Destination Cool

An influential UK poll has named NZ the “world’s coolest destination.” Project “CoolBrands” (widely regarded as a “cool factor” barometer), defines “brands that have become extremely desirable among many style leaders…

Lord Cooke of Thorndon: A Legal Great

Robin Brunskill Cooke, NZ’s most renowned jurist, has died aged 80. Educated at Wellington’s Victoria University and Caius College at Cambridge, Robin Cooke made his reputation early on with…

Not Just a Pretty Face

The Guardian urges travellers to make time for NZ’s urban centres, as well as its world-famous mountains, fjords and forests: “There are some excellent attractions, delicious restaurants, cool harbourside bars and…

The Kiwi’s Darwin Conection

A recent book on Charles Darwin compares the launching of his theory of evolution to a kiwi laying an egg. In The Reluctant Mr Darwin: An Intimate Portrait of Charles Darwin…

A Day to Get There, a Lifetime to Forget

A Guardian travel feature on the South Island covers a remarkable range of quintessential Kiwi activities in just ten days. From extreme sports in Queenstown and the grandeur of the TranzAlpine…

Three in a Row for Black Ferns

NZ’s Black Ferns have won their third successive women’s rugby World Cup, beating traditional rivals England 25-17 in the final. The tight defensive match was a virtual replay of the 2002…

More medals for Vili and Willis

NZ athletes won two medals at the IAAF World Cup of Athletics in Athens this month. Valerie Vili followed up her Commonwealth Games gold by winning the women’s shotput event, with…

Evans Provides Edge Perspective

Laurence Evans has taken a top position with Edelman, the world’s largest independent public relations company. Evans has been appointed president of Edelman’s full-service research firm – StrategyOne – whose client…

Another Reason to Eat Your Greens

A NZ research team has discovered cancer fighting properties in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower. Researchers at the Christchurch School of Medicine and Otago University’s Health and…

Film delves into darkest past

Cinematical reviews Out of the Blue, Robert Sarkies’ controversial new film about the 1990 Aramoana massacre. The film stars Matthew Sunderland as David Gray, the gunman who killed 13…

Loving the lovemarks

An Australian is looking to NZ for inspiration in re-branding itself at home and abroad; hoping to shed its “where the bloody hell are you” ocker image by emphasising…

Lonely no more

A young NZ actress has been outed as global internet sensation LonelyGirl15. Otherwise known as Bree – a naive home-schooled 16-year-old – LonelyGirl15 has captured the hearts of…

First-class Brain Up to the Challenge

The Guardian interviews Julie Maxton, the first female registrar of Oxford University since the role was created 550 years ago. Maxton previously worked with the Oxford vice-chancellor, fellow New…

Conchords take flight in US

America’s HBO network has commissioned a 12-part series based on Kiwi folk music parody duo Flight of the Conchords. Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement are to star in…

Medal Worthy Drops

NZ producers picked up a swathe of trophies at the 2006 Decanter World Wine Awards this month. The medal haul included 86 bronze, 36 silver and one gold medal, for the…

Another Outstanding Achievement

NZ singer Hayley Westenra has been named one of the 10 outstanding young people in the world in the Junior Chamber International‘s prestigious annual awards (the Jaycees). The 19-year-old diva…

Kiwi Science Up to Speed

September 1 saw the launch of the Kiwi Advanced Research and Education Network (KAREN) — a super high speed Internet service linking national universities and research institutions with their international counterparts….

Good Things Come in Threes

The Royal NZ Ballet’s recent tour earned high praise in the Australian national media. The RNZB performed a trio of works by Christopher Hampson, Javier de Frutos and Michael…

Another Classic Set for Edge Treatment

Peter Jackson is heading a big budget remake of classic British war film, The Dam Busters. Jackson will produce the movie, with fellow Kiwi and long time collaborator,…

Free at Last

Kiwi Fox News cameraman, Olaf Wiig, has walked free after being held hostage for two weeks in Gaza. Wiig and Fox correspondent Steve Centanni were captured by a previously…

Fourth Emmy for Keoghan, Amazing Race

Christchurch-born Producer/Host Phil Keoghan lined up for his fourth successive Emmy Award in Los Angeles for Outstanding Reality/Competition Program. The Amazing Race is now in its 10th season….

Holland Ahoy

New Zealander Ron Holland is one of the world’s top naval architects. Based in the small Irish sailing port of Kinsale, his latest project is designing and building a 190-foot, $50…

Findings Nothing to Sneeze At

A NZ-led medical study has found that children around the world became more susceptible to common allergies during the 1990s. The research, which questioned parents and children in 56 different countries,…

No rocky road for Natasha

Natasha Bedingfield, has a cameo role in the sixth Rocky sequel, starring Sylvester Stallone. Originally asked to write and perform the film’s theme tune, she was convinced to…

Biggest Industry Continues to Boom

International visitors to NZ are expected to grow by 4% per annum to reach 3.1 million in 2012, according to a report by the Tourism Ministry. The main contributors…

Bumper Crop

Kiwi wine exports hit a record high of half a billion dollars this year, according the New Zealand Winegrowers annual report. Pinot noir sales increased 55% to overtake chardonnay as NZ’s…

All Blacks 7, Opposition 0

The All Blacks remain undefeated in 2006 having secured both Bledisloe and Tri-Nations trophies after a ferocious Eden Park test against Australia on 19 August. The victory puts Graham Henry’s team…

Queen Mourned, King Crowned

The Maori Queen, Dame Te Atairangikaahu died on Tuesday 15 August aged 75 after a 40-year reign. Dame Te Atairangikaahu was the sixth monarch of the North Island tribes…

Double Dose of Glacial Magic

A Sydney Morning Herald travel writer takes in equal parts local history and jaw-dropping natural scenery at the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. “Tramping, walking and hiking have long been popular…

Rev Cardy on breaking the language barrier

The Rev Glynn Cardy of Auckland’s progressive Anglican church, St Matthew-in-the-City, recommends an overhaul of traditional liturgy in an opinion piece for the Guardian. Cardy believes that the gendered…

Earthrace Is On

Kiwi Peter Bethune is now part way through a 30-city world tour aboard Earthrace, his unique biodiesel-fuelled powerboat. Since leaving NZ, Earthrace has visited Samoa, Vancouver, Portland, Seattle, Hawaii and San…

World Descends on Rotorua

Rotorua’s Mt Ngongotaha played host to the UCI World Mountain Bike Championships from August 23-27, the first time the event has been held in the southern hemisphere in ten years. The…

Moko Takes to US Streets

The sale of Maori themed Halloween costumes by an American store has angered Maori leaders. Halloween Town in Los Angeles is advertising the Maori Facial Tattoo Kit for $US10. Rotorua…

Philharmonia in Fashion

The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra has launched a new initiative to dress visiting international soloists in NZ designs. For the APO’s recent ‘Russian Spectacular,’ pianist Marina Kolomiytseva wore a Liz…

Wairewa Station on the Ball

South Canterbury sheep farmers Philip and Anne Munro won a lucrative US contract to supply wool for the tennis balls used at the US Open. The couple hosted American tennis ball…

Three Strikes, You’re Out

Rainbow Warrior bombers Dominique Prieur and Alain Mafart have lost a third court appeal to prevent TVNZ from screening footage from their 1985 trial. Three NZ appeal court judges unanimously granted…

World class visionaries

Weta Digital is to provide special effects for upcoming Hollywood blockbuster Avatar. Directed by James Cameron, the US$200 million sci-fi epic will be almost entirely made up of…

Game Over

A group of NZ bars has developed a novel method of curbing excess drinking. Unruly patrons can be yellow or red carded depending on their degree of intoxication -…

Half-way Happy

NZ ranks 94th out of 178 countries in the inaugural Happy Planet Index, produced by independent British “think-and-do tank” the New Economics Foundation. The Happy Planet Index (HPI) measures…

The Edge in 24

The tense, edgy feel of the Emmy Award-winning series 24 is largely propelled by the work of New Zealander Rodney Charters csc asc, who has been Director…

All grown up

Veils front man Finn Andrews is compared to Tom Waits, John Lennon and Nick Cave in a glowing Guardian review. “Andrews’ voice is no longer that of an…

Hands on High Flyer

Kiwi Carly Arnold has been named one of British magazine Management Today‘s 35 women under 35 for 2006. Arnold, 29, studied engineering and business at Auckland University and worked for Air…

Oh Happy Day

New Zealand is the 18th happiest nation in the world, according to the first ever “world map of happiness.” Produced by Adrian White of Leicester University’s School of Psychology, the map…

Douglas Wright’s “poem of love, cruelty and death”

During his dance career Douglas Wright was said to resemble Nijinsky in his face, his flair and his soaring leap. He now has the taut, high cheekbones, full…

Kiwi Thesps Impress

Sam Neill charmed the British film press while promoting his latest UK release, Little Fish. Guardian: “In the Q&A session that followed , his performance as Sam…

Guardian handles the jandal

The Guardian pays tribute to the jandal/thong/flip flop – a welcome arrival in Britain given the recent heatwave. A brief history of the humble rubber shoe attributes its commercial…

Aotearoa meets Sao Paulo

Six NZ musicians spent three weeks in Sao Paulo, Brazil, as part of the Bacardi B-Live OE, organised by Bacardi and Wellington’s Loop Recordings. P Digsss (Shapeshifter), Barnaby…

World Heritage Watchdog

Ngati Tuwharetoa chief Tumu te Heuheu has been named chairman of the UN World Heritage committee, the global supervisory body for cultural and natural heritage sites. PM Helen Clark described the…

Once the Muss, always the Muss

Temuera Morrison talks to Japan’s CrissCross News about the NZ film industry, his plans for the future, and his now legendary portrayal of Jake Heke in Once Were Warriors….

Kiwi Creation Joins World’s Supercars

NZ’s first supercar, the Hulme.F1, secured a rare invitation to show at Britain’s prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed. The annual event showcases the latest designs by big names Ferrari, Maserati and…

Chills still thrill

Flying Nun legends the Chills are the unlikely inspiration behind up-and-coming Swedish band Peter, Bjorn and John. The indiepop trio pay tribute to Dunedin’s finest with a song titled…

Million dollar baby

An entrepreneurial NZ website is selling words for SUS1 each in a bid to create a one-of-a-kind multi-authored novel. The brains behind anovelmillion.com is Australian born Aditya Kesarcodi-Watson….

Imitation, Inspiration or Appropriation?

2006 has seen a rash of advertising and design taking inspiration – with varying degrees of offensiveness – from Maori art and culture. An Italian ad for the Fiat…

Henderson plumbs personal landscape

Peninsula, the latest play from NZ writer Gary Henderson, is applauded in Brisbane’s Courier Mail. Commissioned by the Christchurch Arts Festival, the play was inspired by Henderson’s own experience…

Itinerant observer

Groundbreaking NZ anthropologist, Michael Jackson, currently Visiting Professor in World Religions at Harvard Divinity School, has released his memoirs. Titled The Accidental Anthropologist, the book details his nomadic…

A floating world

Titirangi’s Brake House features in architecture magazine Monument’s inaugural guide to Australasia’s seminal residential projects. Designed by Auckland architect Ron Sang, the Japanese-inspired house was built for world-famous NZ…