Judge Snell noted the company’s upfront payment of $65,000 to the whānau, in recognition of the emotional harm done, which negated the need for court-ordered reparation. Judge Snell said the bridge was not well lit, which meant Puata was unable to make basic observations. The person who found him alerted the ship’s medic, but he could not be saved, Judge Snell said. The best he could have offered was palliative care to “make his passing more peaceful”, Judge Snell said. Judge Tony Snell Judge Snell noted the company’s upfront payment of $65,000 to the whānau, in recognition of the emotional harm done.

The Department of Conservation says the slip has made the Rees-Dart Track circuit impassable for trampers. Photo: DocA popular southern tramping track is closed indefinitely after a large slip affected the route. The Department of Conservation (Doc) has advised of the slip on the Dart Track, which is often done as a circuit with the Rees Track. Doc said the slip, in the Dart Valley between Daleys Flat Hut and Chinamans Bluff, had made the Rees-Dart circuit "impassable" for trampers. "Rangers have assessed the slip and the Dart Track is closed indefinitely."

Invitation-only“The pilot is being run through the Regional Business Partner Network for existing customers at present,” a spokeswoman for Penk said. “From next Monday, RPB providers will send out invitations to businesses currently working with growth advisers. “As these businesses have a relationship and history with their RBP provider, for the sake of a pilot this will allow for better benchmarking around digital capability and confidence using AI tools.”Advisers in the network will help small businesses implement their AI plans. The MBIE-funded Regional Business Partner Network worked with 15 organisations nationwide, typically the local chamber of commerce. “It’s positive that they’re going to be measuring productivity gains to evaluate the pilot,” he added.

Venezuela, meanwhile, announced it had freed 116 more people jailed under Maduro – many for taking part in protests after his disputed 2024 election. Rights groups questioned the numbers, and family members clamoured for speedier releases promised by Caracas under pressure from Washington. Relatives have been camped out at prisons for days, growing increasingly restless as loved ones have failed to appear. On Sunday, Trump said he was open to a meeting with Rodriguez and that his administration was working “really well” with hers. The opposition and much of the international community consider Urrutia the legitimate victor of Venezuela’s last presidential election.

“The main businesses on Station Rd are quite happy with that,” Evans said. Photo / Mike ScottThe road closures for large concerts held at Go Media had long been a bugbear for retailers. The early laying of traffic cones indicated to potential customers the area was a no-go zone, causing them to turn away – meaning even a 3pm road closure impacts business. “But it was a real haphazard way of going about it.”Auckland Stadiums, which runs events at Go Media Stadium, recognised the disruption an event of the scale of an Ed Sheeran concert can cause. Ed Sheeran is performing two shows at Go Media Stadium as part of the New Zealand leg of his tour.

One man climbed up to erect a pre-Revolution Iranian flag, but this was removed by someone from inside the embassy. At least 10 police officers have been keeping access to the road open on the narrow road in the Wellington suburb of Hataitai as the protest continues. The protests began over rampant inflation but have since spread across the country and had become general protests against the regime. The flow of information outside of Iran had been constrained since authorities cut off internet access and telephone lines on Thursday. US President Donald Trump was also briefed on potential military intervention options, including military strikes and sanctions.

“We haven’t seen much growth in the last two years, but we are expecting growth in the next 12 months. The Ipsos Issues Monitor, which records the biggest issues for New Zealand voters, is pretty clear right now that health is the second-biggest issue. It will be interesting to see if, given it’s an election year, he will attend Waitangi celebrations,” he said. Listen to the full episode to hear more about:Coalition tensionsWhere minor parties standPolls, blocs, and leadershipPredictions for politics in 2026. The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am.

The mayor of Minneapolis says Donald Trump is targeting Minnesota for his immigration crackdown because of its Democratic leadership. Photo / Getty ImagesThe mayor of Minneapolis says Donald Trump is targeting Minnesota for his immigration crackdown because of its Democratic leadership. Photo / Getty ImagesThe US state of Minnesota sued the Trump administration on Monday over the immigration crackdown that saw a woman protester fatally shot by a federal agent in Minneapolis last week. Minnesota Attorney-General Keith Ellison, who announced the lawsuit, said the Department of Homeland Security’s surge of immigration officers into the Democratic-led northern state in recent days has “made us less safe”. “This is, in essence, a federal invasion.”Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, where 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Wednesday, said Republican President Donald Trump was targeting Minnesota for his immigration crackdown because of its Democratic leadership.

Skippers Bridge PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYA Queenstown tourism operator is calling on the council to prioritise reopening the historic Skippers Bridge. Nomad Safaris business manager Harald Ulriksen said Skippers Canyon was "an iconic part of what we do". Mr Ulriksen said the company was "disappointed" to hear about the bridge’s indefinite closure, but encouraged the council to "prioritise repairs". "We welcome any discussions on how businesses and the Queenstown community can support reopening Skippers Bridge," he said. Late last year, "failures of the wires in the cables used to suspend Skippers Bridge in place" were detected, meaning the council had been unable to safely assess what load the bridge could support and its integrity.

At least 10 police had been keeping access to the narrow road in Wellington’s Hataitai open as the protest continued. Reza Farhour, who had helped to organise the protest, said he had not heard from his extended family in Iran. Why are they silent?”Basandijeh said the group was waving the former flag as the current flag did not represent them. The flow of information outside Iran had been constrained since authorities cut off internet access and telephone lines on Thursday. Protesters in Wellington moved to the US Embassy, where a dozen police were soon in position to keep an eye on things.

Judge Ryan observed that Robie’s offending was “only a small part” of the group’s “systemic and substantial” fraud, which fleeced nearly $400,000 from an undisclosed number of victims. A ‘disgrace and a shame’She called Robie’s offending “a disgrace and a shame” for which he needed to be held accountable. Judge Ryan doubted Robie’s explanation that he was wilfully blind to what his co-defendants were doing. Zhao argued that the convictions had a particular weight at the beginning of Robie’s working life, as did their “particular connotations of lack of trust and honesty”. Justice Jagose said the gravity of Robie’s offending was “at least moderate” and he saw nothing in the judge’s decision that made it a miscarriage of justice.

Demonstrators display placards calling for US President Donald Trump to intervene in Iran during a protest against the Iranian Government in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, on January 12. Photo / John Macdougall, AFPUS President Donald Trump announces tariffs on countries doing business with IranDemonstrators display placards calling for US President Donald Trump to intervene in Iran during a protest against the Iranian Government in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, on January 12. Photo / John Macdougall, AFPUS President Donald Trump has announced a 25% tariff on any country trading with Iran, ramping up pressure on Tehran over its violent crackdown on a wave of protests. “Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America. The tariffs announcement comes as Trump mulls possible military action against Iran over the protests.

US Senator Mark Kelly (right) lodged a lawsuit against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon over efforts to reduce his military rank in retirement following a video in which Kelly urged US personnel to refuse potentially illegal orders. Photo / Jim Watson and Brendan Smialowski, AFPUS Senator Mark Kelly (right) lodged a lawsuit against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon over efforts to reduce his military rank in retirement following a video in which Kelly urged US personnel to refuse potentially illegal orders. The lawsuit – which names Hegseth, the Defence Department, Navy Secretary John Phelan and the department he heads – said their actions “violate numerous constitutional guarantees and have no basis in statute. The Pentagon is “aware” of the lawsuit but “does not comment on ongoing litigation”, an official said in response to a question from AFP. “Pete Hegseth is now coming after what I earned through my 25 years of military service, in violation of my rights as an American and as a retired veteran and as a United States senator,” Kelly said.

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Photo: Supplied / NZ PolicePolice have recovered two bodies from the Waikato River. Hamilton City Area Commander Inspector Neil Faulkner said they found a person dead in the Waikato River, believed to be missing 25-year-old man Teananga Tiotia. Police and divers have been conducting a search of the river since Tiotia was reported missing on Saturday. The formal identification process is underway, and his death has been referred to the Coroner. Police said a formal identification was underway and Brown's death was referred to the Coroner.