Wellington (New Zealand), Apr. 6: Indian cricketer and former captain Rahul Dravid has broken the world record for the most number of catches in test matches by an outfielder.

When Dravid helped to dismiss the New Zealand batsman, Tim McIntosh, in Wellington, it was his 182nd catch in a test career going back to 1996, reports the BBC.

Dravid''s landmark was reached on the fourth day of India''s third Test match against New Zealand at Wellington.

The previous record holder was Mark Waugh of Australia.

Wellington  - New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said Monday that he was sending a letter to Afghan President Hamid Karzai protesting a law Karzai signed that decrees a wife is obliged to fulfil the sexual desires of her husband.

But he said at his weekly news conference that the law he earlier described as "abhorrent" would not colour his government's decision on whether to expand New Zealand's military commitment to Afghanistan

because they were different issues.

Wellington (New Zealand), Apr. 6 : Former Black Caps captain Stephen Fleming and former Black Cap bowler Richard Petrie have set up Digital Publications, a company with the New Zealand licence for SmartBook software, which lets companies distribute large, media-rich documents electronically without losing image quality.

Wellington, April 6: Suffering from sleep apnoea? Well, the humble banana may prove to be your ultimate saviour, according to a study.

Obstructive sleep apnoea sufferers experience recurrent choking when the throat closes during sleep. Therefore, it is a potentially life-threatening disorder.

However, an Australian research team has found that downing an unconventional nightcap of a banana smoothie may help keep sufferers'' throats open and reduce the risk of choking.

Wellington  - A rescue operation was launched Monday to save two Italian sailors stranded on a crippled yacht in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, about halfway between New Zealand and Chile.

An oil tanker was diverted to their aid, but New Zealand's Rescue Coordination Centre said it was 800 nautical miles from the 10-metre yacht and would not reach them for nearly three days.

Wellington - A rescue operation was launched Monday to save two Italian sailors stranded on a crippled yacht in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, about halfway between New Zealand and Chile.

An oil tanker was diverted to their aid, but New Zealand's Rescue Coordination Centre said it was 800 nautical miles from the 10-metre yacht and would not reach them for three days.