News of New Zealanders via Global Media

Hotspots: Wellington, New Zealand

Hotspots: Wellington, New Zealand

With more cafes per capita than New York, the city has been transformed into one of the country’s leading holiday destinations “… whether you choose to eat, drink or just relax you can’t escape Wellington’s beautiful…

Great Balls of Fire

Great Balls of Fire

Making the cover of the April New Scientist, New Zealand researchers at the University of Canterbury believe they have solved the mystery of one of nature’s oldest puzzles – ball lightning – a mysterious floating light…

Playing Possum with Beachwear

Playing Possum with Beachwear

New Zealand has finally found a use for their pesky marsupial pest. Possum leather bikinis are the sexy, fashionable and expensive Kiwi import about to hit Australian beaches.

White Mouse Roars Again

White Mouse Roars Again

New Zealand-born hero of the French Resistance during WWII, Nancy Wake, is considering moving to France or Britain, despite belated suggestions of recognition by the Australian government, “I am an Officer of the Legion of…

Fat-Pig New Zealand Speedsters Bring Home the Bacon

Fat-Pig New Zealand Speedsters Bring Home the Bacon

Pig racing has taken off in Groombridge, near Tunbridge Wells. Pig trainer Mike Foley’s favourite pigs are the Kune Kune (pronounced Koonie Koonie) from New Zealand.

If You’re Setting for a Stylish Sail – Point Your Compass to Auckland

If You’re Setting for a Stylish Sail – Point Your Compass to Auckland

Global style bible  Wallpaper launches its on-line version with a global navigator ‘consular service’ that profiles the world’s most chilled destinations for the urban explorer – including a prominent guide to Auckland, advising on such essential issues…

Sir Peter Blake and Louis Vuitton Score on the Rebound for UNICEF

Sir Peter Blake and Louis Vuitton Score on the Rebound for UNICEF

Peter Blake is among the stellar collection of artists, writers, stars of show-business, sports, politics and business who have posed for a unquie collection of portraits called Rebonds, published by fashion house Louis Vuitton. The…

Countless billboards proclaim there’s a new hero: Russell Crowe, bigger than Ben Hur.

Countless billboards proclaim there’s a new hero: Russell Crowe, bigger than Ben Hur.

From Auckland Grammar to singing on 80’s pop show Shazam. From Oscar nominations to the violent centre of a decadent ancient Rome. He’s one-sixteenth Maori and registered on the Maori voting poll, but he lives…

Pompidou lyes down to get kinetic

Pompidou lyes down to get kinetic

Renowned New Zealand film-maker, kinetic sculptor and animator Len Lye is honoured with a show at the Pompidou Centre, Paris, France.

Kiwi editor of Oscar winning documentary paints LA pink

Kiwi editor of Oscar winning documentary paints LA pink

Director of the acclaimed “One Day in September” Kevin McDonald recounts his poolside adventures at the Oscars: “At 2pm, Justine Wright, the brilliant editor who cut our film arrives to get changed with us….

Watch out France – New Zealand is on the Fast Track to Becoming Top Wine-producer

Watch out France – New Zealand is on the Fast Track to Becoming Top Wine-producer

New Zealand may be one of the newer players in the wine industry, but it has already carved out a niche as one of the best producers of white wines in the world and is now…

When in Rome … Russell Crowe fights on in

When in Rome … Russell Crowe fights on in

“Fresh Talent” Chad Taylor sends sophisticated shivers in Shirker

“Fresh Talent” Chad Taylor sends sophisticated shivers in Shirker

“With a tight and observant style, Taylor has weaved an engaging tale reminiscent of Paul Auster’s New York Trilogy and with peripheral detail as obsessive as Easton Ellis’s American Psycho. He may touch upon…

Now, if we could just send some of those country singers to New Zealand

Now, if we could just send some of those country singers to New Zealand

Tim Finn, Say It Is So (review). (1–16 March 2)  

Spider pic hatched – New Zealander to direct

Spider pic hatched – New Zealander to direct

Hollywood: the duo behind Independence Day and Godzilla are producing “Arch Attack”, an f/x driven comedic thriller about a toxic waste spill that causes giant spiders to go on a rampage.  Will shoot in…

Russell Crowe: Heroic gladiator rises from the burger-pits of

Russell Crowe: Heroic gladiator rises from the burger-pits of

“The people who brought you World War II now think that you are ready for really ancient history: the Roman Empire. And, even though they’re leaving out the orgies, they may be onto something”.

They’re Playing Monopoly

They’re Playing Monopoly

There’s always been a strong connection between sailing and skiing, but listen to what FIS officials have to say about their situation: “The domination of the sport by the Austrians has become an increasing concern.”  At this…

High-flyer Who Went Over the Edge

High-flyer Who Went Over the Edge

Mike Bastion was a high-flyer. Few flew higher or faster than the bright, brash young man who rose from nowhere to carve his initials in two of the chanciest games of all: stockbroking and…

Sweet News About Honey

Sweet News About Honey

Biochemists at the University of Waikato in New Zealand have found that the tea tree has a nectar with bacteria fighting properties that can neutralise the staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

Beware of Frankenfood

Beware of Frankenfood

New Zealand has developed a niche in the prosperous international organics market. “New Zealand, for example, is developing its organics markets with great success and produce from that country can be found in health food shops around the…

Paddles Powers into ICC All-Star XI

Paddles Powers into ICC All-Star XI

Sir Richard Hadlee was selected in a strong squad by a nine-man selection committee. The selection criteria kept in view the players contributions to international one-day cricket since 1975.

Kiwi Powerhouses Overwhelm Aussies to Seal Women’s Rugby Title

Kiwi Powerhouses Overwhelm Aussies to Seal Women’s Rugby Title

New Zealand, strengthened by a full national side for the first time, thrashed fellow antipodeans 36-10 to win the Hong Kong Women’s Sevens for the second year running yesterday.

Greenhouse Gassed – CO2 Emissions Spell Indigestion for Food Chains

Greenhouse Gassed – CO2 Emissions Spell Indigestion for Food Chains

Sheep in New Zealand may teach scientists how livestock will fare as the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere goes up. White poles ringing the pasture continuously pump CO2 into the air.

Boat Race to Put Coaching Philosophy to the Test

Boat Race to Put Coaching Philosophy to the Test

“Harry Mahon, the New Zealand coach who has worked in England for eight years … is the nearest thing that the sport has to a single font of wisdom …”  

One for the connoisseurs: Kiwi crime writer weaves a seductive web of existential anomie

One for the connoisseurs: Kiwi crime writer weaves a seductive web of existential anomie

New Zealand crime-fiction writer Chad Taylor makes a big impact on Guardian reviewer Maxim Jakubowski, “Shirker: a fascinating and obsessive novel from New Zealand with shades of Paul Auster’s New York Trilogy…” …

New Zealand Scientists Find out More About Moa

New Zealand Scientists Find out More About Moa

In an article in Science new evidence suggests that a huge flightless birds called the moa was extinct within a few decades after humans’ first arrived at the bird’s New Zealand homeland, suggesting that whole species can…

New Zealander has the Chance to Make Top-four

New Zealander has the Chance to Make Top-four

UNLV guard Mark Dickel was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament in the first round last week. There is still a New Zealand player with a chance to reach the Final Four. Kirk Penny …

Looks Wonderful

Looks Wonderful

“It’s not always easy to flow the tortuous intrigues, passions and deceits, but it looks wonderful, with photography by the gifted New Zealand cinematographer and director Chris Doyle”. BBC2 film preview of Temptress Moon…

Xena: motherhood becomes her

Xena: motherhood becomes her

Lucy Lawless’ pregnancy not only changed scripts on Xena: Warrior Princess, but the costume department had to ‘expand’ with the times too. New to the show: Spandex.

Famed Wartime Pilot Irving “Black” Smith

Famed Wartime Pilot Irving “Black” Smith

Invercargill born Group Captain Irving Smith, famed for his courage and low-level precision bombing raids during WWII, died on Feb 16. Irving Smith: May 21 1917 – February 16 2000

New Zealand Sets the Standard in How to Say Sorry

New Zealand Sets the Standard in How to Say Sorry

“The question of an official apology to the indigenous people which is proving so contentious in Australia, has been dealt with quite differently in New Zealand, as part of the settlement process initiated by the Waitangi Tribunal”….

The America’s Cup is New Zealand’s Cup

The America’s Cup is New Zealand’s Cup

Exclaimed a jubilant Peter Montgomery when New Zealand won in 1995 – and doesn’t the world know it now. The humid Hauraki Gulf breeze not only filled the sails of Team New Zealand to…

Kiwi Sweeps Up Aftermath of War in Kosovo

Kiwi Sweeps Up Aftermath of War in Kosovo

John Flanagan, a colonel from New Zealand, who heads the UN’s mine action coordination centre in Kosovo.  “They [Nato} may have intended to drop six bombs on one target and four go off somewhere…

Magicians Who Turned the Test Tide

Magicians Who Turned the Test Tide

“Two outstanding bowlers proved once again that in almost any conditions a top-class slow bowler who truly gives the ball a tweak is a precious asset”.

Nabokov’s Pale Fire Still Smoulders

Nabokov’s Pale Fire Still Smoulders

38 years later, the mystery continues to intrigue… Auckland University’s Professor Brian Boyd attempts to solve the enigma.

New Zealand Has No Edge

New Zealand Has No Edge

“It’s like a beauty queen, gorgeous, but dull”, writes LA Times travel writer Mike Mcintyre … rage, rage against the impudence!

America’s Cup: New Zealand Style

America’s Cup: New Zealand Style

“Is this Monte Carlo, Rio de Janeiro, Cannes or Santa Catalina, the playground of California’s rich and famous?” Auckland, New Zealand’s “City of Sails”, must have been tourism’s best-kept secret destination – the Pacific’s own Riviera –…

Quietly Evolving: Auckland Smooth

Quietly Evolving: Auckland Smooth

“Auckland is a city without an edge and the locals don’t seem to mind” – well it doesn’t fit the brief, but …

Bugger

Bugger

A Cultural phenomenon has reached Asia, and it has bugger-all to do with Bulgarians or heretics, but something to do with a car advertisement, a racehorse and climbing Mt. Everest.

Where There’s Smoke…

Where There’s Smoke…

Green MP Nando Tanzcos and political cartoonist Tom Scott debate the currently topical subject of marijuana decriminalisation on Crossing Continents.

Justine Wright Nominated For Oscar

Justine Wright Nominated For Oscar

New Zealander Justine Wright has been nominated for this year’s Oscar Awards for her editing of a dramatic documentary One Day in September, an account of the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972…

Piping up a storm down under

Piping up a storm down under

Cultural history was made as the massed bands of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo played in front of a sell-out crowd in New Zealand, the first time in its 50-year history that the event has…

Detectors Search for Nuclear Material

Detectors Search for Nuclear Material

The world’s first nuclear monitoring station is being established in New Zealand.  

Jane Campion is a model profile of a working artist

Jane Campion is a model profile of a working artist

Anthropologist, artist, and award winner, internationally acclaimed New Zealand director exercises an organic approach to her craft …

That Auld Mug? Why Should Anyone Care?

That Auld Mug? Why Should Anyone Care?

“No wonder the Kiwis hate us. This week, Team New Zealand became the first syndicate to successfully defend the America’s Cup in its 149-year history, and the Australian media barely bothered to acknowledge it.” The trans-Tasman perspective.

Three wishes for the World

Three wishes for the World

On the eve of International Women’s Day Thinkers from the four corners of the globe, including a New Zealand women’s rights and healthcare advocate, offer their visions for enriching the economic, educational, social and emotional lives of their…

New Zealand Destination of Choice for Wall Street’s Status Sleepers

New Zealand Destination of Choice for Wall Street’s Status Sleepers

One of the most shocking news stories of 1999 was a Wall Street Journal article revealing that Jeff Bezos gets eight hours of sleep every night.

US Venture Capitalists Eye Kiwis

US Venture Capitalists Eye Kiwis

New Zealand’s win of the America’s Cup confirmed its yachting prowess. Now the country wants to be known for its high-tech wares.

Week of Glory for New Zealand

Week of Glory for New Zealand

“Little New Zealand” has done it again. A country of less than 3.8 million people has once again proved how talented it is at sports.

Child Superstar Anna Paquin’s Vampish Turn

Child Superstar Anna Paquin’s Vampish Turn

Anna Paquin has got something tucked away in her closet: an Oscar … becoming the second-youngest Academy Award winner is a tough act to follow.

Special Reserve Drinks from the Cup of Victory

Special Reserve Drinks from the Cup of Victory

Week in the Life: Dean Barker, Yachtsman.

“I Love Dick”

“I Love Dick”

Interview with Kiwi writer and avant-garde filmmaker Chris Kraus, author of I Love Dick (the spare-no-prisoners tell-all that scandalised the Soho Intelligentsia) talks about anorexia, romance, and faking it.

Russell Crowe: Inside Story

Russell Crowe: Inside Story

Playing a 52-year-old tobacco company executive in The Insider is all in a day’s work for 35-year-old Russell Crowe; giving up the smokes is not.

Ciao for Now New Zealand

Ciao for Now New Zealand

Beaten by Black Magic, Prada promises they’ll be back for America’s Cup rerun. Minutes after New Zealand’s Black Magic sailed past the finishing line to clinch the America’s Cup with a 5-0 whitewash …

The Little Nation that Could

The Little Nation that Could

Enough said (really!)  

Black Magic Shatters the Spell

Black Magic Shatters the Spell

New Zealand goes wild as the oldest trophy in sport stays down under.