Aotearoa NZ 2025 Qtr 4
(Oct-Dec)
“In some ways I believe I epitomise the average New Zealander: I have modest abilities, I combine these with a good deal of determination, and I rather like to succeed.”
Foot on face photo of Kiwi Geordie Beamish up for award
A photo of Geordie Beamish's dramatic tumble at the World Championships is up for an award. The photo has been selected as one of three finalists for the 2025 World Athletics Photograph of the Year. Beamish fell during the heats of the 3000m steeplechase in Tokyo in September. The photo by Emilee Chin of Getty Images captures Beamish flat on the track with the foot of Jean-Simon Desgagnes of Canada on his face.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 13.11.2025
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Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin launches rocket carrying twin Nasa spacecraft to Mars
A huge New Glenn rocket successfully took off to place two spacecraft in orbit for a later boost to the red planet. Blue Origin successfully launched its huge New Glenn rocket on Thursday with a pair of Nasa spacecraft destined for Mars. It was only the second flight of the rocket that Jeff Bezos’s company and Nasa are counting on to ferry people and supplies to the moon.
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Source. theguardian.com, 13.11.2025
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Conquering all 23 Great Rides in 30 days
Andrew Robinson has set himself a goal of conquering all of New Zealand's 23 Great Rides in just a month. Kathryn spoke to him as he was planning his trip a month ago. Now he is one island through his fundraising venture for Movember and men's health. Such extreme events are not new to Andrew as in 2021 he became the first person to complete all 10 of the Great Walks in 10 days. He set off from the Hauraki Rail Trail and headed south.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 17.11.2025
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Hawaiian voyaging canoe welcomed back to Waitangi
A Hawaiian voyaging canoe has been welcomed back to Waitangi, 40 years after its first visit sparked the revival of ancient ocean navigation traditions in Aotearoa. The Hōkūle'a and sister vessel Hikianalia arrived on Friday afternoon to a colourful and sometimes emotional ceremony that combined Māori and Hawaiian rituals.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 15.11.2025
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Makayla and Haami score big at Waiata Māori Music Awards
The awards recognise a diverse mix of emerging and established Māori musicians. Hawke’s Bay’s rising star Makayla Purcell-Mainini and Invercargill singer Haami Tuari walked away with two of the night's biggest honours at the 2025 Waiata Māori Music Awards. Makayla, fresh off opening for Six60's Grassroots tour, nabbed Best Māori Female Solo Artist, while Haami — one-third of the beloved Tuari Brothers — claimed Best Māori Male Solo Artist.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 14.11.2025
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For first time, scientists see the very early stages of a supernova
The explosive death of a star - a supernova - is among the most violent cosmic events, but precisely how this cataclysm looks as it unfolds has remained mysterious. Scientists now have observed for the first time the very early stages of a supernova, with a massive star exploding in a distinctive olive-like shape.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 13.11.2025
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Hawaiian waka comes to Waitangi, 40 years after sparking revival of Māori ocean voyaging
Forty years after its first visit sparked the revival of Māori ocean voyaging, the Hawaiian waka Hōkūleʻa is due back at Waitangi this Friday as part of an epic four-year voyage around the Pacific. Among those joining the crew for the last leg across the Bay of Islands will be Stan Conrad, the only Māori on board during the Hōkūleʻa's historic 1985 journey.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 13.11.2025
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Stunning aurora lights up southern skies
An aurora lit up skies at the southern end of the country overnight. Stargazers took to social media to post their photographs from places like Dunedin, Waihola Lake, Roxburgh, Cromwell and Mount Cook. Te Whatu Stardome astronomer Josh Aoraki in October told RNZ aurora could often be caught on camera, even when they were not visible to the naked eye.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 13.11.2025
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Mātauranga Māori inspires student redesign of Picton square
Landscape architecture students have placed Māori history and values at the heart of their reimagining of Waitohi Picton's Nelson Square. The group of 14 second-year students from Victoria University of Wellington has opened an exhibition of their work at the Picton Library and Service Centre - Waitohi Whare Mātauranga. The exhibition, which runs until November 19, features 10 concept designs for a revamped Nelson Square.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 12.11.2025
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The artist and beekeeper who made a real-life Beehive
Never work with children or animals - so the saying goes. But what about bees? Kapiti-based artist Studio Reset - real name Kim Kobialko - has had great success in using bees to help create her art - both 2D and 3D. She's used their wax to make encaustic painting - a common technique in ancient Greek and Roman painting.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 12.11.2025
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She left her desk job and walked 3,541 miles from Mexico to Canada: ‘Give yourself permission’
Jessica Guo hiked 30 miles a day, becoming the first woman to continuously hike two historic US trails in a calendar year. Jessica Guo had only slept for two-and-a-half hours on an overnight bus when she arrived at the Mexico-US border near Lordsburg, New Mexico, in April. Out of the window she saw a flat, shadeless landscape. First-day jitters had Guo questioning what she was doing there.
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Source. theguardian.com, 09.11.2025
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Retired Australian teacher discovers the oldest fossil of its kind in southern hemisphere – and a new species
Robert Beattie, 82, has found specimens of a 151m-year-old midge that challenge what we know about how the insects evolved. As a boy, holidaying with his family in the New South Wales coastal town of Gerringong, Robert Beattie found a shell in a rock. It turned out to be hundreds of millions of years old – a Permian fossil, common to the Sydney basin.
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Source. theguardian.com, 08.11.2025
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Sir Sam Neill 'honoured' to receive Screen Legend Award
The Jurassic Park and Hunt for the Wilderpeople actor says he's just worked out how long he's been in the industry: "That does indeed sound like a lifetime!" New Zealand actor Sir Sam Neill has joined the ranks of Dame Julie Christie and actor and director Oscar Kightley in being named a Screen Legend. The award recognises the 78-year-old’s five-decade career, from his breakthrough in Sleeping Dogs and The Piano and Jurassic Park sequels.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 10.11.2025
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How a rural bootcamp is boosting mental health
It's 6am in Pukehina - a rural community down the coast from Tauranga. Leaves are rustling against the gentle breeze as tyres crunch through the gravel driveway. The basketball court - surrounded by kiwifruit orchards and dairy farms - is getting busy. The sun is not yet up, but car headlights cut through the darkness.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 10.11.2025
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Global gold for Hastings water project
There's gold in the water in Hastings, or at least in the way they're helping people learn about it. Waiaroha, a placemaking initiative to turn two giant new central city water tanks into an interactive educational facility, has won the City Nation Place Global Award for Best Placemaking Initiative at a ceremony in London overnight on Thursday.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 10.11.2025
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Look out, North Island - Christchurch is nipping at your fashionable heels
The Garden City is emerging on the fashion scene as a real runway rival to Wellington and Auckland. When you think of New Zealand fashion, you may picture the glamour of Auckland or the creativity of Wellington, but Christchurch has been enjoying a cultural renaissance with many musicians, artists and creatives now calling Ōtautahi home. New Zealand Fashion Week presents the first-ever Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 08.11.2025
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New Zealand’s fastest-growing language celebrated with flair
Traditional music, bhangra and giddha performances, and vibrant displays of culture have marked the start of Punjabi Language Week, with Punjabi communities nationwide celebrating their heritage and identity. Now in its sixth year, the week-long celebration highlights efforts to preserve the Punjabi language - the fastest-growing language in New Zealand, according to the 2023 Census.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.11.2025
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Trailblazers and hard workers recognised at Māori Language Awards
A quiet trailblazer, a beloved kōhanga reo nanny and the translators behind the first-ever bilingual Olympic sporting glossary are among those recognised at Ngā Tohu Reo Māori 2025, the annual Māori Language Awards held in Wellington on Friday. Hosted by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori the Māori Language Commission, the event celebrates those carrying te reo Māori into the future.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.11.2025
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Auckland's bioluminescence at Stanmore Bay described as 'unforgettable'
People have been flocking to Auckland's Stanmore Bay to catch a glimpse of an unusual bioluminescence display. Bioluminescence is a chemical reaction that takes place within some organisms, causing them to emit a light known as luminescence. Photos of Friday night's marine phenomenon, captured at Stanmore Bay by Matthew Davison, showed the waves glowing neon blue.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 08.11.2025
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Winners of Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement announced
Three writers won $60,000 each at the Creative New Zealand managed annual awards last night. The Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement was awarded to three New Zealand writers Thursday night in Wellington. The three awards were given to Barbara Else for fiction, Ross Calman for non-fiction and Dinah Hawken for poetry.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.11.2025
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Taking Predator Free Wellington to the world stage
In 2017, a group of Wellingtonians got together with a bold goal: to eradicate pests on the Miramar peninsula to prove that it could be done. Stemming from the nationwide "Predator Free 2050" initiative, and with funding from Wellington councils and the Next Foundation - Predator Free Wellington was born. It quickly caught the imagination of households and community groups who rallied around the common goal of eliminating rats, stoats.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.11.2025
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Methven birdsong project starts humming
A community vision to bring the birds back to Methven is taking root. The existing Garden of Harmony is being expanded to include the once-neglected, almost two-hectare council reserve behind. Trust spokesperson Mac McElwain said the long-term goal is to create a thriving natural and cultural space, and bring native birds and their birdsong back to Methven.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 06.11.2025
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New Zealand's first marine reserve celebrates 50 years
New Zealand's first marine reserve at Te Hāwere-a-Maki/Goat Island north of Auckland turns 50 this year. About 350,000 people visit the reserve annually to snorkel, dive or take a glass-bottom boat trip, and explore the abundance of life beneath the waves.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 04.11.2025
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Samoan chef dines out on top international food award
Two years ago today Henry Onesemo and his wife Debby were about to open their doors on their new venture: A fine-dining restaurant serving Samoan cuisine. The idea was to present traditional and comforting dishes and flavours of Samoa with a fresh twist. Fast forward to today, and TALA's had some runaway success. It's netted Henry a "knife" at this year's Best Chef Awards in Milan and TALA three Hats at the Cuisine Good Food Awards.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 03.11.2025
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Photo gallery: Pets relaxing to RNZ Concert's soothing sounds for Guy Fawkes
Pets around the country are chilling out to RNZ's annual Guy Fawkes Night Concert for Animals. All the music has been chosen to calm pets inside on Guy Fawkes night in case they're spooked by the loud noises and flashes of light. The show will include music written for animals such as 'Mina' by Edward Elgar for his beloved Cairns terrier. 'The Swan' from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns and 'Scene by the Brook' from Beethoven.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 05.11.2025
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Is this New Zealand's oldest x-ray?
A Christchurch clinician claims to have identified New Zealand's oldest x-ray - taken in the late 19th century. Health New Zealand medical physicist Steven Muir has carried out months of research into previous claims the first x-ray was taken by Dr William Hosking. "Until now, Dr William Hosking has been credited with taking the first x-ray in New Zealand in 1896, using what was then known as Röntgen rays," he said.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 05.11.2025
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How a teen son's passion for Māori wards led to a shock win for his mum
Mawera Karetai did not erect a single billboard or spend a cent on her Māori ward election campaign in the Bay of Plenty, so it came as a shock when she actually won. Dr Karetai had even quipped she would rather "eat my own eyeballs" than run, but her teenage son's passionate campaign for Māori wards helped persuade her. In the course of the mother-son campaign, Karetai became the new Kōhi Māori councillor for Bay of Plenty Regional.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 05.11.2025
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Beyond words: '67' crowned 'Word of the Year'
A double-digit combination set the social media sphere ablaze among teens in 2025, leaving parents and teachers befuddled - and now it has officially been crowned Dictionary.com's "Word of the Year": 67. But even the organisation that unveiled the winning word - pronounced "six-seven" and never "sixty-seven" - admitted it was not exactly sure about its meaning.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 31.10.2025
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Garden Festival buzz has sting in the tail
There is a bit of a buzz about this year's Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival. Among the five new gardens opening for the event is the Bee Valley Flower Farm, which has proven a magnet for bumble bees. Christina Hannam got a little bit more than she bargained for when developing the Bee Valley Flower Farm in Lepperton about five years ago.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 03.11.2025
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Artist Trần Lương invites public to lead him blindfolded 'on path of their choosing'
Influential Vietnamese artist Trần Lương invited members of the public to lead him blindfolded "on a path of their choosing", as part of the opening weekend of a new survey exhibition of their work at New Plymouth's Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre. Tầm Tã - Soaked in the Long Rain explores his life and work over the last three decades and is the artist's first exhibition in Aotearoa New Zealand, showing exclusively in New Plymouth.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 02.11.2025
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Generations celebrate at 25th Te Mana Kuratahi kapa haka competition
Sixty-two haka groups are set to perform in Tauranga next week at the 25th anniversary of Te Mana Kuratahi, the National Primary Schools Kapa Haka competition. From small beginnings with just over 20 rōpū, Te Mana Kuratahi has grown into a nationwide celebration of Māori excellence and identity, with the competition running all week - from Monday to Friday - to accommodate all the groups.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 02.11.2025
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Country Life: Country museum shines light on Eketāhuna’s Scandinavian past
The big work table in Eketāhuna's former 1800s-era school is laden with curiosities from the past - an old pair of lace-up boots, opera glasses, a threadbare red coat, a wooden coffee grinder. Around it sit volunteers - brushing, waxing, sorting and puzzling as they delve into the town's history and prepare displays for the town museum's spring reopening.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 01.11.2025
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Thirty years of dance for Black Grace
The dance troupe Black Grace has to employ the Robin Hood method of creative survival in tough times - but it's dancing on after 30 years, and its leader has stopped compromising his art for ticket sales. "We employ the Robin Hood model. We go and take money from the rich people over there and we come here and we burn it all here."
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 01.11.2025
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Solve for Tomorrow winners tackle race-tracking and mountain bike safety
The nation-wide science and innovation competition Samsung Solve for Tomorrow has just announced its winners for 2025. And if the calibre of these projects is anything to go by it shows the future of science, technology, engineering and maths is in good hands. The competition is open to intermediate and high school students, & asks them to identify an issue facing their community, then come up with an idea to change things for the better.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 31.10.2025
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Researchers discover new tyrannosaur species in ‘duelling dinosaurs’ fossil
Analysis of Montana fossils shows the battling predator was a fully grown Nanotyrannus, not a young T rex. The fossilised remains of two dinosaurs locked in combat have unleashed a fresh drama, suggesting diminutive specimens thought to be Tyrannosaurus rex teenagers could instead be separate, smaller species.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 30.10.2025
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Why Sally Millington's doing 52 new things each year
If you find it hard to break your routine, but secretly harbour a desire to try something new - boy does Sally Millington have a story for you. Back in 2018 the Englishwoman found herself with a voucher to a climbing gym and doing something that really pushed her comfort limits.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 31.10.2025
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When slips closed this popular track, locals came up with a cunning plan
A West Coast community group has joined forces with the Department of Conservation (DOC) to reopen a historic tramway and restore one of the region's best-loved day walks, connecting Hector and Seddonville. The southern half of the popular Charming Creek Walkway, about 45km north of Westport, has been closed by multiple slips since 2019.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 31.10.2025
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Retro cabs bringing nostalgia to Auckland with free mystery rides
Retro taxi cabs can be spotted over the next few weeks cruising around parts of Auckland ready to take passengers to a mystery destination for free but only if they can hail them the old fashioned way. 'Straight to the Heart' is a campaign launched by Heart of the City which will see nostalgic taxis around Newmarket, Ponsonby and Takapuna offering spontaneous rides with no apps or bookings to re-wire how people interact with Auckland city centre.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 30.10.2025
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Watch: New Zealand band The Beths perform on US talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live
The show reaches millions through its live broadcast and social media channels. The band was promoting the album they released in August, 'Straight Line Was a Lie'. They performed the title track from the album as Kimmel's musical guest on Wednesday evening New Zealand time. The Beths are about to embark on the US leg of their UK, EU, and North America tour.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 30.10.2025
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'The ants are my friends’ (and other misheard lyrics)
Today Ian Chapman explores the entertaining and often amusing world of the mondegreen - aka the misheard lyric. Many of the world's biggest and most-loved pop and rock artists have released classic songs that feature hard to discern words or lines. When this happens listeners will frequently insert their own interpretation(s) - for better or for worse.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 29.10.2025
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Rotorua biofactory for new fuels, proteins
A $60 million biofactory opening in Rotorua next year will give small businesses the opportunity to create and test new bioproducts using materials such as forestry slash. It will also be available to big companies like paper producers to find ways to repurpose organic material into higher-value products.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 24.10.2025
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Sam the Trap Man on returning Aotearoa to its roots
New Zealand has had its fair share of iconic outdoorsmen - some real, some created, some a bit of both - but all genuine characters. The latest is Sam Gibson aka Sam the Trap Man who first came to prominence via his social media posts aimed at teaching the younger generation about bushlore and conservation. A hunter, fisherman and forager, Sam has since written a bestselling non-fiction book.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 28.10.2025
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Surfboard found intact in NZ after being lost in Tasmania in 2024
A surfboard lost off Tasmania's south coast more than a year ago has washed up thousands of kilometres away in New Zealand, and will soon be reunited with its owner. The board blew overboard in May 2024, in its bag with the leg rope attached, and journeyed across the Tasman, notorious for its rambunctious waves and wild winds known as the Roaring Forties. Kite surfing off Raglan on the west coast, Albarito Bueno spotted the board.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 27.10.2025
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The most popular pet names in NZ this year
For the seventh year in a row this name has taken out the top spot for cats and dogs. New Zealand pet owners seem to all love the name Luna, with the moniker topping the list for both cats and dogs in 2025. For the seventh year in a row the name Luna has come in as the most popular pet name according to data from the NZ Companion Animal Register (NZCAR).
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 28.10.2025
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Our Changing World: SAR4SaR - The folding, floating search and rescue device
Imagine you're on a boat lost at sea, too far from the coast for a VHF radio or mobile phone to work. Maybe you've got a personal locator beacon, but you forgot to check the battery and it's dead. Drifting at night, you can see pinpoints of light passing overhead - satellites orbiting the Earth. If only there was a way to signal to them: I'm here.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 28.10.2025
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Sandcastle world record broken during anti-mining protest
A community group opposed to a fast-tracked sand mining proposal in Northland's Bream Bay has set an unofficial world record for the number of people making sandcastles at once. Saturday's event at Ruakākā Beach saw 485 people making mostly marine-themed sand sculptures simultaneously, smashing the previous record of 396 set on a Belgian beach in 2019.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 27.10.2025
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Social media depressed him. Lifeguarding saved him.
Approximately 20 percent of New Zealand’s young people may have problematic social media and phone use. Here’s how one teenager found a way out. If you’re part of Piha Surf Lifesaving Club on Auckland’s West Coast, you probably know Illinois Cooney. The 17-year-old is involved in everything. He turned up to almost every volunteer patrol day last summer. On Sunday mornings, he helps run Junior Surf, the programme for kids.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 27.10.2025
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'Bonkers': Tourists flock to world's biggest tractor in Western Australia town of Carnamah
The world's biggest tractor statue drew a crowd of thousands when it was unveiled in WA's Midwest a year ago. Residents of Carnamah, 300km north of Perth, say local tourism has continued to boom thanks to the outsized orange attraction. Big Tractor Committee chair Brendon Haeusler said it had boosted visitors throughout the year in the town of 400 people.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 20.10.2025
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Waiata Māori Music Awards 2025 finalists revealed
This year’s finalists include Makayla, Huia, and Paige for Best Māori Female Solo Artist and Shane Walker, Haami, and Kings representing the male category. he 2025 Waiata Māori Music Awards finalist have been announced, showing off a vibrant mix of emerging talent and established musicians in Māori music. The theme for this year's awards is Toitū te Reo – Titiro Whakaroto.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 23.10.2025
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A tiny fossil suggests bowerbirds once lived in ancient New Zealand – new research
Most of our knowledge of New Zealand's prehistoric bird diversity comes from long-lost species with bones large enough to be studied by eye. But many bird bones are so tiny we can barely see their features without a microscope. Some 14 to 19 million years ago, in the Miocene epoch, the remains of thousands of birds were preserved in and around the vast Lake Manuherikia, located in present-day Central Otago.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 23.10.2025
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Meet the whānau bringing Minecraft and te reo Māori together
In a digital world dominated by quick reels and English-language content, one whānau is taking a creative approach to ensure te reo Māori has a space to thrive online. Meet the Whangārei-based Ratapu whānau who are combining their love for te reo Māori with Minecraft. 'Ahi Rara', led by siblings Rehua, 6, and Autahi, 5, alongside their parents Chantell and Tama Ratapu, blends a love for Minecraft - or Mahi Maina - with te reo Māori.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 21.10.2025
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Sauce on a sausage? 'Wash your mouth out' says winning butcher
Auckland's Westmere Butchery has banged out NZ's best sausage for the fourth time. The winning butcher spills on the best way to cook and eat the beef, parmesan and truffle snag. A beef, truffle and parmesan sausage three months in the making has earned Westmere Butchery in Auckland its fourth prize for the country's best sausage. Butcher David Rossiter said the team put their heads together, embraced a bit of trial and error.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 21.10.2025
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Nelson commuters urged to ditch car once a week
Nelson has a bold carbon emission reduction target and residents are being encouraged to leave the car at home one day a week to help meet it. A new initiative called Swap One is being led by the Nelson Tasman Climate Forum and aims to see more people taking low-carbon commutes to work. "The intent is to give people a tangible way that they can make a difference to climate change," said project lead Jim Sinner.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 22.10.2025
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Experts hail ‘remarkable’ success of electronic implant in restoring sight
Sight of 84% of people with form of age-related macular degeneration restored after being fitted with device. An electronic eye implant half the thickness of a human hair has helped people with incurable sight loss to see again, opening up a potential “new era” in tackling blindness. Doctors who implanted the sim card-shaped prosthetic devices say they have helped many of the 38 elderly patients in the trial regain their ability to read letters.
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Source. theguardian.com, 20.10.2025
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Once branded the world's unluckiest city, Christchurch is now the 'capital of cool'
In the past 14 years Christchurch has been to hell and back - now it's finally emerging from the rubble as the country's most vibrant place to be. Once, it was branded the world's unluckiest city. Two devastating earthquakes, a horrific terror attack, hit hard by Covid and two destructive fires in the Port Hills. But Christchurch is bouncing back, and is now described as the 'capital of cool'.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 20.10.2025
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Engineer calls for greater use of wastewater heat
A Christchurch engineer says councils and the Government are not making the most of wastewater heat as a cheap and readily available energy source. A 2023 KPMG report done for the UK's largest wastewater company, Thames Water, found there was enough heat in wastewater to cover heating and hot water for 1 million homes - 20 per cent of London's total domestic demand.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 20.10.2025
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The young choral composer finding success overseas
It's been a phenomenal year for the New Zealand Youth Choir - crowned Choir of the World in Wales and then winning the Grand Prix of Nations at the European Choir Games in Denmark. Off the back of that triumph, one of their basses, Takarei Komene, has stepped forward as composer with a new work, Ranginui.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 17.10.2025
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Bumper year for toroa albatross chicks taking off
The breeding season for toroa - the northern royal albatross - has been the most successful on record at the Otago colony, the Department of Conservation says. Toroa are one of the largest seabirds in the world, with wingspans up to three metres, and DOC classifies them as 'nationally vulnerable', meaning they are at risk of extinction in the medium term.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 19.10.2025
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Country Life: Ironbark - a wood as hard as steel
Steve Evans is a man who just loves old wood and just can't bear the thought of seeing it end up in landfill or being chucked on a fire. Much of the stock he sells at Ironbark Re-engineered in North Canterbury came from the Lyttelton wharves which were removed after being damaged in the Christchurch earthquakes. He's not buying any more though, as he says he has enough to last a lifetime - or two.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 18.10.2025
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Country Life: Harnessing the power of kiwi in horticulture
Fancy a drop of "kiwi-friendly" wine or a bite of a "kiwi-friendly" kiwifruit? Branding fruit as "kiwi-friendly" could be a future marketing tool for producers after a study showed the North Island brown kiwi foraging for bugs in Northland vineyards and orchards, scientists say. The study is a collaboration between Massey University and the Bioeconomy Science Institute (BSI).
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 18.10.2025
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Country Life: Tirau dairy farm's tech adoption
The Coubroughs know their decisions today will determine the years to come. Brett, whose grandparents originally bought the 76-hectare dairy farm near Tirau in 1907, runs the property with his two children Tim and Linda. Succession has been relatively straightforward for the family. "We're all on the same page - we want robotics to milk the cows for us," Linda told Country Life. "And that's always been the plan."
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 18.10.2025
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Who are this year's Arts Foundation Laureates?
Eight visionary artists have been announced as 2025 Laureate recipients as the Arts Foundation celebrates 25 years. A Sol3 Mio opera singer, a legend of the underground and an action movie aficionado are among the list of eight New Zealand artists crowned with Laureate Awards this year. The Laureates, chosen by a panel in August and announced by the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi at an event in Auckland on Friday night.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 17.10.2025
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Magnifying the minuscule: Nikon Small World photomicrography 2025 – in pictures
Weevils, spores, slime mold and cells are in extreme closeup for the 51st anniversary of the Nikon Small World competition. For more than five decades, the award has brought scientific wonders under the microscope, with scientists, artists and enthusiasts from 77 countries contributing 1,925 photo entries this year alone. Judges have arrived at this stunning top 20.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.10.2025
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'We need to create more writers in te reo': Kupu Māori Writers Festival returns for 2025
Māori writers are gathering in Rotorua this week for the fourth year of the Kupu Māori Writers Festival. The two day festival begins on Friday & is sold out, writers taking part in the festival include Patricia Grace, J. P. Pomare, Dr Monty Soutar & Dr Hinemoa Elder among many others. Festival Kaihautū Ruakiri Fairhall said this year they had expanded the festival line-up to include more "word wizards," that is poets, composers, publishers and translators..
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 16.10.2025
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Sandy and Robin Toy: caring for Kahurangi
On the eastern edge of the Kahurangi National Park lies the Flora Stream area. It's rugged country, clad in beech forest, beneath the marble peaks of Mt Arthur range, and dissected by clear streams. And over the past 25 years, a small community conservation group has been working to restore native fauna to the 10 thousand hectare area. Friends of Flora began when roroa or great spotted kiwi, whio / blue duck and the giant snail - powelliaphanta.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 16.10.2025
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Space Live: the new TV channel streaming absolutely spellbinding footage of Earth … forever
ITVX’s perpetual real-time broadcast from the International Space Station is awe-inspiring … until it gets boring. But even though it’s hard to watch for long, it’s a humbling reminder of who we are. I realise that, at this point, there are already far too many shows. Every channel, every streaming service is teeming with content demanding your attention, and there are simply too few hours in the day to watch them all.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.10.2025
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Farming community restores degraded waterways
Much of New Zealand's freshwater is struggling or in crisis. The latest environment report on Freshwater, from 2023, indicated 45% of rivers - by length- were not suitable for swimming due to E. Coli and 46% of lakes bigger than one hectare had poor or very poor health. But in the face of statistics like these, a farming community on the edge of the Lyttleton Harbour has worked together to improve the local ecosystem.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 15.10.2025
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Ion Man: Bill Buckley on magnets, mechanics, and motorsport
At age five, Bill Buckley was driving a tractor on his parents' farm. Mechanically-minded from a young age he grew up around machines, spending hours in the shed with his father or on his own, pulling engines apart and putting them back together. At aged 10 he built a petrol car for himself - with lawnmower wheels and a kick-start engine hijacked from an old concrete mixer. Now Bill Buckley is best known for his work with electromagnets.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 15.10.2025
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Operation Nest Egg making Ōkārito Forest safe breeding ground for rowi kiwi
A long-standing rescue mission for the country's rarest kiwi species is being rewarded. The rowi population in South Westland dropped to an estimated 160 birds in the 1990s, but considerable mahi has brought them back from the brink. Without intervention, only five percent of rowi chicks would survive to their first birthday, due to eggs not hatching, predators killing them or natural causes.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 15.10.2025
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DOC launches new cadet programme: 'It's about making a real difference'
The Department of Conservation (DOC) is launching a new cadet programme for rangers to get on the job experience. The first 10 cadets will be situated at DOC's Renwick base in Marlborough for the 30-month programme, which starts in January. DOC said it wanted to invest in its future workforce and protect New Zealand's unique eco system at the same time.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 15.10.2025
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This Mandarin-speaking bike mechanic wants to see you join Biketober
Tyson Hobson is a mechanic at the EcoMatters community bike hub in Glen Innes. But he doesn't just fix bikes. "This specific job changed my life. Everything that I do now are for the positives. My physical health and my mental health are 100 percent better now. And now it's my job to hopefully change other people's lives with something as simple as the bicycle." The 47-year-old has been learning bike mechanic skills on the job.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 15.10.2025
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Lab-grown human embryo model produces blood cells
Breakthrough raises new possibilities for regenerative medicine, which uses patient’s own cells to repair damaged tissues. Scientists have grown embryo-like structures in the laboratory that produced human blood cells, raising new possibilities for regenerative medicine. The ability to generate blood stem cells in the laboratory may one day make it possible to treat patients in need of bone marrow transplants using their own cells.
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Source. theguardian.com, 13.10.2025
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‘The universe has opened up for us’: meet the astro-ambassadors who welcome stargazers to the Himalayas
A tourism initiative in India’s first dark sky reserve has brought new hope to a community as employment means they can stay close to their roots and culture. The snow-flecked peaks surrounding the village of Hanle are bathed in golden light as the sun sets. In the valley, 28-year-old Tsering Dolkar secures a telescope to its tripod and focuses the lens beneath a clear sky.
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Source. theguardian.com, 13.10.2025
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Tears, laughs, jeers at the Greymouth Pike River premiere
Friends and family of the 29 men who lost their lives in the Greymouth mine disaster gathered for the NZ debut of the film starring Robyn Malcolm and Melanie Lynskey. There were tears, laughter and a standing ovation at the emotional launch of the Pike River film in Greymouth, almost 15 years after the mining disaster in which 29 men lost their lives. The film tells the story of the tragedy through the eyes of Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 14.10.2025
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First-ever Moriori language week a 'long time coming'
Moriori people, tchakat henu (tangata whenua) of Rēkohu, the Chatham Islands have much to celebrate with the first-ever Moriori language week kicking off this November. Hokotehi Moriori Trust secretary Hana-Maraea Solomon encourages everyone to champion the language all over the world. "We just want everybody to be able to share and enjoy our language with us."
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 13.10.2025
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Skunk saved from sands
The oldest New Zealand-built locomotive, Skunk, long believed lost to the sands of time, has resurfaced at the South Mole in Whanganui. At the beginning of last month a digger operator working on a project to reinstate the mole hit something solid, and investigated further. SteamRail Whanganui were soon called in and upon futher digging it became clear a locomotive engine was buried in the sand.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 13.10.2025
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Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Venezuela’s María Corina Machado for keeping ‘the flame of democracy burning’
María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader driven into hiding since a disputed election last year, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for keeping "the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness." Machado received the accolade for tirelessly promoting democratic rights in Venezuela and "for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,".
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 11.10.2025
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Birds and plants returning to West Coast, tour operators say, as predators eliminated
West Coast tourism operators say they're seeing birds and plants they did not know lived in the area since predators were cleared. Predator Free South Westland aimed to eliminate every possum, rat and stoat from 100,000 hectares that covered from the Southern Alps to the sea. They were more than 90 percent of the way there.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 13.10.2025
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Tom Scott is making music in his 'final form'
On the new solo album Anitya, the award-winning New Zealand musician presents his creative work without any "gimmicks". After years of critically acclaimed music, Anyita is the very first album Tom Scott has wanted to put just his own name on. The two-sided record, described as "a blend of ambient R&B, dream pop, jazzy and psychedelic folk and progressive soul", features a cast of 30 talented musicians, vocalists and beatmakers.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 10.10.2025
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New band introduced to New Zealand Music Hall of Fame
Alt-country band The Warratahs join The Topp Twins, Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga and Dame Hinewehi Mohi. Alt-country band The Warratahs will be inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame later this month. Sharing stages with greats like Billy Joel, The Highwaymen (featuring Johnny Cash) and Bob Dylan, they built a loyal fanbase that has followed them since the emerged in 1986 at a humble pub in Wellington.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 10.10.2025
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Show Me Shorts celebrates 20th anniversary
It was the little film festival that could. Twenty years ago film lovers Katrin Hagen, Kate Nicholson, Gina Dellabarca, and Tamara Liebman sought to create a way for New Zealand's short films to be seen more easily. And so, Show Me Shorts was born. It's grown from that three-night screening at Auckland's Academy Theatre back in 2006 to an Academy Award and BAFTA-accredited festival that shows in 35 cinemas nationwide.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 09.10.2025
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Nobel prize in chemistry awarded to scientists for work on ‘Hermione’s handbag’
Trio honoured for developing revolutionary materials for applications ranging from gas storage to drug delivery. The Nobel prize in chemistry has been awarded to three scientists who created revolutionary porous materials that can harvest water from desert air, capture carbon dioxide from industrial facilities and remove toxins from water. Susumu Kitagawa, of Kyoto University, Richard Robson, of the University of Melbourne, and Omar Yaghi.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 08.10.2025
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The space operations growing in Southland
The government is backing Southland's the space industry - and a company set up indirectly by local councils. Southland's Space Operations New Zealand - or SpaceOps - is receiving a loan of up to $2.25 million to help with development. It was the brainchild of the economic development agency of Southland councils made up of Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council, Gore District Council, and Environment Southland.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 30.09.2025
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Teen develops app to help navigate accessibility roadblocks
A young entrepreneur is hoping to make New Zealand a more accessible place for people with physical disabilities. Daisy Hoe is a 17-year-old wheelchair user based in Taupō. She is developing a tech platform, Go Able which will allow users to find and review accessible locations. As well as making life easier for thousands of people, she hopes her story will shine a light on the accessibility gap in New Zealand.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 05.09.2025
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101-year-old walks 101 laps to fundraise for Methven rest home
At 101 years young Methven's Audrey Lilley has embarked on an ambitious fundraiser to help the Methven Care Trust develop a purpose-built care home facility and increase the number of elderly it can look after. Audrey was born at Methven House back in 1924 - and returned live there when she was 85. She wants to help the Methven Care Trust upgrade the home - at its new site - from 14 beds to 26.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 08.10.2025
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Quadrobics: Can leaping around on all fours will make you fit?
In a new online trend, people are scuttling, crawling, and bounding around on all fours while filming themselves – and their videos are getting a lot of attention. The practice is called quadrobics, and it’s quite the spectacle. Quadrobics evangelists claim the movements promote fitness, strength, mobility and even spirituality, as a chance to reconnect with nature and the “primal” self.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 08.10.2025
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In pictures: Supermoon lights up Aotearoa's sky
The first super full moon of 2025 is here and stargazers across Aotearoa have been able to catch a glimpse. The moon appeared bigger and brighter in the sky on Tuesday night. The supermoon will look its fullest on Tuesday, but if you happen to miss it, it will still be visible on Wednesday. Stardome astronomer Josh Aoraki said there were usually a few supermoons each year.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.10.2025
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America's Cup sailors Blair Tuke and Peter Burling hail new Hauraki Gulf protections
The passing of the Hauraki Gulf Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill is a huge milestone for the Gulf, America's Cup sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke say. It extends two existing marine reserves, where removing any marine life is prohibited, and establishes five seafloor protection areas (SPAs), where the bottom of the ocean can't be significantly disturbed.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 08.10.2025
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Botanic Garden 'a gift' for Wellingtonians and visitors
In the display garden on Glenmore Street, Louisa Linterman was taking her friend Audrey, who is bedridden, on a tour via a video call. "It's just looking wonderful, and the beautiful trees, which we love, so I had to hug the Pōhutukawa, as you do," Linterman said. "Audrey's been really enjoying it, haven't you Audrey?" she said. "Oh, it's magnificent," Audrey replied.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.10.2025
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Project aims to eliminate every possum, rat and stoat from South Westland wilderness
An ambitious project is clearing predators from more than 100,000 hectares of South Westland wilderness, farmland and townships. Predator Free South Westland project aims to eliminate every possum, rat and stoat - and their goal is in sight. They have already been removed from more than 90 percent of the project area from the Southern Alps to the sea.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.10.2025
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Nobel prize in medicine awarded to scientists for immune system research
Mary E Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi win for work on preventing immune system harming body. The Nobel prize in physiology or medicine 2025 has been awarded to three scientists for their work on how the immune system is prevented from attacking the body. Have been awarded the prize “for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance”.
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Source. theguardian.com, 06.10.2025
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Planet Y? Astronomers find fresh clues of hidden world in our solar system
The search for an unknown planet in our solar system has inspired astronomers for more than a century. A recent study suggests a potential new candidate, which the paper's authors have dubbed Planet Y. The planet has not been detected, but merely inferred by the tilted orbits of some distant objects in the Kuiper Belt - a large ring of icy bodies beyond Neptune's orbit. Researchers say something must be disturbing these orbits and tilting them.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 05.10.2025
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Native lizards protected as condition of road construction near Levin
A four-hectare section of forest and grassland near Levin will soon become home to a population of native lizards. The 24km highway from Ōtaki to north of Levin will link up to the rest of State Highway One, north of Wellington at a total cost of $2.1 billion. NZTA project director Glen Prince said, during the consenting phase, protected native skinks and geckos were found, and to accommodate them, a predator-proof fence was built.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 05.10.2025
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Aurora lit up skies over South Island
Aurora fans have been treated to a bright display lighting up the skies, with photographers capturing the lights across the South Island on Wednesday night. Photographers posted pictures of the colourful lights in areas including Tasman, Twizel and Southland. Te Whatu Stardome astronomer Josh Aoraki said aurora were often able to be recorded by cameras even when they could not be seen with the naked eye.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 02.10.2025
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Prospect of life on Saturn’s moons rises after discovery of organic substances
Scientists studying water vapour plume from Enceladus find presence of complex molecules that could harbour life. The likelihood that one of Saturn’s moons may harbour life has risen, experts say, after finding an array of carbon-based substances being spewed out of Enceladus. The sixth largest of Saturn’s moons, Enceladus has become one of the leading contenders in the search for bodies that could harbour extraterrestrial life.
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Source. theguardian.com, 01.10.2025
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Shot of sea bird wins Bird Photographer of the Year
From a stunning solar eclipse shot to a surreal image of a kingfisher flying over art in the Italian alps, the winners of largest bird photography competition are in. An image of frigatebird silhouetted against a total solar eclipse has won top prize in Bird Photographer of the Year 2025. Liron Gertsman, from Canada, won for his atmospheric image taken in Mexico for which he won the £UK3500 (NZ$8120) prize.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 01.10.2025
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Lake Sylvan Track access restored with new bridge
Access to a popular Glenorchy trail has been restored after a storm swept away a key bridge. The Department of Conservation has opened a new 42-metre suspension bridge across the Routeburn River, reconnecting to the popular Lake Sylvan Track. The previous bridge was damaged by a significant storm five years ago. It was repaired before being swept away by another storm in 2023.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 01.10.2025
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