Flooding on the East Coast has trapped several residents in their homes, with further heavy rain forecast for tonight putting local civil defence centres on alert.

A man aged in his twenties died after being stabbed in the chest in Manukau City last night.

Firefighters have warned of the dangers of "fire safe" clothing labels following the deaths of two men.

A hotelier who was doused with petrol during a robbery was lucky to escape with his life as the building was gutted by fire.

Howard Broad says his proudest achievements have been a roll out of tasers and boosting staff numbers in Counties Manukau.

Police say they have yet to discover the name and age of a man whose dead body was found by a street cleaner in Hamilton on Sunday morning.

Police hope to learn today whether there are any suspicious circumstances surrounding a house fire that claimed a woman's life at the weekend.

Students at the St Kentigern College after-ball party were treated by paramedics after becoming ill from drinking large quantities of Red Bull.

The driver of a car that smashed into a house left behind dead and dying friends to escape with those he was racing against just seconds before.

Shayne Sime was issued a gun licence just two years before he turned his weapons on Christchurch police.