Author: Press Room
National identity isn’t the only reason to back a team – and these three proud All Black supporters, all originally from South Africa, prove it. Lauren Marrion talks to them about passion, loyalty and racial tension and finds out why they made the switch. It’s one of the most iconic rivalries in sport, the All Blacks vs the Springboks. For over a century, the two teams have battled it out on the rugby field, and the tension hasn’t always been just about the game.During South Africa’s apartheid era, sport was deeply politicised and, for many around the world, the Springboks…
Rubber chickens, water pistols, a golden cyclist, and a cover of What’s Up? by 4 Non Blondes – Nelson’s ‘Not Your Normal Candidates’ Meeting’ lived up to its name once again.The regular local election fixture, organised by sustainable transport group Nelsust, saw around 100 voters hear the views of 20 of Nelson’s 35 candidates at the Victory Community Centre.Each council hopeful was asked about how they would make the city’s transport truly sustainable.Answers had to be kept to three minutes (with time-up signalled by a squealing rubber chicken and enforced by Nelsust’s secretary Pam Henson, who gleefully wielded a water…
Published on 06/09/2025 – 7:00 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT After a sleepy summer, Brussels is a hive of activity. The European Parliament is open again playing catch up on August’s busy news cycle. From security guarantees for Ukraine to the historic Mercosur trade deal, panellists Steven Everts, the head of the European Union Institute for Security Studies, Maria Tadeo, European analyst with Le Grand Continent and Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz had a lot to discuss. Ongoing war in Ukraine All agreed that Europe needs to step up now to support Ukraine and put more pressure on Russia to stop the fighting.…
Former Labour Minister Stuart Nash has spoken at New Zealand First’s annual conference.Nash was widely rumoured to be aligning himself with the party. He told members it was no co-incidence leader Winston Peters and second-in-command Shane Jones were filling halls around the country.Nash said he was not a member of any party and had not joined NZ First but indicated his support for it.”I mean, I wouldn’t be speaking at the conference if I didn’t,” he told reporters. “I’m not so arrogant to think that I can just jump into New Zealand First.The one-time Labour Cabinet Minister says he “didn’t expect…
ADVERTISEMENT The French are (rightfully) proud of their cheese. It is seen as a must for any decent family meal, a great economic asset for the country, and perhaps more surprisingly, a fantastic tool of diplomacy. That is why “diplomacy through cheese” will be one of the roundtables at an unprecedented two-day event by the French foreign ministry which aims to lift the veil on what diplomacy is and counter what is seen as a growing image deficit for the sector. But unlike say, Roquefort, which is undeniably French, this disconnect between diplomacy and the wider public affects most democratic…
The former Christchurch city councillor who is next on the Green Party’s list is still deciding whether he wants to join Parliament, after Benjamin Doyle resigned yesterday.Mike Davidson, who was running for the community board in the Innes ward in this year’s local body elections, is next on the Green Party list.Davidson is currently the Operations Manager at Whitiora, a skills and employment centre. He represented the Papanui ward as a councillor between 2016 and 2022.At a mayoral debate in Christchurch, Davidson told 1News that the “opportunity” to go to Parliament is “something that I need to consider quite strongly,…
Some Air New Zealand passengers have been stranded in Wellington after wild weather cancelled dozens of flights on Friday night.Thunderstorms lashed the region, with strong winds closing parts of State Highway 2.An airline spokesperson said the weather cancelled 28 flights in the capital.”Impacted customers have been rebooked on the next available service, with the majority travelling today.”An RNZ staffer on a flight from Queenstown that landed around 5.30pm said passengers were visibly relieved to touch down safely.”The cabin was very quiet as the plane came in to land, and then many people clapped and cheered.”They said the wind was already…
An Auckland dairy owner says his store was smashed up twice by the same man in a matter of hours.Police charged a man over an alleged assault and wilful damage at a Symonds St dairy two weeks ago.The man was arrested after allegedly throwing products off the shelves of the dairy and damaging the pie heater.Police said he was taken into custody before officers realised he had an existing injury that needed medical treatment, instead giving him a court summons and taking him to Auckland City Hospital.He was also given a trespass notice.A couple of hours later, police received a…
A Hawke’s Bay community leader says deploying more police will do little to address the underlying causes of gang conflict.Extra police have been deployed to the region, and a gang conflict warrant has been placed after two serious assaultsbelieved to be linked to the Mongrel Mob and Black Power gangs.The warrant gives officers power to search vehicles of suspected gang members and to seize firearms, weapons and vehicles.It comes after a gang conflict warrant already in place for Levin had been extended to cover Manawatū as well on Tuesday, after police were fired on twice in two days in Palmerston…
Shoppers are becoming increasingly price-sensitive and drawn to shops offering a discount, Consumer NZ says.It has released its latest retailer survey, which showed the shops with the most satisfied customers, and those not meeting the standard.Top of the whiteware and appliances category was 100% Appliances, PB Tech was top for home and mobile technology, Stihl Shop and Mitre 10 for hardware and Macpac for sports and outdoors.Consumer NZ spokesperson Kate Harvey said Stihl Shop and Macpac had the highest satisfaction ratings, at 94%.”Stihl Shop rated particularly high for its customer service and staff members’ product knowledge,” Harvey said.”Macpac beat its…