The initiative, launched by Meadow Fresh, taps into behavioural data collected via Halter’s solar-powered wearable collars on cows at Tim Richards’ Georgetown–Ngapara farm. These collars feed real-time milking and activity data into the game, transforming everyday dairy performance into measurable fantasy league scores. Marketing manager Jen Jones explains that the game is designed to make dairy farming both “fun and visible,” showcasing the sophistication of modern dairying and its high-tech underpinnings. Farmer Tim Richards, whose herd of around 700 cows provides the backbone of the game’s data, was enthusiastic about the initiative because it required no extra work on farm. Richards has been using Halter technology for several years, and sees the game as a fresh way to spotlight the day-to-day dynamics of herd performance to a broader audience, potentially demystifying dairy farming for non-farmers.

Fonterra’s consumer operation is not far away from getting its new owner. (Image: Supplied)The soon‑to‑be owner of Mainland Group has committed to $100 million in capital expenditure as part of its new investment in New Zealand. The $4.2 billion deal for Fonterra Co-operative Group to sell the consumer dairy business to French giant Lactalis might have been one of the largest corporate transactions in New Zealand’s history.But the Government appears to have thought it did not warrant a national interest assessment.Watch Herald NOW: Investment commitments vary from a promo to a promise looking at the market today.After a 15...

Former Air NZ CEO Greg Foran reflects on his time at the national carrier as he begins new job as CEO of US grocery retailer Kroger. Video / Ryan Bridge TODAY

RNZ understands there have been instances where staff used AI to draft formal reports such as Extended Supervision Order reports. Stewart said the uptake of Copilot remained "relatively low" with about 30% of Corrections staff engaging with the tool since it was introduced on Corrections devices in November 2025. "Corrections has an AI assurance officer, a function held by the director cybersecurity, who is accountable for guiding safe and secure adoption of AI. "If this is correct, then privacy concerns would be limited to any cases in which Corrections staff use Copilot in breach of Corrections policy. Where Copilot is used in a way that breaches Corrections policy, OPC would expect Corrections to take appropriate action to remedy this."

In other words, the RBNZ is likely to shift its forecast to suggest that the next move for the OCR is up. Most economists believe it will do that gently, by moving the odds towards a rate rise in December. “It will be interesting to see how governor Breman characterises the data during her debut against the NZ inflation dragon,” ASB economist Wesley Tanuvasa said. “The RBNZ Monetary Policy Committee will likely be wary of a meaningful further tightening of monetary conditions at this stage, as it would risk killing off the nascent recovery. There were also worrying signs of a rise in core inflation.

But soon after 10pm, Butler was driving a Mitsubishi, and was on his learner’s licence. The Mitsubishi slowed briefly, and security staff identified themselves, before Butler took off at speed. Police hypothesised that, after actively fleeing from forestry security immediately beforehand, Butler believed the oncoming vehicle was another security patrol. “Learner drivers lack the training, experience and judgement that develops over time, particularly when confronted with unexpected or high-stress situations,” Coroner Telford said. “In these circumstances, judgment can rapidly deteriorate, leading to poor decision-making and an inability to accurately assess road conditions, other road users or safe speeds,” Coroner Telford said.

Wallace Real Estate chief executive Luke Nutting said he took the tax authorities’ allegations “extremely seriously” and was “disappointed” to only recently learn the “severity of the situation”. Real estate agents in a liquidated firm are entitled to seek work with another business. By then, the Hills Real Estate website had been taken down. One former Hills staff member had taken over 10 for-sale listings that previously been under Prakash and Prasad’s names on the site. “Wallace has not acquired, absorbed, or entered into any formal takeover arrangement with Hills Real Estate,” he said.

Photo: Getty ImagesQueenstown skier Alice Robinson missed out on the medals in the Giant Slalom at the Winter Olympics. Robinson finished eighth in a very tight Giant Slalom competition, missing out on the podium by just 0.13 seconds. Robinson finished eighth equal in the Super G last week. Harrington into finalWānaka freeskier Luca Harrington has qualified for the final of the big air this morning. "Felt really good, came in with a plan and executed the plan," Harrington told Sky Sports afterwards.

The men were sentenced in the North Shore District Court. “It was clear you were involved in drug dealing,” Judge Murray said. Judge Murray said these comments had given him “pause”, but letters from supportive family members had helped his case. For wilful damage and burglary of the second business, Apaina Browne was sentenced to five months’ community detention and 12 months’ intensive supervision. For the same charges, plus his earlier drug offending, Tu’uta received 11 months’ home detention.

Swayzee upstaged younger brother Leap To Fame on Saturday night to win back-back Hunter Cups at Melton and deny Leap To Fame a $A1 million ($NZ1.7m) bonus. Despite being headed off by Leap To Fame on the home turn, Swayzee’s driver, Cam Hart, said he never lost faith as his horse kicked back to win by a neck. New Zealander Republican Party, who used barrier 1 to lead early before handing up to Swayzee, finished third, a nose further back. Australian trotting queen Keayang Zahara made it 25 wins from 26 starts when she won her heat and final of the Great Southern Star. — Allied Media

Black Caps top-scorer Mark Chapman in action against South Africa in their T20 World Cup match in Ahmedabad yesterday. Chasing 176, South Africa got off to a fast start with Markram hitting three sixes and five boundaries to steer his team to 62 without loss in four overs. By the time Rickelton (21) fell in the eighth over, South Africa had already crossed the 100-run mark. South Africa will conclude their group campaign against the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, a day after New Zealand play Canada. Result: South Africa won by seven wickets.

One of the 116 objects Cambridge University has transferred to Nigeria. An employee looks at examples of Benin bronzes displayed at the British Museum in London. British soldiers and sailors took more than 5000 brass and bronze castings and ivory carvings — known collectively as the Benin bronzes. Thomas said the Labour government has "disappointed people across the cultural sector" by not trying to amend the British Museum Act, and similar laws. • Barnaby Phillips is the author of Loot: Britain and the Benin Bronzes and The African Kingdom of Gold: Britain and the Asante Treasure.

PHOTO: SUPPLIEDTake 10 chefs, let them go wild with their creations and you have the ingredients for a Queenstown-based TV reality cooking competition that starts screening this week. The series was filmed last year in just over 14 days at Frankton’s Remarkable Studios, the former H&J Smith’s department store. "It just shows the breadth of what we can achieve here." Taste of Art begins on Thursday, at 7.30pm, on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+. "If it performs well, I really hope we get to do it again and bring new talent to the table and see what other chefs can do," Ms De Lacey says.

The global average birth rate has halved since 1960 and is now just above the "replacement" rate of 2.1 children per woman. Only sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East still have the old, high birth rates. In the Americas, Europe, Oceania and above all in Asia birth rates have fallen at an astonishing rate. Such a migration has already been going on for decades at a smaller scale in the rich countries of the West. Probably mostly from Africa and the Middle East, because that’s where the remaining high birth rates are.

South Korean Yunseo Yang yesterday claimed a commanding victory in the Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific Championship in Wellington. Yang, 18, shot a 3-under 69 yesterday to finish at 16-under, eight shots ahead of fellow South Korean Soomin Oh. Australian Jazy Roberts and Rianne Malixin of the Philippines tied for third at 6-under. Darae Chung emerged as the leading New Zealander, finishing tied for 22nd at 5-over. Chung was closely followed by New Zealand’s top-ranked amateur Eunseo Choi, who finished one shot back at 6-over.