Murder accused Phillip Polkinghorne allegedly sent an escort more than $100,000, the Kiwi skipper of a superyacht that sank in Italy speaks out, and the world's oldest person dies at 117.
1 Polkinghorne transferred over $100k to Sydney escort, court hears
Murder accused Philip Polkinghorne transferred thousands of dollars to various women, including Australian escort Madison Ashton, the High Court in Auckland heard this morning.
Part of the Crown's case has been that Polkinghorne was trapped in a web of infidelity, money troubles and drug use.
The defence, in turn, has suggested Hanna had thought about and attempted suicide before and was in a stressful job.
Soon after the trial started, it heard from witnesses who said Polkinghorne was a regular visitor to a woman thought be a sex worker on Auckland's North Shore.
This article contains content that could be disturbing to some people.
2 New ministry paying staff average salary of $152k
The new Ministry of Regulation is paying its staff an average salary of more than $150,000 and will eventually employ more than 90 people, new figures reveal.
That is despite the coalition pledging to slash back-office spending across the public sector and attacking the former government for creating massive bureaucracies.
The anti-red tape department is overseen by ACT leader David Seymour, who secured its creation during coalition negotiations last year.
Figures obtained by the Green Party — and first reported by The Post — reveal a median salary at the agency of $154,500, well above the public service median of $84,800.
3 'We didn't see it coming': Kiwi superyacht skipper on moment storm hit
The Kiwi skipper of a superyacht that sank off Sicily after being hit by a tornado has told Italian media: "We didn't see it coming."
James Cutfield was one of two New Zealanders on board the Bayesian, a 56m British-flagged yacht, which went down in the freak storm off Porticello near Palermo early on Monday (local time).
Cutfield told La Repubblica from a hospital that, "we didn't see it coming".
4 Jacindamania in Chicago as ex-PM backs Kamala Harris
It was like the Jacindamania of 2017.
Remember the crowds of people demanding selfies? The rock-star status of Andrew Little's replacement? Well, that was Jacinda Ardern today at the Democratic National Convention.
The former New Zealand prime minister arrived in Chicago to speak at a panel discussion at the convention.
US Correspondent Logan Church spoke exclusively to her.
5 No really, what is open banking?
The Commerce Commission says New Zealand needs to do a few things to shake up competition in the personal banking sector.
One of those things is expanding open banking, which it said could be a game-changer for New Zealanders.
But what does it even mean? 1News explains.
ONE FLASH PENTHOUSE
A peek inside the Auckland penthouse with a $10 milion price tag. (Source: Seven Sharp)
It sits high above Auckland’s CBD, watching, waiting for a new owner to call this penthouse apartment home.
For the first time in 10 years, the 38th floor of the Metropolis tower is on the market — for a cool $10 million.
Under more than 100sq metres of marble, kilometres of cables link this ultra-smart home to its owners' devices. Fourteen different televisions fold out of walls at the press of a button. Hallway doors are hidden seamlessly behind marble and open with a push of a button.
But behind a frosted glass wall is this apartment's most impressive — and outlandish — feature: A 1959 Bel Air Chevrolet.
ONE LONG LIFE
Maria Branyas, an American-born Spaniard considered the world's oldest person at 117 years old, has died, her family said.
The Gerontology Research Group, which validates details of people thought to be 110 or older, listed Branyas as the oldest known person in the world after the death of French nun Lucile Randon last year.
The next oldest person listed by the Gerontology Research Group is now Japan's Tomiko Itooka, who is 116 years old.
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