Author: Press Room

Police are appealing for sightings of a 67-year-old Australian tourist who has been reported missing from the Tongariro area.In a statement, police said Elizabeth Wielga, 67, had been visiting New Zealand from Australia and had not returned when she was due to.She is believed to have checked out of accommodation in Tongariro on August 30, and was due to fly out of Auckland later that day.”While our inquiries are in their early stages, at this point police have not been able to establish Weilga’s movements after she left her accommodation.””Her family is concerned for her welfare,” a police spokesperson said.Anyone…

By Janka Oertel, director, Asia programme, ECFR, and Jonas Parello-Plesner, executive director, Alliance of Democracies Foundation The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews. For the climate, a fossil backup is not an option. Nor is leaving Europe’s green transition in the hands of Beijing, Janka Oertel and Jonas Parello-Plesner write. ADVERTISEMENT“I name you Laura Maersk!” On a sunny September day in Copenhagen last year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, baptised the brand-new green methanol-fueled ship of Danish logistics superpower Mærsk. Some 24 of…

The former Alley Cantina restaurant premises in Dunedin are being marketed as an opportunity for a new operator, the liquidators initial report to creditors and shareholders says. Trevor and Emma Laing, of Laing Insolvency Specialists, who were appointed by shareholder resolution last month, said they were not able to provide any meaningful financial information at this early stage in liquidation. There were “numerous” assets requiring valuations and the liabilities required further confirmation from the various parties involved. The report says the company was incorporated in 1994 and, for many years, operated a popular licensed restaurant/bar business from leased premises in…

Armed police have cordoned off a road in Auckland’s Grey Lynn this evening after a report of a gun being fired and someone injured. A sheet is covering what appeared to be a body on the ground in a driveway, a 1News reporter at the scene said.Police confirmed officers were called to an address on Tuarangi Rd, Grey Lynn after “a report of a firearm being discharged” shortly before 7pm. “Initial reports are that there have been injuries,” a police spokesperson said. Officers were called to “a report of a firearm being discharged” at a property on Tuarangi Rd shortly…

A document seen by Euronews suggests von der Leyen’s own EPP will dominate key positions in the next EU executive, leaving socialists and liberals with the crumbs. ADVERTISEMENTSpeculation is high ahead of next week’s official unveiling of the new College of Commissioners, with members of President Ursula von der Leyen’s European People’s Party (EPP) seemingly securing several coveted portfolios. A table making the rounds among members of the centre-right EPP sees von der Leyen’s party claiming up the most sought-after policies in the EU executive – including policy areas eyed by socialists. According to the internal document seen by Euronews, the employment and housing…

The Italian premier has not yet asked Sangiuliano to resign, but she has said an investigation was ongoing. ADVERTISEMENTAfter revelations of his affair with a social media influencer whom he nominated for a senior advisor role, Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano apologised to his wife and Premier Giorgia Meloni for the embarrassment he caused. In an interview with public broadcaster RAI on Wednesday, Sangiuliano said he had offered his resignation but Meloni rejected it.”I reassured her with documentary evidence that it is a gossip story,” he explained.”The prime minister told me to go ahead and immediately clarify the point of…

The Grocery Commissioner is due to release his debut report into the state of New Zealand’s supermarket sector – so what’s in store for the current duopoly? A Commerce Commission report in 2022 concluded that supermarket competition wasn’t working well for New Zealand’s shoppers.It found supermarkets were earning $1 million a day in excess profits.The report included 14 recommendations for increasing competition in the sector and improving the price and range of groceries available to people.One of those recommendations was appointing an industry watchdog to monitor supermarket competition every three years.The government at the time went a step further and…

A loyal veteran of the recently renamed right-wing Republican Right party, Barnier has had a long political career bouncing between Paris and Brussels, having served twice as European Commissioner and also as the chief EU negotiator for Brexit. ADVERTISEMENTAfter two months of political deadlock, French President Emmanuel Macron finally named his new prime minister, Michel Barnier.The former Brexit negotiator’s nomination follows weeks of political wrangling, as parties on both sides of the aisle fought to bring their preferred candidate to the fore after July’s snap parliamentary elections.At 73, he is the oldest prime minister of the Fifth Republic at the…

A new study suggests advice that screens should be turned off an hour or two before bed may be outdated.  After monitoring 85 adolescents between the ages of 11 and 14, researchers at the University of Otago found that the effect of screens on sleep was more about timing than the activity itself. The study saw participants wear a camera on their chest from three hours before bed until they went to bed over a week. A second infrared camera was also set up in their bedrooms to capture their screen time while trying to sleep. Participants also wore an…

The heavy rain has also caused widespread disruption and damage in Milan where the courthouse has been flooded. ADVERTISEMENTAfter the severe storm that hit Rome last Tuesday, damaging the famous Arch of Constantine, another wave of bad weather has hit northern Italy and caused damage and traffic disruption.A violent storm hit Milan this morning leading to widespread flooding and traffic jams. Part of the courthouse is underwater and efforts are underway on the third floor to contain water leaking from the roof.Although there is no immediate danger for the Lambro and Seveso rivers, Milan’s security councillor Marco Granelli warned on…