And while the burglary is now before the courts, O'Neill said the theft of Pokémon cards was not being taken seriously enough by police. Along with Pokémon cards, The game Magic: The Gathering was particularly hot at the moment. Scams are also widespread within the trading card community, O'Neill said. He had been collecting Pokémon cards since they first launched in 1996. The first time, Johnson recovered the card after alerting the trading card community.

Photo: ODT filesPeople addicted to vapes will soon have help to quit, with Medsafe's approval of New Zealand's first vaping-specific nicotine replacement therapy product. The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation welcomed the move as "an important step in the fight against New Zealand's vaping epidemic". Foundation chief executive Letitia Harding said while the product had been on the market for years for smokers, this new indication recognised that NRT was not just for smokers who wanted to quit, but also for those struggling to quit vaping. "Nicotine dependence from vaping is a real and growing problem - so having clinically validated support to quit is important. "While a cessation product is helpful for those already dependent, it doesn't stop young people from starting in the first place."

Lightning has struck twice for Queenstown golfer Erasmus "Ras" Theron, who picked up his second hole-in-one last week. Photo: Guy WilliamsQueenstown's one-armed golfer, famed for his hole-in-one feats, has died aged 76. South African Erasmus "Ras" Theron had his right arm amputated when he was 19 after it was badly burnt while he was training to be a fighter pilot. Mr Theron gained his private pilot’s licence in 1990 and has flown three modified types of aircraft with one arm. South African media reported that Theron’s body will be repatriated to South Africa for burial, with funeral details to be announced.

The Hoskyns Rd level crossing in Rolleston. Photo: SuppliedA train collided with a truck and trailer unit this morning at a level crossing in Rolleston. Police were notified of the crash at the Hoskyns Rd crossing at 5.45am on Friday. "It appears the train has collided with the trailer of the truck," a police spokesperson said. The spokesperson said there were no injuriesd reported after the crash.

Photo: Gerard O'BrienA four-way fender bender left one person injured in central Dunedin this morning. Police were called to the crash in High St, about 10am today, after receiving a report that a car had crashed into a parked car. The crash appeared to have shunted the parked car forwards into two other parked vehicles. The parked car was unoccupied and, while there was minimal blockage to the road, traffic was unaffected, the spokeswoman said. A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said they sent two trucks to the scene.

The single-vehicle crash happened on Lee Steam-Outram Rd (State Highway 87). Photo: Google MapsA person in a ‘‘critical condition’’ has been transported to Dunedin Hospital after a car rolled into a paddock near Outram this morning. Emergency services received reports of the single-vehicle crash on Lee Steam-Outram Rd (State Highway 87) just before 8am today. A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said crews freed one person trapped in the vehicle, which had ‘‘rolled into a paddock’’. One patient, in a ‘‘critical condition’’, was transported to Dunedin Hospital, the spokesperson said.

Photo: ODT filesPolice are investigating a suspected arson after discovering a fire inside an allegedly stolen BMW in Mosgiel. Constable Elijah Stafford-Rogers, of Dunedin, said local units came across the black 2007 BMW in Puddle Alley about 12.40am today. ‘‘While stopping to check the vehicle, officers noticed a fire had recently been lit in the vehicle,’’ Const Stafford-Rogers said. The registered owner was contacted who claimed the vehicle had been stolen. A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said they responded two trucks from its Mosgiel station.

Andrew HouA Dunedin pharmacist has raised concerns about the ‘‘enshittification’’ of New Zealand’s healthcare system, which is slowly dissolving services to people and increasingly serving ‘‘scale, profit and efficiency’’ instead. After researching the term online, he discovered it accurately described what was happening to New Zealand’s healthcare system. ‘‘And if a person has a heart attack and dies, who’s liable for that?’’In a worst-case scenario, he said the health system could decay to a point where it was not functional any more, or patients would just start dying because they were not being seen enough. ‘‘The only way to ‘un-enshittificate’ our healthcare system is for New Zealand to just look after its healthcare system — we need to fund it appropriately and look after it. ‘‘The whole health budget and decision-making needs to be ring-fenced so it doesn’t change every three years.’’john.lewis@odt.co.nz

Photo / SuppliedWatson became eligible for parole in June 2015, but his denials had been a factor in why parole had been declined four times so far. His fifth attempt in March last year was abandoned after the Parole Board ran out of time to hear from Watson, his family and an independent psychologist. The application is declined 2020: Then-Justice Minister Andrew Little announces Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy has referred Watson’s case back to the Court of Appeal. He appears before the Parole Board for the third timeThen-Justice Minister Andrew Little announces Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy has referred Watson’s case back to the Court of Appeal. He appears before the Parole Board for the third time 2021: A fourth attempt at parole is declinedA fourth attempt at parole is declined 2025: Watson appears before the parole board for a fifth time (after two adjournments May and November 2024) but the hearing runs out of time.

And Congress has the authority – and the moral obligation – to act,” said Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer before the vote. Democrats demand DHS funding be separated and renegotiated to include limits on Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The House and Senate both have to approve the exact same bill texts before they can become law. Lawmakers have raised concerns about the consequences of a DHS shutdown for agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency during severe winter weather. The White House has become more directly involved in the negotiations as the vote approaches, according to US media, with Trump aides exploring whether a temporary DHS funding extension could defuse the crisis.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Photo: RNZPrime Minister Christopher Luxon will not join United States President Donald Trump's Board of Peace. In a brief statement this morning, Luxon confirmed the New Zealand Government would not accept the invitation to join the board in its "current form", after considering the offer. Opposition leaders condemned the invite, with Labour leader Chris Hipkins earlier labelling the government's refusal to rule out joining the board an "absolute disgrace". Greens-co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick had written to the Prime Minister on Monday, urging Luxon to "publicly and unequivocally reject this invitation".

Meta shares rose 8% on strong AI results, while Microsoft fell 10% due to AI spending concerns. US stocks dip as Meta surges while Microsoft slumpsMeta shares rose 8% on strong AI results, while Microsoft fell 10% due to AI spending concerns. Photo / Samuel Boivin, NurPhoto, AFPIn the US, Wall Street stocks dipped following diverging reactions to earnings from tech giants Microsoft and Facebook parent Meta Platforms. Shares of Meta jumped about 8% after strong results boosted confidence in the company’s aggressive artificial intelligence push, while Microsoft tumbled about 10% as surging AI spending rattled investors. “But this time around, investors will look at stocks on a company-by-company basis because not all are benefiting now at the same rate of pace.”

Experts say the bill will only continue to rise as climate change worsens, unless the nation makes urgent changes to how it funds climate adaptation. Since its election in 2023, the government has removed or reduced most forms of dedicated climate adaptation and resilience funding. The government also dismantled a $6 billion national resilience fund created after Cyclone Gabrielle, arguing resilience spending should instead be assessed through standard Budget processes. Planned adaptation actions quietly discontinuedThe policy framework intended to guide climate adaptation has also been scaled back. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said climate and resilience spending should be assessed through standard Budget processes rather than ring-fenced funds.

Wakefield hop grower Peter Lines was killed in June 2025 after he was struck by a tree being removed from a flooded river on the family's Wakefield farm. The tree suddenly came loose and swung towards the pair, hitting them both and fatally injuring Lines. Struck while standing on riverbankLines and his wife, Marlene Lines, were standing on a riverbank watching him work. As the tree was lifted, the rope anchoring the base of the tree caused it to whip around sharply, Coroner Steel said. Marlene Lines said she was "talking and laughing" with her husband on the riverbank when she suddenly saw the tree coming towards them.

It was not until reaching the outskirts of Halswell, around 16km west from the treatment plant, that the smell noticeably eased. Earlier, Environment Canterbury confirmed it had already received 210 complaints, primarily from east Christchurch residents reporting a strong sewage odour. The wastewater treatment plant is essential for the whole city, and that makes the situation incredibly complex.”Simons said the odour should be recognised as a form of pollution, with real and ongoing health impacts. “It’s very real, and it does have an impact on health, not only their physical health but mental health. “We can’t shut the wastewater treatment plant down.