Author: Press Room

Change in status under Bern Convention on nature protection could expose burgeoning wolf populations to culling and hunting for sport. ADVERTISEMENTThe Council of Europe has backed an EU proposal to downgrade the protection status of wolves from ‘strictly protected’ to ‘protected’ in a move that has prompted a wave of outrage from conservationists who say the move was political rather than science-based.The European Commission proposed the change to the Bern Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats last December as a necessary prequel to amending the EU’s own nature protection law.This would allow “more flexibility in managing…

PM Christopher Luxon has refused to set a timeline for delivering National’s promised $22,500 of student loan support for graduate nurses, as he says the health portfolio has been the Government’s most challenging.Earlier today, about 36,000 nurses, midwives and other health workers walked off the job today in an eight-hour nationwide strike over staffing and pay levels.Luxon’s pre-election promise would have provided new and recently registered nurses and midwives up to $4500 annually towards student loan repayments, totaling $22,500 over five years. It was announced by the National leader in May 2023.Watch 1News’ full interview with the Prime Minister on…

The new head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre is set to warn of huge risks to the country’s infastructure from China, Iran and Russia. ADVERTISEMENTThe UK is underestimating the severity of cyber threats it faces from hostile states and criminal gangs, the head of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) will warn.British cybersecurity chief Richard Horne will push for collective action against an “increasingly complex array of threats” from enemies who want to cause the UK “maximum disruption and destruction” in his first major speech in the role on Tuesday. Horne will single out China, Russia and Iran…

A large grass fire that was threatening multiple homes in Hastings this afternoon has now been contained.Crews were called to the grass fire in Haumoana at around 4.15pm, a Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) spokesperson told 1News. The blaze was 300m by 400m when firefighters arrived.The fire had endangered multiple properties. FENZ said the fire was declared contained as of 5.40pm. The blaze is endangering multiple properties. (Source: 1News)Six trucks and seven specialist vehicles were currently at the scene, four of which were water tankers. “FENZ is asking members of the public to stay away from the area unless…

The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu continues to draw mixed and often ambiguous reactions from European officials. ADVERTISEMENTFrance has become the latest EU country to cast doubt over the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming the Israeli prime minister could be immune to the court’s orders.It’s yet another sign that the landmark decision to call for Netanyahu’s arrest has driven a wedge between EU countries.The Hague-based court issued arrest warrants for key members of Israel and Hamas’ leadership on 21 November, following a request made by ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan in May.…

A primary-aged student, concerned about accidents outside of his rural south Auckland school, is urging local politicians to lower the speed limit.Presenting a petition to the Franklin Local Board through board member Gary Holmes, Caio Maffey said something needed to be done about speeding.The 9-year-old was a student at Awhitu District School, and started a petition for speed reduction measures on the 60km/hr rural road which didn’t have restrictions during school hours.”There have already been car accidents outside the gate,” Caio said. “I think that if we put speed bumps outside the gate, cars will have to slow down and…

Pro-Moscow ultranationalist Cǎlin Georgescu’s first-round win has shocked Romanian society and raised suspicions of Russian election meddling. ADVERTISEMENTRomania’s top court has certified a little-known far-right populist’s shock first-round victory in its presidential election, an outcome that plunged the country into a political crisis amid allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference. The ruling by Romania’s Constitutional Court clears the way for a runoff on 8 December between Cǎlin Georgescu, a Moscow-friendly ultranationalist running as an independent, and centre-right contender Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union (USR). Romania has been in turmoil since Georgescu’s victory on 24 November, which raised…

ASB has cut its fixed home loan rates by up to 20 basis points, bringing its one-year term to 5.79%.All retail banks moved to cut rates last week, following the Reserve Bank’s decision to lower the official cash rate (OCR) by 50 basis points.Other banks, including ANZ and Westpac, have also dropped their fixed-rate offerings.ASB announced its new changes today, with reductions across all fixed-term periods from six months to three years, following its earlier cuts to its floating rates last week.The six-month, one-year, 18-month and two-year terms were the largest drops of 20 basis points each, while the three-year…

France’s famous cathedral will reopen Saturday after five years of reconstruction following a devastating fire in 2019. ADVERTISEMENTUS president-elect Donald Trump will attend the reopening ceremony at France’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris this weekend, in his first foreign trip since winning re-election in November.Notre Dame will reopen in a lavish ceremony attended by around 50 heads of state and government after it was nearly destroyed by a fire in 2019.“It is an honour to announce that I will be travelling to Paris, France, on Saturday to attend the re-opening of the Magnificent and Historic Notre Dame Cathedral, which…

Arbitration costs have now driven the cost of the Waimea Community Dam up to more than twice the $104.4 million cost forecast at the time of its approval.The cost of the dam is now sitting at $211.3 million, up almost $4m from the $207.5m it was sitting at in September.Legal costs for the council-controlled dam operator Waimea Water’s arbitration, relating to a dispute with the joint venture contractor who built the dam, were behind the increase.Chief executive Mike Scott told Tasman District Council on Thursday that the disputes were the last remaining risk to the dam’s cost.”We expect to have…