Two Aussie brothers killed "execution style", a homicide investigation launched in Auckland, and a Lord of the Rings star passes away.
1 Missing Australian brothers shot execution-style in Mexico
Mexican authorities say Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson — along with their American friend Jack Rhoad — were shot execution-style in Mexico.
Baja California Attorney-General Maria Elena Andrade Ramírez said a murder investigation was underway following the grim discovery.
Three suspects — Jesús Gerardo Garcia Cota (alias El Kekas), his partner Ari Gisel García Cota, and his brother Cristian Alejandro García — have been arrested and charged in connection with the killings.
The bodies were found 15m down a well on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, nearly a week after the group was reported missing.
2 Homicide investigation underway after man dies in Auckland suburb of Ponsonby
A homicide investigation is underway after a man died in a shooting in an Auckland street overnight.
Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton said emergency services responded to "reports of a firearm being discharged" outside an address on Ponsonby Rd at around 10.18pm.
A body covered by a white sheet could earlier be seen on the footpath of Ponsonby Rd. Locals told 1News they heard gunshots last night.
3 Lord of the Rings and Titanic actor Bernard Hill dies at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and went down with the ship as the captain in Titanic, has died.
Hill, 79, passed away Sunday morning, agent Lou Coulson said.
Hill joined The Lord Of The Rings franchise in the second film of the trilogy, 2002's The Two Towers, as Théoden, King of Rohan. The following year, he reprised the role in Return of the King, a movie that won 11 Oscars.
4 South Auckland will be 'hit hard' by congestion charging — local reps
South Auckland residents will be hit hard by proposed congestion charging due to a lack of reliable and affordable public transport, local board representatives say.
Auckland Council's draft long-term plan proposes to introduce road charges during peak times.
Ōtara-Papatoetoe local board chairperson Apulu Reece Autagavaia said the proposal doesn't consider the needs of South Auckland households. "A lot of families find it more economical to travel by car than through public transport."
5 Regulations for pack dog walkers could reduce attacks — expert
A professional dog walker says she is concerned by the lack of training and understanding around animal behaviour from new dog walking businesses that have popped up in Auckland.
Auckland Council said it is considering making changes to how professional dog walkers are managed, including potential limits on how many dogs they can walk at one time.
It follows incidents, including one earlier this month where a beloved family dog had to be put down after a violent mauling by four larger dogs taken on a in a "pack walk" in East Auckland.
ONE EXPLAINER ON HEALTH AND STRESS
As online searches for "cortisol" reach an all-time high, Olivia Petter examines what the stress hormone really does to our bodies, and how to control it.
Imagine if there was one thing that could solve all your problems. Fatigue, inflammation and weight gain? Check. Bad skin, bloating and puffiness? Check. Eye twitching, headaches and just about any kind of illness you can think of? Check.
If you’ve been on TikTok in the last week, you’ll know we're talking about cortisol. For whatever reason, finding ways to control the "stress hormone", as it’s often called, has become the internet’s golden ticket to optimal living.
ONE BUSY MP
Jamie Arbuckle, the Marlborough councillor who became an MP, says he has settled into having two roles so comfortably he's going to keep both salaries after all.
There's been a lot of video calls from his office in Wellington, but it's meant he's made it to most of the meetings at the Marlborough District Council since being elected to Parliament as an NZ First MP in October.
At the time, he said he felt juggling the two roles would be easy enough until Christmas 2023, and said he would hand his council remuneration back after that, should he feel he could not give the job his all.
But, for now, he said he was keeping up and did not feel that was necessary.
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