Police say they will have an increased presence around Christchurch over the coming days after flammable projectiles were thrown at a gang pad this morning.

Strong winds are bearing down on parts of the South, including Dunedin, as some more wild weather whips up the country.

An officer who was accused of accessing the police national intelligence database to allegedly "fix a problem" for the family of Christchurch's Mama Hooch rapists has had the charges dismissed.

A supermarket duty manager was left with facial injuries after a man punched him in the head, then kicked him as he lay on the ground, in a brutal surprise attack.

Portuguese authorities are investigating what caused a Lisbon funicular railway popular with tourists to hurtle down a hill, killing at least 16 people and injuring 22 more.