Huawei New Zealand is hoping to meet Government officials to try and overturn a ban on the use of its equipment in the 5G network; and the Prime Minister has revealed a huge spend-up on roads, to come out of the $12 billion Infrastructure Fund.
1.The Prime Minister has revealed a huge spend-up on roads, to come out of the $12 billion Infrastructure Fund. Jacinda Ardern made the announcement in Auckland in lieu of the traditional State of the Nation speech.
2.New Zealand households throw out 1.7 billion plastic containers in their rubbish and recycling bins each year, according to new research. The research, carried out by the Waste Management Institute, also found that almost 40 percent of plastic bottles and containers that could be recycled actually ended up in landfills. Recycling and rubbish bins of more than 850 households from eight locations around the country were audited for the research.
3.Huawei New Zealand is hoping to meet Government officials to try and overturn a ban on the use of its equipment in the 5G network. New Zealand’s major telecommunications companies have declined to comment on Britain’s decision to allow the Chinese tech giant Huawei to supply high speed equipment for use and its 5G mobile networks.
4.Two botched births at Hutt hospital which left one baby and another brain damaged have been blamed on clinician’s failure to properly monitor their heart rates during labour.
5.An 1885 steam locomotive has been excavated from a Southland river after it was dumped in mud 93-years ago. The Lumsden Heritage Trust has been trying to remove the locomotive for the past six years.
6.Two men, aged 19 and 23, have been arrested following a series of incidents involving firearms and damage to property in the western Bay of Plenty, police say. Both men have been charged with unlawful possession of a pistol and inquiries are continuing to identify those responsible. They are expected to appear in the Tauranga District Court this morning.
7.Palestinians have strongly rejected President Trump’s Middle East peace plan which he described as the deal of the century. The President this morning announced his plan for a two states solution along side Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and says he had written to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as well.
8.The Insurance Council is urging people to check their policy small print amid the coronavirus outbreak in China. It says pandemics and epidemics are not normally covered and haven’t been for a long time.
9.Lawyers for President Trump say the impeachment trial is politically motivated to disrupt this year’s Presidential election. The Defence has now concluded its opening arguments in the Senate trial amid growing pressure to allow witnesses to be called.
10.The head of the South Island Whānau Ora commissioning agency has backed concerns that Government departments are getting money year marked for them.
11.Teachers around the country are expressing their frustration at a proposed doubling of their registration fees. The Teaching Council move would hike the amount they have to have to pay every three years from $220 to more than $470.
12.Farmers in Waikato are increasingly worried by the drought like conditions. The Waikato Primary Industry Adverse Event Group reports milk production, forestry, and water levels are down.
13.A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck in the sea south of Cuba, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. The epicenter of the quake, initially reported as magnitude 7.3 before being upgraded, was between Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Cuba, at a shallow depth of 10km.
14.Health authorities have made contact with diners who may have been exposed to Hepatitis A at a popular Christchurch restaurant. The Canterbury District Health Board is offering urgent vaccination to people who dined or got takeaway food at Madam Woo on January 15th and 17th.
15.Hawkes Bay Regional Council is considering changing its name to Environment Hawkes Bay. The motion suggested by Deputy Chairman Rick Barker was passed at a council meeting this morning.
16.Nationals broadcasting spokesperson Melissa Lee is pleased the Government has changed tack on how its reforms the country’s public broadcasters. Cabinet is forging ahead with the plan to create a new, super-sized public broadcaster, but they want to see a business case first.
17.An Australian charity that delivers hay to fire ravaged farms is considering an offer of feed from New Zealand farmers. Hundreds of truck drivers spend Monday volunteering to deliver hay to farms in Victoria and New South Wales.
18.Former Australia rugby union international Israel Folau has made a switch back to rugby league after joining Catalans Dragons on a one-year deal, the French club announced. Folau reached a settlement with Rugby Australia in December after his contract was torn up in May for posting a meme on social media that said hell awaits “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers” and other groups.
19.Immigration New Zealand has warned visas may be delayed after its Beijing office was closed due to the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. More than 100 people have now died in China, with confirmed infections surging to more than 4500. The virus has spread across China and to at least 16 countries globally.
