NZ at noon: Glowing Orbs, Frankenstein, Robbers Attacked

Romeo the dog with Juliette the duck rescued from a farm in Te Puke six weeks ago as a duckling. Photo / John Borren

Stories making headlines across New Zealand at noon include Challenge petrol station worker Michelle who now knows she isn't mad after spotting strange lights in the sky, the strange case of Frankenstein and would be robbers didn't count on some staunch pub patrons objecting to an armed robbery.

The mystery of the strange glowing orbs in the skies over Lake Tarawera and Hamurana may have been solved.

Romeo and Juliet captured people's hearts, but Juliet's name changed to Julius, then again to Frankenstein, "because now he's a bit evil".

Two men who burst into Whakatane's Kope Turf Bar last night with a shotgun got beaten up by patrons who apparently told an armed robber who was whacked over the head with a pool cue that this was "their'' bar and no one was going to rob it.

Disabled students experience "really high" rates of bullying. For example a girl who has had four open heart surgeries and is a bit behind because she had a lack of oxygen has been kicked, slapped and generally pushed around.

Meanwhile the 'Amazing Race' has highlighted access issues for disabled people.

Chinese Communist Party chairman for Liaoning province, Wang Min, has been visiting the Far North.

The Anzac frigate HMNZS Te Mana has parked up at Port of Napier this morning.

As Christmas parties get into full swing Operation Unite gets underway tomorrow.

Meanwhile the Otago Daily Times is alleging there is more than one Santa.

Gambling machines raked in $14.7 million in Whangarei in the year to September but apparently that's not enough.

Unless proven insane, Reo Rangipohewa Ueratawill probably stand trial next year for allegedly biting off a Whangarei police officer's lower lip.

Meanwhile in Pahia volunteers are making a mosaic chair in the tourist town's latest volunteer beautification project.

Rotorua's Jordi Webber is apparently one of six reasons why teenage girls around the country have been screaming their heads off.

K2 has apparently led to a rapid rise in Hawke's Bay people turning up to doctors and addiction services.

Gisborne's Christmas Parade is apparently shaping up to be the biggest yet. It's a superhero theme but apparently everyone is being very secret-squirrel.

Here's pictures of Oamaru's Christmas Parade from the air.

The police were called after a Ngaere woman was threatened on her Facebook page.

The person who put sixteen year old Manutahi Edwards in a critical condition after stabbing him in the face with a screwdriver is still out there.

Fonterra is about to spend about $250 million in North Wairarapa and create some jobs.

Wanganui High School student Pratibha Singh has won the national prize for Year 10 poetry.

The spirit of the 28th Maori Battalion will live on.

Sinterklaas and helper Black Pete have been photographed in Dunedin. While in Dunedin, lock your car.

Polish investment banker Kamil Szlago and his wife Sylvia apparently saved $40 by freedom camping outside the front gate of the Wanaka Top 10 Holiday Park.

Poachers in the Kurow area better watch out.

Apparently the further south you go in New Zealand the older the vehicle fleet becomes.

Meanwhile Ellen Skelton charged at police with her fists raised, yelling abuse.

And the Post Shop has decided to vacate Mawhera House at the entrance to downtown Greymouth after reviewing the building's seismic assessment.

Top trending topics on Twitter in NZ at noon were: #SummerNightsSurprise, #MentionATwitterBestFriend, Dave Brubeck, #YouCantBeTakenSeriouslyIf, #marriageequality, Xmas, Christmas, #Hot30Countdown and #NowPlaying.