Don’t have time to read the headlines? Watch the Focus Morning Bulletin presented by Chereè Kinnear above.
RECORD METH BUST
A meth operation linked to a man’s death has led police to carry out New Zealand’s biggest-ever drug bust.
Watch: Record meth bust, breakthrough cancer therapy and Trump’s fourth indictment
Subscribe to listen
Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber? Sign in here
Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
The drugs were in bottles of Kombucha and Honey Bear House beer.
A man died in Auckland Hospital in March after drinking a can of the laced beer.
Massey University drug researcher Chris Wilkins says the growing scale of seizures, matches with other stats about the growing problem.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
SEARCH FOR YANFEI BAO
Today marks four weeks since Yanfei Bao disappeared in Christchurch.
Despite continuing extensive searches the 44-year-old’s body hasn’t been found.
A 52-year-old man pleaded not guilty to murder and kidnapping in the Christchurch District Court yesterday, in relation to Bao’s disappearance.
Police are appealing for information about a brand-new spade and a white tracksuit with red stripes.
They may have been discarded in Christchurch between July 19 and 22.
BREAKTHROUGH CANCER THERAPY
Scientists are scaling up the production of a breakthrough cancer therapy undergoing a first-of-its-kind medical trial in New Zealand.
Over the past six years, a Malaghan Institute-led effort has been developing a new generation of CAR T-cell therapy, in which a patient’s own immune or T-cells are genetically modified to recognise and destroy their cancer.
Results have so far been promising, with preliminary data supporting an expansion of the clinical trial programme.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
RUNAWAY MAROKOPA MAN
Police have revealed more information about a recent sighting of missing Marokopa man Tom Phillips.
They say Phillips recently bought a large amount of equipment at two Bunnings stores in Waikato.
He picked up headlamps, batteries, seedlings, buckets and gumboots, using a large amount of cash.
Police say what he bought suggests he may have been setting up a campsite.
They say their priority is still to find Phillips and his three children.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
TRUMP’S FOURTH INDICTMENT
Former US President Donald Trump is facing his fourth indictment in less than five months.
He’s been charged in Georgia, with attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
A phone call has emerged of him pressuring a Georgia Secretary of State to find votes.
Prosecutors believe the call is an essential piece of evidence.