Iran rejects ceasefire as Trump says entire country can be 'taken out'
At a news conference, Trump said Iran could be "taken out" in one night "and that night might be tomorrow night," referring to Tuesday. Without an agreement with Tehran, Trump said, "Every bridge in Iran will be decimated" by midnight EDT (0400 GMT) on Wednesday and "every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding, and never to be used again." "Iran is no longer the same Iran, and Israel is no longer the same Israel. Israel is stronger than ever, and the terrorist regime in Iran is weaker than ever," Netanyahu said in a statement. Thousands of people have been killed across the Middle East in the Iran war, including 3,546 in Iran, US-based rights group HRANA said, and nearly 1,500 in Lebanon.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 07, 2026 02:17 UTC
Family of missing Christchurch woman 'desperately worried' for her safety
Photo: SuppliedThe family of a Christchurch woman who has been missing for nearly eight months are "desperately worried for her safety", police say. "Rowena has not been in contact with her children since she went missing, and as her 40th birthday approaches, her family are now desperately worried for her safety. Police say Rowena Walker's family are 'desperately worried for her safety'. Photo: NZ Police'Hugely concerning'In an earlier interview with RNZ, Carolan said the fact Walker had been missing without any trace was "hugely concerning". Carolan said Walker was "reasonably transient" and was known to have family and associates all over the country.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 07, 2026 00:48 UTC
Slight lift for National, surge for NZ First in latest poll
National Party leader Christopher Luxon (L) and Labour leader Chris Hipkins. Photo: RNZThe latest Taxpayers Union-Curia poll shows National slightly up - but still below 30%, and Labour slightly down, with the coalition parties comfortably able to form a government. At the start of March, the Taxpayers' Union/Curia poll had National on 28.4 percent - down nearly three percentage points from the month before. The latest RNZ/Reid Research poll had the party on 30.8 percent, also trending downwards. Both March polls had National behind Labour, which polled 34.4 percent in the Taxpayers' Union/Curia poll and 35.6 percent according to RNZ/Reid Research.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 07, 2026 00:13 UTC
Record number of 'mum and dad' investors looking to sell properties
Image: RNZWith the economy facing many weaknesses, including war in the Middle East, it is the mum-and-dad investors shouldering the impact. Independent economist Tony Alexander regularly surveys a group of 200 existing property investors. He says his findings show a record number of mum-and-dad landlords are planning to sell their properties. The survey found 38 percent planned to sell their properties and that just 12 percent were looking to buy. Alexander said professional long-term investors were staying, but small investors have been exiting the market.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 06, 2026 23:18 UTC
Breakfast briefing: US service sector cools, inflation heats up
In the US, the widely-followed March ISM services PMI came in a touch lower than expected, and lower than for February. The Canadian services PMI is still contracting, extending that retreat to five straight months. Input price inflation accelerated to a survey-record (ten year) high. India's services PMI was still expanding fast in March, although continuing the receding growth trend they have had for more than eight months. Input price inflation climbed to a 45-month high and they had their weakest rise in new business and activity since January 2025.
Source:Stuff
April 06, 2026 22:53 UTC
Two employees hospitalised after aggravated robberies in Christchurch
File photoPolice are making inquiries after two aggravated robberies in Christchurch on Monday evening. About 10 minutes later, police received another report of two people entering a premises with a weapon, this time on McBratneys Rd. An employee there was also assaulted, and was taken to hospital with moderate injuries. "The two offenders have targeted cash before leaving the area in a vehicle," Kohnke said. Police are working to identify and locate the offenders, and figure out whether or not the incidents are linked.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 06, 2026 22:52 UTC
Cyclone bearing down as North Island braces for more rain
Heavy rain arrived in Northland on Tuesday as a subtropical low approaches the upper North Island and makes its way south. Forecasters were expecting the low to reach the far north of the North Island overnight on Monday and then move southwards on Tuesday, reaching the northern South Island by Wednesday evening. MetService had issued an orange heavy rain warning for Northland from 10pm on Monday, running into Tuesday. The forecaster warned up to 120 mm of rain could fall, especially in the north and east. "Some of the models are indicating that perhaps towards the weekend the remnants at least of the cyclone could affect parts of the North Island."
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 06, 2026 22:21 UTC
Soil issues dirtying city progress
Across the city, ordinary residential properties are increasingly being swept into contaminated land rules. The NESCS was designed to manage genuine contaminated land — sites affected by industrial processes, chemical use or deliberate hazardous activities. Other councils operating under the same legislation do not routinely classify residential properties as Hail sites on the basis of historic paint alone. That starts with a simple step: stop classifying standard residential properties as Hail sites where no genuine hazardous activity has occurred. Until then, the city may soon be known less for its heritage, and more for its land contamination.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 06, 2026 20:39 UTC
Deadliest Catch tragedy: Todd Meadows’ drowning ruled accident as family eyes lawsuit
Deadliest Catch is set in the Bering Sea between Alaska and Russia, one of the most dangerous places in the world to fish, according to National Geographic. In winter the water temperature goes below freezing, the air nears -10C and the boats are buffeted by howling winds. A crew member told Us Weekly that cameras were filming when Meadows died. “Todd was the newest member of our crew, he quickly became family. The page said Meadows died doing what he loved, “crabbing out on Alaskan waters”.
Source:New Zealand Herald
April 06, 2026 20:27 UTC
How Jono Ridler swam the length of the North Island's East Coast | Ryan Bridge TODAY
NZ Herald Headlines | Friday, April 3, 2026. The Iran and the US war ramps up again after speeches and warnings from both sides. Easter trading rules apply today. Video / NZ Herald
Source:New Zealand Herald
April 06, 2026 20:12 UTC
How to watch Artemis II's moon flyby and when
Artemis II is humanity's first flight to the moon since 1972, when NASA's Apollo 17 landed on the moon. Here's how to watch the historic lunar flyby and the key times you need to know. 1:03pm - Return trajectory correction-1 burn to get the ship travelling back to Earth. 2:53pm - Return trajectory correction-2 burn to get the ship travelling back to Earth. 6:53am - Return trajectory correction-3 burn to get the ship travelling back to Earth.
Source:Stuff
April 06, 2026 19:13 UTC
Cyclone Vaianu to directly hit North Island this weekend, Cat 2 storm intensifying in Pacific
Photo / Himawari-8Two active tropical cyclonesVaianu is about 600km northwest of Nadi in Fiji, with Metservice having warned it’s set to make direct impact with the top of the North Island this weekend. The cyclone is expected to deliver strong winds, large swells and heavy rain. 20 hours of heavy rain for NorthlandMetService has issued an orange heavy rain warning for Northland, where up to 120mm of rain could fall until 6pm. Meteorologist Paris Marshall said rain was expected to reach the Far North overnight before spreading through the North Island today. Further south, a heavy rain watch has been issued for Auckland north of Papakura, including Great Barrier Island, with rain expected to arrive from around 9am.
Source:New Zealand Herald
April 06, 2026 18:32 UTC
Carrington Estate housing project: Auckland schools sound warning over surging roll growth
Photo / NZMEShe said roll growth was becoming “increasingly challenging to manage” as developments cropped up all over the area. She appreciated the ministry was monitoring the situation, but feared its predictions for enrolments did not align with the school’s. Kelston MP Carmel Sepuloni said she supported the development but had heard growing concerns from local schools already under pressure. Photo / Brett Phibs“Of course [Carrington] is a big one, if not the biggest, but there are other housing developments that are occurring simultaneously. His school hit 3750 students last year and is on a fast track to 4000, he said.
Source:New Zealand Herald
April 06, 2026 18:31 UTC