DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Americans could be on a tight budget this summer
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Americans tend to shell out in the summer as they venture outdoors, book trips and step away from their desks. Consumers plan to spend less on away-from-home entertainment and vacations this summer, according to the 2024 KPMG Consumer Pulse Survey released Tuesday. That’s a contrast to last year when Americans shelled out on the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé concert tickets and getaways. Retailers that offer Americans more bang for their buck including Ross Stores, TJ Maxx and HomeGoods-parent TJX, Dollar General and Walmart have benefitted. Americans are also feeling worse about the economy as they struggle with elevated inflation and high borrowing rates.

Persons: Taylor Swift, It’s, ”, Duleep Rodrigo, TJ Maxx, Mark Thompson, Henley, ” Hannah White, —, OpenAI’s Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Pulse Survey, Commerce Department, Federal Reserve, Retailers, Ross Stores, Walmart, Abercrombie, Fitch, Williams, University, Michigan’s, Millionaires, Labour, Henley & Partners, Institute for Government, City of, Henley Private Wealth, Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple Locations: New York, Sonoma, Britain, United Kingdom, City of London

☆ Want your child to go to Eton? Get ready to pay $13,000 more each year
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

London CNN —Private schools in Britain may conjure up images of rolling lawns, pristine tennis courts, and dormitory rooms, serving as gilded hothouses of privilege. Not every private school is “synonymous with privilege and great wealth,” argues Sue Hannam, headteacher at Lichfield Cathedral School, a private school in central England. About 620,000 children are currently enrolled in private schools in Britain, equivalent to almost 6% of all school children, according to the Independent Schools Council. Hodge at the Education Policy Institute noted that, accounting for inflation, private school fees had risen by as much as 25% since 2010. Still, a demographic shift means state schools may “welcome” the influx, Sibieta wrote last year.

Persons: YouGov, ”, Sue Hannam, “ We’ve, …, they’re, —, Hannam, John Keates, we’ve, Keir Starmer, “, ” Starmer, Louis Hodge, that’s, Loveena Tandon, … it’ll, it’s, Julie Robinson, they’ll, Robinson, ” Robinson, Christine Cunniffe, ” Cunniffe, Hodge, That’s, he, ” Luke Sibieta, Oli Scarff, Sibieta Organizations: London CNN — Private, Eton College, Labour Party, Eton, Labour, Lichfield Cathedral School, CNN, Lichfield, Independent Schools, Institute for Fiscal Studies, Sky News, Education Policy Institute, ISC, Ascot, Education, Institute, Getty Locations: Britain, Lichfield, England, United Kingdom, Lichfield , United Kingdom, London, “, Manchester, AFP

☆ UK millionaires are fleeing Britain in their thousands
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Mark Thompson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The continuing exodus from the UK — 16,500 millionaires left between 2017 and 2023 — is part of a global mass migration of the rich that appears to be accelerating. The Henley Private Wealth Migration report found that 128,000 millionaires are set to relocate this year, beating last year’s record by 8,000. By contrast, the ranks of the wealthy have grown in the US, Canada, Australia, Germany and France over the same period. “The outflow of high-net-worth individuals already generated by the economic and political context is now being accelerated by policy decisions ahead of the election,” said White. Still, one very rich couple will apparently be staying, whatever the result on July 4.

Persons: Henley, ” Hannah White, —, ” Dominic Volek, Liz Truss, Keir Starmer’s, Rishi Sunak’s, Starmer, Rachel Reeves, ”, White, Akshata Murty, Sunday Times Rich, King Charles, Sunak Organizations: London CNN, Labour, Henley & Partners, Institute for Government, City of, Henley Private Wealth, European Union, Bank of England, Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, Sunday Times Locations: United Kingdom, City of London, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Ukraine, England

☆ History shows how a UK election can impact the country's stock market
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Labour leader Tony Blair arriving in Downing Street after his election victory with crowds waving flags in the background, 2nd May 1997. The more domestically-oriented FTSE 250 has tended to outperform the FTSE 100 following elections, with stronger outperformance following Labour victories, it said. Leon Neal | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesAccording to Capital Economics, the U.K. stock market has faltered on five occasions under past Labour governments. Higgins also observed that the relative performance of U.K. stocks has "generally been underwhelming since 2010," when the Conservatives took office. Three could be attributed to the "unsustainability of fixed exchange rate regimes" between the 1930s and 1970s, one to the Great Financial Crisis, and the fifth to the 1976 Debt Crisis, he said.

Persons: Tony Blair, Jeff, Rishi Sunak, Rachel Reeves, Sir Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner, Leon Neal, John Higgins, Higgins, Labour's, Keir Starmer, Reeves, Venkatakrishnan, Liz Truss, Sunak Organizations: BBC News, Current Affairs, Labour Party, Labour, Conservative Party, Citi, Conservative, Centre, Getty, Capital Economics, Conservatives, Shadow, Economic, Barclays, C.S, CNBC Locations: Downing, Purfleet, United Kingdom, Davos

☆ Labour's Sadiq Khan wins re-election as London mayor
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan hopes to convince U.S. tech firms to invest more in London. Sadiq Khan was re-elected as London's mayor, final results showed on Saturday, helping to cement the Labour Party's commanding lead over the governing Conservatives in local elections ahead of Britain's national vote later this year. For Labour, London is the latest of a number of councils and mayoralties it has won in the local elections, which took place on Thursday, inflicting heavy losses on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservatives. Opinion polls predict that Labour will win the next national election, propelling its leader Keir Starmer to power and ending 14 years of Conservative government in Britain. Khan, 53, who became the first Muslim mayor of the British capital in 2016, has pledged to build more social housing and work with a future national Labour government to boost police capacity.

Persons: London Sadiq Khan, Sadiq Khan, Rishi Sunak's, It's, Khan, Susan Hall, Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak Organizations: U.S, Labour, Conservatives, Tory, Conservative, Labour Party, Labour government Locations: London, Britain

☆ ‘It felt so wrong’: Chumbawamba wants New Zealand politician to stop playing ‘Tubthumping’ at rallies
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Dhruv Tikekar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But those headlines were soon eclipsed by Chumbawamba publicly condemning Peters’ use of its song. “Everything that Peters stands for is counter to Chumbawamba’s world view,” the band’s founding member and former vocalist, Dunstan Bruce, told CNN. Chumbawamba, which broke up in 2012, has asked its former record company, Sony Music Publishing, to issue a cease-and-desist letter to New Zealand First. In response to CNN’s request for comment, New Zealand First Party President Julian Paul said the party had nothing further to add. “As we rise, the dirt will start all over again,” he said during a party convention in July, according to a transcript published by New Zealand First.

Persons: Winston Peters strode, Peters, ” Peters, Chumbawamba, Dunstan Bruce, Winston Peters, Hagen Hopkins, ” Chumbawamba, “ Tubthumping, ”, Bruce, “, Peter Dungate, ” It’s, Eminem, Vivek Ramaswamy, Donald Trump, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Bruce Springsteen, Nigel Farage, Hutton Supancic, Julian Paul, Emmanuel Heisbourg, Heisbourg, “ tubthumping, You’re, — Peters, ‘ Organizations: CNN, New Zealand First, Labour, New, National, ACT, New Zealand, General Motors, Sony Music Publishing, APRA, NZ, New Zealand’s National Party, rapper’s, Republican, Independence Party, UKIP, Southwest, SXSW UKIP, University of Montreal Locations: Palmerston, British, Nazi Germany, New, New Zealand

☆ Vaughan Gething to become Welsh first minister and Europe’s first Black leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Reuters —Vaughan Gething won the Welsh Labour Party leadership contest on Saturday, meaning he will become the first Black leader of the semi-autonomous government in Wales. Devolution, Welsh solutions to Welsh problems and opportunities is in my blood,” Gething, currently minister for economy, added. Keir Starmer, leader of Britain’s Labour Party, which opinion polls show as likely to win power in a national election due later this year, congratulated Gething in a statement. Drakeford will resign as first minister of Wales on March 19, the Labour Party said in a statement, with the Welsh parliament, the Senedd, formally set to elect the next leader on March 20. Also congratulating Gething on the win, Conservative British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on social media that he was committed to working together constructively.

Persons: Reuters — Vaughan Gething, ” Gething, Mark Drakeford, Keir Starmer, Gething, Vaughan, ” Starmer, Drakeford, Rishi Sunak Organizations: Reuters, Welsh Labour Party, “, Welsh, Britain’s Labour Party, UK Labour Party, Wales, Labour, Labour Party, Conservative British Locations: Wales, Zambian, Britain

☆ Australia PM to Introduce Bill to Reshape Tax Cuts on Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

"We'll release the actual legislation later today it will be introduced into the parliament on Tuesday," Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. He said he wanted the bill passed "during this existing session" of federal parliament, which resumes on Feb. 6. The new policy, recently announced, will see people earning up to A$135,000 ($88,763) fall into lower tax brackets from July 1. For some high-income earners tax breaks will nearly halve, with the savings redirected to those on low incomes. Albanese flagged last month that his centre-left government would soon legislate the changes but did not specify a timeline.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, " Albanese, Albanese, Sam McKeith, David Gregorio Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia's, Australian Broadcasting Corp, Labour Locations: Sydney

☆ New Zealand Withdraws Bill Allowing 16-Year-Olds to Vote in Local Body Elections
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Lucy CraymerWELLINGTON (Reuters) - The New Zealand government on Friday withdrew a bill that would have allowed sixteen year olds to vote in local government elections if it had passed. New Zealand's highest court ruled in late 2022 that the country's current voting age of 18 was discriminatory, forcing parliament to discuss whether it should be lowered. The previous Labour government last year ruled out the possibility of lowering the voting age to 16 for national elections, but had sought to legislate a lower voting age for local government elections. "Worrying about how to implement a new voting age regime would be a costly distraction for councils who have enough issues to deal with right now," he said. "Democracy is when voters choose their politicians, not when politicians choose their voters," they said in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Persons: Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON, Simeon Brown, Lucy Craymer, Lincoln Organizations: Reuters, New, Friday, Labour, Local, National Party, Twitter Locations: New Zealand

Britain's Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer attends television interviews on the final day of the party's annual conference in Liverpool, Britain, October 11, 2023. It is not unusual for opposition leaders to receive summit invitations, but COP28 is particularly resonant. Ireland's climate minister, Eamon Ryan, hailed Britain's climate leadership, but also said Sunak's reset of some measures had not gone down well when the news was reported while he was in New York for the U.N. General Assembly. Britain's development minister Andrew Mitchell, at COP28, told Reuters what Sunak did "was very good government". But the Conservatives' former finance minister George Osborne questioned whether Sunak had been angered that Kitsotakis had met Starmer before him.

Persons: Keir Starmer, Phil Noble, Starmer, King, Jordan, John Kerry, General Antonio Guterres, Rishi Sunak, COP28, Sunak, Espen Barth Eide, Eamon Ryan, Andrew Mitchell, we're, Kyriakos, Sunak's, George Osborne, Kitsotakis, Elizabeth Piper, Kate Abnett, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Britain's Labour, REUTERS, Labour Party, UN, Labour, General, Reuters, Greek, Elgin, British, Conservatives, Thomson Locations: Liverpool, Britain, DUBAI, Dubai, Israel, Gaza, Qatar, Brazil, London, COP28, Norwegian, New York

☆ New Zealand's central bank defends Maori language use
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) Governor Adrian Orr is pictured during an interview at the bank in Wellington, New Zealand, April 16, 2019. REUTERS/Charlotte Greenfield/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - New Zealand’s central bank chief defended its use of the Maori language in official communications on Wednesday, as the country’s new centre-right government looks to roll back the use of the Indigenous language in the public sector. Central bank governor Adrian Orr said at a media conference following the bank’s monetary policy meeting that it was proud of its Maori name "Te Putea Matua" and would continue to use it in addition to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ). Over the past few years, the RBNZ has undergone an overhaul that puts the country's Maori heritage and language at the centre of its operations. The government has not released specific details on the policies and it is unclear whether they would directly impact the central bank.

Persons: Adrian Orr, Charlotte Greenfield, Orr, Christopher Luxon's, Luxon, Lucy Craymer, Sam Holmes Organizations: Bank of New Zealand, REUTERS, Rights, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Labour, New Zealand, prudential, Thomson Locations: Wellington , New Zealand, Central, Te Ao

New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters arrives at a news conference after he attended an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Turkey, March 22, 2019. The role of deputy prime minister, a key sticking point in the discussions, will be split between the populist NZ First party leader Winston Peters and ACT party leader David Seymour, the group announced in a statement. National Party deputy leader Nicola Willis will be finance minister and Peters will be foreign minister, the parties said. The coalition plans to repeal a ban on offshore oil and gas exploration and a ban on the sale of cigarettes to future generations introduced by the previous Labour government, according to coalition documents. "Foreign affairs does matter to this country.... all relationships do matter to this country," Peters said in a joint news conference in the capital Wellington after the announcement.

Persons: Winston Peters, Murad Sezer, David Seymour, Nicola Willis, Peters, Christopher Luxon, Luxon, ” Luxon, Jacinda, Helen Clark, Lucy Craymer, Praveen Menon, Diane Craft Organizations: Zealand's, of Islamic Cooperation, REUTERS, ACT NZ, National Party, NZ First, ACT, Party, Reserve, New Zealand, Bank of New, Labour, “, New Zealanders, Police, Thomson Locations: Istanbul, Turkey, WELLINGTON, Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, Niue

☆ New Zealand's National Party reaches deal to form government
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - NOVEMBER 03: Incoming Prime Minister and National Party leader Christopher Luxon speaks during a media stand-up at Parliament on November 03, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand. Special votes cast overseas and by mail were certified on Friday, finally sealing the results of New Zealand's general elections. The Labour party was soundly defeated by the National Party, led by Christopher Luxon, winning the most votes. National will however need the support of both ACT and NZ First parties to form the next coalition Government. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)New Zealand's National Party has reached an agreement with ACT New Zealand and New Zealand First to form a government, and the final signoff could be done later on Thursday, the leaders said.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, Hagen Hopkins, ACT's David Seymour, New Zealand First's Winston Peters Organizations: WELLINGTON, Incoming, National Party, New, Labour, ACT, NZ, Government, Getty, ACT New, New Zealand, ACT New Zealand, Zealand Locations: ZEALAND, Wellington , New Zealand, ACT New Zealand, New

☆ New Zealand's National Party Reaches Deal to Form Government
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand's National Party has reached an agreement with ACT New Zealand and New Zealand First to form a government, and the final signoff could be done later on Thursday, the leaders said. The conservative National Party won the largest share of votes in New Zealand's Oct. 14 general election but needed the support of both right-wing ACT New Zealand and the populist New Zealand First Parties to form a majority government. The statement did not include details of any ministerial appointments or the incoming government's policy priorities. Currently, the government is being operated by the former Labour government, which is operating in caretaker mode. (Reporting by Lucy Craymer and Renju Jose; Editing by Jamie Freed and Stephen Coates)

Persons: Christopher Luxon, ACT's David Seymour, New Zealand First's Winston Peters, Lucy Craymer, Renju Jose, Jamie Freed, Stephen Coates Organizations: WELLINGTON, Reuters, National Party, ACT New, New Zealand, ACT New Zealand, Zealand, Labour Locations: ACT New Zealand, New

☆ New Zealand Prime Minister-elect unlikely to attend APEC as coalition talks continue
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Christopher Luxon, leader of New Zealand's National Party waves to supporters at his election party after winning the general election in Auckland, New Zealand, October 14, 2023. REUTERS/David Rowland//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - New Zealand’s Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon said on Monday that it was unlikely he would attend the APEC meeting in San Francisco later this week as coalition negotiations are ongoing. Luxon told 1News that he does not expect to attend APEC as "good progress" is being made by the two parties and he wants to ensure negotiations conclude and a government is formed. I think that's why it's unlikely I'll head out to APEC on Wednesday evening," he said. If Luxon does not attend APEC, New Zealand will send a representative from both the caretaker government and a National Party member.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, Luxon, 1News, Lucy Craymer, Diane Craft Organizations: New, National, REUTERS, Rights, Zealand’s, APEC, National Party, ACT New Zealand, New Zealand, Labour, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, San Francisco, Zealand, New Zealand

☆ New Zealand's Prime Minister-elect Luxon says coalition negotiations continue
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party waves to supporters at his election party after winning the general election to become New Zealand’s next prime minister in Auckland, New Zealand, October 14, 2023. REUTERS/David Rowland/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - New Zealand’s Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon said on Wednesday that negotiations were ongoing with potential coalition partners ACT New Zealand and New Zealand First, as the country awaits final results of the general election. Luxon’s conservative National Party and preferred coalition partner ACT won a one-seat majority in the general election Oct. 14. However, this majority could be eroded after special votes are counted and final results are released Nov. 3. He said once special votes are counted, the parties will move quickly to form a government.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, ” Luxon, Lucy Craymer, Rod Nickel Organizations: National Party, New, REUTERS, Rights, Zealand’s, ACT New, New Zealand, ACT, Labour, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, ACT New Zealand, New, Zealand

☆ New Zealand PM Elect Luxon Expected to Start Coalition Negotiations
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Lucy CraymerWELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand’s Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon and his centre-right National Party are expected to start negotiations with the ACT Party Sunday, after the two parties won a slim majority in the general election. The conservative National Party won 50 seats and the ACT Party won 11, securing a majority of just one seat in the 121 seat parliament, according to provisional results from the Electoral Commission. Chris Bishop, National Party Campaign Chairperson, said on TVNZ political show Q+A that Luxon had already spoken with ACT leader David Seymour and senior National members would meet this afternoon to discuss coalition negotiations. Bishop said he expected National would lose at least one seat once these votes were counted. Under New Zealand’s mixed member proportional system it is very uncommon for a single party to form government, although Jacinda Ardern’s Labour government did in 2020.

Persons: Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON, Christopher Luxon, Luxon, Chris Bishop, David Seymour, Bishop, Lucy Craymer, Mark Potter Organizations: Reuters, Zealand’s, National, ACT Party Sunday, National Party, ACT Party, Electoral, TVNZ, ACT, New Zealand, Labour Locations: New Zealand

Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party waves to supporters at his election party after winning the general election to become New Zealand’s next prime minister in Auckland, New Zealand, October 14, 2023. He said he had spoken with the leader of the conservative ACT New Zealand, David Seymour, twice on Saturday and believed the two parties would work constructively. National "will be coalescing with the ACT party and also with New Zealand First and we just don't know yet what dynamic that's going to bring." National's campaign manager Chris Bishop warned the party might lose at least one seat when the special votes are counted. If National and ACT lose a seat, they would need to reach an agreement with the populist New Zealand First.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, ” Luxon, David Seymour, Bryce Edwards, Edwards, Chris Bishop, Luxon, Winston Peters, Peters, Anthony Albanese, Lucy Craymer, Mark Potter, Chizu Nomiyama, William Mallard Organizations: National Party, New, REUTERS, Rights, ACT New Zealand, National, ACT, Electoral, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Labour, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, Auckland, Australia

☆ New Zealand National Party's Luxon to lead new government
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party waves to supporters at his election party after winning the general election to become New Zealand’s next prime minister in Auckland, New Zealand, October 14, 2023. REUTERS/David Rowland Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - New Zealand's centre-right National Party led by Christopher Luxon will form a new government with its preferred coalition party ACT, as Prime Minister Chris Hipkins conceded his Labour Party could not form a government after Saturday's general election. The National Party, now in opposition, had 39% of the votes with 92% counted, while the ACT party had 9%. "On the numbers tonight National will be in the position to lead the next government," Luxon, a former executive who once ran Air New Zealand and entered politics just three years ago, told supporters in Auckland. The National-ACT majority is slim and the two parties may need support from the populist New Zealand First Party to form a government.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, Chris Hipkins, Ben Thomas, Jacinda Ardern, Hipkins, Maori's, Gareth Hughes, Nanaia Mahuta, Lucy Craymer, Edmund Klamann Organizations: National Party, New, REUTERS, Rights, ACT, Labour Party, Electoral, Air New, National, Zealanders, Labour, New Zealand First Party, Coalition, Green Party, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand, New Zealanders

☆ New Zealand should use diplomacy to avert any conflict in Taiwan Strait -PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Chris Hipkins speaks to members of the media, after being confirmed as the only nomination to replace Jacinda Ardern as leader of the Labour Party, outside New Zealand's parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, January 21, 2023. REUTERS/Lucy Craymer//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - New Zealand should use its diplomatic clout to try and avert a situation of armed conflict in the Taiwan Strait, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Tuesday during a first debate with his main challenger ahead of a general election. "Armed conflict in the Taiwan Strait is not going to be good for the world and New Zealand should use all of its diplomatic might – whatever that might be – to try and avoid that situation," Hipkins said. In recent months, however, Hipkins' Labour government has become more vocal, raising concerns about the impact China’s assertiveness is having on the Pacific region. Luxon agreed with Hipkins that talk of hypothetical scenarios such as China and Taiwan was not helpful, however.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, Jacinda Ardern, Lucy Craymer, Hipkins, Christopher Luxon, Luxon, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Labour Party, REUTERS, Rights, Labour, Party, Thomson Locations: New Zealand's, Wellington , New Zealand, New Zealand, Taiwan, China, Wellington, Australia, Britain, Canada, United States

☆ New Zealand Foreign Minister to Attend UN as Prime Minister Campaigns at Home
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Lucy CraymerWELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand's foreign minister will attend the United Nations General Assembly before heading onto Washington for meetings on Pacific regional issues, leaving Prime Minister Chris Hipkins at home to campaign ahead of the Oct. 14 election. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said in a statement that she would participate in the United Nations leaders’ meetings starting this week on behalf at Hipkins and undertake a number of bilateral and multilateral meetings. "I’m looking forward to delivering the National Statement on behalf of New Zealand and reaffirming our close relationships with friends and key partners while in the United States," Mahuta said. Pacific Island countries are expected to meet with President Joe Biden next week for a second summit with the United States. "I am looking forward to having productive discussions in Washington DC to consider how the United States can help advance Pacific priorities," said Mahuta.

Persons: Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON, Chris Hipkins, Nanaia Mahuta, Mahuta, Joe Biden, Biden, Lucy Craymer, Michael Perry Organizations: Reuters, United Nations General Assembly, Labour, National Party, . Foreign, United Nations, Washington DC, Pacific . Locations: Washington, New Zealand, Hipkins, United States, Pacific

☆ Factbox-New Zealand Voters' Top Issues in October General Election
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

Chris Hipkins, who took the prime minister's post in January after Jacinda Ardern stepped down, has nudged his Labour Party towards the centre, focusing on what he terms "bread and butter issues". The opposition National Party has blamed Labour for rising costs and is promising, if elected, to cut taxes and bring inflation under control. Given New Zealand's ever-increasing building costs, poor housing stock and overcrowding, however, supply continues to fall short of demand. The National Party has proposed unlocking more land for housing, providing incentives for councils to build more houses and creating new infrastructure financing tools. The National Party says it will encourage trade and investment, increase the skilled labour force and cut red tape.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, Jacinda Ardern, Hipkins, Lucy Craymer, Edmund Klamann Organizations: Reuters, New Zealanders, Labour, National, Labour Party, National Party, Zealand's Labour Locations: New, New Zealand, China, Pacific, Solomon, South Pacific, Britain

☆ Britain's Labour party would repeal strike laws in first 100 days in power
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Britain's opposition Labour Party would repeal recently-introduced legislation that limits workers' rights to strike if it wins an election expected next year, deputy leader Angela Rayner said on Tuesday, pledging to enhance employee protection. Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said the new legislation was a "spiteful and bitter attack" on trade unions. "The next Labour Government will ask Parliament to repeal these anti-trade union laws within our first 100 days," she said in a speech at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) annual conference in Liverpool. She said that Labour would also bring forward an Employment Rights Bill in its first 100 days in office. Labour has said that such a bill will legislate for fairer pay, strengthen rights and protections for workers and bolster trade unions' rights.

Persons: Angela Rayner, Alistair Smout, William James Our Organizations: Labour Party, Conservative, Labour Government, Trades Union Congress, TUC, Labour, Thomson Locations: Liverpool

☆ New Zealand election campaign steps up with cost of living in focus
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Opinion polls show a coalition of conservative parties is favoured to govern after the election. That would put National in the stronger position to form a coalition government with one or more smaller parties. Labour's popularity has steadily declined this term and Ardern stepped down in January, saying she had "no more in the tank". National leader Christopher Luxon, a political newcomer and former CEO of Air New Zealand (AIR.NZ), told Reuters last month that he aimed to focus on containing inflation. Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, Jacinda Ardern, Lucy Craymer, Hipkins, Ardern, Christopher Luxon, Renju Jose, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Labour Party, REUTERS, Rights, Zealand, Labour, Talbot, National Party, Air New Zealand, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New Zealand's, Wellington , New Zealand, Sydney

☆ New Zealand pushes back start date for price on farm emissions
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

New Zealand, home to 5 million people, has about 10 million cattle and 26 million sheep and nearly half its total greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, mainly methane. It is one of the first countries to announce it will price agricultural emissions, but the government has faced criticism from parts of the farming community which is concerned about the cost. “It’s important the system to manage and price agricultural emissions is workable, effective, fiscally responsible and set up to last. Scientifically validated carbon sequestration such as tree planting around waterways and indigenous forestry would be recognised in the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, he added. National, the largest opposition party, says it will only look to price farm emissions by 2030.

Persons: Noel Womersley, Canterbury Homekill, Jorge Silva, Damien O’Connor, ” Kate Acland, Lucy Craymer, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Labour, Agriculture, Zealand, National, Thomson Locations: Canterbury, Christchurch , New Zealand, New Zealand, Zealand

Search resuls for: "Labour Government"

25 mentions found