Human error, exacerbated by social media threats, meant an emergency medical flight couldn’t land at Kāpiti Coast Airport late at night.The airport was temporarily closed on Sunday, December 13 after a security risk stemming…
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Mt Ruapehu volcanic alert level lowered to 1
Mount Ruapehu’s volcanic alert level has been lowered to level one as volcanic gas emissions return to normal levels and volcanic tremor declines. The alert level was lowered from level 2 on Monday after GNS scientists followed…
Herald afternoon quiz: January 11
Test your brains with the Herald’s afternoon quiz. Be sure to check back on nzherald.co.nz for the morning quiz tomorrow. To challenge yourself with more quizzes, CLICK HERE.
Quarantine was worth those precious family moments COVID-19 denied for so many in 2020
OPINION: When I signed off for 2020 in December I felt a sense of leaving the year behind and feeling confident life and our daily movement and activities would be able to return to some sort of normal in the New Year, with hopefully the worst of the coronavirus behind us and the start of the end of the "hard border".
Like many Australians we have family scattered in different parts of the country, and indeed in other parts of the world, so the hope of being able to come together for Christmas and our two-year-old son to see his grandparents for the first time in a year was a reunion and a boost we all needed.
We were fortunate to be able to make that happen, flying from Perth to spend some valuable time with our extended families in New South Wales.
Our trip had a few bumps along the journey. We stopped in Adelaide to watch the Australia-India Test before heading to Sydney.
But we began to think we would need to pack our bags and go home as the WA Government had reinstated the hard border with NSW after a COVID-19 outbreak on the Northern Beaches.
The hard border is a mental health hurdle only a few can jump.
We always thought when going to Sydney that it could happen and were mentally prepared we might need to quarantine at home for 14 days when we came home, which has become a reality for tens of thousands of Australians.
It was worth going and I realise we were fortunate to be able to have those moments so many have missed out on in 2020.
It's not about holidays, it's about reuniting with your parents or your children, having a beer, spending quality time if you live a part.
I have plenty of friends who had their Christmas plans ruined by the sudden border closures or in WA the retrospective quarantine requirements for recent arrivals from interstate.
What has reared its ugly head throughout this latest turbulent patch of cases in the eastern states is the lack of care and compassion from many within the community about the people whose reunions either didn't eventuate or have been cut short.
I really feel for all those people.
We are more than halfway through quarantine which has been okay.
We have only really been caught short without lettuce for our dinner on Saturday night when we forgot to include it in our home shop but if that's the worst of our problems, we clearly don't have any.
But as Peter Collignon, professor of infectious diseases, wrote in The Sun Herald: "What we do, however, needs to be proportionate to the risk at the time. Too often, panic and isolationism seem to be playing major parts in headlines, opinions and decision making."
As I write this, Greater Brisbane is finishing up a three-day lockdown over the threat of a woman who was in the community with the UK strain and that retrospective quarantine requirement has affected travellers from Queensland to WA, with the hard border in place to the Sunshine State, New South Wales and Victoria.
The hard border is a mental health hurdle only a few can jump.
It's loved, cheered, celebrated and reflected in sky-high opinion polls, talkback calls, letters to the editor and social media posts.
While most will argue it's a symbol of safety, it's also a marker of division and something which is really just so 2020.
Let's just hope it can bugger off sooner rather than later.
Bring on the vaccination and better times ahead.
Oliver Peterson hosts Perth LIVE from 3pm to 6pm weekdays on 6PR.
Signs of 'long covid' found in virus patients six months on
The largest study into the long-term effects of coronavirus has found that most patients show signs of "long-COVID" months after leaving hospital.
Chinese researchers found 76 per cent of those discharged from one hospital in Wuhan, the initial global epicentre of the pandemic, continued to have at least one symptom associated with the disease six months later.
Fatigue was reported by 63 per cent of patients, while sleep difficulties were experienced by 26 per cent.
READ MORE: WHO disappointed over China block to research team
Unexpectedly, more than a third of patients had signs of kidney malfunction, which led to health problems like increased risk of sexual dysfunction and an increase in bodily waste in their blood.
"Longer follow-up studies in a larger population are necessary to understand the full spectrum of health consequences from COVID-19," the team led Dr Cao Bin, from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, wrote in a paper published in The Lancet.
The study is the biggest of its kind and the first to look at the impact of the disease over a six-month period.
https://twitter.com/TheLancet/status/1347687529781358593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The phenomenon known as "long-COVID" has been linked to reports of chronic fatigue, joint pain, fevers and myriad of other physical and mental difficulties among coronavirus patients.
The Chinese researchers monitored the medical history of patients discharged from the Jin Yin-tan Hospital in Wuhan, the world's first medical facility dedicated to the treatment of coronavirus patients.
READ MORE: Four million Australians to be vaccinated for coronavirus by end of March
Almost 30 per cent of the patients the hospital treated were not part of the the study.
About half refused to participate, while the rest were too sick or had died.
The 1733 participants in the study had to complete detailed examinations returned to the hospital for regular examinations.
A 63 per cent majority said they still felt fatigued six months after being discharged.
READ MORE: Brisbane's lockdown to end tonight, some restrictions to remain
Long-term lung damage was also found in hundreds of patients.
X-ray images from about 400 revealed that almost half had a "ground glass" pattern in the lung tissues, which caused shortness of breath.
And most of the patients studied recorded a lower level of antibodies – a possible sign they will not be protected against the disease in future.
"The risk of reinfection should be monitored," the researchers added.
In a comment article also published in the Lancet, Giuseppe Remuzzi, from Italy's Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, said there was uncertainty over the long-term health effects of the pandemic.
"Unfortunately, there are few reports on the clinical picture of the aftermath of COVID-19," he said, adding the latest study was therefore "relevant and timely".
Full picture of deadly Capitol riot exposes true horror of rampage
As the dust settles, last week's Capitol riot is looking even uglier, nastier and more treacherous than ever.
New footage of the chaotic scenes, when hundreds of pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, has emerged and has revealed the terrifying, life-threatening reality police officers faced, as the attempted insurrection intensified around them.
Five people, including a police officer, were killed in a rampage that has shocked the world and left President Donald Trump facing impeachment in the final throes of his often-tumultuous presidency.
Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick died after he was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher.
Footage purportedly capturing the apparent murder of the police officer surfaced today. It is frightening and confronting.
READ MORE: Pelosi declares House 'will proceed' to impeachment of Trump
READ MORE: Trump supporters, counter-protesters clash in San Diego
Amid chants of "USA, USA", dozens of protesters near an entrance to the Capitol can be seen wildly attacking someone, beating them with sticks and other crude weaponry.
Someone is heard screaming: "Get that motherf—-r out of there!"
The other four people killed in the riot, Kevin Greeson, 55, Benjamin Philips, 50, Ashli Babbitt, 35, and Rosanne Boyland, 34, appear to have been protesters.
Ms Babbitt was shot dead by an unidentified officer, as captured in further disturbing video footage, as she was trying to climb through the broken window of a barricaded doorway inside the Capitol.
Footage of Ms Babbitt's death again underscored how intent protesters were to drive through police and smash their way through locked entrances to the building.
They had earlier been whipped into a frenzy at rally near the White House, where President Trump urged protesters to take action and intimidate Capitol politicians.
The initial images to come out of the assault on the Capitol appeared relatively harmless.
There were photographs of men in weird costumes and others taking selfies and carrying the Speaker's lectern.
But in footage which has emerged over the weekend, and reporting that has tried to make sense of the attack, a darker, more violent underbelly has been exposed.
A Reuters photo editor who was at the riot said he heard at least three protesters saying they hoped to find Vice-President Mike Pence and hang him from a Capitol Hill tree for being a traitor.
A crowd can be seen in another video, chanting and baying for Mr Pence to be hung.
Mr Pence was in the Capitol and had to be whisked away to a secure location.
One highly disturbing image showed a man dressed in full black tactical gear in the Senate chamber carrying a handful of plastic zip ties, which law enforcement sometimes use to restrain people.
Other footage showed intense crushing around doorways and entrances, as police – hopelessly outnumbered – tried to hold their ground against the invading masses.
There were also attacks against members of the media.
Erin Schaff of The New York Times later described what happened when the mob saw her Times ID.
"They threw me to the floor, trying to take my cameras. I started screaming for help as loudly as I could," she said.
"No one came. People just watched. At this point, I thought I could be killed and no one would stop them. They ripped one of my cameras away from me, broke a lens on the other and ran away."
She fled and found a place to hide.
A new ABC News/Ipsos poll released today found that over half of Americans — 56 per cent — believe that Mr Trump should be removed from office before his term ends.
And two-thirds of respondents – 67 per cent — said he deserves a "good amount" or a "great deal" of blame for the rioting last week.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said today the House will attempt to pass a resolution by unanimous consent tomorrow calling for Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump's Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Trump from office – her first time definitively saying the House will move to impeach him.
If the resolution doesn't pass by unanimous consent, and it most assuredly won't given likely Republican resistance, then the measure will be brought to the floor for a full vote on Tuesday.
The resolution will call on Mr Pence to respond within 24 hours.
With AP, CNN
Fire warnings in SA, Melbourne could see hottest day in a year
Fire crews are on high alert in South Australia as the state braces for sweltering temperatures and gusty winds, while Melbourne could see its hottest day in a year.
Temperatures had already reached 30 degrees at Glenelg in Adelaide by 7am today, with a top of 37 degrees expected for the city.
Other parts of South Australia could reach as high as 42 degrees, forcing a total fire ban to be put in place.
https://twitter.com/BOM_SA/status/1348363918402580480
The state's windy and dry conditions have prompted an extreme fire warning to be declared for the lower south-east region.
Severe warnings have been issued for eight districts, including the Mount Lofty Ranges and Kangaroo Island.
Additional fire crews are on stand by to respond to any fire that breaks out.
Temperatures are also set to soar in Melbourne, with a top of 38 degrees forecast for the city and Geelong.
https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1348161575539122177
A cool change is expected to give some relief in the late evening.
Here is your state-by-state weather forecast for Monday January 11, 2021:
New South Wales and the ACT
Sydney will be mostly sunny with a top of 28 degrees.
Early morning fog patches may cloud the outer-west. Light north-easterly winds up to 25km/h are expected in the early afternoon.
Fire danger has been labelled as 'high' for Canberra, with light winds and a maximum of 33 degrees forecast.
Victoria
Melbourne's heatwave will continue today, with the state sweating through a top of 38 degrees, before a cool change provides some reprieve in the late evening.
The morning will be mostly sunny, but cloud will increase during the afternoon.
There will be a slight chance of a shower in the city's north-west later tonight with possible thunder.
Queensland
Brisbane will be partly cloudly and will reach a top of 28 degrees.
There is a slight chance of showers and south-easterly winds up to 25km/h, which will become light in the evening.
South Australia
Adelaide will swelter through a top of 37 degrees as fire danger warnings are put in place.
North-west to north-easterly winds up to 40km/h will sweep the city in the morning, before turning west to north-westerly and dropping to a maximum of 35km/h in the middle of the day.
Western Australia
Hot and sunny conditions are forecast for Perth, with a top of 32 degrees.
Light winds east to south-easterly up to 30km/h will breeze through the city, before turning south to south-westerly in the early afternoon.
Tasmania
Hobart will not escape the heatwave faced by the southern states, the city bracing for a top of 36 degrees.
Mostly sunny conditions are expected, with a medium chance of showers late tonight.
There is a chance of a thunderstorm with little or no rainfall late in the afternoon and evening.
North-westerly winds up to 40km/h will sweep the city during the day.
Northern Territory
A possible chance of a thunderstorm in Darwin and a maximum of 33 degrees.
There is a medium chance of showers, most likely in the late morning and afternoon.
Aurora Energy complains of 'public rage' ahead of looming price hikes
Aurora Energy has complained about foul language, “public rage” and insults directed at it during meetings about looming power price hikes.The Otago lines company objected to what it has described as rude and disruptive behaviour…
US lifts restrictions on its relationship with Taiwan (Republic of China)
WASHINGTON — A US State Department statement has acknowledged its relationship with Taiwan (Republic of China). It said, “Taiwan is a vibrant democracy and reliable partner of the United States, and yet for several decades the State Department has created complex internal restrictions to regulate our diplomats, servicemembers, and other officials’ interactions with their Taiwanese counterparts. The United States government took these actions unilaterally, in an attempt to appease the Communist regime in Beijing. No more.
“Today I am announcing that I am lifting all of these self-imposed restrictions,” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in an announcement Saturday. “The State Department is voiding longstanding restrictions on how US diplomats and others have contact with their counterparts in Taiwan.
“Executive branch agencies should consider all “contact guidelines” regarding relations with Taiwan previously issued by the Department of State under authorities delegated to the Secretary of State to be null and void.
“The move is one in a string of actions expected to upset China as the Trump administration winds to an end.
“President Trump has sought to strengthen bilateral relations with Taiwan. His administration announced Thursday that UN Ambassador Kelly Craft would go to Taiwan, a move that sparked sharp criticism from Beijing and a warning that the US would pay a heavy price.
“In August, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar became the first Cabinet member to visit Taiwan since 2014.
“Additionally, any and all sections of the Foreign Affairs Manual or Foreign Affairs Handbook that convey authorities or otherwise purport to regulate executive branch engagement with Taiwan via any entity other than the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) are also hereby voided. The executive branch‘s relations with Taiwan are to be handled by the non-profit AIT, as stipulated in the Taiwan Relations Act.
“The United States government maintains relationships with unofficial partners around the world, and Taiwan is no exception. Our two democracies share common values of individual freedom, the rule of law, and a respect for human dignity. Today’s statement recognizes that the U.S.-Taiwan relationship need not, and should not, be shackled by self-imposed restrictions of our permanent bureaucracy.”
The post US lifts restrictions on its relationship with Taiwan (Republic of China) appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
Dunedin woman loses $15,000 to phone scam
A woman was swindled out of $15,000 by a phone scammer, sparking a stern warning for the public to be vigilant.Sergeant Gemma McKenzie, of Dunedin, said the 69-year-old Dunedin woman was phoned on Friday night by someone claiming…