Controversial Waimea dam more than double projected cost

Zacharius Rakena faced up to seven years in prison due to dangerous encounters with a theft victim and police following a car theft incident on February 19 last year. Despite his lengthy criminal history, his lawyer proposed a new approach to sentencing, emphasizing Rakena's rehabilitation efforts through the Grace Foundation. Judge Yelena Yelavich acknowledged these efforts, noting that Rakena had previously been incarcerated multiple times without significant change, highlighting the importance of addressing his rehabilitation....

Pope Francis, aged 88, passed away on Monday at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, prompting tributes from world leaders, including Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will attend his funeral. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday at 10am local time in front of St Peter’s Basilica, after which his coffin will be transported to Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore basilica for burial, marking the first time in over a century that a pope will be laid...

A coronial inquest has resumed in Christchurch regarding Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore's suspected suicide on August 9, 2021, following the Tokyo Olympics. The inquiry has revealed misconduct at Cycling NZ, including pressure on Podmore to lie during a 2018 investigation, with a 2022 report by Mike Heron highlighting cultural deficiencies within the organization. During the inquest, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Erik Monasterio was called as a witness and faced criticism for emphasizing the negative impacts of...

The victim of a fatal bus stop attack on Saturday was an American PhD student who was studying entomology.Police are seeking a black SUV and its occupants which they believe was involved in the attack.They are also seeking “critical witnesses” in a white Toyota ute. Kyle Whorrall, a 33-year-old US doctoral student studying entomology, was fatally assaulted at an Auckland bus stop and later died in the hospital. A manhunt is underway as police search...

New Zealand First is introducing a Member’s Bill to clarify the legal definitions of "woman" and "man," aiming to move away from what it describes as "woke ideology." This initiative follows a recent UK Supreme Court ruling that defines "women" in the British Equality Act as only biological women. The party proposes defining "woman" as "adult human biological female" and "man" as "adult human biological male," asserting that this amendment will uphold legal certainty and...

Heritage advocates are concerned that the Government's resource management reforms will lead to the loss of kauri villas and bungalows, which they believe are integral to Auckland’s identity. Character Coalition chair Sally Hughes and heritage expert Allan Matson argue that Minister Chris Bishop's reforms threaten the integrity of “Special Character Areas” and could facilitate the delisting of heritage properties. In contrast, the Coalition for More Homes supports genuine heritage but claims that the current application...