Author: Press Room

The Body Shop used to operate at the entrance to the Golden Centre Mall in Dunedin. The lease was not renewed last year and the site has been vacated. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY Beauty brand The Body Shop’s New Zealand business has appointed voluntary administrators. It comes after its United Kingdom parent company was placed into administration in February last year, with its international assets largely sold — but the sale excluded the New Zealand business. Administrators Daniel Stoneman and Neale Jackson of Calibre Partners said a buyer has not been found for the New Zealand business, leading to the appointment…

Homeowners in New Zealand’s largest city must wait at least another four months for updated capital valuations (CVs) from Auckland Council because of amendments required at the highest level.The Valuer-General delayed the CVs, which were due in October last year, asking the council to amend some of its data which was being done now and expected by May this year.CoreLogic head of research Nick Goodall said CVs set the property value every three years to help set rates, which was apportioned for each property across the city.He said it was unlikely a property’s CV would change so much in three…

The Bay of Biscay, stretching from the tip of Brittany, in western France, to the north of Spain, is a major fishing zone in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s also home to around 200,000 dolphins. ADVERTISEMENTThe increased number of strandings in the past years, many of which had traces of accidental catches by fishing nets, raises concern among scientists and environmentalists.  Last year, the French government imposed a month-long ban on fishing boats over 8 meters long, to protect dolphins and other marine mammals from accidental entanglement in fishing nets. The measure, now backed by the European Union, was repeated this winter, forcing…

Defence Minister Judith Collins says more investment is needed for New Zealand’s military to counter escalating geopolitical and regional threats.The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) strategic plan, which will cover the next 15 years, will be released soon and is expected to reflect the growing security challenges facing the region. Ahead of the report’s release, Collins told 1News the world was changing and that Kiwis couldn’t afford to think nobody could harm New Zealand.She said: “We have an enormous economic zone – the ninth largest in the world. “We have enormous resource wealth in this country. All these sorts of…

The far-right Alternative for Germany received its largest-ever financial donation of €1.5 million on Wednesday, bringing the question to the fore: how do parties in Germany typically fund their campaigns? ADVERTISEMENTOn Wednesday, the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) received its largest-ever donation of €1.5 million as the country gears up for elections on 23 February. The donor, Winfried Stöcker, is a multimillionaire medical entrepreneur who was fined in 2021 for organising an illegal vaccination campaign in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic using a jab he developed himself. The donation represents the most significant influx of funds the AfD…

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is investigating after new video footage has emerged of sheep being punched, kicked, and thrown by workers on farms across the country.People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has spent two years going undercover collecting evidence of abuse at 34 farms in New Zealand.PETA spokesperson Abigail Forsyth said the footage reveals rampant abuse at every stage of farm operations, “from terrified lambs enduring agonising mutilations without any pain relief to shearers punching struggling sheep in the face, and slamming them to the floor”.She said she was shocked to see shearers beating, kicking, and…

November 2024 recorded 22,000 fewer excess deaths in the EU than in November 2023. Malta, Romania, and Slovakia recorded negative excess mortality rates. ADVERTISEMENTExcess mortality in the EU decreased to 5.0% in November 2024 according to the latest Eurostat figures, even as health systems across the region continue to face challenges. This decrease represents 22,000 fewer excess deaths compared to November 2023.Eurostat’s excess mortality is the number of deaths that occur above and beyond what would be expected in a given time. It is measured by comparing the number of deaths during a certain period to the average number of…

A frustrated Auckland resident is urging illegal dumpers to not be a “d***”, as he’s sick of seeing rubbish strewn outside the Salvation Army store in New Lynn.Michael Poh said it’s been a daily problem as long as he’s lived in the area for the past three or four years.“Please, don’t be a d***,” he urged the people responsible for the piles of rubbish.A local board representative said she understands the community’s frustration with the dumping, but the council can’t act as it is a private carpark.Poh said the dumped rubbish has an impact on charitable efforts, and it doesn’t…

In 2024, member states collectively spent an average of 1.9% of GDP on defence, while Russia was spending 9%, Kaja Kallas told the audience of the European Defence Agency annual conference on Monday. ADVERTISEMENTThe European Union must boost its defence spending to “prepare for the worst” and be able to defend itself “alone if needed” against a belligerent Russia, the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday. “Many of our national intelligence agencies are giving us the information that Russia could test the EU’s readiness to defend itself in three to five years,” Kallas told the audience at the European…

Scientists at Antarctica’s Scott Base swapped labcoats for ski gear this weekend, completing a 24-hour skiathon on some of the Earth’s most remote slopes.The event, held at Scott Base Ski Club near New Zealand’s Antarctic research station, brought together scientists and staff from multiple nations.Scenes captured by Antarctica New Zealand showcased skiers taking turns on the remote slope, where summer’s perpetual daylight enabled round-the-clock skiing.Antarctica New Zealand field support officer Stephen Trimble said the unique location provided perfect conditions for night skiing – with some unusual concerns.”It’s going to look like this at 3am. It’s going to look like this…