Catherine Smith looks at the best free and family shows on offer during the two major arts festivals showcasing Auckland City this month.

The Ombudsman has launched an investigation into whether an Auckland councillor knew she already had another job when she received a redundancy payout of more than $200,000.

There are many events on offer, Auckland-wide, to have you feeling festive.

Teenagers in South Auckland are being sent to work as prostitutes by their parents to pay for drugs, says a councillor.

A son has given evidence against his own father, accused of the murder of a mother of four.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested over the death of an elderly Wanganui woman in a hit-and-run yesterday.

The Kahui twins' grandfather drove 50km to search for their mum when baby Cru stopped breathing, instead of taking him 4km to hospital, an inquest hears.

A trackside fire has shut down train services on Auckland's Southern and Eastern line between Otahuhu and Papakura.

A pig hunting father who vowed never to return to Wellington made an exception when he found out he was Lotto's latest multi-millionaire.

The first Auckland Council has been decided, and it has a centre-left look about it, which will make life easier for Super Mayor Len Brown.

Ezra Sitagata, 7, could 'pass and tackle like a pro' but he had to tell his team he had cancer.