{"podcast":{"title":"Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!","slug":"auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7853371","podcast_index_feed_id":7853371,"rss_url":"https://feeds.fastcast.ai/auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now.xml","website_url":null,"image_url":"https://image.fastcast.ai/cover/0c68619e-caff-4b32-b0e4-3fe6ef0c4e17.png","author":"The Daily News Now!","episode_count":666,"summary":"Hosted by Corey with the Story. Auckland News Today delivers fast, focused updates on the stories shaping New Zealand’s largest city—covering local government, business, housing, transport, culture, and more. Stay informed with quick, reliable daily briefings designed for listeners on the go. From breaking headlines to the developments that matter most, this is your daily snapshot of Auckland. Produced by AI as part of The Daily News Now network. Advertise with us: advertise@thednn.ai","last_synced_at":"2026-09-18T06:19:36.974852+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7853371"},"episode":{"title":"Guilty Verdict in Cult Leader Trial","slug":"guilty-verdict-in-cult-leader-trial","published_at":"2026-06-29T00:00:17+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7853371/guilty-verdict-in-cult-leader-trial","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7853371","url":"https://api.fastcast.ai/audio/d8ba5c5d-0d41-4296-b0e1-b0f928101869.mp3","audio_url":"https://api.fastcast.ai/audio/d8ba5c5d-0d41-4296-b0e1-b0f928101869.mp3","summary":"A chilling case of cult horror unfolds as Kaixiao Liu and his wife Lanyue Xiao are convicted of kidnapping, manslaughter, and desecrating human remains after a follower, Shulai Wang, was found emaciated and bound in plastic bags floating in New Zealand’s Gulf Harbour. Evidence—including disturbing handwritten notes and audio recordings—revealed a brutal, hierarchical cult where Wang was starved and punished for minor infractions, including failing to kneel properly or taking too long in the bathroom. The prosecution linked her death to a failed escape attempt, while the defense argued insufficient forensic proof of cause. Both defendants, representing themselves, maintained innocence. Sentencing looms, and Liu’s parents also face convictions for related charges, exposing the terrifying isolation and control within this fringe group. Support the show: Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: advertise@thednn.ai This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to feedback@thednn.ai. View sources & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/6cc5c741e0f983ab","meta_description":"A chilling case of cult horror unfolds as Kaixiao Liu and his wife Lanyue Xiao are convicted of kidnapping, manslaughter, and desecrating human remains af…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":135,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7853371/episodes/guilty-verdict-in-cult-leader-trial/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7853371/guilty-verdict-in-cult-leader-trial.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}