A Christchurch gang associate allegedly murdered on New Year’s Day had been a “big teddy bear” pimp whose testimony helped convict a prostitute killer 15 years ago. Kane Alan Wayman, 46, was dropped outside Christchurch Hospital…

A large storm has hit Broken Hill, leaving a trail of hail and debris.

The severe weather struck about 2pm AEDT and caused flash flooding.

SES was called out to 28 jobs in just 20 minutes – with more than 50 jobs still to be dealt with.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued warnings of large hailstones and heavy rainfall for North West Slopes and Plains, Central West Slopes and Plains, Riverina, Lower Western and Upper Western Forecast Districts in NSW.

https://twitter.com/Grant_Shep/status/1345213375442083840https://twitter.com/BOM_NSW/status/1345211345835331585

Video filmed in town shows water surging down streets, swamping cars parked on the side of the road.

There have also been images of a sea of white hailstones dotting backyards.

The storms in the area have been generated by low-pressure troughs, which are triggering showers and storms across much of Australia.

The State Emergency Service advises people in extreme weather should:

• Move your car under cover.
• Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
• Don't walk, ride your bike or drive through flood water.
• If you are trapped by flash flooding, seek refuge in the highest available place and ring 000 if you need rescue.
• Be aware that run-off from rainfall in fire-affected areas may behave differently and be more rapid. It may also contain debris such as ash, soil, trees and rocks.
• After bushfires, heavy rain and the loss of foliage can make the ground soft and heavy, leading to a greater chance of landslides.
• Unplug computers and appliances.
• Avoid using the phone during the storm.
• Stay indoors away from windows, and keep children and pets indoors as well.
• Stay vigilant and monitor conditions.
• Note that the landscape may have changed following bushfires.
• For emergency help in floods and storms, ring the SES (NSW and ACT) on 132 500.

Test your brains with the Herald’s afternoon quiz. Be sure to check back on nzherald.co.nz for the morning quiz tomorrow. To challenge yourself with more quizzes, CLICK HERE.

By RNZ Two members of the National Party have this afternoon been refused entry to Waikeria Prison, as the uprising by inmates shows little sign of being resolved.Inmates holding up part of Waikeria Prison are now into their…

A thick red-bellied black snake has been spotted slithering on a popular coastal walk in Sydney's east.

Lifesavers at South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club issued a warning to beachgoers yesterday after the venomous snake was seen near the pathway towards the north of the club.

"Stay out of bushes and vegetation in dune areas and watch your step on pathways," the post read.

READ MORE: Red-bellied black snake slithers into family's fridge

https://www.facebook.com/southmaroubraslsc/posts/4103336613014020

READ MORE: Monstrous red-bellied black snake captured

Red-bellied black snakes are known to raise their bodies from the ground and flatten their necks when they are threatened and about to strike.

They are known to grow over two metres in length.

Desperate family members are urging rioting Waikeria Prison inmates to give themselves up, but warn their loved ones are “willing to die” if their demands for basic needs are not met. A group of 16 inmates are still evading capture…

On January 2, 1971, a deadly stampede killed 66 fans in Glasgow, Scotland who were there to watch an Old Firm match between Rangers and Celtics.

An Auckland car dealership will fork out a $14,000 refund after selling a car that had been once written off before being reregistered. As a recent tribunal decision details, Robbie Clemens purchased the 2006 Ford Focus from A…

A man has been arrested and charged after an alleged backpackers stabbing in one of Auckland’s most upmarket suburbs. The 33-year-old has appeared in the Auckland District Court today after an incident at a boarding house on St…

The Senate has voted to override President Donald Trump's veto of the sweeping defence bill known as the National Defence Authorization Act, delivering a bipartisan rebuke to the President in his final days in office.

Trump's veto forced Republicans to decide whether to defy the President in support of legislation that sets defence policy for the country.

The legislation, however, originally passed both the House and Senate with veto-proof majorities and the House voted on Monday to override the veto. 

The final vote was 81-13, far above the two-thirds majority needed.

Trump had threatened to veto the defence bill, which includes pay raises for America's soldiers and modernizations for equipment, because it doesn't include a repeal of Section 230, a law that shields internet companies from being liable for what is posted on their websites by them or third parties.

The bill also includes provisions to limit how much money Trump can move around for his border wall and to require the military to rename bases that were named after figures from the Confederacy.

Trump has said that he opposes any effort by the US military to rename the nearly one dozen major bases and installations that bear the names of Confederate military commanders — and he raised that issue in his veto message in addition to his complaints over Section 230.

"I have been clear in my opposition to politically motivated attempts like this to wash away history and to dishonour the immense progress our country has fought for in realizing our founding principles," the message stated.

A standoff in the Senate over stimulus checks led to a drawn-out timeline for the final override vote after independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont indicated Monday night that he would delay a quick vote unless Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, brought a vote on $2,000 stimulus checks to the floor. That vote never took place and the Senate voted Friday afternoon to end debate on the veto override.