John Lewis

The Ministry of Education hopes to clear up uncertainty about how the Government's Health and Safety Reform Bill will affect schools, by providing the sector with plenty of information.

No more banging of hammers, squeals of circular saws or rumbles of concrete mixers - things have gone strangely quiet at Taieri College.

School principals will be ''captured'' by the Government's Health and Safety Reform Bill, an education employment law specialist warns.

When pop superstars sing, you seldom see audiences doing downward-facing dogs, one-legged king pigeons, cow face or lotus poses ... except when it's Toni Childs singing.

It is not often Nick Chisholm is intimidated by something. Yet attending the New Zealand Attitude Awards in December, after recently being named a finalist, most definitely makes him anxious.

With no marine radio, no EPIRB locator beacon and no anchor, a 67-year-old man was lucky to escape a potentially disastrous situation yesterday when his boat broke down in Otago Harbour, Dunedin police say.

Sadly, Glad Barnes could not find anyone to accompany her to tonight's Neil Diamond concert in Dunedin.

The next time you think you're being good by taking the stairs instead of the lift at work, spare a thought for the girls at Queen's High School.

When you speak four languages fluently, it can be difficult to find places to exercise that ability.

For rock stars, life on the road can be tedious during the day - all the action happens after dark.

The bean-counters at Rialto and Reading cinemas were making whistling noises like R2-D2 yesterday as online ticket sales for the new Star Wars The Force Awakens movie took off at light speed.

While many parents may feel they have little or no expertise in national certificate of educational achievement, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority is encouraging them to take a more active role in their children's study regimes in the build-up to this year's NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship examinations. Education reporter John Lewis explains.

After being kept blindfolded in a small room for 60 days, without light and little human contact, Usama Ajjan has been released by his kidnappers.

If history has taught us one thing, there will be at least 50 people lined up outside the Waihola Community Hall before the doors open, waiting to get the best plants in the annual Waihola District School Plant Fair.

Until recently, Matariki Pakaua-Inwood was what you would call an undiscovered singing gem of national significance.