New Zealand

Authorities are scrambling to assess damage and respond to reports of injuries after the first, 7.5 magnitude earthquake centred near Hanmer Springs.

"On the best information we have, there have been two fatalities," Mr Key told a media conference early this morning.

Earlier, police said one person had died in Kaikoura, where a house had collapsed in the earthquake.

Police said they were also trying to get to a property at Mt Lyford, north of Christchurch, where a second person is believed to have died.

This year, on November 14-19, the second Pacific Parliamentary Forum is set to take place, with leaders from around the Pacific visiting Auckland for two days, before continuing to Wellington for the rest of their visit to New Zealand.

In 2013, leaders discussed and debated issues such as regional leadership, democracy, climate change, health issues, gender equality, media and the importance of Parliaments to communities, business development and job creation during the Forum.

Crew from the Air Force Orion spotted the men waving from their five-metre wooden fishing boat as it drifted about 550 kilometres west of Tarawa.

The New Zealand Defence Force reports that the men, aged from 34 to 61, appear to be in good health.

They were found about an hour after the Orion began its second day of searching this morning.

Air Commodore Darryn Webb says the Orion will drop emergency supplies of food and water, along with a radio.

Ships in the area are being asked to pick the fishermen up.

The side includes five new caps - flanker Reed Prinsep, halfback Billy Guyton and wing Ambrose Curtis who will start, while New Zealand under 20s captain and hooker Leni Apisai and Waikato skipper Whetu Douglas will make their debuts off the bench.

Ash Dixon again captains the Maori All Blacks from hooker, with Otere Black directing the team from first-five.

Coach Colin Cooper says the win over the USA last week was satisfying but they were also looking forward to the unique experience of playing in Limerick.

Two years ago on November 1, 2014, a sell-out Soldier Field crowd (66,000) of curious Americans came to see the mighty All Blacks rather than hoping for an USA Eagles upset − All Blacks won easily, 74-6. But staged on a grand scale, Soldier Field gave rugby a huge boost in the American media. 

And while the Irish Shamrocks came into town as the visitors, the New Zealand All Black Ferns (leaf symbol; not to be confused with New Zealand Women’s Rugby National Team) as the hosting team, the Irish boys came with chips on their shoulders: 111 years of rugby deprivation.

New Zealand rallied from 30-8 down after 47 minutes to close within four points at 33-29 when center Robbie Henshaw broke their line for Ireland’s fifth and match-winning try in the 76th minute.

Three years ago in Dublin, the All Blacks broke Irish hearts when they rallied from 19-0 down - the biggest comeback in their history - to deny Ireland an historic win with an injury-time try and conversion.

The Kiwis recovered from a sluggish start, which saw the Kangaroos up 10-0 after just 15 minutes, to trail by six points with three minutes to go in front of 21,009 fans at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on Sunday morning (AEDT).

However, recipients of Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika awards in New Zealand hope their success can inspire others to turn their talent into a job. Daniela Maoate-Cox spoke to the winners about the significance of their work.

A Niuean man walking down K-Road in Auckland is stopped and searched by police.

In his pocket is a plastic comb he'd taken from a bin of free items at work so the police charge him with theft from an employer.

The human rights group is one of many which has publicised abuses happening at the Australian run detention camps on Nauru and at Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

Amnesty said recent research it has conducted shows the vast majority of New Zealanders want Prime Minister John Key and his government to challenge Australia over the abuses.

Its executive director, Grant Bayldon, said the silence has been deafening, given New Zealand's willingness to point to human rights abuses in other countries.