Author: Press Room

ADVERTISEMENT Many people dream of owning the house they live in, and for many Europeans, this dream has come true, as 69% of them are homeowners. A quarter of this group even owns a secondary residence, according to the latest European Housing Trend Report published by international real estate company Re/Max. Bulgaria is the European country with the largest share of homeowners who have a second home. Here, almost half (46%) of respondents own a second residence, which is significantly higher than the European average of 25%. More generally, homeownership is strong in Bulgaria, with 80% of respondents owning at…

A woman who was told by a power company that she should put on more clothes is just one of hundreds of New Zealanders who have told RNZ they are struggling with power bills this winter.Patricia, whom RNZ has agreed not to identify, said her power bill of $420, for herself and two children, made her feel as though she was drowning.”I adjust weekly payments to suit paying it off before the next bill, I’m now at $120 per week. I asked what can I do to the power company – they suggested we wear more clothes.”Another woman said her…

Published on 28/08/2025 – 17:05 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT In Europe, the 2025 wildfire season has broken records for the amount of land burnt. More than a million hectares has gone up in flames in the EU so far this year, a larger surface area than the entirety of Corsica. That’s more than four times as much as last year. In total, more than 1,800 forest fires have been declared, emitting more than 38 million tonnes of CO₂. Out of the European Union’s 27 member states, only the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Malta have reported no wildfires. At the top…

Insurance has had the largest price rise of any item tracked in the consumer price index since 2000, Consumer NZ says, and there’s a risk that more people may not be able to access it at all in future unless there are industry changes.Consumer has released a report into the insurance industry, investigating how climate change is affecting the cost and availability of house and contents insurance.It noted the cost of insurance had gone up 916% since 2000. That is ahead of the increase in the price of cigarettes and tobacco, which were up 608%.The price increases were prompting people…

Three kilograms of “substances and casings capable of being transformed into pipe bombs” were seized alongside methamphetamine and firearms in a Hutt Valley drug operation, police say.Two people have been arrested and charged amid the searches and seizures as part of the three-month “Operation Trunk” investigation.Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson said: “Of real concern is the discovery of three kilogrammes of substances and casings capable of being transformed into pipe bombs.”Two kilograms of methamphetamine were seized. (Source: NZ Police)He said police were highly concerned by the discovery and were continuing to investigate where the substances came from. Police also seized four…

How does New Zealand’s economy stack up against Australia’s?That’s a question Westpac senior economist Satish Ranchhod has been working to answer.He has released new research which compares the two trans-Tasman economies.There was some good news for this side of the ditch – economic growth was likely to be modest in Australia over the coming year, he said, but New Zealand’s was expected to pick up to more normal levels, with stronger per capita GDP growth over the next few years.Ranchhod said GDP growth in New Zealand was forecast to hit 2.4% by the end of this year and 3.1% next…

The Government has announced a new visa, aimed at attracting business people to invest in New Zealand.Immigration Minister Erica Stanford today announced the Business Investor Visa would provide a pathway to residency for migrants wanting to invest in and operate established businesses in New Zealand. The visa would be open for applications in November, offering two pathways: The standard pathway involved a $1 million investment in an existing business, with a three-year work-to-residence pathwayThe other, a fast-track pathway, would require a $2 million investment in an existing business, with a 12-month wait for residency.Applicants would need to invest in a…

Police are searching for two Chinese nationals in Auckland on numerous alleged drug offences who are understood to be presenting as tradesmen.Xilin Huang, aged 39, and Gongbao Fang, aged 46, are wanted to arrest on charges including possession for supply of methamphetamine and other controlled drugs.It is believed the pair are working as tradesmen, police said.”Police believe these men are in the Auckland region and locating them is a priority.”It added any sightings of Huang or Fang should be reported to police on 111 immediately.Information on their whereabouts could be provided by phoning 105, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers.

A 36-year-old woman charged with disposing of her newborn baby’s body in a central Auckland park has pleaded not guilty. She entered the plea in the Auckland District Court on Wednesday morning and elected trial by jury. Name suppression for the woman was continued.Auckland City CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Ash Matthews earlier said police were called to Albert Park in the centre of the city at about 7am on Sunday after a worker discovered the infant.This morning, the woman appeared in person at court, with several supporters, and stood quietly in the dock, visibly upset and at times close to…

ADVERTISEMENT Until now, a coloured badge was the only ticket you needed: white with a yellow ‘Press’ line for journalists, green for lobbyists, orange for diplomats and so on. With one of those dangling from your neck, you could roam both the Brussels and Strasbourg buildings of the European Parliament and casually bump into lawmakers in the corridors. But as of next week, those casual encounters will become much rarer. Invitations signed off by MEPs will be mandatory for entire categories of visitors to enter certain areas. This rule will apply to journalists, diplomats, and industry representatives, the Parliament confirmed…