Winston Peters calls out US Senator over false Israeli visa claims
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has labelled claims regarding New Zealand's visitor visa requirements for Israelis as fake news. US Senator Ted Cruz shared an incorrect report suggesting all Israelis must detail military service to visit. New Zealand diplomats in the United States have contacted the Senator's office to clarify the country's actual immigration requirements.
+26 outlets · Body found at Bethells Beach identified as missing Piha swimmer
Police have identified the body found at Bethells Beach on Friday evening as 25-year-old Abhishek Arora. Mr Arora went missing on Tuesday after being caught in a rip while swimming at Piha Beach. His family stated he was due to be married next month.
4 outlets · Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson to return to politics
Marama Davidson will return to work next week following breast cancer treatment. The Green Party co-leader, who was diagnosed in June 2024, will make her first public appearance at the Waitangi Treaty Ground on Monday. She also used the announcement to urge wāhine to undergo mammograms.
4 outlets · Homicide investigation launched after man dies in Ōpōtiki
Police have opened a homicide investigation following a violent altercation on Church Street in central Ōpōtiki early Saturday morning. Emergency services were called to a fight involving approximately six people at about 12.20am. A man died at the scene from a suspected stab wound.
4 outlets · BestStart investigates after two toddlers escape Mt Eden daycare
Two toddlers, aged 18 months and two years, accessed a carpark after a teacher accidentally left an exit door open at a Mt Eden childcare centre on Thursday. The children were quickly found and returned safely by a former parent. BestStart has launched an investigation and notified the Ministry of Education.
3 outlets · Fireball meteoroid seen over South Island with sonic boom
A bright fireball was captured on camera flying over the South Island on Friday night. The meteoroid entered the atmosphere near Wānaka around 11pm, causing a widely reported sonic boom. Experts suggest remnants may have landed in the Eyre Mountains in northern Southland.
4 outlets · Motorcyclist found dead in Northland creek was shot
Police have confirmed a motorcyclist found in a creek near Otaika Valley Road was shot. The man's body was discovered after 5am on 29 January, with his motorbike left nearby. Investigators are now appealing for dashcam or video footage from motorists who were in the area.
3 outlets · Man takes hotel to tribunal over Coke No Sugar dispute
Taiming Zhang has filed a human rights complaint against the James Cook Hotel in Wellington. The dispute arose after the hotel ran out of Coke No Sugar on New Year's Eve, leading to an argument with a bartender and Zhang's subsequent ban from the hotel.
4 outlets · Nassourdine Imavov knocks out Israel Adesanya in Saudi Arabia
Nassourdine Imavov defeated Israel Adesanya via knockout in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia. The loss marks the third consecutive defeat for the former middleweight champion. Adesanya later expressed his intention to return to the octagon via social media.
2 outlets · Jacinda Ardern documentary wins award at Sundance Film Festival
A new documentary about former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern has received the Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary. The film was recognised at the Sundance Film Festival, which is the largest independent film festival in the United States.
3 outlets · Court dismisses appeal against driver licence revocation for elderly man
The Whakatāne District Court has dismissed an appeal by Benny Cole after his driver licence was revoked. Waka Kotahi took action following a doctor's report regarding his dementia and sleep apnoea. The decision follows concerns that the man had previously defied orders not to drive.
2 outlets · Ōtara residents react to removal of town centre playground and seating
A playground and seating area in the Ōtara town centre were dismantled and fenced off on Wednesday. The decision was made to discourage public drinking and antisocial behaviour. Local residents have expressed significant disappointment regarding the removal of the long-standing community fixtures.
2 outlets · Three people seriously injured in Te Atatū road crash
Three people were injured following a serious crash on Te Atatū Road in West Auckland around 4.30pm. One pedestrian is in critical condition, while two others sustained serious injuries. Police have closed a section of the road and advised motorists to avoid the area.
2 outlets · Early childhood reliever admits possessing 390 child abuse videos
A young woman working in early childhood education has admitted to possessing 390 videos containing child exploitation material. Police say she described having a serious addiction to the material, which included 298 videos of the most serious type.
3 outlets · Advocate criticises length of name suppression for Tim Jago
Former ACT Party president Tim Jago was named on Friday after being jailed last November for abusing two teenage boys in the 1990s. A survivors' advocate has stated that the duration of Jago's name suppression was too long.
2 outlets · Motorcyclist found dead in Northland creek had been shot
Police say a motorcyclist was shot in a layby on Otaika Valley Road near Whangārei late last Tuesday. The man's body was discovered in a nearby creek early Wednesday morning, with his motorbike left parked on the roadside. Detectives are currently reviewing dashcam footage to assist with the investigation.
2 outlets · Save the Children launches campaign against military-style camps bill
Save the Children New Zealand has launched the 'Boot the Bill' campaign to petition for the withdrawal of the Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill. The organisation is calling for an end to military-style camps for youth.
2 outlets · Kirwee hosts sold-out Super Rugby pre-season match between Crusaders and Blues
More than 3,000 fans attended a sold-out Super Rugby Pacific pre-season match in Kirwee, a rural Canterbury town. The Blues defeated the Crusaders in the fixture, which was held at the Kirwee Rugby Club west of Christchurch.
2 outlets · Government confirms new Dunedin Hospital build at former Cadbury site
Health Minister Simeon Brown announced that the $1.8 billion inpatient building will be constructed at the former Cadbury factory site. While tertiary institutions expressed relief at the decision, a doctors' union criticised previous delays and cost-cutting measures regarding the project.
3 outlets · Kathrine Switzer shares advice ahead of Round the Bays race
First woman to run the Boston Marathon, Kathrine Switzer, is sharing her experiences with runner Harriet Laughton. The 78-year-old athlete is preparing for the Southern Cross Round the Bays race in two weeks.
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