First Union ambulance secretary Faye McCann says it is a heart-breaking situation that has hit staff hard.

It's an Orientation Week like no other for hundreds of Otago University students stuck isolating with Covid or as close contacts.

The local sharemarket has slumped to a two year low and the New Zealand dollar fallen on reports of Russian military action in Ukraine.

Explainer - The government has announced the country is moving to phase three - but what does that mean? RNZ is here to clear it all up.

GPs and pharmacists are bracing for huge demand for rapid antigen tests (RATs) as the country prepares to go into phase three.

People are taking their Covid-related anger out on Countdown supermarket staff, says corporate affairs manager Kiri Hannafin.

The daily number of community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand has soared past the 6000 mark, with a record 6137 new cases today - almost double yesterday's numbers.

The protest at Parliament has been added to the Ministry of Health's Covid-19 locations of interest and people are advised to self-isolate.

The Education Ministry says 717 schools and early learning centres are managing Covid-19 cases, up from 447 on Monday.

Heritage New Zealand wants helipad planners to consider the wealth of archaeological sites on Aotea Great Barrier Island.

Extreme rainfall and flooding has left roading and infrastructure across the Buller District in a fragile state and in urgent need of repair before further heavy rain hits the region.

The lawyer for the terrorist who murdered 51 people in the Christchurch mosque attacks says he intends to seek a judicial review of the Royal Commission.

Police have named the man whose death is the subject of a homicide inquiry in Nelson.

In 2020, the Waimea Dam project cost jumped from $104.4m to $129.4m, and its mid-year report for the 2022 financial year puts the cost at $185m.

The new spending will help with the management of deer and other predators at the Kaimanawa and Kaweka Forest Parks.

The government has ditched a Whakaari/ White Island Memorandum of Understanding.

While attention is focused on the protest at Parliament grounds, Covid-19 vaccinators have been busy delivering booster shots and inoculating under 12 year olds.

Māori on Aotea / Great Barrier Island have told Auckland Council to stop helipads being put in, and to start paying them more heed as kaitiaki.