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Top Stories |
 | $1m Xin Xin ransom demand made - report
By KIM RUSCOE
Little Cina Ma will return home this morning, just a couple of hundred metres from where police found her in a cupboard, amid speculation that her rescue followed text-message ransom demands from her abductors.
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 | Labour closes gap to 16 points
By TRACY WATKINS
Labour has been thrown a lifeline by today's Fairfax Media-Nielsen poll showing the gap with National has closed to its narrowest since last year.
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| | Wrong body cremated after identity blunder
By MARTIN TIFFANY and BELINDA FEEK
An elderly man who thought he had farewelled his wife at a funeral service was devastated to learn a stranger had instead been in the casket.
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| | Sharp improvement in home affordability
There was a sharp improvement in home affordability in June thanks to falling house prices and interest rates, according to the Wizard Home Loans Affordability report out today.
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Technology |
 | Stuff's guide to extra Olympic content
By REUBEN SCHWARZ
The upcoming Beijing Olympics, like the last in Athens, will bring in millions of viewers from around the world to thrill and cringe as their favourite athletes sink or swim, sometimes literally.
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| | Computer general and a botnet army
By KATE MONAHAN
It is a dreary morning at the Hamilton High Court and several photographers wait outside for their quarry. A black taxi cruises past the Hamilton Central Police Station. "There he is. That's them!"
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 | Review: Space Invaders Extreme
By JASON HILL
Thirty years after the first invader was blasted, Taito celebrates one of the world's most popular and influential video games in style.
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National News |
| | Peters admits Glenn donation
By COLIN ESPINER
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has been forced into an embarrassing admission that wealthy expatriate businessman Owen Glenn gave $100,000 to fund a legal battle involving the MP.
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| | Urgent call on rest homes
By KIM THOMAS and REBECCA TODD
The Minister of Health has ordered an urgent review into whether rest home audits should be made public after instances of neglect and abuse in the sector.
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Sport |
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| | Herbert opts for back four
By FRED WOODCOCK
Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert has no desire to play three defenders at any stage this season and will trot out his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation for the first time in tomorrow's Pre-Season Cup opener against the Central Coast Mariners at Westpac Stadium.
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World News |
| | Iran hopes for 'constructive' nuclear talks
Iran's chief nuclear negotiator has expressed hope for "good and constructive negotiations" as he left Tehran for a meeting with world powers on the country's disputed nuclear programme.
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Rural |
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 | Another game of two calves
OVER THE FENCE - JON MORGAN
It's calf-rearing time again. On farms around the country, new homes are being found for the millions of calves produced by the dairy industry.
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Business |
| | C+M payout to be lower - receiver
By MARTA STEEMAN
About 7000 investors in Capital+Merchant Finance will receive much less than expected of their $167 million invested.
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| | Fears of trans-Tasman 'bloodbath'
BY ROELAND VAN DEN BERGH
Air New Zealand says the trans-Tasman market is on the cusp of returning to a bloodbath as a number of airlines look to enter the route or add more capacity.
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| | Oil plummets, enjoy the ride
By NICK CHURCHOUSE
The biggest three-day fall in 25 years has knocked international oil prices 12 per cent back from record highs, but for consumers the good news is limited.
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| | Pacific Blue plans worry crews
By ALAN WOOD
Pacific Blue Airlines says it remains in an expansionary phase with New Zealand operations, despite a report that its staff are fearful about being rehired following a contract change.
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Dominion Post |
 | Labour closes gap to 16 points
TRACY WATKINS
Labour has been thrown a lifeline by today's Fairfax Media-Nielsen poll showing the gap with National has closed to its narrowest since last year.
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 | SPCA raises price of pups, kittens
KAY BLUNDELL
"Crippling" petrol prices have contributed to a dramatic increase in the cost of adopting kittens and puppies from the SPCA.
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 | Xin Xin back with her family (+video)
KIM RUSCOE
Little Cina Ma will return home this morning, just a couple of hundred metres from where police found her in a cupboard, amid speculation that her rescue followed text-message ransom demands from her abductors.
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Marlborough Express |
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Manawatu Standard |
| | Accused killer is 'proud' of it, city jury told
By JODY O'CALLAGHAN
Andre Gilling is proud of his part in the brutal murder of gay man Stanley Waipouri, convicted murderer Ashley Arnopp told the High Court in Palmerston North yesterday.
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 | Troops reunite with families
By KATIE CHAPMAN
The crisp winter air rippled with excited anticipation at Ohakea Airforce Base last night, when the second to last deployment to Timor Leste arrived home.
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| | Wind farm at Turitea moves closer
By GRANT MILLER
Mighty River Power plans to build up to 131 wind turbines in Palmerston North's Turitea Reserve and on neighbouring properties.
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The Nelson Mail |
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| | Three-day air strike takes toll
By SALLY KIDSON
Air Nelson staff have made 10,000 phone calls to passengers as it deals with a three-day pilots' strike. The strike, smack at the end of the school holidays, follows a year of unsuccessful negotiations.
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| | World Cup lure compelling
By TRACY NEAL
A looming Rugby World Cup deadline has pushed the Nelson City Council into opting for a $7 million upgrade of Trafalgar Park, which ratepayers will fund if the proposal goes ahead.
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The Press |
| | Urgent call on rest homes
Kim Thomas and Rebecca Todd
The Minister of Health has ordered an urgent review into whether rest home audits should be made public after instances of neglect and abuse in the sector.
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| | Labour gains as attacks on Key hit home
Colin Espiner Political editor
Labour has fought back in the latest Fairfax Nielsen opinion poll amid signs its attacks on National leader John Key are having an impact.
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| | No, no, no, no, no, no, yes
Colin Espiner Auckland
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has been forced into an embarrassing admission that wealthy expatriate businessman Owen Glenn gave $100,000 to fund a legal battle involving the MP.
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Southland Times |
 | Police raid Mob HQ for evidence
By SAM McKNIGHT
Armed police stormed the Mongrel Mob headquarters yesterday, searching for evidence linked to an arson attack last month.
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| | Actions of church defended in abuse case
By AMY MILNE and JARED MORGAN
A church acted within the law when dealing with a former member found guilty of child abuse, despite criticism levelled at it by a district court judge, a church spokeswoman said.
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 | Church slammed for abuse silence
A District Court judge yesterday criticised churches for dealing with sexual offenders "in-house", as he sentenced a former judicial officer to five years' jail.
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| | Silver Fern Farms sells meat plant at Mosgiel
By DIANE BISHOP and KAREN TREBILCOCK
Silver Fern Farms, formerly PPCS, announced yesterday it had sold its Silverstream processing plant, near Mosgiel, to Christchurch-based Scales Group.
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Taranaki Daily News |
 | Hub stage one on time and under budget
By GRETA CLEARYgreta.cleary@tnl.co.nz
The goal posts are up at Hawera's sports and leisure complex and the first stage of the Hub project will officially open tomorrow.
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Timaru Herald |
 | $130m boost at Studholme
A $130 million dairy plant expansion at Studholme will see the factory producing both organic and traditional high-value baby foods. Rhonda Markby reports.
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| | Twizel set to grow fourfold
Twizel could be allowed to nearly quadruple in size over the next 10 years, with part of the town to expand east across the state highway.
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Auckland |
 | Star gives shuttle push
By MELANIE VERRAN
Starship hospital is looking at providing a shuttle service for outpatients to cut the thousands of costly no-shows each year.
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| | Bin honeymoon great
By ROMY UDANGA
The public’s honeymoon period with Manukau’s new recycling service has turned out better than expected – and the high quality of the city’s recycling material has impressed the people who process it.
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| | Inquiry into bank scam
A man facing fraud charges will be interviewed about a fake detective scam targeting elderly women.
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 | Clark loves Mt Albert
By HEATHER McCRACKEN
Prime Minister Helen Clark says Mt Albert’s still a great place to live and raise a family.
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Central North Island |
 | World Cup makes a visit to Rotorua
By PHIL CAMPBELL
Question: Which trophy weighs several kilograms, was made in Birmingham, is valued at $10,000 and will be targeted by dozens of nations later this year?
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 | Farmer hits black gold
By PHIL CAMPBELL
When you're drilling for water it's not very often you strike evolutionary gold.
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Hawke's Bay |
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 | Double escaper 'no George Wilder'
MARTY SHARPE
Convict Jayden Conroy might have escaped custody twice in less than 20 hours, but he's no George Wilder, says a Napier detective hot on his trail.
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 | Coolstore smoke 'like atom bomb' (+video)
MARTY SHARPE
A thick column of black smoke "like an atomic bomb" rose above Hastings and brought crowds to a standstill as a large disused coolstore burned into a pile of sodden embers.
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Northland |
 | Dragon icon rocks on home
Leaving Dargaville in an old beat-up Comer van to find fortune in the big city is a far cry from where local boy Mark Williams is now.
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 | Stock hazard on SH1
By RICHARD EDMONDSON
Someone will die on State Highway 1 if authorities don’t get tough on Hokianga farmers whose livestock wander on to roads, local residents say.
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| | No way HHO says AA
By PIP COLE
Water powered cars might be a way for the future, but not just yet says the Automobile Association.
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 | Service station staff told to stay safe
By ROBYN DOWNEY
Petrol station attendants are being warned to put their own safety first after an attempted robbery at the Dargaville Caltex Service Station.
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