Wellington, April 12 NZPA - Visits of US Navy ships into New Zealand waters are not an issue, Acting Prime Minister Bill English says.

Wellington, April 12 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key is to make an unscheduled visit to the White House while in Washington attending a nuclear security summit.

Wellington, April 11 NZPA - Costa Rica's president elect has called for the New Zealand Government to join it and other countries supporting a United Nations proposal to abolish nuclear weapons.

Wellington, Jan 22 NZPA - The New Zealand sharemarket took a hit today, along with offshore markets, from plans to regulate United States banks but investors applauded a profit upgrade from Nuplex and the stock rose 5 percent.

Wellington, Dec 20 NZPA - The deal reached at global climate change talks in Copenhagen has disappointed politicians and scientists worldwide, and reaction has been mixed in New Zealand.

Washington, Oct 8 NZPA - United States President Obama has nominated a lawyer to be his ambassador to New Zealand. A White House statement, which included another appointment, announced David Huebner was the President's choice.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA New York, Sept 25 NZPA - New Zealand has a good chance of winning a seat on the United Nations Security Council, Prime Minister John Key says.

Wellington, Aug 5 NZPA - A review of New Zealand's commitment to Afghanistan will be considered by Cabinet within the next two weeks, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English says.

Wellington, March 25 NZPA - Foreign Minister Murray McCully will meet United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when he visits Washington early next month.

Wellington, March 10 NZPA - More than 80 jobs at the Ministry of Environment are to be disestablished but many people will be retained in other roles. The Environment Ministry is undergoing a restructuring started by new chief executive Paul Reynolds shortly after he started July.