Return to Erebus
Over 1 relatives of those killed in the Mt Erebus air disaster visited Antarctica yesterday. The flight’s 14 passengers, who were selected by ballot, flew out of Christchurch to attend a memorial for their…
News of New Zealanders via Global Media
Jet-ski World Record
An Auckland man has set a world record for the distance covered by jet-ski within a 24 hour period. Jeremy Burfoot rode his Sea-Doo jet-ski 2,287km during his record breaking session on Lake Karapiro….
Running to a New Record
A New Zealander has successfully run the fastest half-marathon by a woman on American soil. Kimberley Smith won the women’s section of the New Orleans half marathon by over three minutes, completing the course…
Gillard Makes History
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard is poised to make history on her first official visit to New Zealand this week. Gillard will be the first foreign leader in New Zealand history to address New…
Whitten’s Legacy
Veteran New Zealand actor, Frank Whitten, has died at age 68. Best known for his role as Ted “Grandpa” West on Outrageous Fortune, Whitten passed away in his sleep on Saturday after a battle…
The Wright Impact
The Black Caps are a team to watch at this month’s Cricket World Cup. Despite back-to-back ODI series defeats, players Scott Styris and Brendon McCullum agree the team is in the process of a…
Children Call Space
A group of Nelson school children are preparing to speak to astronauts living on the International Space Station. Victory Primary School successfully applied for the chance to speak with in-orbit astronauts through the Amateur…
Diva Loves Danny Boy
Soprano Kiri Te Kanawa is a “sucker” for sentimental Irish ballad Danny Boy. Te Kanawa is one of eight musicians asked by the Los Angeles Times to share their favourite love song in the…
All Work for TNAF
The Naked and Famous are currently on tour in the UK and with their London performance feature in the Guardian’s weekly gig guide. The publication writes: “Essentially the project of Thom Powers and Alisa…
Hobbit Cast Front-up
The cast of Peter Jackson’s two-film adaptation of The Hobbit were this month introduced to the news media at a press conference in Wellington at the Park Road Post production facility. The event featured…
Anti-cancer Effects
Otago University scientists have found that children who regularly drink milk are up to 40 per cent less likely to suffer from bowel cancer. The researchers found that drinking nearly 250ml of milk daily…
Whitebait and Wine
The Noosa News New Zealand Wine Festival will be held in Noosa on February 25-27 and will include a seven-course degustation menu matching two New Zealand wines to each of the courses. Although Noosa…
Checking in at Opua
Opua is the first mandatory stop in the Bay of Islands for boats arriving from foreign waters and where visiting sailor, and blogger, Ruth checks in with New Zealand customs and immigration officials. “Actually,…
Hobbit Tourism
With filming on The Hobbit confirmed to begin in March, New Zealand is preparing for another tourism boom. It is expected that Peter Jackson’s latest film creation will drive a renewed bout of Tolkien…
Californian Signings
New Zealand internationals Simon Elliot and Andrew Boyens have been signed with Californian team Chivas USA. Elliott, a standout for New Zealand at the 21 FIFA World Cup, joins Chivas on a free transfer…
Stress-free Cooking
New Zealand cook Annabel Langbein’s television series Annabel Langbein: The Free Range Cook is now screening on UKTV’s Good Food Channel. The series of 13 episodes has already been sold into 73 markets. “I…
World Cup Hopes
“One could make the argument that Black Caps have punched above their weight at the World Cup just as easily as you could say they are chokers,” Stuart Hess writes for South Africa’s Independent…
Windswept Win
Mount Maunganui surfer Matt Lewis-Hewitt, 19, has won the Championship Moves Pro Junior in Victoria, becoming the first New Zealand male to win an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) event in Australia since Maz…
Football friendly
The All Whites will play against Japan and China in March, beginning its build-up towards qualifying for the 214 World Cup in Brazil. Coach Ricki Herbert said that New Zealand will play China in…
Migratory musings
Fleur Adcock’s Dragon Talk, her first poetry volume since 1997’s Looking Back — which explored “part of the poet’s wider enquiry into geographical and cultural displacement” — is reviewed by British poet Julian Stannard…
Finn Plays SXSW
Musician and songwriter Liam Finn launches his first-ever full band tour beginning with two gigs in Austin at this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival. Finn’s next album is set for a spring…
Kiwi in Red Sox
A New Zealander teenager is the latest player to be signed to the American baseball empire, the Boston Red Sox. 17-year-old Te Wera Bishop was approached by Pacific Rim scout Jon Deeble after he…
Reel treasure found
Unbeknownst to The New Zealand Film Archives, 75 early American films have been in its possession, including the sole copy known to exist of a silent film directed by cinema icon John Ford, who…
German for Float
“With its eagerness for wacky rides and a steady stream of adventure-seeking human guinea pigs, New Zealand was the obvious location” for the 2m monorail Swheeb track, writes the Financial Times’ Tarquin Cooper. “The…
Dressing up Rugby
New Zealand International Sevens general manager Steve Walters estimates the competition, now in its 1th year, brought in close to $18 million for Wellington in February. And that doesn’t include the benefits to the…
Robotic Tai Chi
Christchurch-based gaming company Stickmen Studios and researchers at the University of Auckland have teamed up to customise a robot that will help elderly people stay active through interactive games. The robot is called Eldercare…
Wellington storms Berlin
Wellington-raised actress and English teacher Amy Nye, 31, appears as ‘Louise’ in playwright Duncan Sarkies’ 1992 Love Puke at Berlin’s English Theatre through July 1. Also from Wellington, Fingal Pollock, 28, directs “eight characters…
Sustainable style
Cape Kidnappers in Hawke’s Bay is included in a Reuters list of “1 green getaways” compiled by “boutique hotel specialists Mr & Mrs Smith (http://www.mrandmrssmith.com)”. “Combine a 6-acre working sheep and cattle farm with…
Guru in Singapore
New Zealand’s Indian Ink theatre company has been collaborating with the Singapore Repertory Theatre presenting Wellington actor Jacob Rajan’s The Guru of Chai, which was on at Singapore’s DBS Arts Centre. Not only did…
Star in the Making
Twenty-year-old Declan O’Donnell scored a hat trick of tries for New Zealand in the Wellington final of the IRB Sevens World Series helping the team beat England 29-14. “If I see a star in…
Total Stand-out
Whangarei basketballer Megan Craig, who was Kamo High School’s Sportswoman of the Year in 28, is now at the University at Albany, studying business management. At a listed 6-foot-9, when Craig takes the court…
Ecosystem Fragility
University of Canterbury researchers say they have linked the modern-day decline of a common forest shrub with the local extinction of two pollinating birds — the bellbird and stitchbird — over a century ago….
Sign of Intelligent Life
The New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative, which is now a decade old, reports that of the seven billion wine bottles sealed worldwide each year, the number using screwcaps has grown from an estimated…
Singing Before Sleep
“Described by some of his more excitable fans as the Brad Pitt of opera, New Zealand baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes certainly has plenty of stage presence,” Fiona Boxall writes in a lifestyle article for…
Behold the Pink Terraces
Scientists exploring Lake Rotomahana say they have found part of the famed Pink Terraces which were feared destroyed when Mount Tarawera erupted 135 years ago. The Pink and White Terraces, once described as the…
Star Stream
A New Zealand astronomer has led the discovery of a new stream of stars in the Milky Way. Mary Williams from the Astrophysical Institute Potsdam (AIP) led an international team of astronomers in the…
Army Band humour
New Zealand’s Army Band will perform at the 6th anniversary of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in August. Major Leanne Smith, director of music for the 28-piece Band said they can’t wait to perform…
By Hook or by Jetski
New Zealander Jeremy Burfoot has begun a 32,000km journey on a jetski, setting off from London’s River Thames on August 1 and aiming to be in Auckland by November. Burfoot, an airline pilot, is…
Star Dancer Touring
Christchurch-born Dancing with the Stars judge Brendan Cole was recently in Scotland touring with his own theatre show Live and Unjudged. The professional dancer, known for his snake hips and equally venomous…
Green and Whites Fan
New Zealand forward Ali Williams, who has been working his way back to full fitness playing with Nottingham the past month, says he has been won over by the club. “I’m definitely a Nottingham…
Spaghetti Sensibilities
Writer-director Mike Wallis’ western Good for Nothing was given its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) in February. Santa Barbara Independent reviewer writes that Good for Nothing “is a strange…
Back Row Quality
North Harbour back rower Auckland-born Richard Mayhew, who has been attracting interest from several English sides, has joined Esher Rugby in the UK and has a clause in his deal stating he could leave…
Dignity for Relics
“For decades, New Zealand has campaigned for museums to repatriate the mummified and heavily-tattooed heads of Maori warriors held in collections worldwide — now it must decide what to do with the gruesome but…
On the Back of the Game
A general election has been called for November 26, after the Rugby World Cup 2011. Campaigning is expected to begin in the week of the final, which is to be held at Eden Park…
Berlin Screenings
Outrageous Fortune actor Tammy Davis’ directorial debut Ebony Society screens at this year’s 61st Berlin International Film Festival in the Generation 14plus section, which is aimed at a young audience. Go the Dogs by…
1981 Every February
Thirty years on New Zealand batsman Brian McKechnie remembers the infamous underarm bowl delivered by Australian Trevor Chappell at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It’s an image permanently ingrained in the minds of almost every…
Exhilarating Rehabilitation
Aucklander Alan Wallace, who suffered a stroke in June 28 and was left partially paralyzed and unable to speak, has been able to find joy through harness racing, which involves people riding in two-wheeled…
Adventurous Outlook
“Gain a new perspective on the world as you loop-the-loop, twist, turn and feel g-forces unlike ever before while zooming along at more than 3km/h,” Carol Driver writes for TNT Magazine in an article…
Liberating Spray-Tan
Star of cult HBO show True Blood, Anna Paquin tells Elle that “once you’ve been spray-tanned, bleached, and given the correct push-up bra, it’s like playing dress-up — it’s liberating.” Paquin features in a…
Anticipation Sky High
Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of JR Tolkien’s classic The Hobbit “is already one of the most talked about before shooting,” according to Christopher Wright writing for the site Film Industry Network. “Controversy surrounded the…
Entrepreneurs Abound
New Zealand has begun 2011 as one of the most entrepreneurial countries on the planet — “an entrepreneurial powerhouse,” according to The Economist. With a recent study by The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation finding…
New Face of League
Wests Tiger Benji Marshall “is the new face of rugby league” according to The Sydney Morning Herald, having been “chosen as the man to front the code as the game prepares for a new…
Nice Uppercut
In a unanimous points decision Sonny Bill Williams has won his third professional boxing bout in six-rounds against Sydney forklift truck driver Scott Lewis at the Gold Coast Convention Centre. Williams took the first…
Field of Dreams
Mangatainoka farmer Neil Symonds has taken his fanaticism for rugby to a new level. There are Test centuries and famous tries scored in many a backyard but not many play host to actual sporting…
Trail-blazing Tomatoes
Auckland-based Status Produce is New Zealand’s largest tomato supplier producing 10 million kilograms of tomatoes each year. Status Produce began as a vision in 1993 by John Becroft, a second-generation tomato grower and Garry…
Colours of Aotearoa
Whanganui-born composer Douglas Lilburn’s overture ‘Aotearoa’ and ‘Symphony No. 2’ were recently performed by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra in Charleston; the conductor was New Zealander Grant Cooper, who is also the orchestra’s artistic…
