The tide of people moving out of Auckland for greener pastures in other parts of the country has increased during the pandemic.

It is coastal Southland's driest summer on record and there is no real relief forecast as the drought pushes into the north of the region.

There are currently 5090 families living in transitional housing as they wait for a permanent spot to come up. Local Democracy Reporting's Justin Latif spoke to one of them.

Police are appealing to the public for sightings of missing teenager Aria Bridger, who was last seen in Auckland on 28 March.

Tonga police are reportedly investigating the death of a New Zealand couple in Vava'u.

Businesses bidding ka kite to mandatory vaccine pass checks say they are "overjoyed" with the possibility of fewer cancellations, and less work for staff.

The company says the tour would not be viable under the ongoing red traffic light settings, even with indoor gatherings increased to 200 people.

There are 10,205 new community cases of Covid-19 and nine further deaths to report today.

An album featuring New Zealand tenor Simon O'Neill has won a Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance.

A trans man says he was endangered on multiple occasions when in the care of Corrections. Is the department doing enough to ensure the safety of trans prisoners?

Days before her death a fat studies conference chaired by academic Dr Cat Pausé was parodied by American conservative figure Steven Crowder.

The requirement to have a Covid-19 vaccine pass to visit some venues, such as restaurants and salons, will be dropped from midnight.

Police have released the names of two people who died in a crash near Kaeo on State Highway 10 on Saturday.

Plans to set up 3000-hectare ecosanctuary in Wainuiomata Lower Hutt have taken a step forward, with a feasibility study from Zealandia's founder.

The tourists are coming back, but will one of the country's most special destinations be ready for them?

The refurbishment is one of a series of development projects and street upgrades to help revitalise the central city.

The Blood Service says stocks of the blood type A+ are critically low and is calling for donations.

An environmentalist says a decision to allow an oil and gas company to search off the coast of Taranaki shows the 2018 exploration ban is not genuine.