All Black Sione Lauaki admits punching a man in a Hamilton bar earlier this month, but will be available for the Chiefs' next match with the Brumbies.

Telecom shares sank to new a low on the NZ sharemarket today, while rises in Fletcher Building, Contact Energy and other leaders helped carry the market higher.

Some of NZ's first national standards-based student reports have been issued by a Hamilton school amid concerns from its principal.

A young father was stabbed with a steak knife and bitten after he confronted two burglars - both young women - in an incident police say could easily have ended in tragedy.

At least 60 firefighters were needed to quell a blaze understood to be the largest in Hamilton since a fatal coolstore explosion two years ago.

Sixty firefighters were this afternoon battling a blaze at a fibreglass boat builders in Hamilton.

A Sunday newspaper is defending an investigation that put reporters with fake bombs in sports stadiums, horrifying officials and angering police.

A newspaper has been widely condemned for sending mock terrorists into Super 14 rugby games last weekend.

A newspaper has hit back after Police Minister Judith Collins criticised it for sending "terrorists" to Super 14 rugby games.

A newspaper had no satisfactory explanation for sending people dressed as terrorist bombers into the AMI stadium, the head of the stadium says.

Several people were lucky not to be hurt when a car was driven through the entrance to Hamilton police station.

The victim of an alleged hit and run aggravated robbery was left lying on the side of the road with his pleas for help ignored by passing motorists.

The mother of a Hamilton man who died after a paintball attack wants to know why no one was charged over his death.

Pat Baker, a $10 million landlady and grandmother, is bristling about being blamed for wrecking the economy.