Two Hong Kong-based Kiwi graduates have slammed a renowned NZ scientist's suggestion that overseas graduates should pay back outstanding student loans to help finance the Christchurch rebuild.

New Zealand will host July's Davis Cup tennis tie with the Philippines at Hawera in the Taranaki.

The Christchurch earthquake has generated new cooperation between Australian and New Zealand tourism authorities, with New Zealand offered a free platform to pitch for business at Australia’s major annual tourism trade show.

A man shot dead in an armed stand-off with police was training with the army and had moved to Napier to escape the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake.

Police have named the man shot dead by a police officer in rural Hawkes Bay early this morning and say it appears the 19-year-old fired a shotgun first before being shot by an officer with a Glock pistol in Fernhill, about 15km from Napier.

Today's fatal police shooting near Napier is the seventh in just over a decade, since Waitara man Steven Wallace's death in 2000.

Prince Charles has comforted grieving family members of Christchurch earthquake victims in London.

Police are half way through recovering thousands of cars from the Christchurch central business district devastated by the February 22 earthquake.

Concern for animal well-being is the reason Maureen and Dick Boyd set up a cattery at Te Horo, about 60km north of Wellington.

So pervasive have been the YouTube images that few people can be unaware of Casey Heynes, the Sydney bullying victim who struck back at his tormenter.