Otago Daily Times News Feed

Rescuers battled rising floodwaters to reach the man. Photo: NZ Police Rapidly rising floodwaters today nearly thwarted the rescue of an 85-year-old man who spent a winter's night out in the open after falling from a ladder in a remote site in the Mokihinui Valley, in northern Buller.

The Jockey Club has postponed its meeting due to wet conditions. Photo: Getty Wild weather has forced the Oamaru Jockey Club to postpone its meeting scheduled for tomorrow until Wednesday.

Dunedin's  emergency operations centre has been activated as the city prepares for the worst as a damaging front heads south.

Malakai Fekitoa is leaving the Highlanders. Photo: file Highlanders centre Malakai Fekitoa announced this morning he is off to play for French club Toulon while this afternoon Highlanders winger Waisake Naholo announced that he is staying with the Highlanders for next year.

missing_lady.png Police are searching for missing woman Melissa Dalgety, also known as Melissa Gray, who has not been seen since Thursday morning. Photo: Supplied A large search is underway for a woman who has been missing from North Canterbury since yesterday.

UPDATE: Fire officials say #DetwilerFire west of Yosemite has destroyed 99 structures, 45 of them homeshttps://t.co/YWi65Xli0u#KSBYNews pic.twitter.com/E8kqUhjzAE— KSBY (@KSBY) July 21, 2017 A raging wildfire in central California that has forced more than 5,000 people from their homes spread rapidly on Thursday after destroying dozens of buildings not far from Yosemite National Park, fire officials said.

North Korea snubbed South Korea's call for military talks. Photo: Reuters South Korea's proposed military talks aimed at easing tension between the two Koreas planned for Friday failed to happen after the North snubbed the call, a setback for new President Moon Jae-in's hopes for dialogue.

Multiple deaths in Kiwi synthetic cannabis epidemic this month https://t.co/oX9eRis51v— Optihealth (@optihealth) July 21, 2017 The Chief Coroner and police are issuing a warning after at least seven people died this month in Auckland, apparently after using synthetic cannabis.

Another Queensland banana farm is suspected to be infected with Panama disease #farming #farms https://t.co/91kWodNxNX pic.twitter.com/ZeRuGLvqRs— Agrimaster (@Agrimasters) July 14, 2017 The devastating Panama disease found on a north Queensland banana farm cannot be eradicated, state Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne says.

.@camstewarttheoz says US reporters have approached him to share their shock at how a woman in her pyjamas trying to help was shot by police pic.twitter.com/vQDhLFvEV9— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) July 21, 2017 The Minneapolis police chief said on Thursday the fatal shooting of an unarmed Australian woman by a junior police officer violated department training and procedures, and that the victim "didn't have to die."

Muslim cosplayers prepare for a cosplay event. Photo: Reuters After donning a blue Cinderella dress, Sind Yanti carefully arranges her pale yellow "hijab", or traditional headscarf, into folds that resemble hair.

https://t.co/VmCN3NX6TRAt least 2 dead and dozens hurt as powerful  earthquake hits Greek and Turkish holiday resorts and triggers tsunami— TeManawaTheHeart (@TeManawa1) July 21, 2017 A powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.7 killed two people when it struck near major Turkish and Greek tourist destinations in the Agean Sea on Friday, Turkish and Greek officials said.

chesterbennington.jpg Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington (41) died at his Palos Verdes home near Los Angeles. Photo: Reuters Chester Bennington, the lead singer of Linkin Park, was found dead on Thursday (local time) of a suspected suicide a week before the California alt-rock band was due to embark on a US tour.

Malakai Fekitoa prior last week's game between the Highlanders and the Reds. Photo: Getty Images Malakai Fekitoa is officially heading to Toulon.

Dylan Pauling (24) posed as a young girl online to talk to people about incest and share child porn. Photo: Rob Kidd A Dunedin man will serve eight months on home detention in the house where he posed online as a young girl and downloaded child pornography.

A 38-year-old man was injured in a “mountain bike accident” in Dunedin last night, St John says.

roycolbert.jpg Roy Colbert. Photo: Peter McIntosh Dunedin music scene mentor, record shop owner, columnist and writer Roy Colbert died yesterday.

A study published in the 'New Zealand Medical Journal' found that a presentation of appendicitis in patients over 45 years old may constitute a sign of underlying colorectal cancer. Photo: Getty If you're over the age of 45 and get acute appendicitis you are six times more likely to have underlying colorectal cancer, a new study has found.