The Briefing
New Zealand
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Flames, family and a pin-up queen
7:52 am todayMark Leishman goes on a personal journey to Burkes Pass, a place with deep family ties.
Inside the quiet war at Christchurch's border: How Customs fights rising drug threats
Wellington Mayor Andrew Little says he will bring 'catastrophic' sewage failure to PM's attention
Politics
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'Incredible win for environment': Greens celebrate seabed mining decision
6 Feb 2026In a draft decision, the fast-track approvals panel declined a 30-year plan to mine the South Taranaki Bight.
Opposition infighting gives coalition brief relief at Waitangi
Green MP seeks recognition of tohorā/whales as legal persons
Sport
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Phoenix land All Whites star Singh in new loan deal
6 Feb 2026The midfielder made his professional debut with the club as a teenager, before taking his talents to Europe.
Wellington Phoenix women rewrite A-League history books with win over Perth Glory
Flying start: All three NZ snowboarders through to Winter Olympics big air final
Business
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Bitcoin plummets, worth half what it was four months ago
"It's clear the crypto market is now in full capitulation mode," one analyst said.
Amazon shares rattled by US$200b AI spend plan
The sector with 17,000 more full-time jobs
More News & Current Affairs
In Case You Missed It
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Waitangi Day 2026 in pictures: the waka, kapa haka and crowds
6 Feb 2026About 35,000 people came out for Waitangi Day commemorations at Waitangi, including about 700 paddlers.
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'Girl queen and a bit of skin': The thrifted and homemade outfits of Laneway
5 Feb 2026Some wore cowboy hats and sparkly clothes that paid tribute to headliner Chappell Roan, but almost all had borrowed, thrifted or made their outfits.
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New 'Māori gothic' film Mārama draws on horror of colonialisation
5 Feb 2026Mārama tells the story of a young Māori woman lured to Victorian England under false pretenses, and her fight to keep her identity.
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Two studies link child ADHD diagnoses to poor school performance, unhappiness
5 Feb 2026Some clinicians are concerned by these results, while some people say a diagnosis brought validation and life-changing help.
RNZ Music
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Family concert: Ngā Tohu o te Taiao / The Signs of Nature
VIDEO: This all-ages concert is a journey into the wonders of the natural world and includes a musical retelling of the Māori creation story. We’ll find out about Aotearoa New Zealand’s seasonal signs of nature, and there’s a special song to sing along to with the orchestra, as well as other popular symphonic pieces.
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In concert: Muriwai
LISTEN: musicians Ariana Tikao and Bob Bickerton perform Muriwai, which refers to a confluence of two rivers. Their music is a convergence of Māori and Celtic musical traditions, through voice, taonga pūroro, and Celtic harp. Audio
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Michael Norris thinks big
Composer Michael Norris talks about his latest work, SoundCathedral. Audio
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Back where the korimako sings
UK composer, keyboard player and conductor Howard Moody is back to conduct his fourth Opera in a Days Bay garden. Audio
In Depth
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Are we stuck in a 'crisis and response' pattern?
Experts say the bill for disasters will only continue to rise unless we make changes.
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How poo-detecting dogs can help native birds flourish
Kiwi have started to hatch on Waiheke Island and may thrive with the help of special detection dogs helping eliminate the last of the island's pests.
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Integrity probe into Yachting NZ drags into second year
The Sport Integrity Commission's first major investigation, triggered by dozens of complaints about Yachting NZ, remains unfinished a year on.
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Feral cat trapping could get easier
The paperwork currently required to legally trap feral cats could be replaced with a simpler online system, after criticism from hunters.
What You Need to Know
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What to know about the entity replacing Wellington Water
Explainer- Ratepayers in the Wellington metropolitan area will have two bills from 1 July as new water entity Tiaki Wai steps up.
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What Kiwis should know about the Nipah virus
Explainer - What is the Nipah virus, and why is it raising concerns about travel from parts of Asia? Here's what you need to know. Audio
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What are the rules for ads in election year?
Explainer - Soon politicians will blanket the internet and airwaves with pleas for your vote. What are they allowed to do? Video
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Is violence on buses getting worse, and what's being done?
Explainer - A series of attacks - including a fatal stabbing - have raised concerns about the safety of riders. Video
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Comment & Analysis
Opposition infighting gives coalition brief relief at Waitangi
For once, it was the opposition feeling some heat at Waitangi.
AI replicas of the dead an innovative tool or ethical nightmare?
Opinion - AI replicas are already used to assist people during bereavement and could be integrated into medical education - but should they?
Diabetes care in NZ: Who's being left behind?
Analysis - At first glance, it can look like the result of individual choices, but that doesn't hold up.
How to fix the 'build now, fix later' culture
Nearly 10 percent of the construction sector's total value is lost to systemic quality failure, writes industry consultant Mark Kirby.