Karis Rae says she almost wondered what she got her family in for after taking up a friend’s offer to buy their cider business as the world plunged into despair from the Covid-19 epidemic.Rae, of Kāpiti, said a friend offered…

By RNZ A fourth person has been arrested in the search for a man wanted after a shooting at the Sofitel Hotel in Auckland.Police continue to seek Hone Reihana, 27, after the shooting in the lobby of the hotel on Auckland’s viaduct…

A man made multiple domestic violence order breaches before he and his former partner were found dead after her house was set alight in Brisbane's south, a court has heard.

Doreen Langham's body was found inside her Browns Plains unit after it was "engulfed" in flames in the early hours of on February 22 – a day before she'd called police and asked for protection against her ex-partner Gary Hely.

Hely was also found dead in the charred unit.

Counsel assisting the coroner Kathryn McMahon told Southport Court today he'd made multiple breaches of a domestic violence order (DVO) implemented on February 9 between the 14th and 17th of that month.

READ MORE: Former Test cricketer Stuart MacGill allegedly kidnapped by four men

Early stages of the investigation indicated the couple had separated shortly before the DVO was enforced, with Ms Langham changing the locks to keep him from gaining access to her home.

The court heard Ms Langham called the police on the night of February 21 seeking protection from Hely but it took officers over an hour to respond.

There was no response when they knocked on the door and they left soon after.

The inquest will investigate when and how the pair died, along with if Queensland Police's response to Ms Langham's calls for help were adequate.

The inquest may make recommendations on procedural changes that could be made to prevent similar deaths.

Separate investigations are being carried out by the Ethical Standards Command and Homicide Squad. Both are expected to be completed by August.

The next pre-inquest hearing is set to take place on September 15.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Sam Newman has described his wife Amanda Brown as loyal, loving, and strong-willed in an episode of his podcast dedicated to the 50-year-old who died just days ago.

Mr Newman found his partner of 20 years inside their Docklands apartment in Melbourne on Saturday night and knew straight away she was no longer alive.

"It's been 24 hours since I arrived home and found dear Amanda lying on her side … she looked so gentle and calm and innocent, that somehow I knew instantly, she was dead," Mr Newman on his You Cannot Be Serious podcast, released today.

READ MORE: Melbourne dad-of-five may have been mistakenly killed in drive-by

READ MORE: Former Test cricketer Stuart MacGill allegedly kidnapped by four men

The former AFL player said he called Triple-Zero who talked him through CPR which he performed for 20 minutes while waiting for an ambulance.

The couple were together 20 years and married in November last year.

"She was loyal and loving, concerned and protective, astute and as strong-willed as any person," the 75-year-old said.

"I have always loved her for what she was, for who she was.

"An adage I've cited often when people face adversity, is never cry over things that can't cry over you.

"I've cried a lot over Amanda Newman."

Mr Newman ended the podcast episode titled 'Amanda' with one final tribute.

"There are many things in life that catch your eye, but only a few things catch your heart. Pursue those," he said.

"Amanda Newman certainly caught my eye. But above all … she caught my heart."

A 21-year-old woman was arrested at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in the US for attempting to smuggle 1.3 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the soles of seven pairs of shoes, customs officials said yesterday.

"Shoes are made for walking and not smuggling narcotics," US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a news release.

The Georgia woman, who wasn't named, was returning from Jamaica on Sunday when agents pulled her aside for further inspection, according to the news release. It did not say why she was flagged.

READ MORE: Cocaine pellets pad out woman's bra

Upon examination of her bags, officers found a white powdery substance concealed in the bottoms of seven pairs of shoes, the news release says. The substance field-tested positive for cocaine, the release said.

In images shared by CBP, the shoes, ranging from sneakers to sandals and even a pair of wedges, are arranged on a table after officers took them apart. In the sole of each shoe and inserted in the heel of the wedge, a package of cocaine can be seen.

This isn't the first time smugglers have attempted to hide drugs in the soles of their shoes. In December, CBP said a drug-sniffing dog at the checkpoint in Yuma sniffed out more than a kilogram of fentanyl that was duct-taped inside the shoes of an Arizona man.

On a typical day, border agents seize more than 1600 kilograms of drugs, according to CBP.

READ MORE: Two tonnes of cocaine seized at Miami Beach

"Smugglers go through great lengths to conceal drugs from our officers," Paula Rivera, CBP port director for the Area Port of Atlanta, said in the news release.

"Narcotics interdiction remains a priority CBP enforcement mission, one that we take very seriously."

Officials estimate that the 1.3 kilograms of cocaine they found in the woman's shoes has a street value of $52,000 (US$40,000). The woman was turned over to the Clayton County Police Department for prosecution, according to CBP.

"Criminal charges are merely allegations,' reads the release. "Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."

CNN has reached out to the Clayton County police for more information on the woman and the charges she faces.

Nikon Australia has announced the finalists for the annual Nikon Surf Photo and Video of the Year Awards. Held in partnership with Surfing Australia, the industry-recognised awards provide a national platform to celebrate the work of local surf photographers and videographers.

The families of four children who were killed when they were hit by a drunk driver while walking to get an ice-cream in Sydney's west say they are "devastated" plans for a commemorative garden nearby have been shelved.

The Abdallah, Sakr and Kassas families wanted the tribute, including four headstones, to be created at Oatlands Golf Club near where the children were killed.

They say they worked with Parramatta Council on the plan for the special garden.

READ MORE: Family of children killed in Oatlands crash focused on forgiveness

But after earlier rejecting plans, the club said the garden the families wanted was too big and said it has "decided to close negotiations."  

The families say they want the club officials to reconsider.

"We are devastated by the decision of the Oatlands Golf Club Board to end discussions for a modest commemorative garden on the edge of the golf course where our children were killed," they said in a statement.

"We respectfully ask the Board to reconsider its decision so that our children can be honoured and the community can have a place to remember the Oatlands Tragedy which had such an impact on our nation.

"We love our children dearly and we will always grieve the loss of our beautiful kids. Our proposed commemorative garden simply honours our children."

The Golf Club said it had discussed plans for a "modest memorial consisting of four small memorial stones, set in a garden."

But it said all the concepts submitted by Parramatta Council on behalf of the family have been "well outside the scale of what had been communicated as appropriate."

"Following media coverage in February 2021, and in order to progress the matter, the Club called a meeting on 26th March 2021 with the families, Parramatta Council and Minister Lee and requested support from the families for a memorial of a modest scale," General Manager Sam Howe, said in a statement.

"This was rejected by the families, and at the meeting the parties indicated that a revised proposal would be provided to the Club for consideration.

READ MORE: Home of family who lost children in crash tragedy burgled

"A revised concept, similar in size to concepts previously rejected, was submitted to the Club in April 2021.

"Given the scale of the revised concept, the Board has also rejected it as unsuitable.  

"The Board and Management recognise the terrible tragedy caused by this accident, while at the same time recognising our responsibility to the Club and its members.

"In light of there being no support from the families for a memorial that the Board has deemed appropriate to take to the membership, the Board has decided to close negotiations. " 

Samuel Davidson was drunk and travelling 133km/h in a 50km/h zone when he ploughed into children as they were walking and riding bikes on the footpath in Oatlands in February 2020.

Abdallah siblings Antony, Angelina and Sienna, along with their cousin Veronique Sakr, were killed.

Davidson pleaded guilty to four counts of manslaughter and was sentenced to a minimum of 21 years in jail last month.

It can take just three minutes for a fire to overwhelm a home, say authorities in the wake of three fatal house fires earlier this week. On Monday three people died in three separate house fires across New Zealand – in Palmerston…

Two years ago, after his first throat cancer diagnosis, Steve Carr had nothing but praise for his treatment through the Southern District Health Board.Now his cancer has returned, but since September last year a sorry sequence of…

Police and volunteers have been out desperately scouring the area for a preschooler missing overnightThe urgent search for 4-year-old Axel who has been missing from his Tolaga Bay home since around lunchtime yesterday continues…