Stories by Andrew McRae

First Person - 100 years on from the Battle of Romani, Andrew McRae looks into the World War I conflict that killed his great-great uncle.

A secret wartime unit who fought behind enemy lines in the Pacific during WWII is to be recognised in Canberra today.

A Waikato man who admitted to the cruel treatment of bobby calves has been sentenced to 10 months home detention and 200 hours community work.

A man has been jailed for seven years for attacking his ex-wife with a sword, but will serve at least some of the sentence as a mental health patient.

The potentially devastating giant willow aphid is moving to other hosts as well, including apple trees.

Some Matakana residents are threatening to take the law into their own hands and burn down houses to stop any new housing development there. Audio

"Tihei mauri ora kia tātou": These words came from the mouths of 11 Amazon parrots living in quiet, secluded Cambridge in Waikato. Video, Audio

The body of a 40-year-old homeless man found in a cardboard bale at a recycling plant in Hamilton had been taken there by truck, police say.

A protest rally has been held at Waikato University over plans to cut staff numbers and some courses.

A Tauranga school principal is in no doubt there is a housing crisis in her area, and her community is taking matters into its own hands.

Commemoration services will start on Crete today to mark the 75th anniversary of the battle in which allied troops fought against extreme odds.

The sinking of the only New Zealand naval ship lost to enemy action in New Zealand waters is being commemorated in Whangarei today.

After checking millions of kiwifruit for packaging contamination, Zespri says the fruit is safe to eat.

Money from this year's Poppy Day appeal will go towards helping young veterans suffering post traumatic stress, the RSA says.

New Zealanders are being asked to volunteer an hour of their time on Anzac Day to help their local community.

The sudden closure of Hamilton's major performance centre has caught the local arts community off-guard, and they are not happy.

Farmers in the Waikato River catchment are being warned that farming practices will need to change if the river is to be restored to its former glory.

Fonterra is expected to reveal a big profit rise today, but with dramatic falls in farmers' payouts, many in the dairy industry say something has to change.

Anointed by dirt and powered by passion is the mantra of international mountain biking event Crankworx, which starts in Rotorua today. Audio

Defence lawyers in Waikato are complaining it is virtually impossible to have contact with their clients in Spring Hill Prison.

More than 800 of the country's best rowers are competing for their clubs at the rowing champs at Lake Karapiro - and many also have an eye on a place in the Rio Olympics team.

A memorial has been unveiled to honour the New Zealanders who served in a secret underground war during WWI. Audio

One hundred years of New Zealand military nursing has been recorded in a new book released yesterday.

Ten World War I New Zealand nurses, who died after their ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat, are being commemorated this weekend.

The plight of refugees since the Second World War is being told on stage at Waikato University in Hamilton, but it's become more topical as displaced people journey across Europe looking for a safe…