Labour leader Chris Hipkins has promised to scrap the emergency housing target, and "abolish the criminalisation of homelessness" if Labour wins the election.

Italy and the Balkans are feeling the impact of a heatwave that has caused hundreds of excess deaths and disrupted daily life across Europe for more than a week.

Oranga Tamariki took months to respond to an Education Review Office letter raising "serious and immediate concerns" about children at Gloriavale after it was sent to a former staff member whose inbox was no longer monitored.