Trump fires attorney-general Pam Bondi, appoints ex-lawyer Todd Blanche
“Over the next month I will be working tirelessly to transition the office of Attorney-General to the amazing Todd Blanche,” she said. The Epstein affair has been a major political liability for Trump, who was a longtime friend of the disgraced financier. Bondi has also fallen short with efforts to successfully prosecute perceived Trump opponents such as former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney-General Letitia James. According to The New York Times, Trump may name Lee Zeldin, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, to be the next Attorney-General. “Under Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Department of Justice became a cesspool of corruption.
Source:New Zealand Herald
April 03, 2026 17:01 UTC
NZ climber facing long road to recovery after accident: friend
However, Will Campbell, 25, who is understood to be from Dunedin, could face a long road to recovery. Mr Doell said they called for help about 2pm last Saturday (local time) and then awaited a rescue helicopter. Mr Campbell had since been cleared for release from hospital by doctors, but was told his recovery could take months, Mr Doell said. He considered Mr Campbell to be an experienced climber. The Otago Daily Times understands family are looking to fly to the US to see Mr Campbell.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2026 16:37 UTC
Wind farm consent process slammed
A wind farm. The wind farm, situated on hills about 30km southeast of Gore, would consist of 55 turbines and could generate up to 380MW and provide power for up to 150,000 households. Once commissioned, it would employ about 10 to 14 full-time equivalent staff to operate the wind farm. It would be the country’s biggest wind farm. West Catlins Preservation Society spokeswoman Natalie McRae said it felt like the entire fast-track process was loaded against them.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2026 16:36 UTC
Runanga welcomes guilty verdict for trying to export pounamu
Photo: ODT filesA landmark prosecution involving the illegal export of pounamu from New Zealand has been welcomed by Poutini Ngai Tahu. This followed an earlier attempt two months prior, when Zhang’s father and Li’s husband was intercepted trying to export two stones weighing a combined 61kg. The case is the first successful prosecution under the Customs Export Prohibition (Pounamu) Order 2021, which makes it unlawful to export 5kg or more of raw or partially processed pounamu without permission. Poutini Ngāi Tahu rūnanga co-chairmen Francois Tumahai (Ngāti Waewae) and Paul Madgwick (Ngāti Māhaki) said the verdict upheld the mana of pounamu. Regardless, the intent was clearly to remove raw pounamu from New Zealand for commercial gain.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2026 16:33 UTC
Input sought on speed limits
PHOTO: ODT filesWanaka residents are being asked for their views on a proposal to lower speed limits in the area. The proposed speed limits also include lowering a section of Cardrona Valley Rd outside the Cardrona Skifield access road intersection from 80kmh to 60kmh. A Wanaka Golf Club spokeswoman said they advocated for lower speed limits on Ballantyne Rd before the new crossing and traffic lights were put in place. Council strategic asset manager Alison Tomlinson said the council was responsible for setting safe and appropriate speed limits on local roads and people’s safety was a top priority. Feedback from the survey will be used to finalise speed limit changes in the speed management plan as well as to inform what should be included in the next iteration of the speed management plan.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2026 16:33 UTC
Ex-City Rail Link chief executive Sean Sweeney resigns as Dublin MetroLink director to return to New Zealand
Sweeney described leading the Metrolink project as “one of the greatest professional privileges of my career”. Dr Sean Sweeney said he was leaving the Dublin metro project to return to New Zealand. Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien told Irish media that Sweeney had informed him of his resignation in a meeting earlier this week. Sweeney led Auckland's $5.5 billion City Rail Link project for six years through the height of its construction. In an editorial, The Irish Times – Ireland’s largest newspaper – called Sweeney’s departure a “significant blow” to the Metrolink.
Source:New Zealand Herald
April 03, 2026 16:33 UTC
Gilmour taking new approach to NZ Rally Championship
Emma Gilmour will team up with Australian co-driver Ben Searcy for the Allcomers event at the Otago Rally in her Citroen C3 Rally2. PHOTO: PADDON RALLYSPORTEmma Gilmour has been a regular starter in the New Zealand Rally Championship for more than two decades, but she will take a different approach this season. Instead of contesting the full championship, Gilmour will run a mixed programme of events in both her Citroen C3 Rally2 car and her Suzuki Swift, with a renewed focus on enjoyment, balance and strong results. She will compete in the Allcomers field in her Citroen C3 Rally2, alongside Australian co-driver Ben Searcy. It’s the best rally in the southern hemisphere, and I’m incredibly lucky it’s my home event.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2026 16:32 UTC
Karitane man’s pension slashed due to ‘nasty’ NZ Super policy
To receive the New Zealand pension, she must have been living here for 11 years since the age of 20. Barry Walker and his partner Yan are surviving on one reduced income after Walker's pension was slashed under a Government policy. Barry Walker and partner Yan will be on a reduced income for the next decade. Barry Walker and partner Yan live in Karitane in the South Island. That policy was changed by the previous Government in 2020 with the reasoning it would make the system more equitable, she said.
Source:New Zealand Herald
April 03, 2026 16:05 UTC
Preschool teachers censured after child found screaming in locked van
A screaming child was found locked in a preschool van 80 minutes after the class had returned from a trip. A compulsory roll check was not done on arrival, and Gray took two children inside, leaving Choi with the van and the remaining children. She continued unpacking the van and took bags and equipment inside while monitoring the child in the front. At 2.39pm Gray locked the van and went back into the centre, leaving the child in the back seat unattended. The child was found at 3.28pm when a parent arriving at the centre to collect their own child saw movement in the van and the child inside screaming.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2026 15:47 UTC
Warning signals loud and clear
The warming trend for Dunedin has actually been slightly lower than many parts of the world, at least until recent years. Motivated by these clear warming signals, a ‘‘climate emergency’’ was declared by the New Zealand government back in December 2020, with many other governments making similar judgements around that time. In fact, we are perilously close to exceeding the 1.5°C warming threshold, with 2024 slightly above this point, and 2023 and 2025 hovering just below. Time will tell exactly what happens, but for now, the warning signals are loud and clear. If, as looks increasingly likely, we do exceed 1.5°C warming, then what next?
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2026 15:11 UTC
Pushing back against constant comfort
You still might not win, but you definitely won’t feel like a loser. ‘‘Events like the Hāwea Epic give us a chance to move towards what our survival instincts demand. For the Hāwea Epic, that community is the town, the biking community, the volunteers and supporters. ‘‘We don’t hide from the fact that the Hāwea Epic is a tough event, but with the right training anyone can do it,’’ Dougal says. I doubt there would still be a finish line by the time I got over it, two days later, in a rescue helicopter.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2026 15:11 UTC
Decisions made in distant rooms
Photo: Getty ImagesConversations about war, conflict, and global instability are no longer distant. For many whānau, the impacts are not abstract, they are real pressures and difficult decisions being made every day. Decisions made far beyond our control, in rooms we will never sit in, by people we will never meet, could bring all of our long-awaited plans to an end. When decisions are driven by power, control, or influence, rather than care for those most affected, it becomes harder to ignore what is really driving those decisions. The idea of others stepping into spaces that are not theirs, making decisions that reshape lives that are not theirs, is something we know all too well here in Aotearoa.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2026 15:11 UTC
Season's eatings
Seasonal fruit and vegetables are often cheaper to buy, last longer in your kitchen and taste better than out-of-season produce. Making the most of what’s in season works best when it’s paired with a bit of planning and smart storage in the kitchen. Apples and pears that have lost their crunch and have become floury are perfect for cooking — try making delicious, spiced apple fritters. Coat the fritters: Once the fritters are cooked, toss them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture while they’re still warm for a sweet, spicy finish. Serve and enjoy: These low-waste apple fritters are best served immediately, warm and crispy.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2026 15:04 UTC
Jacinda Ardern’s memoir adapted into children’s book What If You Could
“When I wrote my memoir, I told a friend that, in part, it was aimed at my 14-year-old self”, she wrote. “I never quite imagined having the opportunity to work with @rubyreadwrite and a group of amazing publishers to have it adapted into a book aimed specifically at young people. Her book A Different Kind of Power recently made headlines in New Zealand after a copy was burned at the Black Dog Tavern in Makotuku. At the time, there were more than 1000 comments on a photo of Ardern’s book on the brazier burn pile, while the book-burning video had more than 15,000 views. Black Dog Tavern owner Brendon Wilson refused to comment when contacted by Hawke’s Bay Today.
Source:New Zealand Herald
April 03, 2026 14:57 UTC
United Nations Security Council delays vote on authorising force to protect the Strait of Hormuz
The draft resolution has been moulded in a bid to rally several countries that have appeared sceptical, including Russia, China and France. Revised wording no longer explicitly invokes Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which allows the Security Council to authorise armed force to restore peace. It is not certain that Russia and China – who both wield veto powers – will back the draft resolution. Considering the possible Russian and Chinese vetoes, the text “faces tall odds to make it through the Security Council”, Daniel Forti, an analyst at International Crisis Group, told AFP. Security Council mandates authorising member states to use force are relatively rare.
Source:New Zealand Herald
April 03, 2026 14:21 UTC