Source: New Zealand Police
The intersection of Messines Avenue and Seddul Bahr Road is closed following a serious crash involving a vehicle and a cyclist.
Emergency services received reports of the crash about 4pm.
Diversions are in place and motorists are asked to avoid the area.
There are believed to be serious injuries.
The Serious Crash Unit have been advised.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre.
Source: Radio New Zealand
The hearing is at Devonport Navy Base in Auckland. RNZ
A panel of three senior military officers have retired to deliberate on the verdict for a senior navy officer accused of encouraging a junior officer to kiss them on the cheek at a bar during an overseas operation.
The senior officer pleaded not guilty to a charge of doing an act likely to prejudice service discipline, which is an offence punishable by up to two years in prison.
Under the Armed Forces Discipline Act, this includes any act likely to bring discredit on the service of the Armed Forces.
The military hearing has been sitting at the Devonport Naval Base in Auckland this week.
Judge William Hastings declined an application for interim name suppression from the accused, but their name is still suppressed pending an appeal.
On Monday, a former junior officer gave evidence on the alleged interaction during an operation in Fiji in March 2023, when officers were given leave for a few days and were drinking at a bar in town.
He said the senior officer first caught the attention of him and another junior officer when they tapped on a glass pane and gestured for a kiss through the other side of the glass, and later gestured for them to come inside the bar and tapped on their cheeks to gesture for a kiss.
The officer said he obliged and kissed them on the cheek, as he felt it was expected.
He conceded during cross-examination by the accused’s lawyer that he “downplayed” the interaction and didn’t tell the whole truth when first approached by the military police in August 2024, as he didn’t think he’d be taken seriously and that he was worried his career would be affected if he spoke up.
The accused senior officer also gave evidence and said they did not encourage the junior officer to kiss them.
Under questioning by their own lawyer, they told the court the interaction didn’t happen, and if it did, it wouldn’t have seemed out of ordinary for an officer to kiss them as “people kiss me on the cheek every day”.
Another navy officer, who said they were with the accused senior officer during the majority of the evening of the alleged interaction, said they didn’t see the senior officer interacting with the junior officer that night.
Judge Hastings told the military panel during his summing up of the case on Tuesday, that they need to be sure on whether the crown has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the senior officer encouraged the junior officer to kiss them, and if so, did they intend to encourage him, did they know they were acting improperly, and was the conduct in the circumstances likely to prejudice service discipline.
Judge Hastings said the answer would need to be yes to all the questions for a member to return a guilty verdict.
In a court martial, all three members of a military panel must agree unanimously on a verdict.
More to come…
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Source: Radio New Zealand
Neil Gaiman at an event in 2024. Jamie McCarthy / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA
All three US lawsuits accusing author Neil Gaiman of sexually assaulting his children’s nanny in Auckland four years ago have now been dismissed.
Scarlett Pavlovich filed lawsuits against Gaiman and his wife Amanda Palmer in the US states of Wisconsin, Massachusetts and New York last year.
She accused Gaiman of multiple sexual assaults while she was working as the family’s nanny in 2022.
The New York lawsuit was dropped last year, and the Wisconsin lawsuit was dismissed in October, with the judge saying Pavlovich needed to pursue the case in New Zealand.
AP has now reported that US District Judge Nathaniel Gorton in Boston threw out the Massachusetts filing late last week on the same grounds.
The British author has denied the claims, but argued that as the alleged abuses occurred in New Zealand – where Pavlovich is a citizen and Gaiman has permanent residency status – the US had no jurisdiction over the allegations.
Pavlovich sued Gaiman, author of The Sandman comic book series and the novel American Gods, while Palmer was accused of knowing that Pavlovich was vulnerable, and failing to warn that Gaiman had a history of predatory behaviour, according to court papers.
The lawsuits sought unspecified damages that were “reasonably believed” to exceed US$1 million (NZ$1.7m) on multiple claims, Reuters earlier reported.
In his motion to dismiss, Gaiman called the claims a “sham”, saying while he and Pavlovich did engage in “sexual activity”, they never had sexual intercourse and it was always consensual.
“None of Pavlovich’s claims are true,” Gaiman said.
Pavlovich painted a very different picture of the events in an interview last year with Vulture, a US entertainment news page for the New York Magazine.
Pavlovich said she agreed to baby-sit the couple’s child, but soon Gaiman began sexually abusing her, including by raping her, choking her, and assaulting her in the presence of his child, according to court papers.
The abuse allegedly lasted several weeks, until Gaiman and his child left for Europe.
At the time, she was 22 and Gaiman was 61.
Following the publication of the allegations, Gaiman wrote that he had “never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.”
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Source: Radio New Zealand
Supplied / St John
Two Auckland students are in Starship Hospital after being struck by cars before school on Monday.
Police said one intermediate-aged student was hit by a car at about 8.15am while crossing Whangaparāoa Road in Stanmore Bay.
In a statement, Whangaparāoa College confirmed one of its students was hit.
It said the student was receiving medical treatment and would make a full recovery.
Police said another intermediate child was hit by a different car on Onewa Road in Northcote at 8.26am.
St John said both children who suffered moderate injuries were taken to Starship in ambulances.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Source: Radio New Zealand
Five fire trucks and two water tankers are at a blaze in Eskdale. RNZ/Marika Khabazi
Multiple fire crews are battling a blaze that’s engulfed a workshop in Eskdale, north of Napier.
Emergency services were called to the rural Seafield Road property about 1.20pm.
Fire and Emergency says it has five fire trucks and two water tankers working in the building that is about the size of a three bay garage.
It could not say whether anyone was injured.
St John confirmed it was at the scene.
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Source: Radio New Zealand
The body was recovered from the Waioweka River in Ōpōtiki on Tuesday morning.
Police say they recovered a body from the Waioweka River on Tuesday morning after a search for a man who was swept downstream after falling from a boat in the Bay of Plenty town of Ōpōtiki last month.
Inspector Nicky Cooney, Eastern Bay of Plenty Area Commander, said the body was recovered from the river at about 9am.
“This has been a long slow search, hindered at times by the weather as well as impacted by the slips on SH2,” Cooney said in a statement.
Police earlier said that they were called out at about 5.30pm on Friday 23 January after reports that a man had fallen from a boat and a search of the area was carried out with a vessel found nearby.
Cooney thanked all those who assisted in the search efforts including Land SAR volunteers, local jet boat and helicopter operators, the Police National Dive Squad and iwi whose knowledge of the river and surrounding terrain had been invaluable.
The formal identification process is underway, and the man’s death has been referred to the Coroner.
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Source: New Zealand Government
New Zealand’s exploration and mining pipeline is strengthening, with record levels of mineral permit applications received and decided in 2025, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.
New data from New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals (NZP&M) shows the agency received 551 applications last year, up from 450 in 2024, and made 521 decisions, compared to an annual average of 363 since 2017. Of the 178 approvals for new activity, 163 related to gold.
“Nine out of 10 new permit applications granted last year targeted gold, with the South Island set to benefit most from this activity. The West Coast alone accounted for more than 40 per cent of new gold‑related approvals, reinforcing its position as one of New Zealand’s most active and enduring mining regions,” Mr Jones says.
“What is particularly encouraging is the good spread of applications across the development lifecycle. The mix of prospecting, exploration, and mining permits reflects healthy progression through the development pipeline. Tier 2 hobby permits are being converted into the newly created Tier 3 permit class, which applies a more proportionate and fit‑for‑purpose regulatory burden to small‑scale activity.
“This demonstrates a sector that is gathering momentum and investing in New Zealand’s future. A strong exploration pipeline, coupled with a notable uplift in mining stage activity, shows companies are not only seeking new opportunities but progressing them with confidence.
“The results also highlight strong activity among mid‑sized mining projects — operations that play an important role in regional economic growth and capability building. Multiple operators advancing projects rather than a small number of large ventures dominating the landscape is positive for the sector’s resilience.”
Across the sector, 237 change applications were decided in 2025, reflecting a high level of variation and optimisation activity as operators refine work programmes and permit conditions — a clear indication of active management of mineral assets.
“What we’re seeing is a sector that is humming — investing, exploring, and planning for long-term activity. This momentum is good for regional economies, good for jobs, and good for New Zealand’s broader resource development strategy,” Mr Jones says
Source: New Zealand Police
The intersection of Black Street and Archilles Street/ State Highway 2, Wairoa, is closed following a serious crash.
Emergency services received reports of the two-vehicle crash about 3pm.
Diversions are being organised, and motorists should expect delays.
The Serious Crash Unit have been advised.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre.
Source: New Zealand Police
Attributable to Detective Inspector Jamie Woods, Wellington Field Crime Manager:
Police can now release the name of the woman found deceased at a Matatua Road, Raumati Beach address on Monday 9 February.
She was 56-year-old Lauraine Margaret Stewart of Raumati.
We acknowledge this is an incredibly difficult time for Ms Stewart’s family and we are providing them with support.
A 24-year-old man has been charged with wounding with intent to grievous bodily harm with further charges being considered. He has been remanded in custody to appear in the Porirua District Court on 4 March 2026.
The investigation into the circumstances of Ms Stewart’s death continues with the primary scene examination expected to be completed in the coming days.
Several search warrants were executed yesterday in support of the investigation and there will be an increased Police presence in the Kāpiti area.
We want to reassure the members of the community that there is no ongoing risk to public safety following this incident.
Police are appealing to the public on information around the incident.
Anyone with information that might help our enquiries can call 105, quoting reference number 260209/8606.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police
Attributable to Detective Sergeant Ben Rolton, Christchurch Metro Crime:
Police investigating a serious assault on Fitzgerald Avenue around 12.20pm yesterday are appealing to the public for information around the incident.
The investigating team are looking for any photos, CCTV, or dashcam footage along Fitzgerald Avenue between Cambridge Terrace and Bealey Avenue between 12.15pm and 12.45pm on Monday 9 February 2026 to aid in their enquiries.
If you have witnessed the incident or have dashcam footage available covering travel between the section of road, please contact Police and quote file number 260209/0262.
The victim from the incident remains in hospital, in a stable condition.
A scene guard was put in place around the property where the incident occurred overnight, and Police are completing a scene examination which is expected to finish today.
Police will maintain an increased presence in the area as they carry out their enquiries and would like to reassure the public there is not believed to be any further threats to public safety.
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Issued by Police Media Centre