A key focus for NZ Jet is flying to multiple destinations in ways big carriers cannot. There’s also a queue-busting benefit, with customers able to access a private terminal and avoid long wait times. “The jet is just ready when they need it,” Sofia Ambler told the Herald. Photo / Dean PurcellShe said that business had grown to a point where the couple did not have to be hands-on with it. “They’re here for the summer.”He said business travel had taken a hit from the domestic economic downturn.

PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUEIRYFour-year-old Evie Coutts is chuffed with the new bike and helmet she got for Christmas. She waited until after lunch to test it at the bicycle track in Marlow Park. She said the bike went pretty fast and even had a carrier at the back for her new unicorn stuffed toy Snowy.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGArea: Gore, Clutha and SouthlandAt 04:45 pm, MetService weather radar detected severe thunderstorms near CATLINS STATE FOREST PARK, CLINTON and WAIPAHI moving southeast, expected to be accompanied by very heavy rain, large hail and frequent lightning. Meanwhile, holiday hotspots including Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and Rotorua lie under a severe thunderstorm watch from 2pm to 8pm. MetService confirmed heavy rainfall has started in the Northland, Auckland and Waikato regions, with severe thunderstorm warnings still in effect. A heavy rain watch is in place for the Bay of Plenty to the east of Whakatāne from 7pm, with a risk the rainfall might upgrade to a warning near the ranges. While the West Coast of the South Island might be having an unexpectedly fine start to 2026, the rest of the country faces erratic forecasts.

“These people collectively bring expertise in education, business, healthcare, community services, marketing, sports, governance, law, environmental protection, grant allocation and community development to the trusts.”Lawyer Phillip Crump has been appointed to Foundation North Trust. Crump, a member of the Waitangi Tribunal, NZ On Air Board and NZME’s Editorial Advisory Board, said he was honoured to be appointed to the Foundation North Community Trust. Foundation North, formerly Auckland Community Foundation, provides grants – collectively in the millions – throughout Auckland and Northland, focusing on community wellbeing. Māori filmmaker Cleave joins Crump, Bridges, Aryana Nafissi and Tevita Funaki on the Foundation North board. Māori filmmaker Martin Cleave (pictured with wife Michelle) has been appointed to the Foundation North Community Trust Board.

More than 2180 people have reported feeling the tremor, with many saying they were jolted awake because of it. Another person near the quake’s epicentre in Pongaroa said they felt it but there was “no damage”. GeoNet reported the quake, which hit at a depth of 30km, caused “moderate” shaking. “People are far more likely to be injured if they get up and move around during an earthquake. “Research consistently shows that ‘drop, cover, and hold’ is the best way to stay safe in earthquakes in New Zealand – and if you’re in bed, that becomes ‘stay, cover, and hold’."

Photo: Getty ImagesA quake described by GeoNet as "strong" shook the lower North Island this morning. It measured 4.7 and struck 10km southwest of Pongaroa at a depth of 17km at 7.16am. Pongaroa is southwest of Hastings and northeast of Wellington. Felt reports were lodged from the top of the South Island up to around Lake Taupō.

The line between work and rest has not blurred. We do it because being unreachable now feels oddly irresponsible, even when no one is asking us to be available. Sitting still without a screen feels uncomfortable. Leaders who remain online all summer unintentionally teach the rest of the workforce the rules of modern commitment. Above all, we must accept the uncomfortable truth: summer did not disappear.

A California woman has been charged with murder in what a sheriff called the “calculated and cold-blooded” killing of her 9-year-old daughter following the discovery of the girl’s remains in rural Utah. Melodee died of gunshot wounds to the head, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said in a news conference. “But this level of criminal activity is particularly shocking.”Investigators “recovered a significant amount of evidence” against Buzzard, Brown said. Buzzard is being held at a Santa Barbara County jail without bail. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said he is reviewing the case.

Rockfall has been causing disruption on the roads around Arthur's Pass between Canterbury and the West Coast. Fire and Emergency said it responded to a crash around 10.15pm on Christmas Day on State Highway 73, near the turnoff to Mount White. A car had run into a fallen rock and was damaged, but there were no injuries. And further west on the Ōtira Gorge stretch of the same highway, a section of the road had a priority give-way system in place because of rockfall. It was still in place early on Boxing Day morning.

The city of Yerevan in Armenia. Photo / Getty ImagesA city that lives outdoorsWith over 280 days of sunshine and parks covering 12% of the city, Yerevan has mastered the art of outdoor living and has plenty of spaces to explore. The name Khor Virap translates to “bottommost pit” and it was here that St Gregory the Illuminator, who converted Armenia to Christianity, was imprisoned. Photo / Ash JurbergUncorking Armenia’s wine heritageThese dramatic landscapes don’t only create spectacular views – they’re perfect for viticulture. Armenia’s wine scene was an unexpected highlight and this is literally where it all began – the world’s oldest winery, Areni-1, dates to 4100BC.

She said if you got caught in a rip, remember the three Rs:Relax and float to conserve energy. The calm gap may look safe to swim in, but a small patch of calm water in the surf or waves is often a rip current. If caught in a rip: stay calm, float, and signal for help – don’t try to swim directly back to shore against the current. The rip current will not pull you under the water and is just taking you for a ride offshore. The rip current will not pull you under the water and is just taking you for a ride offshore.

How do you think 2026 will play out for New Zealand media – what would be a game-changer for your company/audience/clients? How do you think 2026 will play out for New Zealand media – what would be a game-changer for your company/audience/clients? How do you think 2026 will play out for New Zealand media – what would be a game-changer for your company/audience/clients? How do you think 2026 will play out for New Zealand media – what would be a game-changer for your company/audience/clients? How do you think 2026 will play out for New Zealand media – what would be a game-changer for your company/audience/clients?

⛈️The top half of the North Island is in for a bit of a wild Boxing Day⛈️Regions Waikato northwards may see thunderstorms, with localised downpours and💨 gusts up to 90 km/h from tomorrow afternoon. Keep an eye on the forecasts at https://t.co/Yjbq0jgaoz@AklCouncil pic.twitter.com/neuy4xBftm — MetService NZ (@MetService) December 24, 2025The South Island won’t escape the wet weather, with bands of rain falling from Nelson down the Southern Alps, through the West Coast down Fiordland, and thunderstorms possible in the lower regions. Southland, Clutha and Dunedin should expect some showers across the day, while the eastern ranges of the Canterbury Plains and Christchurch will have mostly fine weather. While the West Coast of the South Island might be having an unexpectedly fine start to 2026, the rest of the country faces erratic forecasts. “It’s still quite uncertain, to be honest, as we head to New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day,” Burrows said.

Trina Cole and her partner Brendon Cole were found dead at their Ruatiti home on December 13. Man hands himself in for questioning over Ruatiti double homicideTrina Cole and her partner Brendon Cole were found dead at their Ruatiti home on December 13. A man has handed himself in for questioning over the double homicide of a Whanganui farming couple. The bodies of Brendon and Trina Cole were discovered on the driveway of their home along Murumuru Rd, Ruatiti, on December 13. A 29-year-old man was named a person of interest in relation to the double homicide near Whanganui National Park, sparking a nearly two-week search.

Jacob Grimm, 11, about to have his mullet cut to raise funds for Epilepsy New Zealand in the Ebony & Ivory Salon, Gore, last Friday. PHOTOS: SUPPLIEDA Gore boy shaved off his mullet last week in honour of his friend who died from a rare form of epilepsy in September. A year ago, Dixon Cribb asked his friend Jacob Grimm if he would grow out his mullet with him to raise money for Epilepsy New Zealand. "He lived on-and-off in hospital, so he learned how to help," Ms Bangma said. "Things are in the works for supporting kids like Dixon in future," Ms Bangma said.