New Zealand (NZ) stories
Australian shoppers will soon be able to verify payments with a face or palm as merchants trial optional biometrics alongside cards, phones and PINs.
The proposed pilot could give workers a portable way to share verified skills, with major employers and universities now backing the scheme.
AI use in Australia and New Zealand is shifting from pilots to routine finance and marketing tasks, SAP said in a regional review.
Rising overseas sales and profit have lifted the home appliance maker to No. 231 on the Fortune Global 500, its best showing yet.
Audiobook listeners in seven markets can now ask Spotify for playlists and next-in-series picks, reducing search time between titles.
The review could identify quick wins for Northland residents, while weighing privacy, security and ethical risks before any rollout.
The move should cut electricity bills and emissions, with Oxford Area School among 500 schools to get rooftop panels over three years.
The district's residential and industrial land shortage could bite within 25 years, prompting public consultation on rezoning in its main centres.
Boil notices remain in place while testing continues, though Ohakune's water supply has been restored and the emergency is easing.
New Zealand's national security threats have intensified amid geopolitical upheaval, foreign espionage and online violent extremism, NZSIS says.
Growing use of cloud and AI is driving demand for local processing, as the sector warns New Zealand risks relying on offshore systems.
The deployment will give New Zealand crews urgent experience as unprecedented blazes threaten the US north-west and western Canada.
Crowded classrooms and growing demand are forcing Rangitoto College to juggle more than 4,000 students across a sprawling Auckland campus.
Businesses will face new duties from April 2027 as Wellington puts serious harm at the centre of workplace safety law.
Auckland families could be spared motorway crossings if the vacant Vincent Street site is turned into a city-centre school, an advocate says.
Emergency call handlers are under strain as the ambulance service braces for more pressure after the busiest day in its history.
Heavy falls may trigger warnings as a warm, moisture-laden front sweeps across the upper North Island and Westland.
Officials will still assess Tauranga's bid for a new unitary authority, despite Western Bay of Plenty District Council refusing to join it.
Ratepayers could face a six-figure bill if Kawerau extends the 70kmh zone on State Highway 34, with funding uncertain.
Residents welcomed approval for a basic rebuild of Days Track, though council staff warn storms will likely damage it again.