Author: Press Room
Rapper A$AP Rocky was found not guilty today of firing a handgun at a former friend on a Hollywood street in 2021.Los Angeles jurors deliberated for only about three hours before clearing him of two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.The 36-year-old hip-hop star, fashion mogul and burgeoning actor — whose legal name is Rakim Mayers — risked more than 24 years in prison if he had been convicted.On the eve of trial, he turned down a prosecution offer of just six months in jail, along with probation and other conditions, if he would plead guilty to one…
Queenstown burger bar Fergburger has publicly apologised after a tourist was given a receipt containing a racial slur. A photograph of a receipt, dated for Sunday, was posted to social media on Monday by a Taiwanese tourist.The poster alleged their friend did not give their name to the server who then identified them on the receipt as “ching chang”.The tourist also contacted local tour guide Roxie Fu and told her she was “shocked” at the experience. “Fergburger is such a big company that’s iconic to Queenstown and New Zealand, it’s a shock to see this behaviour, especially in such a…
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has slashed the OCR by 50 basis points to 3.75%. Economists had expected the central bank to deliver a third consecutive big cut today, in a bid to support the weak economy. Two banks had already announced they would cut their interest rates, ahead of the decision. Economists have suggest future OCR cuts will be smaller, fewer, and spread out. More to come
A 28-year-old has been arrested and charged with murder after a man died following an assault in Hastings late on Sunday. Police said they were called to a “group of people fighting” on Kiwi Ln at around 10.30pm on Sunday night. Detective Inspector Martin James said a homicide investigation was launched after a 33-year-old man died in Hawke’s Bay Hospital around 11pm, after he was brought in following an assault. He said a large team of detectives conducted scene examinations at several addresses in the suburb of Camberley and an address in Napier yesterday. “Resulting from this work, a 28-year-old…
The Prime Minister says he is “open” to New Zealand providing peacekeepers in Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached. Luxon’s comments come as top US and Russian officials plan to meet in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to discuss an end to the war – without Kyiv’s involvement – and European leaders held a crisis meeting in the wake of the US President Donald Trump’s overtures to Russia.Asked whether New Zealand would be prepared to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of any ceasefire, Christopher Luxon told RNZ that was something he would consider. “I think that is something…
By Phil Pennington of RNZ Rocket Lab is poised to launch a satellite from Mahia Peninsula for a United States company looking to bolster military and spying operations. BlackSky’s plan is to add laser optic links later to its Gen-3 satellites to give “war-fighters real-time access to imagery during time-sensitive military operations worldwide”. It comes shortly after Rocket Lab won a part in a mega-deal to help develop hypersonic weapons for the Pentagon, prompting the firm to state it was “ready to serve the US Department of Defense”. The New York-listed, New Zealand-born company has also completed a design review…
Kāinga Ora has ended the tenancy of a tenant in Whangārei’s Tikipunga over allegations cats were being shot and neighbours threatened.Warning: This story contains details which some readers may find distressing.It comes after, in an unrelated case, Danielle Leaf-Marsh was evicted after what neighbours said was “psychological torture” from her parties and loud music.Another tenant, Roger Woodgate, had his Kāinga Ora tenancy of a Tikipunga property terminated at the end of January.The Tenancy Tribunal was told he was the sole resident of a two-bedroom property, and the tenancy had started on October 14, 2024.But Kāinga Ora said he had assaulted…
The Ukrainian President said he did not want any “coincidences” after his country was not invited to talks between the US and Russia in the Saudi Arabian city of Riyadh. ADVERTISEMENTUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he’s cancelled his scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia to avoid what he called “coincidences” following a meeting between US and Russian officials in Riyadh.Zelenskyy’s announcement came as he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks in Ankara, during which he said any Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations shouldn’t take place “behind the backs” of the parties involved.”We are completely honest and open. That’s why…
Police have appealed for information after a possible sighting of fugitive father Tom Phillips and his children alongside a state highway over the weekend in the first possible sighting of the family since October last year.A member of the public called police on Sunday to report four people dressed in camouflage sitting in a layby on State Highway 4, south of Te Kuiti, at around 8.30am.The sighting was around 100m south of the Tikitiki Rd intersection with Aramatai Rd.Police said the group was comprised of an adult, believed to be a man, and three other people, two of which were…
New Zealand’s new tourism slogan ‘Everyone must go’ which aims to attract Australians to visit has hit the international headlines. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Tourism Minister Louise Upston launched the Australian part of the tourism campaign last Sunday. Upston said it would cost taxpayers $500,000 and be followed by more campaigns targeting other places. RNZ then reported that the Green Party said the slogan could by applied to the long bathroom queues at local facilities, while Labour said it made New Zealand sound like a clearance-sale item. Media in the United States and United Kingdom have reported on the controversy…