They released official data that showed foreign direct investment in January was down more than -11% from the same month a year ago. It wasn't the only retreat released in official data. For resales, this official data only showed two of the 70 cities in their survey with a month-on-month gain, none with year-on-year gains. The Kiwi dollar starts today at just under 62 USc and little-changed from Saturday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$51,299 and up a minor +0.5% from this time Saturday.

The Stuff Circuit team: Paula Penfold, Phil Johnson, Louisa Cleave and Toby Longbottom. Discussions with multiple former members of the Stuff Circuit team have suggested various possible reasons for delay. While a senior Stuff staffer says that the fate of the project and the restructure of the Stuff Circuit staff is “correlation not causation”, that feeling is not shared by some from Stuff Circuit. Stuff Circuit staff strongly dispute that cost estimate, saying it fails to acknowledge other projects delivered within the same timeframe. By the middle of 2023, the Stuff Circuit team filed what they believed was a near-finished product.

Reading it again some 30 years later, now a mother of a five-year-old myself, I am floored by this poem of two halves. For a Five-Year-Old by Fleur AdcockA snail is climbing up the window-sillinto your room, after a night of rain. I think of it as a muted nursery rhyme: a creation ‘for a five-year-old’ but only to be read when that five-year-old is much, much older. Because here is where the poem splits: a sudden bolt of understanding divides the poem, and the narrator, directly in half. Fleur Adcock: Collected Poems (Expanded Edition) (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $50) is available from Unity Books Wellington and Auckland.

The undisputed star of the Alexanders’ Te Awamutu stable, La Crique had endured a turbulent 12 months since her runner-up finish behind Levante in the same race in February last year. So this is hugely satisfying and we couldn’t be happier.”There has never been any doubt about La Crique’s quality. La Crique became a Group 1 winner with a dazzling Arrowfield Plate (1600m) performance at Matamata in the spring of her 4-year-old season but had gone winless in seven starts through the 16 months since. She’s very tough and she’s tried to battle her way through it. Aegon chased hard and ate into the margin late in the piece, with Desert Lightning sticking on bravely in third, but La Crique triumphed by a length-and-a-quarter.

Here’s the thing: the City Rail Link is almost certainly going to be overcapacity from day one, with crowding on the trains at peak times. In the simple terms of popular transportThis post was originally published on Linked In by Nicolas Reid. It is republished here with permission....

There are eight fewer retail businesses in the CBD, compared to 2020, a council survey of the town's health has shown. There were also more vacant spaces, up from 5.7 percent in 2022 to 8 percent in 2024. The Marlborough District Council surveys both Blenheim and Picton's CBD every two years. People surveyed said the less attractive areas of Blenheim's CBD were vacancies, footpaths, upkeep of toilets and faded blue lampposts. Watery Mouth Cafe head barista Matthew Wright said often their customers were in the CBD purely for food and drink.

But the lobby group campaigning for better public media says there’s a better way to ‘send a lifeboat’. “I just think media companies can do their own individual deals with those tech platforms - as your umbrella organisation NZME and others have as well,” he told Mike Hosking. “Meta has not renewed after a year because I think they think this (Bill) isn't going to happen,” he said. Photo:Media expert Dr Peter Thompson - speaking as chair of the lobby group Better Public Media - told the Committee news businesses support the Bill because they're in such difficult commercial circumstances. But we'd rather send a lifeboat,” told the Committee last week.

She is one of hundreds of Kiwis reported missing every year. Tauranga Hospital anaesthetist David Holland was reported missing after failing to turn up for work. Police are keen to hear from anyone who has seen missing Dargaville man Adrianus Berkhout. In 2023, Coroner Heather McKenzie ruled Bates had died soon after he went missing, but that the circumstances of his death remained a complete mystery. At the time he went missing from Onewhero, in Waikato, his right leg was in a moon boot.

Here’s the thing: the City Rail Link is almost certainly going to be overcapacity from day one, with crowding on the trains at peak times. In the simple terms of popular transportThis post was originally published on Linked In by Nicolas Reid. It is republished here with permission....

[Source: NZ Herald]The Highlanders scored a stunning try to Sam Gilbert to overcome a much-improved Moana Pasifika 35-21 in an entertaining clash on Saturday. Article continues after advertisementThe try finally broke Moana Pasifika, who led 18-14 at the break and signalled they are capable of taking some Australian scalps this year. As hinted at during their trial games, Moana Pasifika showed that their set-piece work has come on leaps and bounds this season. Former Hurricanes star Julian Savea was also outstanding for Moana Pasifika in his first outing. Appearing fitter than last year, the big lock got through plenty of work in arguably one of his best games for the Highlanders.

Blues against Fijian Drua [Source: stuff.co.nz]The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua succumbed to a strong Blues side 34-10 in their Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific season opener in Auckland today. The Drua tried hard to score more points but were let down by handling errors and superior play from the Blues. Sullivan scored his second try in the dying stages to seal the win for the Blues. Meanwhile in other Super Rugby Pacific games today, the Highlanders face the Moana Pasifika at 6:05pm before the Reds face the Waratahs at 9:05pm. Player of the match, Tevita Ikanivere [Source: Fijian Drua]

Countdown Dunedin South is set to reopen on Sunday. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSONCountdown Dunedin South is still set to reopen on Sunday after no rats were caught in the store overnight. A Woolworths spokesman said if the trend continues, the store will be able to reopen as planned on Sunday. The news comes as the Ministry for Primary Industries says it will be keeping a close eye on Countdown Dunedin South even after it reopens. ‘‘It’s important that both ourselves and MPI are confident before we reopen to the community.’’laine.priestley@odt.co.nz

NZR chief executive Mark Robinson made a beeline for Sky TV chief executive Sophie Moloney - pleasantries, a quick social chat, lots of smiles and then greetings to the rest of Moloney’s table. Mahony’s departure follows the departure of New Zealand Rugby chief communications and brand officer Charlotte McLauchlan late last year. SKY TV chief executive Sophie Moloney. “The Olympics is an event like no other when it comes to broadcasting,” says Sky chief executive Sophie Moloney. Stuff chief executive Laura Maxwell did not address this or other specific financial questions that I sent her yesterday.

Photo: Know Your Stuff NZDrug testers have issued an urgent warning over fake MDMA circulating in Dunedin. Know Your Stuff NZ posted that several samples the user thought was MDMA had come back as the stimulant known colloquially as bath salts. "This is presumed to be N-Butylpentylone. There are many unknowns with this substance, with no research into the safety or use of this on humans," it said. Know Your Stuff advised that anyone who had not checked their MDMA should refrain from using until after checking.

On Saturday, Ponsonby witnessed a makeover of epic proportions as the iconic Stickman joined the Auckland Rainbow Parade, strutting down Ponsonby Road like you’ve never seen her before. For the second year in a row, PAK’nSAVE’s parent company Foodstuffs got involved with the Auckland Rainbow Parade, this time, with a special guest. Stickman saw an opportunity to spread his low-priced love for the rainbow community and get into character for the event. Introducing Stick Queen, aka Isla Value, the budget queen from the house of Pak’n. With thanks to Ford Ponsonby, attendees saw ‘Isla’ strut her stuff in heels, while addressing the crowd in a way only Isla could!