Travellers could get caught as heavy downfalls settle over the North Island for the next 24 hours.

The skipper of a protest boat who was arrested yesterday plans to fight claims he acted dangerously.

More in the war of words between Greenpeace and police over a protest yacht's course yesterday near the the Petrobras oil survey ship.

Columbine was set up 60 years ago by the three Thorpe bothers, Alan, George and Jack.

Prime Minister John Key said at his post cabinet press conference today that the Government was still committed to closing the wage gap with Australia.

The Government is calling for calm after Greenpeace protesters today disrupted a Brazilian oil giant from investigating deep sea oil drilling off the East Cape.

Department of Conservation (DOC) officials have seized two nets and about 80 fish following reports of commercial fishing in a marine reserve in Auckland.

The Government says Petrobras is following DOC guidelines to minimise the disturbance to marine mammals while it looks for oil off the East Cape.

Tropical Cyclone Bune is making its way down to New Zealand and is expected to pass to the east of the country from Wednesday.

Tropical cyclone Bune, which is heading for Raoul Island, about 1100km northeast of New Zealand, weakened slightly this afternoon to a strong category 2. It may cause dangerous rips and surf along the east coast next week.

Police have found an American tourist who was missing in the Urewera National Park for two nights.

A tropical cyclone formed near Fiji today is on track to bring strong winds and heavy rain to New Zealand next week, forecasters predict.