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September 24 2021

Kia Ora, Aotearoa!

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Tom Pullar-Strecker

Amazon's $7.5b Auckland cloud plan

Rachel Moore

Dozens of MIQ shortcomings found

Cecile Meier

You simply can't get Covid from the vaccine

Henry Cooke

Mental health funding investigation

'Loss that I will carry with me for the rest of my life': Father's tribute to daughters

At a candlelight vigil, Rev Alan Cummins read a heartbreaking letter from the father whose three girls were killed in Timaru tragedy.

Keiller MacDuff

7000 death model 'not plausible', and fear 'does not get people vaccinated'

A Covid-19 modeller says the new official model predicting 7000 deaths with a 75 per cent vaccination rate is "absolutely unconvincing".

Henry Cooke

Police identify person of interest after woman's death in Mt Albert

Lena Zhang Harrap had Down syndrome and was a "vulnerable member of the community", and it's "appalling" she was targeted, police say.

Live: White Ferns v England - fourth ODI

New Zealand's women face the world champions in the fourth match of the series at Derby's County Ground.

Waikato man charged for fake positive Covid-19 test result

Chris Cairns shares images from his hospital stay

Colbert jokes about NZ's 'Kentucky Fried Bandits'

"That's what counts as illicit for you?" US comedian exclaims as the story of two men caught at the Auckland border with KFC spreads around the world.

Employees lose jobs after owners caught underpaying workers

Liquor store workers "punished" for company's misgivings as they lose their jobs "overnight" with no redundancy pay.

'They're racist': Frustrated with MIQ, Adesanya refuses to fight in NZ

UFC middleweight champ says dreams of fighting in Auckland 'dead in the water' as he takes aim at NZ's 'bureaucrats' and MIQ.

Suzanne Paul found on the floor in tears after Zoom call collapse

latest headlines

4:37am

Timaru homicide: Father thanks community

editors' picks

Quiz: Afternoon trivia challenge

Quiz: Take the three strikes trivia test

In pictures: Timaru vigil for three girls

Why ABs Codie Taylor would 'go to war' with Ethan Blackadder

US police identify serial killer's victim 44 years later

Johnson tells France to ‘get a grip’ over AUKUS submarine deal

Eight great shows to watch this weekend

Dave Rennie queries World Rugby's proposed training limits

coronavirus More

Taita College takes on Covid

The Lower Hutt high school is one of the first to kick off vaccinations on schools grounds - and the students took to it with attitude.

Police turn back five times more Aucklanders on first day of level 3

Almost a thousand people were told they couldn't leave Auckland as police at checkpoints use stricter level 3 checks than last time.

Elective surgeries resume in Auckland

Waitematā, Auckland and Counties Manukau district health boards are slowly rescheduling surgeries postponed by lockdown.

Dozens of MIQ shortcomings found in audit

There are 148 recommendations in the latest report, but secrecy surrounds which hotels aren't making the grade.

Auckland Sky Bus services suspended indefinitely due to Covid-19

Sky Bus operated direct airport services from the Auckland CBD and North Shore, but patronage has dropped more than 80 per cent.

Covid-19 outbreak situation report: What happened today

There are 15 new community cases, and Government modelling predicts how many people could die from Covid depending on vaccination rates.

lockdown life

Auckland gardeners rush garden centres

Auckland garden centres are flat stick as thousands of orders for plants rush in at level 3.

Everybody’s talking about… this four-ingredient bread

OPINION: Move over, sourdough, there’s a new bread in town, and it doesn’t need kneading.

Lockdown life for tamariki of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei

What is lockdown like when you live on beautiful ancestral land with your hapū? Sisters Rawinia and Miria give us a tour.

Quiz: Kids trivia challenge

Do penguins have fur or feathers?

JIM HUBBARD

Zoe George

Howzat! Cricket leaders knock 'batsman' for six, at long last

OPINION: The guardian of cricket have said 'batter' is in, and 'batsman' is out, for good. And about time too, writes Zoe George.

Daniel Dunkley

Buying a first home about to go from hard to near-impossible

Virginia Fallon

The Aotearoa debate: It's time for a change

Glenn McConnell

Covid-19: What is the new normal?

national More

Auckland bus driver 'dragged' from seat and attacked

The driver is in a critical condition after a "violent and unprovoked" attack by a passenger, the second time he'd been assaulted in a month.

Meth user sentenced over neglect of children

A former South Canterbury woman whose two young children were described as being “dirty and unkempt” and “emanating a foul odour” has been sentenced over their neglect.

Gangs, plain language and journalist sources come into focus for Parliament

There have been seven new members' bills drawn from Parliament's famous biscuit tin.

Farmers tells HQ workers 'return to the office or get just 80% of pay'

Those who continue to work from home at level 3 will be paid less, the retailer has told staff.

Pacific leaders remember Taito Phillip Field

Despite his tarnished political career, many in the Pacific community remember Taito Phillip Field as a man who served Pasifika well.

Covid-19 outbreak situation report: What happened today

There are 15 new community cases, and Government modelling predicts how many people could die from Covid depending on vaccination rates.

world More

Taliban: Strict punishment and executions will return

One of the founders of the Taliban says the hard-line movement intends to once again carry out executions and amputations of hands.

33m ago

Russia sees a threat from AUKUS, and an opportunity

ANALYSIS: The Russians are less than please about the new security pact, but there's still room for political manoeuvring.

Ford invests in electric vehicle battery recycling company

Ford is investing in an upstart electric vehicle battery recycling company started by a former Tesla executive.

US police identify serial killer's victim 44 years later

She was known as "Escatawpa Jane Doe" for more than 40 years after her remains were found in 1977 at a Mississippi construction site.

Johnson tells France to 'donnez-moi un break'

In a terse mix of French and English, British PM tells France to “get a grip” and “give me a break” over AUKUS submarine deal. The last laugh however was reserved for the internet.

Pacific leaders remember Taito Phillip Field

Despite his tarnished political career, many in the Pacific community remember Taito Phillip Field as a man who served Pasifika well.

Timaru homicide: Father thanks community

Police identify person of interest after woman's death in Mt Albert

7000 death model 'not plausible', and fear 'does not get people vaccinated'

'Punished for others' mistakes': Liquor store closures spell job losses and fears for visas

Charges dismissed for man accused of putting riverbank sex video on porn sites

Suzanne Paul found on the floor in tears after Zoom call collapse

Chris Cairns shares images from his hospital stay

Quiz: Afternoon trivia challenge: September 23, 2021

How to do an easy braided bun

The Kiwis perfecting the art of gin

Stephanie Alexander's five key kitchen lessons for home cooks

What I’m eating in Auckland in alert level 3

How your pet changes your brain for the better

Sam Mannering cook along: Chicken curry with yoghurt naan

Olivia Rodrigo wears a Glassons corset in Las Vegas

Covid could cost Auckland restaurateur both his businesses

Recipe: Vegetable chilli pies

Lockdown loaf: Bake your way through level 3, Auckland

travel More

NZ ski field accused of disloyalty as Aussies snap up 2022 bookings

A Nelson woman is fuming after losing a sought-after lodge booking to Australians, saying NZ taxpayers effectively carried tourism operators during the pandemic.

Parts of Queen Charlotte Track reopen this weekend

Weeks of repair work will see parts of the flood-damaged Marlborough track reopened, but sturdy shoes and extra care are required.

The dark side of the world's most famous park

A straight-talking local guide is the best way to get the lowdown on New York's Central Park.

Another 3000 MIQ rooms to be released in September

'Mentally challenging' MIQ stay in dirty room

The barriers the rainbow community have when they travel

Win a foodie weekend in Hawke's Bay for F.A.W.C! Food and Wine Classic

business More

Amazon Web Services explains why it picked Auckland for $7.5 billion investment

Investment will take place over 15 years and create more than 1000 jobs, company says.

NZX 50 rises as Fed signals rate hikes

The US central bank indicated it may start raising its benchmark interest rate sometime next year, earlier than it envisioned three months ago

Mortgage hurdle gets higher for first-home buyers

Reserve Bank confirms plans to require bigger deposits of more borrowers.

Are you one of the 200,000 being ripped off?

Watchdog warns over 'poor value' credit card repayment insurance sold by banks.

Fonterra posts $599m annual profit

Fonterra will pay a full-year dividend of 20 cents, up from just 5 cents the previous year, as its underlying performance improves.

Farmers tells HQ workers to return to the office or get paid 80%

Farmers office staff can do 99 per cent of their work from home, so why just 80 per cent of pay when those in the office get full pay, a worker says.

prosper More

How to manage employees who work remotely

OPINION: As employees increasingly demand flexibility, employers need to think about what they can do to make this happen while still getting the results they want.

Here's what small businesses need to know about iOS15

OPINION: The new update may dramatically change the way you market your business.

Startup plans to disrupt meal kits

Do you have invisible sales in your business?

Retailers, it's time to plan for promo season

climate change More

Life in the 'burbs without a car — or why Aucklanders drive so much

We designed our city suburbs to protect people from air pollution — and ended up doing the opposite. Here's how to fix it.

The environmentalist who swapped a damp flat for a sail boat

Sick of paying rent in damp, overcrowded flats, Kaya used her student savings and bought a yacht. Now living in Wellington, she's finding other ways to connect with nature.

Why champion freediver William Trubridge is getting low on optimism

Doing the sums on solar panels

Cutting methane using a comfy cow 'mootel'

pou tiaki More

New Health NZ and Māori Health Authority board members announced

Health minister announces interim board who will help create the structure of new health organisations that will replace all 20 DHBs.

'I didn't trust myself to speak'

Starting your studies when you can't speak English is overwhelming. Nelson College's ESOL immersion programme aims to give students a headstart.

Shakespeare and the Samoan connection

“I reckon that if [Shakespeare] was alive today and he saw Samoans doing Shakespeare he’d go, ‘That’s exactly who I wrote these plays for,’” says actor Theo David.

'We could do better': NZSO on diversity, access, engagement

The orchestra says work needs to happen to improve its staffing make-up, in particular by employing more women and people from diverse backgrounds.

Ōtāhuhu woman plans to protest tree removal plans

The felling of hundreds of exotic trees and replanting of native species will harm the environment and community, local says.

Campaign to help boost vaccine rates among young New Zealanders

A rangatahi campaign is being launched this weekend to help encourage under-30-year-olds to get vaccinated, as pressure mounts on Government's roll-out.

Pacific leaders remember Taito Phillip Field

Despite his tarnished political career, many in the Pacific community remember Taito Phillip Field as a man who served Pasifika well.

Migrant can't start new job as lockdown halts visa change

Preetham Gayam, a chef, switched jobs but can't start until his employer-linked visa is approved. He and his family are living on food parcels as they wait.

sport More

All Blacks coach Ian Foster banks on Boks at their best

Experience, physicality and form were they key factors in the ABs 23 to face the world champs in Townsville.

America's Cup defence bid rejects Team NZ claims

Home defence backer Mark Dunphy confirms there was a call and an email to the rival NY Yacht Club, but disputes the rest.

Highlanders coach Tony Brown's warning on '15-minute' contact limit

Respected coach says schoolboy players' tackling technique is 'way behind' where it needs to be and less tackle work could lead to more head knocks.

Howzat! Cricket leaders knock 'batsman' for six, at long last

Chris Cairns shares images from his hospital stay

Frustrated with MIQ and Hooker treatment, Adesanya refuses to fight in NZ

Why ABs Codie Taylor would 'go to war' with Ethan Blackadder

homed More

My Green Home: Te Anau family found their 'sweet spot'

This family has a warm, healthy home in the deep south, with little need for heating, thanks to a passive, airtight design and mechanical ventilation.

You could live in a piece of TV history

This 10-acre lifestyle block offers the Country GP general store, hotel, post office, and town hall - but only one liveable home.

Surge in property sales expected in Auckland level 3

Increased sales activity anticipated as contracts go unconditional and new properties are listed over the next fortnight.

'Mind-boggling' interest in derelict homestead

What's it like to be a rookie builder on The Block NZ?

What to know if you get an offer when your property isn’t for sale

Vote for your favourite kitchen and bathroom

entertainment More

Bond star Daniel Craig made honorary Royal Navy officer

Britain's Royal Navy has announced the 007 actor is now an honorary commander in the service - the same rank held by the fictional secret agent.

18m ago

The world's most popular medical drama is back with a bang

REVIEW: The narrative tension nicely built up at the end of last season explodes in a series of revelations that may just make your head spin.

Daniel Faitaua: 'Why I'm staying in the UK'

The TVNZ Europe correspondent called a family meeting about extending his stint in London.

How a prank turned into a conspiracy of silence

Colbert jokes about NZ's 'Kentucky Fried Bandits'

Suzanne Paul found on the floor in tears after Zoom call collapse

Eight great shows to watch this weekend

motoring More

Toyota's electrified Highlander is American in the right ways

New Zealand is one of the few right-hand drive markets for the new Highlander, so how does this American ex-pat fit into Kiwi life?

What happens to old EV batteries?

There is a common misconception that the country will be littered with dead EV batteries before long. But EV batteries don’t just become unusable because they are no longer suitable for powering a car.

Volkswagen wants to bring back an old name for a new, electric off-roader

Ford invests in electric vehicle battery recycling company

kea kids news More

Puffy corn chip earns Australian teenager $20,000

An odd snack earned Rylee Stuart big bucks when she auctioned it online.

An American poi star on TikTok is getting a lot of love from Kiwi fans

Jared Aldrich is a master with poi, and he's turned his talents into must-watch TikToks. He's never been to Aotearoa but his Kiwi fan base would give him a warm welcome.