Auckland Bay of Plenty Lower Hutt Napier Taranaki Opotiki Otago Rotorua Queenstown Tauranga Waikato New Zealand Market Latest news from Auckland: Taranaki wary of desperate Auckland (Stuff) Taranaki face their toughest rugby challenge of the NPC today when they take on a desperate Auckland side at Eden Park. The challenge is for the Taranaki players to pick themselves up after last Sunday's draining 30-23 win over Canterbury in New Plymouth and produce another winning effort. Carlos' return cheers sinking Auckland side (The New Zealand Herald) Auckland will need the powers of Houdini and David Copperfield if they are to defend their NPC title this season. They have escaped poor starts in the last two campaigns to win the crown, but this year the task looks much more formidable. Flu cases rising in Auckland (NZCity) The number of new flu cases in the Auckland region continues to rise. By the end of last week the four Auckland health districts had recorded an average of 625 cases per 100,000 population. Auckland benches Rokocoko (Fijilive.com) Auckland coach, Pat Lam, has dropped some Pacific Island rugby players from his first line-up this weekend including Fiji born All Blacks Joe Rokocoko. 'Queen' gets back on track (Variety via Yahoo! News) AUCKLAND -- Kiwi drama "River Queen," which stalled last month after actress Samantha Morton fell ill, resumes filming Oct. 4, producers Silverscreen Films said Thursday. Hubbard target as acid flies in mayoral fight (The New Zealand Herald) Businessman Dick Hubbard is in the thick of a toxic battle for the Auckland City mayoralty with reporters prying on him at church and Warehouse founder Stephen Tindall throwing support behind his besieged friend. I knew judge's husband, McNee killer says (Stuff) Philip Edwards, who killed television personality David McNee, told police he had been to the home of Auckland art curator Peter Shaw about a month before he returned and robbed him. Hospital tells sick to go to GPs (The New Zealand Herald) An Auckland hospital which has been swamped, like others around the country, with record numbers of sick people has launched a $10,000 advertising campaign warning people of the crisis. $23m project on track (The New Zealand Herald) Workers lay the first section of double-tracking along Auckland's western rail line in a $23.2 million project designed to speed up peak-hour services. All dressed up, nowhere to go (The New Zealand Herald) Controversial British historian David Irving was last night stopped from boarding a Qantas flight to Auckland. Airline staff at Los Angeles International Airport told Irving he would not be allowed to board the aircraft. Richard Inder: Power struggle will go on (The New Zealand Herald) It is time for Parliament to step in and break up the unseemly dispute at the trust governing the Auckland power lines company Vector. Police files reveal conflicting tales (The New Zealand Herald) Killer Phillip Edwards told police he already knew a man he later assaulted because he had been approached by the man while glue-sniffing in an Auckland park. Olympians expected to front for national hockey league start (Stuff) Numerous Olympians are expected to make an earlier-than-predicted return to the hockey field in first-round National League action today. Long-serving international goalkeeper Paul Woolford will turn out for Auckland in their clash with Northland at Lloyd Elsmore Park. Hockey: Olympians filter back to add experience (The New Zealand Herald) A number of Olympians are expected to make an earlier-than-expected return to the hockey field in first-round National League action today. Long-serving international goalkeeper Paul Woolford will turn out for Auckland in their clash with Northland at Lloyd Elsmore Park. Auckland contenders want the mayoral chains or nothing (The New Zealand Herald) It's the curliest question the three front-runners for the Auckland mayoralty have faced: Who would you pick as deputy from their ranks? All aboard for All Blacks' mystery tour in 7 weeks (The New Zealand Herald) There is no sermon yet from Mt Henry, no public statements about the All Blacks' end-of-year tour. The All Black coach has returned from his mid-NPC break, been seen studying an Auckland training but has not yet broken into public utterances. NZ Auckland Port, Union Make Progress; May Avoid Strike (Dow Jones via Yahoo! Asia News) WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--A senior union official Wednesday said he's confident that a possible 7-day strike at the Ports Of Auckland Ltd. (POA.NZ) could be avoided as progress is being made in talks between the company and workers. Auckland police officer fined for assaulting bar manager (The New Zealand Herald) An Auckland police officer was fined $1000 when he appeared for sentence in the Rotorua District Court this morning on a charge of assaulting a bar manager. Cambodian child advocate welcomes jail term for NZ paedophile (Stuff) An advocate for children in Cambodia has welcomed the 10-year jail term handed down to an Auckland-born man on child sex charges. Malcolm Anthony Hatfield, 58, was convicted of debauchery - the Cambodian courts' term for paedophilia - for having sex with four boys aged 11 to 16. Police about to reinterview Peter Shaw (NZCity) Auckland police were getting ready to reinterview Peter Shaw about an alleged burglary at his home, when he withdrew his complaint. The official file shows detectives doubted Mr Shaw was telling the full story.