A bus engineer charged over his alleged work on a tourist bus involved in a horror crash in the Southern Alps on New Year's Eve can be named.

Police are asking for sightings of a 65-year-old man with Alzheimer's disease who has gone missing in Christchurch.

A person has died after being struck by a train this evening, police said.

No one was in a South Island house engulfed by fire late last night.

A lucky Lotto player is a million dollars richer tonight. A ticket bought at Cromwell New World scooped Lotto's First Division prize in tonight's live Lotto draw.

Air New Zealand has partnered with Christchurch-based company Invert Robotics to trial robotic inspections of its planes.

Relative of murdered sex worker Renee Duckmanton says death has "broken my family", as other family members yell abuse at man charged with killing her.

The body of Marcus Tucker was found dumped near Lake Ellesmere on Drain Rd, Doyleston on Anzac Day.

A man who crashed into a power pole last night is still in critical condition in Christchurch Hospital.

Uncertainty remains over whether the 4WD enthusiasts who were rescued from the Old Man Range on Monday will be able to claim insurance on their abandoned vehicles.

A 68-year-old man associated with the maintenance of a bus which crashed on Arthur's Pass on New Year's Eve has been charged.

Quarry firm also ordered to pay $100,000 in reparation to employee's family after he was killed while operating heavy machinery.

MetService is warning of more rain, squalls, strong winds, "a nasty band of thunderstorms" and even coastal tornadoes today.

A man who assaulted two cyclists in separate incidents in Dunedin has been jailed.

After 18 months of legal wrangling, the trial has begun of two men and a woman in relation to an alleged kidnapping in Queenstown in 2014.

A disabled Dunedin man is promising justice to the burglar who stole his communication "lifelines'' from his Northeast Valley home.

A "playground" for four-wheel drive enthusiasts is how one roading manager described the Waikaia Bush road where a 4WD party was rescued yesterday.

Severe weather warnings for country - including snow in Otago region and large swells on the west coast of the South Island - mean mild autumnal days a thing of the past.

One of the 38 rescued after spending nearly 20 hours trapped in a Central Otago snow storm says the group were relieved to see their rescuers this afternoon.

On social media, residents are reporting disruptions to travel and public transport around the city. Source: Dave Ure / ODT

At least 30 road signs worth $10,000 have been vandalised or stolen in the Grey district in the past three weeks.

A two-bedroom state house in Queenstown has sold for $665,500 at auction today.

The body of a deceased 27-year-old man has been found in a Christchurch reserve this morning.

Renee Duckmanton, whose body was burned and dumped on a rural Canterbury road, was last seen in Christchurch's red light district on Saturday night.

This afternoon on NZ Herald Focus, we have the latest on the woman found dead on Main Rakaia Rd - Renee Duckmanton.

Timaru has been revealed to have the 'worst level of air pollution' in Australasia. How does your town or city compare?

Michael Stark said he would "get a gun and kill him'' when speaking about his court case.

The Greymouth fishing boat that suffered $350,000 of damage in a suspicious blaze while moored at the wharf early last week, is about to be towed to Nelson for repairs.