It seems the sun always shines on the East Coast, writes Elisabeth Easther.

Which town looks set to keep its crown as New Zealand's sunshine capital? A new climate report shows one place well out in front.

Wild winds brought down a large palm tree at a Whakatane property early this morning, narrowly missing the house.

A Whakatane gang member is upset he has been told by his son's school he can no longer be a parent helper at his son's school camp.

A police officer used excessive force against a man who attempted to flee and resisted arrest, the police watchdog has ruled.

Whakatane residents do not need to be concerned for their safety, police say, as roads near the airport are closed for a manhunt.

Four of the five people charged with aggravated robbery for a Boxing Day attack on two German tourists in Whakatane have been sent to jail.

A Kaitaia family were on their way to Gisborne to see if they could start a new life there when the car crashed into an oncoming truck, fatally injuring a 5-month-old baby.

A father frantically smashed car windows to get to his young children after the vehicle, which he had been following, crashed head-on with a truck.

Whakatane police on district court duty abandoned their posts inside the Whakatane District Court after a brawl erupted on the street outside this morning.

A person is dead after the car they were driving collided with a tree before bursting into flames in Bay of Plenty this morning.

A German couple beaten and robbed in their tent in Whakatane early this morning have received an "overwhelming'' number of offers of help.

A false alarm that triggered Whakatane's tsunami warning system last night has prompted fears residents might ignore a genuine alert.

White Island has remained quiet overnight following yesterday's eruption, GeoNet says, but the activity could be part of a bigger sequence.

Civil Defence will monitor White Island (Whakari) following a small eruption which could be part of a sequence leading to a bigger event.

White Island sightseers are being warned another eruption could occur "at any time with little or no warning''.

There are days and nights of plenty on a steamy weekend in New Zealand’s sunshine capital, writes Paul Rush.

A crash that claimed the life of a Te Kaha man was a "shocker", a coroner says.

The family of murdered teenager Emily Longley are preparing to return to London for her killer's appeal, hoping it will bring some closure to the nightmare.

The grandmother of a toddler who suffered hypothermia after his CYF caregivers subjected him to cold showers wants to take legal action against the organisation.

A 2-year-old boy who almost drowned in a hot pool continues to recover in hospital.