A notorious student pub in Dunedin closed to avoid riotous farewell celebrations at tonight's All Blacks test match.

Encouraging a mother to spit on her baby may not sound like good science, but it is the basis of a world-first study in NZ.

Dunedin student pub The Garden Tavern, known as Gardies, will close its doors for the final time this weekend after being sold to Otago University this year.

A teenager on home detention chased a police officer with a nailgun in the Otago town of Cromwell early this morning, before crashing during a police pursuit.

Trail riding is increasing in popularity in New Zealand.

A man who allegedly ordered a taxi as a getaway car after abandoning a stolen vehicle in a police pursuit will appear in Dunedin District Court today.

A competition is being run as part of the New Zealand International Science Festival to discover what makes the deep south's long-time favourite snack so good.

Most New Zealanders want Special Air Service (SAS) troops withdrawn from Afghanistan, a poll has found.

The extent of the damage across flood-stricken Otago is starting to become apparent as swollen rivers recede.

The rain has stopped falling in flood stricken Otago and Hawkes Bay, but the regions face a big, expensive cleanup.

A large landslip swept through a campground where up to 42 people were sleeping in flood-stricken Central Otago early today.