Author: Press Room

Published on 27/11/2025 – 9:01 GMT+1 •Updated 9:50 “The Americans believe everything that Putin says,” Estonian MEP Riho Terras (EPP) told Euronews’ Europe Today morning show in Strasbourg. In his view, the 28-point peace plan promoted by the US administration is “a Russian plan to make Ukraine capitulate,” and US President Donald Trump is “just a week from taking from Putin everything.” “I am very surprised that Donald Trump runs like an errand boy for Putin’s capitulation plan,” Terras said. Last week, a leaked text of a peace settlement seen as too favourable to Moscow sparked concerns among Europeans. The…

A Dunedin man has been charged with arson in relation to a suspicious house fire in the Southland town of Waikaia last year.Emergency services were called to the fire on Elswick St just after midnight on February 21, 2024.No one was injured in the blaze, but the house sustained extensive damage.Soon after the fire, police said they were seeking information about two vehicles seen in the area.On Thursday, police charged a 35-year-old man and wanted to thank the people who provided information throughout the investigation.The man was due to appear in Gore District Court on December 17.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has urged banks to slash their home loan rates by passing on “as much as possible” of the latest cut to the official cash rate (OCR). Banks began dropping floating rates on Wednesday after the Reserve Bank cut the OCR by 25 basis points, as expected, to 2.25 percent, the lowest since June 2022. Speaking in Auckland on Thursday, Willis said the Reserve Bank would monitor how banks responded to the OCR cut, but she hoped it would flow through to mortgage-holders. “My message to the New Zealand banks is a very clear one: pass on as much…

A puppy has made a remarkable recovery after a playtime accident with a larger dog left him with devastating facial and shoulder injuries.The young pup named Maverick was taken to SPCA after his family realised they couldn’t afford the emergency surgery needed to save his life. His face had been torn open and he suffered a deep bite wound on his shoulder which threatened his survival.SPCA chief executive Todd Westwood said the family made the “heart-breaking decision” to surrender Maverick so he could get urgent care.”Maverick’s family loved him, but they couldn’t afford the urgent vet care he needed.”Veterinarians at…

Helicopters are assisting firefighters in battling uncontained blazes in the far North Island and the lower South Island this afternoon – whipped up by high winds.Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) says it has activated the Region Coordination Centre in Dunedin in response to the several large fires in Southland and Otago on Thursday.Three helicopters and six fire trucks are attending a blaze in pine trees near Goodwood, Palmerston, reported at 2.35pm.A FENZ spokesperson said it was initially reported as a shed fire but had since spread to trees.A blaze in pine trees near houses at Goodwood, Palmerston. (Source: Dianne Lewis)A…

MetService has confirmed Thursday is officially Auckland’s hottest November day since records began.MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris said, for the first time in the month of November in Auckland, temperatures had surpassed 26C at its recording station.”Auckland Airport reached 26.2 degrees this afternoon, which has broken its November maximum record temperature, sitting at 25.9 degrees.”Ferris said MetService’s temperature records for the Auckland region began on December 31, 1965.He said many parts of the country had experienced warm weather on Thursday, some exceeding 30C.”With record or near-record temperatures turning up in parts of the country, it’s not too surprising to see Auckland…

Christmas has come early for Dunedin Airport with Jetstar increasing to four the number of weekly flights direct to the Gold Coast. From March next year, Monday flights will be added to Jetstar’s existing schedule along its Dunedin—Gold Coast route. The Australian airline’s service had until now only been available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. In a statement, Dunedin Airport chief executive Daniel De Bono said he was ecstatic about the increase in flights. ‘‘We’re thrilled to be able to offer an early Christmas present to our locals and our Aussie mates who have given us outstanding support on this service since it launched…

Treaty advocate and lawyer Tania Waikato has responded to comments made by Education Minister Erica Stanford over the creation of a list of schools that have committed to upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi.As of yesterday, 1306 schools – more than half of schools in the country – feature on what is dubbed Te Rārangi Rangatira. Waikato has been publishing a daily update of the list with a map of Aotearoa showing the location of schools.Stanford was unrepentant when asked by a journalist this week if she was concerned about the response from schools.“I think there’s a huge amount of pressure…

The owners of Christchurch company Idiens Sheetmetal & Roofing are disputing the total amount owed to creditors after going into liquidation and ending a nearly 90-year business link. The cladding, roofing and flashing business was put into liquidation in the High Court at Christchurch after an application by Inland Revenue (IRD) on October 16. A first report to creditors and shareholders estimated an initial total shortfall of $1.13 million owed to all creditors included nearly $647,000 to IRD and 25 unsecured creditors nearly $480,000. But this is being disputed by family members, who said the shortfall was taken from preliminary, unverified…

The mountain guide killed while attempting to summit Aoraki/Mount Cook has been described by fellow mountaineers as a talented and “inspirational” climber. Thomas Vialletet and a client from the United States died when they fell from a ridge onto the west side of the mountain around 10.45pm on Monday. Their bodies were found the next morning and recovered in the early afternoon. They were part of a group of four who had been attempting to summit the mountain. Vialletet’s death has rocked the New Zealand mountaineering community, with those who knew him describing him as a skilled climber. ‘Special’ mountain…