Festive spirit spurs teens to commit to neighbourhood spruce-up in Rotorua

Source: Radio New Zealand UnSplash/ Carl Tronders A Rotorua man has rallied about a dozen young people to give their neighbourhood a festive spruce-up. Thomas Peato, a youth mentor at Waiariki Whānau Mentoring, and local rangatahi gathered once a week through December for a full day of maintenance work, he told RNZ’s The run home … Read more

Residents return home after Hawke’s Bay blaze

Source: Radio New Zealand A firefighter extinguishing hotspots at the Fernhill fire on Tuesday. Supplied / FENZ Residents who evacuated due to a scrub fire near the Hawke’s Bay village of Fernhill have been allowed to return to their homes. A Fire and Emergency spokesperson told RNZ there’s now one fire truck monitoring the scene, … Read more

Hamilton homicide: Man charged with murder

Source: New Zealand Police Please attribute to Detective Inspector Daryl Smith, District Manager Criminal Investigations: Police have arrested and charged a man with murder in relation to the death of Jason Poa, also known as Jason Tipene, in Hamilton last week. Mr Poa died at a Lake Crescent address last Thursday, 18 December. Today, Police … Read more

A Russian Christmas to keep the tradition alive

Source: Radio New Zealand Valentina Manktelow with her children Zakhar and Slava. Ke-Xin Li Seven-year-old Zakhar Manktelow has just met Ded Moroz and wrote him a wishlist. “I wrote snowman, snow globe, Nintendo Switch, and Super Mario Kart game for the Nintendo Switch.” Ded Moroz, which means Grandpa Frost, is the Santa known in Russian … Read more

Waikato’s newly elected mayors talk about the rigours of the job

Source: Radio New Zealand From left: Matamata-Piako district mayor Ash Tanner, Waipā mayor Mike Pettit and Hamilton City Mayor Tim Macindoe. Supplied / RNZ The Waikato region had a sweep out of its leaders following this year’s local body elections, replacing 70 percent of its mayors. The region stretches from the tip of the Coromandel … Read more

Christmas Eve busiest shoping day of the year with more than 500,000 sales

Source: Radio New Zealand A busy day for Christmas shoppers. Peter Steffen / DPA / dpa Picture-Alliance via AFP) Busiest shopping day of the year Peak time 12 noon-1 pm – 563,303 transactions Per second peak – 167 transactions Number of sales beats Black Friday, but lowest Christmas Eve in six years Christmas Eve has … Read more

Issues with IKEA orders and delivery flagged

Source: Radio New Zealand The store opened its doors at the beginning of the month. Marika Khabazi / RNZ A customer who had his IKEA order refunded on Christmas Eve says there are problems with the way the retailer is handling orders. The man, who did not want to be identified, ordered furniture items including … Read more

New North Road, Kingsland re-opens

Source: New Zealand Police Police can advise New North Road in Kingsland has re-opened to traffic in both directions, following an earlier crash at lunchtime. Enquiries into the crash will continue. Please take care on your travels this Christmas Eve so you can arrive at your destination safely. ENDS Jarred Williamson/NZ Police MIL OSI

Police reasonably pleased with Hastings drink driving operation results

Source: New Zealand Police Hawke’s Bay Police are reasonably pleased with the results of an operation targeting drink driving on Friday 19 December – but four impaired drivers let the side down. With the holiday season in full swing, Police set up a checkpoint at the roundabout of Pakowhai Road and Te Aea Kahikatea in … Read more

Police scour suburb for answers after victim left ‘fearful’

Source: New Zealand Police A Police investigation has identified an offender allegedly behind two targeted wilful damage incidents in an Auckland suburb. The development comes after Waitematā West Police scoured across Whenuapai to get answers. A local man has been gifted a court appearance after a search warrant was executed on Christmas Eve at his … Read more

Trade Minister Todd McClay confident Labour will support India Free Trade Agreement

Source: Radio New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Trade Minister Todd McClay announce a free trade agreement with India. Mark Papalii The Trade Minister says he’s confident the Free Trade Agreement with India will be implemented despite New Zealand First’s opposition, saying he’d be surprised if Labour didn’t support it. Trade Minister Todd McClay … Read more

Ruatiti huts reopen as police continue to search for Mitchell Cole

Source: Radio New Zealand Mitchell Cole Supplied / NZ Police The Department of Conservation has reopened several huts near the Whanganui River where police have been searching for Mitchell Cole. Mitchell Cole is a person of interest in an investigation into the deaths of his parents, Brendon and Trina Cole, in the farming community of … Read more

Accidents reported in Auckland Christmas Eve traffic

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / REECE BAKER Several accidents have snarled Auckland traffic on Christmas Eve. A key Auckland road was reported blocked after a pick-up truck hit several vehicles. It was on New North Road in Kingsland near the intersection with King Street, at 12.20pm. Five people were assessed but there were no … Read more

Woodfibre LNG Marks 2025 as a Year of Construction Progress, Environmental Stewardship and Community Partnership

Source: Media Outreach SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 December 2025 – Woodfibre LNG recently marked 2025 as a year of significant progress across construction, environmental protection and community partnerships, as the project moved deeper into its development phase toward delivering responsibly produced Canadian liquefied natural gas to global markets. Over the past year, … Read more

Rare dolphin spotted in the Bay of Islands/ Pēwhairangi

Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  24 December 2025 Dolphin researcher Jochen Zaeschmar from the Far Out Ocean Research Collective spotted the solitary dolphin this week, and it has since been observed in English Bay in the Opua channel. DOC has authorised Jochen to locate the individual and take a DNA sample to confirm which species … Read more

Wānaka entrepreneur John Lee remembered as key figurehead

Source: Radio New Zealand Cardrona’s main slopes opened on 14 June. RNZ/Katie Todd An Otago businessman who founded the country’s biggest ski area is being remembered as someone who shaped his local community over many decades. Wānaka farmer and entrepreneur John Allandale Lee died peacefully on Sunday surrounded by family, He was seen as a … Read more

New Opportunities in Southeast Asia’s Digital Shift: Thailand Emerges as the New ASEAN’s AI Hub

Source: Media Outreach BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 December 2025 – As global attention remains fixed on the AI race, Thailand is now carving out a new identity as an emerging “AI Hub for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).” The government is steadily advancing its “Thailand 4.0” initiative, positioning the digital … Read more

An unwelcome Christmas gift for anti-social road users

Source: New Zealand Police Wellington Police have disrupted multiple planned anti-social road user gatherings overnight. Hutt Valley Area Commander Inspector Wade Jennings says checkpoints and a visible Police presence at key locations stopped the convoy of vehicles from setting themselves up. Operation Kereru focused on 200 vehicles coming from areas such as Whanganui, Levin, and … Read more

One dead after Christmas Eve fire in New Plymouth

Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Nate McKinnon One person has died after a house fire in New Plymouth early on the morning of Christmas Eve. Emergency services were called to a property on Trelawney Crescent around 2:30am on Wednesday after reports of a house fire, and a person was found deceased, police said. A … Read more

Boy left swimming for life as rescue helicopter call delayed

Source: Radio New Zealand Lake Taupō. RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod A teenager was left swimming for his life in Lake Taupō while rescue helicopter calls were delayed by police, RNZ has learned. Police stood down a rescue helicopter crew that had rapidly assembled after a burning boat was spotted in Lake Taupō on Sunday evening. … Read more

Kiwis hatch in Nelson sanctuary during Christmas season

Source: Radio New Zealand A kiwi pukpuku chick captured exploring outside its burrow in the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary in Nelson. SUPPLIED Just over six months after little spotted kiwi were reintroduced to Nelson’s Brook Waimārama Sanctuary, breeding has begun and the first chick has hatched, just in time for Christimas. In May, 41 little spotted … Read more

Five people injured in crash on State Highway 25, Hauraki

Source: Radio New Zealand Emergency services were called just before midday to State Highway 25 in Hauraki. Supplied / St John Five people have been injured after a crash involving a truck in Waikato. Emergency services were called just before midday to State Highway 25 in Hauraki. Three people have been seriously injured and a … Read more

Person found deceased after fire, New Plymouth

Source: New Zealand Police One person has been located deceased following a house fire in New Plymouth overnight. Emergency services were called to a property on Trelawney Crescent around 2:30am today to reports of a house fire. Sadly, one person was located deceased. A scene examination is ongoing at the property, and Police will work … Read more

Section of Blockhouse Bay Road closed

Source: New Zealand Police A section of Blockhouse Bay Road is closed due to a damaged power pole. Emergency services responded to a single vehicle crash just after midday near the intersection with Matata Street. A power pole has been damaged as a result. Fortunately the occupant of the vehicle is not seriously injured. Blockhouse … Read more

Auckland FC’s final A-league game of year postponed

Source: Radio New Zealand File photo. Auckland FC’s Callan Elliot competes for possession with Miguel Di Pizo of the Central Coast Mariners during an A-League clash in Gosford on 12 December 2025. AAP Image / Dan Himbrechts / Photosport Auckland FC’s last A-League game of 2025 has been postponed after the Sydney pitch was deemed … Read more

Oyster farmers to receive another $1m over catastrophic sewage spill

Source: Radio New Zealand The sewage spill came at the peak of the oyster season. Nick Monro Watercare has fulfilled a promise to give another $1 million to beleaguered oyster farmers north of Auckland after a catastrophic sewage failure. It’s after an initial $1m was given last month after the spill obliterated crops in late … Read more

New North Road, Kingsland blocked following crash

Source: New Zealand Police Emergency services are in attendance at a crash in Kingsland which is causing delays. A pickup truck has collided with several vehicles in the crash on New North Road. The crash was reported near the intersection with King Street at 12.20pm. No serious injuries are currently being reported from the scene, … Read more