Author: Press Room

Lukashenko marked three decades in power last year and his political opponents have denounced the tightly orchestrated presidential election on 26 January as a farce. ADVERTISEMENTAlexander Lukashenko has been sworn in for a seventh consecutive term as president of Belarus at a ceremony in the capital Minsk.During the ceremony, Lukashenko poked fun at those who call him ‘Europe’s last dictator’ by claiming Belarus has more democracy “than those who cast themselves as its models.””Half of the world is dreaming about our ‘dictatorship,’ the dictatorship of real business and interests of our people,” Lukashenko said in his inauguration speech at the Independence…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ New Zealanders are coming around to the idea that now is a good time to buy a house, Trade Me says – and a lack of suitable houses is still a big concern for buyers, even with listings at a 10-year high. It has released new data that shows two-thirds of people think it is a good time, compared with 53 percent in October 2024 and 55 percent in March 2023. Spokesperson Casey Wylde said the market was changing and people were feeling more confident. She said a falling official cash rate and retail interest…

A Christchurch landlord who rented out a property where daylight was visible through gaps in the walls and ceiling has been ordered to pay more than $13,000.An investigation into the Bishopdale property, managed by Trott Dairy Limited, was launched in July 2023 after the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team (TCIT) received a referral from the Christchurch City Council.Upon visiting the property, investigators found “various issues”, including a detached garage that had been unlawfully converted into a residential unit.The outside of the Bishopdale property, managed by Trott Dairy Limited. (Source: Supplied)Other issues included exposed…

A Dunedin-based photo printing firm — which has counted e-commerce giant Amazon among its customers — will continue to trade while liquidators explore the possibility of selling the business. Earlier this month, Trevor and Emma Laing, of Laing Insolvency Specialists, were appointed liquidators of Accelerando Ltd, which trades as HappyMoose, by shareholder resolution. In their first report to creditors and shareholders, the liquidators said a decision was made in October last year to sell the HappyMoose business and use the proceeds to fund the international expansion of Keepers Photos Ltd, which developed a photo storage application and was wholly owned…

A new Chinese tool capable of cutting the most fortified undersea data cable has stoked fears for the spider web of fibre-optic cables that are the lifeblood of the internet.A Chinese engineering journal said the breakthrough tool, which would be deployed by a drone, is for civilian salvages. But the South China Morning Post reported that it “could shake up global maritime power dynamics”.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon mentioned the risks facing subsea cables on his visit to India last week, while not referring to the Chinese tool.”In the last few months, a new threat has emerged, with damage to critical…

İmamoğlu’s arrest has been widely viewed as politically motivated and sparked demonstrations in cities across the country, some of which have turned violent. ADVERTISEMENTThe head of Turkey’s main opposition party has visited jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu after six nights of mass protests calling for his release.İmamoğlu, who was arrested on 19 March on corruption charges, is seen as the main challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s 22-year rule.His arrest has been widely viewed as politically motivated and sparked demonstrations in cities across the country, some of which have turned violent.The government insists Turkey’s judiciary is independent and free of political influence.Özgür Özel, the leader…

June Carter, Kenny Chesney and Tony Brown have been invited to join the Country Music Hall of Fame.The Country Music Association announced the new 2025 inductees on Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee.Carter, the Grammy-winning member of one of country music’s pioneering families and the wife of country giant Johnny Cash, joins as this year’s veteran-era artist. Chesney, who has won the CMA Awards entertainer of the year four times, joins as the modern era artist. And Brown, a Nashville producer who has supervised a wide array of best-selling hits by Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, George Strait and many others, will join…

Officers working at a police custody unit in Gisborne failed to properly check on a woman convicted of murder who was found dead in her cell. The circumstances surrounding the death of 63-year-old Lynne Martin have been detailed in a decision released by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) today. Martin was convicted of murdering her 88-year-old father by setting fire to his house near Te Karaka following a three-week trial in November 2023.Following the conviction, Martin was taken to the Gisborne police custody suite at the police station, where she would stay overnight before being moved to a corrections…

Due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, the Dutch government wants to more than double the number of people serving in the armed forces, from 70,000 to 200,000 people. ADVERTISEMENTThe Dutch Ministry of Defence has confirmed it aims to more than double its military personnel, from 70,000 to 200,000 by 2030. In a letter from the State Secretary for Defence, Gijs Tuinman, to the House of Representatives, he said that defence is “facing a major change,” which means “that the Netherlands must be able to stand on its own two feet.”In order to increase the size of the armed forces, the government…

A person has been charged with manslaughter after a 72-year-old man died in an incident while hunting in Bay of Plenty last week. Police were alerted to a sudden death in Minginui, Whakatāne, around 2am on Friday.The man killed was today named as 72-year-old Stuart Maxwell Stobie from Kawerau.Police today confirmed a 46-year-old man was arrested.He is due to appear in the Rotorua District Court today charged with manslaughter, unlawful hunting, and unlawful possession of a firearm.Stobie’s death is being referred to the coroner. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time,” police said. In a…