Author: Press Room

The 88-year-old pontiff remains in critical condition after spending eleven days in hospital with pneumonia in both lungs. ADVERTISEMENTPope Francis has “rested well, all night long” the Vatican said on Tuesday morning. The 88-year-old pope has pneumonia in both lungs and remains in critical condition despite showing signs of slight improvement after spending eleven days in hospital. Doctors said Monday he had resumed work from his hospital bed and called a parish in Gaza City that he has been in contact with since the Israel-Hamas war began. Meanwhile, around 4,000 people gathered on Monday night in a rain-soaked St Peter’s…

In the end of an era for New Zealand land transport, the last stretch of metal road in the country’s State Highway network has been tarsealed.Contractors are this week putting the finishing touches to 12 kilometres of tarseal through the remote Tāngarākau Gorge on State Highway 43 in East Taranaki.Otherwise known as the Forgotten World Highway – SH43 – connects Taumaranui in the King Country to Stratford in Taranaki.The windy 150-kilometre route passes through rugged country, climbs three saddles and includes the Moki Tunnel, aka the Hobbit’s Hole.Up until now motorists have also had to contend with a metal road…

The Franco-German partnership, historically central to key decisions in Brussels, has been strained over the past three years. This is due in part to domestic political crises in both France and Germany, as well as significant differences in the leadership styles of French President Emmanuel Macron. ADVERTISEMENTWith the transition of leadership in Germany from Olaf Scholz to Friedrich Merz, can France and Germany regain their strong political and diplomatic relationship in Brussels?Today, Radio Schuman digs into the issue with Euronews’ French correspondent, Grégoire Lory.In a recent speech at the Körber Foundation, Merz pledged to “renew and deepen” strained Franco-German relations,…

Massive offshore online department stores like Temu are disrupting New Zealanders shopping habits. New Zealand Post e-commerce data shows New Zealanders spent more than $6 billion online last year, a 5% bump on the year before. Overseas online transactions were growing at a faster rate than domestic, but the average offshore spend was falling. Online stores like Temu saw the single biggest increase in purchases with a 33% jump on 2023 figures. Managing director of First Retail Group Chris Wilkinson said the increase in online shopping was a significant worry. “Really, this is tapping into what remains of our discretionary…

Consultation has opened on reducing the frequency of safety inspections for vintage cars, vintage motorbikes and motorhomes.The proposal would see WoF checks for vintage and veteran vehicles over 40 years old change from every six months to every 12 months, and see CoF checks for privately owned heavy motorhomes also change by the same time period.Transport Minister Chris Bishop has said the change will strike the right balance between safety and over-compliance.Earlier this month, 1News reported the change would impact 128,000 vehicles and 39,000 motorhomes.In 2014, the law changed so people who owned cars made in 2000 or subsequent years…

Seven people were arrested but not charged amid a protest opposing a controversial pipeline at Lake Rotokākahi in Rotorua overnight after people allegedly refused to leave the worksite. Rotorua Lakes Council contractors resumed work last night to enable the last 1.3km of pipeline in the Tarawera Sewerage Scheme to resume being laid. The site is considered tapu by local mana whenua. Yesterday, protesters gathered, and an iwi group is making a last-minute legal bid to stop construction work.Police this morning said the “vast majority” of those who showed up to protest “engaged positively” with council and police staff and co-operated…

The government is making it easier for teachers coming to New Zealand to apply for residency faster, with Immigration Minister Erica Stanford saying they’re making New Zealand a “competitive destination for overseas talent.”From late next month, primary teachers with a job offer from an accredited employer in the country will be able to apply for residency without first working for two years.It comes after a warning from the Ministry of Education schools could be short 1250 teachers this year.Stanford said a “teacher shortage not only impacts students, but other staff as well”.”To attract skilled teachers from offshore to help address…

A new global study shows New Zealand is doing well in bringing down the number of breast cancer deaths, a health researcher says.The study – led by the International Agency for Research on Cancer – has found New Zealand and Australia have some of the highest rates of breast cancer diagnoses in the world, at about one in every 1000 women.But it also found Aotearoa’s rates of death from breast cancer were at the lower end of the scale, and reducing by 2.1% each year.Victoria University associate professor in epidemiology Mona Jeffreys said this was positive news.”I was really surprised…

Mercury Energy is warning residential customers are set for a near 10% rise in electricity bills this year, blaming it on a host of factors including higher lines charges and energy costs.It comes after the company revealed $418 million in half-year underlying profit, down 4% from a year ago, which Mercury put down to lower renewable generation and higher costs.It also slumped to a bottom line loss due to changes in the value of unhedged contracts.Mercury said from April, its residential customers faced an average 9.7% increase in their overall electricity bill, largely reflecting higher lines and transmission charges, and…

A two-storey home in western Christchurch has been badly damaged in a fire this morning.Fire and Emergency NZ received multiple calls about the fire in Clotilda Pl, Bishopdale at around 9.30am.Two fire trucks initially responded from Ilam and Redwood station, with three more being called once it was assessed. “It is not being treated as suspicious at this stage, but the fire investigator has been notified and will attend.”All people were accounted for following the fire, they added.”Police will work with FENZ fire investigators to conduct enquiries into the circumstances of the incident,” a police spokesperson said.Footage captured by 1News…