Travellers could get caught as heavy downfalls settle over the North Island for the next 24 hours.

Columbine was set up 60 years ago by the three Thorpe bothers, Alan, George and Jack.

Department of Conservation (DOC) officials have seized two nets and about 80 fish following reports of commercial fishing in a marine reserve in Auckland.

Tropical Cyclone Bune is making its way down to New Zealand and is expected to pass to the east of the country from Wednesday.

A tropical cyclone formed near Fiji today is on track to bring strong winds and heavy rain to New Zealand next week, forecasters predict.

People in northern and eastern areas of the North Island are being advised to take precautions as heavy rains threaten to sweep across those regions tonight and tomorrow, with a possibility of flooding in coastal and low-lying areas.

Heavy rain is on the way today for much of the North Island, with as much 200mm for some areas today and tomorrow, MetService forecasts.

Wine writer John Hawkesby takes a look back over a year of sipping to come up with his 12 best bottles.

Herald Maori affairs reporter Yvonne Tahana on the at times frustrating job of covering national kapa haka festival Te Matatini o te Ra.

Greedy "sharks" are already circling Te Runanga o Ngati Porou as it gears up to grow its $110m treaty settlement. The tribe's chairman has already received letters from outsiders promising all sorts of riches for the iwi if it would let

Two big iwi leaders met with Prime Minister John Key to discuss state assets sales today at the national Te Matatini kapa haka competition.

Your guide to Valentine's Day drinking.

It used to be deeply naff, drunk only by teens and maybe your nana; so how did cider get its fizz back to be the drink of the summer, asks Nicky Pellegrino.