Auckland CityDeadline Sale (unless sold prior)324221m²748m²Your Dream the kids have flown the nest and our owners are ready to begin their next chapter it's your turn to make this entertainer's paradise your own - a stunning family haven where comfort meets resort-style living Affectionately known as 'The White House on Wanganella' this beautifully kept home is a true treasure tucked away in Lynfield where suburban serenity meets natural charm With three generous bedrooms and three bathrooms Wake up to birdsong and start your day in the refreshed Enjoy effortless indoor-outdoor flow to the balcony perfect for that quiet morning coffee or al fresco dining the sparkling pool and bubbling spa take centre stage Warning: with a pool house and multiple entertaining zones your place might just become the go-to destination for friends and family • Fully fenced outdoor spaces - safe for kids and pets • Pool house ideal for hosting or relaxing • Zoned for top local schools: Lynfield College Halsey Drive School & Waikowhai Intermediate This home is more than just a move - it's a lifestyle upgrade in one of Auckland's most beloved neighbourhoods Don't miss your chance to own this local icon Click here to download documents; https://vltre.co/DrGfK1 based on a borrower’s individual credit assessment.Canstar's Most Awarded Personal LoanGet a renovation loan up to $70K and bring your vision to life we can approve your home improvement loan quickly and get your renovation started Abandoned Kainga Ora housing block at 580 Hillsborough Rd An abandoned Kāinga Ora housing complex for the elderly lies empty in the Auckland suburb of Lynfield practice manager at Lynfield Medical Centre said the abandoned flats had become a community eyesore and a place of unruly activities including a dumping ground for household rubbish and someone needs to be accountable for the state of the flats The MP for Mt Roskill Dr Carlos Cheung has taken the issue up with Kāinga Ora this month after receiving complaints from residents including reports of squatters moving in and drug use He said Kāinga Ora tried to secure the complex but people were breaking in which was confirmed when a Herald photographer visited the site yesterday and found several ways in Kāinga Ora Northern deputy chief executive Caroline Butterworth said the complex at 580 Hillsborough Rd is planned to be demolished but there is no firm timeframe or contract at this stage She said Housing New Zealand purchased the four-building complex in 2004 which complied with all the required regulations at the time Over the years, she said, issues arose with the weathertightness of the buildings and scoping was carried out to determine what was needed to make the buildings warmer While engineers were doing that scoping work they discovered the buildings would also require significant seismic strengthening to bring them up to current seismic standards “We would have expected that buildings constructed in 2004 would have a much longer lifespan than 20 years the extent of the issues with the buildings and the rising costs of construction work means it makes more commercial sense to demolish than to remediate,” Butterworth said All the residents at the complex have been supported and moved into other Kāinga Ora homes Butterworth said the Hillsborough Rd buildings were fenced off and boarded up to prevent access to the site When the Herald told Kāinga Ora about gaps in the fencing a spokesperson said it would look into the matter The original plan to build 40 low-cost units with a possible 34-unit extension led to a public outcry and fears the development would become a mini ghetto This led to a new multi-storey pensioner village by developer Arthur Morgenstern Designed alongside Australian architect Geoffrey Walker the development had 52 units with a lift service for elderly people with reduced mobility The then-local MP Phil Goff described the outcome as “a sensible compromise and a community asset” Sign up to The Daily H a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday A quad bike crash in rural South Canterbury has left one person dead Helicopter back-up has been called in to rescue Lynfield’s Wairaki Stream from debris and blockages Up to 35 tonnes of fallen trees and timber will be lifted out and converted to mulch for reuse – also making it an environmentally friendly mission Wairaki Stream Reserve and Lynfield Cove Beach* will be closed for a month to keep people safe while work is underway and to reinstate the reserve when finished Ella Kumar welcomes the urgent stream maintenance work and hopes it will reduce future impacts on the environment and local community Clearing Wairaki Stream will reduce flooding alleviate pressure during heavy rain events and prevent landslips in the stream With helicopter movements and woodchipping machinery operating at the same time to minimise further damage to the stream’s ecosystem but it is expected to last no longer than a week “These adverse weather events have taught us that we need to be better prepared to increase our resilience for future events,” says chair Kumar “And where possible we’d encourage everyone to play their part by learning more about flood preparation and perhaps volunteering with our community groups to participate in projects such as stream restoration work – as every bit counts to protect ourselves and our neighbours.” “Community stream planting is a popular activity led by groups like Friends of Wairaki Stream Friends of Oakley Creek and EcoMatters to strengthen our local streams and reduce the risk of future flooding,” she says “We’re looking forward to the next community stream planting event on Saturday 20 July 10am at Stoddard Road and hope you can join us – everyone is welcome!” The Wairaki Stream clean-up and Stoddard Road stream community planting are part of an initiative focusing on flood-prone areas across the region Learn more about flood risks here and find out more details on the community planting event here *Update: Wairaki Stream Reserve and Lynfield Cove Beach confirmed as locations to be closed for a month to enable work on the stream Sign up for monthly local E news and receive the latest information and events direct to your inbox here or follow @puketapapa on Facebook here.  © Auckland Council 2025 All rights reserved For more information on what data is contained in the cookies, please click the 'Find out more on the Auckland Council website' button. 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Sign up for our e-newsletter and be the first to know about exciting events and news. 07 May 2025 09:00422161m²665m²#THEDAY AUCTION THIS WEDNESDAY 7TH MAY!After pouring their heart and soul into this stunning transformation our owners are ready to let go and cash up - now it's your turn to reap the rewards it's a fresh start wrapped in style and comfort it delivers effortless living with a fresh modern edge The open-plan hub connects the sleek kitchen to spacious living and dining zones everything's been thought of - just move in and enjoy you're still right in the mix - close to cafes Zoned for schools including Halsey Drive Primary and Lynfield College Lynfield Medical Centre & an array of food outlets 7-minute drive to SH20 to head north or South **CONJUNCTIONALS WELCOME FROM ALL AGENCIES** Auction In Rooms Ray White Manukau from 9:00am Wednesday Disclaimer - This property is being sold by auction or without a price and therefore a price guide can not be provided The website may have filtered the property into a price bracket for website functionality purposes All prospective purchasers shall complete their own due diligence and satisfy themselves with respect to information supplied during the marketing of this property including but not limited to: the floor and land sizes By Lauren Crimp of RNZ Several Auckland schools have had their windows smashed and vehicles damaged in recent days and at least four other West Auckland secondary schools had suffered similar “mindless vandalism” over the past two nights large numbers of broken windows at the front of the school (caused by blunt objects) and damage to school vehicles,” the post said Green Bay High School principal Fiona Barker said there was a “significant amount” of damage CCTV footage showed five people entered the property about 4.30am and smashed 30 windows across multiple classroom blocks but actually the disruption is huge,” she said Intermediate school students were due for a “transition visit” at the school on Friday and that had to be postponed Students had to be moved into different classrooms to avoid the damage “It’s also such a hard way to end the term really disheartening for our kids to come into school Barker did not have any idea why anyone would have vandalised the schools Barker estimated the clean-up cost would be “in the many tens of thousands” – money better spent on “doing great things for kids to enjoy” Massey High School principal Alastair Fairley said a large number of windows at the front of his school were smashed using blunt objects and school vehicles also had windows smashed the disruption it causes is unwelcome and the mindless nature of it can seem a bit unbelievable,” he said “Our students' response is heartening as they are immensely proud of their school Fairley said the schools were working together with police and the Ministry of Education has been quickly facilitating claims “The collegiality amongst West Auckland principals really comes to the fore with incidents like this,” he said Lynfield College principal Cath Knell told Midday Report three classrooms four offices and the marae had been damaged at her school She said two “masked offenders” entered the school grounds just before 4am “What they’ve used has shattered the windows in some cases they’ve broken and left jagged glass through the classrooms so those classrooms are all out of action,” she said She said the school was holding its Year 11 prizegiving today and it had to move students to different classrooms to avoid the damage a primary school in the area told parents it was installing extra security cameras after the string of crimes “Recent incidents of vandalism in our local area have highlighted the importance of being vigilant about safeguarding our kura,” said a letter from Matipo School It had not been vandalised but “faced some minor security challenges” after hours and to ensure our beautiful school remains a place of pride for all we will be installing external security cameras around the school in the coming weeks.” Secondary Principals Association president Vaughan Couillault said it was hard to pinpoint who might have carried out the vandalism “Normally school students don’t come back and vandalise their own place because generally they respect it My experience would say it’s likely to be borne of some conflict or some unresolved tension who is also Papatoetoe High School principal said most schools had experienced some sort of vandalism in the past but it was usually isolated behaviour He said the cost could run into the thousands of dollars if multiple windows were smashed or extensive damage was done “A couple of years ago we had some damage to a fence that was repaired and then it was knocked down again That went well into the tens of thousands of dollars to repair “And it literally just takes money out of the classroom So if you’re having to spend money on additional vandalism stuff yes there are ways you can get to the ministry and get some additional support for that but it literally takes money away from other good educational purposes.” Couillault said school principals would be double-checking CCTV systems and affected schools may introduce random security patrols people will know who it is and it just takes one sensible person to let us know and we follow that lead and the problem goes away.” Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday. A quad bike crash in rural South Canterbury has left one person dead. Auckland CityAsking Price $1,790,000652322m²408m²Where your life has room to grow!!Welcome to 26A Rangitiki Crescent 5-bathroom home that seamlessly blends contemporary luxury with spacious family living Nestled in a tranquil yet vibrant community this residence offers the perfect balance of elegance • 6 spacious bedrooms across multiple levels • Double garage and secure off-street parking • 322m2 of meticulously designed living space including a scullery for added convenience • A large deck and patio offering serene bush and urban views-ideal for outdoor dining and relaxation • 2 ensuite bedrooms with a separate living area and private deck ideal for extended family or potential rental income with separate access from the driveway including a master suite with an elegant ensuite and a shared bathroom with both a freestanding bathtub and separate shower offering the best of both urban living and peaceful parks • Designed and built with care by the current owners this home is now available for a new family to create lasting memories For more information or to schedule a viewing Get a renovation loan up to $70K and bring your vision to life. With no need for quotes from tradies, we can approve your home improvement loan quickly and get your renovation started. Auckland CityBy Negotiation211112m²1,088m²NO RED ZONE - RC APPROVEDUnlock the potential of this freehold road-frontage 1,088sqm flat section with Resource Consent approved for 6 new dwellings with easy access to services this property offers immediate and future rewards Development Ready: Zoned Mixed Housing Urban Solid Investment: Currently rented and on a fixed-term tenancy Prime Location: Opposite Cafe Melba and Lollipop Daycare Nearby Amenities: Walk to Margaret Griffen Park This is Lynfield's golden opportunity - don't miss your chance to secure a property with endless potential this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read Four new McDonald’s are planned or rising in fast-growing areas throughout New Zealand although some locals have started petitions to try to halt expansion Three new Auckland McDonald’s opened in the last year alone The chain says it has around 1 million customers a week 171 outlets and now employs more than 10,000 people but soon it will have 175 outlets as demand for its food keeps rising New Zealand’s busiest McDonald’s is Andersons Bay, Dunedin - the same area just announced to be getting a Kmart McDonald’s executives know people are keen to know where new outlets are planned But the four new projects are more of a gradual expansion to move into areas where the business does not already have outlets rather than a fast food takeover across the nation Last April the Herald published a power list of the top McDonald’s owners in this country and what it takes to buy in The new outlets are to have drive-throughs restaurants with seats for around 20 people and parking outside signing petitions and saying they don’t want that style of food in their area This outlet is nearly finished on the corner of State Highway 16 and Oraha Rd It is due to open either next month or in August Locals have gone to Westgate for McDonald’s before now The township already has a well-patronised Burger King so the McDonald’s opening had been of great interest to some This is a controversial proposal with locals opposing the outlet planned at 152 Kepa Rd in the wealthy eastern suburb A church was on the site but that has been demolished and the chain initially made an application but then withdrew it saying its design has been changed to meet concerns and would bring social benefits because it would “provide for food outside normal business hours for those on shift work” “Stop McDonald’s Ōrākei!” says a petition page “Local iwi have made such positive steps forward with the Pourewa Māra Kai Vegetable Gardens across the road,” says petition organiser Matt Murphy who has 278 signatures from a goal of 500 “Having a McDonald’s directly opposite this proposed site is the antithesis of healthy kai St Joseph’s Primary School is also opposite the site and having our young kids facing McDonald’s straight after school surely gives them the wrong message,” he added This is one of the most controversial stores with no construction yet and no opening date announced Last November, the Herald reported on the resource consent application for a 24-hour McDonald’s at the entrance to the picturesque tourist town of Wānaka The 445sq m restaurant with a drive-through is to seat 75 people and have parking for 24 cars If successful, the international hamburger giant will soon welcome visitors arriving in Wānaka through the Mt Iron Junction subdivision off the SH6/SH84 roundabout currently under construction Locals launched a petition which quickly gathered hundreds of signatures after people said they did not want such an outlet at their town’s gateway “As a community that prizes itself on health McDonald’s goes against all of our core community values,” wrote petition author Sarah Morrison responsible for mass distribution of unhealthy food to an increasingly obese population and extensive food waste and pollution The Overseas Investment Office (OIO) decision of April 23 allowed for 100 per cent United States-owned McDonald’s Restaurants (New Zealand) to buy 0.3ha of land at an undisclosed Wānaka location from Mt Iron Junction The amount of money being paid was also suppressed “The applicant is ultimately owned by McDonald’s Corporation a publicly listed company on the New York Stock Exchange The applicant owns 171 McDonald’s restaurants across New Zealand “The applicant intends to build a new McDonald’s restaurant on the land The restaurant is expected to be operational by 2026 bare land and is being subdivided by the vendor Consent has been granted because the application met the investor test and the non-residential use test,” the OIO said The outlet is due to open in either December this year or January next year This is on the Main South Rd on a site previously occupied by the Commercial Tavern which closed in 2021 That tavern had been operating there for 150 years Dunedin already has McDonald’s in the central city on George St north Dunedin on Great King St and New Zealand’s busiest McDonald’s at Andersons Bay The new Green Island site extends the outlet’s reach towards the city’s southern portion This application appears to be less contentious than the Ōrākei or Wānaka ones McDonald’s outlets opened in three busy Auckland suburbs: Silverdale The Birkenhead and Pukekohe outlets opened late last year and the new Silverdale store was opened last June At Birkenhead, the drive-through opened in front of the Highbury Birkenhead shopping centre which has undergone a $15m expansion. Outside, at the flat corner site once occupied by KFC, two national big-name takeaways were built, both to have drive-through areas and some car parking spaces: a new concept McDonald’s and a new concept KFC. Architectural work on the scheme was done by retail specialists The Buchan Group with Cottee Parker Architects. A spokesman said today the business was working through the council process as it aimed to open a restaurant in Wānaka. This included giving the council additional information as requested, McDonald’s said. “At the same time we’re working through a separate process relating to the purchase of the land where we hope to build the restaurant. One condition of that purchase is approval from the Overseas Investment Office. “We will be opening a new restaurant in Huapai in a few months, and construction has started on a restaurant in Green Island. Aside from Wānaka, we also have the proposed site in Ōrākei, where we continue to work through the consent process. This reflects a normal pipeline for McDonald’s in New Zealand, along with reinvestment in existing restaurants,” he said. Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 24 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas. Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read. 'Somebody, please build something here – anything' debate on a site empty for 36 years. Auckland CityBy negotiation432240m²Exquisite Home Offering Polished ElegancePresenting a home that epitomizes sophistication boasts 4 spacious bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms offering a refined living space for those with discerning taste Discover the meticulously designed interior where quality fittings and fixtures enhance the overall ambience The landscaped courtyard provides a private oasis this home offers exclusive access to Wattle Bay Reserve ensuring a serene and peaceful environment at your doorstep and shopping options all within easy reach Experience a life of comfort in this exceptional property Don't miss out on the opportunity to make this your new home Take the next step towards refined living - schedule a viewing today See this listing on Barfoot & Thompson The Auckland school at the centre of a racism row has announced that teachers will censor racial slurs when they appear in teaching materials, saying the words represent "condensed generations of pain". A student from Lynfield College filmed a confrontation with a teacher over her use of the n-word, prompting an online backlash when it was posted online earlier this week. The teacher, from Lynfield College, was reading from a book when she read the line: "You're going to betray your own blood over a n*****?". The Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon told the Herald that the video was further proof that the word should be "deleted" from use and thanked the student for being "brave" and holding his ground. Now the principal has issued a statement to the school community, promising that teachers will now censor racial slurs. The statement, prepared by representatives from the student body and teachers, acknowledges the impact that the use of the words can have. "Recently there has been an incident when a teacher read the 'n.....' word in delivering a piece of educational material. We understand that these actions were not intended to be harmful," the statement reads. "However, we recognise that racist acts are defined by their impacts, not by their intentions. An historically violent and racist word used by a person who cannot reclaim it holds pain and violence no matter the context. "As a school, we give nothing to racism. What used to go unchallenged is no longer accepted. The staff of Lynfield College have been advised to verbally censor racial slurs should they appear in educational material. "Some may think that it has more impact and delivers a stronger message of the educational material if we do not censor the word. However, we need to consider that even if censorship might reduce some of the educational impact, the wellbeing of students is paramount. "What may be felt as educational impact to you, is condensed generations of pain to others. Our school values the wellbeing of our students and staff immensely, which is why we are creating this change." The statement says that the school is "continuing to support the student and staff member involved" and does not detail if the teacher is facing further sanctions. The Herald has contacted the school for comment. Echoing comments from the Race Relations Commissioner, the school encouraged its community to speak out on racism. "We would like to remind everyone to continue to be anti-racist. Speak up against injustice, and do not let your actions contribute to oppression," it said. Meng Foon earlier praised the student's bravery, telling him: "Thank you for being brave and thank you for holding your ground on what is not right in today's society". Auckland CityBy Negotiation1728m²Overseas Owner This is the chance you have been waiting for Located in the highly sought-after Lynfield and zoned for Mixed Housing Urban This exceptional 728m2 section is perfect for your next project You are just steps away from turning your development vision into reality Positioned within the zones of top schools like Halsey Drive School this property is ideally situated for future homeowners Opportunities like this are rare in today's market Overseas owner is highly motivated and committed to selling offering you a unique chance to secure this prime site Don't miss out - act now to make this developer's dream your reality Contact us today for more information and to arrange a viewing “We caravaned on-site for four months over winter with our eight and six-year-old – it was a busy time My husband was working and I was on the paintbrush seven days a week to get everything undercoated and stained before we built,” says Marilyn The 1256sqm section is located in a private and peaceful Lynfield pocket and showcases absolutely magnificent the weather changing and the beautiful sunsets We also watch planes coming in and out overhead,” Marilyn says The couple wanted to maximise these vistas as much as possible and the fact that Phil had a joinery business meant that he was able to handcraft some seriously impressive features for the time “He made all the doors and windows at night after work including the large round aluminium window and bifold doors high-quality design is rich with feature brickwork and timber accents – heart rimu ceilings and wall panelling and Douglas Fir parquet flooring The layout is super family-friendly and spread over three generous levels with excellent separation and different zones to relax and entertain in Key living and dining areas are located on entry level where the separate formal dining and lounge enjoys views from the aforementioned feature porthole The open-plan family area and kitchen is the hub of the home and flows out to a choice of outdoor living spaces perfect for summer living and hosting friends Barfoot & Thompson agent Kevin He says: “To get this kind of sea view you usually need to go to the Coromandel – photos do not do it justice.” These include the private patio and spa pool area and generous decks “It took us some time to carry every piece of timber down from the front of the house to the back of the house,” she laughs the pieces of timber were so heavy for the two of us that we had to use a rope to help hoist them up.” All accommodation is located on the upper level while the three remaining bedrooms are serviced by two well-appointed bathrooms Downstairs offers a handy rumpus space – which works well as a man cave The double garage has a mezzanine work area and is complemented with plenty of off-street parking Marilyn says they have absolutely loved the tranquillity and natural beauty of the setting high-quality design rich with feature brickwork and timber accents and spread over three levels The open-plan family area and kitchen is the hub of the home and flows out to a choice of outdoor living spaces perfect for summer living Even though you’re in the middle of Auckland The birdlife is wonderful – we have a pheasant coming to visit us at the moment He comes out from the reserve to see if there’s anything to eat The property is tucked down a right of way on one of the area’s most sought-after streets It’s situated just moments away from all amenities and public transport as well as the Maungakiekie Golf Course and Lynfield Tennis Club which means another lucky family will be able to enjoy the view and all their hard work who is marketing the property with Gail Beaton says that this is an incredibly unique property thanks to the fact the couple undertook all the craftsmanship themselves “To get this kind of sea view you usually need to go to the Coromandel – photos do not do it justice.” - 27 Himalaya Crescent, Lynfield, Auckland, goes to auction on November 27 Mind the Gap: Join the Place North Viability Gap Campaign Landscaping will play an important part in making the facility feel welcoming Outline permission for the phased redevelopment of the mental health facility was approved in 2023 and now the next steps are underway for the redevelopment of the buildings the government agreed to provide £50m of funding towards the hospital Work will include the demolition of bungalows ahead of the construction of the new main ward building which will consist of two-storeys with links to existing therapy areas There will also be a new entrance extension and associated landscaping including a drop-off site Two adult acute in-patient wards will be created to replace the sub-standard accommodation currently provided specialist mental healthcare design consultant on behalf of Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust stress the need for a phased redevelopment due to the need for the hospital to remain fully operational during the construction phase The D&S statement also highlights the aim for the facility to ‘not look or feel like a hospital’ Enabling works and a car park have now been completed on site with the car park relocated to allow a more peaceful and landscaped arrival journey for patients The proposed two-storey building will provide inpatient accommodation with full en-suite bedrooms that each have a view of the grounds Corridors will provide seating and access to safe garden spaces and bedrooms will be arranged on the ground and first floors around an internal courtyard so as to provide views and light in the rooms Read our comments policy Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Contractor Bowmer & Kirkland topped out on the 368 BTR apartments last April and has now handed it over for occupation completing phase one of the £300m regeneration scheme Vivly is building 52 homes in the village near Huddersfield in phase two of its Knowle Grange development Register for free Yorkshire property intelligence Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Stay updated on the latest news and views in Yorkshire property views and opportunities in Yorkshire property By subscribing, you are agreeing to Place Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" An Auckland secondary teacher was pulled up by a student over her use of the n-word in an exchange that was caught on video was reading from a book when she read the line: "You're going to betray your own blood over a n*****?" Lynfield College told the Herald they were "learning from this incident" The Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon told the Herald that the video was further proof that the word should be "deleted" from use and thanked the student for being "brave" and holding his ground the student claims the word was repeated and he challenged her use of it "What I'm saying is you know you're not allowed to say the n-word Even if you're trying to project the idea that the book is about racism The students makes the point that he would be sanctioned for swearing at school and the teacher replies that the context is important especially when it comes to a white person The teacher counters by arguing that she allows students to swear in their speeches The student also claims the teacher eventually apologised "With everything going on I want everyone watching this to repost this" Lynfield College released a statement to say: "The school is currently working with representatives from the student body staff and the community in responding to and learning from this incident." Foon told the Herald that the word should be "deleted from our school book you can't even use the f-word in New Zealand without having a beep" He said that teachers using material that contained the word had no need to use the word itself to teach that its use was inappropriate or to reflect its prior use as a weapon of racism He said the student needed to be congratulated for standing up to the teacher to call out the teacher for saying the n-word," he said Foon said: "Thank you for being brave and thank you for holding your ground on what is not right in today's society" He also encouraged the student to make a formal complaint to the Human Rights Commission He revealed he would be contacting the Ministry of Education to recommend a standard be applied across the sector He said that certain words "have gone past their best-by date" and are "not appropriate in today's context" Extra police and security guards are at the New Lynn bus and train station in west Auckland after reports that students planned to fight after school on Friday Several schools in the area sent messages to parents today warning parents of the 'planned disorder' At least six security guards are outside the station a police car is parked nearby and another half dozen wardens Police said they were aware of a possible planned disorder in New Lynn and were increasing security patrols in the area Lynfield College principal Cath Knell said the school was aware of rumours of a planned fight and in cooperation with other schools in the area there will be a staff presence to reassure students who need to use the hub as they travel home Police said they had been increasing patrols in recent weeks in response to issues with groups of young people fighting or intimidating people Last week, two 13-year-olds were attacked by a group of 20 other teens at the New Lynn bus station There have been similar attacks at the Henderson and Albany transport hubs Police say they are watching the New Lynn station ahead of a possible mass fight Henderson and Albany have seen a boost in security after a string of violent attacks on teenagers New Zealand RSS Follow RNZ News A rainbow marks the victories during handshakes between Mount Maunganui College and Lynfield College players at the Lynmount Trophy tournament Photo/ Te Rito Journalism cadet Jaxin Daniels Mount Maunganui College and its sporting adversary Lynfield College have put their best athletes to the test in their annual play-off The two co-ed schools both opened in 1958 and despite the distance separating them testing their skills against each other in what is one of the biggest events in their calendars The first exchange tournament was held in 1959 with Mount Maunganui College taking the Lynmount Trophy with the Mount this year’s venue on Thursday Student and Mount Maunganui College sports leader Jackson Herrick says there’s always a lot of anticipation is that we get to showcase our talents in front of our school and in front of our peers.” Mount Maunganui College principal Alastair Sinton speaks highly of the ongoing sports exchange “Modern society can sometimes too quickly dispense with tradition if it is perceived as inconvenient It is vital to maintain this connection out of respect for not only past students of our schools but also future students “Lynfield and Mount Maunganui have a shared history … our students can learn a great deal from Lynfield’s culture and their students can learn much from ours.” Mount Maunganui secured victory in an impressive 9-win sweep - Senior A Basketball: Mount College 109 Lynfield College 35 First XI Football (Boys): Mount College 7 Lynfield College 1 First XI Football (Girls): Mount College 10 Lynfield College 1 First XV Rugby: Mount College 48 Lynfield College 3 Premier 1 Netball: Mount College 30 Lynfield College 28 Premier 2 Netball: Mount College 28 Lynfield College 18 First XI Hockey (Boys): Mount College 5 Lynfield College 0 First XI Hockey (Girls): Mount College 5 Lynfield College 0 Debate Team: Mount College defeats Lynfield College Players of the day: Senior A Basketball: Jett Nelson; First XI Football: Ashton Pellow & Isla Ganley; First XV Rugby: Khan Southby; Premier Netball: Anaaya Gould & Jada Ormsby; First XI Hockey: Daniel Boase & Mackenzie Crawford; Debate Team: Shiana French Paying for clean-up means less money for the community About 20 firefighters and five fire trucks battled a blaze at an Auckland home this afternoon A Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) spokesperson told the Herald the agency received multiple calls about a fire at a Lynfield address just after 12pm today Black plumes of smoke were spotted over the suburb during the blaze which the spokesperson said has now been contained He said crew members were now in the process of retrieving anything salvageable from the home The spokesperson said the report did not mention if anyone was home at the time of the fire The blaze comes as firefighting crews who managed to contain a large forestry fire on Matakana Island in the Bay of Plenty are spending their Christmas back on-site to ensure it doesn’t flare up again The fire began on Saturday night and burned through about 37ha of scrub and pine slash on the island Residents described the blaze as a “beast”, being like a “taniwha” and “really scary”. In a statement released last night, Fenz district commander Jeff Maunder said helicopters and monsoon buckets, heavy machinery and fire crews would return to the island this morning “to work on extinguishing the fire”. Lynfield College employed a forensic accountant to painstakingly trawl through the school's historical finances. Photo / Martin Sykes An account manager who embezzled more than $400,000 from the school where she worked, splashed out on flash clothes and overseas trips. Rhonda Merle Crabb, 64, spent almost 20 years at Lynfield College where she gained the trust of her fellow staff members. But they had no idea that for the past seven years of her tenure she was pocketing vast sums of cash which she was supposed to be banking. At Auckland District Court this morning Crabb pleaded guilty to a charge of theft. She "got a buzz" from the stealing, she admitted, which helped ease her depression. Court documents released to the Herald note Crabb spent the money on clothing, overseas jaunts and "other personal items". The scam was only discovered last year when an administrator at the school found $2354 missing from school accounts and referred the matter to the associate principal. Crabb was questioned about the money a week later and scrambled to cover her tracks. She claimed the cash was wedged between two folders on her desk but could only come up with less than half of the missing funds. With suspicions raised, the school investigated banking over the previous six months and found nearly $20,000 missing. "When it was first raised with me I thought 'there'll be a logical explanation for this'," Prinicpal Steve Bovaird told the Herald. "There was never at any stage any inkling anything was going on." Bovaird said for many of Crabb's colleagues, the reality had been difficult for them to comprehend. "We were betrayed," he said. "This was a person we trusted." "Some of those people thought they had a good relationship with her. For almost 20 years they'd have had morning tea and lunch with her and all of a sudden this happens." Once Crabb realised the game was up, she simply stopped going to work. Lynfield College, with the backing of the Ministry of Education, employed a forensic accountant to painstakingly trawl through the school's historical finances. It was discovered that in just over eight years Crabb had swindled $419,579. All the money had been in cash and according to court documents had come from adult English-language-learner fees, general purpose donations, shop fees and other sources. It was that that had allowed the fraud to continue for so long, the principal said. "Because this was cash the school never knew it had it in the first place, all the decisions we were making around budgeting, we never knew that existed. We made really good financial decisions that meant despite what was going on, we are actually in a healthy financial position," Bovaird said. Defence lawyer David Hoskin today accepted there was a "strong likelihood of imprisonment" for his client but said he would be seeking sentence discounts for her early guilty plea and remorse. He successfully applied for Crabb's bail - unopposed by police - so that she could complete the sale of a property, the funds from which would go towards reparation for the school. The court also heard there had been a psychiatrist's report commissioned to explore any links between the defendant's depression and her offending. Bovaird would not be drawn on what he believed was the appropriate punishment. "The important thing for us is that she is not able to work in another school because of the conviction," he said. Crabb will be sentenced in November, almost a year to the day from when the theft was discovered. is for sale by deadline closing September 13 was able to take their pick of the sections in a Lynfield subdivision being developed by Auckland Harbour Board “We chose the one we thought had the best views and it was private and quiet It had good access to the city via Dominion Road plus it was only 20 minutes’ drive to the airport,” says Lynette basic home with three bedrooms and a study which served them well but in 1989 – by now with a family of four children – they realised that they needed more space “It was a great street and we’d made good friends so we decided to make the house much larger and stay here over the lounge ceiling and extended the living room downstairs and we installed extensive decking,” says Lynette The family moved out for 12 weeks while the renovations were underway and the resulting 305sqm home turned out to be a huge success providing plenty of room for Paul and Lynette and their children Paul and Lynette are now selling 24 Royal Viking Way in Lynfield, Auckland. The property is for sale by deadline closing September 13 and has a 2021 RV of $2.275 million Five generous bedrooms are served by three bathrooms the kitchen is bright and modern with stunning views and during Covid lockdowns staff from the couple’s company worked comfortably from within the house expansive decking to make the most of the views Having watched many of their original neighbours move out of the street – often transitioning to local retirement housing Paul and Lynette want to do more domestic and international travel “It’s been an incredibly hard decision because we have so many memories here but we want to spend more time on our boat and – quite frankly – this place is simply too big for the two of us so we’re going to try apartment living,” she says “There is so much we’ll miss – it’s such a friendly neighbourhood and I’ve organised all of our street barbecues and activities like Easter egg hunts for the local children for years.” Lynette adds that despite 2023’s unnerving weather events she and Paul were completely confident of their home’s strength The kitchen is bright and modern with stunning views The land measures 1349sqm in size and the house was extended around 1989 with 83 piles inserted into the ground to keep it from ever slipping down the hill “The builder from 45 years ago had given us a photo album charting its progress during construction and with 83 piles there’s no way it’s ever going to slip down the hill.” She says the thing she’ll miss most is the beautiful birdsong which rings out from dawn to dust in the surrounding native bush on the 1349sqm site clearing out the house after all these years has been a bit of a challenge,” Lynette says from Barfoot & Thompson is marketing 24 Royal Viking Way with colleagues Gail Beaton and Kevin He with the combination of space and sea views plus masses of off-street parking in addition to the double garage – and potential to install a pool “Four to five-bedroom houses on small sections with no views are going for $1.4m to $1.5m so this one we’re hoping to get early to mid-$2m and that would be a very good price for the area,” Gou says A group of students from Lynfield College in Auckland will next week be heading to the United States for the world robotics championships Nine hundred teams from 56 countries will converge in Dallas next week for the largest robotics contest in the world The two Lynfield College teams have built robots that will compete against others on the world stage Sixteen-year-old William Hooper and 15-year-old Sohail Asyaban are heading the Lynfield College teams Their robot is already packed up and ready to be shipped to the US tomorrow Hooper described one of the other team's robots that they took into the Checkpoint studio instead a brain that controls it all and some cables that connect it." Asyaban said a lever on the robot could pivot and would be able to collect items Hooper said they had a year to make the robots that they would be competing with in the US instead of pivot lever and it picks up these tri balls so it's a triangular shaped ball thing and then in the last 30 seconds of the game you have to hang off a bar and certain elevations will give you different points." Asyaban said they had "a competitive robot and a robot that can play" "A robot that can play all it needs is a brain "A competitive robot would have a drive train a system to pick up the balls and such and do things fast and be the best basically." Hooper said a key thing was a good driver who was able to control the robot "So we have one person designated as our driver who controls the robot during a minute 45 period of driver control .. they command it to do what it needs to do and that's a really key thing for the robot." But the sub-systems such as the thing which picks up the ball also need to be good Asyaban said they got good at building robots just by doing it and learning The robot needs to be fast - but not too fast "Some robots get too fast that they're just too heavy to support the speed itself." Asyaban said they worked with people from the US and around the world in building it "It's an amazing competition cause everybody works together in some kind of way and everybody learns together." Hooper said he liked "the variety of designs and ideas people have for the same challenges" a referee looked at the robots being operated and whoever had the highest number of points would win Asyaban said he was extremely excited about it "I really love building robots and I can't wait to go and meet everybody else who does the same thing." It's a long way from Motatau to America - but it's a journey a group of kids from this remote Northland valley are determined to make to compete with the best in underwater robotics A tech-savvy workforce could add about $7.3 billion dollars a year to the New Zealand economy A harvester robot being created for the asparagus sector is believed will allow "New Zealand asparagus to have a more competitive offering in high-value export markets" Lynfield College principal Cath Knell told Checkpoint she has asked officials to provide a pop-up testing centre at the school The big request from the community is for a pop-up Covid-19 testing centre at Lynfield College Knell said she has passed on that on to the government "That is a point of conversation we've had today But I think the sheer logistics of providing resources and staffing means that's not likely to happen in the near future Definitely not for the next test at day five." "Our community while obviously stressed has been absolutely wonderful at pulling together," she said The community is taking the situation seriously She has not yet been given any information about how the Lynfield College student caught Covid-19 and had not been involved in any extra-curricular events See terms of use. for easy access to all your favourite programmes 21 May 2025 18:00432Spacious Family Home With Water Views"Wow!" Those will surely be the first words you utter when you walk into this much loved family home this exquisite home offers space for everyone It's the ideal home for large and extended families The tranquility is magnified by the expansive views of the Manukau Harbour and Waitakere Ranges • Easy flow floor plan with three living areas and decking spread across the two levels - ideal for your morning coffee or unwinding as the sun sets where entertaining friends and family begins • Private and versatile bedroom layout - Three ground-floor bedrooms including one with ensuite and private deck access And the upper-level master bedroom with its own • bathroom and office/lounge area • Prime Location - handy for motorway access and a selection of local parks and scenic walkways Waikowhai Intermediate and Lynfield College A Family Legacy - lovingly rebuilt by the second generation owners - this is a home with heart and history the floor & section sizes) has been sourced from organisations such as RPNZ Property Guru & Auckland Council; these are broad guides for general information only They are solely intended to provide a general understanding of the subject matter & to help you assess whether you need more detailed information We recommend you seek your own independent advice on everything material to your purchasing decision We pay our respects to Elders past and present and strive to honour their rich history of storytelling in our work and mission The Jewish Independent acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia Save for laterPrint thisA burnt Palestinian car after it was set on fire by settlers in Beit Furik While attention at home and abroad has been diverted by the Gaza war Israel’s far-right government has made a major leap towards annexing the occupied West Bank over the past year creating 43 new outposts and confiscating huge swathes of land according to  Israeli and Palestinian observers They predict even greater acceleration towards Israeli supremacy and sovereignty during the next year with the advent of the second Trump administration and the consolidation of Israeli administrative changes that facilitate land poaching and settlement activity “Israel has been moving faster than ever in increasing the Jewish presence,” said Ghassan Khatib a former Palestinian Authority Labor minister who teaches at Bir Zeit University A report by settlement watchdog Peace Now issued last month also highlighted the period since the October 7 brutal Hamas attack started the war as an inflection point “The war and the political agenda set by settlers to impose sovereignty in the West Bank have created conditions that are being exploited for unprecedented settlement activities leading to a rapid and unchecked settlement process,” the report said Public attention now is fixed on northern Gaza where the IDF is displacing civilians en masse and carrying out devastating bombardments in what it says is an effort to prevent Hamas from regrouping has labelled  the offensive “ethnic cleansing” A senior IDF officer said early this month that Palestinians displaced by the army will not be allowed to return to their homes but the IDF spokesman later sought to counter this impression telling journalists the remarks had been taken out of context and do not reflect IDF values declaration of Palestinian property as state land to be used for settlement and settler violence including attacks that drove out communities all increased at unprecedented rates during the period since October 7  according to data in the Peace Now report Settler attacks killed ten Palestinians in the period between Oct 7 2024,according to the UN Office of the Coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs 43 new outposts were established during the past year compared to an average of seven a year previously Meanwhile the primary driver of settlements in the coalition is voicing satisfaction with the way things are headed especially after the election of Donald Trump His previous administration’s policies included specifying that the US does not view settlements as illegal despite their violating the Fourth Geneva Convention according to nearly everyone’s interpretation but Israel’s Smotrich told party members last week that Israel is “a step away” from annexing its West Bank settlements it has been full speed ahead with a drive that comes at the expense of Palestinians collectively and individually Nineteen communities were displaced by settler violence An astonishing 24,193 dunams (a dunam is effectively 1000 square metres) were declared state land effectively a method of confiscation from Palestinian owners equalling half of the total area declared as state land since 1993 Zanuta and Simri were among the emptied Palestinian communities in the Masafer Yatta area “Settlers in army uniforms with masks on their faces terrorised families to get them to leave There is no accountability and no stopping of these crimes The IDF spokesman responded that in cases of violence by Israeli citizens against Palestinians or their property soldiers are “required to stop the violation and if necessary to delay or detain the suspects until the police arrive at the scene In situations where soldiers fail to adhere to IDF orders the incidents are thoroughly reviewed and disciplinary actions are implemented accordingly.” Israel is literally paving the way to annexation Smotrich said in June that the government allocated seven billion shekels for new roads which will shorten the time to the Tel Aviv metropolitan area and help bring a million more Israelis to live in “Judea and Samaria” the army and settlers blocked off hundreds of roads to Palestinian cities turning travel into a protracted ordeal and further harming a vulnerable economy The IDF spokesman’s office said roadblocks and checkpoints were necessitated by a “significant increase” in terrorist attacks since the war started It said there had been thousands of attempted attacks and that as part of counterterrorism operations Smotrich and his Settlements Authority took over powers previously wielded by the army But the numbers do not tell the full story a step considered by some scholars to be tantamount to formal annexation this influences everything from land policy to home demolitions to legalizing outposts The change portends that as they get further settled in their new posts ideologically minded administrators selected by Smotrich will push annexation steps more vigorously than their predecessors from the IDF seen as a form of theft by Peace Now and Palestinians “The whole system has changed and we’ll see the fruits of it next year,” said Hagit Ofran director of Settlements Watch at Peace Now “Smotrich put in people who are totally committed and there is no place anymore for people who want to see that before taking a step all the papers [are in order].” That commitment is apparent among families of the Evyatar settlement near Nablus which started as an illegal outpost in 2021 but was declared a fully-fledged settlement in July after a state land declaration by Smotrich’s administrators effectively dispossessed Palestinian owners from the neighboring town of Beita The town’sresidents waged an uprising against IDF troops guarding the site for the settlers but failed to stop the state and army backed consolidation of trespassing whose numbers increased over the last year and now total 16 families are messianic settlers whom non-believers would view with scorn but who  are so motivated about “redeeming” biblical territory and so close to Smotrich that they are playing a central role in the acceleration of the annexation drive a mother of ten whose family was among the first to create the outpost “We are moving ahead and we are developing with God’s help.” The year since the start of what she terms the Simchat Torah War (Hamas’s brutal attack fell on that holiday) has been difficult in Evyatar and for the entire people of Israel “All of our husbands were drafted and displayed a giving of the soul for the nation of Israel the state of Israel and the land of Israel.”  She said the war was strengthening the tie of the nation of Israel to the Land of Israel “Establishing new settlements brings about redemption in every realm and is the key to the redemption of the people of Israel,” she explained saying she is helping efforts underway to settle in Gaza and wants later to settle in Lebanon also Haim says the bible defines them both and other territories presently in the Arab world as part of the Land of Israel We deal with the building of the Land of Israel.” Smotrich referring to Palestinians last week as “today’s Nazis” whose land should be taken away Smotrich has also used genocidal rhetoric about the Palestinians suggesting Israel could kill two million Palestinians in Gaza if not for its need to take into account the international community Palestinians are to be encouraged to leave “Judea and Samaria” unless they relinquish all national aspirations and accept inferior status says Palestinians are being left to face Israel’s annexation drive alone But he adds that people intend to stay put “People are very worried about the threat to the land and they are also worried that this is happening with the most minimal attention ever by the outside world.” READ MOREIsrael's coalition to consider bill easing West Bank land purchases for Jews (Haaretz)The bill would abolish an existing Jordanian law and allow anyone to purchase real estate in the West Bank Another bill considered would imprison and fine those displaying Palestinian flags at state-funded institution IDF says dozens of masked settlers carried out arson attack on West Bank village (Times of Israel)Military suspects perpetrators came from settlement of Itamar after a Palestinian reportedly attacked Israeli man and stole herd of sheep Right-wing settlers in Israel welcome ‘dream team’ of Trump and his hardline appointments (Guardian)Palestinian groups shocked by US president-elect’s favouring of outspoken supporters of far-right activists in the region The unbearable price Israel would pay for annexation (Times of Israel)SHAUL ARIELI: Taking on responsibility for 2.6 million Palestinians at the cost of $14.5 billion annually would destroy Israel's future and its soul Annex, baby, annex: why Israelis will soon regret their glee over Trump's triumph (Haaretz)DAHLIA SCHEINDLIN: President-elect Donald Trump's emerging cabinet – from Mike Huckabee as ambassador to a Fox News commentator as secretary of defence – looks like a Palestinian nightmare but is far from a dream team for most Israelis No comments on this article yet. Be the first to add your thoughts. a doctor at a clinic for refugees in Jaffa run by Physicians for Human Rights Israel (supplied) For Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition, a new tax regime that could undermine the viability of left-leaning civil society organisations is about rooting out illegitimate foreign influence a volunteer physician at Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-I) which runs a clinic for asylum seekers in Jaffa the essence of the NGO is helping the weakest and most vulnerable people in Israel marked with a modest sign in four languages on a quiet residential street are denied medical care by the Israeli state because of their limbo-like status Applebaum and PHR-I fill the void left by the government “Society must take care of the weak,” she says “This is the least one can do if he has the time a retired Tel Aviv family doctor interviewed during a break a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff at the ready on her desk “Life is tough for those who aren’t privileged,” she explains “I’m privileged and I feel I have to share what I have.” Although this approach is consistent with the highest values of Judaism the Netanyahu coalition apparently doesn’t embrace it PHR-I’s clinic is now threatened as a result of legislation introduced by Ariel Kellner of Likud that passed preliminary reading two weeks ago The new law would impose an 80% tax on foreign government funding for civil society organisations and would bar organisations that receive the majority of their funds through foreign state entities from petitioning Israeli courts that would make it impossible for PHR-I and similar non-profits to continue receiving the foreign funding that sustains them or to be active in the Israeli court system where they fight government and army actions they see as abusive and illegal Among the other groups threatened are Peace Now which presses against the odds for meeting the humanitarian needs of Gaza’s population the largest Israeli human rights organization combatting the occupation and what it views as apartheid which fights in the courts against alleged violations of the rights of Palestinians such groups are seen by their supporters as the collective conscience of Israel and a last bastion of humanism in a country where Jewish supremacism has gained considerable traction Although Applebaum is aided by a translator cultural and linguistic gaps sometimes give her the feeling that she is unable to help cure as much as she would like But the most difficult part to understand is what is not said during the visit the problem that makes the patient come again and again “There is a cultural difference with Ethiopian patients They may think that they have a demon in their abdomen and that I can take it out.” The explanatory notes to Kellner’s bill essentially cast the NGOs as foreign agents meddling in Israeli affairs The NGOs counter that issues they address such as the occupation are by definition international and that the donor countries are European democracies which imposes an 80% tax on NGOs that receive foreign government funding would not apply to NGOs that also receive funding from the Israeli government or to those granted exemptions by the finance minister In practice this means that right-wing organisations would not be touched “The purpose of this bill is to reduce the indirect influence of foreign governments and political entities on the state of Israel,” says the explanatory notes to the bill The foreign agent argument was also used by Putin to eliminate NGOs that differed with the regime’s views in Russia The foreign agent argument was also used by Vladmir Putin to eliminate NGOs that differed with the regime’s views in Russia Critics of the legislation see it as an integral part of a drive to silence freedom of expression debate and critical voices while engineering a shift to an autocratic system of government Most of the groups have advocacy arms that have taken on added importance in recent years with the decline and even disappearance of left-wing parties in the Knesset If not for the field research of the left-wing NGOs many dark deeds would be unmonitored and unreported PHR-I published a report on detention and alleged torture on a wide scale of Gaza doctors and medical personnel The IDF says its soldiers uphold international law PHR-I is simultaneously taking court action to overturn a government halting of medical care previously accorded to children of asylum seekers It says the cutback violates Israel’s commitments under the UN Convention on Rights of the Child Peace Now and Ir Amim are helping Palestinians in the neighbourhood of Silwan combat being evicted as part of the far-right Ateret Cohanim organisation’s drive to expand the Jewish presence in the area Although some of the low-income Palestinian families trace their own presence back more than 60 years discriminatory Israeli laws effectively allow settlers to “reclaim” property in East Jerusalem that was in Jewish hands before 1948 while preventing Palestinians from doing the same in West Jerusalem with residents bracing for a likely decision this week that could dispossess two more families 18 homes housing a total of about 700 people are in danger a community leader who is himself facing eviction proceedings “They stand by us legally and bring people on visits to see what is happening here They are with us on cases from start to finish they always give us the feeling they are with us.” I don’t want the German government deciding which Jews should live in an old synagogue in the heart of Jerusalem “If they stop the Israelis who help us defend our homes “It will make things much harder for us and increase the danger.” But Ateret Cohanim executive director Daniel Luria says stopping the work of Peace Now Ir Amim and other foreign government-funded NGOs is a step that is long overdue “How can any Israeli government allow the funding of all these anti-Israel anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist activities?” he asked “I don’t want the German government deciding which Jews should live or not live in an old synagogue in the heart of Jerusalem.” director of Peace Now’s settlement monitoring unit says that if the bill becomes law “it will shut us down” “We won’t be able to get donations from the countries that support us No donor will give to us when there is 80% tax This will shut down all the organisations that the state doesn’t like.” Other NGO staffers stressed that any tax would stop the funding because the foreign government donations are conditional on being tax exempt Applebaum is defiant when asked about the legislation “We will still be here even if we don’t have medicine to give the fact that someone can speak about what he suffers from The return of Israel to war with Hamas is intensifying fears among hostages’ families for the lives of their loved ones While the government insists that added military pressure can force Hamas to free the hostages the consensus at protests on behalf of the 24 hostages still believed to be alive is that Israel’s shattering of the ceasefire could kill them Some worry that army bombing will strike their relatives “Going back to war was our biggest fear,” said Macabit Mayer twins who were seized from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 Hamas massacre. “The military pressure is liable to kill them the family was told by released hostages that the twins are alive but are being held separately “We heard from hostages who returned what happens to hostages when the military pressure starts We think they can be saved only through a political agreement." Moving into the second phase of the ceasefire deal the government signed would have brought home all the remaining hostages It also would have obliged Israel to stop the war and pull its troops out of Gaza Those are conditions short of the “total victory” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to achieve Critics of the Israeli government see ulterior motives at work Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir who pulled his Jewish Power party out of the government citing the ceasefire has returned to the cabinet in advance of a crucial budget vote The move came right after Israeli aerial bombardments restarted the war.  The stated goal of the fighting remains to eliminate Hamas leaders and functionaries but the first strikes came just before dawn as families slept contributing to a large number of child fatalities Left-wing commentators believe there is much more to the military push than the budget Netanyahu wants to maintain the country in a state of war because this makes it easier for him to remove checks on power and transform Israel into an authoritarian state But resuming the fighting violates the state’s cardinal obligation to bring back the citizens withering and suffering in Hamas’ tunnels in the eyes of supporters of the hostages’ families Families of slain Israelis also want to see corpses in Gaza brought back to burial in Israel Vicky Cohen, whose soldier son Nimrod was seized on October 7 with the rest of his tank crew, told The Jewish Independent that she has zero faith in the government’s intentions. “We really need the Jewish communities abroad to put as much pressure as possible on the government of Israel to do the right thing,” she said. Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right finance minister, has depicted the hostages’ families support for adhering to the ceasefire as endangering Israel’s security, saying in a post on X last month that it will embolden Hamas to abduct more Israelis and to make more demands. He wrote that “a responsible state that desires life is not run through their [the families’] lens and cannot let emotion overcome reason and endanger its existence.”  Nimrod joined the army out of a sense of mission and thought that if, God forbid, he falls prisoner, the state would do everything possible to bring him home. But this did not happen. Speaking on Friday near the Prime Minister’s residence to hundreds of supporters seated on plastic chairs amid a drizzle, Cohen summed up the sense of betrayal by the far-right coalition’s decision-makers. “We educated our children to give everything to the state and to perform meaningful military service,” she said.  “Nimrod joined the army out of a sense of mission and thought that if, God forbid, he falls prisoner, the state would do everything possible to bring him home. But this did not happen. He is still in a dark and dangerous place. What can he be thinking? Why doesn’t the state bring him back? Hostages who were with him have been released, but he’s still there. The state isn’t fighting for him or the other hostages. It’s fighting for other things. “Those who are fighting are we: the families and the public. We won’t give up and we demand they bring back every one of them for the sake of all of us as a society. We will not be able to move forward and rebuild our lives without their return.”  The Gaza offensive is still escalating. Haaretz military analyst Amos Harel predicts it will lead to re-occupation of the Strip and installation of a military government.  Israel is blocking humanitarian aid and Defense Minister Israel Katz is repeatedly raising the prospect of a “voluntary” departure of the Palestinian population, something critics say would amount to the crime of ethnic cleansing.  For Lee Siegel, the brother of returned hostage Keith, who was starved and tortured in captivity, Netanyahu is choosing values which “are not values of life”. “Those are not values I grew up on as an American Zionist Jew and they are not values I want my children and grandchildren and the next generation to live by. That’s not the Israel that’s going to provide a secure future for the Jewish people,” he told TJI.  “War kills. It kills hostages, it does not save hostages’ lives. We’ve been doing this for 532 days and the results are the same. The framework is there, our government signed off on it. We agreed to three phases, now we’re not going even into the second phase. It’s not acceptable. We’re breaking our agreement.”  Siegel added that it would be impossible for Keith to recover unless all the hostages came home. “Keith is good but the only thing that will allow him to return to some sort of normalcy, to start to do that, is bringing all the hostages home, [including] those that he was with some of the time. He knows what they are going through.”  But Smotrich and Ben-Gvir’s parties appear willing to “sacrifice Gali and Zivi”, she said. As for Netanyahu, Mayer chose her words carefully: “I want to think there aren’t political considerations and to hope that through his eyes he sees only one objective. Honestly, I don’t know. I only know that at this moment, the war is endangering them and the soldiers.”  She urged the Jewish diaspora to take a stand: "My expectation of the Jews in the diaspora is that they will dominate the discourse, speak within their communities and influence world public opinion. "They must understand that even if they don’t live in Israel, they are still Jews and Jews have to care about Jews regardless of where they are,” Mayer concluded. Republish our articles for free, online or in print, by using our Creative Commons licence Ben Lynfield covered Israeli and Palestinian politics for The Independent and served as Middle Eastern affairs correspondent at the Jerusalem Post. He writes for publications in the region and has contributed to the Christian Science Monitor, Foreign Policy and the New Statesman. Win HappyPremiumSearch Rayogreatest hitswest yorkshirenews£50m upgrade to Bradford's Lynfield Mount hospital "will make a massive difference"The government announced funding for an extension to the building last year THE £50 million extension and refurbishment of a mental health hospital will offer a better life for users as well as improving the facility’s reputation community and charity bosses were given an update on planned works to Lynfield Mount at a meeting of the Bradford and Airedale Wellbeing Board on Tuesday Last year the Government announced £50m worth of funding for the Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust to make much needed upgrades and extensions to the Daisy Hill hospital and will include en-suite rooms for patients new green spaces and improved communal areas At the meeting Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: “We’re really pleased we’ve got the funding for work to Lynfield Mount “Some of the institutions in Bradford are very old buildings that are not really fit for a modern world.” deputy director of estates and facilities at the care trust said: “We have an ageing estate The building was 1950s design and 1960s build – very institutionalised “Now we look to make things more open for our service users such as giving them access to their own en-suite “We currently have 22 patients sharing two bathrooms which in a mental health setting can be quite challenging “We sometimes see incidents of violence towards staff because people have to queue for the bathroom.” He said the Trust had hoped to redevelop the whole site Although the Trust was “delighted” to get £50m funding from the Government it would only allow an extension and refurbishment The work will see two 22 bed wards replaced with two modern 18 bed wards and the creation of an additional 18 bed ward Explaining the need for more modern facilities he said: “This is not like a hospital you go to with a broken leg This is somewhere people live for a long period of time.” The extension will be built on the hospital’s existing car park The Trust recently purchased some land next to the hospital and has created a new £3.8m replacement car park on that site It is hoped that the improved facilities will help reduce the time patients need to stay in the hospital as well as helping attract and retain staff Mr Embleton said: “It is currently difficult to recruit and retain staff due to the conditions of the buildings we’ve got.” The architecture of the building was also designed to reduce “incidents involving service users.” Members were told that work was due to start in Autumn and be completed by March 2028 so the hospital will be able to continue operating during the works Cllr Hinchcliffe said: “This work will make a massive difference to mental health patients.” Mr Embleton said: “Unfortunately Lynfield Mount has a stigma attached to it it doesn’t have a great reputation because of the type of facility it is Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app. Lynfield College employee Rhonda Merle Crabb, 64, was sentenced today at the Auckland District Court. Photo / File An account manager who embezzled more than $400,000 from the school where she worked, splashing out on flash clothes and overseas trips has been sentenced to two years and four months imprisonment. Rhonda Merle Crabb, 64, was sentenced today at the Auckland District Court. She had spent 20 years at Lynfield College where she gained the trust of her fellow staff members. But they had no idea that for the last seven years of her tenure she was pocketing vast sums of cash which she was supposed to be banking. Crabb pleaded guilty to a charge of theft in August. The court heard that Crabb stole $419,579.50 in total while working at the school. At sentencing, Justice Kevin Glubb said the offending showed premeditation and sophistication, and was a well thought out scheme. The judge said that Crabb's lack of convictions did not entitle her to a discounted sentence. Crabb had expressed remorse for her actions, saying she was "devastated" she had let down her colleagues at the school. The court heard that Crabb had made full reparation payments after meeting with Lynfield College principal Steve Bovaird. Bovaird read a victim impact statement at court, in which he said he had concerns that the offending began before Crabb said it did in 2008. "This is community money paid to the school," he said. Bovaird said Crabb had close relationships with staff, who considered her a friend. "All staff... feel betrayed and bewildered by her actions," he said. "It was done in what I believe was a sophisticated and calculating manner. "Her actions were a very significant breach of trust." He said parents had expressed "grave concern" at the impact of Crabb's offending on the school. "It did impact on resources for students," he said. The court heard that Crabb had paid full reparations, including the cost of investigating the offending incurred by the school. Crabb's sentence was discounted due to her remorse and health issues. "When it was first raised with me I thought 'there'll be a logical explanation for this'," Bovaird told the Herald. "We were betrayed," he said. "This was a person we trusted. "Because this was cash the school never knew it had it in the first place, all the decisions we were making around budgeting, we never knew that existed." The devastated whānau of a 15-month-old boy who drowned in the family pool are begging others to check pool fencing and gates ahead of the holidays Matt and Lauren Albert-Wihone said their lives have been shattered beyond belief after their beautiful baby boy River Albert-Wihone died a month ago The “full of energy” toddler with big brown eyes and chocolate curls spent four days in a coma and then eight days in intensive care after he was resuscitated after drowning in the family’s pool in Lynfield He died in his mother’s arms in hospital on November 20 a surprise baby and he was absolutely loved by everyone,” dad Matt told the Herald “He was so full of energy and was such a big presence in our house always visiting people’s rooms and stealing snacks.” Lauren described River as “our everything” He was known as our Fatman cos he was our biggest baby River also earned the name “Grumplelump” because he knew what he wanted and would growl “We always laughed cos we thought for children like that it was learned behaviour but with him he was literally born that way,” Lauren said He looked up to him and would follow him everywhere.” River loved doing the haka when he watched the rugby with his dad and loved rides in the car with his mum “We miss him immensely and will love him forever,” Lauren said Matt remembers bumping into his son in the hallway having a chat and then watching him stride off stomping his feet with his arms swinging Lauren asked where River was then looked out the window and noticed the pool gate was slightly open “I ran and got out to the pool and he was there face down.” Matt pulled River from the pool but then just froze and went into shock Neighbours came running and performed CPR on River’s lifeless body until the ambulance arrived Ambulance officers were able to revive River using a defibrillator and adrenaline but he had been without oxygen for too long “I just sat there slumped thinking we’ve just lost our baby boy,” Matt said The pool was fully fenced but a temperamental self-closing gate meant River was able to access the pool despite the safety-conscious family always checking it “One of the few times it didn’t latch properly and this happened The couple said they were both struggling with everyday life and blamed themselves for what happened “Every time I close my eyes I see him there in the pool I can’t sleep and I just want the vision to be of him playing with his toys or watching the All Blacks play on TV.” As well as the couple having the three older children “We are scared River’s little sister is going to come along and she is going to have broken parents,” Matt said “We worry she is going to miss out because we are missing our boy and we can’t give her our all but we know we just have to find a way to do that.” Matt and Lauren said they were being well supported by whānau and friends and were in therapy to cope with their loss They had started a Givealittle page to help pay for funeral costs and so they could take time to grieve. Their children Skylah, 10, Cairo, 7 and Amelle, 6, were all struggling with the trauma of seeing ambulance staff resuscitating their baby brother. “We know our children are going to need ongoing counselling and there are only so many sessions covered,” Matt said. “We took them to hospital to see River and told them he was sick and might not come home,” Matt said. “The time with him in hospital was so important and we just wish we could be back there with him.” Matt and Lauren tried to explain things to their children when they brought River’s body home - and then his ashes. “It was hard because you are struggling yourself and it is hard trying to explain their baby brother is there in that little box. “We are proud and hate to ask for help but the funds from Givealittle would also help with ongoing counselling for our children.” The family also wanted to move houses, saying it was too traumatic to remain living near the pool. “We can’t look out the window at the pool, it is too hard.” Matt and Lauren said as hard as it is to talk about their loss, they wanted to urge other families to check their pool fencing and gates before summer. In the past year, Auckland Council has carried out safety inspections of more than 13,000 registered pools in Auckland. Around a quarter failed the first inspection. Faulty gates that do not self-close and latch was the most common reason for failure. Another was climbable objects such as planters and outdoor furniture being too near the pool fence. Matt said the family would do anything to turn back time and avoid the heartbreak of losing River. “The inspection for pool fencing is every 2-3 years but I would tell people to check their gates now and get them fixed. If they are renting get their landlord around to check things. “We hope sharing our story will raise awareness. You just don’t get how important and devastating it is until it hits your family.” Save for laterPrint thisPublished: 17 December 2024 A threat by the government to cut funding to a leading film institution is intensifying concerns over harm to the country’s cultural fabric by the most far-right government in Israel’s history The attack on the Tel Aviv Cinameteque for hosting a human rights film festival stands out as one of the more audacious and damaging moves during the morphing of Israel into a more authoritarian country underway since the Netanyahu government was elected two years ago In a letter to finance minister Bezalel Smotrich Culture Minister Miki Zohar wrote that the Tel Aviv Cinameteque’s “Solidarity Festival” which ran from December 5-10 had shown films that “are against the state of Israel” and which “disparage the soldiers of the Israel Defense Force.” Zohar expects Smotrich to determine whether the festival violated funding laws Screening such films in an institution funded by the government “is problematic and deviates from legitimate and reasonable freedom of expression,” Zohar wrote It was the first government step against the festival since it was established in 2011 dominated by ultranationalist and anti-Arab politicians argues it is making Israel more democratic by acting in accordance with the will of the majority that elected it It depicts its targets as elitists bent on preserving their privileges and power at the expense of the nation the coalition is pushing a flurry of antidemocratic bills including one designed to restrict academic speech ostensibly for security reasons and another that would effectively impinge on voting among Palestinian citizens of Israel and decrease their Knesset representation thereby perpetuating the rule of the hard Right the government’s threatening posture towards work raising questions about Israel’s foundation or probing Palestinian dispossession or alleged army violations is already deterring filmmakers and supervisors from choosing critical or controversial topics The reason is simple: in Israel the government Clearly people exercise self-censorship even though they don’t admit it you don’t feel like taking a chance,” said filmmaker Neta Shoshani who has run into censorship issues over her film 1948: Remember that was screened at the Jerusalem Cinameteque in November “There is a chilling effect,” she told The Jewish Independent “This means that culture in Israel is rapidly becoming non-critical and doesn’t go to [controversial] places simply because there is no one to fund this type of film I won’t get funding and at the end of the day So clearly people exercise self-censorship even though they don’t admit it.” “This is something that happens under every dictatorial regime,” Shoshani added culture becomes propaganda and not culture Zohar’s office said in response: “we will continue to defend freedom of expression but we won’t let extremist and delusional elements incite and harm under the sponsorship of the state of Israel.” The Cinameteque management has stressed that the ministry’s legal adviser had opposed the idea of stopping funding of the institution in retaliation for the content of the festival The threat against the Tel Aviv Cinameteque comes three months after the government started deploying a long-dormant 1927 British Mandate regulation to enable it to cancel discourage or at least delay the screening of three films two of them dealing with what Israelis know as the War of Independence films screened at cinameteques need to be greenlighted by a cinema board within the culture ministry The board previously focused primarily on setting the age for a movie’s viewership now the board is requiring all Cinameteque directors to clear films with it Solidarity Festival organisers had posted that its films “strive to advance peace democracy and human rights alongside equality and social justice” The screenings included a panel discussion organised by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel on threats to media freedom in the country.  itself the victim of government financial pressure largely because of its coverage of the Gaza war who heads the right-wing B’tsalmo organization and other figures with information and complaints prompting them to ban films plays or events often on the grounds that they defame the state or army told TJI that his group triggered Zohar’s move “I call their festival the solidarity with Hamas festival,” Glick said taking issue among other things with the festival’s giving space to the B’tselem human rights group and to conscientious objectors from army service The mainstream rarely reacts when a Palestinian is under fire Glick also sharply criticised the festival for screening the film Lyd which depicts the 1948 expulsion of that town’s Palestinians and looting and an alleged massacre by IDF troops The film imagines what Lyd would be like if not for the nakba In October police banned a screening of Lyd in Jaffa after Zohar charged the movie was “inciting and mendacious” funded by BDS activists and “slanders Israel and Israeli soldiers” told TJI that he has had censorship problems for years but “the mainstream rarely reacts when a Palestinian is under fire They don’t understand that it’s a matter of time before they come after them too he said the ban had only helped him by drawing publicity and opportunities to screen the film in the United States Younis dismissed the allegation of BDS funding as a "fabrication" saying the film was sponsored by the New York State Council for the Arts and the Harvard University Divinity School Younis linked suppression of films dealing with the nakba to what he said is another one being carried out by Israel in Gaza where the IDF has expelled much of the population of north Gaza and destroyed their homes during the last two months in what it says is an operation against Hamas triggered by a brutal Hamas massacre on Israeli border communities the army has forced most Gazans into “safe zones” that are not safe “If you don’t recognise the crime the first time you are going to keep repeating that crime,” Younis said noting that Israeli agriculture minister Avi Dichter had termed the military operation “the Gaza nakba” Shoshani’s film lost several screenings after the film board said it needed to be assessed The film is compelling and thought-provoking looking at the War of Independence/Nakba through testimonies and interviews with Israelis and Palestinians about the same events It also shines a light on how even after all these years the Israeli state is censoring key documentation from researchers has been declining to screen it for 18 months Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi has pressed for it to be scrapped Shoshani says now is the time for critical filmmaking “It doesn’t look like there will be a chance to do that later He writes for publications in the region and has contributed to the Christian Science Monitor After the November 29 1947 Partition Plan was voted in by the United Nations a siege on the Jewish Section of the International Jerusalem was imposed by Palestinian militias At first the Jewish Defenders were not so upset they believed International United Nation Forces led by the USA would arrive to break the blockade and help stabilise the Partition This did not happen Their could be hundreds of thousands of United States ,British ,French and British Forces in defeated Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan but not ten thousand well armed USA and British Dominion led Forces with armoured vehicles and airpower to prevent the war in Israel -Palestine The Jews and Arabs would have to fight it out with tens of thousands deaths ,severe injuries the sporadic atrocities massacres and mass displacements till one group Surrendered Israel's government has threatened to halt funding for the Tel Aviv Cinematheque after it screened films deemed to be pro-Palestine Photo by Thiago Trevisan / Alamy Stock Photo Israeli authorities are silencing Palestinian culture and history in a censorship surge that could soon include left-wing Jewish opponents of Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition Israeli police raided the Educational Bookshop in East Jerusalem one of the most prominent Palestinian cultural institutions in the occupied territory were arrested on suspicion of “disturbing the public order” then placed under house arrest for five days “I assume the next stage will be the Israeli left,” Menachem Klein an Israeli political scientist and emeritus professor at Bar Ilan University “We are on the way to an authoritarian regime during ongoing wartime and it is easy to use emergency rules to silence freedom of expression.” During the raid, detectives allegedly inspected books using Google Translate and took away ones they deemed to be possible incitement to terrorism because they contained words such as “Palestine” or “Hamas” But government supporters have said that the book does constitute incitement There has so far been no criticism of the raid from any major Israeli opposition leaders but a member of the Knesset (MK) for the left-wing Democrats party has allegedly filed a query in parliament questioning the police’s actions Prominent Israeli authors and cultural personalities have also spoken out about it the absence of broader political opposition means the authorities are unlikely to be deterred in the future from widening their targets on cultural institutions “We’ve undergone a change in Israel whereby anyone who incites to terrorism has to pay a price regardless of whether he is Arab or Jewish,” said Shamai Glick head of the right-wing organisation B’tsalmo He argues that authorities did not go far enough and should close the bookstores This recent intimidation comes amid crackdowns on Israeli films that are critical of the government especially those dealing with alleged crimes related to the mass displacement of Palestinians during what Israelis term the 1948 War of Independence and Palestinians term the Nakba Israel’s Minister for Culture and Sport Miki Zohar threatened to halt government funding for the Tel Aviv Cinematheque after it showed films deemed to be pro-Palestine at Solidarity Human Rights Film Festival 2024 Smotrich has set up a committee to determine whether the festival violated funding laws Lyd co-director Rami Younis said the recent raid on the bookstore should be seen as an escalation of national cultural censorship “This is another syndrome of the rise of fascism We’ve seen regimes in the past that declared books and songs the enemy And they’re all dark regimes and this is where Israel is heading.” it will get much worse very soon,” he said The government has also started deploying a little-used British Mandate-era law dating back to 1917 which allows the Culture and Sport Ministry to review films before they are shown at cinematheques thereby stopping screenings of contentious films cinema directors said they had not been asked to clear films with the council previously the council sets age ratings rather than undertaking political censorship Filmmakers and festival organisers in Israel are now being deterred from showcasing work that is critical of the government The coalition’s threatening behaviour towards art and culture that raise questions about Israel’s foundation probe Palestinian displacement or allege violations by the Israel Defense Forces mean that many cultural workers are steering away from controversial topics “When they threaten, you don’t feel like taking a chance,” Shoshani recently told The Jewish Independent In response to criticism that the Israeli government is impinging on free expression Zohar’s office said: “We will continue to defend freedom of expression but we won’t let extremist and delusional elements incite and harm under the sponsorship of the state of Israel.” a leading Israeli historian who appears in Shoshani’s film and who was born in 1948 himself told Index that it is the government that is distorting and covering up the real events of the War of Independence “Yes, there is a government effort to censor and lie about 1948, about Israeli war crimes in that war and hence influence how Israelis see their history,” said Morris. “Along with other subversions by the government of Israeli democratic norms, they are threatening Israel’s culture and historiography and trying to replace truth with propaganda.” Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days Reporting from Thailand, Index looks at how the military junta has denied international journalists entry to Myanmar following the disaster in March Wendy Funes, winner of the Index 2018 Freedom of Expression award for journalism, is among those who have been consistently threatened for doing th... With the annual celebration taking place on 3 May 2025, six journalists from around the globe tell Index what press freedom means to them For over 50 years, Index has published work by censored writers and artists. Subscribe below to get regular updates from our incredible contributors. Index relies entirely on the support of donors and readers to do its work. Help us keep amplifying censored voices today. Israel will appeal the decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant Netanyahu made the decision at the last minute as Israel had to respond to the court by midnight on Wednesday regarding appealing the arrest warrants The ICC indictments allege the two Israeli leaders “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival including food water and medicine and medical supplies as fuel and electricity” The ICC's decision also implies that Netanyahu and Gallant will be unable to travel to countries that are a part of the court's 120-plus member states which includes most of Europe but not the US But there is a chink in international support for the arrests. Hours after Israel and Lebanon signed a cease-fire agreement the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that Netanyahu and Gallant could be entitled to immunity because Israel is not a signatory to the Rome Statute implying that the court may not have jurisdiction with respect to Israel The French statement is believed to be connected to Israel's demands during the negotiations for the ceasefire agreement The Israeli military campaign was triggered by Hamas massacres in which about 1200 people were killed and 250 others taken as hostages to Gaza More than 44,000 Palestinians have been killed during the war The IDF has said it has killed more than 17,000 militants The mainstream Israeli media and politicians across the board have opposed the warrants not even considering the possibility that there could be a connection between the IDF’s actions and the warrants welcomed the warrants as a break with what they view as 76 years of Israeli impunity for a broad array of crimes They hope this step can also boost the prosecution of Israel for alleged genocide in the International Court of Justice “Israel had built an unspoken red line they didn’t think would ever be crossed They always counted on being above any kind of accountability,” said Nour Odeh a Ramallah-based analyst and former spokesperson of the Palestinian Authority “This development can also reach potentially other officers and commanders There’s a domino effect regarding third-party responsibility and international jurisdiction.” Netanyahu may turn the tables on the ICC and render it dysfunctional creating a kind of open season for rights abusers in the view of some Left-wing Israeli observers predict Netanyahu will launch a war on the ICC just as he responded to his 2021 Israeli indictment on corruption charges by attacking state institutions and damaging the democratic aspects of Israeli governance former director-general of the foreign ministry “There will be a US-Israeli campaign to destroy the ICC and unfortunately Liel predicts Israel and the US will wage the onslaught under the heading of the ICC being antisemitic and that it will take the form of the Trump administration pressuring countries to host Netanyahu despite their ICC obligations to arrest him if he visits This will undermine the entire international legal structure put in place after World War 2 to prevent a recurrence of the Nazi atrocities “This will be on the shoulders of Israel,” he warns There will be a US-Israeli campaign to destroy the ICC and I think it will succeed emeritus professor of political science at Bar Ilan University shares the concern He fully supports the issuing of the warrants and says Israel Israel may help in destroying the world order that is based on what the Jews suffered,” Klein said He termed the warrants “a very dark cloud on the face of Israel.” “The failure is not only of operational units It’s the failure of the whole legal system It’s the state and the army and that’s why the ICC targeted the heads of the system Israeli deputy foreign minister Sharren Haskell says the ICC’s decision is a threat to the world “The ICC judgment says the Jewish state has essentially no right to defend itself and it creates a false equivalence between a terror organisation and their barbaric terrorism and the state of Israel It gives legitimacy to terror and to those who fund it not only in the Middle East but throughout the world,” she said in a statement The overwhelming majority of Jewish Israelis believe the IDF has done nothing wrong in Gaza even though the ICC decision comes as it winds up a siege and mass displacement operation in Jabalia it says is aimed at preventing Hamas from regrouping Satellite photos show that the IDF almost completely destroyed Jabalia so that there can be no return of those expelled joined by the antioccupation veterans’ group Breaking the Silence termed the IDF operation there “ethnic cleansing” That’s why the ICC targeted the heads of the system Israel vehemently denies any illegal actions and Netanyahu termed the warrants “antisemitic” and a modern-day equivalent of the 1894 trial on false espionage charges of French Jewish army officer Alfred Dreyfus The trial is taught to Israeli schoolchildren as the manifestation of antisemitism that led to the creation by Theodor Herzl of the Zionist movement For the Israeli security establishment and public the antisemitism explanation is easier than self-scrutiny Former National Security Adviser Yaacov Amidror told the Jewish Independent that there is no reason for the IDF to change any of its practices because of the “idiotic” decision to issue the warrants “And war against terrorism situated among a population is even crueller the French in Africa and any other democratic country Regimes with increasingly right-wing authoritarian trajectories that Netanyahu is close to will also presumably lend a hand in Israel’s burgeoning war with international legal institutions Hungary’s Viktor Orban has already made clear he is not bound by the warrant and will host Netanyahu The judgment creates a false equivalence between a terror organisation and the state of Israel It seems that the Trump administration in the making is already revving up also Trump’s chosen National Security adviser Michael Waltz said in response to the issuing of the warrants that the ICC has “no credibility” “You can expect a strong response to the antisemitic bias of the ICC and UN come January,” he said Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham was quoted by the Independent in the UK as saying the US should “crush” the economies of all countries who comply with the warrant a war against the ICC would work well for Netanyahu because it would provide him with a fresh enemy to rally his base against pose him as Israel’s true defender and distract attention from scandals swirling around him and for his responsibility for the October 7 Hamas massacres told the public on Friday what Netanyahu wanted it to hear “We are enraged by the outrageous warrants that are actually against all of us the elderly and who acted to defend himself.” READ MOREFrance Says Netanyahu and Gallant Possibly Entitled to Immunity From ICC Arrest Warrants (Haaretz) Israel to appeal ICC decision to issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant (Jerusalem Post) France Got a Cease-fire in Lebanon – but Did It Give Netanyahu a 'Get Out of Jail Free' Card? (Haaretz) The offenders were led to their target at Lynfield College by another pupil at the school. Photo / Martin Sykes Lynfield College, in Mt Roskill, this week introduced a no-toilet breaks rule for students during class time. Photo / Google Street View An Auckland high school has told its students they are not allowed to go to the toilet during class time - unless it is urgent. Lynfield College, in Mt Roskill, this week introduced a new rule that no student is to leave class to use the bathroom facilities or to get a drink. A notice was posted on the school's Schoology page - an app that allows teachers to post notices about assignments and the likes, to inform and communicate with students - yesterday morning. "There is to be NO LEAVING CLASS FOR TOILET OR DRINK BREAKS,'' the note read. "There is enough time in between class and at interval and lunch to use the bathroom and have a drink. There is no need for you to leave class to do this. "Be responsible for managing your time better at breaks to take care of these needs.'' The Ministry of Education allows school boards to make their own rules and there is currently no national policy on toilet breaks in this regard. A year 12 female student said many students were surprised when the notice went out; given there had not been any previous warning, she said. "I think we should just have the freedom - when you gotta go, you gotta go. You can't really plan out your toilet breaks.'' The senior said the news was of particular interest to female students, who felt there could be hygiene issues associated with the ban. "A lot of students posted [on the notice] and were like: 'How are we supposed to change our tampons? Are we supposed to change it in the back of the class'? Principal Cath Knell acknowledged that the new rule came about due to several students claiming to want to use the bathroom repeatedly during class time. With exams starting next week, it was becoming an issue. "Over the past couple of weeks, we have had some students interrupt this preparation time by distracting others from their learning. "A number of these students have been using the excuse of 'needing a drink' or 'needing to use the toilet' as their reason for being out of class. "As we want all our students to be able to do their very best in their assessments, we appealed to staff at briefing this morning to encourage students to use facilities between classes, during intervals or lunch times - unless in the case of urgency - so they minimise the disruption to their own learning and the learning of others.'' The film shows the teacher being knocked down during the schoolgirls' brawl. Countdown says people are better at remembering to bring their own bags. Photo / File Since the move away from having plastic bags in their stores, some Countdown supermarkets have had the odd shopping basket go walkabout. For the most part, Countdown says Kiwis remember to bring their own shopping bags and use them to carry their groceries. However, one customer found out the hard way yesterday afternoon that some people clearly haven't got used to bringing their own bags. When the customer walked into Countdown Lynfield in Auckland he could not find any of their distinctive green shopping baskets. A staff member told him 175 baskets had been stolen. Countdown would not comment on how many had been taken from the store because the organisation did not hand out "commercial information". However, a spokesperson said it was not unusual for baskets to go missing "from time to time" and said the Lynfield store was expecting new baskets in the coming days. "Kiwis are adjusting really well to the change and are predominantly bringing their own bags," the spokesperson said. "Some stores have had a few issues with baskets going missing but on the whole we've seen that settle down as customers get into the habit of remembering their bags. "We would, of course, encourage customers not to take baskets home - we have a range of reusable bag options in store." A Herald employee experienced a similar issue with missing shopping baskets after visiting Fresh Choice in Glen Eden. Initially, the store allowed customers to take groceries out to their car in store baskets after they were caught short without their own bags. However, after a bunch of their shopping baskets started to disappear they banned people from taking them out of the store and into the carpark altogether. A measles vaccine is shown at a Minneapolis Public Health vaccine clinic at Corcoran Park on Aug 30.Dymanh Chhoun | Sahan JournalPlayListenAt least 1 Minneapolis school reports measles case district stresses up-to-date vaccinationsGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories We have added it to a list of your favorite stories District officials say they’re working with the Minnesota Department of Health to contact people most closely impacted by measles in the district The district asked parents to make sure kids are up-to-date on their vaccinations and to watch for symptoms like a rash The Minnesota Department of Health recommends that anyone with symptoms should stay home and avoid visitors The health department declared a measles outbreak in Minnesota in May, and has reported at least 58 cases so far in 2024 MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all “That actually is as many as the whole U.S She said Minnesota typically sees zero to four cases a year though it has seen outbreaks in recent years because of declining vaccination rates Lynfield said the state saw 22 cases in 2022 Officials said that this year’s outbreak is primarily affecting unvaccinated children in the Twin Cities metro area; most cases are in Hennepin County Lynfield said the state contacts affected families when it learns of a case to do contact tracing and notify others who may have been exposed “If you had 10 people who were susceptible in a room and someone with measles came into that room nine of the 10 would get infected,” she said If you have been exposed and are unvaccinated Lynfield said getting the measles vaccine within three days can help protect you from infection Pregnant and immunocompromised people or young infants can be given immunoglobulins for protection Use the audio player above to listen to the conversation with State Epidemiologist Dr A man is in a critical condition after he was stabbed in Auckland overnight Emergency services were called to Commodore Drive in Lynfield just before 1.30am Inspector Ian Brooker of northern police communications said The man was stabbed in the chest and taken to hospital with the knife still embedded in him The 45-year-old was recovering after surgery It was unclear what the circumstances leading up to the man's injury were or whether others were involved although there had been reports he was with two other men before the incident was reported The knife used in the incident had been recovered and a scene examination at the address where the stabbing took place had been completed The stabbing happened at a residential property There had not yet been a chance for police to speak with the man It was not known if the man knew his attackers Competition was in full swing on the Day 3 of Polyfest 2021 as the action turned up with stage performances from Tonga Samoa and Niue and a surprise visit from the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Here's what RNZ captured on Day 3 at each stage Hundreds more performers shone on the Polyfest stages today as the competition began for Tonga Efforts to embrace and retain Pacific languages in Aotearoa were seen and heard on day two of Polyfest this year as students took on a different side at the world's largest secondary school cultural… Cook Islands and Diversity stages continued the cultural festivities at Polyfest today The world's largest Pacific dance festival got under way in Auckland today after two years of disruptions