More now from today's post cabinet news conference where the Prime Minister announced that a national memorial service to mark the Christchurch earthquake will be held in the city on Friday March the 18th.
The Prime Minister John Key says the day will be a provincial holiday in Canterbury, but the Cabinet ruled out declaring a national holiday.
An expert worried about Christchurch art in the wake of the earthquake has set up a website to identify items which may be at risk.
Later today at 12.51 many parts of the country will be stopping for two minutes silence for the victims of the Canterbury earthquake.
Thousands of Christchurch refugees have poured into Timaru since the earthquake on February 22, boosting its population by nearly 20 per cent. Social services are giving out hundreds of food parcels, blankets, toiletries and clothes every day as well as finding accommodation for people who have turned up in town with nothing. Major Dean Herring of the Salvation Army in Timaru has been helping evacuees find places to live as well as dealing with the huge piles of donated goods.
The thousands of Christchurch residents expected to be forced into temporary Government-supplied accommodation by earthquake damage will be required to pay rent.
The Treasury is forecasting the Christchurch earthquake will slow economic activity and the Finance Minister says the forecast 11-billion dollar Budget deficit this year will also climb.
Schools will begin re-opening from today in Christchurch, helping children and their parents regain some sense of normality amidst the chaos caused by last month's earthquake.
Gerry Brownlee, Earthquake Recovery Minister.
Hundreds of birds and other creatures had to be evacuated from a Christchurch aquarium and kiwi enclosure, while others were put-down after last week's earthquake.
James Thompson is the Operations Manager for Civil Defence Christchurch.
Bridget Mills is in Latimer Square at a triage centre.
John Townend is a seismologist for GNS; and an Associate Professor at the School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences.
Paul Burns is the task force leader of Urban Search and Rescue.
Bridget Mills is in the Christchurch central city with one of the rescue teams.
Wayne Mapp is the Minister of Defence.
David Neal is the national programmes manager for the Red Cross. The Christchurch Red Cross response team is out with the fire service, searching buildings for people who might be trapped.
Radio New Zealand reporter Jessica Maddock reports on a briefing by Mayor Bob Parker.
Peter Davy is the chief executive of Ports of Lyttleton.
Monique Oomen is the communciations manager at Christchurch Airport.
The collapsed PGC and CTV buildings in the Christchurch CBD were both"green stickered"by city council inspectors following the earthquake in September last year.
The Government has announced a 120-million dollar finance package to help workers and businesses hit by last week's Christchurch earthquake.
Today marks one week since the devastating earthquake struck Christchurch and overnight, the death toll from the rubble has risen. 154 bodies have now been recovered.
Rob Clark was on the sixth floor of his office building when the quake struck, and got stuck in gridlock leaving the CBD.
The head of the Christchurch cathedral thinks people visiting the church may have been killed there when the quake hit this afternoon. The Dean of Christchurch, Peter Beck, says they rushed to get as many people out of the Cathedral as they could.
Hewitt Humphrey summarises news of the Canterbury Earthquake.
Press conference with the Mayor of Christchurch.
Banks are urging Christchurch residents experiencing financial hardship following last week's earthquake to approach them for help.
The declaration by the Finance Minister that all spending is now under review has prompted warnings that the Christchurch earthquake should not be used to push through unpopular policies.
The Prime Minister has confirmed the Government is looking at cuts to the Working for Families package to help pay the costs of the Christchurch earthquake.