A 24-year-old Christchurch man who was shot by police this morning has been charged with pointing a firearm at police.

A man was shot in the face by police in Canterbury this morning - and escaped with just minor injuries.

Police have suspended the search for a diver missing in Dunedin tonight.

If you thought summer was missing in action last month, official figures released today prove it.

Organisers of the Kathmandu Coast to Coast race have teamed up with a global environment group to ensure the iconic event leaves no trace upon the spectacular South Island countryside it traverses.

The man responsible for the deaths of two Mosgiel siblings is a changed man, according to the Parole Board.

The innocent driver involved in a crash which saw a teenager die has described the haunting moments he realised she was dead.

Midwives have complained that a lack of safe transfers from Central Otago and Queenstown to main centres is putting "women and babies at risk".

We can expect normal temperatures in the coming months but less rain.

A plan to bring our national bird back from the brink and super-charge local kiwi conservation efforts is being launched today.

Firefighters were forced to break into a Bishopdale flat prevent a fire while the couple inside slept.

Community Board member Darrell Latham knows the relocation of the school is a difficult decision but says it is the wrong one.

A Dunedin mother took her two sons on a family outing with a difference - to commit a burglary.

Dunedin's newest celebrity albatross chick could be reunited with its parents as soon as tomorrow.

Beds and houses shook uncontrollably in the late-night quake, scaring thousands of people.

Elisabeth Easther talks to Craig Rutland, proprietor of Last Light Lodge and Cafe, Tuatapere, Southland.

The Local Government Commission's review of the structure of local government on the West Coast is a "complete waste of money", says Westland Mayor Bruce Smith.

International scientists have claimed the 7.8 Kaikoura quake has raised the potential threat of another large NZ event - but a Kiwi scientist says that's unlikely.

Kaikoura quake damage to businesses has topped $900 million, according to insurance figures.

Most of the country can expect another warm, dry holiday weekend, but the West Coast is in for a wet one.

The death is not believed to be suspicious, a police spokeswoman said.

While the eastern region swelters in one of the most rain-deprived Januaries in more than a century, some western areas have been drenched.

$100 is up for grabs for anyone who can find another intersection in Christchurch which has the same amount of lanes and no traffic lights as this dangerous junction.

An exhausted tramper has been rescued from remote South Island wilderness.

Stephanie Holmes finds a multitude of benefits after an uphill struggle.

What's in store for the rest of the country?

It's small but perfectly formed and too good for a flying visit, writes Eleanor Ainge Roy.

A severe weather warning has been issued for the South Island as heavy rain and strong winds bear down on the country.

There is no obvious indication on what caused two skydiving instructors to be seriously injured on Saturday, say investigators.

Police today urged West Coast motorists to be patient on the roads, with the earlier Chinese New Year expected to boost self-driving tourist numbers.