I’m angry my dad changed his will, leaving 90% to a woman he met at bridge
After my father’s death I discovered he had re-written his will, giving 90% of his estate to Harriet, and only 10% to me and my two siblings. The new will was prepared by a lawyer unknown to me, not my father’s long-standing solicitor. Undue influence is pressure exerted on the will-maker at the time the will is prepared. In deciding whether there has been undue influence the judge will look at all the evidence. It would also be worthwhile producing evidence from a psychiatrist to comment on your father’s susceptibility to undue influence.
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 28, 2025 00:56 UTC
Family-friendly movies and TV to stream with the kids this summer
Photo / Universal PicturesMovies for all agesThese movies have great storylines for adults to follow and maybe even laugh along to, and enough magic to leave the kids enchanted. Soul – Disney+A hit with kids and adults, with an epic score by Jon Batiste, Soul is sure to pull at the heartstrings. Host Mark Rober, a former Nasa engineer, builds gadgets and conducts experiments that both adults and kids will love to see come to life. Chuck these on the TV for safe, family-friendly viewing you can trust won’t scar them for life. Spoken in te reo, kids will learn about friendship and exploration in a fun, locally made show.
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 28, 2025 00:50 UTC
Auckland CBD assaults: Police seek witnesses after three seriously injured around Karangahape Rd
Police are calling for witnesses and footage from the assaults around Karangahape Rd, Queen St and Cobden St. Photo / Mike ScottThe offender is still at large, and the police file number is 215228/4647. Another serious assault occurred at around 4.30am on Cobden St, off Karangahape Rd, where a 27-year-old man sustained serious injuries. Police conduct a scene examination on the corner of Karangahape Rd and Cobden St following a mass disorder incident overnight. Photo / Dean PurcellThe third serious assault unfolded at the Mobil Service Station on the corner of Karangahape Rd and Ponsonby Rd at about 5am, leaving a 46-year-old man seriously injured. Witnesses to any of the three assaults are being asked to contact police directly via 105, either by phone or online, quoting the relevant file number.
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 28, 2025 00:42 UTC
Weather: Last week of the year set to be wet, severe warnings in holiday hotspots
🟡🟧Wet Weather for Holiday and Festival Goers🟧🟡Monday and into Tuesday weather gets wet and wild with heavy rain and gale southeasterlies. Those heading to the Rhythm and Vines Festival should also be aware of a heavy rain warning in place in Gisborne / Tairāwhiti starting at 6am tomorrow to 3am on Tuesday. The same orange rain warning has been issued in the Hawke’s Bay for the 23 hours starting 10am tomorrow to 9am on Tuesday. Aucklanders can expect nothing but rain tomorrow, with a temperature high of 22C and overnight low of 18C. Periods of heavy rain are forecast to develop in the morning - possibly heavy - easing to a few showers by the evening.
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 28, 2025 00:37 UTC
Drenching on way for parts of North Island
Photo: Kaelin Wade via RNZA bout of bad weather is about to sweep across the east of the North Island, ahead of New Year celebrations. Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne could get off to a damp start, with an orange heavy rain warning issued by MetService for 18 hours from 6am on Monday through to Tuesday. Meanwhile, an orange strong wind warning is in place for Manawatū and Horowhenua and the Kāpiti Coast from 5pm on Monday. As for Tuesday, MetService said there was high confidence "severe southeast gales will affect Taranaki, Manawatu, Kapiti, Wellington, the Marlborough Sounds and Golden Bay". There is low confidence that warning amounts of rain will accumulate in northwest Nelson and Buller."
Source:Otago Daily Times
December 27, 2025 23:09 UTC
Comedian and actor Chevy Chase ‘back from the dead’ after heart failure
Comedian and actor Chevy Chase ‘back from the dead’ after heart failureChevy Chase came “back from the dead” after suffering heart failure. The 82-year-old comedian spent five weeks in hospital due to heart issues during the Covid-19 pandemic and the extent of his health problems have now been revealed for the first time. Speaking in new documentary I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, his daughter Caley Chase explained: “He has basically come back from the dead. He had heart failure.”His wife Jayni Chase added: “Something was wrong, and he couldn’t explain to me what was wrong. “During those years he was drinking, he got cardiomyopathy; when the heart muscles get weaker, and they can’t pump as much blood out with each beat.”
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 27, 2025 22:30 UTC
South hit with one of the year's most intense storms
Photo: MetService/screenshotThe thunderstorm that has lashed the South Island and brought widespread and large hail is one of the year's most intense storms, MetService says. Large parts of the mainland have been under brief severe thunderstorm warnings through Saturday afternoon. Selwyn and Ashburton are currently still under severe thunderstorm warning. It said its roading maintenance contractor was out after the hail storm clearing street gutters to make sure stormwater could drain away. Two farms near Ashburton contacted by RNZ said the severe hail storms did not reach them.
Source:Otago Daily Times
December 27, 2025 21:58 UTC
Why National’s got the country and itself into such a mess – Simon Wilson
For much of my life, National’s strategy was to stoke fear of the trade unions. Votes swirl around within the centre-left and the centre-right, but the two blocs remain pretty much in balance. Perhaps Luxon is boosting Labour and suppressing support for National, while Te Pāti Māori is boosting National and suppressing Labour. Act Party leader David Seymour was guest of honour at a party held by his party recently, to celebrate his becoming Deputy Prime Minister. It is rational.”This is the irrational view of a person who thinks bad things happen only to other people.
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 27, 2025 21:32 UTC
Why you should consider investing outside of New Zealand – Mary Holm
Some people say it’s good to stick with New Zealand shares because of what’s called dividend imputation. And, again, you still won’t cover a wide range of industries if you confine your offshore investing to Australia. Points to notice about our graph:• NZ and overseas shares sometimes follow similar paths, but sometimes very different paths. It’s a bonus you wouldn’t have had if you had stuck with just New Zealand investments. And after you die it takes longer for your estate to be settled if you have overseas investments.
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 27, 2025 21:31 UTC
Charities having to turn away high numbers of volunteer applications
McLachlan said depending on the organisation, they might want to do a police check, a reference check and an interview. “We’d love to welcome as many people as we could because the more hands on deck the more we can do and the more we can contribute to the community.”She said people were self-motivated to apply for volunteer work. “Unemployment being high really does encourage people to engage with the workforce and get experience,” Crichton said. “It really is about staying connected with the community and meeting others.”She said more young people were seeking volunteer work experience. “It’s a great opportunity to get work experience and a reference and there’s an appeal there as an employer ...
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 27, 2025 20:38 UTC
Crayfish crackdown: Nelson man Joshua Spooner in court over Facebook seafood sales
Fishery officers regularly patrol the coastline to ensure the rules are being followed. Spooner’s illegal trading of recreational catch is one of several ways people can breach fishery rules and was detected through his online presence. Fishery officers stopped the pair while doing catch inspections at Waihau Beach, also known as Loisels Beach, about 40km north of Gisborne. Fishery officers say the most common excuse they hear is that people “don’t know the rules”. The haul of 422 pāua taken from Kaikōura’s south coast in August after fishery officers stopped a car and found the seafood.
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 27, 2025 20:37 UTC
Calmer day ahead for storm-battered South Island
File photoA calmer day is in store for parts of the South Island battered by hail and lashed by torrential downpours and lightning yesterday. In Ashburton, the council dispatched a contractor to clear street gutters after a big hail storm there. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) sent crews between Timaru and Fairlie to reports of hail blocking the road and cars being flooded. "Although there still is a moderate risk for northern parts of the South Island, however, the southern parts that have seen that significant thunderstorm activity yesterday, they are not in the firing line of thunderstorms. "The people will see sun today, which is brilliant, but there still will be those showers, particularly in the afternoon and particularly for inland areas."
Source:Otago Daily Times
December 27, 2025 19:42 UTC
The Cure guitarist and keyboardist Perry Bamonte dies aged 65
The Cure members (from left) Lol Tolhurst, Michael Dempsey, Perry Bamonte and Boris Williams attend the 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in New York in March 2019. File photo: ReutersPerry Bamonte, keyboardist and guitarist in The Cure, has died at 65, the English indie rock band have confirmed through their official website. In a statement, the band wrote that Bamonte died "after a short illness at home" on Christmas Day. The statement said Bamonte was a full-time member of The Cure since 1990, playing guitar, six-string bass, and keyboards, and performed in more than 400 shows. He first worked as an assistant to co-founder and lead vocalist, Robert Smith, before becoming a full member after keyboardist Roger O'Donnell left the band in 1990.
Source:Otago Daily Times
December 27, 2025 12:21 UTC
Obituary: Scales navigated her way through the comic acting traps
Prunella Scales as Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers. Photo: BBCPrunella Scales made audiences laugh as Sybil Fawlty then charmed them navigating a narrowboat with her husband Timothy West. Scales had never previously met John Cleese, who also co-wrote Fawlty Towers, and after she praised the script he asked if she had any questions. Prunella Scales and actor husband Timothy West. Fawlty Towers brought more television work, notably the 1985 series Mapp & Lucia, and Simon Brett’s comedy After Henry.
Source:Otago Daily Times
December 27, 2025 12:19 UTC
Thailand and Cambodia agree to ‘immediate’ ceasefire in joint statement
Both sides agree to freeze all troop movements and allow civilians living in border areas to return home as soon as possible, the statement added. The ceasefire comes after three days of border talks announced following a crisis meeting of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), of which both Cambodia and Thailand are members. The United States, China and Malaysia also pushed for the neighbours to cease fighting. Five days of fighting between Cambodia and Thailand in July killed dozens of people before a truce was brokered by the United States, China and Malaysia, and then broken within months. The fighting was still raging on Friday, with Cambodia accusing Thailand of intensifying its bombardment of disputed border areas and Thai media reporting overnight Cambodian attacks.
Source:New Zealand Herald
December 27, 2025 09:48 UTC