A fake NZ doctor hailed as a hero after London's 2005 bombing lied about her role in helping the victims, an inquest has been told.

Another weekend and meh, another cyclone.

The MetService's severe weather warning for most of the North Island remains in place today, and Bay of Plenty civil defence emergency workers are on standby after heavy rain pelted the region overnight.

Campers across the upper North Island are tonight preparing to cope with torrential rain.

New Zealand could face strong winds and rain from a tropical cyclone battering the Pacific Islands with winds of up to 225km/hr.

Nzherald.co.nz is celebrating the best things about New Zealand. Today surfer Daniel Kereopa shares his favourite NZ beaches. What do you think?

Roads and vehicles must be "more forgiving" to curb a road toll which averages more than one death a day, the AA says. Figures released by the Ministry of Transport today show 371 people died on the roads over the past year.

A senior member of Whakatane's Maori university, Mark Laws, drowned yesterday at the East Cape settlement of Te Kaha.

Crowd control at Gisborne's Rhythm and Vines festival is being improved after boisterous partygoers forced organisers to shut down bus services last night.

The two men arrested for attacking a police officer on the East Coast are facing more serious charges of threatening to kill him after appearing in Gisborne District Court today.

A Wairoa policeman attacked by two men in Mahia on Boxing Day is keen to get back to his job, Police Minister Judith Collins says.

A Wairoa policeman became the fourth officer to be attacked on the job this month after he stopped two men suspected of carrying out a series of burglaries on the East Coast.

New Year's Day is tipped to offer sunny weather for most of the country and some respite from the recent muggy, humid weather.

The Crown and Ngati Porou today signed a Treaty settlement giving the iwi $110m and the return of approximately 5898 hectares of land.