Wellington - Air New Zealand has offered Irish rugby fans some tongue-in-cheek "safety tips" before the countries face off in the quarterfinal of the Rugby World Cup in Japan on Saturday.

Wellington - New Zealand will establish a team of investigators dedicated solely to tackling online extremism, as it moves to address failures exposed by the Christchurch mosques massacre, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday.

Wellington - The government of Kiribati was accused Friday of attempting to bury a damning report into the Pacific island nation's worst ferry disaster, which claimed 81 lives last year.

Wellington - The man accused of murdering 51 Muslim worshippers in March's New Zealand mosque attacks on Thursday dropped a bid to move his trial from the city where the massacre occurred.

Wellington - Britain's top diplomat in New Zealand made a low-key "expression of regret" to Maori on Wednesday over deadly clashes that occurred when Captain James Cook's arrived in New Zealand 250 years ago.

Wellington - More than 40,000 people packed into the grounds of Wellington's parliament buildings Friday, giving the latest global climate strike a flying start with the largest turnout yet seen in New Zealand.

Wellington - A teenager lay dead in his campus dorm room for up to two months, a New Zealand university said Thursday, with the young man's body only discovered after fellow residents complained of the smell.

Wellington - New Zealand unveiled new legislation Friday aimed at ensuring only "fit and proper" people can own guns in the wake of the Christchurch mosque attacks that killed 51 Muslim worshippers.

Wellington - Tonga's prime minister Akilisi Pohiva died in an Auckland hospital after years of ill health, New Zealand officials said Thursday, hailing the 78-year-old as a democratic pioneer in the Pacific kingdom.

Sydney - You’d think this move would be just basic common sense. Australia will respond to live stream violence with prison terms to enforce removal of violent content online.

Wellington - Influential Pacific island leaders have called for Australia to be ousted from the region's main regional grouping, criticising Canberra's "neo-colonial" attitudes and refusal to take urgent action on climate change.

Wellington - Officials in New Zealand apologised Thursday after the alleged Christchurch mosque gunman was allowed to send a letter from prison espousing "hateful" views that a supporter then shared online.

Wellington - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Wednesday backed Pacific leaders' calls for urgent action on climate change, ramping up pressure on Australia to overhaul its stance on global warming.

Wellington - A multi-million dollar haul of cocaine washed up on a New Zealand beach this week is believed to have drifted more than 2,100 kilometres (1,300 miles) across the Tasman Sea from Australia, police said Friday.

Wellington - Cocaine worth millions of dollars has washed up on a New Zealand beach with police urging the public Thursday to hand in any more packages that may turn up.

Wellington - The New Zealand government released long-awaited plans Monday to overhaul its abortion laws, so that a termination is treated as a health issue and a woman's choice rather than a crime.

Wellington - Pacific island leaders insist climate change, not China, will top the agenda when they meet in Tuvalu this month as western-aligned nations push to curb Beijing's growing influence in the region.

Wellington - China's consulate general in Auckland on Thursday praised the "spontaneous patriotism" of pro-Beijing students who reportedly manhandled a Hong Kong-supporting protester on a university campus in New Zealand's largest city.

Wellington - Floating plastic garbage has swamped a remote Pacific island once regarded as an environmental jewel and scientists say little can be done to save it while a throwaway culture persists.

Wellington - New Zealand announced plans for a national firearms register Monday in its second round of gun law reforms following the Christchurch mosque attacks which killed 51 Muslim worshippers.