National

GUJRANWALA: PTI  Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is "rejoicing while sitting at the Centre" while the nation is abusing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Addressing a jalsa in Gujranwala, Khan said: "Zardari is present at the Centre, ruling Sindh, making money while the people are abusing PM Shehbaz and PML-N." Berating the Sharif brothers, the PTI chairman said: "Shehbaz is asking what to do after becoming the prime minister. He said that inflation is rising and foreign exchange is tumbling. The two brothers (Shehbaz and Nawaz Sharif) are now trapped and they are wondering what to do." He said that PM Shehbaz thought he would save himself from the Federal Investigation Bureau (FIA) after becoming the prime minister and warned the PM that he will recover all the money from him and send him to jail. The former premier — while referring to the no-confidence motion that ousted him from power — said that the … [Read more...] about ‘Zardari sitting at Centre while nation is abusing PM Shehbaz, PML-N,’ says Imran Khan

KEVIN STENT/STUFF Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry is demanding a commitment from Government to Hutt Hospital following it being classed as an earthquake risk Senior executives at Hutt Valley District Health Board knew two months ago a seismic report found the hospital’s main building met just 15% of the new building standard . While the public and most staff were told the Heretaunga building was earthquake-prone on Tuesday , chief financial officer Mathew​ Parr said he first learned of the report on March 8. Leaders wanted further advice from engineers about the latest draft rating on the building – home to a quarter of the region’s hospital beds – before sharing it more widely, he said. Those with earthquake ratings of less than 34% are considered earthquake prone. It was the first seismic report since the new standards took effect in 2017, with the most recent report on the building done in 2011, Parr said. READ MORE: Seismic review rates New Plymouth's … [Read more...] about Hutt Valley DHB leaders knew about quake-prone hospital building in March

RICKY WILSON/STUFF "A lot of us already find 100kph slow": Geoff Upson and his dog George are the faces of an informal campaign to prevent speed limit drops. New Zealand’s state highway officials have backed away from a region-wide speed limit reduction in Northland, instead proposing to cut speeds in danger areas like around schools. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency opened formal consultation on Tuesday for reduced speeds on 11 state highways in Northland and north Auckland. Tai Tokerau is the first area in the country to have a region-wide speed review under the agency’s Road to Zero campaign , which aims to cut deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand roads by 40% by 2030. But the agency originally planned to slash all state highway speeds limits, from 100kph to 80kph – a proposal which drew backlash from leaders fearing congestion and impatience on the roads. READ MORE: Northland leaders frustrated at plan to lower speed on state highways to cut … [Read more...] about Waka Kotahi steers away from blanket 80kph plan for Northland, Auckland highways

RICKY WILSON/STUFF "A lot of us already find 100kph slow": Geoff Upson and his dog George are the faces of an informal campaign to prevent speed limit drops. The days of travelling 100kph on every stretch of major state highway are over. But Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says many of those who oppose its lowering of speed limits are spreading a gospel of misunderstanding that verges on “misinformation”. Can it slow them down? Chris Hyde reports. Waka Kotahi has the winding main roads of New Zealand in its sights. It doesn't necessarily want them to be 100kph any more. It would rather be certain they’re safe to drive. But it’s not been an easy sell. Standing in the way of speed reductions are a vocal subset of the population – from mayors, to those with freight interests, to those who just like travelling at high speeds. Perhaps the most committed of all of them is a man who used to draw pictures of penises on potholes. Geoff Upson has morphed from exposing the … [Read more...] about How fast is too fast? ‘Keep it 100’ campaigner takes on Waka Kotahi’s Road to Zero

PARLIAMENT TV Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta speaks on the Russia Sanctions Bill as its introduced into the House to be urgently passed on Wednesday, March 9, 2022. The Government’s first round of Russia sanctions have targeted President Vladimir Putin and his key supporters, Russian-backed militia, technology manufacturers, and a state-backed bank. The first tranche of sanctions under the Russia Sanctions Act, which was passed last week, were published in legislation on midnight Thursday, after being signed off by Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro. Putin and 12 others on the sanctions list have been banned from travelling to New Zealand, from having ships or aircraft owned, controlled, or chartered by them entering the country, and have been prohibited from having assets in New Zealand. Russian businessman Alexander Abramov, who has considerable assets in New Zealand, does not appear on the sanctions list. Abramov has not been sanctioned by the UK, US, or Europe, … [Read more...] about New Zealand’s first round of Russia sanctions includes Vladimir Putin, Russian bank, and tech firm

STUFF Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta speaks on the Russia sanctions bill. The Government is actively considering sanctioning New Zealand-linked Russian oligarch Alexander Abramov, though such a move could have "impacts on New Zealanders". Abramov, who owns a luxury lodge in Northland, and has been developing housing in New Zealand through a local company, was sanctioned by Australia last month under a legal regime comparable to New Zealand’s. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta on Tuesday confirmed the Government was deciding whether to directly sanction Abramov. “We've got to make our own determinations based on Abramov's, I guess, interactions here in New Zealand. And there will be a layered level of interactions that we will have to assess the full impact of sanctions against him, but also the impacts on New Zealanders.” READ MORE: US requests application on Russian superyacht be dealt with in chambers National would support banning export of luxury … [Read more...] about Government considering sanctioning New Zealand-linked Russian oligarch

EXPLAINER: Nato is the world’s most successful military alliance, central both to the West’s success in the Cold War and to securing the European order that followed. It has grappled with many doubts about its purpose in the post-Cold-War world. Yet it has expanded greatly over the decades, growing from the original 12 allies in 1949 to 30 today. The last to join was North Macedonia in 2020. Now Finland, and probably Sweden, are knocking at the door . Why do countries want to join Nato, and what does it take to become a member? The core attraction is Article 5 of the Washington treaty, Nato’s founding document, which sets out the mutual-defence promise: “ The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all ”. This is often taken as a guarantee to defend militarily an ally under attack; in fact, a member is committed only to “assist” and to take “such action as it deems necessary” to restore … [Read more...] about What does it take to join Nato?

EXPLAINER: Britain is currently experiencing its biggest ever outbreak of monkeypox, with seven known cases. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced on Monday that a cluster of four cases had been reported in England and they were not linked to the three other cases . Six of these are in London, and one is in the North East, with patients either self-isolating at home or being treated in specialist infectious disease wards at Guy’s and St Thomas, St Mary’s Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital or the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle. It is rare for the virus to be seen in Britain and most previous cases in the UK have been linked to travel to other parts of the world where it is more prevalent, particularly West Africa. READ MORE: Sexual health expert calls for accelerated effort to eliminate syphilis and HIV HIV tests to be dispensed through vending machines, in first for NZ China’s new virus: What you need to know Gonorrhea may be transmitted by … [Read more...] about Monkeypox: What is it, how does it spread and what are the symptoms?

Sunak to bring in windfall tax as Brits hit with 'extraordinary' bill increase Get pensions news and advice plus latest money alerts for FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Rishi Sunak has been pushed to introduce an emergency windfall tax against energy companies in order to ease the cost of living crisis across the UK. The Chancellor has so far withheld the introduction of additional tax measures against energy giants as he argues a windfall tax would stifle investment in domestic energy infrastructure. Economist and political theorist Michael Jacobs declared a windfall tax against energy companies was an ‘inevitable’ economic measure that the Conservative Government will be forced to instigate. Related … [Read more...] about ‘Inevitable’ Sunak to bring in windfall tax as Brits hit with ‘extraordinary’ daily costs

Rachel Reeves questioned on Labour's growth plan Get pensions news and advice plus latest money alerts for FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info The Shadow Chancellor criticised the Conservative Government policy of increasing national insurance contributions by 1.25 percent from April. Ms Reeves condemned the pressure being placed on workers during the cost of living crisis as the Government continues to dodge the introduction of a windfall tax against energy companies. Despite her criticism, the Labour MP seemed reluctant to explain the costing details of her party’s suggested emergency budget to tackle the crisis. Related articles Millionaires campaigning for higher taxes: ‘We've got enough!' … [Read more...] about ‘Where does the money come from?’ Reeves on the spot to explain Labour growth plan