Waikato

Rangatahi Māori have arrived in numbers at Tuurangawaewae to tautoko Kiingi Tuheitia's legacy of kotahitanga and support the haukāinga.

The boy died from his injuries and two other victims were seriously hurt.

Former and current politicians will travel to Tuurangawaewae Marae on Wednesday to farewell Kiingi Tuheitia.

Cardiac surgery delays are causing backlogs across Waikato Hospital, with wait times ballooning by up to eight weeks, doctors say.

There were highly charged scenes in the Hamilton District Court this afternoon as whānau of an 8-year-old boy who died after a violent altercation threatened the accused when he appeared in the dock.

Norm Davies needs a triple bypass - but five weeks on, when he will get one is still unclear.

Thousands of manuhiri have been welcomed onto Tuurangawaewae Marae, as iwi and dignitaries continue to pay their respects on the third day of the Māori king's tangihanga.

The Prime Minister said he will remember the Māori King as someone who brought love, hope and peace.

A man blackmailed another man he met through Tinder, threatening to tell his family about his sexual preferences, a court has heard.

Historian Vincent O'Malley explains how the Kiingitanga came to be and the initial loyalty of Tainui to the Crown. Audio

Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII died early on Friday at the age of 69, just days after celebrating the 18th anniversary of his coronation.

Hundreds of nurses, midwives, healthcare assistants, students and administration staff walked off the job on Friday.

The Waikato-based council has agreed to continue to provide a seat at the table for Māori.

The river turned orange with contamination from a historic mine last week. Audio

A woman waited more than 16 hours at Waikato Hospital's emergency department with suspected internal bleeding only to be referred again to her GP. Audio

But the levels are well within drinking water guidelines, the council says.

The number of medical registrars working this past weekend was 40 percent of normal.

Milkio Foods Limited had descriptions like '100 per cent Pure New Zealand' - despite using butter from India.

An old mining shaft has been confirmed as the cause behind turning the Ohinemuri River bright orange yesterday, the Waikato Regional Council says.

People "should not be touching" the orange water, which could have been caused by a mine shaft collapsing.