New Zealand’s parliament on Thursday passed legislation ending a ban on offshore oil and gas exploration, reversing a flagship policy of former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s government.
The move will allow companies to apply for petroleum exploration permits outside the onshore Taranaki region from September, opening the door to renewed investment in the country’s fossil fuel sector.
Environmental groups criticised the decision, calling it a blow to New Zealand’s renewable energy ambitions.
“This government keeps choosing to undermine our resilience rather than transition to clean, green energy,” said Green Party Climate spokesperson Chloe Swarbrick.
In 2018, Ardern’s centre-left Labour government halted the granting of new offshore oil and gas permits as part of efforts to combat climate change and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Since taking office in late 2023, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s conservative administration has moved to unwind a series of Labour-era climate policies, including scrapping rebates for electric vehicles and fast-tracking mining approvals.
Resources Minister Shane Jones said the previous government’s ban had deterred investment and worsened domestic energy shortages.
“This government is pragmatic about the vital role natural gas will play in our energy mix in the decades ahead, and we have set a course for greater energy security backed by our own indigenous reserves,” Jones said.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have discussed regional developments, transport connectivity, energy cooperation and the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process during talks in Berlin.
AnewZ's Daybreak on 21 July covered the latest escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict, rising trade tensions between the United States and Canada, and key regional and international developments.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for setting up a foolproof public examination system in the country on Tuesday, a day after supporters of the youth-led "cockroach" movement and police clashed as they marched on parliament to protest against question paper leaks.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
At least six people were killed and 21 others injured after two earthquakes struck Peru's central Junín region, destroying dozens of homes and triggering a major emergency response.
Kylian Mbappé has become the first player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot on more than one occasion. The French forward won the award presented to the top goalscorer of the tournament for the second time, despite France being knocked out in the semi-finals.
Overnight U.S. strikes caused blackouts in southwestern Iran and hit the northwestern city of Tabriz for the first time. Separately, a U.S. soldier died in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone.
President Donald Trump said the United States will target Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain site “pretty soon” as he meets with Lebanese president Michel Aoun. Meanwhile, U.S. forces carried out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran while Tehran continues to target Gulf countries.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Southeast Asia remains the epicentre of scam centres running illegal online fraud schemes that target victims worldwide and generate billions of dollars annually. The UN estimates scam losses across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand reached up to $114.1 billion in 2025.
Iran is increasingly relying on its northern ports for imports, with officials saying more than 30% of goods now enter the country via Russia and the Caspian Sea rather than through the Indian Ocean.
Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has chaired his first Cabinet meeting, pledging to make the cost of living his government's central priority while signalling a broader effort to restore confidence in Britain's government and strengthen its international standing.
Russian strikes hit multiple locations across Ukraine, setting a large hardware store ablaze in the northeastern city of Sumy and damaging a residential building in the country's east, as fighting between the two sides continued to intensify.
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