Police have charged the man taken into custody in central Auckland with attempted murder.
Emergency services were called to Myers Park about 4:45pm on Sunday, to reports of a serious assault.
“The child victim remains in Starship Hospital in a serious but stable condition, while the 20-year-old man remains in hospital in serious condition as a result of self-inflicted injuries”, said Superintendent Sunny Patel.
“The 20-year-old has been charged with attempted murder in relation to the assault on the child.
“The child’s family have been advised and are being supported.
“A scene examination at Myers Park has been completed, and the investigation into what happened is ongoing.
“Police are not seeking anyone else in relation to the incident, nor do we believe there is any ongoing risk to the public.
“As part of the ongoing enquiry, Police are urging anyone who saw what happened, and/or anyone with photos or video of the incident, to please come forward.”
You can call 105 or go online to 105.police.govt.nz and click ‘Update Report’, referencing file number 261025/2283.
Canterbury produced a remarkable second-half resurgence to defeat Northland 43-24 in the NPC final at a sold-out Te Kaha Stadium in Christchurch, securing their 16th provincial title and a second consecutive championship.
Down 21-10 at halftime, the defending champions seized control after the break, crossing for five tries to overwhelm the Taniwha.
Captain Brodie McAlister credited Canterbury’s reserves for helping turn the contest around, while Northland skipper Rivez Reihana acknowledged the opposition’s superior intensity. Although Northland’s historic first appearance in an NPC final ended in defeat, their breakthrough campaign, which included a five-week reign as Ranfurly Shield holders, has strengthened confidence in the province’s rugby future.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has claimed a fourth term in office after defeating Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, in a closely contested presidential election.
According to the final count released by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE), Lula received 51.79% of valid votes, compared with Bolsonaro’s 48.21%, a margin of more than 4.4 million votes.
Speaking to supporters in São Paulo, Lula expressed gratitude to voters and pledged to increase public participation in government decision-making.
Bolsonaro has declined to concede defeat and announced plans to challenge the election result, alleging improper judicial intervention in the voting process. His objections centre on a decision by Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin to extend voting hours nationwide by two hours following reports that transport disruptions had prevented some voters from reaching polling stations.
Bolsonaro argued that the extension, announced shortly after the original 5pm closing time, amounted to an inappropriate change in electoral procedures.
According to Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, senior judicial officials have acknowledged ‘procedural shortcomings’ in the handling of the extension but have ruled out annulling the election.
The dispute raises the prospect of further legal proceedings as Lula prepares to begin his fourth presidential term.
Montes Claros City councilwoman Iara Pimentel was injured by a projectile at a campaign event.
A politician from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s party was injured when attackers threw stones and bottles at a campaign vehicle on the eve of Sunday’s crucial presidential runoff.
The violent incident came as Brazilians voted in a tightly contested election between left-wing incumbent Lula, who has championed closer ties with BRICS nations, and right-wing challenger and Donald Trump ally Flavio Bolsonaro.
Montes Claros City councilwoman Iara Pimentel, a member of Lula’s Workers’ Party (PT), was struck in the face during a campaign event late Saturday night in Minas Gerais state in southeastern Brazil, according to state news agency Agencia Brasil (ABr).
Video footage showed bottles, bricks, and other objects being thrown at the campaign vehicle carrying the politician. Later images showed her bloodied face.
Ajudem essas imagens a chegar à policia! Não podemos permitir que esse tipo de gente, que estimula o ódio, governo o país! https://t.co/51eU79KCLR
She was taken to a local hospital by ambulance, ABr reported.
“Thinking differently is a right. Political violence is a threat to democracy. No disagreement can justify acts of aggression or put lives at risk,” Pimentel said in a statement cited by the agency.
Ana Elisa, a 21-year-old congresswoman-elect from Lula’s Workers’ Party representing Minas Gerais, condemned the attack and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
Lula also condemned what he described as multiple incidents of violence during the election.
“The most sacred thing in democracy is democratic coexistence in diversity,” he said, according to ABr, arguing that neighbors should be able to support different political candidates and sports teams or hold different beliefs without resorting to violence.
The assault occurred just hours before polls opened on Sunday and weeks after the close of the first round of Brazil’s presidential election on October 4. Lula received just over 45%, while 47% went to Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro – who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup following his 2022 election defeat. Trump has described the former president’s prosecution as a “witch hunt.”
The election has also been marred by allegations of interference by US tech giant Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Meta blocked the Facebook advertising account used by Lula’s team ahead of the first round on October 4, then prevented his official Instagram account from boosting posts days later, according to campaign officials.
Meta denied politically interfering in the election, but internal company messages acknowledged technical restrictions affecting Lula’s Instagram account, Folha de S.Paulo newspaper reported last week, citing internal communications.
Investigators are examining whether the suspect intended to offer confidential company information to Saudi Arabia.
The FBI is examining whether a former OpenAI engineer accused of bugging an executive meeting room intended to offer secrets to Saudi Arabia.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is weighing an economic espionage charge against a former OpenAI engineer accused of bugging a restricted conference room, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing a law-enforcement official.
Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national, was arrested on October 9 after OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, discovered an encrypted recorder behind a television in an executive meeting room at its San Francisco offices. He is currently charged with using or attempting to use a device to intercept oral communications, an offense carrying up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Investigators are now examining whether Alfozan stole information to offer to the Saudi government, even without having been recruited to do so, according to the WSJ. He is also reportedly being investigated for possible trade secret theft. An economic espionage conviction could carry up to 15 years in prison and a $5 million fine per count.
His lawyer, William Pernik, said he had received no information about a possible espionage case, telling the WSJ that his client “will fight these charges and allegations in court, not in the press.”
Pernik has stressed that Alfozan was charged with violating a federal recording statute, “not stealing trade secrets or working as a foreign agent.”
OpenAI and the Saudi Embassy declined to comment when approached by the newspaper.
According to court documents, prosecutors claim that Alfozan, who joined OpenAI in July 2025, had intended to capture sensitive discussions about its AI technology. He allegedly maintained frequent contact with an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family throughout 2025 and 2026, with whom he discussed a potential job at an AI initiative in the kingdom.
His ties also included a role at Saudi investment firm Raed Ventures alongside Prince Khalid bin Bader Al Saud, though the prince was not identified as the royal involved.
Prosecutors said that Alfozan had booked tickets to the kingdom for himself, his wife, and their infant son for October 12. After his arrest, a flight for his family was reportedly arranged by a member of the Saudi military, whom Alfozan’s lawyer identified as his wife’s brother-in-law acting in a personal capacity.
The Saudi consulate has offered to cover his full bail, arrange supervision, and withhold travel documents, while the defense offered an additional $1 million in his assets.
On Monday, Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse nevertheless denied release over flight concerns, describing the offer as “problematic.”
“It seems like a blank check: ‘We’re gonna pay whatever the court wants to make sure he gets out,’” the judge said, noting that Saudi Arabia has no extradition treaty with the US.
Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, whom US President Donald Trump appointed earlier this month to lead a federal AI task force, said the case underscored why winning the AI race was “a national security prerogative” and pledged to safeguard “America’s cutting-edge intellectual property from foreign threats.”
The incident comes amid intensifying global technological competition, with Trump insisting that America must prevail in the AI race at any cost.
The US president has repeatedly rejected calls by industry leaders to slow the development of increasingly powerful models, stressing that “Whoever wins AI, wins.”
The Yemeni militants confirmed new attacks as the conflict with the Riyadh-led coalition intensifies.
Yemen’s Houthis have struck several targets in Saudi Arabia, including two international airports and energy infrastructure facilities operated by the oil giant Saudi Aramco, the group’s military spokesman said on Saturday.
The conflict between Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, and the Saudi-led coalition escalated last month, when the militant group seized the Red Sea port cities of Mocha and Dhubab as well as Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis have since tightened their siege of Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city and a key stronghold of anti-Houthi forces.
In a statement posted on X, Yahya Saree said the Houthis had conducted seven operations using ballistic missiles and drones, targeting King Khalid Airport in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Najran Airport and Khamis Mushait Air Base, as well as Aramco’s facilities in Yanbu, the Rabigh oil refinery and crude oil pumping stations, and a pipeline linking eastern and western Saudi Arabia.
The spokesman said the attacks were carried out in response to what the group described as Saudi “aggression” against Yemen. Saree claimed Saudi forces had launched 100 airstrikes over the previous 24 hours, targeting civilian infrastructure in Sanaa and other areas, leaving dozens dead and wounded.
He said the Houthis would continue attacking Saudi territory until the “aggression” ends and the Saudi-led coalition lifts its restrictions on the movement of goods and people into and out of Yemen.
The latest attack came as Riyadh’s main air hub prepared to resume operations after more than two weeks of disruption following earlier Houthi strikes. The facility announced a partial reopening from Sunday. In a separate post on X, Saree warned that airlines, airport staff and passengers against using the site, calling it a military target and saying it would remain unsafe.
The spokesman also accused Riyadh of spreading false claims that the Houthis had targeted the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, insisting that the group’s operations were directed solely at Saudi oil facilities and military bases and were announced as they took place.
The accusation came in response to Saudi Civil Defense claims that debris from the interception of two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis fell in the Mecca and Medina regions on Saturday. The debris landed in several locations, including Wadi Al-Mughammas in Mecca, Jeddah, Taif and Rabigh, the agency said on Saturday.
Yemen’s civil war began in 2014, with Saudi Arabia leading a military intervention the following year to support the internationally recognized government against the Houthis. Fighting eased under a UN-brokered truce in 2022 but escalated sharply in September 2026.
The renewed conflict has seen the Houthis launch missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities, while the Riyadh-led coalition has intensified airstrikes on Houthi positions, command centers and weapons networks.
The Houthis have claimed the total number of Saudi airstrikes and missile attacks since the latest escalation began has reached 3,123.
Over 1,300 protesters were arrested in France alone at the weekend.
The recent wave of protests that swept across Western Europe were the result of the EU’s own mistakes, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. European countries, he added, are struggling to manage the migration crisis.
“Europeans are dismantling their own traditions, so they are even less able to convey them to migrants,” Putin told journalist Pavel Zarubin.
Mass protests took place again over the weekend. Demonstrators, reportedly angry over soaring living costs and inept government policies clashed with riot police in several cities.
The anti-givernment unrest has largely been inspired by the protests in France, which began in September and then spread to other countries.
Putin said some European leaders are unable to take responsibility for unrest. Instead of analyzing the situation and identifying its causes they tend to blame other countries – first the US and now Russia, he said.
“But they quickly came to their senses and reverted to their traditional accusations against Russia. My first reaction when I saw this was surprise, because to claim that we are provoking mass protests in major European cities is really going too far,” the president said, adding that it reflects the leaders’ weakness in being unable to tackle the situation.
Putin believes Europe lacks the resources to integrate all migrants, and that has led to a crisis.
France remains a focal point of the protests, with at least 410,000 people taking to the streets nationwide on Saturday, including around 110,000 in Paris, according to French Interior Ministry figures.
Protests have also taken place across Italy, following a wave of violence last weekend in cities including Rome, Naples and Bologna. Police deployed water cannons and tear gas to disperse unruly demonstrators.
Major anti-government demonstrations have also been held in Brussels, Belgium and Lisbon, Portugal with thousands marching against soaring rents and unaffordable housing. Spain has joined the weekend of protests too, with a massive pensioners’ demonstration held in Madrid. On Friday night, protests erupted in the center of Barcelona with over 100 people arrested overnight.
The prime minister wants to move away from military neutrality – and the Irish people could be left with a bill for foreign entanglements.
The Irish political week has once again been marked by bitter exchanges, this time over the Triple Lock Agreement, our long-standing tradition of military neutrality, and whether a referendum should be held before any fundamental change is made to it.
Taoiseach (Ireland’s prime minister) Micheal Martin has accused the country’s largest opposition party Sinn Fein, which fiercely opposes the idea of dismantling Triple Lock, of not giving a “continental” about Irish neutrality. The word is his own, and it is worth reflecting on its meaning.
But I have a question of my own for Mr. Martin: does he give a continental about the health and well-being of the Irish people?
What does neutrality mean to a parent whose three-year-old child is suffering in agony while waiting nine hours in Galway Regional Hospital? What comfort does it offer families struggling to access essential medical care, or parents and students caught up in this week’s education strikes? And what of the many other problems that continue to weigh upon ordinary Irish households?
The latest figures, obtained from the HSE by Padraig Rice, Social Democrats TD and Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Health, make the situation even more difficult to ignore. Between January and July of this year, more than 70,100 people in Ireland either left emergency departments before completing their treatment or did not wait to be seen. A further 31,821 patients waited longer than 24 hours to be admitted or discharged. The average waiting time in emergency departments was 9.3 hours.
These matters concern real people, their children, their dignity, and their daily lives. Before our leaders lecture us about international responsibilities, should they not first explain why such basic needs remain unmet at home?
Ireland is not a wealthy country merely because figures on a government spreadsheet say so. A country’s true wealth lies in the quality of its health service, the education of its children, the reliability of its transport, and the infrastructure that allows people to live and work with confidence. By that measure, we still have much to do.
Yet Irish taxpayers are repeatedly asked to support ever greater expenditure connected with the conflict in Ukraine. At what point do we pause and ask whether our priorities are in the right order?
Mr. Martin, charity begins at home. Have you forgotten the recession of 2008 and the painful years that followed? Irish families know what it means to endure financial insecurity, lost opportunities, and the consequences of decisions made far above their heads. We should remember, too, the countries that stood by Ireland during difficult times, and consider carefully where our obligations lie today.
This week, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has again been pressing for further support for Ukraine while criticizing US President Donald Trump. Ordinary European citizens are expected to accept the bill.
But surely there comes a moment when the people who pay must be entitled to ask questions.
I believe European citizens should stand up for themselves, examine the priorities of their leaders, and refuse to treat every pronouncement from Brussels as unquestionable wisdom. Supporting a country in distress is one thing; allowing an open-ended political commitment to overshadow pressing needs at home is quite another.
Imagine what could be achieved if public money were spent with greater care and accountability. Imagine health services where children did not have to wait hours in pain, schools where disputes did not repeatedly interrupt education, and transport and infrastructure that served communities as they deserve to be served. These are not some extravagant dreams – just the reasonable expectations of a modern society.
Meanwhile, EU leaders continue to speak as though the destruction of Russia were a realistic or desirable political objective. I believe this approach is dangerously misguided. Russia is a major power, and European security requires clear thinking, diplomacy, and an honest assessment of the risks of prolonged confrontation. Declaring ever more money and resources necessary does not, by itself, bring peace any closer.
Nor does constant hostility offer a convincing vision for Europe’s future. António Costa, Kaja Kallas, Ursula von der Leyen, and other senior figures in the European hierarchy should be judged by the consequences of their decisions, not by the strength of their rhetoric. The EU was supposed to offer cooperation, stability, and prosperity. It should not become an institution in which confrontation abroad takes precedence over the needs of its own citizens.
And what of Ukraine itself? If European leaders genuinely care about the Ukrainian people, surely their first concern should be the preservation of human life and the search for a sustainable peace. Endless conflict brings suffering, displacement, destruction, and the loss of generations who might otherwise have built a future for themselves. The human cost deserves at least as much attention as the political ambitions of those directing the response.
I do not believe that the future of Europe should be built upon the assumption that Russia must be destroyed. I believe it should be built upon realism, diplomacy, accountability, and the recognition that war always extracts its price from ordinary people first.
Ireland has its own history of hardship, resilience, and recovery. We know what it means to struggle, to rebuild, and to depend upon the solidarity of others. That history should make us thoughtful about the suffering of people elsewhere, but it should also remind us of our responsibility to our own citizens.
Before asking Irish taxpayers to shoulder yet another burden, our government should explain what it is doing to ensure that a sick child receives timely treatment, that pupils receive the education they need, and that public services function as they should.
Mr. Martin, the question is not whether Ireland should care about the wider world. Of course it should. The question is whether caring about the wider world has become an excuse for neglecting the people who elected you.
Charity begins at home. So does responsibility. And so, ultimately, should political accountability.
It is time for Ireland, and for the EU, to put ordinary people back at the center of public life. Our taxes should serve the public good, our leaders should be answerable for their choices, and diplomacy should seek to preserve lives rather than prolong their destruction.
