Instilling the importance of nutritious food in families is helping improve health in communities blighted by overcrowding.

In the remote Barai village in Madang province, teacher Louis Kumana worries about his school's attendance rate.

Alice Unithy makes the one-hour trip down the Aluta river so her daughter can attend kindergarten.

It started as a joke and ended with a journalist earning a namesake in Papua New Guinea.

International Woman's Day finds efforts to modernise traditional practices improving grim statistics around maternal mortality.

Early in the morning, Jennifer left her village, in the isolated, mountainous province of Malaita and began her journey, alone, to have her baby.

Thousands of boaties swapped their old lifejackets for new in a Coastguard safety scheme.

Each day we report on a particular problem for the Pacific, showcasing how World Vision has helped. Today, fishing to survive.

Clarke Gayford and Mike Scott visit isolated communities in Papua New Guinea as part of a World Vision fundraiser and find scenes straight out of a horror movie.

The people of Rarata village in the Solomon Islands were walking up to 7km every day to quench their thirst.

In the village of Hanuabada, children swim among soiled nappies and unsafe water kills. But there is hope.

The Herald's latest appeal with World Vision will help our Pacific neighbours.

Hastings has congratulated its largest number of newly officiated New Zealand citizens just as Statistics New Zealand released population projections stating Hawke's Bay would grow steadily over the next 30 years. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

French sailors Jean-Pierre and Paulette van Hille have returned to Tauranga after 20 years to continue their long love affair with New Zealand. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

French sailors Jean-Pierre and Paulette van Hille have returned to Tauranga after 20 years to continue their long love affair with New Zealand. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

Auli'i Cravalho was singing when one of her dancers' flags slapped her in the head

The Airbus contender to replace the RNZAF's Hercules is making its 100-tonne presence felt in New Zealand this weekend.

Leila George looks at why this tropical paradise should be on your radar for 2017.

Siena Yates unlocks the secrets of an untouched island.

There may be a whole lot more to little old New Zealand than three tiny islands tucked away in the Pacific.

Former All Black and Chiefs player Sione Lauaki will be farewelled at a funeral service in Auckland on Saturday.

NZ artist Michel Tuffery is carving a memorial for the Cook Islands soldiers of WWI.

Pamela Wade island-hops aboard VT439.

Lauren Jones looks at some of the Pacific's top events.

The next time you holiday in Vanuatu, don't expect to see any M&Ms or Mars Bars in every hotel minibar.

The investigation into issues raised by Edward Snowden's Kiwi leaks of National Security Agency material is almost complete. David Fisher points to the areas most needing attention.

Want more from a Fiji break than just a pool and a cocktail? Healthy holidays are easy to find, writes Lauren Jones.

A Kiwi scientist has unexpectedly discovered what appears to be a huge undersea volcanic eruption near the main island of Tonga.

The number of unprovoked shark attacks across the world fell last year, in the wake of a record figure in 2015 that scientists partly put down to warmers waters created by a strong El Nino system.

Tevita Lokotui, who plays the tuba in the school's brass band, is recovering after having his leg amputated at the knee as a result of the Christmas Eve bus crash.