The Australian soldier who died after being struck by a truck and trailer on Saturday, February 16, has been named.

Despite Gerry Brownlee's best PR spin, everything is not going swimmingly in Christchurch, writes blogger James Dann.

A knife was embedded in a man's head after a gruesome stabbing at a party early this morning.

Ewan McDonald enjoys a few reds and Blacks in one of the country’s burgeoning food and wine regions.

Two teenagers have told how they leapt into a river and saved an unconscious motorist whose head was underwater in his semi-submerged ute.

The New Zealand dollar fell by more than half a US cent today after labour data showed that the employment rate fell to its lowest point in 10 years.

A three-year-old boy is in critical condition following a hit-and-run in South Auckland this morning.

New Zealand labour costs rose in the final three months of 2012 as the gathering pace of Canterbury's reconstruction effort saw the building and construction sector underpin gains.

Police are investigating a series of rural mail thefts in North Canterbury after a $100 cheque intended as a donation to a charity was cashed for more than $10,000.

Expert earthquake engineers will be trained in Christchurch to help with the $30 billion rebuild, it was announced today.

Justine Tyerman finds one of the only flattish walks in the Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park - even Japanese ladies in high heels and Aussies in jandals can manage the Hooker Valley track.

Farmers and landowners of "tinderbox dry" land on the outskirts of Christchurch should soon receive a reprieve with rain due to sweep in tomorrow.

Photos of the aftermath as scrub fires destroyed cars, farms and properties near Prebbleton in Christchurch.

The building sector has taken off and Canterbury earthquake repairs are one of its biggest drivers.

The number of consents issued for new homes continued a 20-month growth trend by rising again in November, show figures out today.