Murder charge after alleged home invasion goes wrong

Zachery Davies-Scott was fatally shot in front of his partner when a group allegedly forced their way into his home in the NSW Hunter region. Police have now charged a 25-year-old over the death.

Police have found the body of a woman, believed to be in her 60s but yet to be identified, at a Muswellbrook property.

A man has been jailed for holding two Newcastle service station workers hostage, one of whom helped resolve the "terrifying" situation by saying she was pregnant.

The wreckage of a helicopter missing since Thursday morning has been found in the New South Wales Hunter region following an extensive land and sea search.

A Specialist Indigenous List aimed at helping families navigate the legal system has launched in Newcastle, with help from the descendants of a local legend.

Farmers fighting Santos's Hunter Gas Pipeline suddenly noticed survey pegs along the route. A title search shows the surveyed land is now owned by the directors of the company negotiating land access for Santos.

An offshore wind zone has been formally declared for the New South Wales Hunter's coast, with more to come elsewhere, including the Illawarra. Some locals are worried about the impact of the turbines.

When I needed a new starter motor for my car, my dad thought the mechanic's price was a bit steep. So, he called himself — and was quoted $200 less than I was.

Sydney Botanic Gardens experts conduct genetic testing to help restore the only population of river red gums east of the Great Dividing Range.

For teenage parents in regional NSW it can be difficult to finish their schooling while caring for their children. But at the Young Parents College in Newcastle students are getting the opportunity to receive an education while navigating motherhood. Take a trip inside one of the few schools in Australia structured to support teen parents.

ABC Radio has partnered with multiple charities throughout the nation to support those who need it most.

Hefty penalty proposed for energy provider: Energy provider AGL has agreed to a penalty of $6 million for failing to provide stand-by power from two of its power stations. The company has admitted to the breaches between 2018 and 2020 at its Bayswater Power Station in Muswellbrook and at Loy Yang in Victoria. AGL was paid to be on standby to provide power in response to frequency disturbances, but the Federal Court heard important frequency switches were turned off at the power stations during this time. The Australian Energy Market Regulator and AGL presented the agreed penalty to the court last week, but a decision on the matter will be made by the court at a date to be set.

Shuttle service returning: The state government will reinstate a shuttle bus service to transport patients, staff and visitors from Hunter Stadium to the John Hunter Hospital. After the service was axed in 2015 many hospital staff and visitors say they have had issues accessing the hospital. Health Minister Ryan Park says the service will return mid next year.

New under-18 drug clinic: The New South Wales government says a specialist drug and alcohol treatment service will be opened at the John Hunter Children's Hospital in the first half of 2024. The new child and adolescent drug and alcohol service will provide tailored healthcare to patients aged under 18 who are suffering from drug addiction or substance abuse issues. The government says the service will be available to youth from the Hunter New England, Central Coast, Northern New South Wales and Mid North Coast regions.

New Hunter environment group: The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority is setting up a new advisory group to represent the Hunter. The EPA says the Hunter Environment Advisory Group will inform it about existing and future environmental issues in the region and will comprise community members, an environmentalist, and local government and industry representatives. The advisory group will also oversee the Upper Hunter and Lower Hunter air quality networks, which keep track of particle matter around the region's coal mines and power stations. The EPA has opened applications for candidates wanting to join the group.

Rail bridge reopens: The Tarro Rail Bridge has fully reopened to traffic after several weeks of traffic disruptions. Four lanes were reduced to two and speed limit and heavy vehicle restrictions were imposed after problems were found with the columns that support the bridge. Urgent repairs have now been completed, allowing traffic to return to normal. Non-urgent works will be carried out at a later date.

Coal mine life extension sought: BHP is seeking a four-year extension to its coal mining operations at the Mount Arthur mine. It currently has approval to operate the mine near Muswellbrook until the end of June 2026, but an application is currently before the state planning department to extend that until June 2030. The project modification also seeks to reduce the mining rate from 32 million tonnes of coal per year to a maximum of 25 million tonnes, which the operator says is similar to actual production. The community has until November 13 to make a submission on the project modification.

Weevils released to halt invasive weed: Weevils are being used to try and stop one of Australia's worst weeds infesting a high conservation area in Lake Macquarie. Crown Lands and the Lake Macquarie City Council are working together on a project to control salvinia weed that has been growing on the 114-hectare Muddy Lake since late 2020, infesting up to 25 hectares of the waterway. A tiny weevil has been released by the council as a biological control agent in a bid to control the weed, which it says has been achieving strong results by destroying the weed in the south-east of the lake.

Crossland signs three-year deal: The Newcastle Knights have re-signed Phoenix Crossland until at least the end of 2026. He's played 60 NRL games since debuting for the Knights in 2019 as an 18-year-old. Crossland was an integral part of the team this year filling in at hooker after Jayden Brailey was ruled out with a season-ending knee injury.

Jets go down in Melbourne: Victory striker Bruno Fornaroli scored four goals against the Newcastle Jets in a high-scoring soccer game on Sunday afternoon in Melbourne. The Jets went down 5-3 with Clayton Taylor scoring twice for Newcastle.