New Zealand is sending a Defence Force C-130J Hercules to the Middle East to assist in evacuating citizens stranded in Iran or Israel as tensions soar following US air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
A C-130J Hercules is set to leave Auckland on Monday, though airspace over the region remains restricted.
Australasians are among the highest per-capita users of cocaine and ecstasy in the world, according to the United Nations’ 2025 World Drug Report.
The report shows that about 3 percent of New Zealanders and Australians aged 15 to 64 used cocaine in 2023, nearly twice the usage rate in the Americas and almost triple that of Europe.
Takutai Tarsh Kemp, the Te Pāti Māori MP for Tāmaki Makaurau, died aged 50 after a prolonged illness.
Her passing triggered a flood of tributes across Parliament, where MPs spoke emotionally of her passion, conviction and advocacy for Māori youth and South Auckland.
Many Pacific governments continue to back Israel despite growing global criticism.
According to academic Steven Ratuva, pro-Israel sentiment in the Pacific is tied to evangelical Christianity that links biblical prophecy to modern Zionism.
The government is signalling the clock is ticking on Ngāpuhi Treaty talks, with Treaty Minister Paul Goldsmith warning negotiations “can’t be as long as forever” and should conclude by 2040.
NZ First’s Shane Jones, who is drafting a Member’s Bill to force a single Ngāpuhi settlement, said taxpayers had already spent “well beyond $20 million” and could not afford endless delays.
In an interview, New Zealand Finance Minister Nicola Willis firmly rejected the idea of fuel subsidies, stating, “We don’t believe in short-term fixes that distort the market.
“Subsidising fuel might feel good today, but it undermines the long-term resilience of our economy,” she said.
