Pomp and ceremony joined with a mutual love of rugby in John Key's one-day visit to Paris.

Sunni-Shia hostility in the Muslim world is likely to deepen because of the demolition of Shia holy places in Bahrain.

Britain and France have argued Nato is taking too long to destroy Colonel Gaddafi's military regime.

South African judge Richard Goldstone said yesterday that he did not plan to seek nullification of his highly critical United Nations report.

New Zealand health experts are leading a push to make the world largely smokefree by 2040.

Ivory Coast has been plunged back into civil war after a slow-burning election crisis developed into violence.

Syrian police launched a relentless assault on a neighbourhood sheltering anti-government protesters, fatally shooting at least 15 in a pre-dawn operation, witnesses said.

The question of exactly who's in charge of the Libyan operation has divided the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Serious fractures emerged in the international community yesterday over military intervention in Libya.

A best-case scenario in Libya would see the quick dissolution of Gaddafi's forces.

Cabinet agreed today to give $1m to support the Red Cross effort in Japan, Prime Minister John Key announced this afternoon, and also confirmed four NZers were still in Libya.

Sarkozy and Cameron lead drive for UN-backed intervention in Libya as Gaddafi's tanks roll

For a brief, happy period on Saturday, it seemed the United Nations Security Council resolution adopted in New York the previous day had stopped Muammar Gaddafi in his tracks.