South Korea plans to resume hunting whales for research purposes, officials said today, drawing immediate protests from non-whaling nations and environment groups.

The leader of New Zealand's Labour party conceded defeat to Prime Minister John Key's National Party in elections today, paving the way for him to return for a second term as the nation's leader.

Small amounts of oil from a container ship stuck on a reef has started washing up at a popular New Zealand beach today, while work to extract oil from the vessel was called off because of weather concerns.

SALVAGE crews were scrambling to off-load oil from a stranded container ship in New Zealand’s pristine Bay of Plenty yesterday, as Prime Minister John Key demanded to know why the vessel hit a reef in calm waters.

A series of aftershocks rattled New Zealand’s quake-devastated city of Christchurch again today.

A series of strong earthquakes shook the quake-weary New Zealand city of Christchurch today, briefly trapping two people inside a church.

New Zealand’s prime minister said today around 10,000 houses in Christchurch would have to be demolished because of earthquake damage and some parts of the city abandoned altogether.

THE baby boy who is the youngest known victim of New Zealand’s earthquake disaster was its first laid to rest, given a farewell by grieving relatives who clutched stuffed toys and draped his tiny coffin in a comforter.

Fresh aftershocks sent masonry tumbling among rescuers in New Zealand’s quake zone and a cat sparked false alarms today of a possible survivor, as the disaster’s death toll rose to 145 with more than 200 missing.

RESCUERS were searching for any signs of life today after an earthquake devastated one of New Zealand’s largest cities as Prime Minister John Key declared it a national disaster and analysts estimated its cost at up to 12 billion Australian dollars (€8.7bn).

Tributes were today paid to an Irishman killed in the devastating New Zealand earthquake which has claimed at least 75 lives.

Rescuers used their bare hands, dogs, and heavy machines in an urgent search for survivors still trapped in collapsed buildings more than 24 hours after an earthquake devastated one of New Zealand's largest cities.

EXPERTS said it could take weeks or months before the bodies of the victims of New Zealand’s mining disaster were recovered.

Experts said today it could take weeks or months before the bodies of the victims of New Zealand’s mining disaster were recovered.

NEW ZEALAND will remain the home of The Hobbit after the government struck a US$25 million (€18m) deal with Warner Bros and promised labour law changes to stop the film studio from relocating the big-budget movie production.

A powerful new 5.1-magnitude aftershock rattled terrified residents of New Zealand's earthquake-stricken city of Christchurch today, as officials doubled their estimate for repairing the damage from nearly 300 aftershocks in five days.

NEW Zealand prepared for further destruction as after shocks and an approaching storm threatened an area hit by the most devastating earthquake in decades.

New Zealand’s powerful earthquake that smashed buildings, cracked roads and twisted railway lines around Christchurch ripped a new 11ft wide fault line in the earth’s surface, a geologist said today.

THE Irish family farm is facing a new threat from international buyers who are taking over large tracts of land around the world in the face of rising food prices, it was claimed yesterday.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said the country will extend its troop commitment to Afghanistan for another year and then begin posting civilian development specialists to the war-torn nation.

THE absence from the country of Health Minister Mary Harney is only “adding to the information vacuum” surrounding unread X-rays and GP referral letters in Tallaght, and possibly other hospitals.

FRANCE centre Mathieu Bastareaud can expect a lengthy ban from representing France after he caused uproar with lies that he’d been mugged while touring with the national team in New Zealand earlier this year.

New Zealand’s prime minister said troops will remain in Afghanistan until at least September 2010, extending by another year a troop commitment that began in 2001.

A new conservative government has been sworn into office in New Zealand, with Prime Minister John Key indicating the economy is his top priority by leaving almost immediately for a Pacific Rim leaders’ summit to discuss the global financial crisis.