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15 Aug 2026

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Pacific islands at risk of becoming 'narco-states', NZ crime advisor warns
The chair of New Zealand's Ministerial Advisory Group on transnational and serious organised crime says "business as usual" would mean "we will continue to go backwards".

Palmerston North schools shut as asbestos-filled Fitzherbert bar goes up in flames
The blaze at the old Fitzherbert bar sent plumes across Palmerston North.

Rates could go up for properties that get new granny flats
Rates could be raised for properties with granny flats, an economist says, after new rules were passed allowing people to build structures up to 70 square metres in their yards.

Four capped All Blacks named in strong ABs XV team to face the Barbarians
Dalton Papali’i will captain a strong All Blacks XV against the Barbarians in London on Sunday.

Great-grandfather killed after kerosene fridge explodes at Picton holiday home
The old-school fridges are not common, but are used in areas where there is no electricity.

'Got big very, very fast': Witnesses describe rapid blaze at Palmerston North pub
The blaze started at about quarter past five yesterday evening and grew to a large fire which cast dark plumes of smoke over the central city. People in Palmerston North have been warned to stay indoors and keep windows closed.

Is wild spring weather the new normal?
Explainer - Weather forecasters say the last couple weeks haven't been normal, "even by spring's standards". But why?

Thousands enter second week with no power, after storms
Residents are adapting to using gas bottles, generators and car headlights for cooking, heating and lighting.

I caved and bought an $80 portable monitor. Now I love working remotely
I’ve been working exclusively from home for well over a decade, so as you can imagine I’ve grown quite comfortable in my cozy home office with a pair of monitors, my trusty MX keyboard, and lots of fresh coffee. I also like working from other places, including restaurants, cafés, and...

Person killed in Epsom crash
Emergency services were called to the single-vehicle crash on Great South Road at around 6.45pm on Thursday.

Copilot AI’s latest trick? A secure sandbox for its agentic activity
Microsoft Copilot is tapping a key feature from Windows 11 Pro to enable Copilot’s AI to dig even further than it already has. It’s part of an update to Microsoft 365 Copilot called Researcher with Computer Use, debuting today for a limited subset of Microsoft 365 Copilot users. LLMs that engage...

Craig Revel Horwood strips for charity calendar
The Strictly Come Dancing judge puts down his number 10 paddle and strips off in his home village.

Exclusive: John Carse on why the browser is the new cyber battleground
SquareX's Field CISO explains how extension-based browser security offers superior protection against evolving digital threats and cyberattacks.

Should parents get to share their tax bills?
The founder of a startup business that helps employers and parents with parental leave is asking whether it's fair that parents are taxed as individuals.

Porangahau residents want forestry law changes after massive blaze
A huge forestry fire last week took days to extinguish, and was the main talking point during a timely visit from MPs.

First-home buyers 'above average earners'
Most first-home buyers are earning more than the average New Zealand household.

Treasure trove of cinema history goes under the hammer from Wellington's Time Cinema
Items from a private Wellington cinema are being auctioned off.

‘Dangerous’ YouTube videos struck down for bypassing Windows 11 account setup
Microsoft, really, really, really wants you to log in with a full, connected Microsoft account for Windows 11. It’s essential for tracking user data, feeding people ads, and generally making your PC experience much more frustrating (though it also enables ease-of-life features like OneDrive and account syncing between PCs). Users...