Barack Obama has pledged urgent help for tornado-stricken Oklahoma, as the death toll is confirmed to be 24, and more tornadoes are forecast.

It's been 14 years since sport's greatest entertainers, the Harlem Globetrotters, visited New Zealand.

Ten years after the Da Vinci Code Dan Brown is back with a new novel, inspired by Dante.

Dave Dobbyn has been putting on a bunch of shows getting other musicians to put their spin on his body of work.

At least 20 children are among the more than 90 reported dead so far in Moore, Oklahoma.

The vast majority of Christchurch residents who spoke yesterday did so because of their EQC and insurance frustrations, but then there are some positive stories.

Only a handful of skydivers have survived what happened to Liam Dunne.

Once again Campbell Live has a very powerful caravan of opinion about the private insurers. Responding is Tim Grafton.

Coach Steve Hansen refused to give away his new game plan with the test series against France only a few weeks away.

Kiwi BMX queen Sarah Walker has had two months back on the bike following surgery on her dislocated shoulder.

Just a day into his new job, Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick's already winning over the Yellow Fever.

Willy Moon is a Kiwi musician with fans all over the planet.

The rising cost of preserving one of Dunedin's oldest streets may be a step too far for the city council.

New Zealand's Mt Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary has been labelled as a 'great Briton' by an English newspaper editorial.

The Doors star Ray Manzarek has died following a secret battle with cancer. He was 74.

A petition boasting more than 37,000 signatures against the use of animal testing in the development of legal highs has been delivered to Parliament.

A group of emergency services workers training to become Urban Search and Rescue personnel have undertaken a simulated rescue in Palmerston North.

After a cliff-top home in Christchurch was demolished, the CERA staff and demolition crew struggled with how to get rid of the debris.

Murray McCully has offered to send NZ soldiers to the Middle East if there's an unsanctioned peace deal between Palestine and Israeli.

An inquiry into the actions of the GCSB has found that the organisation did not break the law by spying on 88 New Zealanders.

The first full trailer for Batman: Arkham Origins is out and confirms Deathstroke will be a fully playable character.

A helicopter with a monsoon bucket has been deployed to remove debris from the site of a once-dangerously perched Christchurch house.

Barcelona may have only just lifted the Primera Division trophy for this season but star playmaker Lionel Messi has already switched his sights to mounting a successful campaign next term.

Helio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti spoke about their attempts to win the Indianapolis 500 for a record tying fourth time this weekend.

Three 60-something friends take a break from their day-to-day lives to throw a bachelor party in Las Vegas for their last remaining single pal.

Tiger Woods spoke for some 20 minutes about the state of his game, belly putters, the U.S. Open and the AT&T National. As he was wrapping up, he needed just one word to cover the topic of Sergio Garcia.

At least 37 people are thought to have been killed and dozens of children remain missing after a powerful tornado hit Oklahoma City.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says New Zealand meat stalled at Chinese customs may already be starting to enter the country.

Eliminated X Factor NZ contestant Eden Roberts talks to 3 News about being voted off in the first of the show's elimination episodes.

More than 50 New Zealanders die of asthma every year a about one a week.

Video has emerged of a skydiving incident in Motueka last year, which left a man with serious injuries.

New research suggests that you're likely to do worse at university if you have an inflated view of what you deserve.

Nearly a month since the devastating collapse of a clothing factory in Bangladesh, survivors say they still haven't received promised compensation.

The price of gold is trying to rally this morning, after steep falls in the past week.

Prime Minister John Key is playing down concerns that delays in getting NZ meat into China will hit farmers in the pocket.

A tornado which swept through Shawnee, Oklahoma killed two people, injured others and tore off roofs.

It was the end of the road for Eden Roberts on The X Factor NZ last night after she was voted off in the first of the show's elimination episodes.

A former military helicopter pilot will become the first official British astronaut to go into space.

Yahoo is buying Tumblr for US$1.1 billion as CEO Marissa Mayer tries to rejuvenate the company.

Daniel Vettori may be rushed back into the New Zealand cricket side for the second Test against England this week after fellow left-arm spinner Bruce Martin was ruled out of the tour.

Manly tackled their way to a gutsy 10-all draw against reigning NRL champs the Storm in Melbourne.

Silver Ferns midcourter Jolene Henry played a full part as the Central Pulse rolled the Northern Mystics by 63 - 48, in Porirua last night to stay in the hunt for the ANZ Championship playoffs.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho will leave at the end of the season after three years at the Spanish club, paving the way for his expected return to Chelsea.

Next month marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of American civil rights leader Medgar Evers.

A former British sales executive with Google has claimed the internet giant is immoral.

32 months after the first earthquake, dozens of Christchurch residents are frustrated with the Earthquake Recovery Commission.

People in Christchurch are reaching the end of their patience a 32 months since the September earthquake.

The most successful coach in A-League history has been chosen to take charge of the Wellington Phoenix.

Steve and Leon's home in St Albans, Christchurch was badly damaged in the September 2010 earthquake.

With the June tests against France less than three weeks away, the return of Kieran Read from injury is a huge boost for the All Blacks.

Govt officials now admit they don't actually know why China is blocking New Zealand meat and they also don't know when it will end.

Former Melbourne Victory coach Ernie Merrick has been announced as the new head coach for the Wellington Phoenix.

Kiwi driver Fabian Coulthard has enjoyed V8 Supercars' first venture into the United States.

Twenty-six of Wellington's old commuter trains have been taken off the rails for urgent safety checks.

Details of the police case against two men accused of burning another man to death were made public today.

Christchurch's temporary pallet pavilion has proved so popular that a global fundraising campaign is now underway to keep the venue running for another summer.

The woman who first tried to lift the lid on paedophile James Parker is one of the two people shot dead outside Kaitaia.

Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara is a fresh face in the All Blacks training squad.

The man accused of murdering a Northland husband and wife in a double shooting has appeared in court and been ordered to undergo a psychiatric assessment.

The Government has done a U-turn and will now allow residents in Christchurch's red zone to apply for an extension to stay in their homes for longer.