Fighting began in the key central Iraqi city of Tikrit, birthplace of the former dictator Saddam Hussein, as government forces and Shia militia launched a major assault to displace Isis jihadists.

New Zealand is among the best in the world at expanding human rights, religious tolerance and peaceful dialogue, writes David Rutherford.

But why does being poor make you fat? Here's a thought: it could be a lack of personal responsibility, writes Rodney Hide.

We work shorter days than ever, spend less time on household chores and more time on social media —so why are we are all so busy and why do we brag about it? Rebecca Barry Hill looks at the busy-ness trap and how we can escape from it.

A large student population surrounds Otago University creating an intense, rich, youthful culture. Great ideas spew out of those messy flats. So does spew, writes Matt Heath.

The Kiwi father of Down syndrome baby Leo, born last month in Armenia, has a conviction for assaulting his father-in-law from a previous marriage.

Kelly Brown found a new "family" on the streets of Auckland after being removed from his biological family at the age of 7.

A community housing provider has told the Government that it won't buy state houses when they're put up for sale this year unless the price is zero.

Former MP Hone Harawira has been called in to try to ease tensions in Glen Innes after a rock was thrown at a removal man trying to move a state house out of the area last year.

A viral video of a 9-year-old Kiwi asking for support to live as a boy after being born a girl has impressed transgender advocates and prompted an overwhelmingly positive response.

Walt Glazer asks whether Auckland should become the Hong Kong of the South Pacific or remain a Kiwi oasis of security for the future.

Salvation Army says housing shortage adding "incredible stress" to families as its State of Nation report shows Auckland's crisis worsened by a record near-4000 houses last year.

A counsellor in charge of an addiction rehab centre, where patients were given pocket knives and allowed to use air-rifles, fleeced one by charging for numerous counselling sessions that never took....

Current Miss Universe now has the opportunity to help stop fighting in her home country of Colombia.

A tough new policy cracking down on beneficiaries with unresolved arrest warrants has resulted in the issuing of thousands of alerts.

Ngati Whatua state house tenant Apihai Pihema supports returning state housing to iwi in principle - but he worries that the rents could go so high that he might have to leave.

Leading Maori tribes are lobbying to get first bidding rights for state houses when they start going up for sale this year.

Gareth Morgan is heading to Orewa to confront what he calls the "ignorance of Brash-think".

In the flush of election victory, John Key said something about tackling child poverty in this term. He was looking for fresh ideas from ministers in the new year.

It is difficult to erase the suspicion that the social housing policy is motivated by ideology as much as anything else, writes John Armstrong.

Police stations have become "mini prisons" because of an unexpected overflow of inmates and a senior police officer fears frontline staff may be pulled from their duties to help man the cells.

Those at Davos, seemingly representing the interests of the very wealthy, like to think they are working to make the world a better place - as long as they are not inconvenienced in doing so.

State of the Nation speeches, so called, are really about the state of the government or the party in opposition at the opening of a new political year. Politicians, like the public, have been refreshed by a summer break.

"The Labour Party I lead is about jobs, good jobs, skilled jobs, well-paid jobs." Andrew Little has delivered his first state of the nation speech.

87 per cent of teenage mums, and virtually all teen fathers, are missing out on education at specialist units designed for them.

Auckland is a great place - but it can be even better. In the second of our five-part Future Auckland series we aim to stimulate debate. Teuila Fuatai reports.

In Europe and even parts of the United States, Jews report rising levels of the "oldest hatred". And we aren't immune from the subject here in New Zealand, writes Inge Woolf.