NZ foreign affairs officials are checking a report that Lebanon's Military Tribunal has sentenced a Jordanian New Zealander and six others to hard labour for forming a terrorist group.

PM keen to hear Hillary Clinton's views on what progress has been made towards establishing a corruption-free Government in Afghanistan.

The US is poised to drop its ban on military exercises with NZ, which it introduced in 1985 in reprisal for NZ's anti-nuclear policy.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to NZ is expected to mark the start of a closer relationship, Fran O'Sullivan looks at what's on the agenda.

Hillary Clinton's visit to NZ this month comes at a time of continued growth in the relationship with the US, Murray McCully says.

Barack Obama has announced he will send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan despite growing pessimism about the war.

A New Zealander was preparing to skipper a yacht in an international race when the boat was seized by Iranian authorities in territorial waters.

The Government is considering its response to Fiji's expulsion of acting New Zealand Deputy High Commissioner Todd Cleaver yesterday.

John Key has jokingly promised Richie McCaw a knighthood if he leads the All Blacks to a win in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Two months after sending John Key an invitation to meet the Dalai Lama, organisers of the Buddhist leader's NZ visit say they have not received a response.

A UN Security Council resolution on nuclear non-proliferation is historic and significant, Prime Minister John Key says.

Barack Obama speaks glowingly of NZ during two quick chats with John Key in New York today.