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ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for January 8, 2026

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ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on January 8, 2026.

Thermal drones can track dolphin health without having to touch or disturb them
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlie White, PhD Candidate, Behaviour and Evolution Lab, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University Thermal image of an adult bottlenose dolphin captured by a drone-mounted thermal camera. Charlie White/CEBEL Marine mammals are sentinels of the sea. When dolphins and whales show signs of stress or illness,

‘Straight-up piracy and extortion’: Trump says he will control money from sale of Venezuelan oil
By Jake Johnson US President Donald Trump has claimed that Venezuela’s interim leadership will turn over to the United States as many as 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to be sold at market price, part of a broader, unlawful administration effort to seize the South American nation’s natural resources. Trump, who authorised the illegal

Stephen Miller: portrait of Donald Trump’s ideologue-in-chief
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex During a recent interview with CNN host Jake Tapper, the White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, laid out what appears to be the core of the new ideology driving US foreign policy: the notion

US boards a ship sailing under a Russian flag: what we know and don’t know about the legal position
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Serdy, Professor of the Public International Law of the Sea, University of Southampton Relations between the US and Russia have hit a fresh bump after the US coastguard boarded a vessel sailing in the Icelandic waters, claiming it was in breach of sanctions on Venezuela. The

Why grieving a pet can be as hard as grieving a person
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Smith, Associate Professor and Discipline Lead (Paramedicine), La Trobe University Solovyova/Getty For many of us, pets are more than just animals. They are family. So, when a beloved pet dies, the grief can feel overwhelming. For some, like me, it does more than break your heart.

Bryce Edwards: NZ’s craven stance on the US invasion of Venezuela
ANALYSIS: By Bryce Edwards When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, New Zealand responded with unusual speed. Sanctions followed. Condemnations were issued. The language was unambiguous. We were told this was about defending the “rules-based international order” — a phrase our politicians have grown remarkably fond of. Winston Peters has deployed it frequently in his time

Malcolm Evans: What have we become that we accept such brigandry?
COMMENTARY: By Malcolm Evans What have we become if to survive in our so-called “free world” we must turn a blind eye to cold-blooded genocide, must arm ourselves to oppose our major trading partner, must support a contrived war to defeat an adversary that no longer exists, (lest its new form otherwise achieves its potential)

Where will the next megafire break out? Climate change is making it tougher to predict
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachael Helene Nolan, Associate Professor, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University Matt Palmer/Unsplash, CC BY Much of south-eastern Australia is currently in the grip of a heatwave, which is expected to peak over the next two days. Heatwaves often trigger bushfires, particularly if combined with

As Australia bakes through an extreme heatwave, even insects aren’t immune to its impact
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlyn Forster, Associate Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney Дмитрий Пропадалин/Pexels Australia is baking through another extreme heatwave, with temperatures forecast to reach above 45°C for multiple days in a row across large swathes of the country. Heatwaves are a deadly threat to

Inflation cooled more than expected in November. But rate cuts remain unlikely anytime soon
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Head, Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra Annual inflation cooled in November. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) consumer price index (CPI) report, released on Wednesday, shows inflation over the year to November was 3.4%, down from 3.8% a month earlier. This 3.4%

X is facilitating nonconsensual sexual AI-generated images. The law – and society – must catch up
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Woodley, Lecturer and Research Fellow in Communications, Edith Cowan University UMA Media/Pexels X (formerly Twitter) has become a site for the rapid spread of artificial intelligence-generated nonconsensual sexual images (also known as “deepfakes”). Using the platform’s own built-in generative AI chatbot, Grok, users can edit images

ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for January 7, 2026
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on January 7, 2026.

Weather: Long range forecast is mostly more heat, more wet

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Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ/ Mohammad Alafeshat

Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) is expecting the rest of summer to remain warm and wet for many regions.

The organisation on Thursday has released its climate outlook for the next three months, heralding weak La Niña conditions expected to bring a mixed bag of weather.

The report showed that most of the North Island and areas of the South Island’s west coast were very likely to be average or warmer than average.

Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Central North Island, Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu and Wellington were most likely to get those higher temperatures – all given a 65 percent chance.

ESNZ Manager of Climate Atmosphere and Hazards Nava Fedaeff said the east coast of the South Island was the exception – due for average or below average temperatures – as predicted easterly winds were likely to bring frequent cloud and showers to that part of the country.

“For places like Christchurch that’s not necessarily a good recipe for a sunny summer.”

Despite the prediction of warmer weather, the North Island was still likely to get a few downpours, Fedaeff said.

“The door to the tropics is open over the next three months. We are in tropical cyclone season, there’s tropical lows and things like that. So we can’t rule out that some of these systems are going to make their way our way and deliver some heavy rainfall.”

The National Climate Centre outlook for 2026. Supplied

When all the weather factors combined, it looked like Otago was the perfect holiday spot for the rest of the summer.

“If you’re in Queenstown – above average temperatures, below average rainfall – sounds like the place to be.”

Sea surface temperatures around the country cooled markedly during December but remain generally above average, which meant nights would be particularly hot for the rest of the summer.

ESNZ also expected soil moisture levels and river flows to be near normal for the west of the North Island, and equally likely to be below normal or near normal for the rest of the country.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Kilos return four times faster after ending weight-loss drugs, study finds

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Source: Radio New Zealand

When people stop taking the new generation of weight-loss drugs they pile back on the kilos four times faster than they would after ending diet and exercise regimes, new research has found.

But this was mostly because they lost so much weight in the first place, according to the British researchers who conducted the largest and most up-to-date review of the subject.

A new generation of appetite-suppressing, injectable drugs called GLP-1 agonists have become immensely popular in the last few years, transforming the treatment for obesity and diabetes in many countries.

After stopping the medication, study participants were found to have regained 10kg within a year, which was the longest follow-up period available for these relatively new drugs. (file image)

Unsplash / Getty Images

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Heat alerts issued, warnings to prepare as temperatures set to soar

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Source: Radio New Zealand

MetService says the temperatures won’t drop much at night. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Metservice has issued heat alerts for hotspots across the country as temperatures are forecast to soar on Friday.

The alerts were in place for Whakatāne, Napier, Hastings, Motueka, Blenheim and Kaikōura, where temperatures in the low to mid thirties were expected.

Metservice meteorologist Samkelo Magwala said alerts were issued when the forecasted temperature exceeded the normal average for two consecutive days.

Magwala said alerts were issued the day before the heat was due to strike – and there would likely be more to follow on Friday and Saturday.

Hastings could hit a whopping 37C over the weekend as hot air from a heatwave in Australia blankets the east coast of New Zealand.

MetService is predicting that many areas will be warm on Thursday, with the weekend reaching temperatures over 30C.

The hottest areas are expected to be the East Cape of the North Island, Gisborne, Wairoa and Hastings.

Hastings Mayor Wendy Schollum said the council was working to ensure residents were prepared.

“Because this can be really dangerous heat, and I don’t think many people are used to it, so the big message we are trying to get out to people is make sure on those really hot days you are drinking plenty of water, taking breaks in the shade and avoiding the hottest part of the day if you can.”

She said the community needed to look out for each other, particularly older people, infants and toddlers who were the most susceptible to heat.

Schollum said fire risk was also a major concern.

Hastings Mayor Wendy Schollum says the council are working to ensure residents are prepared as scorching temperatures loom. RNZ/Alexa Cook

“We really need everyone to be conscious, please please please be careful, no fire, we’ve got a complete fire restriction at the moment, if you’ve got fireworks stocked away, no setting those off right now.

“And just also being conscious of anything else you might be doing that could potentially spark a fire, whether that’s using machinery or any of those sorts of activities.”

Marlborough Mayor Nadine Taylor seconded that sentiment and said it was a risky time for spot fires.

“We are really encouraging people to make sure they have an awareness, obviously of not light fires, but also an awareness if they are using lawnmowers, chainsaws anything that might spark or set off a fire.”

Taylor reminded people that the Wither Hills Farm Park closed when the fire risk was too high.

Meanwhile, in the capital about a hundred people are were soaking up the sun at Oriental Bay.

It’s a warm day in Wellington with MetService picking the temperature could hit 24C in the city.

Eight-year-old Eyt said she and her father James came from Stokes Valley in Lower Hutt to hit the beach.

She said the weather is hot, but the water is still “freezing”.

FENZ warns against complacency

Fire and Emergency warned people were getting complacent and ignoring safety warnings.

Wildfire manager for Fire and Emergency Tim Mitchell told Morning Report incoming winds and hot temperatures would create the “perfect storm” for a fire to start and spread, particularly in the Hawke’s Bay region.

“Over the weekend conditions are really going to ramp up, as a result of an approaching weather system from the west a westerly flow is going to set up… under that westerly flow we are likely going to reduce humidity in those areas, it could go below that 30 percent maybe getting into the low 20’s as well.”

A bushfire in Ngunguru, Northland, last February. Supplied/Ann Austin

Mitchell said most of New Zealand’s fires were caused by human related activities, so people needed to be cautious when doing anything that could create a spark.

He urged people to avoid activities that could spark a wildfire, including welding, grinding, using cookers and mowing lawns.

“We’re asking the public to accept that there are times when we aren’t able to do these things and actually follow the advice and don’t do those activities during high-risk periods.

“Obviously, it’s the weekend, which is when people mow their lawns. But we need your flexibility around not undertaking high-risk activities.”

Check the checkitsalright website if you were unsure of anything, Mitchell said.

Influx of beachgoers

Surf Lifesaving is preparing for a swarm of beachgoers with hot weather expected across the country.

Surf Lifesaving’s Chris Emmet said it was expecting a busy weekend across its 90 patrolled locations around the country, with hot weather bringing big numbers of people to the beach.

Surf Lifesaving’s Chris Emmet stressed the importance of swimming at patrolled beaches between the flags. Nick Monro

“Lifeguards look forward to this time of year, when there is quite a bit of activity around the beach. We’re really well prepared across the country.”

Emmet said Auckland’s West Coast beaches often saw big crowds and also a high number of incidents.

“The biggest concern for us is people finding a location to swim that’s safe for them. If you’re really hot in Auckland over the next few days, the East Coast will generally be safer than the West Coast.”

He stressed the importance of swimming at patrolled beaches between the flags.

“Patrol hours are generally 10am to 6pm, but some patrols do run a bit later, and if there are big crowds, lifeguards will stay on for a bit longer.”

Hot nights ahead

To add to the high daytime temperatures, MetService said it wouldn’t cool much at night.

“It affects sleep; people can’t sleep well and the body can’t get rest,” MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor told RNZ.

She urged people to keep an eye on heat alerts, especially those working outside as temperatures mount.

“So the weekend is looking hot. That might be great news for people who have been back at work this week and are looking to get to the beach. But it is tough on people working in the heat.”

The temperatures will be mounting but MetService is not expecting them to quite hit the highs of the past. Ruatoria recorded the North Island’s highest January temperature in 1979 when it hit 38.9C.

The heatwave in Australia is set to blanket the east coast of New Zealand. AFP / Farooq Khan

Highest is expected to be Hastings on 37C on Sunday.

In the South Island, the highest temperatures will also be along the eastern coast with Christchurch, Kaikoura and Timaru forecast to get steadily hotter over the next few days reaching just over 30C throughout the weekend.

Australia’s heatwave driving up New Zealand temperatures

The warm weather is being driven by a heatwave in south-eastern Australia where on Wednesday the region sweltered through its hottest day in years. Firefighters in Victoria and Western Australia continue to battle out-of-control blazes.

Some towns recorded their warmest maximum temperatures in seven years, including Whyalla (45.8 degrees Celsius), Port Augusta (46.3C) and Port Lincoln (44.5C) in South Australia and Warrnambool (41.3C) in Victoria.

Melbourne reached a top of 41C, its highest in six years, while Adelaide recorded a peak of 43C.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

‘Real risk’: FENZ warns of extreme fire danger as temperatures set to swelter

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Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Richard Tindiller

Fire and Emergency is warning Cantabrians of extreme fire danger this Sunday as parts of the country are set to swelter under high temperatures.

Canterbury is currently in a restricted fire season, which requires people to apply for permits to light open air fires. However, all permits will be suspended from midnight Friday until 8am on Monday.

The move comes as an intense heatwave in south-eastern Australia fuels hot air across parts of New Zealand.

While the hottest temperatures are expected in the East Cape of the North Island, Gisborne, Wairoa and Hastings, the east of the South Island is also in for above average temperatures.

Blenheim, Kaikoura, Christchurch and Invercargill are all expecting temperatures in the mid to late 20s on Thursday (3 to 5C above average), while Blenheim is forecast to hit 32C on Friday – 7.5C above average.

MetService is predicting a high of 32C for Christchurch and strong northwesterlies on Sunday.

FENZ Canterbury assistant commander Brian Keown said the combination of expected high nor’west winds, high temperatures into the early 30s and low relative humidity made for a high risk situation.

FENZ Canterbury assistant commander Brian Keown. Nathan Mckinnon / RNZ

Relatively high grass “curing” (drying out) of 60 to 70 percent, in some cases higher, meant any spark of a fire would move relatively quickly with the wind pushing it along, he said.

FENZ deputy chief executive of prevention Nick Pyatt said the greatest risk was in Canterbury, Marlborough, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, Tai Rāwhiti, and Northland districts.

“This weekend, many parts of the country will be experiencing elevated fire danger conditions, with temperatures expected to surpass 30C in some locations, wind gusts of 30km/h at times, and low humidity.

“These conditions are what we call a perfect storm for wildfire risk.”

Pyatt said it only took one spark to start a wildfire that could get out of control quickly.

According to a FENZ research report, more than half of all wildfires in New Zealand are grass fires – the higher the curing, the greater the fire risk.

Keown was confident FENZ had sufficient resources, and was getting in touch with contractors, volunteers and specialist personnel to let them know of the weekend’s high risk potential.

He said people should not hesitate to call 111 at the first sign of smoke.

Anyone who had used a burn pile in recent weeks should check it was thoroughly extinguished, Keown said.

“One of our biggest risks and causes of fires in the last few months have been permitted – or non permitted burns in the open season – that had not been properly put out, and the wind has got in amongst it and pushed embers into vegetation.

“That’s a real risk for us and there’s been too much of it going on.”

FENZ had put a lot of “time and effort educating people that if they have been burning to ensure their fires are out”, he said.

Anyone who had burnt in the past two to three weeks should go out, inspect their heaps and give them a good rake over and ensure they were fully extinguished, Keown said.

A wildfire that destroyed four homes, 29 structures and spread over an area of almost 200 hectares in Kaikōura in October was caused by a burn pile.

Almost 200 volunteer firefighters worked over six days to extinguish the fires amid winds of 150 kilometres an hour.

A FENZ spokesperson said it did not pursue a prosecution against the owner of the burn pile because it was an open fire season when the blaze began.

Last year was the country’s fourth-hottest year on record, according to Earth Sciences New Zealand’s (ESNZ) annual climate report.

Meanwhile, FENZ reminded people that firefighters in the union would be striking for one hour on Friday from 12pm-1pm.

Volunteers will respond to incidents – but ther will be delays.

“Fire and Emergency urges the NZPFU to call off its strike given heightened fire risks and the fact both parties are due to meet for facilitation later this month.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Christopher Luxon working from home as year gets underway

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Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Marika Khabazi

The Prime Minister is working from home as the year gets underway, with Parliament not set to return until the end of the month.

Ahead of the summer break, Christopher Luxon told Newstalk ZB he expected to be back at work the first week of January, as he had spent much of his career working overseas where the holiday breaks were shorter.

“In the US you maybe get two weeks’ annual leave holiday and Christmas is a couple of days off and you’re back at it again,” Luxon said.

“I’ve always been used to going back to work on the 3rd or 4th of January.”

Luxon has not released any statements on Venezuela, with foreign affairs minister Winston Peters leading the government’s communications instead.

Luxon’s only social media posts this year have been to wish the country a happy new year, and a video from December’s press conference announcing free trade negotiations with India had concluded.

Asked by RNZ whether Luxon was back at work, what he was doing, and where he was working from, a spokesperson said Luxon was in Auckland working from home, planning for the year ahead.

Parliament will resume sitting on 27th January. It will sit for one week before breaking for a week-long recess, which will include Waitangi Day.

Before Parliament resumes, Luxon will deliver a State of the Nation speech, and National’s caucus will meet for its annual retreat.

While it is possible Luxon will announce the election date at one of those events, a cabinet reshuffle is not expected.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Experienced All Whites defender Bill Tuiloma signs with Phoenix

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Bill Tuiloma during All Whites v Costa Rica, FIFA World Cup 2022 play-off match, Qatar on 14 June 2022. Photosport

In a long-awaited homecoming, experienced All Whites’ defender Bill Tuiloma has signed with the Wellington Phoenix.

Securing the signature of the 47-cap international before the A-League mid-season transfer window opens, is a major statement from the Wellington Phoenix.

The 30-year-old has signed on until the end of the 2027-28 A-League season.

Tuiloma has played more than 200 professional matches in France and the USA over the past 12 and a half years, since joining Olympique de Marseille as an 18-year-old in 2013.

Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano said Tuiloma ticked all of the boxes for a defender playing in a back three.

“Bill will bring quality and experience to our backline,” Italiano said.

“His ability with the ball is one of his biggest assets. He’ll add to the way we build up, which is very important.”

Italiano said Tuiloma wanted to be part of the All Whites squad for this year’s FIFA World Cup, so was highly motivated.

Tuiloma arrived in the capital on Sunday and started training with his new Nix team-mates on Tuesday.

“I’m excited to be in Wellington and I’m grateful for the opportunity the Phoenix have given me,” Tuiloma said.

“I’m ready to play, win games and help the team as much as I can on and off the pitch.

“I know it’s been a rollercoaster so far this season, but the Phoenix have the players and the quality and I can’t wait to start playing and hopefully help the team go all the way and win a trophy.”

Another motivation is that outside of a handful of games for the All Whites, Tuiloma hasn’t played in front of his family in New Zealand.

Tuiloma is reuniting with fellow defender Tim Payne and club captain Alex Rufer, who he played with at the Asia Pacific Football Academy in Christchurch, the precursor to the club’s own academy.

“I remember this skinny white kid coming into the academy. I’ve known Rufer for a very long time and it’s good to be able to play with him again.

“I also know Payney from when we played together at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico and at Waitakere United. They’re great guys and I’m excited to play with them and the rest of the team.

“When the interest from the Phoenix came about, I quietly talked to both of them about what Wellington’s like. They were really on to me about wanting me to sign with the Phoenix.”

Tuiloma will have to wait for the A-League’s mid-season registration window to open on 14th January before he can make his Phoenix debut.

Tuiloma will wear the no. 28 shirt for the Wellington Phoenix, becoming just the third player to do so and the first since Joel Stevens a decade ago.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Croatian shirt incident a ‘misunderstanding’ – ASB Classic organisers

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Fans during the 2026 ASB Classic Women’s Tennis Tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena, Auckland, New Zealand. Tuesday 6 January 2026. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

Organisers of Auckland’s ASB Tennis Classic insist that no fans will be turned away for wearing national colours.

Their statement comes after a man complained to media he was turned away from the Stanley Street venue due to his Croatian football jersey.

However, organisers say this was as a result of an over-zealous security guard misinterpreting the tour policy which does not allow flags, to prevent blocking views of the court.

“As per tour rules, flags are prohibited from the stadium to ensure the comfort of all guests and does not apply to clothing, including T-shirts or other apparel,” a spokesperson for the tournament said.

“In an isolated incident on Tuesday, this policy was misinterpreted by a security guard. This was addressed and the correct interpretation has been clearly reinforced across the security team.”

The fan, not wanting to escalate the situation, told the New Zealand Herald that he turned his jersey inside out after security mentioned the new measures were a result of geopolitical tensions.

He also said a fellow fan experienced a similar run in when entering the stadium wearing a Croatian jersey.

But tournament organisers say there is not such policy in place.

“No patrons would be prevented from entering the venue on the basis of what they are wearing, unless it is inappropriate or offensive. This week has seen many supportive fans attending matches wearing a wide range of national attire,” the spokesman said.

Fans during the 2026 ASB Classic Women’s Tennis Tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena, Auckland, New Zealand. Tuesday 6 January 2026. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Burst pipes sees more than 100 Wellington homes left without water

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Streets affected by a burst water pipe in Wellington’s Kingston. Supplied / Wellington Water

More than 100 properties in the Wellington suburb of Kingston will be without water for at least six hours today due to a burst pipe.

Wellington Water said the pipe burst on Kingston Heights Road at about 11.30am.

“In order to protect the stormwater environment, we have turned the water off to this area,” it said.

“It is anticipated that service will be interrupted for at least six hours.”

All 114 homes on Kingston Heights Road, Ontario Street, Laurent Place, Manitoba Place, Caribou Place and Stormont Place are affected.

Wellington Water estimates the water will be back on about 5.30pm.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Cook Islands govt rejects research saying deep sea mining not profitable

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Cook Islands activists confront the EV Nautilus upon its return to Rarotonga, holding banners reading ‘Don’t Mine The Moana.’ Supplied / Greenpeace

Research commissioned by Greenpeace, showing that deep sea mining in the Cook Islands is unlikely to make any money, is being rejected by the country’s government.

The research, performed by Trytten Consulting Services in October last year, reviewed the economic potential of polymetallic nodules in the Cook Islands’ seabed.

It looked at the likelihood of generating profit through the two main ways of seabed nodule recovery – dredging and picking – both of which are yet to be used on a commercial mining scale.

Taking into account available market data, the analysis found it was more likely than not that the ultimate economic return for Cook Islands nodules would be negative.

“Although it is possible that an economic collection and processing system could be derived, analysis of the projected plans by two leading proponents, coupled with analysis of the available market structure suggest that it is more likely than not that the ultimate economic return for Cook Islands nodules would be negative,” the research stated.

The Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority has estimated there are 6.7 billion tonnes of wet polymetallic nodules in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

These contain minerals like cobalt and nickel, used in a range of products including smartphones, electric batteries, and weapons.

Prime Minister Mark Brown has billed the developing industry as a potential stream for generational prosperity, however the prospect of deep sea mining in the country’s waters has divided Cook Islanders – locally and abroad.

In 2022, Brown’s government issued exploration licenses to three deep sea mining companies – one of which is part-owned by the Cook Islands government.

These exploratory licenses were due to end in February 2027, but in November the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SMBA) extended the licenses for another five years.

The longer exploration licence period effectively pushed out the decision regarding commercial deep sea mining in the country’s EEZ until at least 2032.

“As the licence holders have not yet completed their approved plans of work, they will be required to apply for renewal of their exploration licences for a further five-year period if they wish to continue,” SMBA commissioner Beverly Stacey-Ataera told Cook Islands News at the time.

Edward Herman, director of partnerships and cooperation at SMBA, said the government understands from the companies which have exploration licenses that “eventual commercial development has a real chance of being economic”.

He noted the companies were making “real, major investments” and that the government wanted any research to be “independently checked”.

“Our current licence holders were vetted for technical competency, and they almost certainly know more than anyone else about the potential cost versus revenue of their projects, given their specific insight and work done in their exploration scope,” Herman said.

“The level of studies required by the Cook Islands government are based on international standards resulting from decades of project development and learnings from thousands of projects both onshore and offshore.

“Nonetheless, before any minerals harvesting could be licenced, Government has a requirement for a much more detailed and complete report, than that of Greenpeace’s, which will be independently checked.”

Juressa Lee, Greenpeace Aotearoa seabed mining campaigner, reiterated the need to carefully examine the business-case and environmental risks of deep sea mining in Cook Islands.

“Scientific warnings are crystal clear: deep sea mining will damage the oceans and harm biodiversity,” she said.

“Millions of people across the world, including people in the Cook Islands, are concerned about the threats posed by this industry. When you add the major financial risks, it’s hard to understand why anyone is still pushing this industry at all.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Thermal drones can track dolphin health without having to touch or disturb them

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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlie White, PhD Candidate, Behaviour and Evolution Lab, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University

Thermal image of an adult bottlenose dolphin captured by a drone-mounted thermal camera. Charlie White/CEBEL

Marine mammals are sentinels of the sea. When dolphins and whales show signs of stress or illness, it often signals deeper problems in the ocean ecosystems we all depend on.

But assessing the health of dolphins and whales is notoriously difficult. That’s because they spend most of their lives underwater, move over vast areas, and cannot be examined closely without causing stress or disturbance.

Our new research provides a promising solution to this problem. Published in the Journal of Thermal Biology, it shows how drone-mounted thermal cameras can help monitor dolphins’ vital signs such as skin temperature and breathing patterns.

Monitoring animals without handling them

Scientists have typically relied on hands-on methods to assess the health of wild marine mammals. These include attaching tagging devices or taking measurements during capture and handling.

While these methods can be effective, they are also invasive, expensive, logistically complex, and can alter the animals’ behaviour and physiology. This can induce stress, making results harder to interpret.

To fix this problem, researchers need tools that allow them to monitor dolphins repeatedly and accurately, while minimising disturbance.

One example is drones fitted with thermal cameras.

Thermal cameras detect heat emitted from surfaces, allowing temperature patterns to be measured remotely. When mounted on drones, they can potentially record this information from above, while animals continue to move freely.

In the case of dolphins, they have the potential to measure skin temperature and breathing patterns based on the heat emitted from the animals’ blowholes, body and dorsal fin, without having to get close or touch them.

But until now, no studies have tested how accurate, reliable or practical this approach is in real-world conditions.

Drone-based thermal imaging was used in this study to measure dolphin surface temperature and breathing rates.
Guido J. Parra/CEBEL

Testing drones on dolphins

In our study, we used a drone-mounted thermal camera to measure dolphins’ body surface temperature and breathing rate under controlled conditions designed to reflect how dolphins are monitored in the wild.

The study involved 14 adult common bottlenose dolphins under human care at Dolphin Beach, Sea World on the Gold Coast, Australia. Testing was conducted across different heights, camera angles and environmental conditions to validate drone-based measurements.

We compared measurements obtained from drones with close-range reference data collected at the same time. Body surface temperature was measured using hand-held thermal cameras and breathing rates were calculated from the drone’s visual footage. This allowed us to assess how accurate and reliable the drone measurements were.

This approach required no restraint or tagging. Drone-based measurements were collected without physical handling of the animals.

We found that how the drone was flown substantially affected the accuracy of measurements. For example, flight height influenced how reliably body surface temperature and breathing rate could be estimated.

Measurements collected at lower altitudes, particularly about ten metres directly above the dolphin, consistently produced the most accurate results. At this height, body surface temperatures derived from thermal imagery closely matched close-range reference measurements taken at the same time.

As flight height increased, measurement accuracy declined. However, temperature estimates remained within approximately 1°C of the reference measurements.

Camera angle also influenced the accuracy of measurements. Thermal measurements were most accurate when the camera was positioned directly above the dolphin.

We could estimate breathing rates accurately from thermal imagery. Each breath produced a brief, localised increase in temperature at the blowhole that was clearly visible in the thermal footage.

Drone imagery combining colour and thermal views of four bottlenose dolphins at the surface.
Charlie White/CEBEL; processing by Andrew P. Colefax

Growing the conservation toolbox

These results show that drone-mounted thermal cameras can reliably measure dolphins’ surface temperature and breathing rate.

This represents a practical advance in how dolphin vital signs can be monitored in the wild. Until now, repeated measurements of temperature and breathing have typically required researchers to be close enough to dolphins to take measurements directly, such as from boats or by capturing and physically handling an animal.

This has limited how often measurements can be taken. Thermal drones offer a way to gather this information routinely, without significantly disturbing dolphins.

This approach has the potential to improve our ability to detect physiological changes and examine how dolphin health may vary over time in the wild. Combined with behavioural observations, drone-based thermal imaging could help explore links between surface temperatures, breathing patterns and environmental conditions.

Our study focused on dolphins under human care. But the same approach could be applied to free-ranging dolphins and other marine mammals for which close-range monitoring of vital signs is difficult.

As coastal ecosystems face growing pressure, tools such as thermal drones that allow researchers to monitor wildlife efficiently, repeatedly and non-invasively will become increasingly important. They provide a practical addition to the conservation toolbox, helping us better understand, and ultimately protect, dolphins and other animals in a changing ocean.

The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of Dr. Andrew Colefax to this research and the Sea World, Gold Coast team for their support and in-kind contributions.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Thermal drones can track dolphin health without having to touch or disturb them – https://theconversation.com/thermal-drones-can-track-dolphin-health-without-having-to-touch-or-disturb-them-272701

‘Straight-up piracy and extortion’: Trump says he will control money from sale of Venezuelan oil

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By Jake Johnson

US President Donald Trump has claimed that Venezuela’s interim leadership will turn over to the United States as many as 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to be sold at market price, part of a broader, unlawful administration effort to seize the South American nation’s natural resources.

Trump, who authorised the illegal US bombing of Venezuela and abduction of its president this past weekend, said he would control the proceeds of the sale — which could amount to $3 billion.

“Just straight-up piracy and extortion from the US president,” Zeteo journalist and publisher Mehdi Hasan wrote in response.

Consistent with his administration’s conduct since the weekend attack that killed at least 75 people in Venezuela, Trump provided few details on how his scheme would work or how it would comply with domestic and international law, both of which the president has repeatedly disregarded and treated with contempt.

It is also not clear that Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s acting president and an ally of Nicolás Maduro, has agreed to Trump’s plan, which he announced on social media as his administration worked to entice US oil giants to take part in its effort to exploit the South American nation’s vast reserves.

Ahead of the US attack on Venezuela, the Trump administration imposed a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers approaching or leaving Venezuela, pushing the country closer to economic collapse.

The New York Times noted yesterday that Trump’s decision to “begin targeting tankers carrying Venezuelan crude to Asian markets had paralysed the state oil company’s exports.”

Floating storage facilities
 “To keep the wells pumping, the state oil company, known as PDVSA, had been redirecting crude oil into storage tanks and turning tankers idling in ports into floating storage facilities,” the Times reported. During Trump’s first White House term, he banned US companies from working with PDVSA.

Trump wrote in his social media post yesterday that the tens of millions of barrels of oil “will be taken by storage ships, and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States.”

“I have asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute this plan, immediately,” Trump wrote.

The Trump administration is also pushing Venezuela’s interim leadership to meet a series of US demands before it can pump more oil, ABC News reported.

Trump has illegally threatened to launch another attack on Venezuela, and target more of its politicians, if the country’s leadership does not follow his administration’s orders.

According to ABC, the Trump administration has instructed Venezuela to “kick out China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba and sever economic ties.”

“Second, Venezuela must agree to partner exclusively with the US on oil production and favour America when selling heavy crude oil,” ABC added, citing unnamed sources.

“According to one person, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers in a private briefing on Monday that he believed the US can force Venezuela’s hand because its existing oil tankers are full.

Rubio also told lawmakers that the US estimated that Caracas has only a couple of weeks before it would become financially insolvent without the sale of its oil reserves.”

Jake Johnson is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams. Republished from Common Dreams.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Vigil held for woman shot and killed by US immigration officer

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Flowers are placed at the site where a woman was reportedly shot and killed by an ICE agent during federal law enforcement operations on January 07, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen / Getty Images via AFP

A vigil is being held in Minnesota after a woman was shot and killed by an immigration officer.

The woman’s death has caused outrage by local leaders in the US while President Donald Trump claims the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officer acted in self defence.

According to CNN, thousands of Minnesota residents and activists are attending the vigil.

Flowers have been perched in the snow and candles lit near where the 37-year-old woman was killed.

CNN has named the woman as Renee Nicole Good.

“Say it once. Say it twice. We will not put up with ICE,” CNN reported the attendees chanting. It said some signs being held said “Killer ICE off our streets”.

CNN said speakers said the actions of ICE officers were unacceptable and a “direct result of a what they called militarized state with no accountability”.

They called for the officer responsible for Good’s death to face charges, CNN reported.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Gun pointed at man before assault, theft

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Source: Radio New Zealand

The pair demanded his keys and took his car – a Volkswagon with distinctive mags. Supplied / Police

A man has been left shaken after having a gun pointed at him, assaulted and his car stolen.

Detective Sergeant Pieter Serfontein said the aggravated robbery happened just past midnight – in the early hours of Boxing Day morning in the Whangārei suburb of Raumanga.

He said the man was confronted by two people who had a gun.

The car – with a license plate RBZ53 – is a dark coloured hatchback. Supplied / Police

“The victim received minor injuries and was understandably shaken by the incident.”

The pair demanded his keys and took his car – a Volkswagon with distinctive mags.

Serfontein said anyone who saw anything on the night or has seen the car since should contact police.

The car – with a license plate RBZ53 – is a dark coloured hatchback.

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Person seriously hurt after being trapped under vehicle in Auckland

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Source: Radio New Zealand

One person was taken to Auckland City Hospital by ambulance (file image). St John

A person has suffered serious injuries after getting trapped under a car in the Auckland suburb of Westmere.

Emergency services responded after a car ran over a pedestrian on Chester Avenue at about 11am on Thursday.

Police said the pedestrian, who became trapped, is no longer under the vehicle.

St John said they assessed one person at the scene who had been transported to Auckland City Hospital in a serious condition.

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Cricket Ashes live: Australia v England, fifth Test, day 5

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Australia’s Beau Webster, 2nd left, celebrates with teammates after dismissing England’s Will Jacks on day four of the fifth Ashes cricket Test match between Australia and England at the SCG on January 7, 2026. David Gray

Jacon Bethell’s brilliant maiden Test century sets up an intriguing finish to a bizarre Ashes series in Sydney. Australia are looking to seal a 4-1 series win while England need to restore some pride. England start the last day on 302 for 8, leading by 119 runs.

Follow all the action with live updates at the top of this page.

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Queensland fruit fly could have ‘massive impact’ on fruit and vegetable crops

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Source: Radio New Zealand

The single male fly was found in Mount Roskill. Supplied / Biosecurity New Zealand

The discovery of a Queensland fruit fly in Auckland presents a huge threat to growers and exporters, a horticulture sector advocate says.

A biosecurity operation is underway after the pest, which damages fruit and vegetables, was identified in a surveillance trap in the suburb of Mount Roskill on Wednesday morning.

Horticulture chief executive Kate Scott said while the fly did not pose a health risk to humans, an outbreak would have a significant economic cost.

“The horticulture sector is naturally concerned about the impacts of a new pest being established here and the impact that could have on our ability to produce a wide range of fruit and vegetables.

“The Queensland fly likes to call more than 200 fruit and vegetables home. That could have a massive impact on the quality of our fruit and vegetable crops.”

She warned the country would not be able to export to key markets if the pest took hold here.

But she was confident in New Zealand’s track record of eradicating harmful fruit flies.

“We certainly support the ramping up of trapping and inspections and the movement control areas that are to be implemented.

“We’ve certainly seen last year and in other previous instances where a quick and immediate response is rolled out, that we have been able to successfully contain any threat.”

Biosecurity staff were expected to be on the ground in Mount Roskill over the coming days.

“As part of our response protocol over the next 72 hours, we will be ramping up trapping and inspection, with daily checks in a 200-metre zone from the original find and checks every three days in a second zone out to 1500m,” Biosecurity New Zealand’s Mike Inglis said.

“You may notice increased activity in the neighbourhood as we go about inspections and trapping. Our field officers may ask to look at fruit trees on your property. They will always show you a form of official identification and will only enter your property with your permission.”

Instructions about restrictions in the affected area were expected to be made clear on Thursday.

In the meantime, Biosecurity asked Mount Roskill residents not to take whole fresh fruit and vegetables out of their property.

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Winners of void Auckland local body election seek High Court judicial review

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Supplied

The winning candidates of last year’s local government election for the Papatoetoe subdivision of Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board have filed a petition in the High Court seeking a judicial review of the Manukau District Court ruling that declared the election void amid allegations of voter fraud.

It’s the first time the election winners have spoken to media since the District Court ruling was handed down in December.

Kunal Bhalla, spokesperson for the Papatoetoe Ōtara Action Team – who along with Sandeep Saini, Paramjeet Singh and Kushma Nair – was elected to the local board in October, called the District Court ruling “significant and complex” in a statement on Thursday.

“It is important to emphasize that the District Court did not make any findings of wrongdoing against the Papatoetoe Ōtara Action Team or any of its candidates,” Bhalla said.

“The District Court found that a small number of ballot papers – 79 ballot papers in total or about 0.7 percent of the total votes cast – were misused.

“Whether those responsible were attempting to assist or disadvantage any candidates, or were acting irresponsibly or mischievously, we unequivocally condemn those actions.”

Bhalla confirmed the Papatoetoe Ōtara Action Team had filed proceedings in the High Court seeking judicial review of the District Court judgment.

“Our application raises concerns that the case presented to the District Court did not reach the rigorous factual and legal standards required before an election can properly be set aside,” he said.

“We have taken that step to ensure that the legal framework applied, and the material relied upon, are carefully and independently examined in accordance with the law – not only for this case, but for the integrity of future electoral challenges,” he said.

“We have full respect for the judicial process and are confident the High Court will consider the matter fairly and independently.

“We are seeking an urgent hearing because, if the District Court judgment is set aside, it may be that the March by-election should not proceed.”

Bhalla also confirmed all four members of the Papatoetoe Ōtara Action Team would contest the March election should it proceed.

“Regardless of the outcome of the High Court process, we are determined that the people of Papatoetoe should have the opportunity to choose us as their representatives freely and fairly for a second time, if the March election may still have to proceed,” Bhalla said.

“We remain confident in the support of our community and in the mandate we received,” he said.

“We acknowledge that there has been significant speculation and misinformation surrounding this matter, and we are particularly concerned about instances of racially motivated commentary directed at members of our community,” he said.

“We ask that people allow the legal process to run its course and refrain from drawing unjustified conclusions.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Who big winners and snubs at the Screen Actors Guild awards

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Despite what your group text may believe, the return of Connor Storrie’s mustache is not the biggest storyline of the Actor Award nominations.

The Heated Rivalry breakout star and Abbott Elementary’s Janelle James announced the nominees for the Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA, which were formerly known as the SAG Awards and celebrate acting across film and television, voted on by actors in the Screen Actors Guild.

In some of the categories the voters this time around took a “this, but not that” approach.

US actress Janelle James and US actor Connor Storrie announce Ariana Grande as a nominee for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture during the 32nd Annual Actors Awards nominations announcement in Los Angeles on 7 January, 2026.

AFP / Valerie Macon

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Inquiry being considered into jetboat crash near Queenstown

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Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson

Maritime New Zealand is considering a formal investigation after two people were injured in a jetboat crash in Otago.

Emergency services were called to Makarora, in the Queenstown-Lakes district, shortly before 3.30pm on Wednesday.

The injured pair were flown to Dunedin Hospital in a moderate condition.

A Maritime New Zealand spokesperson said the operator has been told not to use, alter or repair the boat until it has been inspected.

The operator has not been suspended and can still use other vessels.

Maritime New Zealand said it was still making initial inquiries with the operator and would decide on whether to start a formal investigation based on what it finds out.

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Specialist canyon teams join search for missing tramper

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A Defence Force NH90 helicopter is being used in the search. Supplied/police

Specialist canyon teams are joining the search for a missing tramper in the Kahurangi National Park.

Graham Garnett, 66, failed to return from a hike on December 30.

Police Search and Rescue sergeant Jonny Evans said four specialist canyon teams were being flown into Motueka to assist.

Searchers near baton saddle. Supplied/police

“Search efforts [on Thursday] will focus on spurs and large water systems coming off the Wharepapa/Arthur Range,” he said.

A Defence Force NH90 helicopter was being used again.

Police are asking anyone who was in the Baton/Ellis River area from the afternoon of December 26 to get in touch, particularly anyone who was around Flanagan’s Hut.

Police thanked everyone who had been involved in trying to find Graham Garnett.

Graham Garnett. Supplied / NZ Police

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Water supplies coming to Marton amid ‘smell and taste issues’

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Source: Radio New Zealand

The council will bring a tanker of water from Hunterville to the Marton RSA and Citizens Memorial Hall each Tuesday and Thursday between 3pm and 6pm, starting 13 January. Supplied / Rangitīkei District Council

A lower North Island town with smelly, muddy-tasting tap water will have supplies trucked in from a neighbouring town from next week.

The water in Marton has been unpleasant for many years due to geosmin in the water, which is the breakdown of algae causing a smell and taste that worsens during summer, the Rangitīkei District Council website said.

In an update on social media, the council said the problem was ramping up again.

“As many of you will have noticed, the geosmin levels in Marton’s water supply has been elevated for a number of weeks, which is what causes the smell and taste issues we experience in summer especially,” it said.

“Our reticulation team will continue to fine tune the treatment process of the water to make improvements, but we recognise that it can take some time for the geosmin levels to settle down.”

The council will bring a tanker of water from Hunterville to the Marton RSA and Citizens Memorial Hall each Tuesday and Thursday between 3pm and 6pm, starting 13 January.

People should bring their own containers to collect the water, the council said.

It thanked residents for their patience.

“We know it is frustrating, but rest assured progress is being made towards our new water source solution.”

Rangitīkei District Council is working on switching its supply from surface water to groundwater, which will remove the geosmin: “the main culprit of the taste and smell issues”.

It’s been trialling a bore site at the Tutaenui Reservoir, with engineers due to present results and recommendations to council in February.

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2025 climate summary: Hottest places around NZ revealed

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Supplied / Earth Sciences NZ

2025 was the country’s fourth-hottest year on record, according to Earth Sciences New Zealand’s (ESNZ) annual climate report.

The report found that most regions were hotter than average by between 0.51 and 1.20 degrees, but parts of Northland and Bay of Plenty were significantly hotter, by more than 1.2 degrees.

Leigh, North of Auckland, recorded the highest annual average temperature across the mainland 17.7 degrees, followed by Kaitaia at 17.1, and Whangaparāoa at 16.9.

The highest air temperature of the year was 35.6 degrees recorded at Kawerau on 7 December. This was followed by 33.8 degrees at Napier on 8 December, and 33.7 degrees at Ettrick on 16 February.

Supplied / Earth Sciences NZ

The report points out: “Of the six main centres in 2025, Auckland was the warmest, Tauranga was the sunniest and wettest, Christchurch was the equal-coolest, and Dunedin was the driest, equal-coolest, and least sunny.”

The organisation has recorded the annual temperature at seven weather stations across the country since 1909. The report found a nationwide average temperature of 13.51 degrees.

Four of the five warmest years on record have occurred since 2021 as a result of human-induced climate change, it says.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels continued to rise, surpassing 423 ppm at ESNZ’s Baring Head monitoring station during the year.

November was the warmest on record, with most of the country more than 1.2 degrees warmer than average.

Supplied / Earth Sciences NZ

Some regions were also much wetter than usual, with several areas of the South Island including Nelson, Marlborough and Banks peninsula receiving 20 to almost 50 percent more rain than usual.

Supplied / Earth Sciences NZ

According to the analysis, the ssoil moisture level was below normal for most of the North Island and the northern part of the South for the first quarter of 2025. Soil moisture is a key indicator of droughts and is watched by farmers. By the end of winter moisture was mostly back to normal but dried out in some eastern parts through to the end of November.

The crown for the region with the highest annual sunshine went to Taranaki with 2743 hours recorded at New Plymouth. It was followed by the Nelson region (2672 hours recorded at Richmond).

Sea temperatures were also on the rise.

Local sea surface temperatures were “relatively warm”, says the report and remained pretty much above normal for the year, though there brief cooler patches west of the North Island.

“Most notably New Zealand observed its warmest (sea surface temperatures) November and 5th-warmest April on record.”

Supplied / Earth Sciences NZ

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Warning to prepare as weekend heatwave sends temperatures skyrocketing

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Source: Radio New Zealand

MetService says the temperatures won’t drop much at night. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Hastings could hit a whopping 37C over the weekend as hot air from a heatwave in Australia blankets the east coast of New Zealand.

MetService is predicting that many areas will be warm on Thursday, with the weekend reaching temperatures over 30C.

The hottest areas are expected to be the East Cape of the North Island, Gisborne, Wairoa and Hastings.

Hastings Mayor Wendy Schollum said the council was working to ensure residents were prepared.

“Because this can be really dangerous heat, and I don’t think many people are use to it, so the big message we are trying to get out to people is make sure on those really hot days you are drinking plenty of water, taking breaks in the shade and avoiding the hottest part of the day if you can.”

She said the community needed to look out for each other, particularly older people, infants and toddlers who were the most susceptible to heat.

Schollum said fire risk was also a major concern.

Hastings Mayor Wendy Schollum says the council are working to ensure residents are prepared as scorching temperatures loom. RNZ/Alexa Cook

“We really need everyone to be conscious, please please please be careful, no fire, we’ve got a complete fire restriction at the moment, if you’ve got fireworks stocked away, no setting those off right now.

“And just also being conscious of anything else you might be doing that could potentially spark a fire, whether that’s using machinery or any of those sorts of activities.”

Marlborough Mayor Nadine Taylor seconded that sentiment and said it was a risky time for spot fires.

“We are really encouraging people to make sure they have an awareness, obviously of not light fires, but also an awareness if they are using lawnmowers, chainsaws anything that might spark or set off a fire.”

Taylor reminded people that the Wither Hills Farm Park closed when the fire risk was too high.

FENZ warns against complacency

Fire and Emergency warned people were getting complacent and ignoring safety warnings.

Wildfire manager for Fire and Emergency Tim Mitchell told Morning Report incoming winds and hot temperatures would create the “perfect storm” for a fire to start and spread, particularly in the Hawke’s Bay region.

“Over the weekend conditions are really going to ramp up, as a result of an approaching weather system from the west a westerly flow is going to set up… under that westerly flow we are likely going to reduce humidity in those areas, it could go below that 30 percent maybe getting into the low 20’s as well.”

A bushfire in Ngunguru, Northland, last February. Supplied/Ann Austin

Mitchell said most of New Zealand’s fires were caused by human related activities, so people needed to be cautious when doing anything that could create a spark.

He urged people to avoid activities that could spark a wildfire, including welding, grinding, using cookers and mowing lawns.

“We’re asking the public to accept that there are times when we aren’t able to do these things and actually follow the advice and don’t do those activities during high-risk periods.

“Obviously, it’s the weekend, which is when people mow their lawns. But we need your flexibility around not undertaking high-risk activities.”

Check the checkitsalright website if you were unsure of anything, Mitchell said.

Influx of beachgoers

Surf Lifesaving is preparing for a swarm of beachgoers with hot weather expected across the country.

Surf Lifesaving’s Chris Emmet said it was expecting a busy weekend across its 90 patrolled locations around the country, with hot weather bringing big numbers of people to the beach.

Surf Lifesaving’s Chris Emmet stressed the importance of swimming at patrolled beaches between the flags. Nick Monro

“Lifeguards look forward to this time of year, when there is quite a bit of activity around the beach. We’re really well prepared across the country.”

Emmet said Auckland’s West Coast beaches often saw big crowds and also a high number of incidents.

“The biggest concern for us is people finding a location to swim that’s safe for them. If you’re really hot in Auckland over the next few days, the East Coast will generally be safer than the West Coast.”

He stressed the importance of swimming at patrolled beaches between the flags.

“Patrol hours are generally 10am to 6pm, but some patrols do run a bit later, and if there are big crowds, lifeguards will stay on for a bit longer.”

Hot nights ahead

To add to the high daytime temperatures, MetService said it wouldn’t cool much at night.

“It affects sleep; people can’t sleep well and the body can’t get rest,” MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor told RNZ.

She urged people to keep an eye on heat alerts, especially those working outside as temperatures mount.

“So the weekend is looking hot. That might be great news for people who have been back at work this week and are looking to get to the beach. But it is tough on people working in the heat.”

The temperatures will be mounting but MetService is not expecting them to quite hit the highs of the past. Ruatoria recorded the North Island’s highest January temperature in 1979 when it hit 38.9C.

The heatwave in Australia is set to blanket the east coast of New Zealand. AFP / Farooq Khan

Highest is expected to be Hastings on 37C on Sunday.

In the South Island, the highest temperatures will also be along the eastern coast with Christchurch, Kaikoura and Timaru forecast to get steadily hotter over the next few days reaching just over 30C throughout the weekend.

Australia’s heatwave driving up New Zealand temperatures

The warm weather is being driven by a heatwave in south-eastern Australia where on Wednesday the region sweltered through its hottest day in years. Firefighters in Victoria and Western Australia continue to battle out-of-control blazes.

Some towns recorded their warmest maximum temperatures in seven years, including Whyalla (45.8 degrees Celsius), Port Augusta (46.3C) and Port Lincoln (44.5C) in South Australia and Warrnambool (41.3C) in Victoria.

Melbourne reached a top of 41C, its highest in six years, while Adelaide recorded a peak of 43C.

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Patient data still being uploaded to Manage My Health two years after contract ended

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Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Finn Blackwell

A patient is shocked to find that more than two years after her GP ended its contract with Manage My Health, it has continued to receive her new medical records.

The patient health information portal will today begin contacting thousands of patients whose private medical information has been caught up in a ransomware attack.

Rachel – who is enrolled at one of The Doctors Medical Centres in Auckland – was emailed by her clinic in November 2023 to say it was switching to a new in-house app and that Manage My Health was “no longer available”.

“I assumed (foolishly) that meant my data had been migrated and deleted.”

However, after hearing the news that former users may also have had data stolen, she checked her old log-in.

“Sure enough it worked,” Rachel said.

“But it gets worse. When I log in, not only can I see pre-November 2023 data, but my medical records continued to be uploaded to MMH after my GP moved providers.

“There were still lab results, multiple lab results, that were being uploaded.”

Rachel said she had received the same results via the new app, so it was not clear whether the GP was still receiving results from the lab via Manage My Health, or the systems were still integrated in some way.

Green Cross, which owns The Doctors, has been approached for comment.

Manage My Health said it hoped to finish notifying all affected patients by “early next week”.

“Notifications will be sent initially through email to the address that was used to register the account.”

The email notifications would include an 0800 number that impacted individuals could call to get “support and assistance should they require”.

“We continue to work around the clock and closely with authorities and agencies to respond to this incident and resolve the matter for patients and general practices.

“We sincerely apologise for the pain and disruption that this incident has caused to our providers and patients as a result of this criminal activity against our systems.”

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Person seriously injured in explosion at industrial business near Motueka

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Generic fire truck. RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

A person has been seriously injured following an explosion at an industrial property near Motueka.

Emergency services were called to the property shortly after 8am on Thursday.

St John sent one ambulance and one rapid response vehicle to the Little Sydney Street address.

A spokesperson says one person was taken to Nelson Hospital in a serious condition.

Fire and Emergency said there was no fire at the site.

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How bank staff convinced their bosses to let them wear shorts

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Mount Roskill BNZ branch in January 1969. Supplied / BNZ

Men wearing shorts to work may be a common site these days but there was a time when permission to do so was necessary.

With high temperatures expected in the coming days, BNZ has dug into its archives from 1966 when “sweltering” staff in Gisborne formally requested to wear shorts instead of long pants to work.

On 22 February 1966, the branch manager of the Gisborne BNZ wrote a letter to Head Office, saying: “With the prevalent high temperatures at Gisborne over the summer months, working conditions become most unpleasant.”

The manager suggested male staff be allowed to wear dark shorts with calf-length socks, white shirts with sleeves rolled up, a tie, and either black or brown shoes.

Rotorua senior staff in 1976. Supplied / BNZ

He said “strict control would be exercised to ensure a neat and tidy appearance was maintained” and wrote all other banks in Gisborne were allowing staff to wear shorts.

“One bank allows an open neck shirt, but I do not favour this,” he continued.

To further convince Head Office, the manager attached information about temperatures expected for the summer period.

Head Office ultimately approved the manager’s request but strict rules were to be followed.

Gisborne staff in 1982. Supplied / BNZ

There was to be no sandals – shoes only – and the summer attire was to be “at the manager’s discretion”.

Shorts had to be “of reasonable length” and “not in any way offensive to the public”.

Approval for this change was then sent to all branches across the country.

BNZ said the change proved popular – with archive photos through to the 1980s showing staff wearing shorts and shirts with a tie.

“The letter and photos now sit in BNZ’s archives as a snapshot of an era when staying cool at work required creativity rather than air conditioning and modern fabrics.”

Paihia staff in 1975, Supplied / BNZ

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Stephen Miller: portrait of Donald Trump’s ideologue-in-chief

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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex

During a recent interview with CNN host Jake Tapper, the White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, laid out what appears to be the core of the new ideology driving US foreign policy: the notion that might is right. Or, as he put it: “We’re a superpower. And under President Trump, we are going to conduct ourselves as a superpower.”

Miller was referring to the Trump administration’s ambitions to take control of Greenland, if necessary by force. “We live in a world in which you can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else,” he told Tapper. “But we live in a world, in the real world … that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power.”

The 40-year-old Californian is one of Trump’s most trustworthy advisers and also one of the longest serving, having joined Trump’s first campaign in January 2016. While the president’s first administration had a revolving door of different appointees, many of whom who barely lasted a year, Miller is one of a handful of advisers to serve in both Trump’s first and second terms.

The two reportedly have a close working relationship, meeting daily along with Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, to go through Trump’s diary and review the executive orders to be signed. Having started out as a speechwriter, Miller’s position has evolved to focus more on interpreting the president’s ideas and executing them as policy initiatives. He is also understood to be a key liaison point between the White House and Capitol Hill, where he briefs lawmakers on Trump’s plans.

Origins of an extremist

Miller’s extreme ideas did not come out of nowhere. In contrast to the vice-president, J.D. Vance and secretary of state, Marco Rubio, whose ideologies have evolved significantly to be in line with Trump’s agenda, Miller has had a long history of supporting radical America First style policies.

While in high school in Santa Monica, Miller is said to have complained about students having to pick up rubbish, saying janitorial staff should do it instead. As a 16-year-old he contributed an article to a local website, criticising his fellow Hispanic students for a lack of language skills.

While at Duke University, where he studied political science, he contributed a number of articles to the college website, attacking multiculturalism and championing right-wing issues. He was also part of a group at Duke, Students For Academic Freedom, that criticised what they saw as political bias among faculty staff. These ideas would resurface in his attack on universities as a Trump administration official.

Moving to Washington, Miller first worked as an aide to then Republican representative Michele Bachmann before taking a job with Republican senator Jeff Sessions as press secretary. One of his main focuses was in developing critiques of immigration, collaborating with groups such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform and the Centre for Immigration Studies.

This is where he developed the ideas that have formed the backbone of the Trump administration’s anti-immigration policies, including the now notorious family separation policy, by which children were often taken from their parents – who were subject to prosecution for attempting to cross the US southern border illegally. The policy was judged to be so harsh that the UN openly condemned it as cruel and unnecessary.

Immigration has been one of the main focuses of Miller’s work in Trump’s second term. He is understood to behind the decision to deploy immigration and customs enforcement agents en masse on the streets of US cities with power to detain and deport suspected illegal immigrants. Other radical policies bearing Miller’s hallmark are the plan to end the American policy of birthright citizenship, in contravention of the 14th amendment to the US constitution.

But then many of the policy ideas he espouses have brought Miller into conflict with American constitutional law. He has publicly declared that in some circumstances it should be permissible to suspend a person’s habeas corpus right to a trial before they can be imprisoned and he has questioned the power of the judiciary to hold the administration to account over executive decisions on matters such as deportations and due process.

Personality politics

If relatively unknown during Trump’s first term, Miller’s profile has grown considerably in the first 12 months of the second Trump administration. A YouGov poll conducted in September 2025 found that 50% of respondents had heard of him and he had a popularity rating of 18%.

But if he is disliked and feared by many on Capitol Hill, as well as among the wider public, Miller has an ideological ally and staunch supporter in his wife Katie, who achieved instant fame on January 3 after tweeting a map of Greenland with the US flag superimposed on it, accompanied by the word “SOON”.

Within hours the US president had voiced his intention to intervene in Greenland for reasons of national security and to secure access to its huge reserves of mineral resources.

Like her husband, Katie worked in the first Trump administration, at the department of homeland security. She once told a reporter that even the administration’s separation policy was not a problem for her, claiming: “DHS sent me to the border to see the separations for myself, to try to make me more compassionate, but it didn’t work.”

She now runs The Katie Miller podcast, which she established as a “place for conservative women to gather online”. Among other things, it provides a regular and uncritical platform for administration officials.

But the Millers’ growing public profile could prove to be a double-edged sword for the Trump administration. Despite saying out loud what many on the far-right of the Republican party want to hear, their apparent extremism is increasingly a focus for Trump’s critics. California’s democrat governor Gavin Newsom – generally thought to be preparing for a presidential run in 2024, has taken to referring to Miller as Voldemort, the personification of evil in the Harry Potter novels.

All of which is unlikely to resonate well with the independent voters that the Republicans desperately need to win over if they are not to lose vital ground in November’s midterm elections.

The Conversation

Natasha Lindstaedt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Stephen Miller: portrait of Donald Trump’s ideologue-in-chief – https://theconversation.com/stephen-miller-portrait-of-donald-trumps-ideologue-in-chief-272869

US boards a ship sailing under a Russian flag: what we know and don’t know about the legal position

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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Serdy, Professor of the Public International Law of the Sea, University of Southampton

Relations between the US and Russia have hit a fresh bump after the US coastguard boarded a vessel sailing in the Icelandic waters, claiming it was in breach of sanctions on Venezuela. The incident immediately sparked claim and counter-claim from the US and Russia.

The US claimed it was acting correctly to execute a warrant issued by a US federal court. Russian officials, meanwhile, were reported by the country’s Tass news agency as saying this was in clear breach of the law of the sea, saying “no state has the right to use force against ships properly registered in the jurisdictions of other states”. The statement asserted that the Bella 1 – which was recently renamed as the Marinera – had received a temporary permit to sail under the Russian flag on December 24.

Unlike the dramatic abduction of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, from his Caracas palace on January 3, which the United States (US) does not even appear to be trying to defend in international law terms, the interdiction of the Marinera/Bella 1 appears to raise a new point of the law of the sea which may offer at least some prospect for Washington to show itself to be on the right side of the law.

Before the change of flag, the US seemed to be selecting with some care the ships carrying Venezuelan oil that it was targeting. These were either stateless or suspected of flying a false flag, which provides no protection under Article 92 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), which is also the customary international law rule for non-parties such as the US.

Stateless ships are vulnerable

Being stateless, or acting in a way that gives warships on the high seas a valid basis for treating it as though it were stateless, is a position that any ship would be recommended to avoid if at all possible. A ship that is stateless has by definition no flag state to assert the protective exclusive jurisdiction over it on the high seas.

Unclos also provides that a ship which sails under the flags of two or more States, and swaps them depending on the circumstances, “may not claim any of the nationalities in question with respect to any other State”. This means it can be regarded legally as stateless.

Thus, until the change of flag reported on December 31, not just the US but any State was entitled to treat the Marinera/Bella 1 as stateless. This made it vulnerable to interception on the high seas and the exercise of domestic law enforcement jurisdiction over it by the State of the interdicting warship or coastguard vessel.

So the legal position remains unclear. It may be a question of whether the US was already pursuing the Marinera/Bella 1 when it changed its flag. If so the US may be entitled to disregard the reregistration.

Unclos allows for what it refers to as “hot pursuit”. It says that: “The right of hot pursuit ceases as soon as the ship pursued enters the territorial sea of its own State or of a third [another] State.” Since no other circumstance in which the right ceases is mentioned, including the ship ceasing to be stateless, this leaves it open to the US to argue that it was already pursuing the Marinera/Bella 1 and was thus not required to call off its pursuit.

But this argument has limited usefulness as there’s doubt as to whether this was actually a hot pursuit at all. The term is used for pursuits that begin in one of the maritime zones of the State conducting it – not on the high seas.

Claim and counter-claim

So far the Russian Ministry of Transport has claimed that the US action is contrary to the Article 92 rule. Russia insists that the change of registry occurred as long ago as December 24. To counter this, the US could say that it wasn’t until the Russian flag was painted on the ship’s hull, which was reported on December 31, that the Article 92 rule could be invoked against the US.

Article 92 also lays down that: “A ship may not change its flag during a voyage or while in a port of call, save in the case of a real transfer of ownership or change of registry.” This is often misunderstood and assumed to mean that a change of flag in mid-voyage – such as appears to have occurred in this case – is not permitted at all. But a closer reading reveals that this is not the case. What it prevents is a change of flag without a corresponding change of registration.

But that is not the position here. Assuming there was a real registration to Russia, that is what counts. Painting on a flag because you don’t have a physical one is simply evidence of that.

Reflagging while under pursuit is a new point in the international law of the sea to the extent that no previous incident of it is known. In the absence of a clear answer on this, the way this incident plays out is itself going to set the precedent for the future on this issue. We’ll need to hear the competing legal narratives of the US and Russia to see which of them is the more convincing.

The Conversation

Andrew Serdy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. US boards a ship sailing under a Russian flag: what we know and don’t know about the legal position – https://theconversation.com/us-boards-a-ship-sailing-under-a-russian-flag-what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-the-legal-position-272957

Person injured in explosion at industrial business near Motueka

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Generic fire truck. RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

A person has been injured in an explosion at an industrial property near Motueka.

Emergency services were called to the property shortly after 8am on Thursday.

Fire and Emergency says there is no fire but they are looking after a patient until an ambulance can arrive to take them to hospital.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Why grieving a pet can be as hard as grieving a person

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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Smith, Associate Professor and Discipline Lead (Paramedicine), La Trobe University

Solovyova/Getty

For many of us, pets are more than just animals. They are family. So, when a beloved pet dies, the grief can feel overwhelming.

For some, like me, it does more than break your heart. The death of a pet can reopen old emotional wounds, intensifying past trauma and worsening existing mental health challenges.

When my beloved dog died recently, I was blindsided by the weight of the grief. It wasn’t just sadness. It felt like the ground had shifted beneath me. For someone already carrying the weight of past trauma, losing my pet magnified my anxiety and made the world feel far less safe.

And I’m not alone. The death of a pet can intensify existing struggles for people already living with mental health challenges or trauma. This sometimes triggers severe anxiety and depressive episodes or even symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress.

Pets never judge you

Think about losing the one source of comfort that never judged you, never walked away, and always made you feel safe. For many people living with trauma or mental health challenges, that’s what a pet represents.

When that bond is broken, the grief can feel overwhelming – stripping away a vital coping mechanism and sense of security.

And when a pet dies suddenly, the shock can make the grief even harder to bear. That abrupt loss often mirrors the unpredictability of other traumatic experiences, which can trigger intense stress responses.

Pets never judge you.
Chewy/Unsplash

Pets help us thrive

Pets aren’t just companions. They’re powerful contributors to our health and wellbeing. Living with animals can lower stress, ease feelings of loneliness, and even encourage social interaction.

These benefits ripple through our mental and physical wellbeing. This makes pets more than a source of affection; they’re part of the support systems that help us thrive.

Because of the deep emotional attachment we have to our pets, their loss can feel as painful as losing a close family member or friend, and their absence leaves a profound sense of emptiness.

I feel that emptiness now. The house is still, and the silence seems deafening. I have lost one of my emotional anchors and I feel a little lost.

It isn’t just saying goodbye to a friend that’s hard; it’s losing a key source of comfort and stability. This can be particularly challenging for individuals who depend on them for emotional or practical support, including those living with anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What makes this even harder is that society often downplays the grief of losing a pet, leaving people feeling alone and unsupported. When a deep emotional bond is met with little social recognition, the result can be overwhelming, and for some, profoundly destabilising.

Millie Cordaro is an expert in the United States on grief counselling and the psychological impact of pet loss. She explains this kind of disenfranchised grief – loss that isn’t widely acknowledged or supported – can leave people feeling isolated and make healing harder. She says when grief isn’t validated, people may struggle to express their feelings or reach out for help.

Kids can find it particularly tough

If a pet dies when you’re a child this is associated with a significantly higher risk of depression and anxiety later in life. This is partly because the loss can challenge a child’s sense of safety and predictability in the world.

For children who have already experienced trauma, such as family instability, abuse or bereavement, the death of a pet can compound feelings of insecurity and abandonment. These experiences may reinforce maladaptive beliefs, such as “everything I love disappears”, which can shape emotional regulation and attachment patterns well into adulthood.

In some cases, unresolved grief from pet loss can manifest as behavioural issues, academic difficulties, or heightened vulnerability to mental health disorders during adolescence and beyond.

Losing a pet as a child can challenge their sense of safety and predictability in the world.
Nick Gonzales/Unsplash

The loss is real

Understanding the psychological weight of losing a pet is essential for providers or mental health care, educators and support networks.

Health professionals rarely screen for pet loss, despite evidence that acknowledging and validating this grief can improve mental health outcomes.

Practical strategies – such as memorial rituals, joining support groups and maintaining continuing bonds with supportive friends and family – can help individuals navigate this complex emotional terrain and prevent the spiral of compounded trauma.

Friends and family can play a role too. It is important not to underestimate the depth of grief associated with losing a pet, or offer platitudes, such as: “It was just a dog” or “You can get another one.” These comments, while well-intentioned, can invalidate the mourner’s experience, increasing feelings of isolation.

Instead, acknowledge the depth of the bond and offer empathy. Sometimes, simply saying “I know how much they meant to you” can make a world of difference.

I know it has helped me to hear this.

Erin Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Why grieving a pet can be as hard as grieving a person – https://theconversation.com/why-grieving-a-pet-can-be-as-hard-as-grieving-a-person-269501

Person dies after two-vehicle crash in Auckland’s Dairy Flat

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Pine Valley Road, Dairy Flat. Google Maps / supplied

One person has died after a two-vehicle crash in Auckland’s Dairy Flat.

Emergency services were called to the scene on the rural Pine Valley Road on Wednesday.

St John said it was notified of the crash just before 1pm.

The person was taken to Auckland City Hospital in a serious condition, but later died.

Pine Valley Road was closed for a few hours, but was reopened by 5pm.

A serious crash unit is investigating and enquiries into the crash are ongoing.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Hawke’s Bay Māori housing project wants to see the model rolled out nationwide

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Zack Makaore is the driving force of Puke Aute papakāinga. RNZ / Alexa Cook

A Māori housing project in Hawke’s Bay wants to see the same model rolled out nationwide to help people afford their own homes and benefit from a community environment.

Puke Aute papakāinga is in Te Hauke, about 20 minutes south of Hastings in Hawke’s Bay, and has been built on ancestral Māori land and received funding through government-backed Māori housing initiatives such as Te Puni Kōkiri.

The village of 10 brand new homes is no ordinary housing development, with vege gardens, lambs, chickens and pigs.

Some people rent the houses, some buy them, and others rent to buy – but the land the whare sit on can never be sold.

Puke Aute is built on seven acres of ancestral land, the other 200 acres is leased to Brownrigg Agriculture. RNZ / Alexa Cook

Zack Makaore is the driving force of the project, which has been a 30-year dream for his people.

“There are some wins out of this whole thing, it’s not perfect, but our whānau have been able to save some money because the rent isn’t so high.

“They’ve saved to purchase their homes in the next five years, or to purchase a house somewhere else and other family moves in here,” Makaore said.

He explained that the papakāinga is based on five pou, or principles. Those are politics and local government involvement, looking after the environment, growing economic opportunities, helping others in society, and building a positive culture around manaakitanga.

“We’re also standing up to having no gang patches on site and no one on methamphetamine – just a culture of people going to work, going to training, and kids thriving in school,” Makaore said.

Puke Aute resident Vivienne Duxfield has taken responsibility for raising the village’s lambs. RNZ / Alexa Cook

For Puke Aute resident Vivienne Duxfield it’s been an eye opening experience, renting a home at the papakāinga.

“It’s a wonderful place, it’s a place of connection with my whakapapa – my mother lived here before me and this land belonged to our family.

“I’ve learned more about the culture because I wasn’t raised with the Māori culture at all, and so for me there is a coming home in that way too,” she said.

The pensioner is loving the community aspect of living in the papakāinga, and the sharing of knowledge and skills.

“I get involved in any way that I can, I take the children with me to feed the lambs – we have a lot of fun because I don’t have grandchildren and here I have many grandchildren and it’s wonderful,” she laughs.

As one of the only people living at Puke Aute who isn’t working, Duxfield has taken responsibility for raising the village’s lambs.

“I’m a total novice – oh my goodness it’s been a roller coaster and I now have become fairly knowledgeable on the subject.”

The community is still taking shape, but she said everyone was feeling positive about the direction they were taking.

“There is a lot of work to keep a place like this running and it’s hard to achieve, but it’s really important and we’re beginning to develop a way of life,” Duxfield said.

The Puke Aute lambs. RNZ / Alexa Cook

Makaore said the village mentality was one he would love to see replicated around Aotearoa.

“Why can’t we do it for all New Zealanders – you know, little villages – thousands of villages where we all work together and everyone feels comfortable in what they do and how they do it.

“I think we are in a great position right now with the downturn in the economy. It’s a good time to transition some of this thought into housing for ourselves,” he said.

“We need papakāinga for the rest of country, not Housing New Zealand stuff, but people thinking about living in a community where everybody is working together as opposed to state housing.”

Makaore has a long history of helping many people in many different ways, he founded the Te Taitimu Trust in 2007 after losing his son to suicide 25 years ago. The trust helps hundreds of rangatahi build their self-confidence by participating in local Hawke’s Bay camps at nearby beaches and rivers.

The papakāinga is part of that mahi, and has a strong focus on mental wellbeing.

“We’ve been able to help others through that grief. It’s about supporting people and whānau, we want to be part of that thinking around a little village,” he said.

Gardens at Puke Aute. RNZ / Alexa Cook

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Phoenix hit by third season-ending ACL injury

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Sabitra Bhandari of the Phoenix AAP / Photosport

The Wellington Phoenix women have been hit with a third season-ending ACL injury for a player.

Nepalese striker Sabitra Bhandari has been ruled out for the remainder of the A-League season because of a serious knee injury.

Bhandari, popularly known as Samba, joins midfielders Tessel Middag and Alyssa Whinham in being ruled out for the remainder of the competition.

An MRI scan has shown Samba has suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft in her right knee and will be sidelined for nine to 12 months.

She sustained the injury late in the second half of the round 11 match against Brisbane Roar in Brisbane on Saturday night.

Phoenix head coach Bev Priestman said he felt deflated.

“I know the team are absolutely devastated for her and I was devastated in helping deliver that news,” Priestman said.

“First and foremost we recruited an unbelievable human. Samba’s probably the most popular player in the team. The team love her and adore her so whenever you get a season-ending injury the first place you go as a human being is the person.

“I feel gutted for her, but I’ve seen the hunger in her eyes. We’ve got her for two seasons and she’s like ‘get me back as quick as I can get back’.

“I’ve had 24 hours now to process the news and as you’ve seen with the injuries we have had, players have stepped up.

“Sometimes these things are thrown at you to test you and test the character of the group.

“Last time we were thrown this before Melbourne Victory, and I’m hoping that the group really step up and they’ll want to get a result and a performance for Samba.”

The Phoenix are looking for an injury replacement for Samba, although the club’s search is limited to free agents as the A-League registration window has closed.

On Wednesday the Phoenix announced the signing of American forward Makala Woods as a replacement for Middag.

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‘Yeah boy’: Meet Pleakley, Ōtorohanga Kiwi House’s talking tūī

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A cheeky tūī named after the Lilo and Stitch character Pleakley is literally turning heads at the Ōtorohanga Kiwi House.

If you wander past his innocuous-looking enclosure on your way to the exit, he’s likely to call out “hey buddy” or perhaps just guffaw at you.

While it is not unheard of for tūī to mimic car alarms and the like, birds that talk are relatively rare.

Pleakley the tūī. Supplied / Ōtorohanga Kiwi House

Ōtorohanga Wildlife manager Matt Ronaldson explained how Pleakley came to be at the sanctuary.

“He came to us as a very young bird. He was rescued in Hamilton with a sibling and the rescuer had him and they brought him to us hoping that he could potentially go back to the wild.

“After a little bit of assessing it worked out that, no, it wasn’t suitable to go back to the wild due to the fact he climbed inside my jersey and he made kissing noises when he came and landed on your shoulder.”

It wasn’t suitable for Pleakley to return to the wild. Supplied / Ōtorohanga Kiwi House

Pleakley’s gift of the gab was discovered by accident.

“We would hear him now and again when he was in the holding aviary up the back. He would bark – sorry – he would tell the dogs to shut up and then he would bark.

“And we started hearing this random voice coming from the holding aviaries and worked out it was Pleakley and he was starting to mimic some of the staff around me in particular.”

The tūī now had about 15 phrases down-pat.

Pleakley has about about 15 phrases mastered. Supplied / Ōtorohanga Kiwi House

“With a bit of training and work with him he learnt ‘good boy’ on a regular basis and he used to land on staff members’ shoulders and lean into their ear and actually say ‘good boy’ in my voice which was a little bit disturbing for some of the staff.

“And since then he’s actually learnt quite a few … other words. He’s got ‘yeah boy’ and we had a visitor from Australia and she held up her engagement ring to him and he said ‘oh beautiful’.”

Associate Professor of Ecology and Zoology at Massey University Isabel Castro said tūī were great mimics.

“So they wouldn’t imitate people in the wild, they would imitate other birds or the sound of the wind through the leaves, all the natural sounds, and they use them as part of their communication style.”

Tūī have two voice boxes and could make a huge range of sounds – some of which were beyond the range of human ears.

Visitors from Malaysia watch Pleakley. RNZ / Robin Martin

It seems Pleakley might have an ulterior motive for his calls.

“The sounds that birds produce can be used as a sign of the sexual quality of the animal, for example, how good they would be as mates.

“And in the case of tūī and other small birds that do those imitations that allows the birds to produce sounds that are sexier to members of the other sex.”

Regardless, visitors to the Ōtorohanga Kiwi House were loving his flirtatious nature.

Jeneni (centre) and her family from Malaysia found it hilarious that Pleakley ‘laughed’ at them. RNZ / Robin Martin

Jeneni was visiting with a family group from Malaysia.

“It was laughing at us. There he is again.”

Not that she held it against Pleakely.

“It’s not too bad, it’s okay.”

Australian visitor Carol was intrigued.

“It said ‘hey buddy’ and it was making a clicking sound with its tongue.”

Pleakley’s gutteral utterances caught French visitor Juliet Jones by surprise. RNZ / Robin Martin

Juliet was visiting from France.

“He did sort of talk though I can’t remember what he said exactly. I was surprised because it was kind of gutteral sounds and I’m more used to the singing phrase they do.”

New Zealander Britney knew tūī could mimic speak but had not expected to be laughed at.

“He was laughing, like, at us laughing at him, and him responding with it. Same with the ‘hey buddy’.”

The Neilsen family thought Pleakely was cool. RNZ / Robin Martin

Waikato local Laura had a large family group in tow.

“We knew he sat there and sometimes made sounds like the phone, but we had no idea that he could talk.”

Laura’s daughter Michelle loved it.

“He said ‘hey buddy’. I though it was cool.”

The Ōtorohanga Kiwi House is open everyday from 9am until 5pm, except on Christmas Day – when Pleakley and the crew took a well earned rest.

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$5.9 million fence to protect Wellington forest from pests

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Greater Wellington Regional Council is spending a decade building a fence to protect thousands of hectares of native forest from pests.

RNZ was given a look at the area of Wainuiomata Regional Park which was normally roped off to the public due to its proximity to the capital’s water source.

Driving through the native bush, rātā trees estimated to be hundreds of years old were in full bloom – offering spots of bright red amongst shades of light and dark green.

But underneath the tree canopy was a problem that had been brewing for years.

RNZ / Mark Papalii

The forest floor’s undergrowth had been largely cleared of almost everything besides plants that tasted bad to pests or were difficult to eat for pigs, goats and deers.

The regional council’s delivery director Jack Mace told RNZ that prevented future plants and trees from being able to grow after older ones died.

“We are controlling possums in here and we are now increasingly controlling deer, pigs and goats.”

Mace said there was a “constant wave” of pests coming in from lands near the water catchment.

“So, what we are looking to do is to build a deer, pig and goat-proof fence around the whole valley so we can effectively eradicate them around that whole area.”

RNZ / Mark Papalii

The fence was set to cost $5.9 million over a 10-year period and would protect 7400 hectares of forest.

He said it was not a Zealandia-style fence but more a fence built specifically for larger pests.

“Our fence that we’ll build won’t be sufficient to keep predators like stoats and cats out.”

Mace noted there was a business case to fence off part of the area which would protect it from all pests but that would need central government funding.

RNZ / Mark Papalii

The forest has been home to the North Island brown kiwi for 20 years ago, a population that had been increasing due to predator controls.

He said the richness of the forest was incredible.

“Hundreds and hundreds of species down here. What’s special about this area is that we have got six or seven different forest types.”

Recently workers in the forest had found critically endangered species such as New Zealand’s only indigenous fully parasitic flowering plant Dactylanthus and short-tailed bats.

“Even where we have been in here for over a hundred years, we are still finding things.”

The project is due to be completed by 2034.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

I don’t like my kid’s friends – what should I do?

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Source: Radio New Zealand

So you’ve got that ick feeling when it comes to one of your kid’s friends.

Maybe that friend is ever so slightly a bully during playdates. Maybe that person brings out the worst in your child. Or perhaps there is a clash of values between that family and yours. And then there is that age-old fear of peer pressure: when that kid is up to no good, and you’re worried your child might follow suit.

The influence of friends in your child’s life will grow over time. Good friendships can act as a guard against mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. However, bad friendships can have the opposite effect, especially as children develop into teenagers.

pixabay/befunky.com

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Get your finances sorted in 2026: Manage your mortgage

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Want to pay off your home loan? Here are some changes you can make to get you closer to that goal. Unsplash/ Artful Homes

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.

If you’ve got a mortgage, one of your priorities might be to try to get rid of it as soon as possible.

The past few years of higher interest rates have been tough going for lots of people.

As interest rates come down, many borrowers have more options.

There are a few changes you can make that could get you closer to that goal.

Increase your repayments

First up, the most obvious one.

If you make bigger repayments, you’ll be able to clear your home loan faster. What surprises some people is how much of a difference even a small increase in your home loan repayments can make, particularly if you haven’t had your home loan for a long time.

Interest rates have fallen over the past couple of years from more than 7 percent to less than 4.5 percent.

If you have a $500,000 loan at 4.5 percent, you’ll pay about $585 a week over a 30-year term including $411,413 of interest. If you can increase your payment to $600 a week, you’ll only pay $385,836 of interest and clear it about a year-and-a-half sooner.

You can increase your repayments by opting for a higher level when your loan comes up to refix. Sometimes you can ask your bank to increase them during the term, too, or make additional lump sum payments. There is generally a limit on how much extra you can pay back during a fixed term before you have to pay a fee.

When you loan rolls off its fixed term, you could also make an additional one-off payment before you refix again at whatever repayment rate suits.

Anything you can do to pay the balance off faster will save you a lot in the long run because it means the principal will be smaller and there won’t be so much to attract interest – which compounds – over the life of the loan.

Split your loan

You can split your loan into a number of smaller loans. This allows you to take advantage of different interest rates.

At the moment, longer fixes are more expensive than shorter ones but are still relatively low by historical standards.

You might choose to fix part for a longer rate for some security and have some on a shorter term to save money in the short term.

It also means you can choose to make higher repayments on one of the loans, and maybe aim to clear that before switching your attention to the other.

Ask for low-equity margin to be removed, or for special rate access

If you bought your house a while ago with a small deposit, you might be paying a low-equity margin on your interest rate.

You might also be paying higher rates than the “specials” banks advertise for borrowers with more deposit.

You could ask your bank to reassess your situation – if your property has improved in value or you’ve paid off your loan a bit, you could have improved your equity position, or you might find the bank is willing to negotiate.

Shop around for a sharper rate

If you don’t think you’re getting a good deal from your lender, you could look at what else is available in the market. A mortgage broker could help with this.

Banks have also been competing hard with cash back offers that can be worth quite a significant amount of money if you’re willing to shift.

Consider off-set

If you have savings that you want to keep separate from your mortgage, you could set up an offset facility.

That means you forgo the interest on your savings but also reduce your mortgage interest bill. It’s sometimes possible to do this by linking with family members’ accounts, too.

Consider revolving credit

If you have the discipline, a revolving credit facility can work well. This means you section off part of your home loan into what is basically a large overdraft and usually becomes your main transaction account.

You then aim to put your spending on your credit card each month and have your income going into your new revolving credit account.

This means you reduce the interest you pay on that portion of the loan for the period that income is sitting there. Hopefully when you pay your credit cards at the end of the month, there’s a bit left over to reduce what you owe.

You need to be a bit careful with this, though, because over time the idea is that you’ll build up money in that account as you pay it down and you don’t want to be tempted to spend it again.

Advice from a mortgage adviser or a home loan specialist from your bank can really help you to set a strategy and stick with it.

Sign up for Money with Susan Edmunds, a weekly newsletter covering all the things that affect how we make, spend and invest money.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Record number of New Zealanders face visa troubles in United States

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Stylised illustration of phone, question mark and US flag

MFAT warns travellers may encounter greater scrutiny at the US border. Photo: RNZ

The number of New Zealanders held in US detention or having immigration difficulties in America rose to a new high of 39 last year, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).

Latest available White House figures suggest more than 900 New Zealanders overstayed their US visa in 2024.

The US administration has stepped up border controls since Donald Trump came to power a year ago, including searches of electronic devices and social media accounts.

Have you been affected? Share you stories with us at iwitness@rnz.co.nz

MFAT data shows 29 New Zealanders sought help after encountering border or visa issues in the US in the last financial year (2024-25).

In the last six months, there have been another 16. The figures reflect only those who contacted MFAT for help.

New Zealand woman Sarah Shaw and her six-year-old son were among them. They were released last year after three weeks in a Texan detention centre because of a problem with her paperwork when she arrived back from Canada.

And New Zealand-born reggae artist Lotima Nicholas Pome’e – aka General Fiyah – was detained and sent back to New Zealand before he could perform at Polyfest, a major Pacific cultural festival, in August.

MFAT’s Safe Travel website warned New Zealanders to exercise increased caution, due to safety and security issues.

It noted the US government had strict rules for entering and staying in the country and that travellers may encounter greater scrutiny at the border. There was also now a requirement for most visitors to register with US authorities if they were staying more than 30 days.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Lawyers say privacy rules need more teeth, following Manage My Health hack

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Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Finn Blackwell

Privacy lawyers are calling for a review into what punishments companies can face for breaching privacy in the wake of the massive Manage My Health cyber hack.

The country’s largest online patient portal faces a new Friday deadline for a US$60,000 ransom after hundreds of thousands of sensitive files were taken.

Manage My Health said hackers came in through its front door, and that it dropped the ball.

Chief executive Vino Ramayah has not ruled out standing down from his post.

In its latest public update, Manage My Health said it would start notifying affected users by the end of Thursday.

About 127,000 patients were affected.

Speaking to RNZ this week, the Deputy Privacy Commissioner said the Privacy Commisioner’s Office was irked by widespread complacency around cyber security.

“The frustration for us at the Office of the Privacy Commissioner is that we continue to see complacency from, and this is across the board … a continuation of the ‘it’ll happen to somebody else, not to me’ type approach,” Liz MacPherson said.

“And you have to ask the question, is the lack of a penalty regime part of that?”

For a former Assistant Privacy Commissioner, it was.

Privacy lawyer Katrine Evans Supplied

Privacy lawyer Katrine Evans chairs the Privacy Foundation, which had a mission of protecting privacy rights through research and education.

“The Privacy Commissioner’s Office has been calling for a long time, not just the current Privacy Commissioner, but previous Privacy Commissioners have called for a proper fining regime, a civil penalty regime, so not a criminal prosecution, but an ability to fine companies that breach privacy when they should have been taking much greater care,” she said.

“And so far that hasn’t happened, it’s now 2026 and it’s about time we had those in place.”

MacPherson pointed to the penalties on offer in Australia which were significantly increased in late 2022.

For serious breach, a court could impose a maximum A$50 million, or three times the benefit derived from what happened, or 30 percent of a business’ annual turnover.

That was for each contravention.

In New Zealand there was no express penalty for a privacy breach.

Deputy Privacy Commissioner Liz MacPherson. RNZ / Dom Thomas

The Privacy Commission was able to issue fines of $10,000, but these were for set circumstances:

  • A business or organisation that failed to change its behaviour after being issued with a compliance notice
  • Misleading a business or organisation to access someone else’s personal information
  • A business or organisation destroying personal information after it had been requested to avoid handing it over
  • Failing to notify the Privacy Commissioner of a breach.

The Human Rights Review Tribunal, if a case went there, was able to issue a fine of up to $350,000.

“It’s a pretty long haul to get all the way through there to get compensation,” Evans said.

“A lot of things settle quite early so that’s one option where you’ve been harmed, you ask for compensation, but that’s not to do with punishing.”

Evans said some courts could make awards for damages to punish a business or organisation through exemplary damages.

“The Privacy Foundation definitely thinks it’s high time,” she said when asked if there should be a review of the punishments available.

“Where are the incentives for agencies to take privacy seriously, to invest in good systems, to support their staff, to do the right thing, to provide great training?

“If you compare that with something like health and safety, where there are really significant fines available for, say, workplace accidents, privacy is looking pretty weak.”

Evans said having a better regime of fines would mean “everybody has to take care”.

Privacy barrister Kathryn Dalziel was another who said there should be a review.

“My view is that the penalties regime is not a deterrent,” she said.

“So there needs to be a review of those penalties and the amounts that can be awarded but also what they can be awarded for, and for serious privacy breaches which should never have happened, these should be matters that the Privacy Commissioner’s got the ability to impose penalties.

“I can understand the sense of frustration when you don’t have a power to impose a penalty that will act as a deterrent … I just don’t think we have the deterrent factor in New Zealand.”

Privacy barrister Kathryn Dalziel. Pool / Iain McGregor / The Press

Dalziel said she was surprised New Zealand did not follow Australia when it massively boosted its penalties.

Commenting on the Manage My Health hack, she called it a major breach.

“And the reason I say that is that any attack on a health system or health database causes fear for people.”

Her advice for worried patients was to let Manage My Health know, and contact the Privacy Commissioner to discuss their rights.

“This is something New Zealanders hold dear, the sensitivity of our health information and so any attack on a health system of this significance, particularly given the clear criminal intent behind the attack, says to me there are New Zealanders out there that are concerned, fearful, worried and anxious about their health information.”

Government responds

Through a spokesperson, Duty Minister Casey Costello said she was “not going to make up policy on the fly”.

“Any changes to the Privacy Act would require the input of various agencies and Cabinet consideration,” she said.

“Of course the government wants to ensure that people’s private information is protected.

“However, it important to recognise that the current cyber security breach is criminal activity,” Costello said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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