Counting on Sheep
A flock of mentally deficient sheep in New Zealand are providing scientists with vital clues in the search to find a cure for Batten disease. Dave Palmer of Massey university has spent nearly twenty years breeding sheep…
News of New Zealanders via Global Media
Glamorous ballet dancer wooed to the edges of the world by inspirational Kiwi
Ballet dancer Polly Benge went from a life of hip restaurants and competitive yoga to a hazardous cycling trip around India with Kiwi chef Tim Molena, 5 years her junior. She has no regrets…
Ice Station Sirius:
Kiwi constructs camp of civil disobedience for Greenpeace Henk Haazen, a Dutch-born New Zealander, built the hi-tech camp and coordinated supplies for the Alaskan Greenpeace protest against oil company Northstar. Haazen’s part in Greenpeace’s ‘cold-war’ recently…
Lies, Dammed Lies and … Number Crunching
New Zealander Len Cook, a man with a reputation for plain speaking is intent on making sure the numbers stack up when he takes over as head of the Office of National Statistics. He…
“Where do anarchists go to die?”
New Zealand, apparently. In Richard Vetere’s new play The Atheist in all of Us, about legendary atheist and founder of American Atheists Inc. Madylyn O’Hair, the dying protagonist escapes persecution from religious zealots by…
Kiwi Chosen to Restore Sparkle to Britain’s Millennium Crown
Kiwi Former head of British pay-TV operator BSkyB, Sam Chisholm, has been appointed the new head of the much hyped, but troubled, Millennium Dome. Despite anger from Labour backbenchers at its public cost, Chisholm insists he will look to…
Kiwi Blokes Prefer Scoring to Scoring
According to recent New Zealand study, most men would turn down a date with Elle Macpherson in a favour of a big footy match – and sports mad Australians are no different.
Edge Record: “And a Good South Wind Sprung Up Behind; the Albatross Did Follow”
For a very long time without a wallow … “The longevity record is of a giant royal albatross banded in New Zealand and recovered as a breeding adult 58 years later.”
“I See (Nz) Red” – the Critic’s Palette Tells the Facts as It Sees Them.
“In terms of sheer quality, the most exciting of all emerging wine-producing countries is New Zealand … if I were compelled to pick the wines of just one country … to drink for the rest of…
Six or Sex? Looks Like Fush and Chups Hasn’t Affected Kiwi Males’ Performance in Bed
In an extensive new study by Shere Hite (the author credited with fuelling the sexual revolution) it was found that “in the English-speaking world Australia generally lagged behind New Zealand on the sex-scale ……
Did You Know That New Zealand Has More to Offer Than Sheep and Trout Fishing?
The Chicago Tribune goes for the salubrious response to the searching question.
World’s Second Largest Mall Gets Submerged in Kiwi Designed Undersea Experience
Underwater Adventures at Mall of America has recently expanded its its exhibit space. “Originally built for $25million, the aquarium was designed by New Zealand ocean explorer Kelly Tarlton, using his trademark glass tunnel that revolutionised the traditional…
Nuclear Free New Zealand Adds Weight to New Agenda Coalition
United Nations, New York: After pressure from the New Agenda Coalition, weeks of intense negotiation and decades of international pressure, the five original nuclear powers have agreed for the first time to the “unequivocal” elimination of nuclear…
Niccol turns into Hollywood gold
Kiwi Andrew Niccol is to write and direct ‘the Hollywood project’, rumoured to star Al Pacino as a down and out movie producer. Niccol was Oscar nominated for the screenplay to The Truman Show and…
New Zealand Nature on the Edge of London
An oasis of calm – in the form of a 105-acre wildlife reserve – has been developed just seven miles from the bustle of the centre of London. The Wetlands Center includes a New Zealand white…
GST Fringe Not so Taxing
“New Zealand’s goods and services tax is relatively foolproof because it makes few exceptions, but it hasn’t stopped those with a touch of entrepreneurial flair making the odd killing, especially on the land.”
Food unites through Kiwi chef’s fusion menu
Tainted by the bad press of football violence and last August’s earthquake, Times writer Cath Urquhart found Istanbul to instead be beautiful and friendly, helped in no small way by the diverse fusion menu…
New Zealand Whites the Best
Before you call the PC Police, the reds are pretty good as well: The National Post’s Michael Vaughan pines for New Zealand wines, “The LCBO Classics Catalogue offers slim pickings from a country with a lot…
Streaming Coolness Reveals Beautiful Form at Tekapo Canal
From the Bangkok Post: “Simple and beautiful, these little stones reveal the time it takes to be ‘cool’ inside and out.”
Manimal Farm: Science’s Brave New World
New Zealand government researchers have developed a herd of super-producing cattle.
Moving Places: Peter Carr
Peter Carr has been promoted to chief financial officer and chief actuary of Pearl Assurance, the life and pensions arm of AMP. Carr joined Pearl as chief actuary from AMP New Zealand.
Word on the Street is That It Will Be a Tough Contest
Will Nigel Richards from New Zealand sweep the board and take home the biggest champion’s prize in Malaysian Scrabble? How far can the local champions take the game to the best in the world? The questions…
Wall Street Gets Emotional Rescue from the Edge
Kevin Roberts says there is a challenge for the ‘anti-social medium’ of the web, traditional advertising and product design in general. That is, to get emotional and to create mystery and sensuality in order to re-connect…
Russell Crowe maximises his earnings
“What we do in life echoes in eternity,” Russell Crowe as General Maximus says while admonishing his battle-ready troops in Gladiator. And what we do at the box office echoes in our paychecks”.
You Can’t Grow Money on Trees … but Cabbages?
Extracting gold from plants sounds like modern day alchemy, but 26 yr-old Massey University of New Zealand scientist Chris Anderson has managed to do it in the laboratory – extracting gold from cabbages.
Tua Training to Become King of the Heavyweight Jungle
Las Vegas Sun columnist Dean Juipe’s boxing notebook profiles No.1 challenger to the heavyweight throne, David Tua, from his utopian home in Las Vegas – lions included.
‘Red Ken’ Appoints Blue-chip Kiwi as His Business Advisor
51-year-old New Zealander Judith Mayhew has joined London Mayor Ken Livingstone’s cabinet as his business advisor. Announcing the appointment on Thursday, Mr Livingstone said he was “delighted.” The appointment of Tory Mayhew gives new meaning to socialist Ken’s…
Tomlinson, Richard Tomlinson, MI6
Richard Tomlinson, New Zealand born Cambridge educated British spy, faces prosecution under the Official Secrets Act for revelations about his past work for M16. Tomlinson, claiming wrongful dismissal and already sentenced to prison for…
Superstar Jonah Shows that He’s got Grass-roots
Rugby superstar Jonah Lomu, shows he still knows what the game’s all about in the professional era, and will play for a local club in the Wellington second division club rugby competition.
Who Says Sport and Politics Don’t Mix?
US Senate Candidate John Ensign revived former UNLV basketball star Mark Dickel when the player struck his head during a pick-up game and went into convulsions. Dickel, from New Zealand, an honourable mention All-American point guard, was…
New Zealand Wines Meet the Challenge
Hong Kong: Kiwi wines dominate in the South China Morning Post’s Kevin Sinclair’s answer to the challenge of how to build the perfect home wine collection from scratch.
A Funeral to Die For
Death is finding new life on the web: a New Zealand-based Web site, www.funeralstodiefor.com, will plan a customer’s last rites down to the choice of music and type of flowers–and promises to help make the ceremony happen…
Roman in gloamin’ ?
Russell Crowe is being hailed here as the best-looking guy in a skirt since Mel Gibson. The showbiz press have gone crazy over the New Zealander’s performance in Gladiator, just like Mel’s in Braveheart. …
Grey Power? Not Unless You Drink More Milk
Auckland University researchers have found that women who go grey earlier have lower bone density and are more at risk from osteoporosis.
Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport – They’ve Done It Again
In the “Cool places to shop (and what to buy)” section of the South China Morning Post’s “Cool guide to Sydney”, Williams Street is noted for Collette Dinnigan, and Janine Edwards is mentioned for…
G’Day Caesar
Crowe’s accent crosses the expanses of the globe and the distance of time in the Gladiator – Owen Duggan corrects the notion that it’s Bondi-based, and Christine Kenneally muses on the sound of things ancient…
David Young, CEO of World’s Largest Air Tour Operation
Young, 58, a transplanted New Zealander, died of cancer in Las Vegas. He was CEO of Scenic Airlines. David Young: died 2000
Looking Down: Fleur Adcock reaps poetic insight from the fringe
“Strangers are good for us, they help us see ourselves in unfamiliar ways. They take slightly different routes across our wearisomely footslogged home turf.” poetry is acute, intelligent, fastidious, sceptical, often disturbingly funny….
Ten Million Leap over the Edge
Bungee jumping, inspired by a South Pacific rite, was commercialised world-wide by New Zealander A.J. Hackett, who established the Kawarau river bridge site near Queenstown in 1988. This year the 10 millionth person across the world took the…
The Mighty Moa
Preview of Discovery Programme: “Discovery takes a look at an extraordinary (and extinct) New Zealand bird, the moa. The story of the moa is one of mystery and imagination. It reads like a good detective story”.
Nicola Barker, Winner of the World’s Most Lavish Award for Fiction, Gets Lyrical About Dunedin
Spreading her wings in wide open spaces, Nicola Barker in the Observer immerses heartily herself in Dunedin nature and culture and comes up smiling. “This is a happy, happy place. The Albatross shows us its fluffy…
Home-style Kiwi dressing leads to urban-style success for Designer Rebecca Taylor
In a New York Daily News Mother’s Day special, New York based Kiwi Rebecca Taylor (recently nominated for the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers America Perry Ellis Best New Talent Award) credits her dressmaker…
“Rebels Almost Skinned Me Alive”
In a daring jungle escape, a Kiwi, Major David Lingard, and three British officers on peace-keeping duty in Sierra Leone, evaded capture by rebels, one of whom, clad in a stolen UN uniform taunted, “I have…
Kiwis’ Towering Achievement in Kuala Lumpur
New Zealanders showed their domination at the Kuala Lumpur International Towerathon 2000 in both the men’s and women’s categories. Jonathan Wyatt broke his own record to win the event, climbing the 2,058 steps of the tower in 10.39s….
Rome with a View
Ridley Scott’s exhilarating and ferocious Gladiator brings the epic back to life. The movie is dominated by Russell Crowe’s towering Maximus, a man of intelligence, probity and Roman virtue. He’s the most virile presence…
“It’s a Grey Whale, I Tell Ya” NZ Whale Detectives Enforce Law of the Sea
Genetic scientists from Auckland University, New Zealand, have discovered that meat from the gray whale, an internationally protected species, was sold in Japanese shops in 1999. They are demanding the Japanese State Fishing Agency locate where the meat…
Happy Days Inspires Maori Playwright Briar Grace-Smith to Tell New Zealand Stories
“New Zealanders are becoming bolder and prouder about who we are. We’re no longer looking overseas for our theatre. We’re telling our own stories and feeling good about it. And not just Maori”
Remarkable Slight Back on Track after Brain Op
New Zealander Aaron Slight says he is ready to attempt one of motorcycling’s most remarkable comebacks … no one has ever had brain surgery then tried to race again at the top level three months later….
From the Z-files: Kiwi Squeezes Gold from Cabbages
26 yr-old PHD student Chris Anderson has developed a way of extracting gold from cabbages grown on old mine tailings – and he is confident that the method will be commercially viable.
Kiwi Soldier in Adventurous Jungle Escape from Murderous Rebels
For three days and three nights, New Zealander, Major David Lingard and three British officers struggled through 50 miles of dense African jungle on the run from murderous rebels in a remote part of Sierra Leone.
Anthony McCarten’s Four Cities a global hit in Hong Kong
“Four Cities, written by New Zealand’s Anthony McCarten is a good chance to sample some contemporary Kiwi writing. The quality of the acting and the breezy joy of the one-liners made this a highly…
New Zealand Under the World’s Microscope
South Africa: while New Zealanders have mixed feelings about the manner in which their economy was overhauled, few in business have argued with the results and each year hundreds of public and private sector players visit…
Deep Forest Blends With Massive Attack in Oceanic Swirl
Oceania, with the release of its self-titled debut album and led by ex-Killing Joke frontman Jaz Coleman, makes a spirited and successful atempt to bring Maori music from New Zealand to a global stage. The result is…
Barbara Anderson’s
“Any fan of sharp, poised social comedy, driven by immaculately droll prose, should investigate the New Zealand writer Barbara Anderson”.
Going to work on a memoir
NZ-edged Fay Weldon has signed a reputed £250,000 deal with publishers Harper Collins to write her memoirs, The Word, the Flesh and the She-Devil, a frank account of life, love, religion, psychoanalysis and the…
The Hobbit; Or, There and Back Again…Already?
Currently being filmed in New Zealand on a mammoth 18 month shoot, the first film won’t even be released until Christmas 2001. Despite this the film’s official site is up and running. “Preview” footage…
