A spruced-up basketball court in Christchurch has been caught up in a flurry of Facebook comments claiming it played into gender stereotypes.

A controversial Russian billionaire and New Zealand resident who left behind millions in debt and a stalled drink-driving trial has died in Moscow, sources say.

Green Party MP and Auckland Central representative Chlöe Swarbrick has tested positive for Covid-19, joining a long line of MPs who have tested positive during the Omicron surge.

There have been 10 new deaths of people with Covid-19 reported today - including a person in their 40s - with the number of new community cases rising to 18,514.

International visitors could soon be pouring across the border in similar numbers to pre-pandemic times - but that might not be a good thing, according to one tourism expert.

A man is undergoing surgery in hospital after he was shot by police on State Highway 1 at Dacre, north of Invercargill.

Dozens of volunteers joined an extended search in Papamoa for Dr David Holland today, but failed to find any clues to help explain his disappearance.

New Zealand has dropped one place to tenth on the UN's annual survey of the world's happiest countries.

The prime minister has told her Ukraine counterpart that this country supports his people and condemns Russia's aggression.

The mother of a student killed when she was crushed in a stairway is crestfallen at North Dunedin's St Patrick Day "carnage".

A man whose death on a Coromandel property Friday has sparked a homicide investigation has been named.

Most non-urgent operations in the Wellington region have been cancelled this week due to high numbers of hospital staff falling sick with Covid-19 or being forced to isolate.

Southland farmers say the problems caused by drought will only increase if it doesn't rain in the next few weeks.

Former All Black Zac Guildford has been sentenced to nine months home detention after stealing more than $40,000 from his grandfather and deceiving a friend out of $60,000.

The Prime Minister has gone on a marketing blitz to reel Australians to our shores.

Omicron has put the brakes on booster vaccine rates and communities lagging behind could stay there for some time, but health officials still have to tell some people who have had Covid-19 to wait.

The latest official check on the country's councils says most have good policies, procedures and systems.

A coroner who investigated five deaths in the Wellington region has made dozens of recommendations about the mental health care provided to the people responsible.