Author: Press Room

With some clear exceptions, there appears to be broad support among European governments to open negotiations on a 2040 emissions reduction target as soon as possible – but enthusiasm for the 90% cut favoured by the European Commission was less in evidence at an EU Council summit on Thursday. ADVERTISEMENTSeveral EU governments have demanded the European Commission table an overdue proposal for a 2040 emissions reduction target, the missing milestone on the bloc’s pathway to climate-neutrality by mid-century, though a few remain sceptical.Under a law adopted in 2021, the EU is committed to net-zero by 2050, after bringing its carbon…

Cabinet has agreed to its next steps in its war on the country’s supermarket duopoly, set to be announced by the Finance Minister on Sunday.Nicola Willis took over responsibility for the supermarket delegation earlier this month, after newly appointed Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson proactively identified a conflict of interest, understood to have a close family member owning a supermarket.Andrew Bayly had been doing the job but quit his ministerial warrants last month after an incident with a staffer in his office.RNZ understands Willis, who is also Economic Growth Minister, will this weekend announce decisions taken by Cabinet…

The daylight saving time has proven difficult to scrap. Meanwhile, time zones do not match solar time in many EU countries. ADVERTISEMENTPutting a stop to the seasonal time change isn’t easy, largely for political reasons. This Sunday Europeans will once again lose an hour as the clocks wind forward.It’s something few people enjoy, as shown by a 2018 survey, according to which 84% of EU citizens are against the phenomenon.According to scientific studies, the hour change can upset our body’s alignment with sunlight, which may result in sleep deprivation and affect several diseases.Switching the clock seasonally is also at odds…

A 4.4 magnitude earthquake has jolted the lower North Island this afternoon. The quake hit at 12.59pm, and was centred 20 km south-west of Levin at a depth of 35km.At time of writing, more than 8000 people had reported feeling the “light” earthquake on GeoNet’s website. Many took to social media to report feeling it. “Heard it coming, then a decent jolt! Freaked the cat,” one user wrote on social media. Another said: “Sitting in Wendy’s Paraparaumu and [I] felt it. The glass windows shook.” Over the weekend, three earthquakes were recorded within seven minutes of one another in the…

The four soldiers, whose identities have not been released, went missing early on Tuesday when they were on a mission to recover another Army vehicle during unit training. ADVERTISEMENTUS and Lithuanian authorities are struggling to drain a swampy area in Lithuania in an ongoing effort to recover four American Army soldiers who went missing three days ago.The soldiers’ armoured vehicle was discovered submerged in 15 feet of water and so far teams have been unable to get inside or pull it out.US Army Europe and Africa said that cranes, a large-capacity pump and more than 30 tons of gravel have…

Two Wellington councils have clashed over carparks, with the regional council accusing the city council of undermining its transport strategy.Greater Wellington Regional Council chairperson Daran Ponter, and the chairperson of its transport committee Thomas Nash, have written to Wellington City Council expressing “concern” over a decision to reinstate carparks on the city-to-Karori route.These parks were initially removed to allow for uphill bus and bike lanes on Glenmore St, alongside the Botanic Gardens. Daran Ponter (Source: rnz.co.nz)But on February 27, the city council’s regulatory processes committee asked council officers to investigate options for reinstating them, citing concern from residents.The regional council,…

Last year, Beijing announced provisional tariffs on European brandies after a majority of EU countries approved duties on electric vehicles made in China. ADVERTISEMENTFrance’s foreign minister has said that France and China are making progress towards resolving a trade dispute over cognac imports.Jean-Noël Barrot said the conclusions of a Chinese investigation that could potentially lead to the permanent implementation of provisional duties on European cognac imports have been delayed until June.”We’ll be really pleased when the problem is behind us. And it’s clear that, step by step, we’re moving towards a resolution,” Barrot said.Last year, China announced provisional tariffs of between…

A Canadian mining company is seeking more than $2 million from investors to fund their hunt for gold in Otago. In a statement yesterday, KO Gold said it was selling a stake in the company to the tune of up to $C2m ($NZ2.44m) which would be used for general working capital and to fund their ongoing exploration and drilling programmes in Otago’s gold district. As soon as a drilling contractor was selected and permits obtained, the company would focus on discovering gold in the Carrick goldfield — southwest of Australian company Santana Minerals’ Rise and Shine deposit — and testing…

A prominent Palmerston North man jailed for sexually violating a 14-year-old boy in 2007 will keep his name secret for now.The man was sentenced to seven years and two months imprisonment in Palmerston North District Court last Friday.He was regarded as a leader in his profession and was well-known in the community.Judge Stephanie Edwards declined his application for permanent name suppression but made a temporary order until 11am today to allow his lawyer to file an appeal against the decision.The court confirmed this morning one was to be filed, so suppression would stay until a decision about that was made…

The trip to the semi-autonomous Danish territory comes as relations between the US and the Nordic country nosedived after President Donald Trump repeatedly suggested that the US should control the island. ADVERTISEMENTUS Vice President JD Vance, his wife and other senior US officials have visited an American military base in Greenland, part of a trip that was scaled back following an uproar among Greenlanders and Danes who were angry that the original itinerary was planned without consulting them.Soon after arriving on Friday, Vance briefly addressed US troops stationed at the base as he and his wife sat down to lunch with…