Queenstown - For the past year, the so-called "adrenaline capital of the world" has been more ghost town than party central.

Wellington - New Zealand authorities revealed an Auckland airport worker had tested positive for Covid-19 Tuesday, although Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it would not affect a newly opened travel bubble with Australia.

Wellington - New Zealand said Monday it would not let the 'Five Eyes' intelligence alliance dictate its dealings with its largest trading partner China, in the latest distancing from the US-led group's approach to tensions with Beijing.

Queenstown - Families reunited in emotional scenes Monday as Australia and New Zealand launched a quarantine-free travel bubble that opened the border almost 400 days after its pandemic-enforced closure.

Wellington - New Zealand border workers on Thursday began trialling a monitoring app designed to detect coronavirus before the user develops any noticeable symptoms, in what is believed to be a world first.

Wellington - New Zealand will force banks to reveal the impact their investments have on climate change under world-first legislation intended to make the financial sector's environmental record transparent, officials said.

Wellington - Samoa's cliff-hanger general election is a victory for under-represented women in Pacific island politics, regardless of the final outcome, opposition leader Fiame Naomi Mataafa said Monday.

Wellington - New Zealand health officials confirmed a fresh community case of Covid-19 in Auckland Thursday, just two days after the country celebrated its largely virus-free status by approving a travel bubble with Australia.

Wellington - New Zealanders and Australians rushed to book flights Tuesday as the beleaguered tourism industry welcomed the "lifeline" of a travel bubble between the largely coronavirus-free neighbours.

Wellington - Working mothers and their partners will be allowed to take paid leave after suffering a miscarriage or stillbirth in New Zealand after a unanimous vote by lawmakers, in what is believed to be one of the first provisions of its type in the world.

Auckland - Team New Zealand beat Italy's Luna Rossa 7-3 to win their fourth America's Cup Wednesday and retain the world's oldest international sporting trophy in front of huge crowds in Auckland.

Wellington - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told an emotional memorial service marking two years since the Christchurch mosque attacks that the country had "a duty" to support its Muslim community.

Wellington - New Zealand will lift a Covid-19 lockdown on nearly two million people on Sunday, as authorities say they are confident that a virus cluster in the country's largest city has been contained.

Wellington - Tens of thousands of coastal residents in New Zealand, New Caledonia and Vanuatu fled for higher ground Friday as a cluster of powerful earthquakes sparked a Pacific-wide tsunami alert.

Wellington - New Zealand police arrested two people Thursday over online threats against two Christchurch mosques targeted in a white supremacist attack two years ago that claimed the lives of 51 Muslims.

Wellington - New Zealand called on Google and Facebook Wednesday to strike deals with Kiwi media similar to those reached in Australia, which require the tech giants to pay for using news.

Wellington - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged New Zealanders to "call out" Covid-19 rule-breakers Monday, as public anger built over a series of infringements that forced the country's largest city back into lockdown.

Wellington - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ordered New Zealand's largest city back into lockdown on Saturday as Covid-19 cases continued to be detected in the community.

Wellington - A group of 28 pilot whales were successfully refloated at a notorious New Zealand beach where more than a dozen of the marine mammals died this week, jubilant rescuers said Wednesday.

Wellington - Rescuers successfully refloated 28 pilot whales stranded on a notorious stretch of New Zealand's coast Tuesday, but the mammals remained close to shore and could beach themselves again, wildlife officials said.