Author: Press Room

BNZ and ANZ have cut their fixed housing loan rates in wake of the changes announced to the official cash rate last week.ANZ said in a statement they have cut the six-month special to 6.50% (down from 6.75%) and announced a cut to the one-year special rate, which is now at 5.99% (down from 6.19%). Similarly, BNZ said its standard fixed housing rates were now 6.49% (down from 6.75%) for a six-month loan, 5.99% (down from 6.19%) for a one-year loan, 5.69% for a two-year loan (down from 5.79%) and 5.59% for both four-year and five-year loan, down from 5.69%.The…

This week’s key events presented by Euronews’ senior tech and industry reporter Cynthia Kroet Key diary datesMonday 14 October: Agriculture Committee MEPs will hear from Peter Strohschneider, Chair, and participants of the Strategic Dialogue about their recommendations for the future of EU agriculture.Monday 14 October: Environment Council to adopt EU conclusions for upcoming summits COP16 (Biodiversity, Cali, Colombia 21 October to 1 November), and COP29 (Climate, Baku, Azerbaijan, 11 to 22 November 2024). Both will serve as the EU’s negotiating mandate at the UN summits.Thursday – Friday 17/18 October: European Council summit to debate Ukraine, Middle East, Draghi and Letta…

The opening of a multimillion-dollar apartment complex in Christchurch will see accommodation for those in need of hospital treatment in the South Island triple. Rānui Apartments will serve as a home away from home for those who are sick, and their families, when it opens its doors next month.”We’re always here to lend a shoulder and an ear on a tough day, and that can mean the world if someone is having a particularly tricky time,” Bone Marrow Cancer Trust CEO Mandy Kennedy told 1News.The complex, which boasts 43 furnished apartments, is located just 500 metres down the road from…

The Israeli government has accused UNIFIL of acting as a “human shield” for Hezbollah and demanded its immediate removal from southern Lebanon. ADVERTISEMENTIsrael’s attacks on UN peacekeeping troops in Lebanon (UNIFIL) are “completely unacceptable,” Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy, has said, echoing the strong condemnation voiced across the bloc in reaction to the latest developments in the Middle East.UNIFIL is an international mission established by the United Nations Security Council in 1978 to restore peace and security in southern Lebanon, near the Israeli border. The mission comprises 10,000 peacekeepers from 50 nationalities, including 16 EU countries.”Their work is…

British music legend Sir Cliff Richard has announced he will be playing four shows on a 2025 tour of New Zealand.The tour will begin with two shows in Auckland at Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre on November 14 and 15.It will then move to Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre on November 17, and then the Christchurch Town Hall on November 19.It has been 12 years since Sir Cliff last toured Aotearoa. The 84-year-old is one of the highest selling hitmakers in British history. He has sold in excess of 250 million records worldwide, and secured his place among the best-selling artists of…

A street cleaner is still seeing large canisters of nitrous oxide being sold to young people from shops in the Māngere town centre, despite the Government’s recent crackdown on the sale of the gas for recreational use.Known as ‘NOS’ or ‘nangs’, the canisters can be used to make whipped cream, but people also use them as a recreational drug.Health Minister Shane Reti said last month that the Government was considering urgent options to try and stop people selling and using the substance.These include penalties of up to two years in jail or a hefty fine, following a Medsafe report highlighting…

Will humanitarian assistance be relegated to a less important matter in the next Commission? We talk to Mette Petersen, director of the Red Cross’s EU office. ADVERTISEMENTIn 2024, the EU’s humanitarian aid amounted to €1.8 billion, and the bloc is now the largest international donor of humanitarian aid in Palestine. Yet the word “humanitarian” is mentioned only a handful of times in European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s mission letter to the future Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, who will lead the EU’s humanitarian aid policy. Will humanitarian assistance be relegated to a less important matter in the…

Ben Askins shared the leaked message exchange online and slammed the boss for trying to cancel the worker’s leave. (Source: TikTok)A worker has been left fuming after his boss tried to cancel his annual leave that had been booked in for months. The wild message exchange was posted by Ben Askins, an entrepreneur who shares people’s “worst boss” experiences online.The message exchange began with the worker, Paul, reminding his boss, Tim, that he would be off for two weeks and copying in his handover notes for another colleague while he was away and checking whether anything else needed to be…

The Ukrainian leader made the claim during his national address on Sunday. ADVERTISEMENTNorth Korea is sending arms and soldiers to support Russian troops, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.He made the comments on Sunday during his daily address to the nation, adding Ukraine’s relations with western partners must develop to keep the opposing alliance at bay.”When we talk about more long-range capability for Ukraine and more decisive supplies for our forces, it is not just a list of military equipment,” he said.”It is about increasing the pressure on the aggressor, which will be stronger for Russia than they can withstand.…

Westpac, St George, BankSA and Bank of Melbourne customers started reporting issues on Monday afternoon. (Source: AAP/X)Westpac and its subsidiary banks have resolved issues related to its app and internet banking systems. The major bank was hit by an outage leaving thousands of customers unable to access their internet banking.”Our online and mobile banking services have now been restored,” Westpac said in a message to customers at 3:15pm on Monday. “We apologise for the disruption this afternoon and thank you for your patience during this time.”Westpac customers first started reporting issues on Monday afternoon at around 1pm, with Down Detector…