Author: Press Room

Air travel has bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly one billion passengers in the EU within 2023 alone. Which airport, however, welcomed the most? ADVERTISEMENTEuropeans are taking more flights outside the EU than they do within the continent or nationally.The latest Eurostat report on air travel shows that in 2023, 49% of passengers travelled to countries outside the EU, compared to 36% within the bloc and only 15% nationally.The data show that Paris Charles de Gaulle is the EU’s busiest airport – servicing 67 million passengers last year – followed by Amsterdam’s Schiphol with 62 million, and Madrid’s…

A preschool in the Auckland suburb of Ōtara has been trashed and had items stolen after an alleged break-in over the weekend.Police said the Ōtara Community Preschool was broken into sometime between 9am on December 7 and 6pm on December 8.Photos provided by police show destroyed and scattered stationary and footprints smeared on the floor of the premises.Nine internal windows were smashed, and a microwave, oven and computers were damaged, police said.Red footprints in the bathroom of the preschool. (Source: NZ Police)Counties Manukau East Area Prevention Manager Inspector Rakana Cook described the behaviour as “frankly disgusting”.”This is an awful situation,…

Four MPs have been referred to Parliament’s Privileges Committee following last month’s haka which interrupted voting on the Treaty Principles Bill in the House. They are Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi, and MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke. Labour MP Peeni Henare has also been referred. Speaker Gerry Brownlee said he received letters from three MPs about the incident, which happened during the vote on the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill. The Speaker had previously named and suspended Maipi-Clarke from the debating chamber for 24 hours, after she led the haka on November 14. He said, “taking an…

A Canadian woman has been arrested after allegedly attempting to smuggle around 10kg of methamphetamine wrapped as a Christmas gift in her carry-on late last week.The 29-year-old was questioned by Customs officers after arriving at Auckland International Airport from Vancouver on Sunday.A baggage search revealed an estimated 10.2kg of methamphetamine wrapped up as a Christmas present, the New Zealand Customs Service said today in a media release.It would have been worth up to NZ$3.8 million and may have caused around NZ$10.7 million in social harm.Customs Auckland Airport manager Paul Williams described it as a “classic attempt” by criminal organisations to…

A $6 million lifeline is expected to be thrown to local broadcasters through new legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions on Sundays and public holidays. The previously signalled legislation was introduced to Parliament earlier today by Media Minister Paul Goldsmith amid ongoing media industry turmoil. The Broadcasting Act currently prohibits TV ads on Sunday and Anzac Day mornings – between 6am and noon. Meanwhile, both TV and radio broadcast advertising are prohibited entirely on Christmas Day, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.Goldsmith said: “Traditional media outlets are operating in an extremely difficult environment and as the Government, we must ensure…

Tauranga will finally get the museum it has “deserved for so long” after two decades of talking about it.The civic whare, exhibition gallery and museum project – part of the $306 million civic precinct – was approved by Tauranga City Council on Monday.The city centre precinct, named in the city centre Te Manawataki o Te Papa, also includes a library and community hub which is under construction and due to be finished in 2026.Te Manawataki o Te Papa was approved by the council’s government-appointed commission in 2022.The newly elected council was asked whether to continue with the project and given…

This article was originally published in Spanish Fishermen in Spain are protesting proposed EU cuts that would reduce fishing days in the Mediterranean, arguing that the plan could destroy the industry, harm the economy, and cost 17,000 jobs. ADVERTISEMENTFishermen in Spain began a two-day strike on Monday to protest proposed European cuts that would largely restrict the number of days they can fish in the Mediterranean. Thousands gathered on Monday in front of the European Commission headquarters in Madrid to demonstrate against the planned cuts. The proposed changes would reduce the number of days trawlers can spend at sea from 130…

A man has died in hospital after he was critically injured in a hit-and-run in south Auckland last week.Emergency services were notified of the crash on Clark Rd in Pāhurehure at around 9pm on Saturday.Police said he was struck by an unknown vehicle which did not stop.St John said one ambulance, one manager, and two rapid response vehicles attended.”The man suffered severe injuries and was transported to hospital in a critical condition,” a police spokesperson said.”Tragically, he died earlier today in hospital.”Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”The vehicle allegedly responsible has been located and seized by police, who…

New agriculture Commissioner envisions no overhaul for the EU’s agricultural subsidies system, as ministers began talks on reforms, seeking to maintain a farmer-centric Common Agricultural Policy. ADVERTISEMENTEU agriculture ministers meeting in Brussels couched parameters for reforming financing support for the sector in emollient terms for farmers, stressing that they would seek to cut bureaucracy rather than subsidies.The ministers approved a set of conclusions outlining key directions for an upcoming revision of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the next EU budget cycle, spanning 2028–2034.Critics have long argued that the €387 billion program—constituting a third of the EU budget—disproportionately benefits large-scale…

A second person has been charged with murder after the body of a man was found inside a building in Levin in October. A homicide investigation was launched after the body of Robert Albert, 56, was found in a building in Muaūpoko Park at Lake Horowhenua on October 17.A 23-year-old man was charged with Albert’s alleged murder earlier this month. Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Thompson said a 40-year-old man was arrested after two search warrants were carried out in Levin township earlier today. “The arrested man, a 40-year-old, was located at one of the addresses, as was a cut-down firearm,”…