Abuse and assaults on workers unacceptable – Editorial
This included 65 in Rotorua Hospital’s Emergency Department. During the same period, 140 physical assaults on health staff were recorded. At Tauranga and Whakatāne Hospitals, 477 verbal assaults were recorded on health staff during the same period, including 80 in Tauranga Hospital’s Emergency Department. There were 467 recorded physical assaults on Tauranga and Whakatāne Hospital health staff. Frontline emergency workers are also often in the firing line, with the nature of policing putting officers in harm’s way.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 10, 2026 05:33 UTC
Armed police arrest three after Dunedin manhunt
Armed police took three men away from this Kaikorai Valley property. Photo: Stephen JaquieryArmed police who swooped on a Dunedin house are believed to have arrested fugitive Caleb Lynn who was at the centre of a city-wide manhunt. Police have been appealing for information on the whereabouts of Lynn, wanted over aggravated robbery and other alleged offences, since Tuesday. A witness told the ODT nine police cars and a team of armed officers surrounded a house on Kaikorai Valley Rd around 5.30pm. An armed police officer at the cordon in Kaikorai Valley Rd.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 10, 2026 05:29 UTC
Refugee and 501 deportee Rami Khoshaba back in prison after cutting man’s face
High Court Justice Dani Gardiner disagreed, saying a jail term of two years and three months on a charge of injuring with intent to injure was not “manifestly excessive”. The Australian tribunal decided to uphold the decision to cancel his visa under “character grounds” in section 501 of Australia’s Migration Act. Khoshaba refugee from IraqKhoshaba was born in Iraq during the Gulf War and spent two years in a Jordanian refugee camp as a young child. “Rami was so happy there were people like us around,” his sister later told the Australian tribunal. The Crown, however, said the judge had fairly determined there was no causative link between Khoshaba’s refugee background and his offending.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 10, 2026 04:31 UTC
Athletics prodigy Sam Ruthe guides young visually impaired athlete Tamahau Hicks at Colgate Games
Sam Ruthe guided visually impaired young runner Tamahau Hicks at the Colgate Games in Tauranga. Photo / Athletics NZWhen the urgent call went out for a guide to run alongside a young athlete in Tauranga this morning, rising Kiwi track star Sam Ruthe answered. The 16-year-old, who holds almost every national record for distances between 800-5000m in under-16s through to U20s, was a surprise starter in the Colgate Games on Saturday morning, lining up to guide visually impaired athlete Tamahau Hicks in his 1500m race. Ruthe had already been planning to attend the event, where athletes between 7-14 years compete, to help with medal presentations and meet some of the athletes. But when Hicks’ original guide had to pull out due to illness, Athletics Tauranga secretary Andrea Neal reached out to see if Ruthe was available.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 10, 2026 04:10 UTC
Milford highway works to start on Monday
Milford highway in Winter. PHOTO: ODT FILESRoadworks affecting traffic on Southland's Milford highway start next week. Other highways affected are:■ SH90/Waikaka Valley Highway, between Waikaka Rd and Cunningham Rd — work scheduled until Tuesday, March 31. ■ SH96/Winton-Wreys Bush Highway, at Heddon Bush Rd (until Saturday, January 31). Road users can expect to encounter temporary traffic lights, a 30kmh temporary speed reduction and delays of five to 10 minutes.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 10, 2026 04:02 UTC
Macetown paper road to go live
This gate at the start of Macetown Rd will be operational from the end of the month. PHOTO: FACEBOOKAt the end of this month a gateway about 3km from Arrowtown, which drivers can pass through with a permit bought online, will go live, securing ongoing public vehicle access to the historic Macetown Rd. Despite that, it is popular as the only way into Macetown — one of the most intact historic goldfield towns in Otago. Local roading authorities can make their own decisions on the maintenance or otherwise of paper roads in their areas. It will cost $40 for a car, truck or motorcycle to use the road, although Queenstown Lakes residents can get an annual pass for $100.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 10, 2026 04:02 UTC
Strong winds, hot days fuel fire risk
Fenz district commander Craig Gold said galeforce northwesterly winds, high temperatures and low relative humidity added up to high fire danger. "It’s really not the time to be lighting fires of any kind," he said. Permits include conditions which prevent fires being lit in windy conditions, or when strong winds are forecast. This applies to recreational fires as well as land management fires. People often lit recreational fires with good intentions but did not realise the danger.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 10, 2026 03:34 UTC
Heat wave health risks: How to spot heat exhaustion and heat stroke
Heat stress occurs when we produce more body heat than normal. Heat stroke is a medical emergency where “the rise in body temperature results in disruption to a number of bodily functions”, Eggleton says. To treat someone with heat stroke, remove them from direct sunlight or heat to a cool environment, and help them rehydrate and cool down, Eggleton says. Staying hydrated can help guard against heat stress and exhaustion. “Treating heat stroke really depends on people being able to recognise it in others, as people experiencing heat stroke might become confused or may not recognise the symptoms in themselves.”To avoid heat stroke, stay out of the sun during the hotter parts of the day, particularly around midday.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 10, 2026 03:02 UTC
The realities of moving to France – is it such a good idea?
READ MORE: Where to go in Paris that’s not a tourist trapMoving to France can sound like a fairytale. Photo / 123rfYou think you know French, but you probably don’tWe’ve found learning conversational French to be quite challenging, despite the four years of French I took in high school. Photo / Mihai Halmi-Nistor on UnsplashManners are a HUGE deal, until they aren’tIf you’ve gotten an icy reception from French locals, you’ve probably ignored a rule about manners. By now most visitors know that they should offer a “Bonjour” upon entry to any establishment in France. It really doesn’t matter what you wearDespite our proximity to Paris, we’ve seen it all.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 10, 2026 03:01 UTC
ManageMyHealth patients affected by cyber attack fear missing records, fallout from hack
More than 127,000 users’ health records were compromised in the attack, which ManageMyHealth became aware of on December 30. A user from Russell told the Herald they had been notified that their ManageMyHealth account had been compromised. “At that rate, I guess the estimates of those affected may be very optimistic.”He said the data breach posed several issues, specifically for younger users. Health Minister Simeon Brown speaks to media in his Pakuranga electorate office about the ManageMyHealth data breach. Health Minister Simeon Brown has directed the Ministry of Health to investigate the circumstances around the ManageMyHealth data breach.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 10, 2026 02:52 UTC
Man stabbed bedroom wall after partner fled argument
Mark Pine, pictured here in 2020, was jailed yesterday for assaulting his partner and police. PHOTO: ROB KIDDA Milton man stabbed holes in his walls with a knife and was so belligerent during his arrest he had to be transported in a custody van. Mark Andrew Pine, 51, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to threatening behaviour, assault in a family relationship, assaulting police and resisting police. The court heard that on September 10 the defendant got into an argument with his long-term partner at their Milton home. Pine tried to get into the bedroom, then grabbed a knife and stabbed the wall four times, leaving holes in the plasterboard beside the door.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 10, 2026 02:41 UTC
Two dead and one missing in water incidents
File photo: Stephen JaquieryTwo people have died in the water on Saturday afternoon. Emergency services in the Bay of Plenty were called to an area off Poripori Road in Lower Kaimai, where a person had been taken out of the water. In the South Island, the Akaroa harbourmaster pulled a person from the water, but they also died. Drummond Wharf was cordoned off, while emergency services worked at the scene and the death will be referred to the coroner. Police say they were called to the area near Graham Island at Hamilton at about 3,30pm Saturday, after reports of a struggling swimmer being swept downstream.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 10, 2026 02:39 UTC
Frequent Far North power outages leave Kerikeri residents in ‘anxious state’
The blackout affected 1267 households in Landing Rd, Waipapa Rd, Riverview Rd, Kendall Rd, Skudders Beach, and parts of Kapiro Rd, lasting two and a half hours. “I have never experienced so many power outages as what I’ve been through here in the past two years. “You live in this anxious state, even with family staying at Christmas you worry.”Another resident wrote: “Hate to sound like a Karen ... but I’m so over these power outages! Far North residents are frustrated with the frequent power outages in the area. There were also several huge power outages between October 31 and November 8 across the entire southern part of the district.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 10, 2026 02:36 UTC
Meridian boss backs more hydro after 2024 winter price shock
“Regardless of where the Government is, from an electricity sector perspective, all of our analysis says security has been sorted out with the Huntly deal. “So, LNG, from that electricity sector perspective is more about affordability than it is about security,” he said. Roan saw increased hydro storage as one way of overcoming intermittency. “And of course, you know, right now, the hydro storage facilities around the country are full.”Frontier Economics released its report last year and there have been a handful of others following on from the 2024 winter price spike. Roan said it was understandable the electricity sector came under the microscope from time to time.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 10, 2026 02:35 UTC
3 injured after tractor and car collide in Hawke’s Bay
Three people were injured in the crash. 3 injured after tractor and car collide in Hawke’s BayThree people were injured in the crash. Photo / Glenn TaylorThree people have been injured after a car and a tractor collided in Hawke’s Bay. A police spokesperson said authorities were alerted to the SH2, Fraser Rd crash just before 10am. The vehicles will be towed from the area.”A spokesperson for Hato Hone St John said two ambulances attended the scene.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 10, 2026 00:39 UTC