The latest tranche of documents shows a very global social world ... bankers, politicians, philanthropists, across London, New York, the Caribbean, and beyond. University of Otago international relations professor Robert Patman told The Front Page the release shows how deeply Epstein had embedded himself into elite circles. It has huge implications for the US political system, but has huge international implications as well,” he said. I have a feeling the Epstein case will probably make the Watergate case look quite small in comparison. It has huge domestic and international implications,” he said.

A former Olympic rower hopes there is some honour among thieves after his gold medal was stolen from his Christchurch home while he was away for the weekend. He was yet to return home after the robbery and did not yet know the extent of what had been stolen. "All of that pales [in] comparison to the gold medal." You know, I was a world champion for two years before the Olympics, so it was a whole build-up to winning a gold medal... it was hard fought." Despite having championship medals displayed in his home, it was only the Olympic medal that had been hidden that was stolen.

Photo: RNZA woman recovering from a leg amputation in Hutt Hospital was repeatedly harassed by a male patient who touched her while she slept and watched while she was being washed. But the next day there was a "further incident" when the man entered the woman's room. It was not until another incident on day 11 that a security guard was posted outside the woman's room and she was moved to a bed further from the door. Her family told the commission the guard did not initially realise he was there to stop the male patient entering the room. Hospital criticisedDeputy Commissioner Carolyn Cooper said the hospital did not provide the woman with the safe environment she was entitled to.

A permit application to the US Environmental Protection Agency from 2011 listed the name Brice Gordon as the “island manager” for Little St James Island. In a 2016 email, Gordon describes “LSJ”, assumed to mean Little Saint James, as his and Karen’s “new home”. The email sign off shows the job title “Island Manager”, a title Karen Gordon used in many other unredacted communications. Other emails between Karen Gordon and Epstein show the pair organising guests to visit the island. A document from 2011 states Brice M Gordon as the 'island manager' for Epstein's Little Saint James Island.

A French hospital treats a man with an explosive device in his rectum, triggering bomb squad response. French hospital treats man with 20cm shell in rectum as bomb squad calledA French hospital treats a man with an explosive device in his rectum, triggering bomb squad response. Photo / Loic Venance, AFPA hospital in Toulouse, southwest France, confirmed today that they had treated a man who was admitted with a shell lodged in his rectum – after calling a bomb disposal team. “They [the medical team] discovered it and they called the bomb disposal team,” said the source. He told staff at Rangueil Hospital that he had introduced the object into his rectum himself, the newspaper reported.

The government has unveiled a new style of school report it says will give families clearer information about their children. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford made the announcement at Cockle Bay School in Auckland this afternoon. Page 1 of Reporting to parents - Example school report - Year 2 - ReadingEducation Minister Erica Stanford said the change delivered on an election campaign promise. Education Minister Erica Stanford with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made the announcement at Cockle Bay School. Image: RNZStanford said multiple agencies, including the Education Review Office, had called for nationally consistent reporting of student achievement and progress.

The Milano Cortina Games are being held at sites across Lombardy and Northeast Italy. Photo: ReutersThe Milano-Cortina Olympics will live up to their billing as the greatest winter sports show on earth despite last-minute efforts to get venues, ready for next week's start, the IOC says. On Saturday Reuters reported that a cable car in Cortina designed to carry spectators to women's alpine skiing events would not be ready for the Games' February 6 start. But Olympic officials are confident venues will be ready for the first Winter Games in the European Alps in 20 years. The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held from February 6-22.

Niwa meteorologist Chris Brandolino said the start of February, although still uncertain, could bring dry clear weather for parts of the country. From Tuesday the South Island could see some cooler weather but in the upper north, Brandolino said it would be "grossly humid". Temperatures on a roller coasterThe South Island was still in for a roller coaster ride with temperatures bouncing up and down. "So this is the up and down sort of roller coaster weather pattern in terms of temperature that'll be especially prevalent for the South Island. The North Island will still see some variability, but it won't be as wildly as dramatic as the South Island."

An alleged drunk driver led officers on a nearly 20-minute chase on foot after jumping down a cliff and on to a Dunedin beach, police say. Once arrested, the man recorded a breath alcohol level of 691mcg — the legal limit for adults is 250mcg of alcohol per litre of breath. It was lucky the man was subdued as it "could have been a lot worse", Snr Sgt Dinnissen said. The man was facing charges of careless driving, excess breath alcohol third or subsequent, driving while suspended, resisting police and escaping custody. Complaints had been made about the 21-year-old driver’s manner of driving, and he recorded a breath alcohol level of more than 1000mcg, Snr Sgt Dinnissen said.

Several times last year I wrote about the dangers of politicians, from any party, being involved in the development of curriculum, its design and its implantation in schools and classrooms. Claire Coleman made the allegations during a submission to Parliament’s Education and Workforce Select Committee on the government’s Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill. Would you be of the same opinion if a government that didn’t follow your personal political preferences was in power, be it on the left or the right, especially one dominated by an intense ideology? The only way out of this conundrum is to remove the content and operation of education from direct government control. ‘I know from my recent experience at the Ministry of Education the dangers of allowing a public service to be politicised,” she said.

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CODC chief executive Peter Kelly (left) shakes hands with Santana Minerals chief executive Damian Spring after agreeing to road access deal. It sets out how access would be managed if the project proceeds, including provisions to maintain public access and how council assets would be compensated where impacted. The access agreement was approved by elected members at the CODC's first meeting of the year and relates solely to land access under the Crown Minerals Act. If any roads are stopped, an alternative route will be constructed to ensure continued public access is maintained, the CODC said. Santana Minerals Chief Executive Damian Spring described the agreement as a material milestone for the Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project.

Close your curtainsAround 30% of unwanted heat comes from your windows, so closing them and shutting the curtains can lower the temperature of your home. It may be tempting to fling the windows open, but it’s important to keep them closed, especially in the bedroom, to keep the humidity out. Sleep aloneCuddling might be on the table during the winter months but it’s the last thing you want during the muggy nights. This will blow the hot air out and cool the air coming in. Open windows at nightOnce the sun has gone down, open the windows to let in the cooler night air and some of the pent-up humidity out.

Ingka’s team has already purchased forests in Southland, Otago, Nelson, Hawke’s Bay, Bay of Plenty and Northland. But, as Ingka Investments Forestland country manager for New Zealand Kelvin Meredith explained, the company has its sights set further. “There’s still a desire from the Ingka Group to keep investing in forestry, because it’s a good investment. Coincidentally, it really coincided with the big carbon planting boom, but that was never really on the radar to plant for carbon. Since 2021, Ingka has afforested approximately 15,000ha of previously cleared pastoral land it says is “unsuitable for agriculture”.

A pair of possibly tomato sauce wielding masked men are being hunted by Dunedin police after a crime spree involving smashed cars, food waste and broken plates. A 38-year-old man called police after waking up to the sounds of cars being smashed in Bay View Rd, about 4.10am yesterday. The man also reportedly witnessed two young men wearing face coverings leaving the area, Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said. "A car was located nearby with a large amount of tomato sauce, eggs and bananas spread across the windscreen." The food items were strewn across a different car to one which was found smashed nearby, but the two could potentially be related, Snr Sgt Dinnissen said.