A bill which would allow a young New Zealander to have the names of both of her mothers on her birth certificate has passed its first hurdle in Parliament tonight.

Unmarried Kiwis are no longer able to adopt Russian children because New Zealand has legalised gay marriage.

A 7-year-old girl has been banned from entering New Zealand with her adopted parents because authorities say she is too sick to live here.

A Wairarapa school will be closed for its first day of term today so its pupils can attend the funeral of a 10-year-old schoolmate killed in a quad bike crash.

A Green MP says his bill to reform adoption law is much broader than gay adoption and will provide a much needed overhaul, including open adoptions.

What is it about New Year's Eve that prompts us to do (or at least toy with the idea of doing) something good or perhaps more meaningful with our lives?

More than 3300 dogs impounded in Auckland were destroyed in 2010-11.

In rural Nepal, where the going rate for a healthy orphan is US$6000 ($7449), about 600 children are missing.

A 28-year-old man who was given up for adoption allegedly subjected his birth mother to more than 12 months of abuse.

Auckland couple Jo Denvir and Daniel Nixon have been waiting three years for the adoption doors to Russia to reopen.