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NZ First leader Winston Peters

Winston Peters: 'Door closed' on Nash, backs Jones

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has returned from his overseas trip to Asia to a political storm surrounding comments made by members of his party.

The man faces charges at Wellington District Court including resisting police, assault with intent to injure and injuring a police dog.

Woman with prominent sportsperson facing charges shoves reporter outside court

The high profile sportsman faces charges including resisting police in an incident where the man was bitten by a police dog.

Dave Rennie and Ardie Savea

Live updates: Dave Rennie names All Blacks squad for South Africa series

The All Blacks will be travelling to South Africa and the US as part of the tour.

Frost pictured in Canterbury on Sunday.

'Wrap up warm' as temperatures plummet across NZ

MetService said many places recorded their coldest temperatures of the year so far this morning, particularly across the North Island.

Upper Hutt's possible exit from a proposed Wellington "metro" authority has complicated the region's amalgamation plans.

'A giant dating game': Where councils stand as merger deadline looms

Some districts are close to a deal. Others have walked away entirely. Here's where every part of the country stands with two weeks to go.

Staff at Auckland Hospital have made hundreds of reports about fleas and other insects, and one patient there slipped and fell trying to stomp on a cluster of cockroaches in the shower.

Patient fell trying to kill cockroaches at Auckland Hospital, fleas hit wards

Staff at Auckland Hospital have made hundreds of reports about fleas and other insects, and one patient there slipped and fell trying to stomp on a cluster of cockroaches in the shower.

Empty seats outside a Mount Maunganui cafe, as ongoing landslip closures keep foot traffic away from the strip below Mauao.

'Stumble along in the dark': Mount café owner on months of uncertainty

Michelle Craig says repeated landslip closures have left her business and neighbours along the strip with no idea when, or if, things will return to normal.

Erika Fairweather of Team New Zealand competes during the Women's 4 x 200m Freestyle Final.

Kiwi Erika Fairweather claims silver in 1500m freestyle

Fairweather has claimed her third medal of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

While fruits and veggies are important for our health, they’re also highly susceptible to bacteria, fungi and other pathogenic microbes.

Bin or eat? How to know when fruit and veg are safe to consume

Whether it’s trimming off a piece of mushy parsnip or cutting away a slightly mouldy bit of apple, many of us have used produce long after their peak of freshness.

Hamish Kerr.

Hamish Kerr withdraws from Glasgow Commonwealth Games

The 29-year-old said it was "a difficult decision to reach" but ultimately said he was not ready to compete at the level he expected of himself.

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Drunk driver steals pub’s courtesy van for erratic ride home

A drunk driver, who was almost four times the limit, took a local pub’s courtesy coach for an erratic ride home, police say.

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'Thoroughly deserved': Crusaders assistant secures Fijian Drua head coach role

Four-time championship-winning assistant coach Brad Mooar will leave the Crusaders to take over as head coach of the Fijian Drua for the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season.

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Hundreds of thousands evacuate as France’s worst fire since WWII threatens Bordeaux city

A raging wildfire in southwest France forced the evacuation of 55,000 people overnight Sunday, bringing the total forced out of their homes to a staggering 220,000 in one region alone, as flames crept ever closer to the wine region city of Bordeaux.

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Woman lashes out at media as high-profile Kiwi sportsman appears in court

The man faces charges of assault with intent to injure, resisting police, and causing loss by deception.

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All Blacks squad for tour of South Africa set to be named

All Blacks coach Dave Rennie will reveal his 44-man squad to travel to South Africa for the “Greatest Rivalry’’ tour at noon on Monday.

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Spark signals potential business sale as it splits into two

Spark is splitting its business into two separate operating units as it launches a review into the future of its digital services division.

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Six rescued after tourist swept into dangerous Cook Islands reef passage

A tourist was among six people rescued from the sea in the Cook Islands after being swept into a dangerous reef passage, prompting police to renew warnings about swimming in the area.

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Major Phoenix boost as captain Alex Rufer agrees to stay

Captain Alex Rufer rejects overseas offers to lead Chris Greenacre’s new era at Wellington Phoenix.

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Three wholesome after-school snack recipes from VJ Cooks

From post-training boosts to after-school favourites, these wholesome bites from Vanya Insull, aka VJ Cooks, deliver the perfect balance of energy, nutrition and taste.

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The mysterious deaths of Jeffrey Epstein’s friends

A modelling scout joins a long line of deceased insiders linked to the late sex offender, stoking theories of foul play and a cover-up

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High-profile sportsman allegedly injured police dog

A sportsman who is accused of resisting arrest and injuring a police dog will keep his identity under wraps.

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RMA rush leaves developers, farmers and firms in limbo - ‘none of this is stimulating the economy’

Developers, farmers and major companies are facing planning uncertainty as the Government scrambles to pass its replacement for the Resource Management Act before the election.

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‘Burnt out’: Olympic high jump champion Hamish Kerr withdraws from Commonwealth Games

One of New Zealand’s best gold medal prospects says he “needed to take a step back to reset both mentally and physically”.

Spark prepares to shrink again by exiting remaining IT services business

Spark prepares to shrink again by exiting remaining IT services business

The company has appointed an adviser and expects to complete the “strategic review” of its IT services arm by the end of the year

APTOPIX Trump

Editorial: Higher oil, higher borrowing costs

Editorial: The crisis in Iran now threatens to become an all-in regional conflict in the Middle East, which will make debt more expensive in New Zealand.

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Wellington: ‘The best city in the country to be homeless’?

It is hardly a tag line from an ad agency but the City Missioner says Wellington’s success could be its draw card.

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Taxpayers’ Union weighs court challenge over Reserve Bank and debt rules

The lobby group says it is considering judicial review of the Reserve Bank’s inflation approach and whether the Government’s debt settings meet the Public Finance Act.

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‘Riddled with errors’: How AI has been used in drafting the new school curriculum

A primary school music teacher has flagged major errors in the music curriculum he suspects have “all the hallmarks” of AI, and while the ministry admit it used it to help, it disputes its use for any writing.

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KiwiRail review into five-day ferry outage due in two months

The Kaiārahi ferry is the subject of an investigation after it suffered a power outage in March.

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How the Hezbollah model has helped Iran reshape the Middle East

OPINION: The story began in Lebanon. Iran took the model it perfected with Hezbollah and rebuilt it in Iraq.

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Landlords to pay $400 compensation after tenants ‘denied the pleasure’ of working garden fountain

The tenants said they were denied the pleasure of watching water spill over the urn and cascade down its surface from the kitchen window

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The South Island’s high-risk landing zone for bird flu

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is closely monitoring Onetahua Farewell Spit as a potential high-risk landing zone for bird flu.

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Kiwi priest excommunicated, his followers told to repent

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer are no longer recognised by the Catholic Church.

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Thought yesterday was cold? -4.5C Monday beats Sunday for coldest in five years

Lake Pukaki hit -8C as Christchurch recorded its coldest morning since 2020 – and more frosts are on the way.

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Christchurch ED doctor says patients regularly treated in corridors, waiting rooms and ambulance bays

A man says he waited on a stretcher in a corridor for almost six hours without being seen.

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Politicians need to leave the blokey jokes in the pub

OPINION: I do get it: life is hard and the weather is cold, so what is wrong with a bit of levity from a politician to lighten everyone’s mood?

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'Traumatic experience' at Southland cemetery due to drainage issues

An Invercargill councillor who gave a stern word to staff over a “traumatic” incident at a local cemetery has refused to reveal the details of what happened.

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Kiwis caught driving under the influence increasingly keeping it off their records

A former judge says Ministry of Justice statistics suggest New Zealand is treating drink-driving less seriously now.

Person dies after Christchurch crash last weekend

Person dies after Christchurch crash last weekend

A person died days later after sustaining critical injuries.

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Fireball meteor lights up Canterbury skies, then falls into the sea

A large meteor streaked across the South Island at 5.51pm on Sunday, with eyewitnesses across Canterbury reporting the sighting.

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In brief: Two injured in Huntly crash, Te Aroha fire suspicious

Two people are in hospital after a fuel tanker and car collide on Great South Rd in Huntly.

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Netball and Hautapu Sports stalwart remembered as ‘amazing’ person

Tributes are flowing for Waikato netball and Hautapu Sports stalwart Judy Moreland, who died in a crash on Friday.

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Sub-zero temperatures freeze parts of Waikato

Sub-zero temperatures hit parts of Waikato overnight, with MetService saying clear skies and light winds will keep frosts coming.

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City’s Peacocke repayment problems revealed

Hamilton’s Peacocke housing development needed early Government intervention to keep it solvent as a covid building slowdown left a long hangover.

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Wardens resort to parking cameras as too many schools to patrol

There are too many schools in Hamilton for parking wardens to monitor, Hamilton City Council management says.

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Taupō pushes back on forced amalgamation

A council report says Taupō would likely be worse off under any amalgamation plan, with councillors being asked to reject rushed merger proposals.

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Burglar spent two days at victim’s house, left wearing their clothes

Burglar liked what he saw at Thames property so much, he spent two nights there

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Organiser: Mass rides to continue despite objections from ‘the Karens’

Hamilton police are disappointed with the behaviour of a mass Grassroots BMX rider event, but the event organiser says riders are “just being real’’.

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Go fly a kite - Matariki kids reach for the sky

It was chilly and lacking in wind, but enthisiasm alone got these fliers airborne.

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Hamilton’s Iran crisis response team stood down

Military action in Iran may be ramping up again but the effects on fuel crisis in Hamilton are diminishing.

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Love, actually, at 26: A ‘gentle’ lesbian relationship with an agreed-upon end date

Love, actually, at 26: A ‘gentle’ lesbian relationship with an agreed-upon end date

‘We have discussed openly and early that we do not want to be together forever and have our own independent goals in our careers and lives.’

The best beers in New Zealand come from a shed in the back blocks of Hamilton

Last night, Karamu Barrelworks was crowned the overall champion brewery at the NZ Beer Awards, which is pretty impressive for a one-man operation run out of a shed by a guy called Daryl.

Big feelings, small spend: a guide to birthdays on a budget

Big feelings, small spend: a guide to birthdays on a budget

Smart ideas for making the people you love feel like a million bucks – without spending anything close.

Thanks to The Odyssey, Auckland’s Imax is having a moment. Could it be its last hurrah?

After a rocky 27 years, the Queen Street Imax is more popular than ever – but it could be living on borrowed time.

The mysterious origins of the NZ meat pie

For a dish that is so important to our nation, precious little is known about the development of the meat pie.

Where to eat in Glen Eden, Auckland – an insider’s guide

Where to eat in Glen Eden, Auckland – an insider’s guide

From beef rendang to smash burgers to koko brownies, here’s how to eat your way through Glen Eden like a local.

My friends are all leaving NZ. Should I stay or should I go?

My friends are all leaving NZ. Should I stay or should I go?

I used to tell people that New Zealand was the perfect place to die. But is it still a good place to live?

‘A reader reads a reader’: Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason, reviewed

‘A reader reads a reader’: Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason, reviewed

A novel about how we read, and why.

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending July 24

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending July 24

Homer is making himself right at home (thanks to Emily Wilson).

Echo Chamber: Kneepads off, claws out

Echo Chamber: Kneepads off, claws out

This week an unlikely hero emerged from National’s backbenches, and the Nash took itself out.