The Front Page

Pope Francis has died at the age of 88. 

The Vatican announced he died of a stroke at his Santa Maria residence – almost a month after a five-week stay in hospital battling pneumonia.

Elected on March 13 2013, for 12 years he served as the leader of the world’s 1 point 4 billion Catholics, and was notable for his more liberal and open minded views on Christianity.

Today on The Front Page, Bishop Michael Dooley, the...

New Zealand Police are assisting the FBI in an investigation into a secretive religious group, which has operations worldwide.

It’s a fringe, Christian sect that has no official name – but is commonly known as the “Two by Twos”,  “The Truth”, “The Way” and “The Church With No Name”.

The inquiries follow a BBC investigation last year into allegations of child sexual ab...

There are a number of employment dispute avenues in New Zealand, dependent on what industry you’re in.

If you’re one of the 114,000 registered teachers in this country – you have to appear before something called the “Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal”.

Last year, there were 524 complaints, mandatory reports, and self-reports received by the Teaching Council - which is 0.5% of the total number of teachers...

For much of the 1970s, Marty Johnstone operated as one of New Zealand’s most notorious drug dealers.

Dubbed ‘Mr Asia’ by journalists, Johnstone rose from North Shore menswear salesman to head of a global heroin empire.

But his life at the top was short lived. In November 1979, his mutilated body was found in a quarry in Lancashire, England. He was just 27 when he was murdered, killed by his best friend, Andy Maher...

The Government is keen on making it easier to get more drivers on the road.

If proposed changes announced this week go through, the second practical driving test required for a full licence will be scrapped, and the number of eyesight tests needed will be reduced, with new safety measures being introduced as well.

It comes as the Government continues with its pledge to reverse Labour’s “blanket speed limit reductions&rd...

The severe storm barrelling towards the upper North Island has been upgraded to a tropical cyclone.

The Fiji Meteorological Service has named the storm “Tropical Cyclone Tam”, and while its centre is expected to remain west of Cape Reinga, forecasters are still warning of severe wind and rain over the next 24 hours.

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New Zealand fashion has had a shake-up in recent years – with both well-known and home-grown brands shutting up shop.

Kate Sylvester will shut their doors this year after 31 years of trade – and newer labels, Mina, Hej hej, and Nisa have all ended production.

The struggles are perhaps best epitomised by New Zealand fashion week, which cancelled its 2024 season after cancellations in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

And the issues s...

Pauline Hanna on a boat, sea breeze, big smiles.

It’s the image filmmakers of a new three-part documentary into her death, and subsequent murder trial of her husband, decide to open on.

Philip Polkinghorne was found not guilty of strangling his wife and making it look like she’d taken her own life.

The Front Page covered the mammoth nine-week trial in the series: Accused: The Polkinghorne Trial.

Today on The Front Page,...

Artificial intelligence has been the hot topic of debate in the business world for the last few years.

But increasingly, it’s an area that is encroaching in on the creative industries.

The latest OpenAI update is so advanced, fans online have used it to eerily replicate the hand drawn art style of Japanese anime favourites, Studio Ghibli.

It’s just the latest sign of AI coming for the arts, with recent headlines also hi...

Politics is rarely quiet in New Zealand, but we’ve seen plenty of upheaval in the last few weeks.

Notably, after over a year of protests and thousands of submissions against it, the Treaty Principles Bill has finally been killed off, after being voted down in its second reading in the House yesterday.

But things are looking up for the Coalition, with two recent polls firming up support for National, Act and NZ First – e...

A week after announcing his Liberation Day tariffs and causing global market chaos, US President Donald Trump has done a 180.

He has announced on social media that he has paused tariffs against 75 countries for 90 days – but has doubled down on a trade war with China, announcing a 125% tariffs on goods from the country.

US stocks rocketed higher after the declaration – the S&P 500 posted its best day since 2008, and...

Cost of living has hit many families around the country hard – but what about the singles out there?

From booking holidays to having a roof over your head, there’s often an additional cost of doing life alone.

Research shows that, for people aged 25 to 49, those who are single spend 14% more than their coupled counterparts.

It has been dubbed the ‘singles tax’, and while it is gaining more traction in the ma...

There’s no doubt about it, being a parliamentarian is a public facing, high-stress, demanding job.

You’re exposed, scrutinised, and your decisions affect the entire country – for better, or worse.

But, do the high-stakes constitute the abuse they face, some on a daily basis?

Recently, we’ve seen Minister Shane Jones and his wife Dot accosted at an airport, increased security for Mayors Wayne Brown and Tania ...

Donald Trump’s Liberation Day has felt more like a bloodbath for the world economy.

The US President last week announced what he called reciprocal tariffs on almost every country on Earth – as well as some islands uninhabited by human life.

New Zealand was not as impacted as most – with just a10 percent tariff on our goods imported into the US – but the European Union has had a 20% bump on tariffs, while Chi...

The world can feel like a dark and gloomy place at times, particularly at the moment.

With wars, economic uncertainty and certain politicians always generating headlines, its hard to avoid feeling down.

But in amongst all this doom and gloom, there are plenty of stories worth celebrating in New Zealand – from stars on the rise to businesses making it work in a tough environment.

The New Zealand Herald is spotlighting some of ...

You meet anyone overseas and say New Zealand, the first thing they bring up is hobbits.

Lord of the Rings was a crowning achievement for film production in Aotearoa, and opened the door for more movies to be filmed here.

A Minecraft Movie is just the latest overseas blockbuster to be produced on our shores, and that’s hitting cinemas around the world this weekend – while local film Tee-nah has been a box office sensatio...

Our primary healthcare system stands at a critical juncture - at least, that’s the latest from the New Zealand Initiative.

The think tank has released a review this morning, into the country’s primary care system.

It argues that the “current system faces mounting pressures that threaten its sustainability and effectiveness”.

So with the vital role GPs play in our every day healthcare, what are the challenges...

A war of words has erupted between the Green Party and NZ First this week.

It comes after photos circulated on social from a private Instagram account belonging to Green MP Benjamin Doyle. The account, named ‘biblebeltbussy’, also featured photos of their child, including one with ‘bussy’ in the caption.

The term originated as a euphuism for a man’s anus, and can be used colloquially by some in the gay...

The so-called ‘stadium wars’ in Auckland have been raging quietly behind the scenes for several years now. 

But last week, the battle popped up in public once again, with Auckland Council voting to throw its support behind a plan to upgrade Eden Park, over the proposed new stadium on the city’s waterfront.  

Eden Park may have won on the day, but questions remain over how the upgrades will be funded...