Author: Press Room

José Marí Olano apologised for his “incorrect” behaviour at Tuesday’s council meeting to debate extra funding for areas ravaged by flooding in Spain last October. ADVERTISEMENTA councillor in Valencia was caught shopping for wine online during a meeting to discuss extra funding for communities devastated by deadly floods that struck Spain in October.During a Valencia city council plenary session on Tuesday, José Marí Olano was captured on a livestream scrolling through bottles of wine on an alcohol website and adding them to his basket. Olano’s wine shopping was reported at the time by the news outlet eldiario.es and it fuelled…

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is reminding people of the rules for interacting with marine mammals, following sightings of a pod of orca in Raglan and Kawhia harbours in the past fortnight.DOC said a family pod of five, part of the resident population off New Zealand’s coast, were likely feeding in the area.DOC Marine Species Manager Malene Felsing said it had received reports of people getting too close to the animals, “potentially putting themselves and the orca at risk”.Felsing said concerns about human behaviour around the animals had also been raised online, including a report of a boat allegedly chasing…

As the EU steers a course towards deregulation in pursuit of global market share, an early draft of a forthcoming communication suggests today’s ‘Competitiveness Compass’ was only the first step in a concerted effort to tear up red tape. ADVERTISEMENTThe European Commission is planning to set up a new Simplification Advisory Group as it embarks on a five-year mission to lighten the administrative burden on businesses, a leaked document seen by Euronews suggests.An early draft of a paper, due for publication on 26 February – alongside an ‘omnibus’ proposal to ease reporting requirements under laws on corporate sustainability and due…

A woman who was arrested after an alleged window-smashing spree on a street in the Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn has been remanded in custody. The 39-year-old Grey Lynn woman was arrested on Monday following reports of properties having their windows smashed on Sackville Street.She has been charged with three counts of intentional damage.Police said today they had successfully opposed her bail in court. “The woman will be remanded in custody until her next appearance on April 15 in the Auckland District Court,” Inspector Alisse Robertson said. Police said the custodial order meant the woman wouldn’t be back in the…

Despite not reaching pre-pandemic levels, the number of flights in the EU increased by nearly 6% last year. But is it the only challenge aviation is facing? ADVERTISEMENTIn 2024, 6.7 million flights transporting passengers, goods and mail were registered in the EU. This reflects a 5.8% increase compared to 2023, according to the latest Eurostat figures. However, the number of flights is still below the levels seen before the pandemic in 2019. The highest number of commercial flights in 2024 was recorded at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands, with 484,000 flights in total. This was followed by Paris’ Charles de Gaulle in…

The start of the trading year has given Christchurch retailers and hospitality owners a spring in their step. Tourism traffic throughout the city and region is picking up as summer finally arrives and follows a solid start to retail spending over Christmas. Businesses are waiting to cash in at the prospect of more visitors coming into the city for the concert by Canadian rock musician Bryan Adams later in the week. Another expected crowd puller is the Black Caps’ T20 match versus Pakistan at Hagley Oval on March 16, while the White Ferns meet Sri Lanka in two games over…

A bill granting Taranaki Maunga and its associated peaks legal personhood is expected to pass into law tomorrow.Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress bill will have its second and third readings in Parliament to officially recognise the peaks – Taranaki, Panitahi, Patuhā, Kaitake and Pouākai – as ancestral mountains who will jointly become a legal person under the name of Te Kāhui Tupua.Wait…a mountain will become a person?Legally, yes.This isn’t the first time a natural feature has been conferred personhood and rights. Ecuador and Bolivia were among the first countries to recognise rights of nature, and…

A section of State Highway 15 near Whangārei will be closed overnight while police investigate the “unexplained” death of a motorcyclist. The motorcyclist was found dead in a creek adjacent to Otaika Valley Road, SH15, just before 5.30am today and his motorcycle was found on the side of the road. Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer said police inquiries were in the “early stages” and the death was being treated as “unexplained”. As part of its scene examination, police closed a section of SH15. This afternoon, NZTA Waka Kotahi said SH15 between Maungatapere and Otaika would remain closed overnight as…

People are being warned to take extra care before meeting up with strangers to exchange money or items after a spate of violent assaults and thefts.Canterbury Police say more than a dozen people have been threatened, attacked or robbed while collecting goods listed on social media or online marketplaces.In some cases, buyers thought they were picking up cannabis purchases — only to be threatened and fleeced.And police fear that is just the tip of the iceberg with some people reluctant to report what has happened out of fear or embarrassment.Canterbury District Prevention Manager Inspector Ash Tabb said in the last…

Pharmac is reconsidering its decision to fund only one brand of HRT oestrogen patches after receiving “considerable feedback”.The patches are used by menopausal people as a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and some trans women and non-binary people as a gender-affirming hormone therapy.In November, the agency decided only the Mylan-brand patch would be funded, as part of an effort to address ongoing shortages.There was a huge public backlash to the decision, with many people claiming the Mylan-brand patch was less effective in controlling menopausal symptoms.More than 1300 people signed a petition calling on the government to keep the Estradot brand available.Pharmac…