How do airlines judge when and where it’s safe to fly near a conflict zone?

Source: Radio New Zealand PUNIT PARANJPE / AFP The conflict in the Middle East is continuing to disrupt global air traffic with nearly 4000 flights a day being cancelled across the region. Limited flights out of Dubai and Doha were announced after airspace partially reopened on Wednesday morning. However, hundreds of thousands of passengers were … Read more

New Zealand and Uruguay: Natural partners

Source: New Zealand Government New Zealand and Uruguay have reaffirmed their natural partnership as small, open democracies, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  “Today’s discussions in Montevideo have underlined that New Zealand and Uruguay have much in common, as small, export-oriented countries buffeted by global forces over which we have little control,” Mr Peters says.  “In … Read more

New Zealand faces shortage of ultra-luxury housing

Source: Radio New Zealand A luxury house in Arrowtown. Supplied Latest house sales data indicates there is a shortage of ultra-luxury housing to meet the requirements of high-net-worth immigrants. Changes to the Active Investor Plus visa, which take effect next week, limit house-buying immigrants to homes priced over $5 million. Data collected by sales portal … Read more

Progress sails on new Chatham Islands ship

Source: New Zealand Government The procurement of a new Chatham Islands supply vessel has hit another major milestone with the signing of a ship delivery agreement, paving the way for its construction to begin. Associate Transport Minister James Meager says the milestone ensures the 77-metre-long vessel’s delivery by the end of 2027, ahead of the … Read more

Hunters and Nature: why managing wild deer, pigs, tahr, and goats takes more than one tool

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Hunting in Fiordland National Park. Photo: George Ledgard.   Hunting is part of New Zealand’s outdoor heritage. For many people, it’s how they were first introduced to the bush. Early starts, learning to read the land and weather, the thrill of the chase, spending time with friends and family, passing knowledge down through generations, and enjoying … Read more

Global dairy prices continue to rise in wake of Middle East conflict

Source: Radio New Zealand 123RF Supply pressure and buying interest saw dairy prices continue their climb at the latest Global Dairy Trade auction overnight. The average price rose 5.7 percent overnight to US$4301 (NZ$7299) a tonne. It was the fifth consecutive auction where prices have risen since the start of the year and followed a … Read more

Government pushes back deadline for agencies’ project funding bids

Source: Radio New Zealand It showed agencies such as in health, justice and education had faced a December deadline to make the case for their bids for this year’s Budget, but that had to be pushed back. RNZ The government has been facing too much demand to fund infrastructure projects from agencies left with too … Read more

Smokefree compliance efforts double

Source: New Zealand Government Health agencies more than doubled the number of store visits and controlled purchase operations last year to curb illegal sales of cigarettes and vapes to minors, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “In the 12 months ending 31 December, more than 4,500 controlled purchase operations (CPOs) were carried out across … Read more

One decision that could cost women $200,000

Source: Radio New Zealand The KiwiSaver gender gap narrowed from 17 percent in 2020 to 14 percent in 2025. File photo. RNZ / Hingyi Khong Women are being told to take more risk with their KiwiSaver to help close the gap between their average balance and those of men. Westpac said while the gender gap … Read more

Person seriously hurt after being trapped between truck and skip in Wellington

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Marika Khabazi A person has been seriously injured after getting trapped between a rubbish truck and what RNZ understands to be a skip bin in Wellington. Emergency services were called to Maning Lane in the central city at 4.55am. FENZ shift manager Jill Webley said crews extracted a trapped … Read more

Samoan teenager adopted in ‘coerced’ migration, tribunal told

Source: Radio New Zealand ASamoan teenager was adopted by a New Zealand resident in a ‘coerced relocation’. Unsplash / RNZ composite A tribunal has been told a Samoan teenager was adopted by a New Zealand resident in a ‘coerced relocation’ which led to violence and her baby being taken into care. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) … Read more

Government ‘talking to everybody’ over Kiwis caught up in Middle East war – Peters

Source: Radio New Zealand Foriegn Affairs Minister Winston Peters RNZ / Mark Papalii Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says there are thousands of New Zealanders whose plans have been disrupted by the current war between the US and Israel and Iran. All sorts of contingencies to help them were being looked at but it was … Read more

Ardern on list as Ockham Book Awards finalists revealed

Source: Radio New Zealand Former New Zealand Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern’s book, A Different Kind of Power, has made the shortlist of the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Ardern’s memoir is one of four finalists announced on Wednesday in the awards’ general non-fiction category. The Ockham Awards shortlist includes writers across fiction, poetry, … Read more

Auckland mayor objects to ‘expensive’ housing plan request

Source: Radio New Zealand Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown. RNZ/Marika Khabazi Auckland Council has less than two weeks to respond to a letter from the government wanting the council to outline its plan for housing intensification. But mayor Wayne Brown says the council is already spending millions on the project and the request is too costly. … Read more

Live: Israel’s army ordered to seize territory in Lebanon, Trump vows to ‘cut off all trade’ with Spain over Iran

Source: Radio New Zealand Follow the latest with our live blog above Fresh strikes have hit half a dozen countries across the Middle East in the widening conflict surrounding Iran. The latest blasts were reported in Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as Israel urged countries to cut ties with Iran. … Read more

Dozens of Auckland homes compulsorily bought by council for flood relief plan

Source: Radio New Zealand Close to 50 homes in an Auckland suburb are being compulsorily bought to make way for new flood plains and uncover a buried stream. This is in Rānui, where some homeowners are relieved to get out, while others wish they could stay. It’s just the start of Auckland Council’s plan to … Read more

The 5am myth: Waking early won’t make you more successful

Source: Radio New Zealand At 5am, social media fills with proof that the early risers have already won the day. Cold plunges. Journals. Sunrise runs. Productivity gurus insist this is the routine that separates high performers from everyone else, reinforced by high-profile early risers such as Apple CEO Tim Cook, entrepreneur Richard Branson and Hollywood … Read more

Green fuel needs a leg-up to be viable, modelling shows

Source: Radio New Zealand Auckland University economic modelling has found green hydrogen could have some limited use in future. 123RF There are calls for more support for green fuel alternatives as the Middle East conflict exposes New Zealand’s vulnerability to fuel supply chain shocks. Auckland University economic modelling has found green hydrogen – hydrogen produced … Read more

Live: Israel launches fresh attacks on Iran and Beirut, Iran continues strikes across Gulf

Source: Radio New Zealand Follow the latest with our live blog above Fresh strikes have hit half a dozen countries across the Middle East in the widening conflict surrounding Iran. The latest blasts were reported in Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as Israel urged countries to cut ties with Iran. … Read more

Rising Kiwi Ollie Dunbar pulls off major upset at NZ Squash Open

Source: Radio New Zealand Ollie Dunbar in action against Velavan Senthilkumar at the New Zealand Squash Open. Professional Squash Association New Zealand teenage wildcard Ollie Dunbar has caused a major boilover on the opening day of the New Zealand Squash Open in Christchurch, toppling a top-50 ranked opponent. The 18-year-old stunned world No.49 Velavan Senthilkumar … Read more

A gold mine, an Australia mining giant, and a community divided

Source: Radio New Zealand A visual simulation released by Santana Minerals showing what the mine would look like from Māori Point Road, Tarras. Supplied A proposed gold mine is on the fast-track list. Proponents says it will bring jobs and money to the region, but opponents say it will be an economic ‘short-term sugar hit … Read more

Ministry underestimated scale of secondary teacher shortage

Source: Radio New Zealand Secondary schools need more teachers in the system than previously thought. File photo. Richard Tindiller The Education Ministry has been underestimating the scale of the secondary teacher shortage, and says correcting its calculations caused this year’s jump in the forecast shortage. The ministry last week forecast a likely shortfall of 1220 … Read more

MediMap failings likely to be canvassed as part of Manage My Health review

Source: Radio New Zealand MediMap’s failings will likely be covered by the review into Manage My Health. RNZ/Calvin Samuel MediMap’s failings will likely be covered by the review into Manage My Health, despite the recent data breach not being included by name. The prescription portal was now being brought back online, having been down since … Read more

Generational shift sees younger investors choosing managed funds over property

Source: Radio New Zealand Younger investors are choosing KiwiSaver over property. RNZ Traditional property investment is losing ground to KiwiSaver and other managed funds as a preferred way to make money. ASB’s latest Investor Confidence Survey for the fourth quarter ended in December (Q4) indicated owning your own home or having a property investment was … Read more

Is a mark on the wall ‘damage’? Landlords, tenants puzzle over wear and tear

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ A “very small dent” or black mark on a wall. A Raro spill on the carpet. A broken mop and bucket. These are some of the issues that have divided landlords and tenants who have appeared before the Tenancy Tribunal in the past month, working out what is “wear and … Read more

Live: Israel launches fresh strikes on Iran and Beirut

Source: Radio New Zealand Follow the latest with our live blog above Fresh strikes have hit half a dozen countries across the Middle East in the widening conflict surrounding Iran. The latest blasts were reported in Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as Israel urged countries to cut ties with Iran. … Read more

Survivor ‘angry and saddened’ as number of young people abused in care increases

Source: Radio New Zealand State abuse survivor Keith Wiffin. Reece Baker/RNZ A man who was abused in state care is “angry and saddened” that the number of children and young people being abused in care has continued to increase. The Independent Children’s Monitor’s latest report said 530 tamaraki and rangatahi were abused in state care … Read more