Otago Daily Times News Feed

The father of missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez broke down in tears as he made an emotional plea for help to find his son, who went missing in northern New South Wales more than two weeks ago.

Despite Otago gardens looking bleak and devoid of colour over winter, a Dunedin art gallery has all of its walls bedecked with paintings of flowering shrubs and trees.

Fire crews have extinguished a shed fire in Ranfury this afternoon.

An Oranga Tamariki social worker joked to a mother "we get bonuses for children taken into care" whose daughter was later uplifted.

hong_kong_protests_reuters.jpg Protesters attend a demonstration demanding Hong Kong's leaders to step down and withdraw the extradition bill, in Hong Kong, China. Photo: Reuters Hong Kong's political crisis enters its second week on Monday as uncertainty grows over the fate of government leader Carrie Lam and the extradition bill she postponed at the weekend.

Four Range Rover Sport worth $150,000 each were seized from Comancheros members in Operation Nova. Photo: Supplied A $10,000 gold chain and a $13,000 Louis Vuitton bag are among the millions of dollars of luxury items seized from the Comancheros motorcycle gang.

Gary Woodland celebrates after making a birdie putt on the 18th green to win the 2019 US Open golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Photo: Reuters Gary Woodland held his nerve to claim his first major with a three-shot victory at the US Open, bringing Brooks Koepka's two-year reign to an end.

Andrew Little. Photo: NZ Herald A new Canterbury earthquake tribunal will be a "circuit-breaker" for those who have struggled with insurance claims since the February 2011 quake.

Steven Adams posts up for the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Memphis Grizzlies' Lithuanian centre Jonas Valanciunas. Photo: Getty Images Oklahoma City Thunder centre Steven Adams has confirmed he won't play for the Tall Blacks at the Basketball World Cup this year.

cam_hawkins.jpg Cam Hawkins. Photo: ODT files Three new players have been offered Otago contracts next season.

David Hisco ANZ bank boss David Hisco is leaving his role under a cloud after an internal review of his personal expenses.

mauidolphin.jpg Maui's dolphin. Photo: File The Government is proposing a significant expansion to the area where fishing vessels are banned from using trawl nets in a bid to protect Hector's and Māui dolphins.

The friends of a young Sydney driver who fatally crashed into another car after being filmed driving dangerously on Snapchat hope to apologise to the victims of the "stupid" stunt.

Suzuki's Swift has a low safety rating and would be banned from importation under the proposed new rules. Photo: ODT files Some of the country's most popular cars could be banned from being imported under a proposed new road safety strategy.

Tim Southee. Photo: Getty Tim Southee finds himself in a curious position as he makes his case for inclusion in the Black Caps' starting XI.