Author: Press Room

ADVERTISEMENTThe bodies of three US soldiers found dead in Lithuania have been identified as Dante Taitano, 21, Edvin Franco, 25, and Jose Duenez, 25. The identity of the fourth and final body recovered is being withheld for the moment, according to US military officials, but the search is now over.The body of the last missing soldier was found dead on Tuesday, marking the end of the week-long search for the four service members whose armoured vehicle was recovered from a swampy training area. A solidarity rally outside the US Embassy yesterday drew hundreds of people, including politicians, soldiers, and civilians,…

Tony Bennett’s two daughters have filed a new lawsuit against their brother, alleging he illegally enriched himself at their expense against their father’s wishes both before and after the legendary singer’s death in 2023.Antonia and Johanna Bennett filed the lawsuit Monday in New York against D’Andrea “Danny” Bennett, who was their father’s manager and heads their family trust.“Since Tony’s death, Johanna and Antonia have discovered that Danny exercised complete and unchecked control over Tony and his financial affairs prior to and following his death through multiple fiduciary and other roles of authority that Danny has abused, and continues to abuse,…

Orange heavy rain warnings have been issued across the top and west of the South Island for the coming days.And parts of the North Island are under a heavy rain watch.MetService said a deep low over the Tasman Sea would direct “moist northerlies” over the country on Thursday and Friday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.”This could be a significant rain event for the Tasman/Nelson districts, and there is a chance that warnings in the area could be upgraded to red,” the forecaster said.The heaviest rainfall was expected in the Tasman region, northwest of Motueka.Between 350-450mm of rain were forecast…

A fresh push to incentivise Europeans to invest in EU assets has been weaponised in an online disinformation campaign. Euroverify investigates. ADVERTISEMENTThe EU executive is not looking to “confiscate” up to €10 trillion in money stashed away in European citizens’ savings accounts to spend on defence, despite a claim circulating widely on social media.Euroverify has detected the false allegation on X, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, fuelled by an article published on the Russian state news agency TASS.The disinformation campaign falsely accuses Brussels of wanting to dip into taxpayers’ savings to “fund its war machine” and “militarise the EU.”The unfounded claims…

By Gyles Beckford of RNZ Westpac’s chief economist has thrown a cat among the forecasting pigeons by saying the Reserve Bank (RBNZ) should not cut the benchmark official cash rate (OCR) at next week’s monetary review. Kelly Eckhold said he expected the RBNZ will go ahead with a smaller sized cut of 25 basis points to 3.5%, because it had already strongly hinted a further cut would happen when it reduced the OCR in February by a third consecutive 50 point cut. But he has questioned whether another cut is needed or should be delivered right now. “This OCR cut is likely…

A child was a passenger in a vehicle when a driver allegedly rammed three police cars, injuring five officers, in Lower Hutt yesterday afternoon.A 49-year-old man was taken into custody following the incident.Wellington District Commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell said officers were called to Trinity Ave, Epuni after receiving a report of suspicious behaviour shortly before 5.30pm.”A responding police unit observed a vehicle of interest leaving the area and signalled for it to stop.”It did not stop and instead, drove into the police vehicle and then into two other police vehicles that arrived to assist.”Parnell said a member of the public’s…

An interview tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen on the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) is featured on Radio Schuman today. ADVERTISEMENTThe Digital Services Act (DSA) is not intended to regulate content but to protect freedom of speech, EU Commissioner for tech Henna Virkkunen tells Euronews’ Shona Murray in an interview featured on Radio Schuman today.Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump have criticised the EU’s regulatory efforts, arguing that they undermine democracy and free speech. In response to this criticism, Virkkunen downplayed concerns from the United States, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to enforcing the Digital Services Act, and emphasised that online…

Val Kilmer, the brooding, versatile actor who played fan favourite Iceman in Top Gun, donned a voluminous cape as Batman in Batman Forever and portrayed Jim Morrison in The Doors, has died. He was 65.Kilmer died today in Los Angeles, surrounded by family and friends, his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, said in an email to The Associated Press.Val Kilmer died from pneumonia. He had recovered after a 2014 throat cancer diagnosis that required two tracheotomies.”I have behaved poorly. I have behaved bravely. I have behaved bizarrely to some. I deny none of this and have no regrets because I have lost…

Police are not searching for anyone else in relation to the deaths of a couple in the Wellington suburb of Roseneath.A concerned family member asked officers to do a welfare check on the occupants of the Palliser Rd property about 10.25pm on Monday.Police forced their way in and found two people dead.Post-mortems were completed today and the case will be referred to the coroner.”Police will continue to have a presence in the area as we work to understand the reasoning behind this tragic incident,” Detective Inspector Haley Ryan said.”We would like to hear from anyone who may have information that…

Germany is anticipating a trade war as President Donald Trump prepares a raft of punitive tariffs. How will the country’s car manufacturers be affected? ADVERTISEMENTUS President Donald Trump is expected to announce further tariffs on imports this week, in addition to the 25% tariffs on imported cars and car parts he has already ordered. But while governments and exporters the world over have been preparing for his next move, predicting what it will be or what impact it will have has proven difficult. Trump has also repeatedly flip-flopped between announcing tariffs and then pausing them. Markets are in a volatile…