Wellington - Two brothers convicted of murdering a 3-year-old girl who was kicked to death after months of abuse, including being hung and spun on a rotary clothesline and put into a tumble dryer, were sent to prison for a minimum of 17 and a half years Wednesday, news reports said.

Wiremu Curtis, 19, and Michael Curtis, 22, were found guilty late last year of the murder of Nia Glassie, who died from severe brain damage in August 2007, 12 days after being taken to hospital.

Wellington  - New Zealand's new conservative government took the axe Tuesday to the country's main environmental protection laws, saying they contained "suffocating red tape" blocking recovery from the year-long economic recession.

Prime Minister John Key, who heads a business-friendly administration elected in November after nine years of social-democrat rule, said the Resource Management Act (RMA) was a "handbrake on growth."

Wellington  - The stars shine in the crystal-clear night sky over Lake Tekapo, at the foot of New Zealand's Southern Alps, more brilliantly than just about anywhere else on earth and the area is already renowned as a stargazers' heaven for tourists.

Now, New Zealand is bidding to have the area declared a "Starlight Reserve" and a world heritage site recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Kawakawa, New Zealand  - Kawakawa could be described as an inconspicuous backwater New Zealand town. It has a long main street, a butcher, a cafe, a supermarket and a pub.

But this town with about 1,300 inhabitants shines because of an unusual attraction: A public toilet in the middle of its main street created by Viennese-born artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Though the toilet attracts many people to Kawakawa, in the northern region of North Island, the town maintains its tranquility, which is what drew the artist to Kawakawa in the first place.

Wellington, Feb 2: Archaeologists have found over 50 ancient rock engravings in Tonga, which may shed some light on the pre-Polynesian Lapita peoples who voyaged across the Pacific.

The petroglyphs, including stylised images of people and animals, were found emerging from beach sand at the northern end of Foa Island, late last year, the Matangi Tonga newspaper reported.

Artist Shane Egan called in archaeologist Professor David Burley, from the Simon Fraser University in Canada, to investigate and document the site.

Perth, Jan. 31 : New Zealand cricket skipper Daniel Vettori believes Australia''s aura has been washed away following a spate of retirements.

On the eve of the one-day series between the two nations, which kicks off at the WACA Ground on Sunday, Vettori said it was less daunting facing up to Australia since the retirement of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden.