One of the rarest and best-loved whales in the world has been spotted off the coast of Australia, in what is believed to be the first sighting of the year.

Tamsyn Parker writes, "Kiwis seem to love buying rental property but I wonder how many people do their homework before they buy a property?"

Police have detained two men they believe bashed, robbed and dumped an unconscious Kiwi hiker in Poland.

Defending champions Spain have been knocked out of the World Cup in the group stages following a shocking 2-0 defeat to Chile in Rio de Janeiro this morning.

Politicians are as trustworthy as sex workers and Willie Apiata, VC, is - again - the most trusted of all Kiwis, according to an annual survey.

Sexually transmitted infections in the over-60s has soared in the last year, as experts claim the baby boom generation rarely use a condom.

Screaming fans, loud concerts and poached eggs on toast were all part of George Harrison's visit to New Zealand with the Beatles 50 years ago.

David Cunliffe is in deep political trouble. So deep that his resignation as Labour's leader may now be very much in order, writes John Armstrong.

Kanye West has admitted spending four days editing his wedding photo to get the flowers exactly right.

Game of Thrones fans have turned to Twitter to voice their disappointment at a major omission from Monday night's season finale.

Presenter Darren McMullen won over by Wellington’s charms.

New evidence has found a health condition that causes the heart to accelerate rapidly upon standing up is affecting educated, young women more than anyone else.

The BBC is producing "crap" comedy and would not have the courage to commission Monty Python's Flying Circus today, John Cleese has claimed.

A couch potato lifestyle is linked to a significantly greater risk of certain cancers as well as heart disease and diabetes, research has shown.

Children at an Auckland primary school have won a promise from four political parties to let children help to run the country.

Eating well is simpler than it seems, says Dave Shaw. Don't be confused by common diet myths and fallacies - we debunk a few of the biggest.

The Herald's resident Game of Thrones fanatics rant about their favourite bits from last night's season four finale, The Children.

He has previously spoken about his troubled relationship with alcohol - and Daniel Radcliffe has admitted he used to turn up to filming drunk.

Still recovering from last night's Game of Thrones finale? If you're still piecing it together, here's a wrap of everything that happened ...

Formula One legend Michael Schumacher is no longer in a coma and has been discharged from the French hospital where he has been treated since December.

Pebbles Hooper, the daughter of World designers Francis Hooper and Denise L'Estrange Corbet, is an artist and gossip writer who grew up travelling the world.

Noise, vibration, trouble sleeping, turning a popular part of Auckland's waterfront and the busy Albert St into a construction site for years and pedestrian and vehicle disruption.

Game of Thrones producers say tonight's finale will be the best yet. Will Tyrion lose his head? Will John Snow kill Mance? Here's our recap of the questions Thrones viewers are probably thinking right now ...

A security guard criticised for a hard-hitting tackle of a streaker during Saturday All Blacks game was "100 per cent" in the right, Forsyth Barr Stadium management says.

The last time the World Cup came to Brazil in 1950, some 200,000 people are estimated to have piled in to the Estadio Maracana, to see the hosts shocked by rivals Uruguay.

A birthday card's 53-year journey has come to an end.

An airline has apologised after one of its cabin crew refused to allow a mother to take her toddler to the toilet, resulting in the youngster urinating in her seat.