A New Zealand father who was killed by police while on the run with his three children had been hiding at a makeshift bushland campsite stocked with weapons and ammunition, police have said.
Tom Phillips, who absconded with his three children in 2021 amid a custody dispute with his former partner, was killed on Monday after being confronted by police following a burglary in the rural town of Piopio.
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Police say they shot Phillips dead after he opened fire on officers, leaving one with critical injuries.
Phillips’ children – aged 12, 10 and nine – were safely recovered by authorities.
New Zealand Police on Tuesday released images of the campsite where they say Phillips and his children had been holed up before his fatal encounter with police.
Police said “several” firearms were recovered from the campsite located in “dense bush” in Waitomo, a rural community located about 190km (120 miles) south of Auckland, along with three guns that were found at the scene of the shootout.
Two quad bikes were also recovered at the campsite.
Zealand Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said officers had spent years considering how to best handle the situation as they were aware that Phillips was “armed,” “dangerous” and “motivated”.
“We were confident that, irrespective of how hard we tried to bring it to a peaceful conclusion, that with a motivated person that was always going to be a challenge,” Chambers told a news conference.
“And that has informed the way that we have dealt with this matter over the four years.”
Chambers said Philips, who was facing robbery and other charges, and his children had moved about frequently, making it difficult to pin down their whereabouts.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said officers had been at pains to bring the situation to a conclusion without any loss of life.
“You had a father, in Mr Phillips, who, in my view, had no regard for the safety of those children. He seemed to be solely motivated in terms of what he wanted to do and how things were impacting him,” Mitchell said.
Philips’s disappearance from the remote community of Marokop with his children in December 2021 gripped New Zealand and generated headlines worldwide.
Despite sightings over the years and appeals by his family, Philips was able to repeatedly frustrate the efforts of police to bring him into custody.
Nepal has lifted its social media ban one day after protests turned deadly, with at least 19 people killed by security forces as demonstrators rallied against internet restrictions and government corruption.
Police fatally shot 17 people in Kathmandu, according to spokesman Shekhar Khanal, with two additional deaths reported in eastern Nepal’s Sunsari district. Officers deployed rubber bullets, tear gas, water cannons and batons when protesters broke through barbed wire barriers attempting to reach Parliament.
Approximately 400 people sustained injuries, including more than 100 police officers. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned following the violence.
“I had been there for a peaceful protest, but the government used force,” said 20-year-old Iman Magar, who was struck in his right arm. “It was not a rubber bullet but a metallic one, and it took away a part of my hand. The doctor says I need to undergo an operation.”
Emergency vehicles rushed the wounded to hospitals throughout the city. “I have never seen such a disturbing situation at the hospital,” said Ranjana Nepal, information officer at the Civil Service Hospital. “Tear gas entered the hospital area as well, making it difficult for doctors to work.”
The social media ban triggered widespread anger, particularly among younger Nepalis who depend on these platforms for communication. Amnesty International reported that authorities used live ammunition against protesters, while the United Nations called for a transparent investigation.
Millions of Nepalis use platforms like Instagram for entertainment, news, and business purposes. “This isn’t just about social media – it’s about trust, corruption, and a generation that refuses to stay silent,” wrote the Kathmandu Post newspaper. “Gen Z grew up with smartphones, global trends, and promises of a federal, prosperous Nepal. For them, digital freedom is personal freedom. Cutting off access feels like silencing an entire generation.”
On Sunday, Russia launched its largest drone and missile attack since the war began, firing a total of 823 projectiles into Ukraine.
The attack killed at least four people, wounded 44, and caused damage to a key building in Kyiv’s government district, making it the first on the site since the full-fledged war began in February 2022.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired 810 drones and decoys, as well as 13 cruise and ballistic missiles. They added that nine missiles and about 60 drones had made it through their air defences and landed in Ukraine.
Smoke rises over a Ukrainian government building after Russian drone and missile strikes in Kyiv on September 7, 2025 [Serhii Korovainyi/Reuters]
The air force said 33 locations were struck across Ukraine, with officials saying that Russian strikes damaged civilian and residential infrastructure in Kyiv, Sumy, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia cities; Kremenchuk in Poltava province; Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk province; Sloviansk in Donetsk province; and parts of Chernihiv and Cherkasy provinces.
How many drone strikes has Russia launched?
Since the start of the year, Russia has launched at least 37,000 air attacks on Ukraine, according to a tally by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia has intensified drone strikes following Ukraine-Russia bilateral talks in Istanbul, Turkiye, on May 15. The talks, pushed by United States President Donald Trump, did not yield any breakthrough.
Between January and May 2025, Russian drone strikes averaged about 120 strikes per day. From May to August, drone strikes averaged 185 per day.
What types of drones is Russia using?
Russia is mainly using Shahed-type drones in their attacks. At the start of the war, these low-cost weapons were primarily supplied by Iran.
The number of Russian drones has risen significantly, with Moscow scaling up its production of Shahed-type drones, known as Gerans (Russian analogues of the Iranian missiles), Garpiyas (made with Chinese components), and Gerberas (low-cost decoys that mimic Shaheds on radar but carry little or no explosives, intended to deplete Ukraine’s expensive interceptor missiles).
Russia is producing these drones in Tatarstan and has opened a new production line at the Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant, where it already produces Garpiya drones, according to the ISW.
In June 2025, Ukrainian defence intelligence suggested that Russia was capable of producing an average of 170 Shahed-type drones per day (about 5,100 per month) and planned to increase production to 190 drones per day by the end of 2025.
The Russian-made Geran-1 (also known as Shahed 131) and Geran-2 (also known as Shahed 136) are low-cost, with a price range of $20,000-$50,000 for domestic production, but have a high impact.
The Shahed-131 is a smaller munition with a range of 700-900km (435-560 miles), while the larger Shahed-136 has a range of at least 2,000km (1,243 miles). They are known for flying at low altitudes and slow speeds. That means they can be shot down by individual soldiers, but they can also be used against front-line positions and are more manoeuvrable than faster missiles.
Some of Russia’s homegrown drones include the Lancet kamikaze drone, designed for precision strikes, the ZALA family of reconnaissance and attack drones, and several reconnaissance models such as the Orlan-10, Supercam and Merlin-VR.
However, Russia is predominantly relying on Shahed-type drones, and — alongside those — is also using cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.
Russian soldiers prepare a Lancet drone for action in an undisclosed location in Ukraine [Russian Ministry of Defence via AP]
What type of air defence system has Ukraine used against Russian air attacks?
Ukraine has employed several tactics and weapons to take down or disable drones, including modern air defence systems alongside mobile fire teams and electronic warfare.
Man-portable air defence kits (MANPADS), heavy machineguns and German-made IRIS-T and US-made NASAMS and SHORAD missile defence systems have also been used against drone attacks, intensifying in recent weeks.
Ukraine has had the most success in downing drones with the German radar-assisted Gepard anti-air 35mm gun and domestically-developed interceptor drones, according to Ukrainian drone warfare expert Olena Kryzhanivska.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz gets off a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun Flakpanzer Gepard during a visit to the training programme for Ukrainian soldiers near Oldenburg, Germany, on August 25, 2022 [Axel Heimken/Pool via Reuters]
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made domestically produced weapons a top priority, saying in July that within six months, the country’s domestic arms production should aim to reach 50 percent of its needs.
Ukraine has also used the US-made Patriot system against ballistic and cruise missiles, providing a critical layer of defence against long-range attacks, including from some of Russia’s most advanced missiles.
What are the latest developments on the ground?
Currently, Russia controls one-fifth – 114,500sq km (44,600sq miles) – of Ukrainian land, with about 88 percent of the Donbas under its control and three-quarters of Zaporizhia and Kherson oblasts.
For most of this year, the war has settled into a grinding impasse with heavy losses on both sides; however, in August, Russian forces made significant gains, advancing about 10km (6 miles) beyond the front lines.
Quarterback JJ McCarthy inspired the Minnesota Vikings to a late comeback win over the Chicago Bears on his NFL debut.
The 22-year-old, a first-round Draft pick in 2024, sat out last season with a knee injury.
He threw two touchdowns and ran for another as the Vikings triumphed 27-24 at Soldier Field in Chicago.
McCarthy, who was born in Chicago, found Justin Jefferson with his first touchdown pass, hit Aaron Jones Sr with an angled 27-yard pass, then put the Vikings 10 points up with a 14-yard scramble.
“There’s no way to deny that we don’t win this game unless JJ plays the way he did in the second half and, most importantly, kept the belief of his football team behind him,” said Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell.
“Now we know it’s possible. We hope to not be in these circumstances very often, but his team’s made of the right stuff.”
The game was Ben Johnson’s first in charge of the Bears, who led thanks to a rushing touchdown from Caleb Williams and a Nashon Wright touchdown from a 74-yard interception.
When the Super Eagles of Nigeria lock horns with South Africa at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, it is not just rivalry at stake. A place in next year’s World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico will be on the line.
Nigeria’s rivalry with the Bafana Bafana has continued to produce drama, and this one is expected to follow a similar storyline. With the race for the 2026 World Cup nearing its climax, the match carries even more weight.
Super Eagles’ Poor Campaign
The Super Eagles are in a precarious situation heading into the game, having struggled in the earlier stages of the qualification race. After seven matches, South Africa lead the Group C race to the tournament with 16 points, six ahead of Nigeria; just three games to end the series.
The West Africans need a win to keep their slim hopes of reaching the World Cup alive. They need a win or a draw in their last two games and hope that South Africa fail to earn all three points in one of their remaining matches.
The Super Eagles’ chances could also be boosted if South Africa lose three points for fielding an ineligible player in a March 2025 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho.
Heading into the game, Nigeria scraped through Rwanda in their last game on Saturday courtesy of a Tolu Arokodare’s strike, while South Africa trounced neighbours, Lesotho. Benin Republic are second on the log with eleven points, one ahead of Nigeria.
READ ALSO: [2026WCQ] Chelle Hails Nigeria’s Win Vs Rwanda, Sets Sights On South Africa
South Africa Vs Nigeria: Head-to-Head Record
Team readiness Osimhen’s absence ⚠️ FIFA’s silence on SA
All these and more were addressed at tonight’s presser ahead of our clash with South Africa.#SoarSuperEagles #Naija4thewin pic.twitter.com/aGbOXeCAdD
When the Bafana Bafana came to Nigeria, it ended in a draw. The reverse fixture comes on the back of a three-game unbeaten home World Cup qualifier run for the South Africans. On head-to-head, the Super Eagles have an edge and defeated their foes via penalties in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. At the 2019 AFCON, Nigeria also beat the 1996 continental champions.
Overall, the last three matches between these teams have all ended 1-1 at the end of regulation time.
Going into Tuesday’s game without pointman Victor Osimhen is a huge blow for the Super Eagles. The Galatasaray forward limped off in the win against Rwanda and did not travel to South Africa for the match against Hugo Broos’ side. Apart from Osimhen, Nigeria have a full complement of players for the match.
South Africa, on the other hand, will be without right-back Nyiko Mobbie, who was injured. Thabiso Monyane was called up to take his place for the game.
South Africa vs Nigeria: Time, Other Match Details
Below are the details of the match between South Africa and Nigeria in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, including time and venue:
Date: September 9, 2025
Kickoff time: 5:00 pm (WAT/Nigeria time).
Venue: Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
