Author: Press Room
New Zealand’s economic downturn is proving hard to shake — but economists say when it comes to identifying the cause, it’s not as simple as pointing the finger at government spending cutbacks or the Reserve Bank’s interest rate hikes.Although conditions are expected to improve as the year progresses, the economy remains sluggish. The primary sector is providing one of the few bright spots.Last weekend, when issuing an annual update, Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr blamed the Reserve Bank’s decision to thrust the economy into recession to tamp down problem inflation.Some readers contacted RNZ, saying that was too simplistic and letting…
Few big surprises have emerged as more than 350 candidates file nominations for Auckland council positions ahead of tomorrow’s deadline for local elections.Wayne Brown faces eight opponents for the mayoralty, but no strong challenge from the right, with his deputy, Desley Simpson, deciding against entering the race in June.Contesting him from the left, his strongest opponent appears to be councillor Kerrin Leoni, who was standing down from her Whau seat after one term to target the mayoralty. Leoni previously told 1News her campaign would ramp up closer to the time of the election. Others nominated include former New Conservatives leader…
ADVERTISEMENT Portugal deployed 2,500 firefighters on Thursday to battle 10 active wildfires as authorities evacuated four villages in Ponte da Barca and arrested a suspect linked to four blazes in northern districts. The fire in Arouca, in the Aveiro district, has involved the largest contingent of responders, with 675 firefighters on the ground since early morning. Residents provided food, water and supplies to firefighters gathering at the Arouca Volunteer Fire Brigade headquarters as operations continued across multiple fronts. While there were no remaining active fronts in Arouca, the flames have spread to Castelo de Paiva and Cinfães, complicating the efforts…
The Government’s repeal of the 2018 oil and gas exploration ban has passed its final reading in Parliament.The legislation had been set down for Tuesday night, but was delayed after a last-minute amendment to change the rules around liability for the clean up of decommissioned oil and gas fields.The Climate Minister, Simon Watts, stood in for Resources Minister Shane Jones — saying the ban has pushed power prices up.”The ban sent a chilling message to the investment community, halting the very exploration that underpins our energy security, and leading directly to the supply constraints and price volatility that we see…
A last-minute rule change to allow small dogs on buses has left Environment Canterbury staff scrambling to make workable.Councillors adopted the Canterbury Regional Transport Plan 2025/35 at a council meeting on Wednesday after a late amendment from councillor David East to allow passengers to take a small dog on the bus with a lead and a muzzle.East’s motion passed by 8-7, and followed an earlier amendment proposed by councillor Joe Davies, which would have allowed small dogs to travel in their owner’s lap, which lost 9-6.This was despite staff advice that dogs are not permitted in the Christchurch bus interchange,…
By Euronews Published on 31/07/2025 – 9:12 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT Russia hits Kyiv with missile and drone attack, killing 6 and injuring 52 Russia attacked Ukraine’s capital with missiles and drones overnight on Thursday, killing at least six people, including a 6-year-old boy, Ukrainian authorities said. Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said at least 52 other people were injured in the attacks, and that the number was likely to rise. A large part of a nine-story residential building collapsed after it was struck, Tkachenko added. Rescue teams were at the scene to rescue people trapped under the rubble. “The main…
Gang patch wearers caught out by the Government’s ban are asking for their patches to be handed back.Syd Te Rata, who pleaded guilty in the Lower Hutt District Court to wearing his Mongrel Mob patch in public, argues the judge has discretion to return it to him.The Gangs Act 2024 states that when a person pleads guilty or is convicted, the gang insignia is forfeited to the Crown. It may then be destroyed or “otherwise disposed of” as the court directs.Te Rata’s lawyer Chris Nicholls argued the phrase, “otherwise disposed of”, allowed judges to return the items to their owners.”The…
Yesterday, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in the country’s far east. Australian earthquake scientist Dee Ninis and Victoria University professor John Townend explain what it may mean for New Zealand.Originating at a depth of roughly 20 kilometres, the powerful earthquake – among the 10 strongest in recorded history and the largest worldwide since 2011 – has caused building damage and injuries in the largest nearby city, Petropavlosk-Kamchatsky, just 119 kilometres from the epicentre.(Source: The Conversation)Tsunami warnings and evacuations have reverberated through Russia, Japan and Hawaii, with advisories issued for the Philippines, Indonesia, and…
A 23-year-old is in court charged with drink driving after a vehicle was filmed swerving across lanes and “narrowly avoiding” multiple collisions on a Waikato highway. The footage, filmed on State Highway 29 around midday on Thursday, July 24, was shared by Waikato police on social media. It showed the vehicle swerving between lanes, crossing double yellow lines. At several points, the vehicle narrowly avoids colliding with other road users. At one point, while in the wrong lane, the vehicle narrowly avoided what could have been a head-on collision with a truck. “Police were nearby when the call came in,…
A woman charged after a baby’s body was found in an Auckland bin earlier this month has appeared in court for the first time.Police found the body of a newborn baby in a wheelie bin outside a house on Renall St in Freemans Bay.A 32-year-old woman was charged with interfering with human remains.The woman appeared via audio-video link in Auckland District Court on Thursday morning, with members of her family present in the court room.The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including tsunami threat remains for NZ and quake sparks Russian volcanic eruption, plus the pop star and the politician spotted…