Prime Minister Christopher Luxon during a cooking demonstration at Fonterra's headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, last year. Photo: RNZ / Giles DexterAnyone with a spare $10,000 can buy a chance to eat dinner with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at the Christchurch Town Hall next month. That is how much it will cost for a seat at the most expensive "platinum" table where Luxon will be sitting during the National Party's 'Mainland Dinner' fundraiser. Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and Women’s Minister Nicola Grigg will also be there. A National Party spokesperson told the Herald: "National is holding a campaign fundraising dinner with MPs in their capacity as leader and spokespeople.

Photo: NZ PoliceQueenstown police are hunting for two men over disorder in a shop which left a worker distressed. "Nobody was physically injured, however the store worker is understandably extremely shaken," police said in a statement. It was believed the men pictured could help with inquiries, police said. The incident hapepend at a store on Eleventh Avenue, Queenstown on January 24. If this is you, or you can help us identify those pictured, please contact Police via 105, either over the phone or online, referencing file number 260128/1485, police said.

Since then, the family had launched a free-range hen farm, selling produce under the brand Old Road Eggs. He had been feeding the milking herd baleage and fodder beet but the silage supply had not been needed, he said. The boundaries of the more than 190ha dairy farm includes State Highway 1 and Taieri River. A swollen river puts the entire dairy farm underwater at least once a year, he said. Nearly 40 people attend a Taieri Discussion Group event, run by DairyNZ, hosted by Josh and Ellie-May Adam’s dairy farm in Allanton, near Mosgiel.

Highlanders flanker Adam Thomson throws himself at the Waratahs defence during a Super Rugby game in Dunedin in 2012. Photo: Peter McIntoshAdam Thomson was always a bit different. Difference can be a good thing — and Thomson was one mighty good rugby player. Thomson went on to play 29 tests and was part of the World Cup-winning side in 2011. He had stints in Japan, returned to Super Rugby with the Reds and Rebels, and played for both the Chiefs and Waikato in his final season, 2020.

PHOTO: SHAWN MCAVINUEStrong demand for sheep is pleasing but the war in the Middle East is softening prices, Taieri farmers say. Romdale wether lambs fetched between $169 and $180 each, Romdale ewe lambs between $158 and $166 each and terminal cross lambs between $154 and $170 each. The conflict in the Middle East was softening sheep prices. Romney wether lambs fetched between $169 and $207 each, Romney ram lambs $180 each, Romney ewe lambs between $161 and $168 each, Blackface mixed sex lambs between $173 and $200 each, Texel cross male lambs between $169 and $185, Texel cross ewe lambs $164 each and Texel ewe lambs $140 each. The prices were good and on par with expectations, as sheep prices had softened due to shipping challenges as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends an event celebrating the first session of the Supreme People’s Assembly in Pyongyang yesterday. PHOTO: VIA REUTERSNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country would permanently strengthen its nuclear forces and treat South Korea as its most hostile state, as he set out policy priorities in a speech to parliament, state media KCNA reported yesterday. Kim said Pyongyang’s status as a nuclear-armed state was irreversible and expanding a "self-defensive nuclear deterrent" was essential to national security, regional stability and economic development. He rejected the idea nuclear disarmament could be exchanged for economic benefits or security guarantees, saying North Korea had already proven maintaining nuclear forces while pursuing development was the correct strategic choice. Nuclear weapons had deterred war and allowed the state to focus resources on economic growth, construction and living standards, he said.

Some heavy rain watches forecasted for the upper North Island have been upgraded to an orange heavy rain warning. The heavy rain watch which was in place for Northland is now an orange warning from 7pm Wednesday until 9am Friday. The chance of wet weather due to a deep subtropical low has now also spread with a heavy rain watch issued for other parts of the Upper North Island including Auckland. An orange heavy rain warning is in place for Northland. In the South Island Tasman west of Motueka is under a heavy rain watch from Thursday until Friday.

Prominent composer and University of Otago music Emeritus Professor Anthony Ritchie will retire from academia next week. The 65-year-old emeritus professor of composition, conducting, New Zealand music, contemporary music and music theory, will retire next week after 23 years in the music department. For a man who had spent most of his life immersed in music, a life without it was inconceivable. One of the greatest things about working at the university was that it surrounded him with musical inspiration for his compositions, he said. "The expectation is that you’ll still be involved with the university and its activities when you’re an emeritus professor, and I’m more than happy to do that."

Photo: ODT FilesRising fuel prices appear to be keeping some travellers off the roads in the main centres. Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub helped RNZ compile NZ Transport Agency data showing traffic at sites throughout the country. "I think prices have risen even more since then and high prices discourage people from driving, so it's not surprising." "Some people will still be burning through the remaining fuel they might have purchased beforehand. But he said the drop in crude oil prices in recent days should help to stop prices from increasing as quickly.

Photo: ODT FilesRising fuel prices appear to be keeping some travellers off the roads in the main centres. Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub helped RNZ compile NZ Transport Agency data showing traffic at sites throughout the country. "I think prices have risen even more since then and high prices discourage people from driving, so it's not surprising." "But I think probably too early to make it definitive that you're seeing an absolute switch in activity." But he said the drop in crude oil prices in recent days should help to stop prices from increasing as quickly.

Their 1-5 curve is steeper at +23 bps (+3 bps) and the 3 mth-10yr curve is now at +70 bps (+2 bps). The Australian 10 year bond yield starts today at 5.03%, down -2 bps from yesterday. And the NZ Government 10 year bond rate starts today at 4.86%, down -4 bps. That all means our TWI-5 starts today down -30 bps at just on 61.9. The bitcoin price starts today at US$69,569 and down -1.4% from this time yesterday.

“We would like to assure customers this was an isolated issue, related to the actions of an individual who no longer works for NZ Post,” an NZ Post spokesperson said. He wondered how it had been possible for the mail to remain undiscovered for the past four years. His undelivered mail was a letter from Specsavers dated April 2022. People can pick their delayed mail up from the Kaitāia Box Lobby, on North Park Drive, using ID. “We encourage customers to use our letter as evidence with any organisation they may have been delayed in responding to, so they are able to take these exceptional circumstances into account,” NZ Post said.

Instagram / @mel_schilling1Australia's Married at First Sight expert Mel Schilling has died of cancer, aged 54. She announced her terminal diagnosis in March, saying her cancer had spread to the left side of her brain. In a post on Instagram in March, Schilling said her oncology team told her "there's nothing further they can do". "To most of you, she was Mel Schilling — matriarch of MAFS and queen of reality TV. In honour of Schilling, her husband said: "live life to the full, love your people well, and try not to sweat the small stuff."

The Warehouse has issued a recall notice for the Roo Crew Take-Apart Vehicle, saying its small parts pose a choking hazard for children under three. Photo: The Warehouse / SuppliedThe Warehouse has been fined more than $200,000 for selling a toy that was a choking risk for children under three. The Commerce Commission said the "Roo Crew Take-Apart Vehicle Toys" were potentially dangerous because they contained multiple small parts and had failed several safety tests. "Multiple parts came off each variation of the toy, and they failed small parts testing." The Warehouse previously issued a voluntary recall notice for the toy.

The disappearance came after Family Court proceedings between Ms Lu and Mr Beckenridge, which saw Mike placed in his mother’s care. The covert conversations continued until March 13 when Mr Beckenridge abducted Mike from his school. Photo: suppliedBorder alerts were immediately arranged in relation to Mr Beckenridge and there was already one in place for Mike. Mike Beckenridge. The coroner said it was indicative of a trial run by Mr Beckenridge followed by the final plunge.