Major new projections show infrastructure and homes in Auckland and Wellington - as well as many other places - risk inundation decades earlier than expected.

The BA.4 Omicron variant has arrived in New Zealand from South Africa - but that is expected, and there is no evidence it is more transmissible or severe than other variants.

Police say four people, including an infant, have died in a Bay of Plenty crash involving two vehicles this afternoon.

Police investigating the shooting of three people in Wellington have issued a warrant to arrest 29-year-old Mana Lawson. He is believed to be armed and should not be approached.

A motorcyclist has attacked a speed camera van, smashing a window and injuring the operator inside, police say.

The Christchurch City Council is being sued by the owners of a badly flawed building whose engineer has been sanctioned.

There have been 5656 new community cases of Covid-19 and six further deaths reported today, with New Zealand also recording its first case of the BA.4 variant of Omicron.

Almost 60,000 students are missing at least 3 days of school every and nearly 40 percent of students are not attending regularly, says a teachers union.

One person has been arrested after a street fight in Wellington involving about 100 teenagers.

For the first time in more than two years, New Zealand's border will reopen to international visitors at midnight tonight.

The government is trialling a new form of Covid-19 test, which it says combines the accuracy of PCR tests with the speed of RATs.

Parts of the South Island are in for heavy rain and possible severe gales today.

A 6-year-old who went missing in Christchurch this afternoon has been found safe.

Residents living near Nelson Airport are being asked to have their say on a proposed runway extension and future noise increases.

Wellington City Council must acknowledge past failures toward mana whenua, a councillor says following the signing of a new partnership agreement.

Police are calling for witnesses after a woman was killed and three people injured in a crash near Greymouth.

Thousands of homeowners in Auckland have to wait until the route for light rail is decided before finding out if their character homes will keep their status or be developable.

Another seven people have died from Covid-19, and 7043 more community cases have been identified, health authorities say.