Author: Press Room
A team of miniature therapy horses in Greece spreads happiness and offers support to children, the elderly, and those in care homes, despite ongoing financial challenges. ADVERTISEMENTAround nine miniature horses are spreading joy to the most vulnerable communities in Athens, Greece, as a charity brings these tiny therapy equines to schools and care homes.The horses with big personalities measure just 75 centimetres tall but “continue to do a fantastic and special job of providing therapy,” local officials say.The horses are owned by Gentle Carousel Greece, a branch of a Florida-based charity founded in 2014 by interior designer and architect Mina…
The search for three climbers missing on Aoraki Mount Cook for more than three weeks resumed today — returning with a ski pole.Kurt Blair, 56, and Carlos Romero, 50, from the US and a Canadian national were reported overdue on December 2.”Due to a change in climatic condition, police — alongside Search and Rescue staff and Department of Conservation — conducted a further search at a location of interest on the mountain,” Aoraki Area Commander Inspector Vicki Walker said today.”Staff travelled up the mountain via helicopter and, while the search for the men was unsuccessful, a ski pole was located.”Walker…
This article was originally published in French The European elections, along with polls in Portugal and Austria, have shifted the political landscape to the right and far-right. ADVERTISEMENTIn 2024, Europe saw a clear shift to the right, with both the European elections and national polls in France, Portugal, Belgium, and Austria showing a move towards right-wing and extreme-right politics. The shift appears to have common roots across several countries.Pascal Delwit, a professor of political science at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), told Euronews that this trend is due to the growing appeal of radical right-wing parties. He explained that many…
New Zealand could be on track to record its lowest annual road toll in at least a decade.With just a week remaining in 2024, the number of fatalities is expected to be the lowest since 2013 when 253 people died. That year’s road toll was the lowest in more than 60 years.The official Christmas-New Year holiday road toll period began at 4pm this afternoon and lasts until 6am on January 3 — marking one of the busiest travel periods of the year.As thousands of Kiwis hit the road for beach holidays, camping trips and other summer getaways, authorities have warned…
Romania’s new government headed by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the leftist Social Democratic Party took the oath on Monday. The new pro-Europe government has been tasked with providing stability and maintaining the country’s pro-European trajectory. ADVERTISEMENTCiolacu’s new government received 240 votes in favour, seven more than the required 233 votes for motions to pass.Eight ministries will be under the Social Democratic Party’s (PSD) control, six will be overseen by the National Liberal Party (PNL) while the remaining two cabinet posts will be taken up by the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania.Romania’s new cabinet members took the oath on…
Z Energy is swapping out street names for “correct” kupu on fuel stops around the country, with the help of local hapū.When Z took over 226 fuel sites from Shell in 2010, the easy solution was to name the respective stations after the streets they were on, or near.But when it named the Kahikatea Drive station in Kirikiriroa, Z – K Drive, the company’s Māori advisor questioned the abbreviation.”Kahikatea is the correct name. That led to a bigger conversation about where are we with our knowledge as we start to learn a bit more about te reo Māori and acknowledging…
Jimmy Barnes has publicly introduced the newest member of his family — a grown-up daughter that for most of her life, he did not know he had.The Australian singer learned he was the biological father of Katy Lee around five years ago and has welcomed her into the family.”Christmas is all about family and we would like to introduce my daughter Katy Lee, who has been in our lives for the past five years,” he said in a statement posted to Instagram.”Katy is a wonderful woman and since discovering that I was her biological father, our family and extended family…
A planned increase to the minimum wage next year is a smaller jump than the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) recommended, for the second year in a row.It was revealed last week that the minimum wage will rise to $23.50 an hour from April 1, a 1.5% increase. As part of its review, MBIE looked at six options, from leaving the rate at $23.15 to increasing it to $23.75 an hour, a 2.5% increase.It looked at the impact on wages, employment, minimum wage employees and low-earning households, industries and the public sector.It said a 2% increase, to $23.60,…
A 19-year-old who had been missing in Upper Hutt was found safe yesterday afternoon, although she is still being treated for several broken bones.Missing teenager Maia Johnston was found injured, but alive, in the hills around Upper Hutt. The 19-year-old went missing on Saturday night and was earlier believed to be last seen leaving a family home in the suburb of Totara Park at about 8.30pm, in heavy rain.Family members and friends embraced Johnston as she was carried out of the bush by search and rescue, and loaded into an ambulance.Volunteers searched for Maia in the bush tracks that run…
Queen Camilla reportedly “adored” saucy TV series Rivals.The wife of King Charles is said to have been keen to see the small-screen adaptation of Dame Jilly Cooper’s bestselling novel so she reportedly had a preview copy sent to her which allowed her to binge-watch it before it landed on streaming site Disney+.The Times newspaper reports: “There was … something that certainly perked the Queen up this year. I am told that she adored ‘Rivals’ …”So keen was Camilla, a former horsewoman, to see the programme that a preview copy was dispatched to her before it was available to the public.”However,…