Author: Press Room
Two meetings of European leaders will take place over the coming days to discuss Ukraine and possible security guarantees. ADVERTISEMENTThe one-two charm offensive Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer unleashed on Washington this week appears to have cajoled Donald Trump into softening his stance on Ukraine somewhat but Europeans, and especially EU member states, remain at pains to thrash out common positions on security guarantees the US expects them to bear the brunt of. European leaders will now gather for two additional meetings over the coming week in the hope of bridging the existing gaps over what they can provide the war-torn country…
The inclusion of Cxbladder Triage as the standard of care in an amendment to the American Urological Association’s clinical guideline for management of patients presenting with microhematuria has been described as a “significant milestone” for Pacific Edge. As a result, the Dunedin-based cancer diagnostics company expected an uplift in demand for Cxbladder tests as more clinicians in the United States and around the world began to observe the updated guideline and incorporate the tests into care pathways. In an update to the NZX, the company said it also expected to leverage the guideline language in its ongoing policy dialogue with…
A long-serving Taupō District Councillor has admitted to drink driving.Anna Park appeared in Auckland District Court on Friday afternoon, after failing a compulsory breath test on the Control Gate Bridge in Taupō in November.In a statement sent by her lawyer, Park said she took full responsibility for her lapse in judgement.”I am deeply sorry for the disappointment and hurt my actions have caused to my family, friends, colleagues, and the wider community,” she said.”I am committed to learning from this mistake and earning back the trust I have lost. deeply sorry for the disappointment and hurt her actions have caused.”Park…
Audi operations will be moved to China and Mexico due to high costs. Future uses for the site in the Brussels neighbourhood of Forest are being considered. ADVERTISEMENTAudi Brussels factory is set to close in the Belgian capital, releasing its 3,000 workers who went in for their last shift on Friday.Halfway through last year, production was already reduced, and between 1,500 and 2,000 jobs were cut. At the end of October, no serious investor or buyer had emerged, leading to the decision to close the factory this February.”It just feels weird that it’s coming to an end,” one employee said.…
Listed retirement village operator Summerset is considering changes to its care model, blaming the state of aged-care underfunding in New Zealand. Announcing the company’s full-year results yesterday, which included a record underlying profit, chief executive Scott Scoullar said it would have to consider making its care centres available to its village residents only and no longer accept referrals from the public health system. “It’s not a step we want to take, but we need to focus our limited funding and staffing resources on our village residents and their needs. “We don’t want to end up overstretching our staff. “We know…
Business owners on Thornton Road in Whakatāne say poor communication over road closures this summer crippled their businesses for at least a month.Thornton Bar and Eatery owner Brenda Collins said her revenue dropped by between 50% and 75% when Whakatāne District Council closed Thornton Road for renewals, and she had asked for compensation for costs to her business.“The impact the closure had on my business was immediate, and in that moment, plans to hire a second chef and extend my business hours going into my busiest time of the year were quashed.”Collins said during the road closure, she often closed…
UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer has invited the outgoing German chancellor and other key leaders to a defence meeting in London on Sunday. ADVERTISEMENTGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been invited to London for a major defence summit, along with other key European leaders, the German government said on Friday. The outgoing chancellor will visit the UK’s capital on Sunday as part of a meeting between European, EU and NATO leaders to discuss defence and the continent’s security.The gathering is the latest in a slew of top-level meetings in reaction to US President Donald Trump’s turning support away from Europe and…
Startup Dunedin recently announced the 12 recipients of microgrant funding to help take the next small step in their business journey. Business editor Sally Rae talks to those behind health tech startup Intermentis, which is hoping to launch commercially next year. Knock, knock. Who’s there? Dunedin-based health tech startup Intermentis can help provide that answer without the need to even open the door, via its AI-driven smart doorstep assistant Soter, which manages doorstep interactions. The technology has been designed for people in vulnerable situations, such as the elderly or those with disabilities, and anyone experiencing communication, mobility or safety challenges. Intermentis, which could commercially launch the product early next…
The negotiations will not be easy, but India and the EU seem determined to sign a major trade agreement by the end of the year. ADVERTISEMENTAs Donald Trump threatens the European Union with new tariffs on goods, the EU is desperately seeking new trading partners. India might be one of them. Both blocs announced on Friday that a free trade agreement would be signed by the end of the year.“A free trade agreement between the EU and India would be the largest deal of this kind anywhere in the world,” president of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on…
Former Fonterra chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden is calling for 50-50 cost split between residents and the Government to pay for a controversial Rotorua sewerage scheme.The Tarawera Reticulation Scheme was discussed at Rotorua Lakes Council‘s first full meeting of the year yesterday.There have been ongoing protests at Lake Rotokākahi against the under-construction pipeline.The scheme would connect about 450 Tarawera households, and about 100 future households, to the town sewerage system. It aimed to improve the lake’s water quality.There was standing-room only in the meeting’s public gallery, and four people asked to address councillors about the scheme.Funding was the main…