Otago Daily Times News Feed

The family living in a Christchurch home that was destroyed in an explosion today had been waiting for someone to fix problems with their gas fire earlier this week.

Emergency services at the scene in Tay St on Friday afternoon. Photo: Luisa Girao A shop manager has described hearing a huge bang as a car was accidentally driven into a window of her business in Invercargill this afternoon.

A man who admitted using knives to murder his wife, three young children and mother-in-law has become the first person in Western Australia ordered by a judge to never be released from prison.

Tomas Cubelli in action for Argentina against the All Blacks in New Plymouth in September 2017. Photo: Getty Argentina have never beaten New Zealand at rugby in 32 matches but momentum on one side and personnel changes on the other mean they may never have a better chance to end that run than this weekend in Buenos Aires.

Louisa Vesterager Jespersen (L) and Maren Ueland were killed in their tent in December near the Moroccan village of Imlil. Photo: Twitter Three Moroccan men have been sentenced to death for murdering two Scandinavian women in the Atlas mountains.

Fraser Milne was sentenced today in the Auckland High Court for his road rage attack on a family. Photos: Peter Meecham A young man who carried out a prolonged road rage attack with a string of vicious racial slurs on a family has been jailed.

My Food Plan was an option for businesses which made high-risk foods and needed a plan that covered multiple Food Act registrations. Photo: Getty Images The government has launched a set of new online tools it said could save small food businesses hundreds of dollars in compliance costs.

all_blacks_2018_haka.jpg NZ Rugby chief commercial officer Richard Thomas said cancelling the tickets was a matter of taking a stand against fraud. Photo: Getty Images More than 700 tickets to next week's rugby test between the All Blacks and South Africa in Wellington have been cancelled after being classified as fraudulent.

One of the first people on the scene of today's gas explosion in Christchurch has spoken of the horror that they encountered.

gun_buy_back_1gregor.jpg Members of the public hand in now illegal firearms at a buy back event at the Taieri Rugby Football Club, Mosgiel today. Photo: Gregor Richardson A steady stream of gun owners are arriving at today's collection event in Mosgiel, which appears to be running smoothly.

Five people have reportedly been injured after a explosion left a house "totally blown apart" in the Christchurch suburb of Northwood.

starminiaturehorse.jpg The alleged attack on Star is thought to have happened about midnight on February 18 in a Waitati paddock. Photo: Allied Press A man who allegedly stabbed a miniature horse 41 times has denied the charge against him.

The MetService is expecting a soggy end to the school holidays for the South and is warning of heavy rain in parts of the region.

The rapid erosion of a Timaru coastal wall is forcing some sports groups to move their club rooms.

chickenattacknzme.jpg Minni Gordon of Haruru with Joey and other surviving chickens after a series of dog attacks. Photo: NZME. A Bay of Islands woman is distraught after attacks by wandering dogs left at least two dozen of her prized chickens dead.

Flowers at the gate of the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch. Photo: NZME The extensive suppression orders covering the Royal Commission into the Christchurch mosque shootings will now cover every single government agency and crown entity.

korie_masseyhbt.jpg Korie Massey plans to publish 12 books in his Forbidden World Series. Photo: NZME. Korie Massey says milking his cows gives him time to dream and create scenarios for his fantasy novels.

Dunedin barrister Marie Taylor-Cyphers is concerned police are taking advantage of a naive public to catch them out. Photo: RNZ By Tim Brown of RNZ The police are flouting the rules on breath testing, carrying out tests in people's homes to catch them out sometimes up to two hours after they were last seen driving, a Dunedin lawyer says.

New Zealand's Ryan Fox during day one of The Open Championship. Photo: Getty Images Kiwi Ryan Fox surged into contention in the 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush after posting the lowest back nine in the tournament's history.

gettyimages-1162736568.jpg Ameliaranne Ekenasio lines up a pass during the Netball World Cup match between Australia and New Zealand. Photo: Getty Images A gripping one-goal defeat to Australia has the Silver Ferns on course for a likely World Cup semifinal with England.