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Commander of the Rescue and Fire Department at ACCM David Vocat leaves a teddy bear outside the ...

Painful task of identifying bodies begins in Switzerland

Investigators have set about the painful task of identifying the burned bodies of a blaze that engulfed a crowded bar and killed around 40 people at a New Year's Eve party in the upscale Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana.

Mamdani sworn in as New York mayor to chants of 'tax the rich'

New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani (right) is sworn into office by senator Bernie Sanders while...

Mamdani sworn in as New York mayor to chants of 'tax the rich'

Democrat Zohran Mamdani has become New York City's mayor, vowing during a public swearing-in ceremony on the steps of City Hall to enact an aggressive agenda aimed at making the nation's largest city more affordable for working people.

Card-skimmers being smuggled into NZ in air-fryers, TV antennas

Scammers concealed card-skimming equipment in packages containing items such as air fryers, used...

Card-skimmers being smuggled into NZ in air-fryers, TV antennas

Customs is warning organised criminal groups are continuing to smuggle card-skimming equipment into the country.

Boozed youths 'in denial that New Year's is over'

Boozed youths 'in denial that New Year's is over'

More than 1000 revellers gathered in the Coromandel Peninsula on Thursday night, some hurling bottles at police and recklessly setting off fireworks.

Several reported killed in Iran protests

People walk past stores in Tehran, Iran. Several people have reportedly been killed during...

Several reported killed in Iran protests

Several people have been killed during unrest in Iran as the biggest protests to hit the Islamic Republic for three years sparked violence in several provinces.

'Absolutely horrendous' start to year on Australian beaches

Three people have drowned and two people are missing and feared dead, as the new year gets off to a tragic start on the east coast of Australia.

Firefighters walking off job for an hour today

Firefighters walking off job for an hour today

Members of the NZ Professional Firefighters Union will walk off the job for an hour at midday today.

Men warned before fall from ferris wheel

The men fell from a ferris wheel after being warned to stop swinging the bucket. File photo:...

Men warned to stop swinging seat before fall from ferris wheel

The operator of a ferris wheel in Christchurch says three men were warned to stop swinging their bucket, just before they fell from the ride.

Two found dead in separate houses on same property

An investigation is under way after two people were found dead in separate houses on a property in the Bay of Plenty.

Thrillers, mysteries the most borrowed

Dunedin City Libraries library assistant Kelcie Watkins-Dooley checks out a stack of books by...

Thrillers, mysteries the most borrowed

Dunedinites love a good murder, and the city’s librarians have the receipts to prove it.

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'The system can’t get much worse'

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'The system can’t get much worse'

A Kurow tractor driver denied a spot on the surgery waiting list worries he might have to wait until he is unable to walk.

Memorable arrival starts the year

Carla Probst, pictured in the Queen Mary maternity wing of Dunedin Hospital yesterday, welcomed...

Memorable arrival starts the year

Carla Probst will never forget the first day of 2026 — not least because she spent part of it in labour in a helicopter.

Two seriously injured after fall at Christchurch festival

Two seriously injured after fall at Christchurch festival

Two people were seriously injured after falling from a Ferris wheel at the Rolling Meadows music festival in Christchurch last night, the New Zealand Herald is reporting.

Dozens dead, scores injured in fire at ski resort bar

Emergency personnel work at the site of the explosion at the Le Constellation bar in the Swiss...

Dozens dead, scores injured in fire at ski resort bar

About 40 people were killed and 115 injured when a fire ripped through a crowded bar during a New Year's Eve party in the upscale Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana.

Pledging ‘real action’ on cost of living crisis

Megan Woods, determined to turn things around. PHOTO: TRACEY ROXBURGH

Pledging ‘real action’ on cost of living crisis

Megan Woods says she has seen nothing like the incineration of Labour legislation which she has watched from the opposition benches over the past two years.

Teen charged after firecracker sparks bushfire

A teenager accused of tossing a firecracker into bushland on New Year's Eve has been charged after it sparked a bushfire that threatened homes and remains contained but not controlled.

US searches for survivors after strike on suspected drug vessels

The United States Coast Guard is searching for survivors of a US military strike against a convoy of suspected drug vessels in the Pacific Ocean, US officials said on Wednesday.

How the world brought in 2026

Fireworks light the sky over the London Eye on the banks of the Thames River in London, United...

How the world brought in 2026

As Wednesday turned to Thursday, people around the world said goodbye to a sometimes challenging 2025 and expressed hopes for the new year to come.

Tragic New Year period on Sydney beaches

A woman's body has been recovered at one beach, while a search is under way for a missing swimmer at another, in a grim start to the New Year in Sydney.

Health app cyber breach 'incredibly concerning'

Health app cyber breach 'incredibly concerning'

A cyber security breach at ManageMyHealth has been "contained", according to the company - but GPs and patients are still waiting to hear if their health records have been compromised.

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