled 60% of the accession requirements.”We have clearly declared that our target is full-fledged membership by 2030. We understand it’s a long process, but we are fully…

Budget 2025 arrives with the government branding it as the “Growth Budget,” aiming to stimulate economic activity while maintaining fiscal discipline. For Southland’s business community, particularly our SMEs, the Budget presents a mix of opportunities and challenges. A notable initiative is the Investment Boost tax incentive, allowing businesses to deduct 20% of the value of new productive assets — such as machinery and equipment — from their taxable income in the year of purchase, in addition to standard depreciation. This measure is designed to encourage capital investment and enhance productivity, offering tangible support for businesses ready to expand and modernise…