Category: Natural Disasters

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Fire crews battle blaze at workshop in Hawke’s Bay

Source: Radio New Zealand

Five fire trucks and two water tankers are at a blaze in Eskdale. RNZ/Marika Khabazi

Multiple fire crews are battling a blaze that’s engulfed a workshop in Eskdale, north of Napier.

Emergency services were called to the rural Seafield Road property about 1.20pm.

Fire and Emergency says it has five fire trucks and two water tankers working in the building that is about the size of a three bay garage.

It could not say whether anyone was injured.

St John confirmed it was at the scene.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/10/fire-crews-battle-blaze-at-workshop-in-hawkes-bay/

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Person falls from Christchurch’s Tūranga library

Source: Radio New Zealand

File photo. Christchurch’s central city library Tūranga. RNZ / Nate McKinnon

A person has been taken to hospital in a critical condition after a fall from Christchurch’s central Tūranga library.

Emergency services were called to the building near Cathedral Square shortly before 11am on Tuesday.

Three fire trucks worked to free the person.

The library is closed for the day.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/10/person-falls-from-christchurchs-turanga-library/

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LNG terminal decision: Dirty, dumb and expensive – Greenpeace

Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace is slamming the Luxon government’s announcement it will build a liquid natural gas (LNG) import terminal, calling it a dirty, dumb and expensive decision that will leave New Zealanders subsidising more climate pollution through higher electricity bills.
The decision comes despite the expected high cost and high emission intensity of imported LNG. Building the LNG terminal is expected to cost $1 billion, while the cost of imported LNG is expected to be around twice as much per gigajoule as gas from existing onshore reserves.
“Electricity consumers will pay a Luxon Tax on their electricity bills to subsidize the fossil fuel industry,” says Greenpeace Executive Director Russel Norman.
“Instead of investing in clean energy, this Government is choosing to double down on the very fossil fuels that are driving both high power prices and extreme weather events.
“Every additional tonne of fossil fuels burned makes climate change worse. This LNG decision is yet another fossil fuel subsidy from the Luxon government that will mean more floods, storms, and climate fuelled damage.
“It makes no sense to rely on imported and expensive fossil fuels when we have abundant, cheap energy sources right here at home with wind and solar.”
A report by MBIE in 2024 found that there was no need for new fossil fuels to maintain New Zealand’s energy security out to 2050 and reported that wind and solar are the cheapest sources of new electricity generation.
Meanwhile, a 2023 Concept Consulting report found onshore gas reserves alone can supply all needs out to 2050 if Methanex, the company using between one third to a half of the country’s gas to make methanol for export, were to close, which it inevitably will as gas prices rise.
“This Government has made the energy and climate crises worse by dismantling nearly every initiative to decarbonise the energy system. They ditched the Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry fund, the NZ Battery Project, and the Gas Transition Plan.
“Businesses are closing because the Government believed its own nonsense that the oil and gas exploration ban was the cause of high electricity prices. It never was and the LNG subsidy will solve nothing,” says Dr Norman.
“They even got rid of the Climate Emergency Response Fund set up to help communities recover from climate disasters. Now, they are planning to use more public money to bankroll fossil fuels for more climate emergencies.
“The Government should be investing in cheap, renewable wind and solar, backed by more storage and demand response, not exposing the country to a volatile global LNG market and locking us into more polluting fossil fuels.”

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/09/lng-terminal-decision-dirty-dumb-and-expensive-greenpeace/

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Media Council dismisses four complaints against RNZ

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

The Media Council has found that four complaints against RNZ did not have sufficient grounds to proceed.

In the first, the chief executive of United Flower Growers, Pete Brown, complained about the article Auckland florists say industry ‘in shambles’, plagued by resentment, published on September 15, 2025. The story reported florists facing difficulties relating to the state of the economy and a raft of changes made by their key supplier, United Flower Growers.

The article was based on comment from five florists, and included responses from Brown on behalf of UFG.

The Council noted that a feature of this complaint was Brown’s concern about RNZ’s decision to grant anonymity to the florists. He challenged that on the basis that two florists spoken to by RNZ had told him they were prepared to be named. This was disputed by RNZ.

The Council said it was in no position to consider this issue as it had no information to establish with any certainty what the florists and reporter agreed to. “Besides, the granting of anonymity in these circumstances is a matter of editorial discretion. That is appropriate and not a matter for second guessing by the Media Council.”

Beyond that the Council was not convinced there was sufficient foundation for complaint about this article. The complainant cited Principles (1) Accuracy, Fairness and Balance but there was no evidence that the article was inaccurate. As for fairness and balance, Brown was given the opportunity to respond and key points made by him were reported, albeit at the tail of the article.

“This sort of investigative reporting is supported by the Council,” the judgment said.

***

In the second case, Martin Broadbent complained about a series of articles published between November 17 to November 22, 2025, on the problems caused by feral cats and the decision to allow them to be targeted as predators.

Broadbent complained that RNZ’s reporting on feral cats and Predator Free 2050 blurred the legal distinction between feral and stray cats, thereby misleading the public and undermining animal welfare protections under the law.

RNZ firmly rejected the suggestion that it was blurring the categories. The term feral was widely used and was included in Predator Free 2050’s list of species. It argued the first story in the series clearly explained the difference between companion, feral and stray cats.

The Council agreed the first article spelt out precisely how feral and stray cats were defined and two other stories in the series also defined the word feral to make it clear they are not referring to strays. On that basis it saw nothing to support a claim that this was of “an orchestrated blurring of categories that misleads the public into believing all unowned cats are “feral” and subject to lethal control.”

The Council ruled there was nothing to show the reporting breached Principle (1) Accuracy, Fairness and Balance.

***

In the third case, RNZ published an article on November 23, 2025, titled Israeli airstrikes kill at least 20 people in Gaza, local medics say. This was a Reuters news agency report and was based on information provided by medics and witnesses to the airstrikes. It also included comment from the Israeli military and Hamas, who accused each other of violating a truce which was agreed to six weeks earlier.

Eric Mattlin complained that the story breached Media Council Principles (1) Accuracy, Fairness and Balance; (4) Comment and Fact; and (7) Discrimination and Diversity. He argued: “The article demonstrates a pattern of asymmetrical attribution with uncritical adoption of Israeli military claims, and a lack of context that affected how readers understood the events being reported. This article concerns an ongoing and highly controversial international conflict involving profound power asymmetries. While balance does not require false equivalence, it does require that significant perspectives and relevant context be included.”

In response, RNZ rejected the complaint and sent Mr Mattlin its language guide to the Middle East Conflict, which explained why it used such terms as ‘militant’ and ‘hostage-prisoner’. It added that RNZ had broadcast and published hundreds of pieces over the past two years, providing a wide range of views and the historical context behind the conflict.

The Council noted that RNZ and all other major New Zealand news outlets rely on international news agencies for most of their world news. Agencies like Reuters report for a wide and diverse international audience which requires coverage to be even handed.

The Council considered this story to be a fairly typical news report from Gaza. In accordance with standard journalistic practice it identified where information was obtained, and comment about the alleged ceasefire breaches was attributed to the Israeli military and Hamas. It also provided brief background on how the Gaza war started two years earlier.

Dealing with the complaint about terminology, the Council refered back to its decision on Mr Mattlin’s earlier complaint (No.3725) which stated: “The Council notes RNZ and other New Zealand media outlets are reliant on overseas news agencies for their coverage of the conflict, and it would be risky or possibly even a breach of RNZ’s agreement with those agencies to change the terminology used.”

The Council noted the story cited in this latest complaint was one of many that have been published on the Gaza War. “This is a long and complex story which has been reported extensively, and it is impractical to expect every report to cover all the context and background. It is clear that balance has been provided over time.”

The Council saw no evidence of bias or that the coverage and terminology was unfair or asymmetrical.

***

In the fourth case, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) published an article on December 22, 2025, Winston Peters makes u-turn on Chorus debt sell-off. The story was about the NZ First leader Winston Peters reversing his previous opposition to the Chorus debt sell-off, which in turn would clear the way for the Government to proceed with a plan to sell about $650m in interest-free loans that Chorus owes the government.

Hector O’Brien complained that the comment – “The Government does not have an (equity) stake in Chorus” – was factually incorrect as the Government-owned holding company National Infrastructure Funding and Finance Ltd had around 61.6 percent of shares in Chorus.

RNZ said the article was correct. The Government did not have an equity stake in this privately owned company. However, it was owed debt by Chorus, more specifically Ultra-Fast Broadband securities. It said the word “stake” had been used in a previous report, but this was updated in this story to make it clear that the Government had no equity or ownership in Chorus.

The Council noted that the line was taken directly from the December 17 press statement in which Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop said: “It is important to note the government does not have an equity stake in Chorus and the securities involved are not ordinary shares.”

It further noted that NIFFCO is not listed as a major Chorus shareholder. Rather, it is shown through official documents and ministerial statements that the company was used to provide Government loan finance to Chorus.

In the circumstances no inaccuracy was shown, nor any unfairness.

All judgments can be found here: Media Council – Search

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/09/media-council-dismisses-four-complaints-against-rnz/

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Weather News – Summer’s back in charge…for now – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Monday 9th – Friday 13th February
 
–    Largely settled start to the week for northern and central New Zealand, but rain for the West Coast and far south
–    Swing to warmer-than-average temperatures for many on Thursday
–    Widespread rain arriving at the end of the working week

It’s looking like a classic summer setup for much of the country this week, with largely settled weather for northern and central parts, and a swing to hotter than average temperatures later in the week. Friday brings a change, however, with widespread rain arriving to dampen things before the weekend.

Dry days are set to dominate from Northland down to Christchurch to start the week. Summer heating brings the odd shower popping up inland in the afternoons, and we might even see a lightning spark or two up in the ranges of Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, but for most people there will be plenty of chances to get out and about.

MetService meteorologist Silvia Martino says, “With sea-surface temperatures around much of the North Island’s coastline warmer than average, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of the long summer evenings and squeeze in a swim after school or work.”

Things aren’t quite so sunny for western and southern parts of the South Island, though, with rain sweeping through on Tuesday, and lingering into Wednesday for the West Coast. MetService has issued a Heavy Rain Watch for Tuesday’s rain in Fiordland, with a moderate chance of being upgraded to a Warning.

Summer returns mid-week, with sunny skies, hot days, and humid nights for much of the country. Afternoon temperatures in the high twenties are expected on Thursday, and some places in Wairarapa and Canterbury might even crack 30°C, 6 or 7°C above average for this time of year.

“It could get uncomfortably hot later in the week, with several spots in the lower North Island set to approach or exceed their heat alert thresholds, and overnight temperatures in the high teens not allowing time for recovery. Now’s the time to make a plan: think about timing outdoor activities away from the hottest parts of the day, or shifting under cover if you have to be outside, and leave plenty of time for shade and water breaks,” advises Martino.

As we head towards the weekend things look quite different, with rain affecting most of the country on Friday, and heavy rain possible. Keep up-to-date with the latest forecasts and MetService’s Severe Weather Outlook for more details.

Understanding MetService Severe Weather Warning System

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings (Localised Red Warning) – take cover now:

This warning is a red warning for a localised area.
When extremely severe weather is occurring or will do within the hour.
Severe thunderstorms have the ability to have significant impacts for an area indicated in the warning.
In the event of a Severe Thunderstorm Red Warning: Act now!

Red Warnings are about taking immediate action:

When extremely severe weather is imminent or is occurring
Issued when an event is expected to be among the worst that we get – it will have significant impact and it is possible that a lot of people will be affected
In the event of a Red Warning: Act now!

Orange Warnings are about taking action:

When severe weather is imminent or is occurring
Typically issued 1 – 3 days in advance of potential severe weather
In the event of an Orange Warning: Take action.

Thunderstorm Watch means thunderstorms are possible, be alert and consider action

Show the area that thunderstorms are most likely to occur during the validity period.
Although thunderstorms are often localised, the whole area is on watch as it is difficult to know exactly where the severe thunderstorm will occur within the mapped area.
During a thunderstorm Watch: Stay alert and take action if necessary.

Watches are about being alert:

When severe weather is possible, but not sufficiently imminent or certain for a warning to be issued
Typically issued 1 – 3 days in advance of potential severe weather.
During a Watch: Stay alert

Outlooks are about looking ahead:

To provide advanced information on possible future Watches and/or Warnings
Issued routinely once or twice a day
Recommendation: Plan.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/09/weather-news-summers-back-in-chargefor-now-metservice/

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Speech to the Climate and the Cryosphere Open Science Conference and Antarctic Science Platform announcement

Source: New Zealand Government

Opening remarks

Nga mihi ki te rangi, ngā mihi ki te whenua. Ngā mihi ki a koutou. Kia ora mai tātou.

I greet the sky. I greet the earth. I greet all of you. Welcome.

Ki te mana whenua, tēnā koutou. Ko tēnei taku mihi tuku atu ki a koutou. Ngā mihi, ngā mihi.

I would also like to start by acknowledging Professor Tim Naish; Professor Brony James; Professor Gary Wilson; and all distinguished delegates who have travelled from around the world to be here.

Nau mai, haere mai ki whakatau ma Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Once twice, thrice a greeting.

Welcome to Wellington and welcome to New Zealand.

The importance and timeliness of this conference

Your conference comes at a pivotal time. Advances in cryosphere research are sharpening our understanding of the climate system, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere, while new technologies are transforming what researchers can observe, measure and model.

For New Zealand, our interest in Antarctica stretches back at least as far as a founding signature to the Antarctic Treaty System. Antarctica is not remote – it is our close neighbour and a critical part of our climate system. 

Changes in Antarctic ice sheets influence sea levels, storm behaviour, and long-term risk across our region. Closer to home, research on Southern Alps glaciers is improving our understanding of water resources, ecosystems, and energy security.

The work represented here strengthens and adds to the global evidence base and directly informs long-term planning and resilience. 

I acknowledge the significant contribution each of you makes through your fieldwork, modelling, innovation, and international collaboration. Thank you.

Strengthening New Zealand’s science system

Science, innovation and technology are important to a productive and resilient economy. Over the past year, we have responded to science productivity, innovation and modernisation concerns by delivering the most significant reform of New Zealand’s science system in over 30 years.

Seven Crown Research Institutes have been consolidated into three Public Research Organisations aligned to national priorities, including earth systems science. Once of the most successful amalgamations of large state-owned enterprises to date.

We have also established the New Zealand Institute for Advanced Technology, supported by $231 million over four years, to accelerate capability in frontier technologies such as cryogenic super conduction, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and synthetic biology.

These advanced technologies are increasingly relevant to Antarctic science – from autonomous under-ice vehicles and sub-ice moorings to high-resolution environmental modelling and remote sensing. They are expanding our ability to monitor ice-ocean interactions and improve predictive capability.

Announcement

A few months ago I announced the first ever formal science memorandum of understanding with the United States. The very first projects include:

  • Antarctic Groundwater-Ecosystem connectivity
  • Spectra of Sentinels: Mapping Ecosystem Change from Ground, Air and Space, and
  • Drivers and Implications of Rapid Sea Ice Decline in the Ross Sea.

Today, I am pleased to announce a new international collaborative partner, the UAE, a along with a targeted $1 million increase to New Zealand’s Antarctic Science Platform for 2026, through the Emirates Polar Steering Committee and the new Polar Research Centre. This investment will support two new joint research projects with Khalifa University in United Arab Emirates.

Through this partnership, researchers will access complementary strengths, including advanced satellite data streams and environmental sensing capabilities.

The initial collaboration projects will focus on:

  1. Storm dynamics and sea ice formation – integrating high-resolution modelling with new observation techniques to improve forecasting and understanding of how storm systems influence sea ice formation; and
  2. Tracking changes to ice shelves using autonomous underwater vehicles – deploying long-range AUVs and remote technologies to measure heat content and water mass exchange on the continental shelf, helping fill critical data gaps.

For New Zealand, this partnership further strengthens our contribution to global climate and cryosphere science while building our capability in advanced remote technologies.

This level of collaboration reflects the importance New Zealand places on cryosphere science and international scientific partnership.

Climate resilience and adaptation

The insights generated by cryosphere science are increasingly important for New Zealand and the world.

Here we face growing risks from floods, storms and other natural hazards. In October, the Government released New Zealand’s first National Adaptation Framework — a long-term plan to help communities prepare for climate impacts.

The framework includes practical steps such as developing a consistent National Flood Map, so New Zealanders can access trusted information about their risk, and requiring adaptation plans in priority areas so councils can plan ahead for the next 30 years.

Sound adaptation policy depends on robust science. The research and collaboration represented at this conference directly supports that work.

To all delegates, thank you for your commitment to advancing understanding of our climate system. With two new funded international Antarctic science collaborations in just over 60 days, you can see the importance I place and New Zealand places on cryosphere research. I have urgency and have acted accordingly and I hope that you also share that urgency.

International Science collaboration supported by innovation and technology is essential to building a resilient future.

Closing

In closing, I wish you a productive and stimulating conference, and thank you helping us build a better, safer world.

It is now my pleasure to declare the Climate and the Cryosphere Open Science Conference officially open.

Ngā mihi nui. Thank you.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/09/speech-to-the-climate-and-the-cryosphere-open-science-conference-and-antarctic-science-platform-announcement/

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Changan Launches 2026 Global Testing Season with SDA Intelligence Update and Sodium-Ion Battery Strategy

Source: Media Outreach

YAKESHI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 February 2026 – Changan Automobile held a release event themed “Changan SDA Intelligence Update & Global Launch of Sodium-Ion Battery Strategy” in Yakeshi, Inner Mongolia. During the event, Changan formally unveiled its global sodium-ion battery strategy and announced the commencement of its 2026 Global Testing Season.

Changan is accelerating the advancement of sodium-ion battery technology as part of its global battery strategy. Tan Benhong, Chief Brand Officer of China Changan Automobile Group, noted that Changan will continue to roll out new sodium-ion battery–equipped vehicles across multiple brands in the near future.

“From extreme conditions to everyday driving — every pursuit of limits at Changan ultimately serves to protect each of our users’ everyday journeys.” stated Mr. Tan.

Under extreme low temperatures, sodium-ion battery systems demonstrated stable discharge capability, with validation extending beyond minus 40 degrees Celsius. To verify intrinsic safety, Changan and CATL conducted extreme abuse tests exceeding national standards, including compression, nail penetration, drilling, and full cutting under full charge, all without fire, explosion, smoke, or thermal runaway.

SDA Intelligence: Validation in Extreme Conditions

The launch also showcased SDA Intelligence, which moves beyond passive safety into proactive, AI-driven vehicle stabilization. During live extreme-cold testing in Yakeshi, vehicles from AVATR and Changan brands—including the CS Series, CHANGAN DEEPAL, and CHANGAN NEVO—were subjected to real-world scenarios under severe low-temperature conditions.

The AVATR 12 completed an ice-surface emergency lane-change following a tire blowout at 80 km/h. CHANGAN NEVO Q05 identified obstacles on low-friction ice during an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) challenge and achieved a controlled emergency halt. CHANGAN DEEPAL L06 demonstrated rapid posture adjustments during a high-speed circular drift challenge on snow.

User-facing safety at Changan is built on a validation-first approach supported by a robust verification system and globally advanced laboratory infrastructure, including the Western Automotive Proving Ground and the CHANGAN SDA Lab, enabling comprehensive, all-scenario validation across the full vehicle lifecycle.

Yakeshi is only the starting point. The 2026 Global Testing Season will include Southeast Asia for high-humidity durability and the European Alps for high-altitude chassis tuning. In Eurasia, Changan will conduct winter testing centered on confidence in ice and snow, with AVATR 12 as the test vehicle. In Latin America, Changan will carry out a Mexico cross-country drive from Cancun to Merida, focusing on long-distance reliability.

Hashtag: #Changan

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/09/changan-launches-2026-global-testing-season-with-sda-intelligence-update-and-sodium-ion-battery-strategy/

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Weather live: Storm bringing gales, heavy rain with ‘high chance’ of red warnings

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow the RNZ liveblog at the top of the page for the latest updates.

Bands of heavy rain are expected to spread south across the motu on Wednesday, as orange heavy rain warnings continue for Northland, Coromandel, Rotorua and Gisborne. It comes after days of downpours flooded areas of the north, washing out roads and cutting power.

People in Auckland and Waikato are also warned to expect strong gales through the day, as well as potential heavy rain across the region and in large parts of the South Island.

Follow the RNZ liveblog at the top of the page for the latest updates.

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://livenews.co.nz/2026/01/21/weather-live-storm-bringing-gales-heavy-rain-with-high-chance-of-red-warnings/

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Whangārei Mayor Ken Couper says some storm damage ‘as bad as you see in north’

Source: Radio New Zealand

Whangārei Mayor Ken Couper visits the damages areas around Ōakura. Supplied / Whangārei District Council

Whangārei Mayor Ken Couper says the storm damage he witnessed on Tuesday was as severe as any he’s seen in Northland.

A precautionary state of emergency is already declared for the Whangārei District as large areas of the country brace for more bad weather.

Northland and Coromandel Peninsula are under an orange heavy rain until Thursday, with MetService saying there’s a high chance of upgrading to red.

There are also heavy rain warnings for Bay of Plenty and Gisborne, and MetService has issued strong wind watches for Auckland and Waikato from 8am .

Couper visited the areas worst hit by Sunday’s deluge, including the seaside settlement of Ōakura, northeast of Whangārei, to see the effects for himself.

“It was as bad as you see in the north, in terms of the damage to property, the hillsides coming down behind houses, the damage to the wastewater infrastructure, things like that. It is quite localised, thank goodness, but where it’s bad, it’s bad.”

However, Couper said the people he spoke to were unbowed.

“They’re a resilient bunch. They’re used to living remotely.

“They look after themselves. They acknowledge they’ve had a hit, but they’re very pro-active about getting on with life.”

Whangārei Mayor Ken Couper speaking to residents. Supplied / Whangārei District Council

Residents in Ōakura in particular were “extremely upset” about damage to the community hall they had worked so hard to renovate little more than a year ago.

“It’s been taken out by the slip behind it, so they’re very sad about that, but people aren’t down in the dumps. They’re just frustrated with the fact that they have now a big clean-up job.”

Couper said the damage already caused and the prospect of more extreme weather in coming days had persuaded him to declare a state of emergency, which came into force at 4pm Tuesday and would last an initial seven days..

Ōakura Community Hall was badly impacted by the flooding. RNZ/Peter de Graaf

“With a further weather event coming, we felt that it was wise to declare a state of emergency, which allows certain powers to be released, if required. We didn’t want to wait until it’s proved that it is required – we wanted to get ahead of the game.”

Couper said those extra powers included the right for police to order evacuations or close roads, if they believed lives were in danger.

The council’s emergency operations centre was already up and running, and Northland Civil Defence was engaged in a full regional response.

“They are ready to respond, and are in place should this weather event come along and cause us more trouble.”

Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell visited Whangarei on Tuesday and supported the council’s decision to declare an emergency early.

“We certainly didn’t take that decision lightly and there was a full discussion with all the emergency services before the decision was made.

“Our hillsides and roading network are already saturated, we have 47 slips, there are cracks above those slips and any more rain will potentially cause more problems. Part of our community is significantly affected already and we have people in emergency shelters.”

Couper said Northlanders looked out for each other when the going was tough and he expected that would happen again, if there was more extreme weather in coming days.

“I think now is a time for us to demonstrate how resilient and how connected we can be as a community, and of course, we will. We always do up here in the north.

“It’s just a case of being prepared, as much as we can.”

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://livenews.co.nz/2026/01/21/whangarei-mayor-ken-couper-says-some-storm-damage-as-bad-as-you-see-in-north-2/

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What is going on with the Beckham family feud?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Many people find the Christmas holidays strain their family relationships, but few go to the extent of issuing lengthy statements on social media about them. If you’re the first-born son of a mega-famous and wealthy power couple, however, it’s the easiest way to stoke a gossip fire that’s been smoking for months.

Brooklyn Peltz-Beckham, the eldest child of Victoria and David Beckham has released an explosive six-page statement addressing the strained relationship with his parents.

The 26-year-old said he had been subject to “endless attacks from my parents, both privately and publicly, that were sent to the press on their orders”.

Former England footballer David Beckham (5L) and his wife Victoria Beckham (3R) pose on the red carpet with their children, and partners, (from L) Mia Regan, Romeo Beckham, Cruz Beckham, Harper Beckham, Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz Beckham upon arrival to attend the Premiere of “Beckham” in London on October 3, 2023.

HENRY NICHOLLS

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/01/21/what-is-going-on-with-the-beckham-family-feud-2/

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Mautohe Cathedral Cove closed due to rain, weather warnings

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  21 January 2026

MetService has issued a Red Heavy Rain Warning for Coromandel in response to the weather system moving down the northern half of the North Island, and is expected to dump up to 290 mm of rain on the peninsula today alone. The MetService’s rain warning is paired with a strong wind watch due to possible gales in exposed places.

DOC Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly says it’s prudent to close tracks to Mautohe Cathedral Cove given the weather system’s impact – which now includes flooding across some parts of the district and its roading network.

“DOC’s priority for this site continues to be the safety of visitors and managing visitor risk. Poor weather exacerbates the landslide and rockfall risks at Mautohe Cathedral Cove.

“We strongly discourage people from visiting the cove while this weather system moves – the conditions make it unsafe.

“We do not want people getting hurt.”

Nick says the Mautohe Cathedral Cove closure is now in effect and will be in place until further notice. Decisions about whether it is safe to reopen tracks to the beach will be made once staff undertake site inspections and weather forecasts are assessed.

DOC will lift an alert on the Mautohe Cathedral Cove Track web page once it reopens.

Sea swells are expected to increase with the weather system and anyone planning to visit Mautohe Cathedral Cove by boat should check sea conditions first and consider the risks.

Mautohe Cathedral Cove is one of Coromandel and New Zealand’s most picturesque and iconic coastal locations, famous for its rock arch. However, land around the cove is known to be potentially unstable with a noted geological and landslide risk after heavy rain events.

DOC’s Trigger Action Response Plan for Mautohe Cathedral Cove guides decision-making for track closures at the site.

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/01/21/mautohe-cathedral-cove-closed-due-to-rain-weather-warnings/

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Weather live: Red warning as storm bringing gales, heavy rain to Northland, Coromandel

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow the RNZ liveblog above for the latest updates.

A heavy rain warning for Northland and Coromandel Peninsula has now been upgraded to red, with hundreds of millimetres of rain forecast to fall on top of what has already accumulated.

It comes after days of downpours flooded areas of the north, washing out roads and cutting power.

People in Auckland and Waikato are also warned to expect strong gales through the day, as well as potential heavy rain across the region and in large parts of the South Island.

Follow the RNZ liveblog at the top of the page for the latest updates.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/01/21/weather-live-red-warning-as-storm-bringing-gales-heavy-rain-to-northland-coromandel/

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Massive solar storm fires up aurora in New Zealand skies

Source: Radio New Zealand

An aurora seen from Hoon Hay, Christchurch. Rebecca Bull / RNZ

Rays from the biggest solar storm of the last couple of decades hit the Earth overnight, causing aurora visible in both the north and south extremes of the globe.

The lights were caused by a storm that nearly hit the highest level on the scale used by space weather monitors to measure magnetic disturbance.

  • Do you have photos? Share them with us at: iwitness@rnz.co.nz

    • Early Tuesday morning, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Centre (SWPC) posted on X: “An S4 severe solar radiation storm is now in progress – this is the largest solar radiation storm in over 20 years. The last time S4 levels were observed was in October, 2003.

    But, it noted: “Potential effects are mainly limited to space launch, aviation, and satellite operations.”

    The Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, glows on the horizon over the waters of Lake Ellesmere on the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand, on 21 January, 2026. SANKA VIDANAGAMA / AFP

    Disturbance is measured on the K-index. According to the SWPC, it reached Kp8, out of a possible Kp9.

    The solar storms of October 2003 caused power outages in Sweden and damages to power transformers in South Africa, CNN reported.

    People look at the Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, as it glows on the horizon over the waters of Lake Ellesmere on the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand, on 21 January , 2026. SANKA VIDANAGAMA / AFP

    Some viewers posted pics and clips to social media. Sadly, cloud cover ruined the view for some New Zealand skywatchers.

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) told RNZ the coronal mass ejection arrived in Aotearoa about 8.30am on Tuesday, and was “not expected to cause significant impacts for NZ”.

    The agency had activated its Space Weather Science Advisory Panel, which had considered international space weather monitoring and forecasting agencies, as well as current information from the NZ-based monitoring network.

    “On current conditions, the panel advises this event is not concerning for NZ and no significant impacts are expected. NEMA and Transpower will continue to monitor the situation.”

    There were no updates from Transpower overnight.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/01/21/massive-solar-storm-fires-up-aurora-in-new-zealand-skies/