The Waioweka River. Photo / Mike ScottAn operation to locate a man unaccounted for following a water-related incident in Ōpōtiki continues today. Police were called to the Waioweka River at around 5.30pm on Friday after a report a man had fallen off his boat and was swept downstream. A rescue helicopter and private helicopters were also involved in the search, as well as local jet boat operators. “Sadly, at this stage, the man remains outstanding,” Eastern Bay of Plenty Police Area Commander Inspector Nicky Cooney said today.

The slip came down at the Beachside Holiday Park about 9.30am on Thursday, smashing into campervans, tents, vehicles and an ablution block near the Mount Hot Pools. Susan Knowles was one of the victims, along with her friend Jacqualine Suzanne Wheeler. Holtom said there were about six friends all from horse riding who were all shocked. According to the Colour Concepts website, Wheeler and her husband Terry started the business in 2002 and their daughter was now a key member of their team. According to the EVES website, she had a background of management and property ownership since her early 20s.

Photo: ReutersThe match swung in his favour when the tournament invoked its extreme heat policy, allowing the stadium's roof to shut and Sinner to rally for a dramatic 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 win. Djokovic opened the evening session on Rod Laver Arena in much better conditions, the Serb defeating dangerous Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3 6-4 7-6(4) to continue his hunt for a record 25th Grand Slam title. On a day dominated by Americans, eighth seed Ben Shelton delivered another victory for the Stars and Stripes, beating Valentin Vacherot 6-4 6-4 7-6(5). Seasoned campaigner Marin Cilic exited after a 6-4 6-4 3-6 7-5 loss to 12th seed Casper Ruud. WAWRINKA GOES DOWN FIGHTINGSwiss veteran Stan Wawrinka bowed out of his last Australian Open, the three-times Grand Slam winner losing 7-6(5) 2-6 6-4 6-4 to American Taylor Fritz and soaking up warm applause as a much‑loved former champion.

Among those who stepped in to help were volunteers from Predator-Free Waihī Beach. Surf Shack Eatery cafe and Victoria Lemon Transform Today gym surrounded by flood waters in Waihī Beach after a storm on January, 22, 2026. Metservice meteorologist Braydon White said Waihī Beach had 340mm of rain on Wednesday, an “absurd amount”. The Waihī Beach RSA supported 73 campground evacuees and the rest were at the Settler’s Lounge in the Te Puke War Memorial Hall. “Five rapid‑assessment teams are in the field, split between flood‑related building assessments in Waihī Beach and Athenree, and geotechnical assessments in slip‑affected areas."

Campers at the popular Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park were caught unawares by the landslide, despite warnings from concerned locals. Stormy conditions have battered much of the Bay of Plenty this week, triggering road closures, flooding, property damage and multiple landslides. Two people were killed by the early morning landslide on Welcome Bay Rd. Several residents along Welcome Bay Rd were forced to evacuate, with five people receiving medical treatment at the scene. “We have seen the tragic consequences of landslides at Welcome Bay and with the ongoing search at Mount Maunganui Hot Pools and Camping Ground.

An Australian boy had died in hospital a week after being bitten by a shark in Sydney Harbour, in a series of attacks along the country's east coast. Dozens of beaches, including this one in Manly, were closed this week after shark attacks. Photo: ReutersDozens of beaches, including in Sydney, were closed this week after four shark attacks in two days, as heavy rains left waters murky and more likely to attract the animals. In September last year, a surfer was killed by a large shark at Sydney's Long Reef beach. Australia averages 20 shark attacks a year, fewer than three of them fatal, according to data from conservation groups.

NZCL has apologised that some aspects of its services "did not meet applicable standards", and it had made numerous changes since Jacob Davies' death. An investigation by the Health and Disability Commission found the death was due to organ failure and sepsis from a perforated bowel, and was "avoidable". NZCL apologised that some aspects of its services "did not meet applicable standards", and it had made numerous changes since Jacob Davies' death. "We just secured agreement in December from the health minister, the Ministry of Health and Health NZ to get on board with actively implementing it. The Ministry for Social Development, which contracts providers to deliver residential services through Disability Support Services (DSS), has signalled plans to increase auditing in future.

Sam Ruthe is now seventh on the list of all-time New Zealand milers, having overtaken the legendary Sir Peter Snell. Photo: Getty ImagesRunning sensation Sam Ruthe has become the fastest 16-year-old to ever run the mile, achieving the feat at the Cooks Classic in Whanganui. Tanner, 25, defended his national men's senior mile title, surging past Ruthe in the home straight to win in 3min 53.36sec. It came a week after Ruthe pipped Tanner in an exciting 800m race at the Potts Classic in Hastings. Ireland's Laura Nicholson ran a smart time of 4min 43.75sec to win the women's mile.

A house in Arrowtown was left with significant damage after a fire set ‘‘the whole roof’’ ablaze, firefighters say. A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said they were called to the property about 11pm on Friday. Two trucks from Arrowtown and Frankton initially responded, but the event then escalated to a second alarm. Crews located what appeared to be a small, active fire contained to the roof space. There would be some significant damage to the house.’’It was extinguished and crews left the scene about 2am on Saturday.

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The slip was discovered overnight. PHOTO: NZTARoad crews will return to the site of a slip that closed State Highway 6 between Lake Hawea and Makarora overnight. A spokesman for the New Zealand Transport Agency said the road was closed for several hours on this morning as crews worked to clear rocks and debris. PHOTO: NZTAFurther work would need to be carried out at the site, planned for Monday morning, the spokesman said. It was likely a lane would be closed and that might mean short delays, stopping on demand and a temporary reduced speed limit.

A high-resolution elevation map of Mauao and the surrounding land at Mount Maunganui, drawn from Land Information New Zealand data, showing landslide features. Two ancient landslides, or paleolandslides, above the campground site are labelled L1 and L2. On the right (B) is a detailed elevation map revealing two ancient landslides (L1 and L2) hidden in the landscape. Many cluster along the coastal cliffs, but two particularly large ancient landslides can be seen directly above the holiday park. The results can then be translated into landslide hazard maps, showing areas of higher and lower risk under different rainfall conditions.

The recovery efforts are continuing at the Mount Maunganui landslide as families and friends of the six missing victims grieve their loved ones. Those still missing include two Pakuranga College students, two 71-year-old friends from Rotorua, a Morrinsville school tutor, and a Swedish tourist. The operation has now switched from rescue to recovery. NZ Herald senior investigative reporter Michael Morrah, who's been in Mount Maunganui, says emergency crews are now moving to what's known as a 'de-layering' exercise. "This is where they are taking tonnes of debris and they are moving it to one side and they are meticulously going through this, looking for human remains."

Photo: RNZAn evaluation of the Victim Assistance Scheme suggests people are getting uneven access to funding based on their appearance. The scheme provides financial support to help victims of serious crime in New Zealand. It is administered by Victim Support. "Together with our partners, we remain committed to continuous improvement to strengthening access to support that help mitigate the impacts of crime." Victim Support said it was working with police and the Ministry of Justice to fix gaps in how victims received help.

Kiwi band Zed (from left) Ben Campbell, Adrian Palmer, Nathan King and Andy Lynch hit Wānaka next week. PHOTO: SUPPLIEDIt has been 26 years since New Zealand band Zed released their biggest hit Renegade Fighter in 2000, which threw them into stardom and helped secure them a record label in their early 20s. Now in their 40s, Ben Campbell, Adrian Palmer, Nathan King and Andy Lynch have gone back to the studio after a 15-year hiatus and will accompany Joan Jett and Iggy Pop at this month’s Summer Concert in Wanaka. Band lead Nathan King, 47, said this time around things were a lot easier as there was less riding on their music careers. While there were no internal rifts, bass player Campbell’s father died which hit them all very hard.