A U.S. diplomat has been expelled from New Zealand, and no one will say why
After the U.S. Embassy in New Zealand told police they would not be allowed to interview a diplomat involved in a mysterious incident earlier this month, the staffer was expelled from the country.
Whatever happened took place on March 12 outside Wellington, the BBC reports. While police won't give any details and U.S. officials have only confirmed that the unidentified diplomat left on Saturday, New Zealand Radio says he departed the country with a black eye and broken nose. The 1961 Vienna Convention gives all diplomatic staff working in New Zealand immunity from prosecution, but the foreign ministry says it will pulll immunity "if there are allegations of serious crimes."
The U.S. Embassy said it doesn't comment on matters under investigation, but it takes "seriously any suggestion that our staff has fallen short of the high standards of conduct expected of U.S. government personnel."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
7 sweet experiences for chocolate loversThe Week Recommends Treat yourself with chocolate experiences, both internal and external
-
Scientists have developed a broad-spectrum snake bite antivenomUnder the radar It works on some of the most dangerous species
-
Codeword: November 5, 2025The Week's daily codeword puzzle
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
