A plan for new artificial turf at Logan Park was the major casualty after Dunedin city councillors sharpened their pencils at yesterday's budget meetings.

Users of Glendhu Bay Lakeside Holiday Park will have to pay at least $16 a day per person, or a "daily holding fee" of $8 for unoccupied caravans left on site for no longer than 30 days, which brings the park in line with other parks in the Queenstown Lakes district.

New Zealand exporters could feel some early benefits if, as expected, the euro zone confirms this morning it is in a double dip recession.

A young Napier father who broke his baby daughter's legs has been remanded for sentence after pleading guilty to hurting her - 14 months after telling police how she was injured.

Kim Dotcom's head of security told his boss that John Banks asked for a political donation and said he would be a "very good friend'' once he was back in Parliament, according to an email.

About 200 people gathered in Lawrence at the New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards on Saturday night, to honour families who have owned the same farm for a century or more.

An arrest warrant has been issued for an Illinois man charged in the slaying of his new bride a day after the two were married, police said.

Torrential rain, thunderstorms, large hail and a waterspout have been reported in Taranaki with violent weather predicted in parts of the North Island today, say weather forecasters.

Thousands of Xtra emails have not been sent after two incidents affected the internet service provider in 10 days.

Two people have been charged after police seized ice, heroin and ecstasy worth $1.6 million in southwest Sydney.