A driver involved in a head-on collision that seriously injured one of the Western Bay of Plenty's top cops has been charged.

Jacob Beck-Jaffurs, who was in his final year of medical school, has died after a spear-fishing trip near Tauranga.

A heavily armed police officer stormed a swimming club in the middle of a race last night - making children stand against a wall.

A weekend in Tauranga has a wet theme for Sarah Lawrence who goes kayaking, to a seafood festival, looks for dolphins and visits hot pools.

A man accused of murdering a Tauranga mother, who died trying to save her daughter, can now be named after a court imposed suppression order lapsed.

A 41-year-old man has been charged with murder after the death of a 59-year-old woman who was killed while trying to protect her daughter early yesterday morning.

A 59-year-old woman was killed yesterday while trying to protect her daughter from a flash of violence that also left two others injured.

Police have launched a homicide investigation after a woman was killed in Tauranga this morning.

A restaurant manager created an elaborate scheme so he could steal nearly $140,000 from his employer to feed his gambling addiction.

Chris Langdon's style is influenced by travel - but she still thinks Auckland is the best shopping city in the world.

Police have resumed their search for an elderly hunter believed to have been swept down a Bay of Plenty river on Saturday.

The Chinese company that sparked a fierce national debate last year about foreign investment in farming is ploughing ahead with plans to export millions of cartons of UHT milk from New Zealand to China.