Author: Press Room

Tauranga City Council has pulled the plug on plans for a $28 million waterfront walkway as it projects a 12.5% rates increase this year.Mayor Mahe Drysdale told a meeting on Monday the council’s budget is a “ceiling … not a target”.A majority of the council voted to stop all work on Te Hononga ki Te Awanui Memorial Park to Elizabeth Recreation Connection, with applause heard from a handful of people in the public gallery.The meeting heard there was no budget to complete it in the long-term plan.The walkway – previously known as Memorial Park to The Strand – had been…

European Council President Antonio Costa says EU accession is key for Ukraine’s future, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says it could happen earlier than 2030. ADVERTISEMENTEuropean Council President Antonio Costa has said that Ukraine’s accession to the European Union would be the most important security guarantee for the future of the country.Costa was speaking at a joint press conference with EU leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Kyiv.Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy said that he hopes the US will continue to support his country. “We shouldn’t lose unity between Europe and the US,” he said, adding that Ukraine’s…

Roberta Flack, the Grammy-winning singer and pianist whose intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recordings artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after, died today. She was 88.She died at home surrounded by her family, publicist Elaine Schock said in a statement. Flack announced in 2022 she had ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and could no longer sing,Little known before her early 30s, Flack became an overnight star after Clint Eastwood used The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face as the soundtrack for one of cinema’s more memorable and explicit…

An Auckland woman almost lost a deposit for her first home after scammers posed as her lawyers by using detailed information to trick her. It’s an example of the type of sophisticated email impersonation scams Netsafe says are becoming increasingly complex.Auckland woman Anna Strong was told by scammers to transfer her $41,000 deposit into an intermediary account late last year and, by the time she realised something was wrong — and that it wasn’t her lawyers’ account — it was too late.”I don’t think I’ve ever felt such a gut-punch moment,” she said.Looking back through her emails, she found just…

The centre-right party’s leader Friedrich Merz said CDU and SPD are to enter talks to form a coalition, one day after the German election on Sunday. ADVERTISEMENTTalks between the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) and Social Democrats (SPD) are to begin within the next couple of days, CDU leader Friedrich Merz announced during a press conference in Berlin on Monday.Merz said that initial talks about establishing a black-red coalition have already taken place and aims for the new government to be formed by Easter, which this year falls on 20 April.He highlighted his goal of steering Germany out of its economic…

Analysis: The naval exercise in international waters off the coast of Australia sends signals about China’s role and influence in the Pacific, says Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law at the University of Waikato.The appearance of three Chinese naval vessels firing live rounds in the Tasman Sea has caused understandable alarm in New Zealand and Australia. But this has more to do with the geopolitical context than the actual event.In fact, the Chinese navy is allowed to conduct exercises in the Tasman and has wide freedoms on the high seas in general. So far, China appears to be acting in accordance…

A whole host of world leaders convened in Kyiv on Monday to mark the third anniversary of the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. ADVERTISEMENTVolodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine will insist that a tribunal be set up to hold those responsible for the war accountable “even when we go to diplomacy”, as Russia’s full-scale invasion enters its fourth year. “When we speak about just peace, it is difficult to find what is just about this war. We will never forget and we cannot forget. These people will answer,” the Ukrainian President said in response to a question…

A special summit of European leaders is to be held on 6 March. ADVERTISEMENTThe EU’s top diplomat said on Monday that she is “optimistic” leaders will quickly agree on fresh money to boost short-term military aid to Ukraine as Europe grapples with being sidelined from talks to end Russia’s three-year-old war against its neighbour.”Ministers broadly supported the new initiative for military aid for Ukraine, and of course, the details, and especially the numbers, will be decided and discussed at the extraordinary European summit on 6 March,” Kaja Kallas told reporters after a meeting of foreign affairs ministers in Brussels.The meeting,…

Nelson Airport is one step closer to extending its runway despite mounting opposition from the local community with one business saying it’s likely to go to the Environment Court. Nelson Airport today gave notice to the council of the plan to extend the main runway in the next 10-15 years. The plan would move the runway around 370m towards Tāhunanui. Airport chief executive Brendan Cook, who started in October, said the extension was important for the local economy. “It’s really important that as we grow naturally in the future and our passenger numbers increase as the population grows and business…

This week’s key events presented by Euronews’ head of EU news, Jeremy Fleming-Jones. Key diary datesWednesday 26 February – Commission to publish Action Plan for Affordable Energy and Clean Industrial Deal.Wednesday 26 February – Commission to publish ‘omnibus’ package to lighten reporting requirements for businesses.Thursday 27 February – College of Commissioners to visit India to launch negotiations for a strategic partnership.In spotlightADVERTISEMENTThis week’s publication by the Commission of its ‘omnibus’ proposal – set to contain measures designed to clip back at onerous reporting obligations for business – will likely chime with Germany’s new political landscape.European People’s Party lead environment MEP…