Author: Press Room

Te Wharekura o Kirikiriroa from Hamilton have been named champions of the national primary school kapa haka competition, Te Mana Kuratahi.The group were one of six representing the rohe (region) of Tainui, emerging from a competitive event with 62 groups competing It’s the first time they have won the title.Tutor Poumea Walker said they were excited and humbled by the win. He said they were a small school from an underprivileged community.“Nō reira ko tā mātou, ko tā ngā kaiako he whakaū i te whakapono i roto i ngā tamariki me te whakaaro ka taea e rātou ngā taumata ikeike…

Published on 07/11/2025 – 16:34 GMT+1 Countries waiting to join the European Union must make a geopolitical decision and choose which side they are on before entering the bloc, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos told Euronews in an exclusive interview after presenting her annual review. Her comments come after the European Commission issued an update this week on the enlargement process for candidates, including Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU has revived the stalled efforts around enlargement, pointing to a geopolitical competition for influence in the region. “We could see Europe united…

Christchurch hemp processor and manufacturer Rubisco’s shift to an Ashburton facility will pave the way for a $20 million to $30m expansion plan. The company has begun a capital raise to add more processing equipment and turn more wool and hemp into building, interior decorative, biocomposites, clothing, textile, furnishing, geotextile and other products. Formerly known as New Zealand Natural Fibres, Rubisco’s majority shareholder is family-owned Carrfields, which has bought the facility and leased it back to the hemp company. The Ashburton site will process the first stage of breaking down raw hemp bales. Fibres are separated from hemp stalks in…

Chaser fame has brought Issa Schultz all sorts of (sometimes odd) attention, but still hasn’t delivered the life-long partner his heart desires. Chaser Issa Schulz has been grilled on every issue under (and beyond) the sun, but there’s one topic journalists return to again and again: when will the Supernerd find love?Sometimes the question is even blunter, like the time a pair of radio jocks demanded to know when he’d last had sex. On that occasion the sweet-natured Schultz asked to see a calendar and then rejected the one they produced as being from this century. (Source: TVNZ)So far so…

A full overnight closure will be in place on Mauao Mt Maunganui over the next three evenings in response to “reckless” fireworks which were let off on the mountain this week.Tauranga City Council said Mauao would be full closed from pm to 5am from Friday, November 7 to the morning of Monday, November 10.The council said fencing and signage would be in place at all closure points.Fireworks were first discharged from the summit of Mauao on Tuesday and Wednesday evening.Tauranga City Council said four Māori Wardens were stationed at Mauao on Thursday evening as a response. However, despite their presence,…

Despite being among the first of the Western Balkan countries to apply for European Union membership, North Macedonia has made little progress on its path to accession over the past two decades. Hristijan Mickoski, the prime minister of North Macedonia, told Euronews that his country is “unfortunately in the same place where it was 25 years ago due to some artificial reasons”. “Not because of the Copenhagen criteria, not because of fulfilling some objectives, but because of some artificial disputes, such as our national flag, our nation’s name, change of constitution this, change of constitution that,” Mickoski stated. Here, he…

Speculation is mounting over possible restructuring and job losses as new owner Open Country Dairy stamps its mark on Mataura Valley Milk. A leaked email warns more than 100 staff of impending “change”, despite assurances from the chief executive to the Otago Daily Times that no decisions have been made. Talley’s Group-owned Open Country, New Zealand’s second-largest milk processor, formally became owners of the Gore processing facility on October 31. The following Monday, a company-wide email from chief executive Mark de Latour said that there was “no doubt” that change needed to happen to ensure “profitability”. The plant’s structure was currently under…

An iwi-led investment initiative has injected nearly $300,000 into supporting whānau to build a diverse range of enterprises across the Ruapehu region.Ngāti Rangi has funded 34 new whānau initiatives in its fourth round of Whiria Ngā Hua, a programme aimed at creating local solutions to help whānau and hapori (communities) thrive.Helen Leahy, pou ārahi of Ngāti Rangi’s operational arm Ngā Waihua o Paerangi, said the investment enables whānau to pursue their aspirations.”This is the essence of Whānau Ora,” Leahy said. “All of our experience and evaluations prove that outcomes are always more enduring and more meaningful when whānau are in…

Is Italy the leading EU country in sustainable goods? New European Commission data shows the country markets almost 19,000 products carrying the EU Ecolabel, a certification for products with a lower environmental impact throughout their entire lifecycle. Launched in 1992, it promotes greener industrial practices to help consumers and businesses make more sustainable choices. Today, more than 100,000 goods and services across Europe carry the EU Ecolabel. Spain is the bloc’s second most prolific country with around 16,000 Eco-labelled products, ahead of France (13,000), Germany (10,000) and Portugal (7,000) Its reach keeps growing, with a 15% increase in licences since…

The Police Commissioner says he “can’t understand” how some officers had the time to engage in misconduct after an audit sparked by former deputy commissioner’s offences found a small number of staff with inappropriate material on their work devices.The audit was ordered on May 12, the same day former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming resigned, following revelations he had accessed child sexual exploitation and bestiality material on his work devices over a four-year period.McSkimming pleaded guilty to three representative charges in the Wellington District Court on Thursday, admitting to possessing objectionable publications between July 2020 and December 2024.Speaking to 1News…