"Toxic waste", "toxic tailings", yes — but "toxic sludge" never. Arsenic is a toxin, and it’s not the only toxin that will be held in this "tailings dam". Another use of words Mr Spring took exception to. By midday we had agreed I would meet Mr Spring at the site on Wednesday, two days later. Some of the worst industrial disasters in modern history have been tailings dam failures, even at facilities that had been declared safe."
PHOTO: GERRIT DOPPENBERGDahlias amazed and provided a view unlike any other at the Gore Town & Country Club stadium, which has been converted into a garden display for the 2026 South Island National Dahlia Show and Gore Harvest Show at the weekend.
PHOTO: MATTHEW ROSENBERGA couple of top Swimming NZ staff will visit Invercargill this weekend, ready to discuss a complaint made against a Southland swimming coach. It is believed Swimming NZ chief executive Steve Johns and diversity, inclusion and wellbeing manager Cherie Harris will be attending the Mako festival. A document obtained by the Otago Daily Times says the two Swimming NZ officials will be at the meeting should anyone wish to reach out to them. Swimming Southland, in conjunction with Swimming NZ, is co-operating with an ongoing investigation led by the Sports Integrity Commission Te Kahu Raunui. Swimming Southland had surveyed current and past swimmers about experiencing instances of harmful behaviour in Southland Swimming environments.
Luca Harrington, of Wanaka, carries the flag at the Winter Olympics closing ceremony, in Verona, yesterday. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGESWanaka freeskier Luca Harrington flew the final flag for team New Zealand at the Winter Olympics yesterday morning. The 22-year-old, who won bronze in the men’s freeski slopestyle, was New Zealand’s flag bearer for the closing ceremony in Verona, Italy. "To be asked to carry the flag at the closing ceremony is a huge honour," Harrington said. Zoi Sadowski-Synnott claimed two silver medals in snowboard big air and snowboard slopestyle, while Harrington added a bronze in the freeski slopestyle.
Photo: RNZA dog attack that left a Christchurch father and his teenage son in hospital resembled a bloodbath, a friend of the dogs' owner says. The dogs' owner also sustained minor injuries during the attack. On Monday police said a 40-year-old woman had been summonsed to court under the Dog Control Act in relation to the attack. A friend of the dogs' owner, who did not want to be identified, said the attack came out of nowhere and everyone was in shock. This is just a really, really horrible event.
A person is dead after a hit-and-run incident in Te Anau this morning. Police said emergency services responded to a crash involving a car and a pedestrian, outside a business in the town, about 8.45am. They initially said the person had been taken to hospital with serious injuries, but in an update this evening they advised the person had died. They said the driver of the vehicle involved left the scene, "and police would now like to speak to them". The Serious Crash Unit had been notified.
Mihiata Te Rore was killed by dogs at a Kaihu property last week. Photo: SuppliedThe three dogs that killed a woman in Northland have been euthanised, police have confirmed. Mihiata Te Rore, 62, was attacked by the dogs while visiting a property in Kaihu, north of Dargaville, last week. Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer last week said the dogs involved lived on the property. Local councillor and kaumātua for the region Snow Tane last week said the community was mourning Te Rore.
A low-pressure system sitting over central Australia is brewing a significant rain event, forecasters say. File photoCommunities could be cut off and large parts of Australia disrupted by severe thunderstorms forecast to dump hundreds of millimetres of rain, but the big wet is not all bad news. Possible severe thunderstorms have been forecast for all states and territories, with eastern parts of South Australia, western parts of NSW and Queensland's tropical north at higher risk. Severe thunderstorms and heavy rain are likely in central parts of Australia and northwest NSW on Monday, with flood warnings in place from northern Australia to northern parts of South Australia, extending into Queensland. "Agricultural impacts throughout central Australia include the threat to livestock and cattle," she said.
File photoA man in his 60s has been charged over what police say were indecent assaults of high school students and a staff member on Auckland's North Shore. It was the alleged assault of the teacher, last Monday, that led to further charges relating to incidents against students last year. "A man has allegedly indecently assaulted the teacher before she confronted him," he said. "An extensive investigation was carried out to identify a man who had allegedly carried out similar behaviour, directed towards several high school students on the same day," Rickards said. But on Friday, detectives laid two more indecent assault charges against the man.
She ended up borrowing more on her student loan to pay for living costs. A weekly student allowance of $160 against essential costs of $140 left a slim $20 buffer. The maximum after tax for a student under 24 living with parents was $277.72 a week. "To pay for tuition and living costs - I hope not for other things - the median student loan balance has increased from $10,000 in 2005 to $24,000 in 2023." The housing problem also needed to be addressed he said, and the student loan scheme reimagined.
Photo: RNZThree police staff have left their jobs following investigations in relation to "misuse and inappropriate content". RNZ earlier revealed 20 police staff were being investigated, three of whom were facing criminal investigations. On Monday, Deputy Police Commissioner Jill Rogers told RNZ 10 police staff, five of whom have been stood down, remained under investigation. Some of the staff being investigated may have had legitimate purposes for accessing material, which police would verify through their inquiries. Rogers earlier confirmed to RNZ a police officer had been stood down from duty for "inappropriate content on a police device".
A total lunar eclipse cast a "blood moon" over the night sky, captured in Beijing, China, in September last year. Photo: Getty ImagesIt might pay to stay up late next week with a total lunar eclipse taking place. According to Stardome, the only lunar eclipse of 2026 will begin on Tuesday, March 3, about 9.45pm. "In just 10 days, Aotearoa New Zealand will have a front-row seat to witness a total lunar eclipse in its entirety - the only lunar eclipse of 2026." "There will not be another total lunar eclipse until 2028, and we are among the few locations able to watch the entire event unfold over the Pacific.
PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSHEmpowering police to move along beggars and rough sleepers would be "punishing the poor" and sweep Dunedin’s homelessness problem under the carpet, a city councillor says. The government announced yesterday it would empower police to issue move-on orders to deal with disorderly behaviour in public places. They would also cover "all forms of begging", rough sleeping and "behaviour indicating an intent to inhabit a public place". Breaching a move-on order would be punishable by a maximum $2000 fine or up to three months’ imprisonment. Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker said she had "very mixed feelings" about giving these powers to police.
The seat numbers, couches and goal posts are among the final touches being added to Christchurch's new $683 million stadium before it opens in April. Photo: CCCOne NZ Stadium at Te Kaha has 16 speaker arrays, each with 8-10 speakers, as well as two layers of ribbon boards around the stands and two big screens. The stadium will be handed over to the operator, Venues Ōtautahi, before the Super Rugby Super Round on April 24-26. The round will bring the Super Rugby teams from New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, and the Pacific together for the first games at One NZ Stadium. Super Rugby Super Round match scheduleFrom April 24-26, 10 teams will play five matches across one weekend under the roof of One NZ Stadium.
