Backgrounders

Holidays

Arts and Literature

• Cecil Beaton Exhibition July 2006
• Chronicles of Narnia (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, etc)
• King Arthur
• Lord of the Rings
• Nobel Prizes (October)
• Out of the Blue - Aramoana October 2006

New Zealand

• Budget
• Dame Marie Clay 1926 - 2007 17 April 2007
• Coins 2006
• NZ Elections 2008
• Electricity Crisis
• Janet Frame 1924 - 2004
• Kiwisaver
• Lord of the Rings
• Microchipping Dogs June 2006
• Murder of Sir Peter Blake 7 December, 2001
• Out of the Blue - Aramoana October 2006
• Sustainable Living

Christchurch & Canterbury

• Councillor Graham Condon killed
• Cup and Show Week & Canterbury Anniversary
• HMNZS Canterbury: New Zealand’s newest and largest vessel will arrive in its home port, Lyttelton, on Thursday June 28, 2007.
• Local Body Elections 2007
• Legionnaires' Disease Christchurch, 2005
• Space Junk falls 12 September 2006

World Events

• American Election 2008
• Financial Crisis 2008
• Mars exploration
• Nobel Prizes (October)
• Pope John Paul II 1920 - 2005

Disasters, wars and terrorism

• Asian Tsunami Boxing Day 2004
• Bali bombing 2002, updated for October 2005
• Chernobyl Nuclear Accident (20th anniversary) 26 April 2006
• Iraq Conflict 2003
• Kashmir Conflict
• London Bombing July 2005
• Terrorist attacks on the USA 11 September 2001
• Travel Safety 11 August 2006

Health issues

• Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) 2005
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
• Legionnaires' Disease Christchurch, 2005

Science and technology

• Hot Science topics: see our Sustainable Living resources
• Mars exploration
• Nobel Prizes (October)
• Space Junk falls - 12 September 2006
• Sputnik 1 - October 4, 1957

Sports

• Commonwealth Games Melbourne, Australia, 15 - 26 March 2006
• FIFA World Cup Soccer Germany, 9 June to 9 July 2006
• Olympic Games Beijing 2008
• Winter Olympics Torino (Turin), Italy 10 - 26 February 2006