
Hands off our heritage: Some wary of China's reach
Life in this French village revolves around wine. The backyards of its tidy houses nurture the grapes that have made Burgundy famous the world over.

Gov't: Building felled by NZ quake poorly built
A six-story office building that collapsed and killed 115 people in New Zealand's devastating earthquake last year was poorly designed by an ...

AP Interview: Jackson, cast discuss 'The Hobbit'
Many fans are eagerly anticipating a return to the fictional world of Middle-earth with next week's general release of the first movie in "The Hobbit" ...

Rare tornado kills 3 in New Zealand's largest city
An unusually destructive tornado swept through neighborhoods around New Zealand's largest city Thursday, killing three people and forcing 250 more to ...

New Zealand: forget Kyoto, write new climate deal
Highlighting a rift between the rich countries and emerging economies like China, New Zealand's climate minister staunchly defended his government's ...

In elf ears and wizard hats, 'Hobbit' fans rejoice
Wearing elf ears and wizard hats, sitting atop their dad's shoulders or peering from balconies, tens of thousands of New Zealanders watched their ...

Hobbits, superheroes put magic in NZ film industry
A crate full of sushi arrives. Workers wearing wetsuit shirts or in bare feet bustle past with slim laptops. With days to go, a buzzing intensity ...

New Zealand volcano erupts; dozens of hikers safe
A New Zealand volcano erupted with a brief blast of dark ash Wednesday, canceling flights but causing no significant damage. Schoolchildren and dozens ...

Tolkien heirs sue moviemakers over merchandizing
The heirs of late author J.R.R. Tolkien are suing the producers of "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" movie trilogies over alleged exploitative ...

Wranglers say 'Hobbit' animals died on unsafe farm
Animal wranglers involved in the making of "The Hobbit" movie trilogy say the production company is responsible for the deaths of up to 27 animals, ...

Man charged with planning Prince Charles assault
Police say they caught a New Zealand man before he had a chance to throw a bucket of horse manure over Prince Charles and his wife Camilla during a ...
New Zealand won't sign 'Kyoto 2' climate treaty
New Zealand's government said Friday that it would not sign on for a second stage of the Kyoto Protocol climate treaty, a stance that angered ...

NZealand beaching proves rarest of whales exists
The spade-toothed beaked whale is so rare that nobody has seen one alive, but scientists have proof the species still exists. Two skeletons were ...

Methane warnings ignored before NZ mine disaster
A New Zealand coal mining company ignored 21 warnings that methane gas had accumulated to explosive levels before an underground explosion killed 29 ...
Air New Zealand finds magic in hobbit safety video
Perhaps hairy-footed hobbits can teach us all something about safety. Most regular travelers pay little attention to those snooze-inducing inflight ...
Fishing thwarts Antarctic marine sanctuary idea
The countries that regulate fishing in the Antarctic were unable this week to agree on creating a giant marine sanctuary there. At a meeting in ...

Indicted Megaupload founder plans site reboot
In a move bound to provoke U.S. prosecutors and entertainment executives, indicted Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom is planning to launch a replacement ...
Mike Tyson gets Australian visa after NZ rejection
Australia granted Mike Tyson a visa Wednesday, one week after New Zealand barred the former heavyweight boxing champion from entering that country due ...

Bolt says he'll defend sprint titles in Rio
Usain Bolt will aim for a three-peat of Olympic sprint titles in the 100 and 200 meters at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, rather than trying out a new ...

Welcome to Wellington, NZ - make that Middle-earth
Call it hobbit fever. New Zealand's capital is preparing for the world premiere of the opening film in "The Hobbit" trilogy by showcasing an artisan ...
Tyson says NZ revoking visa not a 'fair fight'
Three days after he was banned from New Zealand, Mike Tyson criticized the decision to revoke his visa because of his rape conviction. The former ...

Matthew Lillard picks top 5 moviegoing memories
Matthew Lillard's filmography runs the gamut, from playing a killer in the original "Scream" and the goofy Shaggy in the "Scooby-Doo" movies to ...

New Zealand bars Tyson as tour debacle looms
New Zealand canceled a visa for Mike Tyson on Wednesday because of his rape conviction, saying it reversed its earlier approval because a charity that ...

Panetta: US surge troops out of Afghanistan
The 33,000 additional U.S. troops that President Barack Obama ordered to Afghanistan to tamp down the Taliban attacks nearly two years ago have now ...

US to reinstate New Zealand military ship visits
After a 25-year ban, America will begin allowing Royal New Zealand Navy ships to visit U.S. military and Coast Guard facilities around the world, U.S.