Trump threatens new Venezuela leader as Maduro prepares to face US court
Venezuelan opposition figure Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, in an Instagram post from exile in Spain, said Maduro’s capture was “an important step, but not enough” to return the crisis-hit nation to normal. Donald Trump (left) says the US will “run” Venezuela after its President Nicolas Maduro was flown to New York to face narcotrafficking charges. Photo / AFPVenezuelans braced for the political aftermath of the raid, in which US commandos swooped in on helicopters, backed by fighter jets and naval forces, to capture Maduro. Who will run Venezuela? As news of Maduro’s capture rippled out, exiled Venezuelans waved flags and celebrated in plazas from Madrid to Santiago.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 05, 2026 03:08 UTC
Police seek public’s help to identify men involved in mass brawl on Karangahape Rd
Police are conducting a scene examination on Karangahape Road after a large fight took place in the early hours of the morning. Police seek public’s help to identify men involved in mass brawl on Karangahape RdPolice have released images of two men wanted in connection with a 50-person brawl last weekend. The series of assaults took place in the early morning hours of Sunday, December 28, around Karangahape Rd in central Auckland. Newly-published photos show two young men who police would like to speak to about the incidents, Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Greaves said. “One male is wearing black pants, a blue and black Hunting and Fishing jacket and a black cap with white writing.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 05, 2026 03:08 UTC
America’s Cup champion’s breakthrough to fuel female athletes
“Many have tried to extract rubisco protein in the past, but nobody has got this far,” she says. A discovery to emerge from that work is Leaft Blade – a performance fuel shot combining the rubisco protein with other macronutrients in a liquid form that’s rapidly digested. So the environmental footprint of producing the rubisco protein is far lower than from meat or dairy,” Leyland-Penno says. About six months ago, the company tried Leaft Blade with a woman who wasn’t an elite athlete, who struggled with low iron levels. Olympic kayaker Lucy Matehaere started taking Leaft Blade after the Paris Olympic Games, struggling to get enough protein to fuel her intense training.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 05, 2026 02:20 UTC
One person dies after crash
Photo: Evie SinclairOne person has died following a crash in Wānaka on Monday morning. Police confirmed this afternoon that the crash on Roche St was fatal and the person died at the scene. A police spokesperson earlier said the single-vehicle crash in Roche St was reported about 10.45am. "We have extricated the person out from underneath the vehicle." A Hato Hone St John spokeswoman said two ambulances, one operations manager and one helicopter responded to the scene.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 05, 2026 01:11 UTC
MetService forecast: Heat returns as NZ set for one of summer’s warmest, driest weeks
NZ Herald Morning News Update | Trump says US will 'run' Venezuela, search for missing tramper | Monday, January 05. Video / NZ HeraldMetService forecast: Heat returns as NZ set for one of summer’s warmest, driest weeksA spell of golden weather is finally on the way for Kiwis as one of this summer’s warmest and driest weeks arrives and pushes temperatures past 30C. After heavy rain, wind and thunderstorms upended many people’s plans of beach-filled New Year’s breaks, the first full week of January is looking calmer as a high-pressure system stretches over both islands. MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane told the Herald the wild weather that battered New Zealand over the past week has since moved eastwards away from the country. “Eastern parts of the country in particular are in for a warm week.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 05, 2026 00:51 UTC
ManageMyHealth data breach: Health Minister Simeon Brown expects rapid patient notification
While Brown didn’t know who the attackers were, he said they were “criminals” exploiting people’s personal information for their financial gain. Earlier on Monday, Brown announced he had asked the Ministry of Health to start a review of the incident before the end of the month. He said the review should assess the cause of the breach, review the adequacy of the data protections that were in place and consider the response to the incident. Brown said that under the Privacy Act, ManageMyHealth was responsible for keeping the data it held secure. This ransom post screenshot in relation to the ManageMyHealth data breach is from a popular hacking forum.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 05, 2026 00:40 UTC
Person dies after being crushed by car in Wānaka street incident
She said a person was “trapped under a vehicle” and firefighters “extricated” them and assisted St John paramedics at the scene. It is unclear whether the incident happened on the road or on a private property. A Hato Hone St John spokesperson confirmed two ambulances, one operations manager and one helicopter responded to the scene. An hour before the fatal incident, a person was killed in a crash near Te Poi. The two-vehicle crash happened on State Highway 24/Tauranga Rd and was reported to emergency services at 9.45am.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 05, 2026 00:39 UTC
‘My final gift from you’: Grieving partner gives birth to sand dune tragedy victim Kane Watson’s baby
Kane Watson’s grieving partner has welcomed their second baby into the world, Zire-Kane (inset) – a day after what would have been his 29th birthday. Kane Watson was killed when a sand dune collapsed on him at Muriwai Beach. She also took a photo of Watson as he dug in a sand dune. Jasmine Cooke has been left heartbroken after the death of her partner Kane Watson after a sand dune collapsed on him at Muriwai Beach. “So, I walked back down to the bottom of the sand dune and just as I got back down to the bottom of it, my 10-year-old sister yells out, ‘Kane’s buried’.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 04, 2026 23:35 UTC
Lower Hutt’s cost-neutral social housing strategy turns $13m into 284 homes
Wellington City Council is one of New Zealand’s largest landlords. It owns more than 1900 social housing units across the city, housing 3000 low-income tenants. The council gifted it $10m of property and $23m in funds to help it build new social housing. Councillor Tim Brown, pictured during a Wellington City Council meeting. He said Te Toi Mahana could be in line to follow the UPL strategy.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 04, 2026 23:31 UTC
Person dies after Wānaka crash
Photo: Evie SinclairOne person has died following a crash in Wānaka this morning. Police confirmed this afternoon that the crash on Roche St was fatal and the person died at the scene. A police spokesperson earlier said the single-vehicle crash in Roche St was reported about 10.45am. "We have extricated the person out from underneath the vehicle." A Hato Hone St John spokeswoman said two ambulances, one operations manager and one helicopter responded to the scene.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 04, 2026 23:30 UTC
Driver seen with open drink after crash, police say
A Dunedin driver who "smelled of alcohol" was seen by a member of the public with an open beverage right after crashing into another car, police say. Police were called to the crash in Anzac Ave about 5.30pm on Friday. He went through the drink driving procedure and was arrested, charged with careless driving and failing to stop to ascertain injury. Police were also called to another crash in Great King St, about 7.30pm on Saturday. He was bailed to appear in the Dunedin District Court on Thursday, charged with failing to stop to ascertain injury.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 04, 2026 23:26 UTC
Danish PM calls on US to stop ‘threatening’ Greenland as Donald Trump says he ‘absolutely’ needs territory
“I have to say this very clearly to the United States: it is absolutely absurd to say that the United States should take control of Greenland,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement on Monday. Trump has said the United States will now “run” Venezuela indefinitely and tap its huge oil reserves. “But we do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defence.”Denmark has condemned US comments on Greenland after President Donald Trump said America “absolutely” needs the Arctic territory. President Donald Trump argues acquiring Greenland would strengthen US national security because of its Arctic location.
Source:New Zealand Herald
January 04, 2026 23:04 UTC
General Debate 05 January 2026
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Source:Otago Daily Times
January 04, 2026 22:59 UTC
Govt commissions review into cyber security breach
Photo: RNZHealth Minister Simeon Brown has commissioned a review by the Ministry of Health into the response to the cyber security breach involving patient information on ManageMyHealth. In a statement, Brown said patient data is incredibly personal and whether it is held by a public agency or a private company, it must be protected to the highest of standards. "I have decided to commission the Ministry of Health to lead a review of the ManageMyHealth and Health New Zealand's response." The minister has written to the Director-General of Health asking that the review will commence by the end of the month. 'Big wakeup call'Brown earlier said the cyber breach of the country's largest patient information portal was a "big wakeup call", telling RNZ he was incredibly concerned.
Source:Otago Daily Times
January 04, 2026 22:54 UTC