New Zealand fire agency FENZ's chief executive Kerry Gregory remains on leave months after Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden publicly withdrew confidence in him over withheld information.

President Donald Trump hit back at Barack Obama during a campaign rally, calling him 'incompetent' after the former president sharply criticized his economic record ahead of the US midterm elections.

Confidential medical records belonging to about a dozen pregnant patients at Royal Darwin Hospital were posted to Instagram, prompting a formal investigation by Northern Territory Health.

Politicians in Australia's Capital Territory say they have faced a hand-delivered death threat and been spat at, describing a surge in abuse since an attack on independent MP Helen Haines.

Writers say Patrick White Publishing pushed them to delete bad reviews and delivered AI-generated artwork despite charging hundreds of dollars.

Stats NZ data shows domestic airfares up 5.1% from a year ago, adding pressure on households booking for the holidays.