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On 14th July this year, New Zealand intends to commemorate Maori New Year while simultaneously observing its most recent public holiday for the second occasion, following its statutory recognition last year.

On Thursday, at the Dark Sky Sanctuary situated in Lake Tekapo of New Zealand's South Island, festivities preceding Matariki began with the inauguration of a booklet containing karakia (Maori prayer) designated for each of the nine stars of Matariki.

Matariki represents a significant event in the New Zealand calendar, in which the commencement of the Maori New Year is recognized through the reemergence of the Matariki constellation of stars in the evening skies.

According to the Minister of Maori Crown Relations, Kelvin Davis, the booklet will be widely disseminated to schools and communities throughout the country, in order to assist individuals with their respective preparations for commemorating Matariki, thereby serving as a valuable resource.

Matariki was marked for the first time as an official public holiday last year.

"It was a beautiful moment to see how the nation took joy in celebrating and embracing Matariki last year," Davis said.

According to the data, a minimum of 87 percent of the New Zealand population has acquired a certain level of comprehension regarding the purpose and significance of Matariki, David said.

May 3 (UPI) -- Local officials in New South Wales, Australia, are asking residents to keep a respectful distance from a rare animal spotted in the area: an albino echidna.

The Bathurst Regional Council said in a Facebook post that a council employee snapped photos of the ghostly white echidna while out walking Tuesday.

The echidna, named Raffie by locals, is albino, meaning its entire body lacks pigment.

"If you see Raffie out, please feel free to take a couple of snaps but do not approach, touch, or try and contain him. It is important to leave wildlife alone, as you could risk them losing their scent trail or leaving young unattended in the burrow," the council wrote.

Resident Geoff Hadley said he helped Raffie cross a road recently.

"I've seen hundreds of echidnas but I've never, ever seen a white one -- it was just crazy," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

When Kylee Gray first laid eyes on the creature, she couldn’t help it: She gasped aloud. Then, the Australian park ranger picked up the cane toad and the surprises kept coming. Gray simply “couldn’t believe how big and heavy it was.” And she was right to be shocked.

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later than early February, she said in a televised statement on Thursday.

A general election would be held on October 14, she added.

“While I won’t be contesting the election, I know the issues that impact New Zealanders most will remain the focus of the government through this year and into the election," she said.

Ardern said she still believed New Zealand Labor would win the upcoming election.

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Football Australia has promised to act swiftly against fans accused of shouting over an Indigenous welcoming ceremony and making Nazi salutes at the Australia Cup final, prompting widespread outrage.

More than 16,000 fans were in attendance at Western Sydney Stadium on Saturday for the football final where Macarthur FC recorded a 2-0 win over semi-professional outfit Sydney United 58.

On Sunday, Football Australia said it “strongly condemns” the incident while revealing that eight people were evicted from western Sydney’s CommBank Stadium.