CoveragePost
February 20, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Approximately $500,000 in cash was seized during the search warrants. Supplied / NZ Police A long-running police investigation has exposed a syndicate operating a drug importation and distribution network through the dark web. Operation Solana, led by the National Organised Crime Group, had been ongoing for the last nine months looking ... <a title="Dark web drug syndicate exposed during police investigation" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/20/dark-web-drug-syndicate-exposed-during-police-investigation/" aria-label="Read more about Dark web drug syndicate exposed during police investigation">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 20, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Manawatū woman to have stomach reconstruction surgery on Monday after botched overseas operation. Helen Watson went to Turkey for gastric sleeve surgery in September as it was cheaper than going private in New Zealand. She says she knew straight away the operation went wrong; the Turkish clinic Medicana denies fault. Watson’s ... <a title="Medical tourist fights for compensation, claiming surgery destroyed her stomach" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/20/medical-tourist-fights-for-compensation-claiming-surgery-destroyed-her-stomach/" aria-label="Read more about Medical tourist fights for compensation, claiming surgery destroyed her stomach">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 20, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Police are asking the public for help to find Katherine. Supplied/New Zealand Police Police are asking for help finding Katherine, who has been reported missing from the Auckland suburb of Glenfield. She has not contacted her family since Thursday, which is out of character for her. Police said she is known ... <a title="Police ask public for help to find missing North Shore woman" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/20/police-ask-public-for-help-to-find-missing-north-shore-woman/" aria-label="Read more about Police ask public for help to find missing North Shore woman">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 20, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand The group allegedly imported and distributed drugs across the country. (File photo) RNZ / REECE BAKER A long-running police investigation has exposed a syndicate operating a drug importation and distribution network through the dark web. Operation Solana, led by the National Organised Crime Group, had been ongoing for the last nine ... <a title="Dark web drug syndicate exposed during police investigattion" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/20/dark-web-drug-syndicate-exposed-during-police-investigattion/" aria-label="Read more about Dark web drug syndicate exposed during police investigattion">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 20, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand A crash has closed Arthur’s Pass. Screenshot/Google Maps A single lane of State Highway 73 near Arthur’s Pass has reopened after a serious crash between a car and a motorbike. The crash happened near the intersection with Cora Lynn Road at about 1pm. Motorists will be required to stop on demand, ... <a title="Single lane of SH73 near Arthur’s Pass opens after crash between car and motorbike" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/20/single-lane-of-sh73-near-arthurs-pass-opens-after-crash-between-car-and-motorbike/" aria-label="Read more about Single lane of SH73 near Arthur’s Pass opens after crash between car and motorbike">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 20, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Damage from the storm to electricity networks was extensive. Wellington City Council Residents across the lower North Islandare getting increasingly frustrated with power providers and the lines company, with one 92-year-old forced to cart buckets of water to flush the toilet. Schools closed and power was cut to thousands when wild ... <a title="Confusion over who is meant to deal with ongoing power cuts" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/20/confusion-over-who-is-meant-to-deal-with-ongoing-power-cuts/" aria-label="Read more about Confusion over who is meant to deal with ongoing power cuts">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 20, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Reserve Bank governor Anna Breman. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The Reserve Bank governor has warned businesses against trying to pass higher prices on to households. Anna Breman said inflation expectations have been rising among economic forecasters and businesses – something she is not happy about. Speaking at Business Canterbury in Christchurch ... <a title="Reserve Bank governor warns businesses against passing on higher costs" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/20/reserve-bank-governor-warns-businesses-against-passing-on-higher-costs/" aria-label="Read more about Reserve Bank governor warns businesses against passing on higher costs">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 20, 2026
Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan leader has accused the Indonesian government of lying over its operations and “masking” the military role of some civilian aircraft. Disputing an Indonesian government statement about reported that TPNPB fired upon an aircraft in Boven Digoel, killing both the pilot and copilot, United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) ... <a title="Papuan activist Wenda accuses Jakarta of ‘lying’ over shot down plane" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/20/papuan-activist-wenda-accuses-jakarta-of-lying-over-shot-down-plane/" aria-label="Read more about Papuan activist Wenda accuses Jakarta of ‘lying’ over shot down plane">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 20, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand The Reserve Bank indicated it expected to raise interest rates a little faster and earlier than previously forecast. fantasista/123RF Westpac says it is cutting its three-, four- and five-year home loan rates. It is the first bank to move after the latest official cash rate (OCR) announcement. The Reserve Bank indicated ... <a title="Major bank cuts home loan rates" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/20/major-bank-cuts-home-loan-rates/" aria-label="Read more about Major bank cuts home loan rates">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 20, 2026
Source: Radio New Zealand Parts of Auckland’s Northcote College have been destroyed in a fire which broke out during a firefighters strike. Fire and Emergency NZ said they were called to the school about 12.15pm on Friday. Smoke could be seen from the Harbour Bridge, billowing from the school’s sports pavillion, a large wooden hall ... <a title="Watch: Fire tears through pavilion at Auckland’s Northcote College during firefighters strike" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/20/watch-fire-tears-through-pavilion-at-aucklands-northcote-college-during-firefighters-strike/" aria-label="Read more about Watch: Fire tears through pavilion at Auckland’s Northcote College during firefighters strike">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 20, 2026
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jo Coghlan, Associate Professor, Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, University of New England When a royal faces scrutiny, it can feel like a rupture with tradition. Yet across the ages, British royals have repeatedly fallen under suspicion. What makes the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor so striking is ... <a title="Could Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest bring down the British monarchy?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/20/could-andrew-mountbatten-windsors-arrest-bring-down-the-british-monarchy-276508/" aria-label="Read more about Could Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest bring down the British monarchy?">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 20, 2026
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin D. Muir, Casual Academic, School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney University Emily Brontë died of tuberculosis 177 years ago, yet this adaptation is still the worst thing that has ever happened to her. This is how one Letterbox’d user described writer-director Emerald Fennell’s film ... <a title="Wuthering Heights looks lush – but it’s a bad film and a worse adaptation" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/20/wuthering-heights-looks-lush-but-its-a-bad-film-and-a-worse-adaptation-276179/" aria-label="Read more about Wuthering Heights looks lush – but it’s a bad film and a worse adaptation">Read more</a>
