Author: Press Room

Talks to form a new government have stretched on for five months, longer than any coalition negotiation in the country’s history. ADVERTISEMENTAustria’s centrist parties have agreed to form a coalition government five months after elections in which the country’s leading far right party won the largest share of the national vote.The centre-right People’s Party (ÖVP), centre-left Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the liberal Neos party will take office next week, provided the agreement is signed by all three parties. The deal still requires the approval of Neos’ grassroots members, who will vote on the pact on Sunday. The ÖVP’s Christian Stocker…

A homicide investigation has been launched after a man was found deceased on a doorstep in Kawerau yesterday morning. Police were called to the scene on Onslow Street at about 8.45am.It said the man was located deceased on the “front doorstep” of the address.”A scene guard remains in place at the property while inquiries are carried out.”Police asked anyone who has information which can assist the investigation to get in touch via 105 or online.Kawerau District Mayor Faylene Tunui said the council acknowledged the death “with deep sadness”.”Our hearts go out to everyone affected, and to the community at large.”Please…

The former president of the European Commission also told Euronews he regrets not being firmer on newer member states Hungary and Slovakia, which have been found to breach the EU’s rule of law, adding that Brussels needs to be “very careful” before admitting new countries to the bloc. ADVERTISEMENTUkraine is not ready for full-fledged membership in the European Union, and instead should be offered a limited one, says former European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker. In an interview with Euronews, Juncker cautioned that the EU needs to be “very careful” about admitting new members. Corruption, a weak economy and a lack of…

A New Zealand tourist was fined more than NZD$900 after he drunkenly jumped into Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain over the weekend.Three visitors from New Zealand were stopped on Sunday night (local time) as they began to wade into the historic fountain in the heart of the Italian capital, CNN reports.A spokesperson for Rome’s Capital Police said one of the tourists, a 30-year-old man, broke free from the police and jumped into the fountain.”Alcohol was definitely involved,” they told CNN.The man was fined 500 euros (NZD$920) and banned from visiting the landmark for life.About a dozen tourists are fined annually for…

Air superiority is critical as a deterrent to potential Russian aggression – and European NATO air forces are likely to struggle to achieve this without reform towards mission specialisation, a new RUSI report said. ADVERTISEMENTEuropean NATO air forces should shift towards greater collective mission specialisation to rapidly increase their ability to deter potential Russian aggression, according to a new report published by the London-based think tank Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).  “As NATO’s European air forces attempt to transition towards a primary focus on the threat from Russia, most are likely to struggle to do so without reducing the breadth of…

An Auckland landlord who operated an illegal boarding house for “vulnerable” tenants has been ordered to pay more than $20,000 for multiple breaches of tenancy laws. Licensed real estate agent Angela Sun was found responsible by the Tenancy Tribunal for “multiple breaches” at a property she rented out in Takapuna. Sunny Rental Limited, a company of which Sun is a director, was also found responsible for breaches at a separate property it rented out in Pinehill, also on Auckland’s North Shore. Issues at the properties included exposed wires and a lack of fire safety precautions. Some tenants living at the…

The British prime minister has previously said the US’ ‘backstop’ is crucial for a Ukrainian peace deal — a notion the Trump administration has rejected. ADVERTISEMENTKeir Starmer will reiterate a shared US and UK commitment to peace in Ukraine as he arrived for talks with Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday. “The prime minister will reiterate shared US-UK commitment to reaching a durable and lasting peace in Ukraine, and the need for Europe to step up to the challenge,” a Downing Street spokesperson said. Starmer, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, has previously offered to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in…

The time it took to alert Australia’s military to Chinese live-fire drills at sea has been downplayed by Defence Minister Richard Marles.He has defended the time lag in the notification by New Zealand of the live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea an hour and a half after the Chinese flotilla’s window for firing activity opened.Chief of the Defence Force Admiral David Johnston told a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday the warning from the NZ military, which Australia was relying on to track the warships in the Tasman Sea, came in about 11am on Friday (local time).Defence only learned of the drills…

In an interview with Euronews, president of Catalonia Salvador Illa talked about the possibility of Catalan, Galician and Basque becoming official EU languages. ADVERTISEMENTMight Catalan, Galician and Basque become EU official languages? That’s what the president of Catalonia Salvador Illa is advocating in an interview with Euronews featured on today’s Radio Schuman.Illa visited Brussels last week, where he met with the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the Vice President of the European Commission, Teresa Ribera. A key priority on his agenda was advocating for the inclusion of Catalan, Basque, and Galician as official languages of the European…

The sale of Tauranga’s marine precinct could cause “irreversible harm” and drive some businesses out of town, a court has been told.Tauranga City Council’s $13.98 million sale of the precinct to Christchurch developer Sam Rofe was due to settle in November 2024, but was halted by a last-minute High Court interim injunction.The injunction was filed by Sean Kelly, managing director of marine service company Pacific7, who owns land at the precinct.Kelly also applied for a judicial review of the council’s processes relating to the transaction.Pacific7 managing director Sean Kelly on the Tauranga Harbour in 2018. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting)Justice Peter…