Wellington - New Zealand police on Tuesday called off the search for two people missing after the White Island volcanic eruption.There were 47 people, mainly Australian tourists, on the island when it erupted on December 9, and 25 remain in hospital.

Wellington - A firearms buyback scheme launched in New Zealand after the Christchurch mosque shootings ends on Friday, with gun control groups hailing its success despite opposition from some firearms owners.

Wellington - New Zealand police said Wednesday that the search for two bodies still missing after the White Island volcanic eruption will be reduced in the coming days as the remains had likely been washed out to sea.

Wellington - All victims of the White Island volcanic eruption have now been identified, New Zealand police said Tuesday, as they formally named two Australians and an American among the deceased.

Wellington - New Zealand marked one week since the deadly White Island eruption with a minute's silence Monday, as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warned grieving families they face a lengthy wait for answers.

Wellington - The death toll from New Zealand's White Island volcano eruption rose to 18 Sunday, including two people whose bodies have not been recovered, police said.

Wellington - Divers searched seas around New Zealand's volatile White Island Saturday for two people still missing five days after the volcano erupted, as the death toll rose to 17.

Wellington - Adventure tourism is a key part of New Zealand's international appeal but the White Island volcano eruption is a tragic reminder that such activities carry genuine risk that must be better explained to travellers, experts say.

Whakatane - The brother of a tour guide who died in the White Island volcano disaster said Thursday stalled efforts to recover victims' bodies showed "leadership had failed".

Whakatane - A team of elite New Zealand soldiers succeeded in retrieving six bodies from the volatile White Island volcano on Friday, in a mission carried out under the ever-present threat of another eruption.

Whakatane - Fears of another eruption at the New Zealand volcano believed to have killed 15 people made it too dangerous for emergency teams to recover bodies, police said Wednesday, as doctors fought to save survivors who suffered horrific burns.

Whakatane - New Zealand authorities said they hoped clear weather Wednesday would allow the recovery of bodies from the White Island volcano but they would not be rushed into landing on the still-smouldering disaster zone.

Whakatane - Eight people were still missing after a volcanic eruption in New Zealand, with no indications they survived the explosion that has already left five dead, police said Tuesday.

Whakatane - Tales of heroism, devastation and horrifying injuries emerged Tuesday after New Zealand's smouldering White Island volcano exploded, killing an estimated 14 people and turning what should have been an intrepid day trip into a nightmare.

Wellington - New Zealand police have said no more survivors were expected to be rescued from an island volcano that erupted suddenly on Monday, suggesting as many as two dozen people could have died.

Wellington - New Zealand's White Island volcano erupted suddenly on Monday, prompting fears for a group of visitors seen walking on the crater floor moments before.

Wellington - Samoan authorities warned Friday that anti-vaccine propaganda would not be tolerated, after a social media campaigner was arrested for opposing a mass immunisation drive aimed at containing the Pacific nation's deadly measles epidemic.

Wellington - Social media giants must crack down on anti-vaccination posts that are fuelling Samoa's deadly measles epidemic from afar, UNICEF's Pacific islands chief said Thursday.

Wellington - Samoa entered a two-day lockdown Thursday to carry out an unprecedented mass vaccination drive aimed at containing a devastating measles epidemic that has killed dozens of children in the Pacific island nation.

Wellington - The World Health Organisation warned of a "slide back" in global efforts to eliminate measles Tuesday, as the death toll from an outbreak that has killed dozens of children in Samoa continued to climb.