Author: Press Room

The police watchdog is criticising police after they decided not to lay criminal charges against an officer who admitted to beating his children with a belt.In a decision released on Thursday, Independent Police Conduct Authority chairperson Judge Kenneth Johnston, KC, concluded the officer’s use of a webbed belt to discipline his children constituted three offences of assault on a child.Inquiries began on July 28, 2023 after Officer A came to the attention of police and Oranga Tamariki when it was reported that he had physically disciplined his children. Police advised the IPCA and also notified Oranga Tamariki.Police and Oranga Tamariki…

Pope Francis is recovering from pneumonia, eating breakfast out of bed after a peaceful night, the Holy See spokesperson said Thursday. ADVERTISEMENTThe head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis continued his recovery from pneumonia, eating breakfast out of bed on Thursday morning after a sixth peaceful night at the hospital, the Vatican said. The Holy See’s spokesperson Matteo Bruni issued a new update after confirming late Wednesday that new blood tests showed a “slight improvement” in some areas. The 88-year-old pontiff, who had an acute case of pneumonia in 2023, is prone to respiratory infections in the wintertime. Pope Francis…

An economist says he expects to see banks offering more fixed rate mortgage cuts over the couple of weeks following the Reserve Bank’s 50 basis point cut to the official cash rate.The Reserve Bank on Wednesday announced it would cut the official cash rate by half percentage point to 3.75%, its third consecutive big reduction with rates now at their lowest since October 2022.Living costs continue to offset any savings found in interests rates however, as Katie Bradford reports. (Source: 1News)Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan said yesterday’s Reserve Bank statement “seems to be on the doveish side of things”.”I would…

Police have released the name of a 33-year-old man who died in Hastings following an assault over the weekend.A homicide investigation was launched after the man died in Hawke’s Bay Hospital around 11pm following an assault on Kiwi Lane at around 10.30pm on Sunday night.”Police can now confirm he was 33-year-old Keith Pati, of Flaxmere, Hastings,” said Eastern District Investigations Manager Detective Inspector Martin James. “Our condolences go out to his family and loved ones at this time.”Earlier this week, a 28-year-old Hastings man was arrested and charged with Pati’s murder.James said police were appealing for information to assist in…

The EU watchdog responsible for investigating maladministration is probing the European Commission’s approval of Nicholas Banasevic, a former high-ranking EU antitrust official, joining Microsoft in a senior role dealing with competition and regulatory affairs. ADVERTISEMENTThe European Ombudsman announced on Thursday the launch of an inquiry into Nicholas Banasevic’s transition from the EU executive to the private sector.Banasevic, a senior EU official with 25 years of experience in antitrust cases, first joined the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in 2022 to represent clients in EU competition matters, and then moved to Microsoft in 2024 as Corporate vice-president and Head of…

A proposed after-hours medical facility in Rangiora has some certainty after the Waimakariri District Council offered to help bankroll the long-awaited project.Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon said the council had offered, in principle, to invest in the project to get it back on track.The investment would be loan funded, with no rates impact, Gordon said.South Link Health is proposing to build a new medical centre, which will include general practice services seven days a week with after-hours healthcare, full radiology services including ultrasound, CT and MRI scans, and a pharmacy.The Ministry of Health entered into a lease agreement with South Link…

The front page of an old edition of a defunct Portuguese newspaper has gone viral for allegedly showing an eerily accurate prediction by the late Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa that Lisbon would experience an earthquake on the day of his funeral. ADVERTISEMENTAn image of the front page of an old Portuguese newspaper is circulating on social media, claiming that Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, the late former president of FC Porto, predicted a tremor in Lisbon that occurred on the day of his funeral.It’s dated 30 July 2005 and quotes Pinto da Costa as saying: “Some people think the…

Cautious optimism is growing that Lake Hood can make it through the summer without an algal bloom.After back-to-back summers with algal bloom health warnings at the lake, the Ashburton District Council hoped the recent weather along with management of the man-made lake last year will hold off another health warning being put in place.Council’s infrastructure and open spaces group manager Neil McCann said having plenty of water, circulation improvements, and mowing down the weed in the lake are all contributing to the hope the lake can avoid a third straight summer with an algal bloom notice.The Highbank Power Station being…

Singh was the most commonly registered family name for babies born in New Zealand in 2024, Minister for Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden has revealed.It was the seventh consecutive year Singh had topped the list.Van Velden said 680 babies were given the name last year.Kaur followed closely in second place, with 630 babies. Smith was third, with 300 newborns sharing the surname last year.In 2014, Smith was the most common family name, which was followed closely by Wilson and Brown.Van Velden said: “New Zealand is a diverse country – and it’s great to see that reflected in our family name…

The head of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) delegation in the European Parliament, René Aust, is counting on at least 21% of the votes in Sunday’s general election, but played down suggestions it might leave Europe of Sovereign Nations for larger Patriots for Europe group ADVERTISEMENTThe far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) is ready to enter a coalition after the national elections on Sunday, 23 February, its leading MEP René Aust told Euronews in an exclusive interview.While all German parties have committed to excluding any kind of cooperation with AfD through the so-called Brandmauer (firewall), Aust said the far-right party—currently…