Author: MIL OSI Publisher

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Wellington’s beloved cat, Lola, drawn tributes from many who passed her by in Aro Park

Source: Radio New Zealand

Claire Naughton with Lola. SUPPLIED

Well-wishers have come out in force for a Wellington cat considered to be Aro Park royalty.

Lola the Cat was a regular fixture in Aro Park for many years.

She died in December last year, her death was announced on her Facebook page on Monday.

“Lola lived one of the fullest lives a little cat could,” the post said.

Most of you will remember the big moments that shaped her life: surviving a greyhound attack (and losing her front leg), and surviving a second dog attack, and a subsequent surgery with just a 10 percent chance of survival,” the post said.

“But those of you lucky enough to pass Lola on your commute will know that her life was made up of so many more small, seemingly insignificant moments. It was in these moments that you all came to love Lola, and it feels only right to thank you as we say goodbye.”

The post said Lola reigned over Aro Park until until after the second dog attack, spending her last years perched in a basket at home, where she received many visitors and deliveries of smokes salmon.

“Thank you to everyone who cuddled her, fed her, and treated her to Wellington’s best fish and chips,” the post said.

Aro Park’s beloved cat Lola has passed inspiring hundreds of tributes online. SUPPLIED

“Thank you also to the endless stream of Vic Uni Students who befriend Lola every year (even those of you who drunkenly kidnapped her, only to call the next morning full of apologies and asking to return her – I can only imagine the hangxiety). We are endlessly grateful to you all for the love and care you showed our beautiful girl.”

The Facebook post has attracted more than 100 comments with people reminiscing about their times with Lola.

“May we all live lives as full as this sweet and sassy gal! Lola was my first local friend when I studied abroad in Wellington in 2016,” said Claire Naughton. “Rest easy, sweet Lola! You truly were loved around the world.”

“I’m sitting on my couch crying now,” said Courtney Hutchinson. “Lola was so special, I loved seeing her on my walk to work and back home when I lived in Aro Valley years ago.”

“Very sad, but what an amazing life Lola has had,” said Simon Dartford. “I briefly lived up Aro Valley approx 14 years ago and the highlight of each day was sharing some cuddles and rubs with Lola.”

Lola first arrived in Aro Valley in 2008 and was cared for by Josephine Brien from 2014. Brien’s daughter Zeni, runs the Facebook page.

Brien said she’d received many well-wishes since Lola’s passing.

A drawing of Lola the cat by Josephine Brien. SUPPLIED

“This boy came around with this beautiful oil painting he’d done of her, which is just so lovely, and […] another beautiful drawing has come through the letterbox as well, lots of cards.”

Brien said people used to spend ages at her fence talking to Lola.

“We used to think that we should put a little sign up, like in that Peanuts cartoon, ‘psychiatric help 5 cents or whatever’, because […] people would talk to her for ages.

Brien said for a little cat, Lola had left behind an enormous hole.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/wellingtons-beloved-cat-lola-drawn-tributes-from-many-who-passed-her-by-in-aro-park/

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Religious group was warned about now-convicted sex offending priest Rowan Donoghue 20 years ago

Source: Radio New Zealand

Former St Bede’s College Friar Rowan Donoghue arrives at the Christchurch District Court for an appearance on January 28, 2026. Nathan McKinnon / RNZ

The Society of Mary was made aware of allegations against a priest now convicted of sexual abusing several boys nearly 20 years ago, RNZ can reveal.

The religious group says they tried to investigate the complaint, but didn’t have enough information to verify the anonymous complaint. The priest was then put on a “safety plan”.

The anonymous correspondent was encouraged to contact the police.

RNZ revealed on Wednesday that Friar Rowan Donoghue had pleaded guilty to six charges, five of which are representative, including indecent assault on a boy aged 12-16, indecent assault on a boy 16 and over and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.

The offending related to four boys who were boarding at St Bede’s College between 1996 and 2000.

  • Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz

In response to questions from RNZ on Wednesday, the Society of Mary confirmed an anonymous complaint of a sexual nature was made against Fr Donoghue in 2007.

“The Society of Mary sought to investigate the complaint, but was unable to gain sufficient information to verify the allegations. Even so, the Society of Mary determined that Donoghue should be removed from public ministry, with a safety plan enacted. That has stayed in place since that time.”

The Society was not aware of the allegations to which Donoghue entered guilty pleas until Police laid charges, the spokesperson said.

“Our first thoughts are with those who came forward and described what happened to them. We extend our apologies to them, and will seek to do so personally at an appropriate time. We deeply regret the hurt or harm caused.”

The society was “committed to ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of all people in Church settings”.

Asked whether police were told, the spokesperson said the complainant was “encouraged to contact the police”.

In early 2023, police were contacted with allegations of sexual abuse by Fr Donoghue that he has since pleaded guilty to in relation to his time at St Bede’s College.

RNZ asked St Bede’s College rector Jon McDowall for comment this week on when the school was first notified of any allegations regarding Fr Donoghue.

He said the school was “formally notified” of the allegations by police and had “worked openly with them since that time”.

“We hold victims and survivors in our thoughts and remain focused on providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community – past, present and future.”

In response to questions from RNZ, St Patrick’s Silverstream rector Rob Ferreira said the school had not been made aware of any allegations of abuse in care while Fr Donoghue worked at the school between 1982 to 1992.

“We have not had any inquiries from the police either.

“We operate according to clearly set out guidelines and best practice and you should note that our primary concern is the wellbeing of our students. Given that – our protection of the privacy and any other rights of survivors of abuse and other individuals would be paramount.”

He said the school had informed the community that Fr Donoghue’s suppression had lifted.

The Society of Mary encouraged anyone who has a concern or complaint about one of our members to contact the Police, the National Office for Professional Standards 0800 114 622, or the Society’s confidential helpline 021 909 749.

Where to get help

If it’s an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

If you have been abused, remember it’s not your fault.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/religious-group-was-warned-about-now-convicted-sex-offending-priest-rowan-donoghue-20-years-ago/

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UK High Commissioner fronts after confusion over dual-citizen changes

Source: Radio New Zealand

UK High Commissioner Iona Thomas is trying to clear up confusion over changes for British and dual nationals travelling to the UK.

It comes after RNZ revealed earlier this month that from February, anyone who was born in Britain – or has citizenship there – will no longer be able to travel to the UK without a British passport.

From 25 February, people travelling to the UK will need a visa, an electronic travel authority (ETA) or a valid UK passport. What documentation travellers need depends on their nationality and the purpose of their visit.

“New Zealand nationals going to the UK for a visit will need an electronic travel authorisation. This can be applied for online,” Thomas told reporters.

“However, the UK’s ETA system only applies to non-British nationals. If you have held, or currently hold British citizenship, including if you are a dual national, you cannot use an ETA to enter the UK. You must travel on a British passport or another passport with a certificate of entitlement.”

These changes apply even for short visits.

The British High Commission said it did put out notifications last year to make people aware of the change.

“Our message is simple: check your documents early and apply well ahead to avoid travel disruption,” Thomas said.

Previously, dual citizens have been able to visit on a New Zealand passport, more recently with an ETA, an electronic online declaration costing about $37.

The British government said that was only ever meant to be a transitional measure.

Citizens of other countries said they too are affected by a similar global tightening of borders and passport rules.

If people are unsure about whether they have British citizenship, they can check online here.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/uk-high-commissioner-fronts-after-confusion-over-dual-citizen-changes/

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New slip prompts emergency evacuations in Tauranga

Source: Radio New Zealand

A police cordon at the corner of Sandhurst St and Truman lane, Mangatawa. LAUREN CRIMP / SUPPLIED

Tauranga City Council has evacuated residents in an area of Papamoa, where a slip poses a risk to life and property.

Residents near the southern end of Truman Lane, which includes the Mangatawa Marae and Papakāinga housing up to State Highway 2, have been evacuated.

The council said after last week’s heavy rainfall, a slip has occurred near a watermain pipe to the reservoir above the Marae, which has the potential to break should the land subside further.

Tauranga City Council Emergency Controller Tom McEntyre said the evacuation order will remain in place while the risk is investigated.

Residents near the southern end of Truman Lane, which includes the Mangatawa Marae and Papakāinga housing up to State Highway 2, have been evacuated. Google Maps

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/new-slip-prompts-emergency-evacuations-in-tauranga/

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October storm payout set to climb to $50m, insurer FMG says

Source: Radio New Zealand

A property badly damaged in last October’s storm. RNZ/ Katie Todd

The storm that lashed Canterbury, Otago and Southland with severe winds in October has resulted in the second-most claims for an event in rural insurer FMG’s 120-year history.

New Zealand’s largest rural insurer has already paid out $20 million, but expects that figure to rise to about $50 million.

The storm toppled trees, tore roofs from buildings, and downed power lines leaving thousands without power.

Some of the trees that were toppled in Invercargill. RNZ / Calvin Samuel

An FMG spokesperson told RNZ nearly 5000 claims had been lodged with about half of those now closed.

The only event resulting in more claims for the insurer was the Auckland Anniversary floods and [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/484213/widespread-damage-cyclone-gabrielle-in-pictures

Cyclone Gabrielle] in 2023.

“Three months on, we continue to see claims lodged and we encourage anyone who still needs to make a claim or is feeling overwhelmed about their claim to get in touch with FMG,” the spokesperson said.

“We can see that the wait for repairs in some cases will mean it takes people a while to get back on their feet.”

Insurance claims did not reflect the full extent of the damage and disruption experienced by communities, FMG said.

A number of farmers have told RNZ they discovered in the wake of the storm their insurance did not cover damaged fencing or fallen trees.

FMG said it was too early to know how this month’s heavy rain across the north would compare.

Some of the storm damage in Otago. RNZ/ Katie Todd

IAG – which operates the AMI, NZI and State insurance brands – said it had received 5000 claims relating to October’s storm.

The majority – about 3600 – were from customers in Southland and Otago, it said.

AMI, State and NZI executive general manager Steph Ferris said that included smashed windows and doors, blown away roofs and sheds, and spoiled food as a result of power outages.

Tower Insurance said it had received 996 claims with 330 lodged by customers in Southland and 200 in Otago.

Head of natural disaster response Lisa Maxwell said the majority of claims were for minor damage and more than 650 claims had been settled.

This week a logging contractor in Clutha District told RNZ there were more than 150,000 tonnes of trees still on the ground at private properties three months on from the storm.

Clutha District Council said the cost of repairing damaged community amenities had climbed to $991,000.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/october-storm-payout-set-to-climb-to-50m-insurer-fmg-says/

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Great white sharks grow a whole new kind of tooth for slicing bone as they age

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emily Hunt, PhD Candidate, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney

Ken Bondy/iNaturalist, CC BY-NC

A great white shark is a masterwork of evolutionary engineering. These beautiful predators glide effortlessly through the water, each slow, deliberate sweep of the powerful tail driving a body specialised for stealth, speed and efficiency. From above, its dark back blends into the deep blue water, while from below its pale belly disappears into the sunlit surface.

In an instant, the calm glide explodes into an attack, accelerating to more than 60 kilometres per hour, the sleek torpedo-like form cutting through the water with little resistance. Then its most iconic feature is revealed: rows of razor-sharp teeth, expertly honed for a life at the top of the food chain.

Scientists have long been fascinated by white shark teeth. Fossilised specimens have been collected for centuries, and the broad serrated tooth structure is easily recognisable in jaws and bite marks of contemporary sharks.

But until now, surprisingly little was known about one of the most fascinating aspects of these immaculately shaped structures: how they change across the jaw and to match the changing demands throughout the animal’s lifetime. Our new research, published in Ecology and Evolution, set out to answer this.

From needle-like teeth to serrated blades

Different shark species have evolved teeth to suit their dietary needs, such as needle-like teeth for grasping slippery squid; broad, flattened molars for crushing shellfish; and serrated blades for slicing flesh and marine mammal blubber.

Shark teeth are also disposable – they are constantly replaced throughout their lives, like a conveyor belt pushing a new tooth forward roughly every few weeks.

White sharks are best known for their large, triangular, serrated teeth, which are ideal for capturing and eating marine mammals like seals, dolphins and whales. But most juveniles don’t start life hunting seals. In fact, they feed mostly on fish and squid, and don’t usually start incorporating mammals into their diet until they are roughly 3 metres long.

This raises a fascinating question: do teeth coming off the conveyor belt change to meet specific challenges of diets at different developmental stages, just as evolution produces teeth to match the diets of different species?

Previous studies tended to focus on a small number of teeth or single life stages. What was missing was a full, jaw-wide view of how tooth shape changes – not just from the upper and lower jaw, but from the front of the mouth to the back, and from juvenile to adult.

An array of jaws from sharks ranging from 1.2m to 4.4m.
Emily Hunt

Teeth change over a lifetime

When we examined teeth from nearly 100 white sharks, clear patterns emerged.

First, tooth shape changes dramatically across the jaw. The first six teeth on each side are relatively symmetrical and triangular, well suited for grasping, impaling, or cutting into prey.

Beyond the sixth tooth, however, the shape shifts. Teeth become more blade-like, better adapted for tearing and shearing flesh. This transition marks a functional division within the jaw where different teeth play different roles during feeding, much like how we as humans have incisors at the front and molars at the back of our mouths.

Even more striking were the changes that occur as sharks grow. At around 3m in body length, white sharks undergo a major dental transformation. Juvenile teeth are slimmer and often feature small side projections at the base of the tooth, called cusplets, which help to grip small slippery prey such as fish and squid.

As sharks approach 3m, these cusplets disappear and the teeth become broader, thicker, and serrated.

In many ways, this shift mirrors an ecological turning point. Young sharks rely on fish and small prey that require precision and an ability to grasp the smaller bodies. Larger sharks increasingly target marine mammals: big, fast-moving animals that demand cutting power rather than grip.

Once great whites reach this size, they develop an entirely new style of tooth capable of slicing through dense flesh and even bone.

Some teeth stand out even more. The first two teeth on either side of the jaw, the four central teeth, are significantly thicker at the base. These appear to be the primary “impact” teeth, taking the force of the initial bite.

Meanwhile, the third and fourth upper teeth are slightly shorter and angled, suggesting a specialised role in holding onto struggling prey. Their size and position may also be influenced by the underlying skull structure and the placement of key sensory tissues involved in smelling.

We also found consistent differences between the upper and lower jaws. Lower teeth are shaped for grabbing and holding prey, while upper teeth are designed for slicing and dismembering – a coordinated system that turns the white shark’s bite into a highly efficient feeding tool.

Scientists measured teeth from nearly 100 white sharks.
Emily Hunt

A lifestory in teeth

Together, these findings tell a compelling story.

The teeth of white sharks are not static weapons but living records of a shark’s changing lifestyle. Continuous replacement compensates for teeth lost and damaged, but at least equally important, enables design updates that track diet changes through development.

This research helps us better understand how white sharks succeed as apex predators and how their feeding system is finely tuned across their lifetime.

It also highlights the importance of studying animals as dynamic organisms, shaped by both biology and behaviour. In the end, a white shark’s teeth don’t just reveal how it feeds – they reveal who it is, at every stage of its life.

This research has received in kind support for collection of specimens from the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development through the Shark Management Program. David Raubenheimer has no other relevant relationships or funding to declare.

Ziggy Marzinelli is an Associate Professor at The University of Sydney and receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Ian Potter Foundation and the NSW Environmental Trust.

Emily Hunt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Great white sharks grow a whole new kind of tooth for slicing bone as they age – https://theconversation.com/great-white-sharks-grow-a-whole-new-kind-of-tooth-for-slicing-bone-as-they-age-272805

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/28/great-white-sharks-grow-a-whole-new-kind-of-tooth-for-slicing-bone-as-they-age-272805/

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New fear unlocked: runaway black holes

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Blair, Emeritus Professor, ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery, OzGrav, The University of Western Australia

A runaway black hole leaving a streak of new stars in its wake. James Webb Space Telescope / van Dokkum et al.

Last year, astronomers were fascinated by a runaway asteroid passing through our Solar System from somewhere far beyond. It was moving at around 68 kilometres per second, just over double Earth’s speed around the Sun.

Imagine if it had been something much bigger and faster: a black hole travelling at more like 3,000km per second. We wouldn’t see it coming until its intense gravitational forces started knocking around the orbits of the outer planets.

This may sound a bit ridiculous – but in the past year several lines of evidence have come together to show such a visitor is not impossible. Astronomers have seen clear signs of runaway supermassive black holes tearing through other galaxies, and have uncovered evidence that smaller, undetectable runaways are probably out there too.

Runaway black holes: the theory

The story begins in the 1960s, when New Zealand mathematician Roy Kerr found a solution of Einstein’s general relativity equations that described spinning black holes. This led to two crucial discoveries about black holes.

First, the “no-hair theorem”, which tells us black holes can be distinguished only by three properties: their mass, their spin and their electric charge.

For the second we need to think about Einstein’s famous formula E = mc ² which says that energy has mass. In the case of a black hole, Kerr’s solution tells us that as much as 29% of a black hole’s mass can be in the form of rotational energy.

English physicist Roger Penrose deduced 50 years ago that this rotational energy of black holes can be released. A spinning black hole is like a battery capable of releasing vast amounts of spin energy.

A black hole can contain about 100 times more extractable energy than a star of the same mass. If a pair of black holes coalesce into one, much of that vast energy can be released in a few seconds.

It took two decades of painstaking supercomputer calculations to understand what happens when two spinning black holes collide and coalesce, creating gravitational waves. Depending on how the black holes are spinning, the gravitational wave energy can be released much more strongly in one direction than others – which sends the black holes shooting like a rocket in the opposite direction.

If the spins of the two colliding black holes are aligned the right way, the final black hole can be rocket-powered to speeds of thousands of kilometres per second.

Learning from real black holes

All that was theory, until the LIGO and Virgo gravitational wave observatories began detecting the whoops and chirps of gravitational waves given off by pairs of colliding black holes in 2015.

One of the most exciting discoveries was of black hole “ringdowns”: a tuning fork-like ringing of newly formed black holes that tells us about their spin. The faster they spin, the longer they ring.

Better and better observations of coalescing black holes revealed that some pairs of black holes had randomly oriented spin axes, and that many of them had very large spin energy.

All this suggested runaway black holes were a real possibility. Moving at 1% of light speed, their trajectories through space would not follow the curved orbits of stars in galaxies, but rather would be almost straight.

Runaway black holes spotted in the wild

This brings us to the final step in our sequence: the actual discovery of runaway black holes.

It is difficult to search for relatively small runaway black holes. But a runaway black hole of a million or billion solar masses will create huge disruptions to the stars and gas around it as it travels through a galaxy.

They are predicted to leave contrails of stars in their wake, forming from interstellar gas in the same way contrails of cloud form in the wake of a jet plane. Stars form from collapsing gas and dust attracted to the passing black hole. It’s a process that would last for tens of millions of years as the runaway black hole crosses a galaxy.

In 2025, several papers showed images of surprisingly straight streaks of stars within galaxies such as the image below. These seem to be convincing evidence for runaway black holes.

One paper, led by Yale astronomer Pieter van Dokkum, describes a very distant galaxy imaged by the James Webb telescope with a surprisingly bright contrail 200,000 light years long. The contrail showed the pressure effects expected from the gravitational compression of gas as a black hole passes: in this case it suggests a black hole with a mass 10 million times the Sun’s, travelling at almost 1,000km/s.

Another describes a long straight contrail cutting across a galaxy called NGC3627. This one is likely caused by a black hole of about 2 million times the mass of the Sun, travelling at 300km/s. Its contrail is about 25,000 light years long.

If these extremely massive runaways exist, so too should their smaller cousins because gravitational wave observations suggest that some of them come together with the opposing spins needed to create powerful kicks. The speeds are easily fast enough for them to travel between galaxies.

So runaway black holes tearing through and between galaxies are a new ingredient of our remarkable universe. It’s not impossible that one could turn up in our Solar System, with potentially catastrophic results.

We should not lose sleep over this discovery. The odds are minuscule. It is just another way that the story of our universe has become a little bit richer and a bit more exciting than it was before.

David Blair receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is a member of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery and is director of the Einstein-First education project that is developing a modern physics curriculum for primary and middle school science education.

– ref. New fear unlocked: runaway black holes – https://theconversation.com/new-fear-unlocked-runaway-black-holes-272429

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/01/28/new-fear-unlocked-runaway-black-holes-272429/

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Live: Council staff were at scene of Mount Maunganui slip when it happened, mayor says

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow the latest updates in RNZ’s blog

Crews continue to search for six people buried in a landslide at Mount Maunganui, while police say they will investigate whether there is any criminal liability.

A rāhui is in place at the site where six people – including two teenagers – were caught in the slip, which came down on the holiday camp.

Police say they did not attend the campground after receiving a call about a disorder incident that referenced a potential landslip about three hours before a deadly landslide as it was unclear if the disorder resulted in any property damage.

The government is mulling an independent inquiry into the disaster.

For all the latest updates, check RNZ’s blog at the top of this page.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/live-council-staff-were-at-scene-of-mount-maunganui-slip-when-it-happened-mayor-says/

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Watch live: UK High Commissioner fronts after confusion over dual-citizen changes

Source: Radio New Zealand

UK High Commissioner Iona Thomas is hosting a press conference to provide practical guidance for travellers to UK and what changes mean for British and dual nationals from February 25.

It comes after RNZ revealed earlier this month that from February anyone who was born in Britain – or has citizenship there – will no longer be able to travel to the UK without a British passport.

The British High Commission said it did put out notifications last year to make people aware of the change.

Until now, dual citizens have been able to visit on a New Zealand passport, more recently with an ETA, an electronic online declaration costing about $37.

The British government said that was only ever meant to be a transitional measure.

The livestream is due to start at about 12.20pm.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/watch-live-uk-high-commissioner-fronts-after-confusion-over-dual-citizen-changes/

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Motorcyclist dies in crash with car

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Nate McKinnon

A motorcyclist has died in a crash with a car south of Whangārei.

Police said the crash occurred at the intersection of Port Marsden Highway and McCathie Road, in Ruakākā, just after 6.30am on Wednesday.

The rider suffered critical injuries and died on the way to hospital, police said.

The Transport Agency said the highway reopened at 9am.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/motorcyclist-dies-in-crash-with-car/

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Derelict quarry transformed into a thriving arboretum

Source: Radio New Zealand

The transformation of a quarry just outside of Hamilton is the culmination of 30 years’ hard graft by landowners John and Dorothy Wakeling.

The couple bought the quarry in the mid-1990s, Dorothy told RNZ’s Nine to Noon.

“We thought it had immense potential because of the landscape of cliffs and waterways and big rocks we could move around. So, we could see that we could make it into something extraordinary if we tried hard enough,” she says.

A pond left behind by the quarrying is now a beautiful oasis.

Waitakaruru Arboretum

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/derelict-quarry-transformed-into-a-thriving-arboretum/

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Helicopters dropping essential supplies into communities cut off by storm

Source: Radio New Zealand

Last week the helicopters assisted with the evacuation of flood-affected residents on the East Coast. Supplied / Byron Glover

Food and fuel are being dropped by helicopter into upper North Island communities left isolated following recent storms.

Slips have shut roads and cut off parts of eastern Bay of Plenty and Tai Rāwhiti, disrupting the flow of goods and transport.

The Waioweka Gorge was shut on 16 January after heavy rain caused about 40 slips.

One of the slips in the gorge area. Supplied

Rural Support Trusts across Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Tai Rāwhiti are set to receive an additional $200,000 from the government, announced on Tuesday, to assist with recovery efforts.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was advised there were around 500 people as of Tuesday who had been displaced by the storms.

Follow updates on RNZ’s blog

The regional coordinator for Bay of Plenty Rural Support Trust, Jodie Craig, said road access was difficult in parts of the area, particularly at the eastern end.

“State Highway 35 is closed and then the Waioweka Gorge is closed, so then the only way to get to Gisborne and up that way is through State Highway 5. So yeah, this eastern Bay is quite impacted with the cut-off of roads.”

The charitable trust works closely with local councils and Civil Defence to ensure farmers, growers and rural people get the help they need.

Craig said the hardest hit areas, like Te Araroa and Pāpāmoa, were “very badly affected”.

She said while there had not been many feed supply issues due to the wet summer, but demand for support was ongoing.

“When you go look at a lot of the paddocks in the area, they are not brown, they’re not dead, so that’s good news,” she said.

“But there are impacts from the water, as well. But that might take time. There could be maize issues down the line with the wet soil.

“And hopefully the kiwifruit are OK, so we’re waiting to see if that water has dissipated because they can’t have water under their vines for very long.”

Craig said the trust’s thoughts were with the local families who have lost loved ones during the floods, and it was also helping provide psychosocial support with government agencies.

The New Zealand Transport Agency said it estimated about 1000 more truck loads of debris around the Waioweka Gorge needed to be removed from the area, and it was too early to know when it would be re-opened.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/helicopters-dropping-essential-supplies-into-communities-cut-off-by-storm/

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Common sense on health and safety will save up to $3 billion

Source: New Zealand Government

Health and safety regulations for laboratory work are not fit for purpose, and regulatory relief is coming, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden confirmed today. 

“Nonsensical health and safety compliance was identified as a major pain point for research laboratories during my roadshows and in feedback through submissions. I’m pleased to back scientists to use their expertise to assess risks and put in place effective controls targeted to these highly specialised environments,” says Ms van Velden.  

Currently, those working in research, teaching and testing laboratories are subject to the same regulatory requirements as industrial operations that use hazardous substances, such as petrol refineries.  

“Research laboratory work is typically smaller-scale and often use a larger range of hazardous substances than industrial operations, whereas the current regulations are more easily applied to situations using a few substances in large quantities. 

“Not only are the current rules impractical, in some cases they could end up making laboratory work more dangerous. Some of the examples I heard included: 

  • Laboratories with self-reactive substances are required to be on the ground floor of buildings. But locating laboratories on upper levels makes more sense from a safety perspective because it allows people to get out if there is a fire. 
  • Cabinets used to store certain amounts of flammable substances must be separated by three metres. To meet this requirement, laboratories would need to be made significantly larger, or the hazardous substances would need to be moved frequently from outside the laboratory, which increases handling risks.
  • Some flammable substances must be managed in workrooms that meet specified fire-resistance ratings. Many research laboratories were not constructed to those standards. Fire risk can be effectively managed in other ways, including storage in industry-standard cabinets and the use of ventilation or sprinkler systems.  

Universities New Zealand and the Independent Research Association of New Zealand estimate that the costs of compliance, unless changes are made, is likely to be between $1.5 billion to $3 billion. 

“Research laboratories used to be treated differently, with their own compliance pathway under a code of practice. Today’s issues have arisen because that pathway was removed by regulatory amendments in 2017. The Government at the time intended to replace the pathway with a better mechanism for laboratories, however, that did not happen, so research laboratories have been bound by overly restrictive rules for nearly a decade. 

“This Government will deliver what laboratories have been waiting for since 2017. There will be new tailored regulations for the sector and an Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) that will set out clear guidance on how to manage these risks. 

“This is part of my wider health and safety system reform focused on making regulations workable so Kiwis can get on with their work safely without over-zealous rules holding them back,” says Ms van Velden.  

The amendments to the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017 are expected to come into force in 2026. 

Editor notes: 

  • The Cabinet paper is attached. 

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/common-sense-on-health-and-safety-will-save-up-to-3-billion/

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How YouTube filmmaker Rob Parsons helped the search for missing tourist Celine Cremer

Source: Radio New Zealand

A renewed search for Celine Cremer, more than two years after she disappeared in remote north-west Tasmania, has attracted international attention.

Many of the people who tuned in to the private search party’s efforts have done so through the action camera and smartphone lenses of Rob Parsons.

He calls himself a filmmaker, though some may know him as a YouTuber, who lives about two hours away from where the Belgian woman disappeared in June 2023.

Celine Cremer disappeared in June 2023.

Supplied/Facebook

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/how-youtube-filmmaker-rob-parsons-helped-the-search-for-missing-tourist-celine-cremer/

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National’s Judith Collins retires from politics, appointed Law Commission president

Source: Radio New Zealand

VNP/Louis Collins

Senior National Minister Judith Collins has announced her retirement from politics.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Wednesday confirmed Collins had been appointed President of the New Zealand Law Commission.

The Prime Minister’s office confirmed Collins would remain an MP and continue to hold her portfolios until she moves to her new job in the middle of the year.

A spokesperson also confirmed her resignation would not automatically trigger a by-election for the Papakura electorate as it would be close enough to the general election.

First elected in 2002, Collins is the current longest continuously serving female MP, one of the most experienced politicians in the government, and has a reputation for toughness.

There were rumours of her departure over the summer break.

Judith Collins at Burnham Military Camp for an announcement on a $82m regional supply building. Anna Sargent

She preceded Christopher Luxon as National leader, taking the party to a resounding defeat in the 2020 election, which led to Labour taking enough seats to govern alone for the first time in MMP history.

The campaign was marked by accusations of racist separatism around the He Puapua report and increasing accusations of announcing policy on the hoof.

During an election debate with Labour’s Jacinda Ardern, she was asked by Aorere College head girl Aigagalefili Fepulea’i Tapua’i about students having to quit school and find employment to support their families, and began with “My husband is Samoan so, talofa”.

She was replaced in November the following year after suddenly demoting rival Simon Bridges in a late-night statement, accusing him of serious misconduct.

The handling of that led the party to a vote of no confidence in her, and her replacement, but under Luxon’s leadership, she has reformed her image as one of the government’s most effective ministers, now holding seven portfolios.

Media surround Judith Collins before she enters the debating chamber during the Oravida controversy in 2014. RNZ / Diego Opatowski

As Defence Minister this term, she has led a huge increase in spending and bolstered the Defence Force’s equipment and property – and has fronted the handling of the Manawanui sinking.

She has also been minister for the spy agencies, the public service and digitising government, and in her former role as Science, Innovation and Technology Minister, led large-scale reforms to the sector.

Early in her political career, she earned the nickname “crusher” Collins for a policy that would see boy-racers’ cars crushed if they were caught speeding.

Airspace is still closed in the region, but defence minister Judith Collins said the deployment was part of New Zealand’s contingecy plans. RNZ/Calvin Samuel

Collins is no stranger to controversy. In 2014, in John Key’s government, she was on her “final warning” after endorsing Oravida milk, which her husband is a director of.

She received her second final warning when her involvement in the Dirty Politics saga was revealed, and resigned her portfolios later in 2014 after accusations she undermined the head of the Serious Fraud Office as Police Minister, but returned to Cabinet in 2015.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/nationals-judith-collins-retires-from-politics-appointed-law-commission-president/

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Concerns for owner of kayak found floating unattended near Beachlands in Auckland

Source: Radio New Zealand

The kayak was found floating unattended in the Tamaki Strait between Omana Beach and Beachlands. NZ Police / SUPPLIED

A kayak has been found floating near Beachlands in Auckland, leading police to be concerned about its owner.

Auckland City District police said a member of the public contacted them at 7.20am on Wednesday about an unoccupied blue and green kayak floating in the water in the Tamaki Strait between Omana Beach and Beachlands.

They said on the kayak was a paddle, a chilly bin and a torch mounted on the front indicating that it was possibly used in the dark.

Police wanted to hear from anyone who recognised the kayak to determine whether its occupant made it to shore safely.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/concerns-for-owner-of-kayak-found-floating-unattended-near-beachlands-in-auckland/

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Te Araroa evacuees overwhelmed by ‘aroha’ extended to them at East Coast marae

Source: Radio New Zealand

Hessel Mulder is assisted to safety during the flooding last week. Supplied

Sjaak van Unnik believes he’s gained a lot of aunties and uncles on the East Coast.

The Dutchman and his wife, Hessel Mulder, are among about a dozen people who’ve taken refuge at Hinerupe Marae, after last week’s destructive storm ripped through Te Araroa.

Follow updates on the weather aftermath with RNZ’s blog

The pair had been in their cabin at Te Araroa Holiday Park on 21 January when the campground was transformed into a raging torrent overnight.

Sjaak van Unnik and Hessel Mulder are now staying at HinerupuMarae. Supplied

Van Unnik said it was the sound that woke him.

“Enormous noise, at first you think it’s just the rain, then you realise it’s not just rain – it’s a lot more than rain.”

Supplied

Te Araroa was one of the worst hit areas on the East Coast. It has been likened to a ‘war zone,’ and in the morning, van Unnik saw the destruction.

“You could see the meadow behind us – which was just an empty meadow – and now it was totally filled with wood, s**t.

“And the whole campsite was just a river. We lost water, we lost electricity and basically we had to get out.”

Grabbing phones, chargers, and about “three pieces of underwear” the couple left, wading through the still flowing water, and picking their way over rocks and debris with the help of firefighters.

Supplied

Vehicle ‘goneburgers’

Nearby, after a sleepless night monitoring the water, Levin volunteer firefighter Byron Glover and his family, were doing the same.

“We’d seen the water turn a mud, silt colour, we knew obviously there’d been some slips happening around the area.”

Supplied / Byron Glover

They had let their children, 9 and 6, sleep so as not to “traumatise” them, but woke them up to self-evacuate at first light.

“When we’d seen the water had subsided a bit so, we deemed it safe to do so, between myself and missus piggybacking the kids to safety.

“We decided, ‘Nah we’ll just take the clothes on our back only.’ Looking at the vehicle, that was pretty much goneburgers.”

Byron Glover’s family during the evacuation. Supplied / Byron Glover

‘Astonishing’ level of support at marae

Van Unnik, Mulder, and Glover’s family were helicoptered out, and bar one trip back to the campground to grab supplies, have been sheltering at Hinerupe Marae ever since.

As the Te Araroa Civil Defence hub and welfare centre, the marae is humming with about 30 to 40 people at any one time.

Civil Defence coordinator Tash Wanoa said of those, between 14 and 19 people were staying every night.

The logistics meant there were a lot of unsung heroes behind the scenes.

Byron Glover’s family help out in the marae’s kitchen. Supplied / Byron Glover

The tourists said the hospitality they’d received had been “astonishing” and the “silver-lining” following the storm.

“It’s been nothing but unity,” Glover told RNZ.

“The wraparound support from them has been outstanding and also the amount of aroha that’s been given throughout.”

Van Unnik said: “It’s amazing. Really amazing.”

“This is not a very rich community, they don’t have a lot, but I understood they’re going around gardens of people, with consent obviously, and just picking everything which is okay to be eaten.

“And bringing that to the marae to cook.”

A helicopter delivered the families to the marae where they have taken shelter ever since. Supplied / Byron Glover

The families had also been mucking in where they could, helping out in the kitchen – with van Unnik and Mulder making a classic Dutch dish, hutspot – and Glover also lending a hand in the local fire brigade.

Glover said although his family was a priority to be evacuated to Gisborne, they weren’t in any rush, and felt like they’d been welcomed into the whānau.

He wasn’t the only one.

“We’re gaining a lot of aunties and uncles here. We’re part of the family basically … that’s how it feels,” van Unnik said.

“We’re very grateful for that. It’s of course not what we planned, but this is an experience nobody will ever take away from us.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/te-araroa-evacuees-overwhelmed-by-aroha-extended-to-them-at-east-coast-marae/

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Advocacy – Rock through window latest escalation of violence against Palestinian rights supporters – PSNA

Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa – PSNA

PSNA has requested an urgent meeting with Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, appealing for cohesive police action against an escalating spate of attacks by Israeli followers, against Palestinians and Palestinian rights supporters, around the country.

Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa says a rock was hurled through the window of well-known New Plymouth activists Kate and Grant Cole last week.

 PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazzal says attacks from Zionist backers have become more frequent and dangerous over the past year.

“In the case of the Coles, the rock through their window was just the latest in a series of targeted attacks on them and their property.”

 “They have twice endured spraypainted Israeli flags on their fence. Their car tyres were slashed on four different occasions.  They had vile lies about them delivered in letterboxes around their neighbourhood.”

“This time, it was a rock flung through their window with the message “Snap Action – REQ” attached.”

 Nazzal says local police have failed to take these attacks seriously and instead have suggested to the Coles they should spend a lot of money on security systems.”

Nazzal says attacks on activists were increasing even before Trump’s failed “ceasefire agreement” for Gaza was signed on 10 October.

“The pro-Israel lobby is upset their side has failed to keep the genocide in Gaza completely out of public view. They have lost the debate. Poll responses show New Zealanders register two to one that New Zealand should sanction Israel for genocide and recognise a Palestinian state.”

“Israelis and Israel’s supporters are taking their shock and frustration out on Palestine solidarity activists” says Nazzal.

“In the past couple of weeks alone, two women activists were stalked after a protest in Auckland.  There was spray painting and vandalism of PSNA Co-Chair John Minto’s home, an assault on a supporter by an ex-IDF soldier in Auckland and attacks on our supporters in Napier.”

“In contrast, the police have been vigorous in investigating and prosecuting anyone they believed to have been acting for Palestinian rights, such as the broken window at Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ home and an assault on an Israeli soldier holidaying here.”

“In the latter case, the police responded to direct pressure from the Israeli Embassy in Wellington and launched a criminal investigation. Police declared the attack was a ‘hate crime’ against Israelis and argued for bail to be refused. Bail was refused and the attacker received an unprecedented 28-month jail sentence for a first-time assault”

“The police are keen to pull out all the stops for the Israeli Embassy to defend Israeli soldiers fresh from a genocide in Gaza but can’t find the time to take attacks on Palestinians and Palestinian supporters seriously.”

 “With some notable exceptions by individual police offers, the rule seems to be, ‘hit an Israeli and it’s reported as a hate crime and you go to jail.  But hit a Palestine supporter and police look the other way”, Nazzal says.

“The Israeli government is furiously feeding political and media claims of Palestinian rights supporters being motivated by anti-semitism.  It’s working for Israel, especially in the UK and Australia.”

“I suspect that pro-Israel fanatics everywhere feel justified and licenced to respond to these spurious and diversionary anti-semitism claims, by attacking people.”

 “Even when prosecutions of violent behaviour have taken place and attacks proven, New Zealand judges have excused Israeli supporters’ thuggery with no conviction entered.”

“We have had enough of this double standard, which starts with the police and ends with the courts” say Nazzal. “We want serious police action to curb these cowardly thugs who attack our supporters.”

Maher Nazzal
Co-Chair PSNA

LiveNews: https://enz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/27/advocacy-rock-through-window-latest-escalation-of-violence-against-palestinian-rights-supporters-psna/

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Appeal for sightings of vehicle from Napier robbery

Source: New Zealand Police

Please attribute to Sergeant Lee-Ann Grant

Police are investigating a robbery in Napier overnight where cash from the tills were taken.

Four males have entered the Z Service Station on Tennyson and Station Streets at about 1.15am today.

The males have threatened staff and taken cash tills and fled in a vehicle.

Police are seeking the public’s help to locate the vehicle, a blue Mazda Familia Station wagon.

No one was harmed during the incident; however those involved will be referred to Victim Support services.

If you have witnessed the incident, have knowledge of the vehicle’s whereabouts, or have dashcam, mobile phone or CCTV footage please get in touch.

Contact Police through 105 either online or over the phone using reference number: P065268828.

Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/appeal-for-sightings-of-vehicle-from-napier-robbery/

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Collins to be appointed head of Law Commission

Source: New Zealand Government

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today announced that Hon Judith Collins KC will be appointed as President of the New Zealand Law Commission and will not stand as an MP at the 2026 election. 

“It is with great regret and enormous gratitude that I thank Judith for her service; however, I am delighted she will take up this prestigious appointment to the Law Commission,” Mr Luxon says.

“The role requires astute legal knowledge – something Judith is eminently qualified for. She will follow in the footsteps of other highly regarded New Zealanders such as Sir Geoffrey Palmer.

“Judith has given more than two decades of her life to Parliament and public service as a Member of Parliament, Minister, and Leader of the Opposition.

“Throughout that time, she has served this country with commitment and conviction. She has carried a wide range of portfolios in Government and fronted some of the most difficult challenges without flinching.

“Working alongside Judith over the past six years, I have seen firsthand her deep commitment to New Zealand, her loyalty to our team, and her unshakeable belief in standing up for what she thinks is right. 
“On a personal level, I’ve seen Judith’s compassion for the people she represents, her love for her family, her sharp mind and sense of humour, and her quiet acts of kindness that most people will never know about. 

“On behalf of the Government and the National Party I want to thank Judith for all she has given this country,” Mr Luxon says.

Hon Collins KC will remain as an MP until her new role commences in mid-2026.

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/28/collins-to-be-appointed-head-of-law-commission/