Wellington - New Zealand's 4-month-old conservative government moved Tuesday to relax rules governing foreign investors, hoping to attract more outside capital to the country, which has been in recession since early last year.

Finance Minister Bill English said overseas investment could play an important role in an economic recovery and job creation.

Announcing a review of the Overseas Investment Act, English said the current law was cumbersome and the rules often difficult to interpret.

He said an application to buy land near the sea, or otherwise declared "sensitive" because of historical or cultural importance to the indigenous Maori population, had to pass 27 different criteria.

Los Angeles - The Houston Rockets turned a big loss into a huge win.

Ron Artest scored all 18 of his points in the second half, and the Rockets overcame the absence of flu-ridden Yao Ming to beat the New Orleans Hornets 95-84 on Monday night.

"I can't say enough about the win, we got a lot of contributions from a lot of different people," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "It's a big road win against a team that's right next to us in the standings."

Washington, Mar. 17: Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will deliver the keynote address at the annual Senate-House GOP dinner to be held on June 8 at the Washington Convention Center, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (R-Texas) and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) announced on Monday.

Mingora (Pakistan), Mar. 17: Despite the Pakistan Government’s peace-deal with the Taliban in Swat, women are still afraid to go to markets and shop.

Even a month after the Sharia related deal, the busiest shopping joint in Mingora city, Cheena Market, still awaits female shoppers.

“Business has still not returned to normal despite a marked change in the situation. I used to make a good profit when the Taliban had not banned women from going to markets,” a shopkeeper, Ikramullah Khan told Daily Times.

Manila - A Philippine man nearly caused an air disaster in an eastern city when he used an airport runway to teach his girlfriend to drive just as a passenger plane was about to land, a local official said Tuesday.

A Cebu Pacific Air flight carrying 80 passengers was descending at the weekend at the airport in Legazpi City, 360 kilometres south-east of Manila, when the pilot quickly pulled up after he saw a passenger van moving fast on the runway.

Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal told the Philippine Star newspaper that the van was driven by the son of the city aviation chief who was teaching his girlfriend how to drive.

London, Mar. 17: A top Savile Row tailor has been called in to spruce up the England football team’s kit.