NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warned allowing free speech online leads to rhetoric that can be as dangerous as military weaponry.

An astronaut's photo of Mount Ruapehu, the real 'Mount Doom' volcano shows the contrast between the hydrothermal lake at its summit and the snow surrounding it.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — (AP) — New Zealand on Monday marked the death of Queen Elizabeth II with a public holiday, a moment of silence and an official memorial service. The South Pacific nation is among 14 outside of the United Kingdom that continue to recognize the British monarch as their symbolic head of state. New Zealand had decided to wait until after last week's funeral in Britain to hold its own commemoration. “The overall sound was of cheering, swelling up again and again,” Ardern read. Ardern said this month that while she thinks New Zealand will eventually become a republic, her government won't pursue any moves toward that goal because it faces more pressing issues.

New Zealand has commemorated Queen Elizabeth II with a public holiday, a moment of silence and an official memorial service.

Scientists are still trying to understand the effects of the Tongan volcano eruption earlier this year.

The audience at Buckingham Palace took place after Olena Zelenska saw the Queen lying in state.

Elizabeth II has a complex legacy in New Zealand, where Maori say she tried to right historical wrongs.

The children's bodies were discovered last month after a New Zealand family bought abandoned goods, including two suitcases.

Indigenous Australians suffered greatly under British colonialism and debate continues on whether Queen Elizabeth II bears some responsibility.

Authorities didn't immediately say whether a woman detained in South Korea on two murder charges from New Zealand was the mother of two dead children found last month in abandoned suitcases.

SEOUL, South Korea — (AP) — A woman was arrested in South Korea on Thursday on two murder charges from New Zealand, where the bodies of two long-dead children were found last month in abandoned suitcases, authorities said. New Zealand police had earlier told their South Korean counterparts that the mother might be living in South Korea. South Korean police said they detained the woman in the southeastern port city of Ulsan, based on a South Korean court warrant issued after New Zealand requested her extradition. They said they have asked South Korean authorities to keep the woman in jail until she is extradited. South Korean police say the woman was born in South Korea and later moved to New Zealand, where she gained citizenship.

Authorities say a woman has been arrested in South Korea on two murder charges from New Zealand, where the bodies of two long-dead children were found in abandoned suitcases

Authorities say a woman has been arrested in South Korea on two murder charges from New Zealand, where the bodies of two long-dead children were found in abandoned suitcases.

New Zealand, home of some of the toughest COVID restrictions in the world, has begun scaling back its pandemic restrictions as worries around the virus shrink.

Independent nations such as Australia and Antigua and Barbuda will vote on whether to remove King Charles as head of state.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — (AP) — New Zealand removed most of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions Monday as the government signaled a return to normalcy for the first time since the pandemic began. People will no longer be required to wear masks in supermarkets, stores, busses or planes. The last remaining vaccine mandates — on health care workers — will end. The end to government restrictions won't stop individual workplaces or stores imposing their own rules, although most people expect mask use to plummet as soon as the government restrictions end just before midnight Monday. New Zealand enjoyed initial success in fighting the pandemic, managing to eliminate the virus entirely after closing its borders and carefully contact-tracing cases.

New Zealand is removing most of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions as the government signals a return to normalcy for the first time since the pandemic began

King Charles III will attend a reception Sunday with commissioners from Commonwealth nations. Charles became king after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died Thursday at her summer retreat in Scotland. Also Sunday, King Charles III will be formally proclaimed king in the other nations of the United Kingdom — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — after a similar ceremony in Britain a day earlier. ___CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA — Britain’s King Charles III has been officially proclaimed Australia’s monarch during a ceremony in Canberra. ___WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Britain’s King Charles III was officially proclaimed New Zealand’s monarch in a ceremony in Wellington.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — (AP) — At least three people are dead after a powerful earthquake hit a remote part of Papua New Guinea Sunday morning, authorities say. Others were injured and infrastructure damaged in the magnitude 7.6 jolt that was felt across the Pacific country. Masange said it could take some time to assess the full extent of the injuries and damage in the region. That quake hit areas that are remote and undeveloped, and assessments about the scale of the damage and injuries were slow to filter out. Papua New Guinea is located on the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, to the east of Indonesia and north of eastern Australia.

Another six people who had been on the boat off New Zealand were rescued. A local mayor says the water was dead calm and the assumption was that a whale had surfaced from beneath the boat.

A small charter boat capsized in what may have been a collision with a whale.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — (AP) — Five people died Saturday in New Zealand after the small charter boat they were aboard capsized, authorities say, in what may have been a collision with a whale. Mackle said he’d thought in the past about the possibility of a boat and whale colliding, given the number of whales that frequent the region. Vanessa Chapman told Stuff she and a group of friends had watched the rescue efforts unfold from Goose Bay, near Kaikōura. She told Stuff that the person atop the boat was rescued and a second person appeared to have been pulled from the water. A number of businesses offer boat trips or helicopter rides so tourists can see whales, dolphins and other sea creatures up close.

Two people are reportedly dead and three more missing after a boat in New Zealand collided with a whale and capsized

Five people in New Zealand died after the small charter boat they were aboard capsized in what may have been a collision with a whale.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — (AP) — Australia said Tuesday its navy ships have been given clearance to resume visits to the Solomon Islands, which had last week announced a temporary block on all military vessels during a review of its approval processes. The HMS Spey withdrew its application to visit, Sogavare said. “The delay in these approvals demonstrate the need for the government to review and refine its approval requirements and procedures for visiting military vessels to Solomon Islands,” Sogavare said in a statement. The Solomon Islands did allow a visit last week by the U.S. hospital ship USNS Mercy to go ahead. Meanwhile, Wong angered Sogavare on Tuesday by publicly revealing that the Australian government had offered to help pay for Solomon Islands elections, which are due next year.

A boy in New Zealand had one of the best days of his life after he discovered a giant earthworm in his back yard.

Australia says its navy ships have been given clearance to resume visits to the Solomon Islands, which had last week announced a temporary block on all military vessels during a review of its approval processes

"With many communities hit with 1,000-year floods, exceptional drought and historic heat this year, it shows that the climate crisis is not a future threat but something we must address today," one NOAA administrator said.

Sending a murder suspect to face trial in China could end up costing New Zealand taxpayers millions of dollars because officials would need to post an extra diplomat to Shanghai to monitor his treatment, documents exclusively obtained by The Associated Press show. New Zealand’s Supreme Court in April ruled that Kyung Yup Kim could be extradited to China in a landmark judgment that goes against the trend set by most democratic nations, which have blocked extraditions to China due to concerns that prisoners are often tortured into confessions, can't get fair trails, and face undue hardships if found guilty and incarcerated. Following the 3-2 court decision, it now remains up to Justice Minister Kiri Allan to decide whether to send Kim to China.

The remains of the children were found last week in suitcases a New Zealand family purchased from an online auction.

Immigration records show that the unidentified woman in her 40s arrived in South Korea in 2018, but there has been no record of her departure since, said Park Seung-hoon, an official at the National Police Agency in Seoul. Park said South Korean police have conveyed the information to New Zealand police after receiving a request for investigative help.

A family got two suitcases in an online auction for abandoned goods. Inside, they found the remains of two children — prompting a homicide investigation.

New Zealand Weather Emergency workers use an inflatable boat to rescue stranded residents in Nelson, New Zealand, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022. Heavy rain continued to pelt New Zealand causing further disruptions and road closures from a storm that has already forced hundreds of people to evacuate their homes. (George Heard/New Zealand Herald via AP) (George Heard)WELLINGTON, New Zealand — (AP) — Heavy rain continued to pelt New Zealand on Thursday, causing further disruptions and road closures from a storm that has already forced hundreds of people to evacuate their homes. The stormy weather also forced some schools to close, airlines to cancel flights and business to shutter. In the Buller region, Mayor Jamie Cleine told reporters that the rain had so far been lower than forecast but there was more rain on the way.

Heavy rain is continuing to pelt New Zealand, causing further disruptions and road closures from a storm that has already forced hundreds to evacuate their homes

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — (AP) — Heavy rain continued to pelt New Zealand on Thursday, causing further disruptions and road closures from a storm that has already forced hundreds of people to evacuate their homes. Residents in the northern part of North Island found themselves isolated after landslides, fallen trees and floodwaters blocked highway access. The stormy weather also forced some schools to close, airlines to cancel flights and business to shutter. About 230 homes in the town of Nelson were evacuated Wednesday and remained off-limits overnight after the Maitai River flooded. "That’s how fast it happens.”Another 160 homes in the town of Westport were also temporarily evacuated with residents later allowed to return.

Heavy rain is continuing to pelt New Zealand, causing further disruptions and road closures from a storm that has already forced hundreds to evacuate their homes.

There’s trouble brewing. But despite signs of a slowdown, the RBNZ won’t countenance a retreat just yet.

A postmortem examination is underway to try identify the deceased and figure out the circumstances behind the remains, police said.

Scotland is the first nation to make tampons and other menstrual products available free in public spaces in a bid to end “period poverty.”

Competition between the US and China is escalating in the Pacific, with both rushing to cement their influence. They have reached out to Pacific nations, offering loans, security aid and development assistance. The stakes rose in April when the Solomon Islands signed a security accord with the Chinese government, Beijing’s first such deal in the region. Since then Australia and China have ramped up diplomacy. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a rare eight-day trip to the region in May while

Winter has shown up big time in the southern hemisphere as ski resorts reopen to international travelers.

Sacred Rivers-New Zealand-Whanganui The upper reaches of New Zealand's Whanganui River flow on June 16, 2022. In 2017, New Zealand passed a groundbreaking law granting personhood status to the Whanganui River. (AP Photo/Brett Phibbs) (Brett Phibbs)WHANGANUI, New Zealand — (AP) — Five years ago, the Whanganui River was recognized as a living person in a groundbreaking New Zealand law. ___Ngahuia Twomey-Waitai, 28, walks into the Whanganui River and reaches down to splash water over her head in an action reminiscent of a baptism. Hipango, 55, grew up at the Te Ao Hou marae on the banks of the river in Whanganui.

Five years ago, the Whanganui River was recognized as a living person in a groundbreaking New Zealand law.

Sacred Rivers-New Zealand-Whanganui The Whanganui River winds through the town of Whanganui, New Zealand, on June 15, 2022. It’s a part of us.”___In 2017, New Zealand passed a groundbreaking law granting personhood status to the Whanganui River. Whanganui Māori have a saying: Ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au: I am the river, and the river is me. Many conservative lawmakers oppose proposals like renaming New Zealand with its Māori name, Aotearoa, or granting Māori co-governance over the nation’s water infrastructure. ___To follow the river as it wends inland, motorists turn off State Highway 4 and take the hilly and narrow Whanganui River Road.

In 2017, New Zealand passed a groundbreaking law granting personhood status to the Whanganui River.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — (AP) — New Zealand on Friday welcomed the first cruise ship to return since the coronavirus pandemic began, signaling a long-sought return to normalcy for the nation's tourism industry. New Zealand closed its borders in early 2020 as it sought at first to eliminate COVID-19 entirely and then later to control its spread. Many in the cruise industry question why it took so long. Because if we don't, we know the consequences are dire.”Not everybody is happy with the return of tourists. “I see markets like the United States being a really important market for New Zealand,” he said.

New Zealand has welcomed the first cruise ship to return since the coronavirus pandemic began, signaling a long-sought return to normalcy for the nation’s tourism industry

New Zealand has welcomed the first cruise ship to return since the coronavirus pandemic began, signaling a long-sought return to normalcy for the nation’s tourism industry.

Yanagida, who was nicknamed "Tiger" in the racing industry, reportedly rode 162 winners in New Zealand

New Zealand Sherman Visit U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, left, hands New Zealand Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash a NASA t-shirt Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, during an agreement-signing event in Wellington, New Zealand. The United States is doubling down on its investment in the Pacific, said Sherman on Tuesday as she concluded a five-nation visit to the region. (AP Photo/Nick Perry) (Nick Perry)WELLINGTON, New Zealand — (AP) — The United States is doubling down on its investment in the Pacific, said U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on Tuesday as she concluded a five-nation visit to the region. “The future will be written here in the Pacific,” Sherman said at an agreement-signing event in New Zealand's capital, Wellington. “And so we are doubling down on our investment here in the Pacific,” Sherman said.

The United States is doubling down on its investment in the Pacific.

A Japanese sailor has been attacked in the Solomon Islands during a World War II memorial service that was also attended by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman

As the people of New Zealand confront their nation's troubled past with colonization, a return to the Maori name of Aotearoa is being presented to a parliamentary committee.

Canada says it is sending military trainers to the United Kingdom to teach Ukrainians how to fight invading Russian forces

Why are these meteors burning green, and what does it have to do with the aurora?

The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office's NROL-199 mission launched early this morning (Aug. 4) atop a Rocket Lab Electron booster from New Zealand.

New Zealand partnered with commercial research company Axiom Space to fly experiments on future missions, expanding the country's work in space.

New Zealand's first-ever climate adaptation plan includes the possibility of moving some communities to higher ground, but doesn't explain how much the changes will cost and who will pay.

New Zealand Climate Plan FILE - New Zealand's Climate Change Minister James Shaw speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office in Wellington, New Zealand, Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Sam James, File) (Sam James)WELLINGTON, New Zealand — (AP) — New Zealand's government on Wednesday released its first-ever climate adaptation plan, which includes the possibility of moving some communities to higher ground. Climate Change Minister James Shaw told reporters that about 70,000 coastal homes in New Zealand were at risk from rising seas, and many more inland homes were at risk from flooding rivers. He said New Zealand had been slow to adapt to climate change, which would end up costing more money over time. “We had to start somewhere.”The National Adaptation Plan includes the possible relocation of low-lying homes and assets as rising seas and increased storms make flooding more common.

New Zealand’s government has released its first-ever climate adaptation plan, which includes the possibility of moving some communities to higher ground

New Zealand’s government has released its first-ever climate adaptation plan, which includes the possibility of moving some communities to higher ground.

Australia and New Zealand’s prime ministers have agreed that security concerns regarding China’s expanding influence must be discussed at a meeting of western Pacific leaders.

New Zealand’s government has declared American far-right groups the Proud Boys and The Base are terrorist organizations, making it illegal in New Zealand to fund, recruit or participate in them.

NASA wants to experiment with a new orbit around the moon that it hopes to use in the coming years to once again land astronauts on the lunar surface.

Police say a man wounded four people in a stabbing rampage in a New Zealand city before bystanders brought him to the ground.

Two men have pleaded guilty in New Zealand to their involvement in running the once wildly popular pirating website Megaupload.

President Joe Biden is praising New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for her success in curbing extremism and guns following a 2019 mass shooting there.

Scott Dixon had the car to beat for much of the Indy 500 until a late speeding penalty cost him a chance to kiss the bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time since 2008.

The leaders of California and New Zealand have signed a pledge agreeing to help fight climate change.

Seven people on two small boats that drifted for days in the Pacific have been rescued after a New Zealand plane spotted them near the remote island nation of Kiribati.

Dalton Kellett became the first driver to crash while preparing for the Indianapolis 500, ending a streak of six days without major incident.

A survivor of the New Zealand mosque shootings three years ago says extremists should see that the violence that day achieved none of the gunman's aims.

New Zealand will help pay for lower-income families to scrap their old gas guzzlers and replace them with cleaner hybrid or electric cars as part of a sweeping plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Two men charged by U.S. prosecutors with racketeering and other crimes for their involvement in the once wildly popular file-sharing website Megaupload say they have reached a deal that will see them avoid being extradited to the U.S. in exchange for facing charges in New Zealand.

New Zealand is on the verge of eradicating a painful bacterial disease from its herd of 10 million cattle after a four-year campaign that has involved killing more than 175,000 cows and cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

Using a helicopter to catch a falling rocket is such a complex task that Peter Beck likens it to a “supersonic ballet.”.

New Zealand has begun welcoming back tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years after dropping most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions.

Private space company Rocket Lab will try to grab a falling rocket booster out of the air with a helicopter for the first time Friday.

A New Zealand man on Thursday was sentenced to one year in prison for threatening to kill Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Australia has accepted a longstanding New Zealand offer to resettle boat refugees it sent to the remote island nation of Nauru.

New Zealand will remove many of its COVID-19 pandemic mandates over the next two weeks as an omicron outbreak begins to wane.

A New Zealand couple who believed they had dug up the world’s largest potato in the garden of their small farm near Hamilton have had their dreams turned to mash after Guinness World Records wrote to say that scientific testing had found it wasn’t, in fact, a potato after all.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says her nation is “ready to welcome the world back” with most tourists allowed to return by May as the nation continues to ease its coronavirus restrictions.

The lingering injuries from being shot nine times did not stop Temel Atacocugu from completing a two-week walk and bike ride for peace on the third anniversary of a gunman’s slaughter of 51 Muslim worshippers.

The milestone comes as COVID-19 cases wane across the United States and in Florida.

Back in August, New Zealand’s government put the entire nation on lockdown after a single community case of the coronavirus was detected.

New Zealand police say they will review hours of cellphone footage taken by themselves, the media and the public to identify lawbreakers.

Thick black smoke billowed across the grounds of New Zealand’s Parliament and sirens blared as retreating protesters against coronavirus vaccine mandates set fire to tents, mattresses and chairs.

New Zealand is ending a requirement that incoming travelers isolate themselves.

The number of cars and trucks blocking the streets outside New Zealand’s Parliament was thinning Friday, but more protesters were expected to arrive for the weekend, including some by boat.

Police in New Zealand's capital say a protester drove a car toward a police line, narrowly avoiding officers, and other protesters sprayed officers with a stinging substance.

Meikayla Moore scored a hat trick against the U.S. — of own goals.

The Philippines joins New Zealand in its decision to reject Myanmar under the world’s largest free trade pact that took effect this year.

New Zealand says it will not deal with Myanmar under a major 15-nation trade agreement, the world’s largest that took effect this year, citing the deadly violence and democratic setbacks in the Southeast Asian country after the military seized power.

New Zealand’s prime minister says protesters who oppose coronavirus mandates are using “intimidation and harassment,” as the convoy of demonstrators continues to disrupt the capital of Wellington.

Some countries might send in a riot squad to disperse trespassing protesters.

Hundreds of people protesting vaccine and mask mandates drove in convoy to New Zealand’s capital and converged outside Parliament as lawmakers reconvened after a summer break.

Did you watch any of these inspirational stories over the weekend?

The land of the long white cloud has its first Winter Olympics gold medal.

Lydia Ko has outlasted Danielle Kang in chilly conditions for a 69 and a one-shot victory in the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio.