Dog Rescue Dunedin has suffered a "perfect storm" of events, leading it to have to stop rescuing dogs — for now. Trustee Mandy Spearing told the Otago Daily Times that everyone involved was "overwhelmed" after a "perfect storm" of events. "We have fewer volunteers, more dogs coming in, and not enough people wanting to adopt a dog. "So please be aware that Dog Rescue Dunedin is not going to be there to rescue your dog if it is impounded. She also had advice for dog owners not wanting their dog to be sent to the pound.

Maia Flint in recovery mode after winning the Motatapu Miners Trail race on Saturday. PHOTOS: MOTATAPUMore than 2700 competitors relished fine conditions as they ran or biked in the back country between Arrowtown and Wānaka during the Motatapu off-road race on Saturday. In the 47km mountain bike from Glendhu Bay to Arrowtown, Priscilla Thompson won the women’s race in 2hr 18min 48sec. Mel Aitken smashed the women’s Trail Marathon field, finishing in 3hr 31min 53sec, while Talia Flannery was second in 3hr 49min 4sec. Meanwhile, 250 competitors aged from 7 to 15 took part in the 4km Junior Trail Run, which followed a loop along the Arrow River Bridges Trail.

Photo: Gerard O'BrienThere was a lot of horsing around for those finding themselves part of a revelling crowd of cavalcaders in Middlemarch over the weekend. And there was plenty of frivolity to look forward to, with the roads to and from Middlemarch busy with cars and horse floats headed to the Strath Taieri to celebrate the grand finale of the 33rd Otago Goldfields Cavalcade. Trekkers from 11 different trails — three walking, one mountainbiking, two wagon trails and five horse-riding trails — came from all directions to converge on Middlemarch. "All the trail bosses ... what a great bunch, friendly bunch and accommodating bunch of landowners," Mrs Walker said. Funds raised over the weekend would go towards a new roof for the Middlemarch swimming pool.

PHOTOS: SHAWN MCAVINUETownies studying in Dunedin are some of the latest recipients of the 2026 Meat Industry Association scholarship programme. "I’m a city boy and I had no exposure to any of the red meat industry prior to starting at Finegand." The career dream was to work in a corporate office in the red meat sector. She believed the future of the red meat industry was bright and was excited about opportunities in the sector . As part of the scholarship, recipients will attend the 2026 Red Meat Sector Conference in September.

In an email to colleagues, Doc invertebrate ecologist Warren Chinn said, in his opinion, the Environment Protection Authority should look carefully at "the invertebrate issue". "There are several threatened moths and ... a rediscovered beetle and many other community-level matters of significance on the land," he wrote. The Doc invertebrate specialist did not attend that session." The proposed effects management package did not adequately address expected impacts, Doc said. "Given the scale of impacts, proposed effects management interventions are considered inadequate from a conservation perspective and unlikely to achieve the anticipated outcomes."

RUC Hub co-founders Adam Johnston (left) and Briyarne Pascoe have developed a website making it easier for vehicle owners to understand impending changes to road user charges. PHOTO: SUPPLIEDThe co-founders of a Dunedin startup unravelling the confusion of coming road user charges (RUC) for vehicle owners aim to be retailers when it rolls out. Other questions are about where they can buy RUC, if there are online services and who is retailing RUC. "We do intend for this to push into a broader ecosystem and hope to start retailing RUC when the new changes come in." The co-founders have also launched RUC Compare as another website so road users can compare the prices of every RUC provider.

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Police want to hear from members of the public who may have information about missing Wellington woman Anna. Have you seen Anna? Police search for missing Wellington womanPolice want to hear from members of the public who may have information about missing Wellington woman Anna. Photo / policePolice want to hear from members of the public who may have information about a missing Wellington woman. “Anna last contacted family around lunchtime today, saying she was lost near Cone Hutt.

Donald Trump told Sir Keir Starmer that the United States does not need its “once great ally” Britain to send aircraft carriers to the Middle East. “The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East,” he posted on his Truth Social platform. “That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer – But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”Mr Trump made the remarks after it emerged the Royal Navy was preparing HMS Prince of Wales, one of its two aircraft carriers, for possible deployment to the Middle East within five days. His comments suggest that Britain may have formally offered an aircraft carrier to the US.

The strikes on Nabi Sheet and its surroundings killed 41 people and wounded 40, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said. The Israeli military had issued evacuation warnings for the area at noon on Friday (local time). “With this warning, we prepared and evacuated the children from the town to protect them,” Nabi Sheet Mayor Hani Moussawi said. ‘Infiltration’Hezbollah said earlier on Saturday (local time) that it had confronted Israeli troops that infiltrated an east Lebanon town overnight by helicopter. “The clash escalated after the enemy force was exposed,” Hezbollah said, adding that Israeli troops launched strikes before evacuating.

Police have not formally disclosed that the skeletal remains are Heath’s – nor have they detailed a cause of death. It had been suggested that Heath may have simply been part of a freedom camp. “And that wasn’t true, and we all knew that that wasn’t true. They were right there, right there. Call or text 1737If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has spoken out against New Zealand's response to the war in Iran. Have we, you know, invaded Cameroon where there’s many human rights abuses and ongoing repression of Anglophone speakers? Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's handling of the response to the war had been "found wanting", Helen Clark said. “There’s a level of double standard and hypocrisy about this.”Clark felt several aspects of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s reaction to the Iran war had “been found wanting”. “We need a steady hand on the tiller and the verdict increasingly is that our current Prime Minister can’t provide that.

The small runabout that was located by police's launch vessel about 6km off Wellington’s South Coast. Photo / NZ PoliceWhile the skipper was scuba diving, Wellington boaties ask to be rescued as they blew out to seaThe small runabout that was located by police's launch vessel about 6km off Wellington’s South Coast. Photo / NZ PoliceA group of boaties stranded in gale force winds and choppy seas off Wellington’s South Coast were rescued earlier this week while the skipper, who was the only one able to drive the boat, was scuba diving. At around 4pm on Thursday, Wellington’s police maritime unit responded to an emergency call from two people on board a 5.4m runabout on Wellington’s South Coast. The boaties also reported that the boat owner and skipper, on the trip with them, was scuba diving closer to shore and had not returned.

Afoa breached minimum wage requirements, although not by enough to result in additional charges, Judge Jelas said. Judge June Jelas oversees the sentencing of Latifah Afoa at Auckland District Court in April 2025. “He felt trapped, and that Ms Afoa had destroyed his dream,” Judge Jelas said. At that point, Judge Jelas said, it was likely too late for any suppression order to be effective. Judge Jelas also said during the August name suppression hearing there was a strong public interest in the case and Afoa’s identity.

Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph speaks after missing out on the All Blacks head coaching role, saying the race was “tight” and backing Dave Rennie to succeed. Video \ Ben Tomsett