Kiwi students at Harvard face uncertainty after Trump revokes university's foreign student enrolment rights
'I'm angry, I'm upset and I'm scared,' undergraduate student Samuel Taylor said.
Last week, the Trump administration revoked Harvard's right to enrol international students.
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NZ Herald
6 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Nicola Willis criticised for cost of living ‘sermon' during post-Cabinet press conference
'Spending more, taxing and borrowing more as Labour and other parties advocate for, didn't work in the past and it won't work in the future,' Luxon said. Finance Minister Nicola Willis during the post-Cabinet Press conference at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell 'The most important thing we can do to make you better off is to double down on our economic plan,' he said. Hipkins called Willis' and Luxon's address a 'sermon' that showed the pair was out of touch with the daily reality of New Zealanders. Although the party said they were going to get 'New Zealand back on track' as per their election campaign slogan, Hipkins claimed 'across the board, New Zealanders can see the country is going backwards.' 'Yet Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis just say – 'oh, that's all part of the plan, we've got this' – they haven't got it. 'Things are getting worse for the vast majority of New Zealanders and no amount of spin from them is going to change the reality that things are getting worse for New Zealanders under their leadership. 'I think we should start calling them Fisher and Paykel because they've got more spin than a front load washing machine.' Tax relief was a major part of National's 2023 election campaign amid flaring inflation and a cost of living crisis. The party campaigned on a series of policies aimed at helping the 'squeezed middle', including adjusting tax rates, increasing tax credits and FamilyBoost. These policies came into effect in July last year. Willis said today the average household is $1,560 better off after the Government's tax relief package. 'We have also introduced FamilyBoost, which with the latest expansion gives families up to 40 per cent off their childcare costs. 'We have removed the Auckland fuel tax, introduced 12-month prescriptions, increased the rates rebate for 66,000 seniors and increased Working for Families payments.' Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon arriving for the post-Cabinet Press conference. Photo / Mark Mitchell Luxon stressed that a year and half into the term, he and his party were still fixated on improving the economy and the cost of living. Things were still tough for many families but the economy was 'expected to grow on average 2.7% per year creating 240,000 jobs over the next four years. 'In the short term we are pulling every lever we can to help Kiwi families with the cost of living.' The Government also announced the scrapping of surcharges at the till, such as when a customer uses PayWave or their mobile phone to make a payment. 'New Zealanders are paying up to $150 million in surcharges every year. That's money that could be saved or spent elsewhere.' Luxon also said the changes the Government were making to construction would help reduce costs for businesses and New Zealanders. Earlier in the day, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden announced she would review safety rules for scaffolding, saying she had received many complaints from the construction industry that current regulations were too complex and expensive. Van Velden was light on the details of what specifically would be reviewed, but said officials would consult on proposed new rules that would give people a selection of safety options depending on how dangerous the job was. 'If it's not very risky, they will not need to use expensive scaffolding. 'For example, they will be considering whether a ladder could be used instead of scaffolding for a simple roof gutter repair or minor electrical maintenance when working at height.'
Scoop
9 hours ago
- Scoop
NZ Army Combat-Ready Infantry Platoon Deploys To The Republic Of Korea
A New Zealand Army infantry platoon of 35 soldiers has deployed to the Republic of Korea to undertake training and activities with Korean and United States forces. The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has a long-standing commitment to supporting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and has been deploying personnel to the United Nations Command (UNC) and its Military Armistice Commission since 1998. Now, for the first time, the NZDF is deploying a combat-ready infantry platoon to work with units from the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and US Army. A second deployment is planned for next year. The platoon will be the first NZ Army organisation to train at the world-class Korea Combat Training Centre, providing the Kiwi soldiers with another unique aspect to their deployment. Over the next 90 days, they will undertake a range of infantry training activities with their South Korean and US counterparts. Land Component Commander Brigadier Jason Dyhrberg said the soldiers would develop new skills while honing others. This was a great opportunity to gain valuable experience alongside Republic of Korea and US personnel and have access to world class-combat training facilities, he said, 'After three months, our troops will be more familiar with their counterparts' techniques and tactics and be better able to readily integrate into a coalition warfighting environment,' Brigadier Dyhrberg said. 'At the conclusion of their time on the Korean Peninsula, they will have been tested across a range of challenging scenarios and activities and be deemed combat ready under both the South Korean and US systems. 'We know the NZ Army produces world-class soldiers and officers. This deployment presents another great opportunity to showcase our people, to learn new skills and to develop greater levels of combat readiness alongside key international partners. I have no doubt that they will do us proud.' The New Zealand Defence Attaché to Korea, Colonel Rob Loftus, said the aim of the deployment was to foster cooperation and understanding between the three forces at the platoon level. 'This will provide our soldiers with a fantastic training opportunity to exercise with our military partners on the peninsula. They'll build relationships while putting themselves to the test. 'The platoon will also participate in several cultural and commemorative activities celebrating the 75th year anniversary of the United Nations Command, and Korean War battle anniversaries.' UNC Deputy Commander Canadian Army Lieutenant General Derek Macaulay said that as the UNC celebrated its 75th anniversary, it was honoured to welcome the NZ Army infantry unit. 'The platoon's presence here reflects New Zealand's steadfast commitment to UNC and to the enduring peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula. For over seven decades New Zealand has stood firm in support of the shared values we defend together.'' The latest deployment builds on the legacy started when New Zealand contributed both naval and ground forces in support of UNC during the Korean War in the early 1950s. More than 6000 New Zealanders served. The platoon will remain on the Korean Peninsula until the end of October. Further joint training and mission rehearsal activities are being planned for 2026.
Otago Daily Times
11 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
US, EU avert trade war with 15% tariff deal
The US has struck a framework trade agreement with the European Union, imposing a 15% import tariff on most EU goods - half the threatened rate - and averting a bigger trade war between the two allies that account for almost a third of global trade. US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the deal at Trump's luxury golf course in western Scotland after an hour-long meeting that pushed the hard-fought deal over the line, following months of negotiations. "I think this is the biggest deal ever made," Trump told reporters, lauding EU plans to invest some $US600 billion ($NZ997bn) in the United States and dramatically increase its purchases of US energy and military equipment. Trump said the deal, which tops a $US550 billion deal signed with Japan last week, would expand ties between the trans-Atlantic powers after years of what he called unfair treatment of US exporters. Von der Leyen, describing Trump as a tough negotiator, said the 15% tariff applied "across the board", later telling reporters it was "the best we could get." "We have a trade deal between the two largest economies in the world, and it's a big deal. It's a huge deal. It will bring stability. It will bring predictability," she said. The agreement mirrors key parts of the framework accord reached by the US with Japan, but like that deal, it leaves many questions open, including tariff rates on spirits, a highly charged topic for many on both sides of the Atlantic. The deal, which Trump said calls for $US750 billion of EU purchases of US energy in coming years and "hundreds of billions of dollars" of arms purchases, likely spells good news for a host of EU companies, including Airbus, Mercedes-Benz and Novo Nordisk, if all the details hold. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the deal, saying it averted a trade conflict that would have hit Germany's export-driven economy and its large auto sector hard. German carmakers, VW, Mercedes and BMW were some of the hardest hit by the 27.5% US tariff on car and parts imports now in place. The baseline 15% tariff will still be seen by many in Europe as too high, compared with Europe's initial hopes to secure a zero-for-zero tariff deal. Bernd Lange, the German Social Democrat who heads the European Parliament's trade committee, said the tariffs were imbalanced and the hefty EU investment earmarked for the US would likely come at the bloc's own expense. Trump retains the ability to increase the tariffs in the future if European countries do not live up to their investment commitments, a senior US administration official told reporters on Sunday evening. The euro rose around 0.2% against the dollar, sterling and yen within an hour of the deal's being announced. MIRROR OF JAPAN DEAL Carsten Nickel, deputy director of research at Teneo, said Sunday's accord was "merely a high-level, political agreement" that could not replace a carefully hammered out trade deal: "This, in turn, creates the risk of different interpretations along the way, as seen immediately after the conclusion of the US-Japan deal." While the tariff applies to most goods, including semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, there are exceptions. The US will keep in place a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum. Von der Leyen suggested the tariff could be replaced with a quota system; a senior administration official said EU leaders had asked that the two sides continue to talk about the issue. Von der Leyen said there would be no tariffs from either side on aircraft and aircraft parts, certain chemicals, certain generic drugs, semiconductor equipment, some agricultural products, natural resources and critical raw materials. "We will keep working to add more products to this list," von der Leyen said, adding that spirits were still under discussion. A US official said the tariff rate on commercial aircraft would remain at zero for now, and the parties would decide together what to do after a US review is completed, adding there is a "reasonably good chance" they could agree to a lower tariff than 15%. No timing was given for when that probe would be completed. The deal will be sold as a triumph for Trump, who is seeking to reorder the global economy and reduce decades-old US trade deficits, and has already reached similar framework accords with Britain, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, although his administration has not hit its goal of "90 deals in 90 days." US officials said the EU had agreed to lower non-tariff barriers for automobiles and some agricultural products, though EU officials suggested the details of those standards were still under discussion. "Remember, their economy is $US20 trillion ... they are five times bigger than Japan," a senior US official told reporters during a briefing. "So the opportunity of opening their market is enormous for our farmers, our fishermen, our ranchers, all our industrial products, all our businesses." Trump has periodically railed against the EU, saying it was "formed to screw the United States" on trade. He has fumed for years about the US merchandise trade deficit with the EU, which in 2024 reached $US235 billion, according to US Census Bureau data. The EU points to the US surplus in services, which it says partially redresses the balance. Trump has argued that his tariffs are bringing in "hundreds of billions of dollars" in revenues for the US while dismissing warnings from economists about the risk of inflation. On July 12, Trump threatened to apply a 30% tariff on imports from the EU starting on August 1, after weeks of negotiations failed to reach a comprehensive trade deal. The EU had prepared countertariffs on 93 billion euros ($US109 billion) of US goods in the event a deal to avoid the tariffs could not be struck.
