Two a penny

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A bout of freezing weather is set to cover the country from later today with a “very cold” southerly flow forecast to move up from the South Island, prompting warnings for farmers to move their stock to sheltered ground.

The southerly airstream is forecast to head north over Southland and Otago this afternoon and Canterbury and Marlborough this evening, the MetService said.

The MetService said snow levels should slowly rise up to over 1000m on Thursday evening, with snow showers expected to clear from most inland areas during the morning.

“Over the South Island, snow showers are expected to lower to 300 or 400 metres in many southern and eastern areas later today,” the agency said in a statement.

Wellington, Wairarapa and Manawatu are forecast to receive snow dumps as low as 500 metres early on Thursday morning.

The southerly change was set to cross over the Cook Strait around midnight tonight before blanketing the North Island on Thursday morning, with snow showers likely to be as low as 700 metres south from Taihape and Hawke’s Bay.

“However snow is likely to affect many higher roads and passes in the South Island later today and also the Desert Road, Napier Taupo road and Rimutaka Hill road during Thursday morning. .

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“The combination of cold temperatures and strong southerly winds in exposed areas may affect livestock, and farmers are advised to move any stock at risk to sheltered areas,” the MetService said

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The jury in the Clayton Weatherston murder trial has stopped deliberations for the day and will return tomorrow morning.

The 11-person jury has been deliberating since 1pm this afternoon but has yet to reach a verdict.

They have asked to go home for the night and return for further deliberations tomorrow morning at 9:30am.

Justice Potter this afternoon asked the jury if they wanted to continue deliberating in to the night or return tomorrow.

Earlier in the day, Potter finished her summing up in Weatherston’s trial at the High Court in Christchurch.

Potter has not sequestered them and they will be allowed to go to their homes for the night.

“No reason or explanations are required but it is necessary that your verdict is unanimous.

Potter told the jury: “Your verdict in this case will be simply guilty or not guilty on the charge of murder.

Justice Potter told the jury they must put aside any horror or disgust at the injuries Weatherston inflicted on Elliott.”

Weatherston admits manslaughter but denies murder, saying he was provoked to attack Elliott and stab her 216 times at her Dunedin home on January 9 last year.

The jury was the sole judge of the evidence.

“You must reach your decision uninfluenced by prejudice or sympathy,” she said.

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Police have found a father and his two children missing in Northland’s Mangamuka Ranges in wild weather since Friday morning.

Search and Rescue had told police this afternoon that the trio had been found safe and well though the children were described as “very tired”.

The group were in the Omahuta Forest, part of the Mangamuka Ranges.

The 40-year-old man and his children, aged 13 and six, went into the bush on Friday morning on a day hike, Far North area commander Inspector Chris Scahill said.

Their vehicle had been located on Blackbridge Road and the three were found safe and well nearby earlier this afternoon.

Police were alerted on Saturday evening that they were overdue, Mr Scahill said. They had eaten chocolate bars and berries during their ordeal, One News reported. .

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Search and rescue members from the wider Northland squad began searching at first light this morning, with 30 members in five teams being taken into the area by an army Unimog, Mr Scahill said

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Escapee flees after AOS callout in Auckland

By CLIO FRANCIS – Friday, 13 February 2009

WANTED: Escaped prisoner Storm Hughes.

Counties Manakau police are continuing to hunt for dangerous fugitive Storm Hughes this afternoon. .
The Armed Offender Squad was called to a Buckland Beach home today, after a "credible" report said the escaped prisoner was there.25am, they found Hughes had already fled.
Later, when police searched the home at 11.
Hughes is described as a Caucasian, of medium build, 171cm tall with short blond hair and tattoos on his arms and back.
Police say he remains at large, and warn against approaching the escaped prisoner, who has an extensive history of violent offending.
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He was last seen wearing a blue denim jacket and a grey shirt and trousers

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Three charged with New Plymouth murder

By CLIO FRANCIS – Wednesday, 19 November 2008

Three men have been charged with the murder of Peri Niwa in New Plymouth early on Sunday.
The men, aged 21, 37 and 38, were arrested earlier today after warrants were executed at four addresses in New Plymouth.
The three men will appear in New Plymouth District Court this afternoon.
The armed offenders squad supported the operation but all of the arrests were made without incident.
A party was held at a house in Blagdon Road on Saturday night and a confrontation took place in a street nearby just before midnight.
Police said the investigation into the death of 31-year-old Mr Niwa continues.
A large number of guests at that party have been identified but Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Coward said he was seeking a number who had not yet been spoken and urged them to come forward.
Police believe at least four people chased Mr Niwa before he was killed in the early hours of Sunday morning.
He said he believed his youngest sibling was simply returning to his mates' house on Saturday night, and became caught up in a confrontation.
Mr Niwa's brother Fabian said yesterday that he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"If you saw Peri, he was just a skinny little runt that couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag," he told the yesterday.