The mother of a New Zealand woman held by Israel was last night anxiously waiting news of her daughter.

New Zealand joined governments worldwide to condemn the deaths of at least nine people during a maritime raid by Israeli soldiers.

Germany's conservative President Horst Koehler tendered his immediate resignation yesterday.

Mike Reid writes on council control of water services and options for the future.

Members of the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum will travel to Fiji to see whether or not the situation has improved in the island nation.

John Key's national cycleway has hit a bumpy patch, with only about 10km constructed from the $50m fund set up for the project.

The Government has embarked on a path to abolish building depreciation on virtually every building type and could hit depreciation claims on commercial building fit-outs in future, says Bayleys Valuations director John Freeman.

Australia will initiate action in the International Court of Justice, seeking to prevent Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean.