Man accused of St Patrick’s Day rape in Whakatāne says woman had been ‘flirting’ with him

Footage from a central Auckland supermarket fire shows extensive damage, with 20 fire engines responding at the blaze's peak. While the fire in the Freemans Bay supermarket has been contained, it remains active, leaving water flooding out the entrance and revealing damaged stock and materials within. Need More Context? 🔎

The body found in rugged bush near Good Night Scrub National Park has been identified as missing teenager Pheobe Bishop, concluding a month-long search that captured national attention. The Bishop family expressed gratitude for the support they received during the investigation, while police continue to search for additional items related to the case. Need More Context? 🔎

Police have released a security camera image of a motorcyclist involved in a hit-and-run that critically injured Paige Johnson, a 24-year-old blind and deaf cancer survivor, on Edmund Rd in Rotorua. Johnson was struck while crossing the street on Sunday and is currently hospitalized; authorities urge the rider to come forward. Need More Context? 🔎

RNZ is offering voluntary redundancies for the first time in its history, coinciding with a significant budget cut of nearly $5 million annually over the next four years. Chief executive Paul Thompson confirmed the scheme and stated that applications will be evaluated against the need to maintain essential skills within the organization. Need More Context? 🔎

Teenager Hunter Ives, 17, faced a tragic accident when bus driver Vaughan Tairoa made a turn just 3.5 seconds before Ives collided with the bus; a mere second could have saved his life. A police report indicated that the bus required between 4.44 and 4.55 seconds for the turn, highlighting the split-second timing that led to the fatal incident in Upper Hutt. More Context

A young couple was deceived into buying a rot-infested home, resulting in negative equity and a stagnant life, as described by a judge. Former JP Davinder Rahal, found jointly liable for the fraud and ordered to pay nearly $1 million in damages, claims he is not responsible and attributes the couple's predicament to others, despite prior knowledge of the property's defects. More Context