Morning Report for Thursday 27 July 2023

8:50 AM.A pop music princess had a wee touch of Proposals, Pounamu, and Te Pāti Māori at last night's Lizzo concert.

The body positive singer held the last show of her 'special world tour' at Auckland's… Read more Audio

8:46 AM.There's been whale-spotting excitement around Wellington Harbour again with a tohorā or southern right whale appearance.

Facebook groups dedicated to dolphin and whale sightings lit up with photos… Read more Audio

8:41 AM.The 8th World Dwarf Games start this weekend in Germany, the largest international sporting event held exclusively for short statured athletes.

New Zealand is sending a team to Cologne and our sports… Read more Audio

8:39 AM.Independent forecaster, Philip Duncan of WeatherWatch, is warning the rivalry between MetService and NIWA is dangerous and needs sorting out.

The Government is reviewing the relationship amid a… Read more Audio

8:37 AM.The American media are not yet satisfied that the USA are at a level to defend their World Cup title.

The USA beat Vietnam 3-0 in their opening game and today take on the Netherlands in Wellington in… Read more Audio

8:25 AM.Two high-profile visitors are in Wellington today - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in New… Read more Audio

8:22 AM.A week on from the tragic shooting at a worksite in Auckland's CBD, a ceremony is being held to lift the tapu from the building.

Three men died in the attack, including the 24-year-old shooter, Matu… Read more Audio

8:17 AM.A warning, this story is distressing.

Lauren Dickason's own mother has told the court she seemed absent in the final months before she left Pretoria, South Africa, for Timaru.

Wendy Fawkes gave… Read more Audio

8:14 AM.Chief High Court and District Court Judges have written a letter to the rest of the country's judges sounding the alarm about high workloads and stress for lawyers.

The courts are playing catch-up… Read more Audio

8:12 AM.A big police hunt continues this morning to find the body of Christchurch woman Yanfei Bao who vanished last Wednesday.

The investigation head Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves says the real estate… Read more Audio

7:49 AM.Greater regulation of social media is being called for, to slow the growth of fake news online.

With the election only a couple of months away, there are some New Zealand-specific solutions being… Read more Audio

7:43 AM.The Social Development Ministry has embarked on a $2 billion makeover that consultants, called "strategic partners", are already making many millions of dollars from. The programme overspent by at… Read more Audio

7:22 AM.For the first time in World Cup history the two finalists from the previous tournament will meet in the group stage today when the US and the Netherlands take to the field in Wellington.

Jonathan… Read more Audio

7:15 AM.Australia's Prime Minister says plans for seamless travel between Australia and New Zealand could take less than a year to set up.

Anthony Albanese and Chris Hipkins have announced a taskforce to… Read more Audio

7:13 AM.By this time next year, one step through a SmartGate could be the single border security hoop travellers have to jump through for a Trans-Tasman flight.

An announcement on simplifying travel was the… Read more Audio

7:11 AM.Family and friends of Christchurch real estate agent Yanfei Bao are grieving as they come to grips with the news they were hoping not to hear - police believe the 44-year-old woman is dead.

The… Read more Audio

6:44 AM.A government audit, prompted by the fatal Loafers Lodge fire, has identified 70 similar multi-storey boarding houses across the country with no sprinklers.

Officials will start inspecting the… Read more Audio

6:40 AM.The National Party says RNZ board member Jason Ake did the right thing in stepping down.

Ake resigned from the board after criticism of his public commentary about former justice minister Kiri Allan… Read more Audio

6:18 AM.The UK parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee has criticised the government for underestimating Russia's Wagner mercenary group.

The group has now conducted military activity in at least seven… Read more Audio

6:10 AM.The USA has been getting plenty of support during this World Cup as the team attempts a three-peat of titles.

They play the Netherlands in Wellington today in what is a repeat of the 2019 World Cup… Read more Audio

6:10 AM.The Olympic champions Canada are finally off the mark at the FIFA World Cup with a 2-1 win over Ireland overnight.

Other tournament favourites are also in action today.

For the first time in Women's… Read more Audio