The trial has begun of a freezing worker accused of shooting dead his brother and driving around the lower North Island with him in the back seat, avoiding police during a two-day manhunt.

Arsonist Phoebe O'Donaghue has no remorse and no empathy for the family whose house she torched as they slept, a Probation Service report says.

David Dougherty - compensated in 2001 for wrongful imprisonment - is in court again accused of stealing meat, beer, socks, DVDs and underwear.

A hospital emergency department is being investigated after a doctor filled out a "do not resuscitate" order, allegedly without consent.

A man who rescued two of his children from a house fire last night was lucky to escape with only burns to his hand, the Fire Service says.

Diana Clement and a friend took two long weekends away from men and children to discover the tracks of Tongariro National Park.

A mother is calling for a city council to take action after a falling football goal crossbar broke all but one bone in her son's face.

A Whanganui man was last night assaulted by two teenagers who attempted to steal his car when he took them for a drive in order to get them out of his house, say police.

The deaths of four people in house fires across the country in the past five days could have been prevented, the Fire Service says.

NIWA's latest seasonal outlook predicts temperatures in all regions are likely to be above average from October to December.

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