Obama

Obama wraps up whirlwind NZ visit

The former US President leaves the country this afternoon and heads to Australia, where he will meet with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

This morning, Mr Obama had brunch in Auckland with 20 members of the Wāhine Toa group.

One of the women, Deidre Otene, said Mr Obama may be a celebrity, but he came across as incredibly genuine and someone who is trying to make a change in the world.

They talked about his charitable Obama Foundation and what it is trying to achieve, she said.

Obama NZ visit confirmed for March

There has been speculation for weeks that Mr Obama was coming to New Zealand, and it has been announced he will speak at a New Zealand-United States Council event on 22 March.

"President Obama's presidency had an extraordinary impact on the world and during his service, New Zealand's deep friendship with the United States was strengthened politically, culturally, in trade and investment, innovation and security," council chairman Leon Grice said.

White House: No. 2 IS leader killed in US military strike

National Security Council spokesman Ned Price says Fadhil Ahmad al-Hayali was traveling in a vehicle near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul when he was killed Tuesday.

As the senior deputy to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, al-Hayali was the primary coordinator for moving large amounts of weapons, explosives, vehicles and people between Iraq and Syria.