Author: Press Room

ADVERTISEMENTEfforts to promote digitisation of the single market underpin a new strategy to breathe life into the project set to be presented by EU Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné on Wednesday, according to a draft seen by Euronews.The plan sets out six pillars for improvement of the single market and refers to the context of a global trade crisis. The Commission wants to remove ten “terrible” market barriers that currently “negatively impact trade and investment”, boost European services markets that bring the highest economic value, relieve the burden on SMEs, digitize administration, and push member states to address administrative barriers on national level. A separate…

More than $650,000 worth of assets have been restrained by police following the arrest of a Wellington-based man as part of an FBI investigation into a group that allegedly scammed several victims out of NZD$450 million in cryptocurrency.The Wellington High Court has now issued restraining orders for assets valued at $670,000, including cash held in bank accounts, cash held in a lawyer’s trust account for the purchases of a property, cryptocurrency, and high-value goods such as a Louis Vuitton bag and Nike shoes.Detective Inspector Christiaan Barnard said police would continue to work with law enforcement in the United States to…

ADVERTISEMENTRussian authorities have banned Amnesty International, making involvement with the international human rights group illegal, the Russian Prosecutor General’s office said on Monday.Branded an “undesirable organisation” – a designation that criminalises involvement or support of such groups — the international NGO is the latest target of the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent. The law has been widely criticised by human rights advocates.A number of journalists, activists and others who have spoken out against the Kremlin have been imprisoned or banned from operating in the country since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022.The label means that Amnesty International must cease its work…

Warning: This story discusses suicide.A Canterbury Catholic priest took his own life after 50 years in the clergy as his mental health deteriorated and financial pressure mounted.Father Geoff Gray was found by a concerned neighbour on the grounds of the Akaroa parish on November 29 last year.In findings released today, Coroner Ian Telford said there were indications Father Geoff was the victim of financial abuse.”Towards the end of his life, Father Geoff’s mental health deteriorated markedly — a situation directly exacerbated by mounting financial pressures and other uncertainties,” the coroner said.”The evidence indicates that this largely arose due to the…

ADVERTISEMENTThe European Union should “renew and intensify” its diplomatic engagement with countries that still maintain close ties with Russia in a bid to increase the pressure on the Kremlin to accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, a group of 14 member states has said in a joint letter to High Representative Kaja Kallas.The suggestion comes after last week’s face-to-face, low-level talks between Kyiv and Moscow envoys failed to deliver progress on the ceasefire proposal, which has been firmly backed by the “Coalition of the Willing” and the United States.Brussels has already threatened a new raft of sanctions if Russia…

Legal experts have raised concerns about the Regulatory Standards Bill, dubbing it the Treaty Principles Bill “2.0”.Claimant lawyer Tania Waikato and law academic Dr Carwyn Jones appeared on TVNZ’s Marae yesterday to raise their concerns over the legislation and its widespread impact.Their comments come after the Waitangi Tribunal last week recommended the immediate halt to the bill after a claim was lodged by Māori rights group Toitū Te Tiriti.The legislation, which was expected to be approved by Cabinet for introduction in the House today, has been led by the ACT Party as part of its coalition agreement with National, with…

A woman received the shock of her life when she went to an after-hours GP clinic in Palmerston North and received a $260 bill just for being seen.When her medication was added she ended up paying more than $300 at the City Doctors clinic for the weekend consultation.City Doctors is the only walk-in option for patients seeking after-hours primary care in Palmerston North, and caters for a large catchment area.The woman, who spoke to RNZ, said she drove 45 minutes from Dannevirke, in the nearby Tararaua District.She knew the visit wasn’t going to be cheap, but wasn’t prepared to part…

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is holding a media briefing from the Beehive in Wellington after the weekly meeting of Cabinet ministers.It is the start of Budget week with Finance Minister Nicola Willis set to give details on Thursday of the Government’s spending plans for the year ahead.Ministers have continued to make pre-Budget announcements over the weekend – allocating an extra $1.5 million to Māori Wardens and $164 million over the next four years to expand urgent and after-hours healthcare services.Meanwhile, the Greens alternative budget last week proposed extending free GP visits, dental care, childcare and introducing an income guarantee —…

ADVERTISEMENTBrussels and London on Monday agreed new deals on fishing, energy, youth mobility and defence following marathon talks that concluded just a few hours before the first-ever EU-UK summit was to be held.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council chief Antonio Costa are set to agree on three documents: a joint statement where they set out common ground on key geopolitical challenges, a security and defence partnership, and a Common Understanding.For both sides, the summit was initially aimed at showing just how closely aligned on key global issues they are at a…

A 59-year-old man has been charged after school students were among eight injured when a bus crashed into a tree in South Auckland earlier this month.Police confirmed to 1News that the man had been summoned to appear in court on a charge of careless driving causing injury in the coming weeks.”The investigation is ongoing to determine whether further charges will be laid,” a police spokesperson said.The crash occurred on Elliot St in Auckland’s Pahurehure on May 7.St John said it assessed eight people at the scene, with three taken to Middlemore Hospital.Two of them were in a serious condition and…