The toothfish pirates refused NZ permission to board, which we meekly obeyed, then, with fuel running out, we retired while the plundering continued, writes Brian Rudman.

The commanding officer of the navy ship that was outlasted by three ageing fishing vessels in the Southern Ocean has responded to critics who labelled the operation a disaster.

The Royal New Zealand Navy is being urged to escalate a standoff with two illegal fishing vessels in the Southern Ocean, with calls last night for a show of firepower.

New Zealand's Navy is in a standoff with two fishing vessels, whose crews are resisting attempts to be boarded.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs has welcomed the peaceful elections in Sri Lanka and congratulated the country's new president after a shock election result.

New Zealand is being urged by Thailand to revoke the passport of a Thai fugitive who has fled to this country.

New Zealand double Olympic gold medallist Valerie Adams had a scare when a plane she was on started to skid off a runway in Tonga.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has voiced its frustration over the unsolved killing of a NZ woman.

A Kiwi jihadist who claims to be fighting in Syria with Isis has been mistakenly broadcasting his exact location after forgetting to turn off his phone's tracking function.

Prime Minister John Key says Russia has tried to reignite free trade talks - but New Zealand has made it clear it will not budge until Russia buckles to international demands over Ukraine.

Stalled free trade negotiations with India have taken a positive step forward with a commitment to schedule the next round of talks.

Departing and defeated MPs went out with a splurge on the taxpayer tab, with Mana leader Hone Harawira the biggest-spending MP, new expense details show.

A Malaysian diplomat facing sexual assault charges appears set to return to New Zealand this Friday.

A Kiwi jihadist who has links with al Qaeda and has taken up arms in Syria wants to come home -- but first needs a fresh New Zealand passport after burning his old one

Fine wines, controversial French delicacies and a protected species of fish have all been slapped on the taxpayers' tab by government ministers.

Prime Minister John Key has come under fire for refusing to apologise to the victim of an alleged sex attack involving a Malaysian diplomat.

John Key will not personally apologise to the victim of an alleged sexual attack involving a Malaysian diplomat after she accused him of appearing bored with her case.

A Kiwi with links to al-Qaeda has taken up arms in Syria and says he will fight until he becomes a martyr.

The diplomat who left New Zealand after being charged with sexually assaulting a woman will be brought back at Malaysia's expense.

Opposition parties attacked the terms of reference of the sex case inquiry, released yesterday, for not specifically identifying the role of Mr McCully for scrutiny.

Police say they sought to remove the bail conditions for the Malaysian diplomat at the centre of a sex case — including an order to surrender his passport — because the conditions were not enforceable under diplomatic immunity.

Hone Harawira says he made a "big mistake" for earlier dismissing the sex assault case involving a Malaysian diplomat as a "big fuss about bugger all".

The woman at the centre of a diplomatic incident and the victim of an alleged attack says Foreign Minister Murray McCully should resign.

The more that emerges in the story we broke last Sunday the more disturbing it becomes that diplomatic immunity should be so badly handled.

The Malaysian diplomatic aide accused of burglary and intent to rape could be sent back to New Zealand without diplomatic immunity as early as Monday.

Diplomatic immunity has been claimed eight times in the last four years, with four suspects escaping charges by fleeing the country.