First Up Podcast Options

5:19 AM.It's now too late to vote in these very important local body elections by post but you still can vote. To tell us how is electoral officer Dale Ofsoske, who is an electoral officer and managing… Read more Audio

5:13 AM.It's time to check out what is making headlines in Africa. Joining Nick Truebridge is our correspondent in Accra, Ghana, Nabil Ahmed. Audio

5:06 AM.We begin this morning in the USA, joining Nick Truebridge from New York is correspondent Bevan Hurley. Audio

5:54 AM.For one New Zealand scientist, the study has raised another big question: could our country's consistently high rate of suicide be linked to the number of people who play rugby and other contact… Read more Audio

5:51 AM.Former rugby players are 2 and a half times more likely to develop degenerative brain disease and 15 times more likely to get motor neuron disease than the general public. These were the findings of a… Read more Audio

5:32 AM.Treasury's audit of the government's books released yesterday found things in a better state than had been anticipated given the massive Covid spend and the global volatility affecting markets. Final… Read more Audio

5:25 AM.Time for our twice-weekly look at news from regional New Zealand now.. This morning we're in Marlborough, where Maia Hart has been looking at the very interesting contests taking place in the local… Read more Audio

5:06 AM.We begin this morning in the UK, where Prime Minister Liz Truss has made her keynote address to the Tory Party conference. With Nick Truebridge from London is our correspondent Henry Riley. Audio

5:54 AM.Parliament is about to debate a proposal to ban alcohol sponsorship in sports and give local councils the power to control how liquor is sold. The National and Act Parties have indicated they will be… Read more Audio

5:48 AM.The fallout from the cancellation of the Auckland leg of the Armageddon Expo continues, with vendors saying they have been left thousands of dollars out of pocket. An ongoing legal battle involving… Read more Audio

5:44 AM.An icy front is due to grip parts of New Zealand today with snow down to low levels expected on both islands. Joining Nick Truebridge with the latest is WeatherWatch forecaster Philip Duncan. Audio

5:34 AM.New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox may miss out on next years New Zealand Open following the biggest win of his career. Fox won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland over the weekend, beating the… Read more Audio

5:32 AM.The current Black Ferns have the chance to do what no past team has done, win the Rugby World Cup on home soil. The New Zealand women's team have won five of the nine editions of the tournament so… Read more Audio

5:25 AM.This week on TradeMe - a little bit of the American South - but in Greytown. And one of the oddest listings in a while - but perfect for Halloween, it's a porcelain mortuary table. But first, producer… Read more Audio

5:15 AM.Iran's Ayatollah is blaming the west - the US and Israel - for the ongoing protests there - we'll get an update on that in just a moment, from Doha is our correpsondent Alex Baird. Audio

5:06 AM.It's Wednesday so time to go across the Tasman for the latest. Pam Corkery is with us now. Audio

5:51 AM.Russia's campaign in eastern Ukraine is suffering set backs. This comes as Moscow was forced to withdraw troops from the strategic town of Lyman. Former mayor of Tauranga Tenby Powell has been on the… Read more Audio

5:44 AM.National's deputy leader Nicola Willis now. This week we discussed National's opposition to a proposed law aimed at reducing the harm caused by alcohol, and why voter turnout in our local government… Read more Audio

5:33 AM.In the US, at least 83 people have died as Hurricane Ian wreaks havoc through its path. The storm is now heading to Washington DC and New York. Meanwhile, a new weather system - Hurricane Orlene - is… Read more Audio

5:24 AM.Time to check in with the pros from the Local Democracy reporting programme now and this morning we're in Taranaki with Craig Ashworth. Craig's just been to a hui for the region's Maori candidates. Audio

5:15 AM.To Japan now where 50 years of normal relations with their superpower neighbour China are being celebrated. But first our correspondent in Tokyo Chris Gilbert told Nick Truebridge about another… Read more Audio

5:11 AM.We all know the expression "an empty kettle makes the most noise". But new research from Consumer New Zealand has found that a clean kettle makes the least - take from that what you want… Read more Audio

5:06 AM.We cross to the UK now where the Government has been forced to make a U-turn on tax cuts. Here to explain it all to us is our correspondent Ellie Jay. Audio

5:51 AM.After more than a century, the remains of an estimated 64 Maori and Moriori -- many of them stolen by a notorious Austrian grave robber -- have been welcomed home by their descendants in Aotearoa… Read more Audio