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8 Aug 2026

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Person taken to hospital after car hits Red Beach takeaway shop
Three people received medical treatment after a car drove into Red Beach Takeaways on Friday morning.

New citizen's arrest powers 'putting retail staff in harm's way', Retail NZ says
The head of Retail NZ says new legislation expanding citizen's arrest powers could do more harm than good.

Schools locked down, man arrested after Taranaki firearm incident
A man is in custody after a firearms incident that left several schools and premises in Taranaki in lockdown.

Matt Damon's biceps belong to a 'tiny' 137cm stunt woman currently in Wellington
Boxing is a great way to develop definition, says Devyn Dalton - owner of the "greatest arms" The Odyssey actor Matt Damon has ever seen.

36-hour heavy rain watch issued as freezing temps ease off
While temperatures plummeted on Thursday and Friday, the frosty starts are slowing easing off as a front makes its way up the South Island.

Nurses working for Total Care Health go on strike
The nurses deliver "highly skilled" care and reduce pressure on hospitals, but aren't valued by their employer, one nurse says.

This AI just created viruses not found in nature
New York Times: Scientists trained an AI model called Evo using libraries of DNA.

Pacific artist Olivia Foa’i's emotional journey back to her ancestral home in Tokelau
Feature: Olivia Foa'i's emotional return to her ancestral homeland of Fakaofo, Tokelau, reconnected her with family and culture while deepening her understanding of Te Vaka's legacy.

‘It’s unthinkable’: Owner of dog killed in Epsom rampage ‘still not doing well’
The owner of the dog killed in the final act of a man’s violent rush-hour rampage in Auckland is “still not doing well” after seeing her much-loved pet fatally attacked in front of her.

Man living in NZ found to have killed heiress wife for financial gain
Donald McPherson was cleared of murder at a 2021 criminal trial, but a UK coroner has now concluded he unlawfully killed his wife Paula Leeson.

Iron Mountain raises guidance after record second quarter
Stronger demand in data centres and storage helped Iron Mountain swing to a profit and lift full-year guidance after a record quarter.

OpenAI widens free ChatGPT access with GPT-5.6 update
Free ChatGPT users will now get unlimited text chats and a new higher-reasoning mode as OpenAI tightens accuracy and safety controls.

Blaze engulfs Dunedin house during firefighters strike
Volunteer crews battled the blaze.

One injured after car crashes into building on Auckland’s Hibiscus Coast
One person was taken to hospital with moderate injuries after the crash on Red Beach Road.

Security operator used fake company names, received more than $100,000
The Department of Internal Affairs says Vinson Schuster worked as a security guard and crowd controller without the required licence.

Google Cloud & MLCommons launch secure MedPerf tests
Medical AI models can now be tested on real patient data without exposing code or records, easing privacy barriers for hospitals and developers.

Australia commits US$10 million for Fiji's HIV response
Australia's foreign minister has announced more than US$10.6 million for Fiji's HIV response.

Investigation: The extraordinary life of Alex Lang – the Kiwi fraudster accused of killing his wife for $7m
Alex Lang, also known as Donald McPherson, also featured in a $35m bank swindle.

Residents asked to dob in rule-breaking short-term rentals in tourism hotspot
Short-term accommodation is increasingly dominating Tekapo’s residential areas, causing problems for the local population.