Britain is back in America’s Cup final for the first time in 60 years

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A British yacht is back in the America’s Cup finals for the first time in sixty years, and the island nation steeped in nautical heritage is one step away from ending the longest wait in international sports. INEOS Britannia finished off Italy’s Luna...

Google says it will stop linking to New Zealand news if a law passes forcing it to pay for content

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Google said Friday it will stop linking to New Zealand news content and will reverse its support of local media outlets if the government passes a law forcing tech companies to pay for articles displayed on their platforms. The vow to sever Google...

Dunedin, New Zealand, records its wettest day in a century as flooding cuts the city off by road

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The New Zealand city of Dunedin was cut off by road due to flooding Friday after recording its wettest day in more than a century. Local authorities in the South Island city said more than 80 people who lived in low-lying areas spent the night in...

Xfinity Series playoffs set to open this weekend at Kansas with van Gisbergen studying the rules

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Welcome to the Xfinity Series playoffs, Shane van Gisbergen. Now here’s a copy of how the system works, so study up. The New Zealand driving sensation — who won the first Cup Series race he ever entered with a victory last year on the street course in...

Italy's Luna Rossa showed two skippers are better than one on the America's Cup yachts

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Before the last America’s Cup, Italy’s sailing team had what helmsman Francesco Bruni called a “crazy” idea: run the boat with two skippers, each taking turns steering as the foiling yacht crisscrossed the race course. While the other crews lost...

Hawaii has gone down under for invasive species advice – again

A delegation of Hawaii lawmakers and officials recently returned from a more than $50,000 visit to New Zealand seeking ways the state could better shield itself from invasive species – advice it failed to heed almost two decades ago. The South Pacific nation had originally offered...

A New Zealand pilot is freed after 19 months in rebel captivity in Indonesia's Papua region

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A New Zealand pilot held hostage for more than a year in the restive Papua region of Indonesia was freed Saturday by separatist rebels. Phillip Mark Mehrtens, a 38-year-old pilot from Christchurch, was working for Indonesian aviation company Susi Air when...

Separatist rebels free New Zealand pilot who's been held hostage for over a year in Papua, Indonesian authorities say

New Zealand’s army chief: Pacific nations need tailored military training

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — As the U.S., China and other powers vie for strategic influence in Pacific Island militaries, the army chief of New Zealand told The Associated Press that not all of the larger nations bidding to offer support are supplying what tiny island nations find most...

Separatist rebels say Indonesian army attacks threaten the safety of kidnapped New Zealand pilot

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Separatist rebels in Indonesia’s restive Papua region warned Friday that increased Indonesian military attacks in recent days to rescue a New Zealand pilot who was taken hostage over a year ago could instead threaten his safety. Independence fighters led...