Author: Press Room

A Christchurch chef who sexually harassed four teenage workers has been fired, with his former boss saying he would’ve done so sooner had it not been for a “misunderstanding”.Sumeer Thapa was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court on Tuesday to four months’ home detention after a jury found him guilty of seven counts of indecently assaulting four girls aged between 15 and 18 between 2021 and 2024.Thapa was a chef at Lazeez Mediterranean Grill, where he continued to work after the employer first became aware of the investigation in December 2023.RNZ contacted Lazeez Mediterranean Grill for comment after sentencing but…

Dunedin pharmacists say prescription fees and competition with chain stores are putting community retailers under pressure, which could lead to more closures. Green Island Boutique Pharmacy announced in a post on social media it would be permanently closing at noon tomorrow after nine years of business. “This decision has not been easy, but with the current funding challenges facing small independent pharmacies, it has become increasingly difficult to remain sustainable while providing the level of care we have always strived for,” it said. Its two pharmacists were both locally trained at the University of Otago and had more than a…

Six weeks after a woman was killed in Pahīatua, police are continuing to search for her son who is wanted in connection with her death.Karen Gilbert-Palmer, 74, was found dead at a home in Arthur St on October 15 by a friend who had been unable to contact her.A homicide investigation then began, and her son, Jeremy Robertson, was identified by police as a suspect.Gilbert-Palmer’s car was found at the Blue and Green Lakes lookout in Rotorua the following morning. However, six weeks on, Robertson remained missing.On Wednesday, Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Thompson told RNZ police believe Robertson was likely…

A New Zealand company is breaking down barriers for the Deaf community by creating AI avatars with the ability to sign and translate to NZ Sign Language.The inclusion of Māori signs and concepts have Turi Māori, those in the Māori Deaf community, throwing their hands up in celebration.The hyper-realistic avatars, created by Kara Technologies, will learn from a yet-to-be-completed digital library consisting of more than 10,000 signs, also incorporating well-known Māori concepts used by Turi Māori.The avatars are designed to be an additional support in situations where the community may face delays or have no access to NZSL interpreters in…

Published on 26/11/2025 – 15:59 GMT+1 •Updated 16:08 European Union migration rules are actively worsening risks to minors travelling along dangerous routes to Europe from Sudan, according to a Save the Children report published on Wednesday. The study shows that the EU’s efforts to keep asylum seekers in neighbouring countries, providing financial and operational support to North Africa, are in fact exposing children to harm. The EU is striking more migration agreements with countries in Africa, investing in operational support for their border management in order to prevent people from embarking from their coasts on often perilous journeys. In October,…

Southern lines companies believe their new electricity connections charges are competitive compared with those of the rest of the country as a national review gets under way. The Electricity Authority has indicated it wants feedback on a proposal to rein in excessively high connection costs which were a known problem in some parts of the country. Electricity Authority networks and system change general manager Tim Sparks said high costs to connect to networks could have an impact on new housing and commercial developments, EV charging stations and other critical infrastructure. “Reducing very high up-front charges would help enable and encourage…

Almost 20% of Auckland homeowners have been selling their properties for a loss.Cotality has released its latest Pain and Gain report, which shows the number of properties being sold for a gain or loss around the country.It revealed that in the third quarter of this year, 87.8% of properties nationwide were sold for more than the sellers had previously paid for them.That was down from 89.4% the previous quarter and was the largest percentage making a loss since 2013.In Auckland, 18.2% of owner-occupier sellers were making a loss, and 22.8% of investors.It was the highest percentage of losses among the…

French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested that China is offering European children a simple, entertainment-based version of TikTok, while its domestic version is far more educational and beneficial for youngsters. Speaking to readers of the regional daily newspaper La Voix du Nord in the north of France on 19 November, Macron took aim at the disparities between the app’s Chinese and global offerings. “Their version of TikTok, because it is a Chinese company, is limited to a set number of hours per day, and the content shown to children is entirely educational,” the president said. He went on to argue…

A pair of Dunedin bottle stores have had their liquor licences renewed despite concerns about the potential influence of a problem-plagued shareholder. The off-licences for the Bottle-O stores in Andersons Bay and Kaikorai Valley have been renewed for a further three years, despite both applications being opposed by the city’s chief licensing inspector and the medical officer of health delegate, who cast doubt on the suitability of the applicant. Police also opposed the Kaikorai Valley application. The applications were made by McCarthy Enterprises Ltd and Jethro Holdings Ltd respectively, which are wholly owned by shareholders Kenneth and Patricia McCarthy. Mrs…

After months of wrangling about where Wairarapa Hospital’s litigation settlement from Masterton District Council has gone, Health NZ has revealed none of the money was ring-fenced for the hospital.Now local MPs are blaming each other’s party policies for the outcome. Last year, it was revealed the district council and Health NZ settled out of court following a legal dispute over alleged defects in the construction and consenting process for Wairarapa Hospital.Health NZ last week responded to a request by the Ombudsman for further information on the settlement.”Health NZ has not ring-fenced a percentage of the settlement funds for Wairarapa Hospital,”…