Wellington, New Zealand renamed 'the Middle of Middle-earth'

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, was filmed throughout in New Zealand. To celebrate the world premiere of the film, Wellington will be changing its name and there will even be Hobbit coins to be spent.

New Zealand has a new campaign - to re-brand the country "100% Middle Earth" to attract tourists. Reportedly the city is planning to spend $900,000 to mark this premiere.

For three weeks before and after the premiere of the movie, Wellington will unofficially be called "The Middle of Middle-earth." ... read more

NZ soldiers perform Haka for fallen comrades in Afghanistan

The New Zealand Defense Force has released a video showing hundreds of its troops, performing a traditional Maori funeral Haka in tribute to their five fallen colleagues who died in Afghanistan.

Digital Journal reported earlier in August on the deaths of two New Zealand soldiers, with six others wounded, in a volatile area north east of Bamiyan Province of Afghanistan. These soldiers were members of the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team... read more and watch video.

Massive rock raft size of Belgium floating off New Zealand

A huge mass of small volcanic rocks, approximately the size of Belgium, has been spotted floating off the coast of New Zealand.

The collection of golf ball size pumice rocks were first spotted this week by a New Zealand air force plane, approximately 1,000 kms northeast of Auckland.

The rocks apparently stretch for around 26,000 square kilometers (or 250 nautical miles by 30 nautical miles according to the New Zealand Navy), and appear as a “brilliant white under a spotlight, like a giant ice shelf,” according to witnesses. A navy ship took scientists out to the rocks on Thursday night.... read more and watch video.

Mt Tongariro erupts for first time in more than a century

An eruption at Mt Tongariro, a volcano near the Ketetahi Hot Springs on North Island, New Zealand, has caused roads to close and flights may be disrupted.

The eruption prompted a potential threat warning to be issued for much of central North Island, New Zealand... read more.

Mother-of-8 died 'because she drank 10 liters of Coke a day'

A young New Zealand mother of 8 children suddenly died - probable cause is that she was drinking at least 10 liters of Cola-Cola every day.

Natasha Marie Harris, 30, died suddenly at home in Invercargill on New Zealand's South Coast on February 25, 2010.

The Daily Mail has reported that Harris apparently had an addiction to Coca-Cola and without it she would get moody and irritable. Her partner, Christopher Hodgkinson has claimed that her death was the result of drinking too much Coca-Cola.

Hodgkinson's mother, Vivian Hodgkinson, said she would go 'crazy' if she ran out of the drink.

At an inquest into Harris' death, her partner said that she had been unwell leading up to her death. She apparently had no energy and had been vomiting up to 6 times per week, but it never crossed their minds that Coca-Cola could be the problem.... read full article.