Latest from NZ Herald Focus Live

Focus Live: Alleged Colombian cocaine smugglers arrested in New Zealand

November 11 2021 Alleged drug smugglers accused of bringing millions of dollars' worth of cocaine from Colombia into New Zealand allegedly have direct links to the feared Medellin cartel, it's understood.

Focus Live: 147 new Covid-19 community cases

November 10 2021 There are 147 new community cases today and a man isolating at home with Covid-19 in Auckland has died suddenly, the Ministry of Health says. Of today's cases, 131 are in Auckland, 14 in Waikato and two are in Northland.

Focus Live: PM Jacinda Ardern visits Auckland for the first time since August

November 10 2021 As the Delta outbreak's total case numbers approached 4000, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has made her first visit to Auckland after three months into lockdown.

Focus Live: Slain teen Connor Whitehead's father pays tribute to 'amazing kid'

November 9 2021 Connor Whitehead's father James said they were shocked and heartbroken at the loss of Connor in such a senseless manner. Connor loved music and planned to study law - and those dreams had been cruelly taken away.

Focus Live: PM Jacinda Ardern on the anti-lockdown protests

November 9 2021 Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the messages from anti-vaxxers or protesters marching to parliament today did not represent the majority of New Zealanders.

Focus Live: Auckland moves to level 3.2, Northland to level 2 on Thursday

November 8 2021 Auckland will move to step 2 of alert level 3 at 11:59pm tomorrow. On Northland, the upper region will move alert level 2 at 11:59pm on Thursday.

Focus Live: PM Jacinda Ardern announces boost to Working for Families payments

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a boost in Working for Families payments for those on low incomes, and a top-up to the Best Start payment for parents of new babies.

Focus Live: 163 new Covid-19 community cases

November 5 2021 There are a record 163 new cases of Covid-19 today. 159 are in Auckland and four are in Waikato. A second person isolating at home with Covid has died. Paramedics were called to a Mt Eden address.

Focus Live: WA Police describe the moment Cleo Smith was rescued

Cleo Smith, who had been missing for 18 days after disappearing from the family tent at the Quobba Blowholes campground, was found "alive and well" in the early hours of Wednesday morning at a residential address.

Focus Live: PM Jacinda Ardern announces vaccination mandates for businesses

October 26 2021 Workers at businesses where vaccine passports are required will have four weeks to get the jab - or risk losing their jobs.

Focus Live: Ardern reacts as quake strikes during press conference

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reacts as earthquake strikes during press conference. Video / NZ Herald

Focus Live: 'Listen to the heartbreak' - Judith Collins on the new Covid traffic light system

October 22 2021 'Listen to the heartbreak' - National leader Judith Collins responds to PM Jacinda Ardern's announcement of a new traffic light system used to manage Covid-19.

Focus Live: 102 new Covid-19 community cases

October 21 2021 There are 102 Covid-19 cases in the community today - the highest daily number since the coronavirus pandemic hit our shores last year.

Focus Live: Dame Cindy Kiro sworn in as Governor-General

October 21 2021 Dame Cindy Kiro will become the first wāhine Maori to be Governor General at her swearing-in to the role today.

Focus Live: 60 new Covid-19 community cases

October 20 2021 The number of new Covid-19 cases dropped to 60 today but Dr Ashley Bloomfield warns that infections are likely to keep rising. Fifty-six of the new cases are in Auckland and four are in Waikato.

Focus Live: Judith Collins unveils National's Covid-19 economic plan

October 20 2021 Judith Collins has set targets of either 85-90 per cent vaccinations or December 1 for when the party believes Covid-19 restrictions should end, and the borders start to re-open.

Focus Live: 94 new Covid-19 community cases

Auckland has seen a surge in Covid cases with 94 reported today - the highest daily number since the pandemic arrived in this country in March last year. A total of 87 are in Auckland and seven in Waikato.

Focus Live: Labour and National join forces for housing crisis fix

Labour and National have joined forces behind a radical new housing policy, the Housing Supply Bill, which they say will help address the housing crisis by allowing as many as 105,500 new homes to be built in less than a decade.