Courtroom Fight Over Rivers: Forest and Bird is back in the Court of Appeal challenging Waste Management NZ’s Dome Valley landfill plan, arguing the proposal would bury about 12.2km of streams and that the damage can’t be properly offset or compensated. Security & Space Watch: NZSIS says it disrupted a Chinese state-linked observatory’s attempt to install satellite-tracking infrastructure, warning in its Security Threat Environment 2026 report that espionage threats are intensifying and targeting New Zealand’s public and private sectors. Local Infrastructure Upgrade: Lower Hutt celebrated a refreshed Walter Nash Park basketball court in Taitā, with Hutt City Council resurfacing and BNZ Hoops in Parks adding a new hoop and community launch activities. Community Pushback on Telecoms: Kelburn residents are protesting Spark’s planned 14.5m cell tower next to a century-old church, saying the site is “exceptionally ugly” and pushing for an alternate location. Housing Rights Alarm: A new Human Rights Foundation review says government housing policy has gone backwards across key rights areas, with knock-on public health impacts. Christchurch Conservation Concern: Willowbank Wildlife Reserve is worried a proposed 230-home development near the sanctuary could harm kiwi through noise and light pollution. Data Centres Strategy: DataCentres New Zealand has launched a national strategy urging more local data centre and AI infrastructure, arguing it should be treated as essential infrastructure and a potential export opportunity.