The Milano Cortina Games are being held at sites across Lombardy and Northeast Italy. Photo: ReutersThe Milano-Cortina Olympics will live up to their billing as the greatest winter sports show on earth despite last-minute efforts to get venues, ready for next week's start, the IOC says. On Saturday Reuters reported that a cable car in Cortina designed to carry spectators to women's alpine skiing events would not be ready for the Games' February 6 start. But Olympic officials are confident venues will be ready for the first Winter Games in the European Alps in 20 years. The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held from February 6-22.

Niwa meteorologist Chris Brandolino said the start of February, although still uncertain, could bring dry clear weather for parts of the country. From Tuesday the South Island could see some cooler weather but in the upper north, Brandolino said it would be "grossly humid". Temperatures on a roller coasterThe South Island was still in for a roller coaster ride with temperatures bouncing up and down. "So this is the up and down sort of roller coaster weather pattern in terms of temperature that'll be especially prevalent for the South Island. The North Island will still see some variability, but it won't be as wildly as dramatic as the South Island."

An alleged drunk driver led officers on a nearly 20-minute chase on foot after jumping down a cliff and on to a Dunedin beach, police say. Once arrested, the man recorded a breath alcohol level of 691mcg — the legal limit for adults is 250mcg of alcohol per litre of breath. It was lucky the man was subdued as it "could have been a lot worse", Snr Sgt Dinnissen said. The man was facing charges of careless driving, excess breath alcohol third or subsequent, driving while suspended, resisting police and escaping custody. Complaints had been made about the 21-year-old driver’s manner of driving, and he recorded a breath alcohol level of more than 1000mcg, Snr Sgt Dinnissen said.

Several times last year I wrote about the dangers of politicians, from any party, being involved in the development of curriculum, its design and its implantation in schools and classrooms. Claire Coleman made the allegations during a submission to Parliament’s Education and Workforce Select Committee on the government’s Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill. Would you be of the same opinion if a government that didn’t follow your personal political preferences was in power, be it on the left or the right, especially one dominated by an intense ideology? The only way out of this conundrum is to remove the content and operation of education from direct government control. ‘I know from my recent experience at the Ministry of Education the dangers of allowing a public service to be politicised,” she said.

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CODC chief executive Peter Kelly (left) shakes hands with Santana Minerals chief executive Damian Spring after agreeing to road access deal. It sets out how access would be managed if the project proceeds, including provisions to maintain public access and how council assets would be compensated where impacted. The access agreement was approved by elected members at the CODC's first meeting of the year and relates solely to land access under the Crown Minerals Act. If any roads are stopped, an alternative route will be constructed to ensure continued public access is maintained, the CODC said. Santana Minerals Chief Executive Damian Spring described the agreement as a material milestone for the Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project.

Close your curtainsAround 30% of unwanted heat comes from your windows, so closing them and shutting the curtains can lower the temperature of your home. It may be tempting to fling the windows open, but it’s important to keep them closed, especially in the bedroom, to keep the humidity out. Sleep aloneCuddling might be on the table during the winter months but it’s the last thing you want during the muggy nights. This will blow the hot air out and cool the air coming in. Open windows at nightOnce the sun has gone down, open the windows to let in the cooler night air and some of the pent-up humidity out.

Ingka’s team has already purchased forests in Southland, Otago, Nelson, Hawke’s Bay, Bay of Plenty and Northland. But, as Ingka Investments Forestland country manager for New Zealand Kelvin Meredith explained, the company has its sights set further. “There’s still a desire from the Ingka Group to keep investing in forestry, because it’s a good investment. Coincidentally, it really coincided with the big carbon planting boom, but that was never really on the radar to plant for carbon. Since 2021, Ingka has afforested approximately 15,000ha of previously cleared pastoral land it says is “unsuitable for agriculture”.

A pair of possibly tomato sauce wielding masked men are being hunted by Dunedin police after a crime spree involving smashed cars, food waste and broken plates. A 38-year-old man called police after waking up to the sounds of cars being smashed in Bay View Rd, about 4.10am yesterday. The man also reportedly witnessed two young men wearing face coverings leaving the area, Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said. "A car was located nearby with a large amount of tomato sauce, eggs and bananas spread across the windscreen." The food items were strewn across a different car to one which was found smashed nearby, but the two could potentially be related, Snr Sgt Dinnissen said.

Photo: Black Cat CruisesWitnesses are being sought in relation to the grounding of a catamaran near Akaroa on Banks Peninsula. The Black Cat Cruises catamaran was beached at Nīkau Palm Valley Bay, after it got into trouble on Saturday afternoon - requiring more than 40 people to be rescued. ECAN said it was working with the Conservation Department, iwi, and Black Cat Cruises on the recovery and salvage, while the Transport Accident Investigation Commission said it would be investigating. The Black Cat Cruises catamaran sank in Akaroa. Black Cat Cruises was approached for comment.

Mette-Marit said she “showed poor judgment and I deeply regret having had any contact with Epstein”, calling the relationship “embarrassing”. Slovakia’s security adviserThe Slovakian government’s national security adviser has resigned over his links to Epstein, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced at the weekend. Miroslav Lajcak exchanged text messages about women with Epstein in 2018 during his second spell as foreign minister, the BBC reported. He said he had “never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein”, adding that he was “terribly sorry for having any association with either of them”. Banking records cited in British media suggest Epstein transferred $75,000 to accounts linked to Mandelson in 2003 and 2004.

A man found asleep at the wheel in Dunedin had allegedly taken an "absolutely ludicrous" cocktail of drugs including MDMA, methamphetamine and Ritalin, police say. Located inside the vehicle were bags of MDMA along with "large amounts" of methamphetamine, crystals of another unknown substance and medical supplies, Snr Sgt Dinnissen said. ‘‘The male admitted to taking MDMA, meth, benzos (benzodiazepine) and Ritalin, prior to driving.’’Snr Sgt Dinnissen said the man probably took the drugs, started driving "and then got really tired". "We've got enough pressure with impaired driving as it is, let alone taking a cocktail of four different bloody drugs." At that time of day on Sunday, it was lucky the man did not cause a crash or drive into any parked cars, Snr Sgt Dinnissen said.

In findings released today the coroner has made recommendations that have been implemented following a review of mental health services. Booth’s death sparked calls from his father, Geoffrey Booth, for an inquest on the grounds his son should have received better care from the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) mental health and addiction services. By September 2017, things had further escalated as he regularly sought help from his father who called on mental health services for assistance. “I am satisfied the three recommendations have been adequately addressed by Health New Zealand Canterbury,” the coroner said. Coroner Hesketh acknowledged there had been improvements in specialist mental health services processes and procedures following the review.

Following his 'True Patriots of NZ' protest in Auckland's Victoria Park, Brian Tamaki urged followers to withhold their vote in this years upcoming election. Video / NZ Herald

Photo: Aaron Bui/Athletics NZThe Glasgow Commonwealth Games is now on the radar for New Zealand running sensation Sam Ruthe. "Absolutely," said Ruthe's father Ben Ruthe, when asked if competing at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July was on the cards. Ben Ruthe had the option of competing at the Commonwealth Games or the World Junior Championships this year and Ben said with his son still eligible to run the worlds again, the Commonwealth Games is a preference. Ruthe's grandmother Rosemary Wright won the Commonwealth Games 800m gold medal running for Scotland in Edinburgh in 1970. Coach Craig Kirkwood admitted they didn't originally consider the Commonwealth Games at the start of the year because of the qualifying standards, but that had now changed.