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.

Bombing continued on Libya's eastern front line, just over two hours after the regime in Tripoli had officially declared a ceasefire after the UN resolution authorising military action in Libya.

Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi has threatened retaliatory attacks against passenger aircraft in the Mediterranean if foreign countries made air strikes against his country.

Negotiations are continuing for the release of the sister of an Auckland man and her partner who were taken hostage by Somali pirates, with a friend of the couple hopeful a resolution will be reached soon.

Sick and disabled NZers are taking legal action against the Australian Government over what they call a "discriminatory" law denying them medical care and other state support.

The UN has expressed concern over shortfalls in the rights of NZ children, including "staggering" infant and child mortality rates, and a lack representation for children in legislation. It questions why NZ does not have a department of

To mark the United Nations' International Year of Forests, the Royal Botanic Gardens will hold a Tropical Extravaganza celebrating the importance of tropical rainforests.

Queensland residents are about to begin the monumental task of cleaning up their properties as floodwaters start to recede.

Roads and vehicles must be "more forgiving" to curb a road toll which averages more than one death a day, the AA says. Figures released by the Ministry of Transport today show 371 people died on the roads over the past year.