World mountain bike champ Samara Maxwell to take year off competitive sport

Source: Radio New Zealand Samara Maxwell celebrates after her 2025 title victory. Craig Cox New Zealand world mountain bike champion Samara Maxwell is taking a year-long break from competitive sport to safeguard her wellbeing and longevity. It means she won’t be defending her mountain bike world series cross country title after a breakthrough 2025 season. … Read more

Australia underlines its Ashes dominance over England

Source: Radio New Zealand By Dean Bilton, ABC Australia’s players celebrates with the Ashes trophy following their series win on day 5 of the fifth Ashes Test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground, January 8, 2026 AAP / Photosport Analysis: So 4-1 it is, a scoreline that does a proper job of reflecting Australia’s … Read more

Former Wellington mayoral hopeful Graham Bloxham arrested at Venezuela protest

Source: Radio New Zealand Former Wellington mayoral candidate Graham Bloxham is arrested by police. RNZ / Mark Papalii Three people, including former Wellington mayoral hopeful Graham Bloxham, have been arrested at a Venezuela solidarity protest in Wellington. Around 100 people are rallying against the US military action earlier this week outside the Ministry of Foreign … Read more

Large fire engulfs building in Auckland’s Pakuranga

Source: Radio New Zealand Screenshot A building in East Auckland’s Pakuranga is engulfed in flames with billowing thick black smoke. A witness told RNZ the fire started at the Pita House on Cortina Place on Friday afternoon. Firefighters said the blaze was threatening a second property. Supplied / Karl Mirbach The fire happened in the … Read more

Name release – fatal crash, Timaru

Source: New Zealand Police Police can now release the name of the man who was killed in a single-vehicle crash discovered on Seadown Road in the Timaru District on 22 December. He was 66-year-old Gary Kenneth Penman of Timaru. Police extend their condolences to Gary’s family and friends. His death has been referred to the … Read more

Key to eradicating Queensland fruit fly is to ‘go hard and early’

Source: Radio New Zealand Queensland Fruit Fly. Supplied / Biosecurity New Zealand Biosecurity is confident they will eradicate the obnoxious Queensland fruit fly with officers back out in force in the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill today. Biosecurity Commissioner Mike Ingliss said additional traps have been set, and control zones have been set up, restricting … Read more

Weather live: Heat alerts for 38C for in parts of country, heavy rain and gales forecast elsewhere

Source: Radio New Zealand Temperatures are forecast to top 30 degrees in many places, and heat alerts have been issued for Hastings, Napier, Whakatāne, Motueka, Blenheim and Kaikōura. Fire and Emergency warned extreme heat came with heightened fire risk – particularly in Canterbury, Marlborough, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti and Northland. Meteorologist Devlin Lynden said remnants … Read more

Popular Auckland hot springs gets name change

Source: Radio New Zealand The new sign for Kaipātiki Hot Springs. Supplied/Te Poari o Kaipātiki ki Kaipara As 2025 ticked over into 2026, Parakai Springs near Helensville officially became Kaipātiki Hot Springs, the traditional name for the area which reflects the whakapapa of tangata whenua Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara. The change comes as Te Poari … Read more

‘A life really, really well lived’: Sir Bob Harvey remembers lifelong friend Sir Tim Shadbolt

Source: Radio New Zealand Sir Tim Shadbolt died on Thursday at the age of 78. Otago Daily Times / Stephen Jaquiery A former mayor and lifelong friend of Sir Tim Shadbolt says the country has lost a superb New Zealander and “a giant of protest”. The former mayor of Waitematā and Invercargill died Thursday morning. … Read more

Advocacy – The Double Standard on Palestinian Rights – PFNZ

Source: Palestine Forum of New Zealand (PFNZ) When it comes to Palestinian rights, the world reveals a striking and disturbing double standard. International law, human rights conventions, and moral principles are loudly invoked when violations occur elsewhere. Occupation, apartheid, collective punishment, forced displacement, and the killing of civilians are rightly condemned—unless the victims are Palestinian. … Read more

Advocacy – 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢-𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐦

Source: Palestine Forum of New Zealand 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢-𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐦 is a form of racism that targets Palestinians as a people, denying their identity, history, rights, and humanity. It operates by portraying Palestinians as inherently violent, less deserving of protection, or as an obstacle to peace, rather than as a people living under occupation and dispossession. This … Read more

‘Bitterly disappointed’: Vandals damage Wellington memorial park

Source: Radio New Zealand Stolen letters from Pukeahu signage. Supplied The Ministry for Culture and Heritage is “bitterly disappointed” after discovering vandalism at a memorial park in Wellington. It said metal signage, including individual letter and full text phrases, have been removed from Pukeahu National War Memorial Park. The signs had been a gift from … Read more

Children in Gaza face more storms and disease as new year starts – Save the Children

Source: Save the Children Children in Gaza have entered 2026 facing ongoing storms and flooding that have ripped tents and left them exposed to water-borne diseases with an urgent need for supplies to rebuild shelters, Save the Children said. More storms are forecast for later this week but families have limited supplies to strengthen shelters due … Read more

Appeal for information: stolen metal letters at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, Wellington

Source: Ministry for Culture and Heritage Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage has found that elements of the French Memorial and park signage at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park have been stolen over the holiday break.  Thieves have targeted metal signage, comprising individual letters and full text phrases, from the French Memorial and main park. … Read more

Govt. must accept blame for ManageMyHealth breach as it ignored funding crisis for Privacy Commissioner – PSA

Source: PSA Chickens come home to roost as Govt. turned blind eye to privacy threats The Government pushed ahead with cuts to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner despite being warned the agency lacked the resources to protect New Zealanders from growing privacy threats. Now with the ManageMyHealth breach exposing the health data of 127,000 New … Read more

Older people are more vulnerable in heatwaves. Here’s why – and how to stay safe

Source: Radio New Zealand For vulnerable people, particularly the elderly, heat is not only uncomfortable but dangerous. High temperatures can worsen existing health problems and in some cases even prove fatal. So as the mercury climbs, it’s important to understand why some people are more at risk. Why is it harder for older people to … Read more

Get your finances sorted in 2026: Maximising your KiwiSaver

Source: Radio New Zealand It’s never too early to start thinking about your retirement savings. 123RF Is organising your money life on your New Year’s resolution list in 2026? In this five-part series, money correspondent Susan Edmunds guides you through the basics. Catch up on the first four instalments here: Set a budget; save money; … Read more

‘Lucky’ men praised for actions after jetski broke down, drifted off to sea

Source: Radio New Zealand File image. 123rf Two men who needed rescuing after their jetski broke down are being praised for wearing lifejackets and carrying mobile phones. In a statement, police said the pair were off the New Plymouth Airport coast on Wednesday afternoon when the jetski’s motor became damaged. They were unable to restart … Read more

Government u-turns on prescription co-payment fees

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ In a policy u-turn, people will only need to pay a single $5 co-payment fee for the new 12-month prescriptions coming into effect from February. The year-long prescriptions were announced as part of the 2025 Budget as a way to reduce the cost of seeing GPs. Patients would still need … Read more

Kiwi parents love classics: Top baby names for 2025 announced

Source: New Zealand Government Minister of Internal Affairs, Brooke van Velden is pleased to announce New Zealand’s favourite baby names for 2025.   Timeless names continue to dominate Kiwi birth registrations, with Noah holding strong as parents’ favourite for the third year running, shared by 244 baby boys. For girls, Isla reigned supreme with 179 registrations, cementing its spot in the top three since 2016.   … Read more

One dead after crash in Hawke’s Bay

Source: Radio New Zealand File pic RNZ/ Marika Khabazi One person has died following a crash on State Highway 50, Korokipo Road in the Hastings District on Friday. Police were called to the single vehicle crash southwest of Waiohiki at around 2:20am. The road was closed while the Serious Crash Unit carried out a scene … Read more

200 passengers stranded on Bluebridge ferry overnight

Source: Radio New Zealand A broken ramp on the Bluebridge Connemara left hundreds of passengers stuck on the ferry overnight. Supplied A problem with a Bluebridge ferry has left passengers stranded, with some spending the night bearthed in Wellington harbour. The Connemara 8.30pm sailing from Wellington to Picton had to return to Wellington shortly after … Read more

Neighbour of Rotorua parolee facility speaks out as rehab programme faces next location battle

Source: Radio New Zealand Lauren Fraser at the gate to her property, with the Puwhakamua programme residence behind her. Rotorua Daily Post / Mathew Nash A neighbour of a live-in parolee rehabilitation facility in Rotorua says she feels so unsafe in her generational family home that she avoids spending time there. The Pūwhakamua programme, which … Read more

Search for missing tramper in Kahurangi National Park moved to ‘limited search phase’

Source: Radio New Zealand Graham Garnett, 66. Supplied / NZ Police The search for a man missing in Kahurangi National Park is moving to a limited search phase, police say. Police and other groups have been searching for Graham Garnett, 66, who failed to return from a hike on 30 December. Police Search and Rescue’s … Read more

Fire destroys yachts at New South Wales marina

Source: Radio New Zealand Supplied / Fire and Rescue NSW More than forty firefighters in New South Wales have been working to extinguish a number of yacht fires in a marina. Fire and Rescue NSW said the incident was reported just before 3.30am (local time) on Friday. It said four people were assessed by paramedics … Read more

Two rescued after jetski breakdown off Taranaki coast

Source: New Zealand Police Two men stranded on a drifting jetski “did everything right”, but Police say their rescue is an important reminder to boaties about taking essential safety precautions on the water. About 1pm on 7 January, the pair were off the New Plymouth Airport coast when the anchor line was pulled into the … Read more

Deep 5.4 earthquake in Taranaki jolts lower North Island

Source: Radio New Zealand The official Geonet map showing reports of the quake on Friday. A deep 5.4 earthquake has rattled the lower North Island. The tremor, that struck about 8.30am on Friday, was centred 10km south-west of Waverley in Taranaki. Geonet said it struck at a depth of 107km. Within a few minutes, more … Read more