Stories by Niva Chittock

A coronial court heard from the Human Rights Commission and the terrorist's lawyer, in the final day of a scope hearing on the Christchurch terror attacks yesterday.

The main focus at the hearing yesterday was on the impact of digital platforms, and this morning the terrorist's lawyer and the Human Rights Commission are expected to make submissions.

Islamic groups and first responders are expected to make submissions to the coroner's scope hearing on the Christchurch terror attacks today.

Decimated after two years of Covid-19 restrictions, the hospitality sector describes the latest financial support being offered by the government as encouraging but too late for some to survive.

Residents are being asked to keep it down as Christchurch City Council had a record number of noise complaints lodged at the end of last year.

Cranmer Square residents say Christchurch City Council is quick to send notices for branches hanging outside their property, but is sitting quiet while protesters are on their doorstep.

"...tay away from visibly oiled areas. Residual oil is likely to remain in the Cam/Ruataniwha [River] and Kaiapoi River upstream from the Williams Street bridge in Kaiapoi for the next few weeks."

New Zealand will be taking part in commemorating 50 years of the United Nations Environment Programme this year, with a delegation possibly travelling to Kenya for the event.

The Women's Cricket World Cup is set to begin next month in Aotearoa, after being postponed by a year because of the pandemic.

A group of non-governmental organisations are calling for Aoteroa's natural wetlands to be doubled in size by 2050 - only 10 percent, or 249,000 hectares, of Aotearoa's wetlands remain untouched.

A body has been recovered from inside a submerged ute in Lake Dunstan, near Cromwell.

The Salvation Army is just $370,000 short of the $9.9m needed to build a new community hub in Frankton to support the area's rapidly growing community.

Brian Tamaki's Destiny Church and the Freedoms and Rights Coalition have taken up residence in a central Christchurch park - and they're not doing it quietly.

New Zealand had the hottest national average temperature last year, but the single highest temperature recorded in the country remains unbeaten.

Tamaki has been charged three times after speaking at large protests in breach of Auckland's level three rules.

There was a 27.6 percent growth over 2021, breaking the previous record set in 2003 with a 24.4 percent growth.

More education on rāhui is being suggested after two people died swimming in breach of one on the Manawatū River yesterday.

Summer has well and truly arrived, with Invercargill reaching 32.2 degrees today, though some places around Aotearoa may be a little too hot in the next few days.

Keen fishers may get some rarer catches this summer, with New Zealand's warmer water temperatures enticing tropical fish species.

Bees are leading the way when it comes to educating locals on the environment in Queenstown.

A mussels project being trialled in a part of the Marlborough Sounds is already helping boost the area's marine life, researchers say.

Fun in the sun is how most people picture their summer, but New Zealanders are being urged to see sense when it comes to water.

A fire in a meat-processing plant in the southern Taranaki town of Okaiawa is going to have a big impact on the district.

Black Friday sales are gaining in popularity and may overtake Boxing Day sales for the first time this year, PriceSpy data shows.

A Givealittle page set up by Federated Farmers to help Auckland City Mission this Christmas has already garnered tens of thousands in donations.