Nick Regos writes on tragedy and the urgent urban planning opportunity it offers.

Sonny Bill Williams says he may turn his back on the oval ball codes for good.

Commitment and some sacrifices only way to fix growing social and economic problems.

Hiroko Tamano was in Kobe 15 years ago when a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck, killing 6400 people.

The judges in the Clayton Weatherston appeal have reserved their decision, rejecting his lawyer's claims about media coverage skewing the trial.

Honeymoons aren't always easy for newlyweds, but six natural disasters?

A honeymooning pair claim to have run into not one, but six natural disasters as they followed their itinerary around the globe.

The minimum $190 per week rent for a Government-supplied campervan in earthquake-hit Christchurch is affordable, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

A 22-year-old man was sentenced on his 19th, 20th, and 21st charges of taking a motor vehicle, in the Christchurch District Court today.

Prime Minister John Key said the Government has more spending to come, pointing at an EQC net cost estimate of $1.5b for the latest quake.

The quake struck at 2.23pm, 10km east of Christchurch at a depth of 10km, GNS Science said.

A crash involving a truck and a car has downed power lines on State Highway 1 in south Canterbury.

Police have named a woman who died in Christchurch's February 22 earthquake, bringing the total of number of names released to 170.

The congregation of St Paul's Trinity Pacific Church on Cashel St have come to accept the reality - their 135-year-old church is no more.

The government's finances have taken a $331 million hit, largely due to problems recovering money from failed South Canterbury Finance's tangled set of related party loans.