The trans-Tasman travel bubble is suspended for a further eight weeks, school holiday dates in Auckland remain unchanged and the drive to vaccinate continues.

New Zealanders wanting to welcome former refugees into their community will be able to apply to take part in a visa sponsorship programme from next month.

Police investigating three deaths in Timaru have confirmed that the deceased were siblings - two three-year-olds and one seven-year-old - who had just arrived from South Africa. Watch the latest police update here

Tasman District Council engineers are baffled that clothing and underwear are being flushed down toilets in Māpua.

There is concern the vaccine rollout is not reaching people using mental health and addiction services - people who were prioritised by the government for earlier access to the Pfizer jab.

The case of the provincial rugby players who wrongly obtained exemptions to travel out of Auckland's level 4 lockdown is now in the hands of police.

Police are appealing for more information as the search for a missing man and his three children last seen near a beach in Marokopa on Saturday evening continues.

The man charged with murdering a 16-year-old girl in south Auckland last weekend has made a brief appearance in court.

Police have revealed more details of deliberate breaches at the Auckland border, including a woman who was caught when her shopping was spotted. See how the rest of the day's Covid-19 news devloped with RNZ's blog.

The trans-Tasman bubble is being suspended for a further eight weeks, the New Zealand government has confirmed today. Watch the latest government briefing here.

Shouts of warning from a teenager about to be brutally murdered by his half-brother almost certainly saved the life of his younger sister, a court has heard.

There are 11 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today, the Ministry of Health has announced.

The first fleet of Covid-19 vaccine buses hit the streets of South Auckland yesterday and got off to a solid start, according to vaccinators.

A 23-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murdering a 16-year-old girl, whose body was found in Manurewa over the weekend.

It seems the influence of the Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield is no match for peer pressure, with most teens in alert level 2 not bothering to wear face masks in class.

Police are extending their operation targeting firearms-related violence by criminal gangs and organised crime groups.

School holiday dates in Auckland will not be changed because of the lockdown, Education Minister Chris Hipkins has announced.

The pandemic and the government's $64 million donation scheme combined to cut roughly $170m from schools' locally-raised income last year.