John Key says leaked cables from the US Embassy in Wellington, which form part of this week's massive Wikileaks release, "could cause some embarrassment".

What the international media is saying about North Korea's latest act of aggression.

New Zealand is adding its voice to international outrage over North Korea's artillery attack on South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island.

The Defence Force may only be able to save up three quarters of the $300 million touted after the release of the white paper, Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said today.

A Nelson woman whose family was terrorised by two drunken sailors wants to meet them face-to-face, and says they should not be thrown out of the Navy.

Trigger-happy Australian soldiers have been warned not to fire their weapons so much.

Full-blown military exercises between the US and NZ could begin within a year, Defence Minister Wayne Mapp says.

The United States wants to to stamp its presence on the Pacific region.

Labour's defence spokesman Pete Hodgson says it is 'sad' the SAS is fundraising for their families.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp has ordered an immediate inquiry after reports businessmen paid for sessions with the defence force's elite Special Air Service (SAS) troops.

The joke doing the rounds is that there seems to be no spare cash for anything more than hiring consultants to squeeze more money out of the Defence Force's budget to hire even more expensive consultants...