Holi at Lake Hood

A trip to Vietnam in March marked Rebecca Ronald’s recovery and renewed zest for life after a challenging year battling breast cancer. She faced multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and numerous medical appointments, feeling at times as if she would never return to normalcy. Despite the hardships, including losing her ability to enjoy her comfort drink, tea, due to altered taste, support from family and a work-from-home job helped her navigate this difficult journey. Full Article

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has decided not to seek a second term and will instead run for the Greens in the city’s Māori ward, a shift from her previous intention to serve three terms. Her change of heart was influenced by the commencement of the Golden Mile project and the entry of former Labour leader Andrew Little into the mayoral race. Whanau aims to focus on collaborating with mana whenua and advocating for her beliefs...

A new shingles vaccine may help prevent cognitive decline, with a study from Stanford University indicating that vaccination in mid to later life could reduce new dementia cases by one in five over seven years. The research, published in the journal Nature, has sparked interest, leading Dr. Pascal Geldsetzer to seek funding for a clinical trial to further investigate the vaccine's protective effects on brain health. Alongside the shingles vaccine, statins and weight loss drugs...

A father of three, Luke Daniel Rivers, has admitted to 29 charges related to a significant wage subsidy fraud and money laundering scheme, utilizing a fake passport. In June 2023, the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) accused him of defrauding taxpayers of nearly $1 million and attempting to claim an additional $738,000 in Covid wage subsidies. The Auckland District Court revealed that the total value of Rivers' fraudulent activities amounted to approximately $982,000. Full Article

Ruth Yanid Ramirez-Alfonso, a Colombian national, has lost her appeal to avoid a conviction for importing cocaine, which stems from her involvement in a group accused of bringing 50kg of cocaine from Colombia to New Zealand. The Supreme Court upheld her conviction, following her arrest in 2021 during one of the country's largest drug busts. Although she initially pleaded not guilty, she later admitted to a representative charge of importing cocaine, leading to potential deportation....

SummaryFamily and friends gathered in South Auckland to bid farewell to 12-year-old Misiafa Nathaniel Fealofa’i Lene, who tragically died from dengue fever after being evacuated from Samoa to Auckland’s Starship hospital. His parents, Taito Louis Lene and Taunese, were visibly emotional as they laid their son to rest, urging others to take precautions against the mosquito-borne virus that took his life. Misiafa fell ill earlier this month and passed away just a day after arriving...