Author: Press Room

By Euronews with AP Published on 22/05/2025 – 18:34 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTThe United Kingdom has signed an agreement handing over control of the disputed Chagos Islands to Mauritius, with Westminster saying the deal protects the future of a US-UK military base that is important for British security.The Chagos Islands, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, includes the largest island Diego Garcia which hosts a key naval and air base used by the US.Under the agreement, the UK will pay Mauritius €120 million each year to lease back the base for at least 99 years.Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the base is “right at the…

The latest date for the testing of New Zealand’s emergency mobile alert system has been announced.The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said it will take place on Sunday, May 25 between 6-7pm.Civil Defence Emergency Management director John Price said the nationwide test ensured the system would continue to perform as it should during future events.”If you get an alert you should stop and read the message, and take it seriously. It will tell you what the emergency is, what to do and where to go for more information.”Price said it was important to remember that emergency mobile alerts were an…

ADVERTISEMENTIn a vote held on Thursday, MEPs endorsed measures that aim to reduce the EU’s reliance on fertilisers and farm produce from Russia and its ally Belarus, while simultaneously cutting off financial support for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.Set to take effect on 1 July, the new tariffs will target certain nitrogen-based fertilisers, increasing duties from 6.5% to levels approaching 100% over a three-year period, effectively halting most imports.Russia currently supplies 25% of the EU’s nitrogen-based fertilisers, amounting to an estimated €1.3 billion annually. Additional duties will also be imposed on agri-food imports such as meat, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables from…

Changes to KiwiSaver could disincentivise higher income earners from saving and put extra pressure on businesses, an advocate says. Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced as part of Budget 2025 yesterday the default rates of employee and matching employer KiwiSaver contributions would be raised from 3% to 4% of salary and wages, phased in over three years. But the government’s annual contribution would be halved from 50c to 25c for each dollar a KiwiSaver member contributed per year, starting from July. Members with an income of more than $180,000 would also no longer receive the government’s contribution. “Putting these changes together,…

It’s a month dedicated to awareness of Tourette’s Syndrome – with a campaign message that couldn’t be more contradictory: “Please Ignore It”.The Tourette’s Association of New Zealand is driving a campaign this year which it said boils down to “anti-awareness”.General manager, Emma Henderson, said research shows about 1% of people live with Tourette’s Syndrome or tics, making the conversation about how to respond to someone’s tics an important one.Tourette’s Association of New Zealand general manager Emma Henderson. (Source: Supplied)“When people around you ignore the tics — instead of reacting, staring, or commenting — it helps take away some of the…

By Gavin Blackburn & Laila Humairah Published on 22/05/2025 – 20:41 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTGeorgia’s government remains committed to European Union accession and believes the “process goes in a very active way,” First Deputy Prime Minister Levan Davitashvili said.Speaking to Euronews on the sidelines of the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on Wednesday, Davitashvili, who also serves as minister of economy and sustainable development, said there had been no shift in official government policy and Tbilisi had already fulfilled 60% of the accession requirements.”We have clearly declared that our target is full-fledged membership by 2030. We understand it’s a long process, but we are fully…

Budget 2025 arrives with the government branding it as the “Growth Budget,” aiming to stimulate economic activity while maintaining fiscal discipline. For Southland’s business community, particularly our SMEs, the Budget presents a mix of opportunities and challenges. A notable initiative is the Investment Boost tax incentive, allowing businesses to deduct 20% of the value of new productive assets — such as machinery and equipment — from their taxable income in the year of purchase, in addition to standard depreciation. This measure is designed to encourage capital investment and enhance productivity, offering tangible support for businesses ready to expand and modernise…

ADVERTISEMENTCandidates from right-wing and nationalist parties did particularly well on Sunday in the first round of Poland’s presidential election, echoing a trend seen across Europe in recent months, with nationalist politicians enjoying a wave of success. In February, Europe was shocked when the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) became the second-largest force in the Bundestag. On the same day as the Polish vote, the far-right Chega party performed well in Portugal, while nationalist candidate Geroge Simion narrowly lost out on the Romanian presidency. In Poland, the nationalist candidates Slawomir Mentzen and Grzegorz Braun received a combined total of almost 21%…

Dunedin manufacturers say a tax deduction on new assets is a “great step in the right direction” which will give some companies a chance to make smarter investment decisions. Investment Boost, a new tax incentive focused on encouraging businesses’ capital investment, was among the announcements made by the government yesterday as part of Budget 2025. It would allow businesses to deduct 20% of the value of new productive assets, such as machinery, tools, equipment, vehicles and technology, from that year’s taxable income, on top of normal depreciation. “There’s no cap on the value of eligible investments,” Finance Minister Nicola Willis…

A Māori honey producer on the East Coast is feeling the pinch of a weak global honey market and stringent honey regulations. Rangi Raroa has worked in the industry for two decades and has tasted the sweet success of a thriving industry, but he’s now in survival mode.“We haven’t been able to sell honey in the last three years and we’re right at the stage of winding up, walking away from the hives because you can’t give them away.”Five years ago, producers experienced a boom industry. In the decade leading up to 2020, the development of mānuka honey helped accelerate…