This will be a good weekend to check out the museum or cuddle up with a book as heavy showers and thunderstorms are forecast for parts of the country.

Banned from sailing further until authorities deem him safe to travel, renegade South African yachtie, is apologetic for the inconvenience he has caused everyone involved. made with funding from NZ on Air

A 45-year-old Bay of Plenty man who first tried P aged 26 says the Bay scene is "the worst its ever been", with meth "easier to score than cannabis.

Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic has announced Associate Professor Dr Leon de Wet Fourie as the new chief executive. WBoPP council

A minor volcanic eruption has occurred on White Island, 50km off the coast of Whakatane. The volcanic alert was level 3.

Aftershocks have continued to shake the North Island after it was hit by one of its biggest earthquakes in decades.

Reports of damaged homes are starting to come following this morning's 7.1 quake which triggered a tsunami warning, closed schools and temporarily stopped trains.

The New Zealand Transport Agency is asking motorists in the Eastern Bay of Plenty to be aware of the risk of rock-falls and slips after the earthquake and aftershocks this morning.

The strength of this morning's 7.1 earthquake centred off the East Coast cut power to 1000 homes in Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Civil Defence has cancelled the tsunami warning issued for the North Coast Regions of the North Island following this morning's 7.1 magnitude quake.

Much of the North Island was shaken awake this morning with a magnitude 7.1 earthquake felt from Northland to Wellington.

Locals wanting to help care for land, air, water, or wildlife are can apply to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Environmental Enhancement

Two women have been arrested following burglaries of motels and holiday baches in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. The women have been

As Boy actor James Rolleston drifted in and out of consciousness after a crash which almost cost him his life, he was encouraged by his mate.

This morning New Zealanders welcomed home the history-making Kiwi Rio Olympics team.

Benji Marshall's time at the Dragons appears all but over, and his storied NRL career might also be at an end.

Triple Olympic medallist Lisa Carrington will lead the New Zealand team at today's Rio Olympics' closing ceremony.

Sarah Walker has been elected to the International Olympic Committee's athletes' commission after all.

WATCH: Lisa Carrington has joined an elite list of New Zealand Olympians this morning after winning a bronze medal in the K1 500m canoe sprint.

A newborn baby has been flown to hospital with serious head injuries.

Lisa Carrington has today been sharply reminded how difficult a challenge she'll face tomorrow if she's to complete a golden Rio Olympic kayak double.

WATCH: Kiwi kayak queen Lisa Carrington 'stoked' as she powers her way to back-to-back Olympic gold medals.

One of New Zealand's longest-standing mayors went to a rival candidate's home in his mayoral car and told him the region could save $50,000 if he continued in office unopposed.

A volunteer firefighter who was at the scene of the crash that left James Rolleston in intensive care has described how "half the bridge" ended up in the car.

A Tauranga commercial fisherman has been convicted and fined $3000 for deliberately driving his vehicle at a fishery officer who had

Injured 'Boy' actor James Rolleston is still in a stable condition at Waikato Hospital's intensive care unit after a car crash on Tuesday night.

Actor James Rolleston has been transferred to Waikato Hospital and is in a stable condition in the Intensive Care Unit.

Two young children rescued from bush in Te Urewera after going missing for two nights are being treated, police say.

The woman and children missing in rugged North Island bush for three days were in warm clothes but it is unclear how much food - if any - they had with them.

Whakatane police are looking for a masked man who robbed a dairy this afternoon armed with a knife.