Man who went missing in Lake Tikitapu found dead

Source: Radio New Zealand Lake Tikitapu/Blue Lake. Public Domain A body has been found after a man went missing while swimming near Rotorua last week. Police were called at about 10.30pm on Friday to reports a man had not returned from a swim in Lake Tikitapu/Blue Lake. His body was found shortly after 1am on … Read more

Mum awarded $10,000 after son blocks her access to money

Source: Radio New Zealand The woman’s son put a hold on her accessing money from her bank account. (File photo) 123RF A woman whose son blocked her transaction on an account, resulting in a hold being put on her money, has been awarded $10,000 in compensation from her bank. The woman took her complaint to … Read more

Name release – swimmer missing in Waikato River

Source: New Zealand Police Police can name the man that is missing after a water-related incident on Saturday 10 January. He was 25-year-old Teananga Tiotia, of Hamilton. Police are supporting the family in this difficult time. Emergency services remain on scene carrying out a search of the area, and enquiries are ongoing. ENDS Issued by … Read more

All Black hopeful Dylan Pledger sidelined for 12 months

Source: Radio New Zealand Dylan Pledger scores for Otago. ActionPress In a brutal pre-season blow, one of the country’s most promising young players has been ruled out of rugby for the entire year. Highlanders halfback Dylan Pledger will spend 12 months on the sideline after rupturing his ACL at training. It is a cruel setback … Read more

Queenstown’s historic Skippers Bridge closed due to safety risk

Source: Radio New Zealand Queenstown’s historic Skippers Bridge. Google Maps Queenstown’s historic Skippers Bridge is closed after failures were found in support cables. On Monday, Queenstown Lakes District Council announced cars, cyclists and pedestrians were banned from crossing the bridge until further notice due to the risk. The crossing – New Zealand’s highest suspension bridge … Read more

What exactly are American ICE agents and what can they do?

Source: Radio New Zealand An ICE agent stands nearby while federal agents detain a protester near the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 9 January 2026. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP Explainer – America has been in an uproar the past week over the actions of ICE agents – Immigration and Customs Enforcement … Read more

Fire burns through 22 hectares of native bush and pine forest in Hawke’s Bay

Source: Radio New Zealand The fire on Waitara Rd had burned through 22 hectares of bush. FIRE AND EMERGENCY NZ / SUPPLIED A fire has burned through 22 hectares of pine forest and native bush in Te Haroto, Hawke’s Bay. Tony Kelly, acting district manager for Hawke’s Bay, said the fire ground consisted of 18 … Read more

New Zealanders in Iran ‘should leave now’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns

Source: Radio New Zealand Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran. (File photo) AFP/SUPPLIED Any New Zealanders in Iran should “leave now”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT), is warning. MFAT said the number of New Zealanders in Iran would be “extremely limited”, but anyone who was there should get out. … Read more

Manage My Health breach: Northland doctors frustrated by inconsistent messaging

Source: Radio New Zealand Coast to Coast Healthcare chair Dr Tim Malloy. RNZ / Adriana Weber Northland GPs are frustrated by what they say are mixed messages about the extent of the Manage My Health data breach. More than 80,000 of the 125,000 patients affected by the ransomware attack are based in Northland – the … Read more

Is this the year food price pressure eases?

Source: Radio New Zealand If you’ve been hanging out for 2026 to be the year in which it gets a bit easier to go to the supermarket, you might be disappointed. Infometrics has released its latest grocery supplier cost index, which tracks what suppliers charge Foodstuffs supermarkets. It shows an average 2.4 percent increase in … Read more

Response to fruit fly find in Mt Roskill continues

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries The biosecurity response to the find of a single male Queensland fruit fly in Auckland???s Mt Roskill continues with extra traps in place, fruit testing underway, and great engagement from the community says Mike Inglis, Biosecurity New Zealand commissioner north. No further fruit flies have been found as our … Read more

Water-related incident at Lake Tikitapu/Blue Lake

Source: New Zealand Police Police were called about 10.30pm Friday 9 January to a report of a man who had not returned from a swim. The man’s body was located shortly after 1am on Saturday 10 January.  Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.  His death has been referred to the Coroner.  On … Read more

Pharmac funds treatment for rare disorders

Source: PHARMAC Pharmac will fund nitisinone for people with the rare disorders tyrosinemia type 1 and alkaptonuria from 1 February 2026. Nitisinone is currently funded through Pharmac’s Named Patient Pharmaceutical Assessment (NPPA) policy. From February, it will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule, making it easier for clinicians to prescribe and for people to access … Read more

Million-dollar Golden Globes’ gift bag includes luxury New Zealand lodge stays

Source: Radio New Zealand Winners and presenters at this year’s Golden Globes — the first major awards show of the year and a key indicator of Oscar frontrunners — will be handed a gift bag worth nearly US$1 million (NZ$1.75m). Packed inside an Atlas-branded duffle are 35 luxury items and experiences, though not every recipient … Read more

Ten movies we can’t wait to see in 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand As a new year of cinema beckons, we look to the upcoming releases inspiring the most excitement. Sentimental Value Play videoPause video This video is hosted on Youtube. Norwegian writer/director Joachim Trier received rapturous plaudits for his wonderful, humanist comedy drama The Worst Person in the Worldthree years ago, and his … Read more

Ignore emails asking for password reset, Instagram warms

Source: Radio New Zealand Instagram users reported getting password reset emails. (File photo) AFP Instagram is reassuring users their accounts are secure after suspicious password reset requests were sent out to millions of users. The Meta-owned image sharing platform said an issue had now been fixed which let an external party request password reset emails … Read more

Two people charged with murder of man in Manurewa

Source: Radio New Zealand A 41-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman have been jointly charged with murder and will appear in Manukau District Court. RNZ / Liu Chen Police in Auckland have charged two people with murder after the death of a man in Manurewa, Auckland. Emergency services were called to the scene on Balfour … Read more

Remembering Sir Tim Shadbolt: Pineapple, cheese and jellybeans

Source: Radio New Zealand [embedded content] Charismatic, gregarious, exuberant, a joker, a showman, a larrikin: such are the epithets for long-serving mayor Tim Shadbolt, who died age 78 last week. His public funeral service was due to be held in Invercargill on Friday January 16, 2pm at the Civic Theatre. He would be remembered there … Read more

Evacuated residents return home after pine plantation fire near Masterton

Source: Radio New Zealand File photo. RNZ / Nate McKinnon Residents evacuated by a fire in a pine plantation in Blairlogie near Masterton last night are being allowed to return home. Murray Dunbar from Fire and Emergency told RNZ they were called out just before 3am on Monday. The fire measured about 200 square metres. … Read more

Christchurch shoppers out in droves for new alternative supermarket

Source: Radio New Zealand Father and son duo Shane and Ethan Vickery opened Kai Co to give shoppers an alternative to the Woolworths and Foodstuffs supermarket duopoly. Facebook/Kai Co The co-owner of a new supermarket in Christchurch says shoppers have turned out in droves in support of the new store since it opened last week. … Read more

Business Tech – Zespri boosts customer trust using SAP to support a streamlined claims process

Source: Botica Butler Raudon Zespri sets a new industry benchmark for speed, accuracy, and customer trust NEW ZEALAND, Auckland – 12 January 2026 – SAP today announced that Zespri, the world’s largest marketer of premium-quality kiwifruit, has strengthened its commitment to trust and customer service by launching a fully digitised, customer-first claims platform built on … Read more

Charges laid following Manurewa homicide

Source: New Zealand Police Two people have been charged with murder following a homicide in Manurewa on Friday night. Emergency services were called to a Balfour Road address at around 11.10pm following reports a man had been shot. Upon arrival, the man was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Detective Inspector Karen Bright, Counties Manukau … Read more

Information for people impacted by the Manage My Health data breach

Source: Privacy Commissioner 12 Jan 2026, 09:00 Everyone in New Zealand has privacy rights. Read about your privacy rights. The Privacy Act places responsibility on organisations that collect, use or store your personal information to keep it safe and secure using all reasonable steps. Failure to take reasonable steps to protect your personal information against … Read more

Review of sustainability measures for southern blue whiting (SBW 6B) fishery – April 2026 round

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries Have your say Fisheries New Zealand is seeking feedback on proposed changes to sustainability measures for southern blue whiting (SBW 6B) as part of the April 2026 fisheries sustainability round.   The SBW 6B stock covers the Bounty Platform, 750 kilometres south-east of the South Island.   This consultation … Read more

First NZ Women’s Championship in Scrabble goes down to the W-I-R-E

Source: Radio New Zealand Cecily Bruce (left) and Joanne Craig battle it out at the 2026 Scrabble NZ Women’s Championship. LetsPlayScrabble/screenshot There would have been a fair Scrabble sets dusted off over the holidays, perhaps kicking off a few family feuds even, but few more serious than the first New Zealand Women’s Championship in the … Read more

US company Bourns tries to take over New Zealand chip maker Rakon

Source: Radio New Zealand Rakon specialises in precision timing systems used in mobile networks, satellites, aerospace and defence systems, as well as AI and cloud computing. 123RF Local chip-maker Rakon has received a takeover notice from US electronic manufacturer Bourns Inc. Bourns intends to make an offer of $1.55 cents a share to buy 100 … Read more

More than 50 flights cancelled as high winds batter Wellington

Source: Radio New Zealand Dozens of flights were cancelled due to high winds in the capital. AFP Passengers on more than 50 Air New Zealand flights cancelled by high winds in the capital on Sunday are now being rebooked. Gusts over 100km/h were recorded in Wellington on Sunday; however, winds have eased on Monday morning. … Read more