Ten people have been convicted of cyber bullying over false claims that Brigitte Macron was secretly transgender and guilty of paedophilia. The remaining defendants were found guilty of “intentionally harming the plaintiff” through “malicious, degrading and insulting” messages referring to her alleged paedophilia, Thierry Donnard, the presiding judge, said. He added that the sustained online attacks constituted cyber bullying and had led to “a deterioration of her physical and mental health”. Mrs Macron, who married Emmanuel Macron in 2007, did not attend the two-day trial, which took place in October. His X account was suspended last year after being cited in several judicial investigations.

Photo: ODT FilesThe holiday road toll has risen to eight with the death of a woman in hospital yesterday. The official Christmas and New Year period ended at 6am on Monday and the road toll was seven at that time. However, a woman who was critically injured in a crash on State Highway 3 south of Turakina on January 2 died in Wellington Hospital yesterday, and the death is included in the holiday period toll. The director of road policing, Superintendent Steve Greally, said police were not celebrating the drop in deaths over the past few years, because even one death was one too many. Greally said police would continue road policing operations and patrols, especially in higher-risk crash areas.

The woman appeared in Manukau District Court yesterday on one count of drug importation and has been remanded until April for a case review hearing. Customs officers allege they found 18kg of methamphetamine stuffed in the woman's checked luggage when she arrived in NZ from Singapore. Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, the woman, who is listed as having no fixed abode, could face life imprisonment if convicted. Anyone with suspicions about possible smuggling should contact Customs confidentially on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Lane Nichols is Auckland desk editor for the New Zealand Herald with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry.

Photo: ODT filesA drink-driver found lying in the road has been taken to hospital after crashing into a power pole, police say. He admitted he was drinking prior to driving, Snr Sgt Bond said, and was taken to Dunedin Hospital in a moderate to serious condition. Police were called back to the hospital at 2.15am today because the man refused to provide a blood sample to a medical practitioner. He was summonsed to court on January 16 for refusing to provide a blood sample, and his licence has been suspended for 28 days. The investigation into the crash was ongoing, Snr Sgt Bond said.

Photo: SuppliedNetsafe is warning people to be extra cautious with emails they receive, including their private information, as hackers threaten to release more than 400,000 stolen health documents. Patient portal Manage My Health is the largest in New Zealand and used by general practices to relay information and dispatch subscriptions. Photo: RNZNetsafe warning for portal usersNetsafe is warning people to be extra cautious with emails they receive including their private information. Manage My Health has identified general practices whose patients have had their private health information breached, but it is not yet clear when the patients will be told. "From my perspective, health data is right up there with financial data, some of the most critical data that needs to be protected.

US President Donald Trump announced that the US government will "run" Venezuela. Delcy Rodriguez new leaderWith Maduro gone, his former Vice-President, Delcy Rodriguez, will be sworn in Monday as President, the head of the Parliament said. Photo / Getty ImagesMaduro became President in 2013, taking over from his equally hardline socialist predecessor Hugo Chavez. And the newly re-elected head of Venezuela’s parliament vowed to explore “all avenues” to get the deposed leader back. ‘Need access to oil’When asked what he needs from interim leader Rodriguez, Trump said: “We need total access.

Photo: NZ PoliceFriends are worried for the safety of a Dunedin man missing for a week after going tramping near Lake Ohau. Connor Purvis, 20, had intended to climb Mount Huxley on or about December 30, descending down the Huxley River South branch. Police said this morning yesterday’s searches were focused in the upper South Temple Valley, Mt Huxley and the Huxley River South Branch, both on foot and via helicopter. A continued effort again today will focus on Mt Huxley, the Huxley River South Branch and upper Ahuriri River. Police want to hear from anyone who has climbed Mt Huxley in the past several weeks.

Photo: ODT FilesMore than a dozen people have been injured in a crash involving a truck and van in Northland. Emergency services were called to the scene in Lamb Rd, near the town of Pukenui, about 7.45am today. Hato Hone St John said it looked at and treated 13 people in conditions ranging from minor to serious. It said seven had been taken to Kaitaia Hospital, three in a moderate condition. Three ambulances, one first response unit and one helicopter responded and police were also at the scene.

Kevin Marlow with the group of stakeholders who signed an MOU late last year. After a stakeholders’ meeting more than a year and a-half ago, Queenstown 4WD enthusiast Kevin Marlow was appointed by the Mahu Whenua Tracks Advisory Group to find a solution. The solution is a gateway, about 3km from Arrowtown, which vehicle users can pass through with a permit bought online. Mr Marlow said the gate, which would be remotely monitored by CCTV, would be open until the system went live at the end of next month. The Mahu Whenua Tracks Advisory Group is made of of representatives from the Shotover 4WD Club, Queenstown Trails Trust, Arrowtown Village Association, Queenstown’s council and pastoral lessee Soho Property Ltd.

Photo: NZ PoliceSearch efforts remain ongoing for a Dunedin man missing for a week after going tramping near Lake Ohau. "We remain closely connected with Connor's family and we continue to feel for them, and support them, as our search efforts continue." Mr Purvis, who works at Dunedin bike shop Bike House, is a cornet player in the Kaikorai Metropolitan Brass. Specialist search teams working today included Wānaka Canyon and Drone teams, the Dunedin Cliff rescue team, and a number of Land Search and Rescue teams. "We are also grateful for the efforts of the Ōamaru, Ōmārama, Twizel and Dunedin Land Search and Rescue groups, who are working in difficult and rugged terrain."

“A continued effort again today will focus on Mt Huxley, the Huxley River South Branch and upper Ahuriri River. “Police want to thank the Ōmārama and wider Mackenzie community, along with the Ōmārama volunteer fire brigade for their outstanding support of the search effort. “We are also grateful for the efforts of the Ōamaru, Ōmārama, Twizel and Dunedin Land Search and Rescue groups, who are working in difficult and rugged terrain.”A large-scale search over a large area is ongoing for a missing tramper in the Mt Huxley region of the Southern Alps. “We ask anyone who has climbed Mt Huxley or has been tramping or hunting in the Huxley River South Branch between December 28 and January 2 to make contact with police if they haven’t already,” Sheat said. A large search is underway for Connor Purvis, a tramper missing near Lake Ōhau.

“We’ll worry about Greenland in about two months,” continued Trump. “Let’s talk about Greenland in 20 days.”Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen took to social media to tell the US leader: “That’s enough now. Aaja Chemnitz, an MP who represents Greenland in the Danish parliament, accused Trump of “spreading lies about Chinese and Russian warships”. “The people of Greenland should go into preparation mode,” she told AFP, adding that Greenlanders needed to start taking Trump much more seriously. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said “only Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark” could decide the territory’s future – sentiments reflected in statements from the leaders of Finland, Sweden and Norway.

Fire crews were called to the Mosgiel building about 9am today. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYA fire investigator has been notified following a blaze in an Mosgiel industrial estate this morning. The fire was located in the roof of the commercial building, about 20m by 50m in size. At 11.30am, crews were beginning to scale down their response and return to station, she said. A fire investigator had been notified but it was not yet certain if they would attend the scene, the spokeswoman said.

Cyclists on the banks of the Clutha River were treated to an expert display of slalom kayaking yesterday morning, but most did not realise they were watching Olympic-level competitors. Coming back to Central Otago for a summer break was a welcome respite in a hectic calendar, Butcher said. Back where it all began are (from left), Finn Butcher’s father Dale Butcher, of Alexandra, Australian kayak cross Olympic gold medallist Noemie Fox, Olympic kayak cross gold medallist Finn Butcher and his partner fellow slalom canoeist Courtney Williams. Cyclists on the Alexandra-Clyde trail yesterday morning were mostly unaware they were watching top class athletes including two Olympic gold medallists. Winners in kayak cross at Paris in 2024 Alexandra-born Finn Butcher and Australian Noemie Fox were on the Clutha River along with Butcher’s partner and fellow slalom canoeist Courtney Williams.

The coroner referenced Australia's recent decision to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms and that the New Zealand government was discussing a similar bill. Photo: Getty ImagesA coroner is calling for restrictions on the internet after a teenager accidentally died while imitating acts he saw online. The coroner referenced Australia's recent decision to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms and that the New Zealand government was discussing a similar bill. Robb said the teen's death "highlights the need for internet access restrictions being imposed, where a youth might access the internet" and that parental controls on residential modems didn't go far enough. "While controls can be applied to the device, the risk remains that tech-savvy youth can work around this," he said.