Prime Minister Luxon has returned from his Pacific tour, after spending the last few days in Niue and Fiji. Luxon has claimed his first trip to the region has been successful, as he managed to build rapport with Fijian Prime Minister Rabuka and Niue Premier, Tagelagi. NZ Herald political reporter Adam Pearse says Luxon managed to hold his own with his international counterparts, given the circumstances. LISTEN ABOVE
The TelegraphLisa, aged 40, is waiting to hear if she will be allowed to die. She is married and has two young children who don’t know she plans to end her life. There is just one more medication she has been told to try to treat her chronic depression, and then, she says, her request for euthanasia will be approved. The hardest part will be leaving her children, but she feels she has no choice. She plans to tell them, with the help of a grief counsellor, when she has set a date for her death.
What is the square root of 36? Photo / 123RFWhat is the square root of 36? Test your brains with the Herald’s morning quiz. Share your score with friends, family, & colleagues, and find out who has the sharpest mind. Be sure to check back on nzherald.co.nz for today’s afternoon quiz.
Then I came back to New Zealand and was asked to come back to journalism, this time in my home patch. I can’t walk down the street without meeting people I have dealt with. My departure is especially bittersweet considering I was named best junior news journalist at the New Zealand Community Newspaper Awards two weeks ago, but it does add some dramatic flair to my departure. It’s not just journalists who can submit official information requests. You can find templates for an Official Information Act or Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request online if you want.
Photo: ABIGAIL DOUGHERTY/STUFFPolice officers deployed to monitor gang funerals are fearing for their safety as 501 deportees bring a new level of aggression, the Police Association says. This weekend, extra police are heading to Bay of Plenty for a gang memorial in Ōpōtiki. "Gangs have become more sophisticated since the deportation of the 501s from Australia, and with that has come an escalation of the violence that they're using now, and that includes violence they're using against our officers," he said. That extra resource had to come from somewhere, he added. "There are a number of areas of policing we deal with, from prevention, road policing, gang activity and organised crime.
Deep fakes are the new frontier in scamming and every New Zealander needs to be vigilant, writes Diana Clement. Deep fakes are the new frontier in scamming and every New Zealander needs to be vigilant. In the case of scams, the Crimes Act, Fair Trading Act and Consumer Guarantees Act provide some protection, but weren’t written with deep fakes, or even overseas-based scammers in mind. Deep fakes are not illegal under the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 [HDC], says Hunt. Deep fakes don’t.
Stuff can now reveal what former James Cook High School assistant principal Seelan Ramiah told police during a criminal investigation into his actions in February 2023. At some point during that first school term, Ramiah asked the student to contact him on Signal, an encrypted messaging application, and told her not to tell anyone. "He told her that the school principal had an apartment in the city, which he was allowed to use, and he invited her to join him there." The student's friend told her mum who in turn contacted the school and arranged a meeting with the then principal, Grant McMillan. The student told McMillan nobody else in the school knew of the messages as Ramiah had told her to keep it a secret.
Photo: Matthew Rosenberg/LDRInvercargill residents will have to wait a little longer for their airport terminal to bear the name of the city's longest serving mayor. This week, Invercargill City Council confirmed the rebrand to Sir Tim Shadbolt Terminal was taking longer than anticipated. According to a council report, the organisation holds over 97 percent of shares in the airport through Invercargill City Holdings Ltd, which Shadbolt was a director of from 2013 to 2019. During his tenure as mayor, the airport underwent a significant runway extension in 2003 and completion of a new terminal development in 2016. Shadbolt served as mayor of Invercargill from 1993-1995, and again from 1998-2022.
Fans of the Home Alone franchise will recognise the stately Chicago home from the films starring Macaulay Culkin. Fans of the Home Alone franchise will recognise the stately Chicago home from the films starring Macaulay Culkin. This brick house in Winnetka, Chicago, was featured in the 1990 movie Home Alone. Home Alone is the comedic story of 8-year-old Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin, who is accidentally left behind while his family travels to Europe at Christmas. The 43-year-old actor played Kevin McCallister in the iconic Christmas film franchise, with the first film released in 1990 and the sequel in 1992.
The Rt Hon Winston Peters, joined by Mike King, has announced $24 million over four years for the ‘I Am Hope Foundation’, and will provide young people aged between 5 to 25 years with free mental health counselling services. This funding will help I Am Hope’s ‘Gumboot Friday’ initiative give
DNA testing sites are adding a layer of complexity to the sensitive process of linking sperm donors and their biological families. But for those who donated before a 2005 cut-off date the process is more complicated - and increasingly being muddied by DNA testing sites. Further DNA testing showed the Queensland man was a 50 per cent match for the twin brothers. At the same time, some donors or recipients are instead finding out about biological family members on popular DNA testing websites, often accidentally. Donor Conceived Aotearoa spokeswoman Rebecca Hamilton said DNA testing had provided information to many donor-conceived people which the voluntary register could not.
Wellington, Sep 15(ANI): Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake has said their American rivalswould have to wait till forever to end their country's dominance in track events, and added the sprinters from the US always hated them for their capabilities. US men, who once ruled the sprints, have been overwhelmed by Jamaican speedsters at Olympic and world championships since triple world record holder Usain Bolt's stunning show at the 2008 Beijing Games, and the trend will continue,according to the world 100 metres champion, Blake. According to Stuff.co.nz, when asked about how long he thinks the American sprinters would have to wait to regain their dominance on the track, Blake replied: "I would say until the day that we all leave the earth." On their rivalry with the American sprinters, Blake said: "We don't really have a relationship. Bolt claimed gold in the 100 and 200 again at the London Olympics with Blake taking silver in both before the two helped Jamaica to another world record in the 4x100.
Musician Hollie Smith's debut art exhibition has opened at Auckland's Eyes on Fire gallery. Photo / Jason OxenhamAhead of an unexpected art exhibition (and a looming small town music tour) Hollie Smith talks to Kim Knight about the true cost of creativity. No-one can get confused.”Musician Hollie Smith with a selection of the paintings she is showing at Auckland's Eyes on Fire Gallery. “I’ve got to a place in the last little while where I’m a lot more comfortable with myself,” says Smith. Smith: “I’m ‘Aunty Lollie’ to quite a few little munchkins these days!”Musician Hollie Smith aimed to paint a work every week for her debut exhibition that has just opened at Auckland's Eyes on Fire Gallery.
Photo: Laine PriestleyA pair of taggers painted the town red after going on a drunken graffiti spree in Dunedin. Officers located the duo, a 23-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman, near Duke St covered in red and black spray paint and with the cans in their possession. Photo: Laine PriestleyPolice seized the paint cans and attempted to interview the pair about the tagging, but due to the level of intoxication they were taken home, Snr Sgt Bond said. The pair would be summoned to appear in court at a later date. Police were following up during the daylight hours to see the extent and how far along the tagging goes and how many properties were damaged, Snr Sgt Bond said.
Alan Turnbull (left) and Neville Bond, owners of BP 2Go Autoworld in Oamaru, have sold after 35 years in the business. Now it was electronic transactions for coffee, pies and sandwiches at BP 2Go Autoworld in Oamaru’s South Hill. Mr Turnbull expected it would feel "a wee bit weird" today, given their lengthy tenure at the site, but change was inevitable. The pair had prided themselves on their service and Mr Bond said they met "lots of nice people". "They just look at you — and drive off," Mr Bond said.
