Photo: RNZ/Calvin SamuelBy Susan Edmunds of RNZWe are only half-way through the first month of the year and already the business closures are mounting. "Businesses were saying 'oh, next quarter things are going to be much better'. "I think there's still a spate of business closures to come." "Two national businesses, 61 stores across the two businesses, have announced liquidations or closures in the first 10 days of the year... that shows how difficult it is for small and bigger businesses. She said the government could do more to ensure its settings were business-friendly and encourage people to buy from New Zealand businesses rather than offshore.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, addressing reporters outside the White House, declined to say if she thinks Trump should invoke the law. It’s his constitutional right, and it’s up to him if he wants to utilise it to do it,” Noem said. Asked if Trump is likely to take this major step, she said: “I don’t know.”Tensions rose further as an immigration agent shot and injured a man in Minneapolis on Wednesday evening (local time), triggering further protests. The shooting marked the second time in a week an ICE agent had shot someone in Minneapolis. “During the struggle, the federal agent discharged his weapon, striking one adult male,” O’Hara told reporters at a press conference.

Photo: 123RFHealth New Zealand has confirmed another major technology outage, this time for hospitals in the lower North Island. Health NZ said the outage was not related to hacking or to the Southern district outage, and services continued to operate safely throughout the day. But the healthcare worker, who RNZ agreed not to name, said the inability to access patients' vital health information was a clinical risk. Health NZ would only confirm "part of the Central Region" had been affected. "Health NZ admitted it had major problems late last year, and said it would take months not weeks to fix."

Photo Credit: NZ PoliceA 2016 black Corvette Z06 — now strapped to the bed of a rollback — won’t be tearing up any roads for a while. Its driver is facing charges in New Zealand after allegedly blasting through a Southland neighborhood on Christmas Eve at speeds up to four times the legal limit. “Thanks to information provided by the public, and through our initial enquiries, we identified the vehicle and its driver,” Russell said. Authorities also allege the man performed burnouts in the Z06, adding to the list of charges he now faces. Source:odt.co.nzRelated:C7 Corvette Driver Ticketed for 127 MPH on Interstate 69 in TexasC8 Corvette Driver Earns a Trip to Jail After Being Clocked 99 MPH in a 45 MPH ZoneThis C7 Corvette Driver was Arrested for Going 147 MPH in BakersfieldSubscribe Now:

The attack involved a large group of teenagers who were either watching, filming, or taking part in the assault. One of the victims, Harry, told the Herald he and his friends boarded the late-night train and noticed there was a large group of intoxicated teenagers causing a “nuisance”. Harriet, a victim of a recent train attack. Olivia was dragged off the train and suffered a deep cut on her hand from a wine bottle. Olivia was dragged off the train and suffered a deep cut on her hand from a wine bottle.

Today Otago Regional Council chairwoman Hilary Calvert answers our questions. I began this triennium by wanting to work towards the ORC being the best council it could be. In 2026 the ORC will face major challenges with uncertainty around the future of not only regional councils but indeed all councils. It is even more important to be the very best council we can be. This support will require us to avoid asking staff to do unnecessary work and work which the ratepayers don’t want.

Central Otago wines are among the attractions in a new government campaign targetting the lower South Island. That is the message from Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston who has announced a campaign targeting the lower South Island to run from April until June. The Southern Way campaign would receive $459,250 from the second stage of the Regional Tourism Boost Fund to build on the momentum of the first campaign. "With direct flights from the Gold Coast into both Dunedin and Queenstown, it’s never been easier for Australians to explore everything the lower South Island has to offer. The campaign brought together Great South, Tourism Waitaki, Enterprise Dunedin, Clutha Development, Tourism Central Otago, Destination Queenstown, and Lake Wanaka Tourism.

Cromwell police officer Senior Constable Paddy Henderson at work in a Central Otago shearing shed in 2023. Snr Const Henderson used to have a shearing run and was a contractor for more than 15 years, before giving the run to Mr Kirk and enlisting in the police. Mr Kirk had the shearing run until 15 months ago when he handed it over to Scotty Armstrong. Mr Armstrong reached out to Snr Const Henderson asking for a hand and to help raise money for Mr Kirk and his family. Snr Const Henderson and the shearing fraternity came up with the 24 hour shear-a-thon idea, with volunteer shearers and donated shearing contractor workers helping to reach the goal.

PHOTO: ODT FILESA violent sex offender who spent six years locked up only lasted a month in the community before being sent back behind bars. Daniel Waka Minogue, 44, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to wilful damage and two charges of breaching release conditions. At the time, Stuff reported most of the allegations related to Minogue taking a woman to a remote part of the Waimakariri riverbed. The woman believed he sexually violated her in the course of a search for drugs, Stuff reported. Yesterday, Judge David Robinson sentenced Minogue to three months’ imprisonment.

A digger demolishes and uncovers smouldering timber in the remains of the Roslyn Scout Hall as firefighters battle the last remaining spots of fire yesterday. The large multi-storey blaze kept firefighters at the old Roslyn Scout hall overnight and well into yesterday morning after the building was gutted by flames. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSHBefore it was a scout hall, the building was the Roslyn Baptist Church. The scout hall, which was over 100 years old, was basically empty and had no power connected. Firefighters were first alerted to the blaze after a Roslyn crew returning from another callout noticed billowing smoke on about 3.35pm on Wednesday.

A medical issue among crewmembers aboard the International Space Station prompted their mission to be cut a month short - a first for the orbiting laboratory. Photo / 123RFAstronauts leave ISS in first-ever medical evacuation and are due to splash down off California tonightA medical issue among crewmembers aboard the International Space Station prompted their mission to be cut a month short - a first for the orbiting laboratory. Photo / 123RFFour crewmembers departed the International Space Station today after a medical issue prompted their mission to be cut a month short - a first for the orbiting laboratory. A video feed from Nasa showed American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui undocking from the ISS at 11.20am NZT, after five months in space. The four are scheduled to splash down off the California coast at around 9.40pm aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule.

‘‘This guy!’’ Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph (left) is one of those named as a possible replacement for former All Blacks coach Scott Robertson who was sacked yesterday. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIENHighlanders fans need to brace for the bittersweet possibility of coach Jamie Joseph becoming the next man to coach the All Blacks. Joseph shapes as the leading contender to replace All Blacks coach Scott Robertson following the bombshell confirmation of Robertson’s dumping yesterday. While Joseph could not be reached for comment, and chairman Peter Kean said it was too soon to speculate if the Highlanders might need a new coach, it is clear Joseph has the strongest case to become All Blacks coach. The contendersJamie Joseph: Highlanders and All Blacks XV coach widely seen as the No 1 option for the top job.

PHOTO: ODT FILESCutting red tape around granny flat builds is a welcome move for Otago’s construction industry but not without its pitfalls, local operators say. Small standalone dwellings up to 70sqm, dubbed granny flats, no longer require a building or resource consent under government changes in place from yesterday. BuildSmart co-director Glen Williamson, of Dunedin, said reducing "red tape" and cost to build was welcome. The consent exemption applied only to simple designs meeting the Building Code, where work was carried out by authorised professionals. "Inside that cost is maybe $5000 of building consent, and that's the only cost you're going to save."

Associate Transport Minister James Meager is calling on New Zealanders to do their part to celebrate those who risk their lives to bring people home safely, by nominating them for the 2025 New...

Dawn Meats group chief executive Niall Browne has been appointed the acting chief executive at Alliance Group, following the resignation of Willie Wiese. PHOTOS: SUPPLIEDAlliance Group chief executive Willie Wiese is stepping down from the role. Willie Wiese. "Willie’s decision to step down follows an intensive two-year reset of the entire business, a pleasing return to profitability and the completion of a successful capital raise with Dawn Meats. Dawn Meats group chief executive Niall Browne has been appointed the acting chief executive at Alliance Group.