A memorial service was held today for the friends, family and colleagues of Eric and Kathy Hertz. Matt Bollard, 2degrees Director of Corporate Affairs Manager, spoke on behalf of the company in remembrance of their colleagues. The 2degrees boss and his wife died when their plane ditched into the ocean off the coast of Kawhia nearly two weeks ago. The service was held at Auckland's AUT's marae, where Kathy had worked. The Civil Aviation Authority are still examining the plane wreckage retrieved from the sea floor last weekend in an effort to find the cause.

The Louvre was closed on Thursday after its workers walked off their jobs to protest against what is said to be a rising problem of pickpockets haunting the famed Paris museum's vast galleries.

Three days into a two-week expedition to the Three Kings Islands, New Zealand scientists have found several previously undescribed seaweed species and anticipate more discoveries in the waters around these islands 55km off the northern-most tip of New Zealand. The expedition findings are being shared in near real-time through the blog site http://threekings.aucklandmuseum.com/

Arthur Allan Thomas has condemned a soon to be released police inquiry into the Crewe murders as a mockery and a "cover up" following the police's defence of the man who led the original investigation. At a rare public appearance this morning Mr Thomas, who was twice convicted and then pardoned in the murders of Jeanette and Harvey Crewe in 1970, said police were "protecting their own".

All Black coach Steve Hansen has announced a contract extension that will see him lead the side through to 2015 Rugby World Cup. As reported in the Herald on Sunday, the New Zealand Rugby Union agreed at their March board meeting to back Hansen as the man to deliver their stated goal of winning back-to-back World Cups.

Nine scientists are three days in to a two-week marine expedition to the Three Kings Islands and they've already discovered their first new (or previously undescribed) species - seaweeds. This video footage is from their first dive at the Cavalli Islands on the way to the Three Kings. You can follow more of the expedition through their blog http://threekings.aucklandmuseum.com/

Matt Damon and Jodie Foster star in Elysium, director Neill Blomkamp's follow up to his acclaimed film District 9. Set in the year 2159, where the very wealthy live on a man-made space station while the rest of the population resides on a ruined Earth, one a man takes on a mission that could bring equality to the polarised worlds.

No rest for teams in the V8 Supercars with cars and equipment which raced in Tasmania last weekend now on the way to New Zealand. The back-to-back race weekends can be stretch, but for the likes of IRWIN Racing's Lee Holdsworth a positive result in across Bass has him looking forward to now racing on the other side of the the ditch.

Courtesy of Thetruth.com

Auckland Museum is leading a team of New Zealand and Australian scientists on a two-week expedition to the Three Kings Islands to explore the marine life and search for previously undiscovered species Expedition leader Dr Tom Trsnki explains what people can expect on this scientific expedition.

Trieste is a short film that uses lights, shadows, and colour to demonstrate the feeling of confusion from wanting to be heard and wanting to be appreciated. The metaphors used portrays today's youth. Director's Bio: Miguel Efondo is a Filipino filmmaker currently based in Auckland, New Zealand. He started directing on high school plays, most notably on The Red Horizon, a multimedia musical interpretation of Homer's The Iliad, which he won Best Director. He studied screen and design studies at the University of Wailato. In his spare time, Miguel watches anime, reads YA fiction, and reads mangas.

Francois Botha has called him a "baby" but Joseph Parker knows his older opponent will be anything but paternal when they meet in the ring in June. In fact, Parker will be taking extra care to avoid some of the tricks that so rattled Sonny Bill Williams in Brisbane in February.

Cue TV has the latest from Invercargill with the council meeting about the smelter and Mayor Shadbolt debunking a few myths about the rest of NZ getting cheap power if it closes.

A Wellington team called Cool Runnings – named after the Jamaican bobsled movie – are ecstatic to cross the finish line as the fastest team at Oxfam Trailwalker, running the 100 kilometre trail in Taupo in just 12 hours and 41 minutes.

Fisherman Rolf Nylinder is from Sweden and bought a 30 dollar guitar during a trip visiting New Zealand, His friend Peter had a Mac with "Garageband". So obviously he felt compelled to rewrite a song (apologies to Leonard Cohen) to spread the word about true fly fishing! frontsidefly.com

Auckland Zoo gave locals a rare opportunity to enjoy breakfast at their tiger exhibit to raise funds to help Sumatran tigers in the wild. Carnivore keeper Sue Mills educated the lucky few on why the species is endangered & also gave a special behind the scenes tour to get up & close with the zoo's Sumatran Tigers. For more information visit AucklandZoo.co.nz

The New Zealand flag has been lowered for the final time at Kiwi Base in Bamiyan, the symbolic end to New Zealand's 10-year involvement in the war in Afghanistan, also a memorial plaque to the New Zealand soldiers and Afghan forces who have died in Bamiyan Province has been unveiled.

Oosh Multimedia has teamed up with BRIGHTBLACK to bring you daily recaps of the shows at WFWeek 3-7 April 2013. Here is the lineup for Day 04: - RObYN MATHEISON - millicent - VINKA design - JESIICA BRIDAL - Bernadette Thomas - CorinaSnow - Sally Eagle - SHIKA BRADDOCK - NICOLA SCREEN - JOHN ZIMMERMAN

The Documentary Edge Festival runs in Auckland from 10-21 April in Auckland at Q Theatre and 8 - 19 May in Wellington at Reading Cinemas Courtenay and The Film Archive. Over 60 films have been selected from New Zealand and across the World. They represent the best crop of documentary films from the past year. This year the Documentary Edge Festival is proud to screen a large number of Academy Award nominated and winning films.

The New Zealand flag has been lowered for the final time at Kiwi Base in Bamiyan, the symbolic end to New Zealand's 10-year involvement in the war in Afghanistan. Afghan authorities will now have sole responsibility for development and security in the province, whose future is still uncertain.

CEO of the Southland Chamber of Commerce Richard Hay speaks to Cue TV and believes from inside sources that Rio Tinto are happy to 'come back to the table' in talks with Meridian Energy.

Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt talks to Cue TV about Tiwai Point. Prime Minister John Key says the Government will offer no more than the short-term subsidy offered last week to keep the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter open. Rio Tinto - which owns just on 80 percent of the 41 year-old smelter, rejected a short term subsidy offer over Easter weekend, saying it needed a long term deal and was returning to talks with its supplier, Meridian Energy.

The two men accused of assaulting star cricketer Jesse Ryder have appeared in court this morning. The pair, aged 20 and 37 and both from Christchurch, appeared in the dock at Christchurch District Court at the post-earthquake temporary Nga Hau e Wha Marae venue. The 37-year-old has been charged with assaulting Jesse Daniel Ryder and also with reckless disregard for the safety of others. The younger man, believed to be his nephew, is facing two charges of assault, one in connection with the older man.

Jamie Whincup takes motorsport writer Eric Thompson for a hot lap of the new Pukekohe Park Raceway in his Holden V8 Supercar – and bins it through the esses.

He Korowai Trust are the heroes of the far North of New Zealand, a region experiencing economic crisis. Based in Kaitaia, their team saves at least one home a week from mortgagee sale. He Korowai client Rachel talks to us about her experience with the Trust, how they saved her home and helped her build a brighter future.

Timelapse of Balloons as thousands of people converged on Wairarapa for the 15th annual Trust House Balloons Over Wairarapa festival This wonderful courtesy of Joao Inacio and his website Here and Around www.hereandaround.net

New Zealand Ambassador to the United State Mike Moore joined Deputy Director of the Pew Charitable Trusts Karen Sack, Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr, and Secretary Kerry, at a diplomatic gathering on Monday, March 18, 2013. The event was hosted by the Pew Charitable Trusts at the National Geographic building and explored the importance of protecting the Ross Sea while urging the international community to come together to conserve the Ross Sea. courtesy Our Planet/Vimeo

Peter Jackson has tackled a series of questions about his upcoming film The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. The Oscar-winning director held a Hobbit live event over the weekend and has since released a clip where he answered a number of queries directly from fans. courtesy Warner Bros/PeterJackson/YouTube

Images show the future shape of New Zealand if deformation measured between 1994 and 1998 continued unchanged. Graphic does not account for earthquakes meaning the amount of deformation in some areas may not be as large as indicated. courtesy GNS Science.

Police will be a highly visible presence in urban and rural areas throughout the country over Easter. They would focus on enforcing the lowered 4km/h speed tolerance, which applies during all holiday periods, as well as targeting drunk and dangerous driving.