Today's latest news

Trump boasts about military power but says he won't use force to take Greenland

In his speech at the World Economic Forum, Donald Trump said the US military would be "frankly unstoppable", but he would not use force to take Greenland. Video / AFP

Tiny bach with $100,000 RV smashes it at auction

Six bidders drive the price of South Island crib to $370,000.

'Really gross and disturbing': Jenny Slate texts unsealed in Baldoni case

Her June 2023 texts claim she and Blake Lively both complained to the studio.

Prince Harry accuses tabloids of making wife’s life ‘absolute misery’

'I’ve never believed that my life is open season to be commercialised by these people.'

American vertigo: Searching for a strategy behind Trump’s unpredictability

NY Times: US President's supporters see his ability to keep people guessing as a strength.

Violent 501 deportee preyed on women in emergency housing

Hoani McIlroy has been jailed for crimes described as gratuitous, callous and degrading.

Plans lodged for one of Hawke’s Bay’s biggest retirement villages

Demand for retirement villages is growing 'particularly in regions such as Hawke's Bay'.

Open letter: Supporting early learning now is one of the most powerful investments our country can make

OPINION: Up to 400 early childhood centres could shut their doors by June 2026.

After Yemen rift, Saudi Arabia aims to oust UAE from wider region

Riyadh’s sudden, more assertive stance has other countries trying to navigate the rift.

Canada flexes on global stage with an eye to its own survival

New York Times: PM Mark Carney is looking for ways to decrease Canada's US dependence.

Job hiring activity falls in December, halting 2025’s momentum

Seek's latest employment peport shows job ads fell for the first time in more than a year.

Morning quiz: What Disney film features a red-haired princess named Merida?

Test your brains with the Herald's morning quiz.

Gregor Paul: NZ Rugby's unicorn hunt for a CEO as shortlist comes up short

OPINION: NZR has interviewed global candidates but is yet to offer the top job.

Clash between US allies in Syria threatens Isis detention centres

The caliphate the group tried to establish was defeated in 2019.

Remuera man admits secretly filming nearly 400 victims in Newmarket pool changing room

'That person has completely violated our community.'

'Urgent': Ministry intervenes at Akl school after ERO flags poor attendance, NCEA pass rates

Fewer than a third of students passed NCEA level 1 or gained university entry.

Politicians need to see what patients must sit through

OPINION: A reader reckons it's time our leaders experienced hospital wait times

A Moment in Crime: Podcast delves into life of alleged cancer fraudster

Nicola Flint told friends she was dying of cancer. Police say she never had the disease.

Society Insider: NZ’s two richest families play host to Lupton/McGoldrick wedding

Plus, who are the millionaires and billionaires in town for the polo and bloodstock sales?

Stubborn inflation could see interest rates rise sooner than forecast

The inflation rate is expected to exceed Reserve Bank forecasts.

University mates chase Ellerslie dream with $20k purchase

A huge group of young owners are hoping for a Midnight Dart at the Karaka Millions.

Jonathan Ayling: The West laments the end of the rules-based order it helped undermine

OPINION: A rules-based order depends on more than rules written on paper.

Pakistan smog crisis: Citizens deploy DIY air monitors and sue state

Pakistan ranked third most-polluted globally in 2024, World Bank data shows.

Trump enters Davos maelstrom over Greenland

US bid to seize Denmark's territory threatens to tear the alliance apart.

Cut off, flooded and in the dark: Landslip takes out house, two rescued; North Island states of emergency continue overnight

Widespread flooding has isolated towns and submerged homes.

Fire crews rush to reports of flames at Auckland city hotel

Firefighters were directing water at the Hotel Grand Chancellor's upper facade.

Are you the big winner? Lucky Lotto numbers drawn

Millions of dollars are up for grabs tonight.

Japan restarting world's biggest nuclear plant

The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant has been offline since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

Life sentence for Abe gunman who built his own weapon over family ruin

Tetsuya Yamagami used a handmade gun to kill Japan's ex-PM at a 2022 campaign event.

Legal profession mourns 'shining star' after young lawyer's Coromandel death

The 37-year-old barrister was pulled from the water at Hāhei Beach on Monday.

Privacy Commissioner announces inquiry into Manage My Health cybersecurity breach

About 120,000 Manage My Health users may have had data accessed.

Person left with stab-like wounds after serious assault on busy Auckland road

The victim was taken to hospital in a serious condition after the assault.

Man lay in wait before smashing his mate around the head with a baseball bat

Shane Khan's friend ran and hid in a kebab shop following an argument between the pair.

Market close: NZ sharemarket drops a whopping 1.15%

The S&P/NZX 50 Index dropped 1.15%, its sharpest fall in two months.

Road remains shut in Tairua

Most shops in Tairua are now closed, while the road towards Pāuanui remains shut.

Search called off for driver missing after being swept down swollen river

Part of Falls Rd is closed with emergency services in attendance.

This time of year is the absolute best for cruising Europe

No crowds, lower prices and iconic attractions all to yourself.

We quit drinking together and it saved our relationship

Telegraph: Jo Cameron and Julian Mellor say alcohol made them testy and intolerant.

Man's nights 'unbearably lonely' after wife of 46 years killed by drug-using driver

John Meihana had both methamphetamine and a high level of cannabis in his system.

Wool prices hit 10-year high, putting money back in farmers’ pockets

Full-length fleece is now about $5.20 per kg, up $1.25 on early 2025.

New series takes a slightly lighter journey through Game of Thrones world

Set between 'House of the Dragon' and 'Game of Thrones', it plays more as a comedy.

Facebook SOS sparks race to pluck 94-year-old from Tairua floods

The 94-year-old was trapped in a flooded Tairua bach garage.

Red and orange rain warnings in Gisborne: What you need to know

Gisborne's north now has a red heavy rain warning, with 250-350mm forecast.

Tropical storm hits North Island

A tropical storm is battering the North Island, with several regions under red heavy rain warnings.

'The worst is still to come': Tropical storm lashes North Island, man missing in river

Multiple regions are under a state of local emergency because of the tropical storm.

'He's losing money': Stressed investor lists six Viaduct apartments at less than half price

Vendor prepared to take a hit as he offloads his entire portfolio for $1.8m.

Coromandel locals resort to kayaks as floodwaters submerge rural roads

Rising water has inundated several rural roads, forcing locals to swap cars for kayaks to move through their community. Video / Supplied

'Totally submerged': Man swims to safety, abandons new ute in Coromandel floodwaters

A Coromandel local said the flooding was 'worse than Bola' and 'bigger than Gabrielle'.

What Australia's new hate laws mean for NZ's free speech debate

Race Relations Commissioner says NZ needs better education around hate speech.

Fonterra opens organic programme to South Island farmers

Fonterra says rising global demand is driving new organic opportunities for farmers.

Cuts, bruises and stuck riders: 33 hydroslide injuries at new pool in a month

Most injuries involved cuts and bruises at joints on the hydroslides.

What Australia's new hate laws mean for NZ's free speech debate

Race Relations Commissioner Dr Melissa Derby is with us to talk about how to tackle this growing issue.

Wellington Hospital ED hitting critical code red nearly twice a day

Wellington ED hit its most severe "code red" status 575 times in 10 months.

Evacuations in Waihī Beach after state of emergency declared for BoP

People can evacuate to the local RSA if they can't stay with friends or family.

'Born to guide': Tributes flow for Te Puia guide who died at geothermal pool

A rāhui now covers The Blueys area, with tangi and nehu set for this week.

Fingers crossed for Napier offshore powerboat racing start

A storm is brewing, but the hopes are the boats will race.

'She danced very inappropriately on me': Brooklyn Beckham on wedding-day rift

Insiders say only Brooklyn and Nicola hold the video of the controversial dance.

Milk price outlook: Fonterra forecast may lift if GDT gains hold

New Zealand December milksolids collections climbed 3.1%, near record highs.

'Almost incomprehensible': Leigh Hart pays tribute to hard-working NZ nurses subject to racism

Hart was unimpressed by patients being racist to nurses.

Instagram hotspot in Rome to charge tourists for entry from February

The new Trevi Fountain charge is expected to raise up to €6.5m ($13m) each year.

Russell Brand granted bail as two more sex charges added to case

He appeared by video link from the US and spoke only to confirm his identity.

Thomas Coughlan: No surprises with PM’s election date but fireworks guaranteed

MPs will be exhausted by polling day, increasing the likelihood of missteps and blow-ups.

Afternoon quiz: How many nanoseconds are there in a minute?

Test your brains with the Herald's afternoon quiz.

Dragon's Den 2026: Red meat sector calls for game-changing ideas

Entries are open to industry players and independent innovators.

Paying by the minute: How Ed Sheeran, All Blacks and the theatre stack up on value

Are big nights out still worth the money in NZ? We crunch the cost per minute.

Member of the public tackles knife-wielding teen after bid to steal Pokemon cards

The teens allegedly tried to steal Gundam kits and a Pokemon battle deck.

Watch: 2026 New Zealand election date revealed

It leaves limited time for coalition negotiations. Video / Mark Mitchell

World order in 'midst of a rupture' Canada PM Carney tells Davos

'Middle powers must act together, because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.'