New Zealand's Dane Menzies in action during his third run in the Men's Snowboard Big Air final at the Livigno Snow Park. Photo: ReutersFirst-time Winter Olympian Dane Menzies has slipped off the podium late to finish sixth in the men's snowboard Big Air final at Milano Cortina 2026. One of three Kiwis in the 12-man final, Menzies, 20, sat third after the opening two runs, one of the few with consistent performances across both attempts. Needing a big jump to retain his medal hopes, Menzies could not control his landing, faceplanting hard into the hard snow. Kimura had the best jump of the opening round, but crashed on landing on his second.

Waipū Cove is the overall winner for this year's Best Beach competition, securing the most votes across all five categories. Overall Best Beach winnerJust 8km east along the coast, on a well-kept, winding road, basks Waipū Cove. It’s your favourite camping beach, your second-best surfing and family beach, and we’re quite happy to award it our readers’ all-round best beach for 2026 – yes, just like last year. Maz Quinn surfing at Raglan's Manu Bay, voted New Zealand's Best Surf Beach. Photo / Jereme AubertinBest Surf BeachThe World Surf League agreed with you about the best surf beach, adding Manu Bay, Raglan, to its 2026 Championship Tour for the first time.

Zire-Kane Watson was born on January 2, 2026, a few months after his father, Kane Watson, died after a sand-dune collapse at Muriwai Beach. Jasmine Cooke was left heartbroken after the death of her partner, Kane Watson, after a sand dune collapsed on him at Muriwai Beach. Kane Watson with his partner, Jasmine Cooke, while she was pregnant with their first child who was born in 2024. Baby Zire-Kane Watson was born on January 2, 2026, the day after his late father Kane Watson's (inset) 29th birthday. Jasmine Cooke says her older children have stepped up to help her around the house and with morale since Kane Watson's death.

Such is the glare from the latest tranche of Epstein files by the US Department of Justice. We know it took more than 1000 women and girls to come forward and say they were trafficked, abused, raped. We also know Andrew has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. This undated photo at an undisclosed location released by the US Justice Department on January 30 as part of the Jeffrey Epstein files shows British former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor kneeling over a woman lying on the floor. That is the most depressing truth of all to emerge so far from the Epstein files.

Sightings of the colossal squid, dead or alive, are extremely rare. The first confirmed live observation of the colossal squid, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, in its natural habitat was captured in 2025 by a team on Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel in waters off the South Sandwich Islands. However, scientists believe they exist in large numbers in the Antarctic deep sea. “There are places down there where toothfish fishers just don’t go any more, because their fish gets stolen by the colossal squid,” said Linley. So we’re trying to take a much more science-forward approach that’s still full of wonder, because the deep sea is amazing.

One person has died after an early morning motorcycle crash north of Auckland. Motorcyclist dead after crash at Dairy Flat north of central AucklandOne person has died after an early morning motorcycle crash north of Auckland. Image / Google MapsOne person has died after an early morning motorcycle crash north of central Auckland. Emergency services were called to the single vehicle crash on Horseshoe Bush Road at Dairy Flat at around 1.30am. The scene has been examined by the Serious Crash Unit and the road has now reopened.

She claimed Lilly’s passing was “due to a complete failure in duty of care”. “On top of this mess, the tour guide company involved were clearly more focused on money than safety, overcharging my aunty and pushing the experience through despite the risks,” Ms Subek wrote. “There was also a complete lack of action from the police when the incident happened.”Ms Subek claimed the police blamed Lilly’s family for the young girl’s passing. “We want accountability, awareness, and change, so no other family ever has to experience this pain. We need justice for our sweet Lilly.”The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was providing consular assistance to the family.

“I’m super stoked, but pretty bummed at the same time just to not land that last one. Farrell finished the competition in eighth place with a 124.25 two-run total, while Jamieson was a spot further back with a 112.25 total. The three will be back in action later in the competition, with the slopestyle event scheduled for the second week of the Games. Earlier on Sunday, Ben Barclay and Luca Harrington qualified seventh and ninth respectively for the final in the men’s freeski slopestyle event, while Luca Ball finished 20th in qualifying in the event. In the women’s freeski slopestyle qualification runs, Kiwi duo Ruby Star Andrews and Sylvia Trotter finished 17th and 20th, missing out on the final.

The portrait of Sir Edmund Hillary has been cleaned of asbestos at Auckland Museum. Photo / Auckland Museum“We’ve got the vast majority of the building open to the public and cleared and safe for occupation. The space where the asbestos is is incredibly narrow, and we can’t get a person in there,” Reeves said. Photo / Auckland MuseumReeves said cleaning objects can be quite quick because the asbestos is largely inert and doesn’t chemically react with surfaces. It will return to Auckland Museum sometime before its centennial in 2029.

Wastewater, which includes raw sewage, has been leaking on to the capital's south coast beaches due to the Moa Point Treatment Plant flooding. Photo: RNZThe smell from the massive Moa Point raw sewage discharge in Wellington could be about to get worse, while Wellington Water is battling a new sewage overflow, this time in Porirua. Wellington Water said it was now racing against the clock to get the inundation of sewage out of its Moa Point Treatment Plant before it went septic and became anaerobic. Wellington Water says the sewage becoming septic and anaerobic means it would cause a noticeable smell, and pose a significant health and safety risk to workers onsite. Initial investigations suggested the overflow might be related to a pump running sequence at Pump Station eight, Wellington Water said.

But if we can’t manage sustainable economic growth with the booming export sector we already have, then what is the point of endlessly boosting the raw volume of primary sector commodities? Let’s look at our miserable track record through what has been a remarkable period of growth for New Zealand export earnings. Or that the grim predictions of the 1980s and 90s about the ever-dwindling value of food commodity exports had come true. The ANZ Commodity Price Index for January, out last week, showed beef and lamb still at historic highs. But even when the debt is dealt with, it’s not clear how the export money is flowing through the economy.

Tanya Rusher has had to fork out almost $300 for dental bills for her son Mason. “But if that’s the case, at least have some dignity and have somewhere you can take the patient, calm them down and offer support.”Rusher said she reported the incident to pool staff. Mason Rusher was told he would have lifelong dental problems after smashing his teeth on a hydroslide at Mt Albert Aquatic Centre. “The fact they rang me that night asking for their ice pack back enraged me, not even a ‘Hello, is your son doing okay?’”Tanya Rusher said Mt Albert Aquatic Centre staff lacked care in their response to her son's accident. Mt Albert Aquatic Centre operator Community Leisure Company said it was improving signage around the slide after Mason Rusher smashed his teeth while riding it.

In many theft cases, “burglary tools” are items used to break through a door or a window, such as a crowbar. “Virginia code specifies that an outfit can be part of burglarious tools,” Bass said. Clarke County sheriff Travis Sumption said Ray has not co-operated with his investigators. Ray is listed in court records as being represented by the Virginia Public Defender Office. Peter McDermott, the head public defender for the region that includes Clarke County, declined to comment this week.

Police have opened a probe into the death of former The Cure band member Perry Bamonte. Photo / Getty ImagesPolice have opened a probe into the death of former The Cure band member Perry Bamonte. Photo / Getty ImagesPolice are now treating the recent death of Perry Bamonte, former The Cure guitarist and keyboardist, as “unexplained” – a development his widow calls “complete and utter nonsense”. Police have confirmed the death has been recategorised as “unexplained but not suspicious”. A source told the Sun the musician’s death had been unexpected as he was “not widely thought to be at death’s door” despite his illness.

How does Lotto make overnight millionaires? Sign in hereAccess to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. 7 Feb, 2026 07:06 AM 2 mins to readLotto Powerball: One player wins $1 million as $10m jackpot draw rolls overOne Lotto player has won $1 million tonight, while the $10m Powerball jackpot rolls over to $12 million for next Wednesday’s draw. Despite the rollover, one lucky MyLotto player from Invercargill is $1m richer after winning tonight’s First Division draw. Elsewhere, 13 Lotto players bagged $22,455 each in tonight’s Second Division draw.