Wellington  - A mother tipped off police to arrest her son on a rape charge after seeing her kitchen knife, which he allegedly used in the attack, in a photograph released by investigators, a newspaper reported on Saturday.

Police released a photograph of the knife and a tea towel found near the scene of the attack on a 22-year-old Dutch tourist to the local Southland Times, which posted it on its website.

Wellington - New Zealand and Australia on Friday announced new emergency aid packages for Fiji as officials said nearly 12,000 people were homeless after floods wreaked widespread havoc.

As cleanup efforts began after a week of heavy rains swept torrents of water through towns and villages, killing at least 11 people and ruining 300 businesses, the Pacific island state's military government appealed to 20 countries for help.

The damage was so bad in the tourist centre of Nadi that there were calls to bulldoze shops and restaurants, which have been flooded to roof height twice, and rebuild the town entirely, Radio New Zealand reported from the capital Suva.

Auckland - Argentine Juan Del Potro has a chance to begin a new winning streak after lifting four titles in 2008 when he plays the Saturday final at the Heineken Open.

The South American will face big-hitting American Sam Querry after defeating Swede Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-3

Querrey booked his place with an upset of second seed and 2007 winner David Ferrer of Spain 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

Del Potro fired ten aces in his victory over Sodering as the world number nine advanced in his first event of the new season.

Wellington  - Nearly 650 New Zealanders snapped up super cheap airfares as low as 50 New Zealand dollars (about 27 US dollars) for flights to Europe in September after a data inputting error on the website of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, a report said Friday.

The watchdog dog Commerce Commission rebuked the airline for taking more than four hours to correct the mistake and said it should have better systems in place.

Wellington, Jan. 15 : New Zealand will take on Australia in a five-match Chappell-Hadlee Trophy ODI series in January and February.

The New Zealand Press Association quoted team coach Andy Moles as saying that his team would go all out for a win against their trans-Tasmanian rivals.

"To get a win under our belts is really key, we want to become a winning unit," Moles said of a side that has slipped from third to fifth on the ODI rankings since the 2007 World Cup.

, Jan. 15 : New Zealand Cricket and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have announced a revised schedule for India''s cricket tour to New Zealand, which will now include an additional test and a second Twenty20 International.

A New Zealand Press Association report said Napier has been allocated the additional test from March 26 to 30, which will form part of a three-match series.