Invercargill war grave plaques stolen from St John Cemetery, man charged
Morning Headlines | Trump speaks at Republican retreat, Rodeo popularity rises on cusp of new regulations | Wednesday January 7, 2025Police have condemned the theft of war veteran plaques from an Invercargill cemetery as a “particularly low act”. A 44-year-old man has been charged with theft by Invercargill Police after plaques went missing from St John’s Cemetery between October 28 and November 22. Nine plaques were taken in total, four of which were taken from the graves of Returned Service personnel who served in World War I and World War II. Senior Constable Craig Colyer said all nine plaques have since been recovered, but, sadly, some were damaged beyond repair. “While we are pleased the plaques have been located, it is disappointing that not all could be restored to their original condition,” he said.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 07, 2026 00:31 UTC
Greenland, Denmark urge quick talks with US after renewed claims on island
Denmark, including Greenland, was part of Nato, it added, urging a collective approach alongside the United States to security in the polar region. The statement was signed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” the statement said. Nielsen repeated his call to the United States for a “respectful dialogue through the appropriate diplomatic and political channels, and through the use of existing forums based on agreements that already exist with the United States”. “It’s like a broken record ... you would think he [Trump] doesn’t really understand what Denmark and Greenland are saying,” he told AFP.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 07, 2026 00:15 UTC
Manage My Health hackers remove information about patient data online
Brown told RNZ the breach was not acceptable. “I think there’s certainly lessons that need to be learned, I think it’s pretty unacceptable what’s happened to be honest. In an interview with RNZ on Tuesday, Manage My Health chief executive Vino Ramayah said the company was itself also the victim of crime. On Tuesday, a cyber security expert told RNZ he could not see Manage My Health recovering from the breach. “I’m not unprepared to step down if there’s a better person who can do a better job than I did.”– RNZ
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 23:08 UTC
MEDIAWATCH: NZME lambasts Tamatha Paul then goes quiet when Tamatha proven right
Remember – there is no depression in NZ, or corruption and we don’t know how lucky we are. Tamatha’s crime was to challenge the slavish police worship culture of NZ, remember the VERY FIRST editorial that the NZ Herald ran with was calling white settlers to go to war with Māori. We have become experts in a hyper laid back culture of turning a blind eye. Remember – there is no depression in NZ, or corruption and we don’t know how lucky we are. Thanks to the NZ Herald, this is what we is now, this is the redneck knuckle dragging cretins we have become.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 22:53 UTC
Court rejects Dunedin activist's artistic payment
A Dunedin climate activist attempted to pay a court levy with a hand-drawn $50 note in a publicity stunt. It came after he held an A3 paper sign saying "It’s a climate emergency" at Dunedin Airport in July last year. Today outside the Dunedin Courthouse he explained the $50 note he drew featured a portrait of Shane Jones, a vulture instead of kōkako and cannabis leaves. Bruce Mahalski holds the $50 note he drew to pay his court fine. Last time the activist was ordered to pay the same fee, he paid with a real $50 note inside a bag of coal.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 06, 2026 22:11 UTC
Search continues in ‘wild’ country
Mr Purvis, 20, had intended to climb Mt Huxley on or about December 30, descending the Huxley River South branch. New Zealand Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley said there was still every chance Mr Purvis could be rescued. Mr Hall said Mr Purvis was known to be a keen outdoorsman and a expert climber. A view from a plane involved in the search for Mr Purvis in the Mt Huxley region this week. Specialist search teams working included Wānaka Canyon and Drone teams, the Dunedin Cliff rescue team and several Land Search and Rescue teams.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 06, 2026 22:05 UTC
Doula helping the dying find peace
Dunedin doula Kalla Byrne thumbs through an end-of-life planner. She worked in event management until last year when she stumbled upon an online course to become a doula. For her, the work was focused on advocating for the dying person and helping them understand what to expect as they get closer to death. "It’s really about educating the dying person and their family about what to expect and how it’s going to happen. It was about helping people find peace with their inevitable deaths.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 06, 2026 21:35 UTC
Tairua lifeguards save three swimmers in after-hours beach rescue
Surf lifeguards from Tairua and Pauanui Beaches were called to the northern end of Tairua Beach overnight. Surf lifeguards from Tairua and Pauanui Beaches were called to the northern end of Tairua Beach overnight. Photo / Ian CooperThree people were rescued after getting into difficulty near rocks at the northern end of Tairua Beach yesterday. Surf Life Saving New Zealand said one of the rescued people was flown to hospital in a serious condition. In a statement this morning, SLNZ said surf lifeguards from Tairua and Pauanui Beaches responded to an incident at 5.48pm.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 21:34 UTC
Tonsil surgery death: Health NZ completes review into care, faults support to boy’s grieving family
In a statement, Health NZ and Southern Cross Healthcare said the review was completed late last year. “We acknowledge this and are making improvements.”Health NZ and Southern Cross Healthcare are refusing to release the review to the Herald, saying the grieving family had asked for the findings to remain confidential. Health NZ refused to answer further questions, but said, “We have extended our deepest condolences to the family over their loss”. Desperate bid to save dying childParamedics and emergency workers made a desperate bid to rush the stricken boy to hospital after he collapsed at home. The boy was rushed to Starship children's hospital by ambulance after collapsing at his West Auckland home.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 21:33 UTC
Your body doesn’t need a detox cleanse. Do this instead.
The question Do detox cleanses really work? Some juice cleanses, often built around lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, claim to improve liver function, remove toxins and boost metabolic function, among other things. Depending on the detox, it may last a couple of days or up to three weeks or so. For instance, the popular lemonade diet or lemon detox diet is usually done for a couple of days to a few weeks and excludes solid food. What else you should knowYou may feel better after a cleanse because you’ve cut out processed foods, added sugars and alcohol.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 21:32 UTC
NZ universities accepting English proficiency tests through Duolingo
Several New Zealand schools were also using Duolingo tests to assess students’ English abilities. The company said it was the fastest-growing English test for study abroad, allowing students to get results in two days with no appointments needed. People from 219 countries and 148 first languages took the Duolingo English Test last year. Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese were among the fastest-growing languages, with Chinese making the greatest strides in Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia and South Korea. Portuguese ranked No 1 among fastest-growing languages in China and India, perhaps for economic reasons, as Brazil’s economic and cultural influence continued to expand.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 21:27 UTC
Australian PM tours Queensland flood disaster zone, where rivers have cut off towns
Cattle wade through floodwaters after heavy rainfall near Julia Creek in northwest Queensland. Photo / Handout, Queensland's office of the Premier, AFPAlready a subscriber? Australian PM tours Queensland flood disaster zone, where rivers have cut off townsCattle wade through floodwaters after heavy rainfall near Julia Creek in northwest Queensland. Photo / Handout, Queensland's office of the Premier, AFPSwollen rivers have cut off towns and swept away thousands of livestock in Outback Australia, authorities said as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flew into the disaster zone yesterday. Some cattle survived by crowding together on small hills cresting above the flood waters, photos posted on social media showed.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 20:37 UTC
ASB Classic: Venus Williams considers future, Svitolina, Eala advance in Auckland WTA event
“It’s so much fun, you know, and playing well and playing at a super high level and with more matches, I’ll just get better, said Williams. The world No 55 was a tough draw for the wildcard, who might have preferred someone less experienced. Williams showed her level was still there – with some punishing groundstrokes off both wings – but wasn’t consistent enough and struggled at times with her movement. “One of the biggest disadvantages for me is that everybody’s played more matches than I have,” said Williams. After a prolonged break – following her decision to end the 2025 season early last September – Svitolina was delighted with her form.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 20:34 UTC
The best (and weirdest) tech we found at CES 2026
LAS VEGAS — This week, 2.5 million square feet of prime Las Vegas real estate is packed with visions of the future. That’s business as usual at CES, the massive tech confab once known as the Consumer Electronics Show, which opens today. Uber’s new robotaxi Return to menuThe ride-booking giant’s road to robotaxis has been a complicated one: An early Uber self-driving test vehicle killed a pedestrian in 2018. Scanning one’s pee is par for the course at CES, though: Stand-alone liquid waste sensors have been floating around the show for years. A company called Pinwheel wants kids of the smartphone era to know what that feels like — without getting distracted by a screen.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 20:31 UTC
Trail of dead fish found off Great Barrier Island, Hauraki Gulf; Fisheries NZ investigates
“They’re too small, so they’re left to die,” Shields said. At the start of the video, he drew attention to a fishing trawler across the water from his boat. “I’m guessing it’s come from that trawler over there,” Shields said. “That is atrocious.”He told the Herald the trail of fish was farther than he could film. Undersized snapper were among the line of dead fish spotted in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 06, 2026 20:13 UTC