Features

Opinion - The first match of the Rugby World Cup can't come soon enough for Hamish Bidwell. 

Mediawatch - Six months after social media was weaponised in Christchurch, is it time for rules to block extremist posts on online platforms in New Zealand? Audio

Loading Docs - Life's about how you see it. Petra Leary sees the world from above, seeking startling heights to create stunning art, all while trying to make sense of the complex and challenging world around her. 

The Detail - South Auckland’s reputation as a hotbed of crime isn’t always deserved, but there’s been a spike in violent crime, including shootings, and changes in the social structure of the area are being blamed. Audio

It has only been completed by a handful of people before, but a group of Kiwis "relatively inexperienced paragliders" are among the first New Zealanders to attempt to paraglide off the Mt Kilimanjaro peak. Video

Māori and Pasifika teenagers are more likely to suffer ethnicity-related discrimination from their school teachers, an Education Ministry report indicates.

The inimitable Iggy Pop goes jazzy, bluesman Bobby Rush gets frisky and folk singer Joan Shelley creates an oasis of calm. Video, Audio

Instances of low back pain are becoming so common that people with acute episodes of the pain probably don't need to see a doctor, one of the researchers says. Audio

Awkward Conversations - A series of four panel discussions marking the Tuia 250 ki Tūranga commemorations of first contact between European and Māori, recorded on location in Gisborne's Smash Palace. Audio

The Māori Language Commission, Te Taura Whiri, and their translators are faced with increasing questions as they ensure that te reo remains a living language, that evolves as the world changes.

The three finalists for the second annual Music Teacher of the Year have been announced.

It's music therapy week, and it’s not just humans who can benefit from a well-chosen tune. Research shows classical music, soft rock and reggae have an impact in reducing anxiety in dogs, which is nothing to be sniffed at.

The Detail - They have all the flair in the world and their fans are the most fervent but Pacific teams are the least well funded in the Rugby World Cup. Audio

Local Ambassador of Conscience Awards are being handed out here to replicate the international award being bestowed on youth Climate Change advocate Greta Thunberg in New York. One of the three recipients is the Pacific Climate Warriors group - Jesse Muligan spoke to Brianna Freuan about the group's work. Audio

They have all the flair in the world, look like they're having fun, and their fans are the most fervent - but in spite of being neighbours to the All Blacks, the Pacific teams are the have-nots of the Rugby World Cup Audio

Loading Docs - Step into the colourful world of Nikau Cowley, an autistic teen who expresses himself through cartoon characters. Video

Back in the 19th century, Dick Booth's great-grandfather began growing daffodils on the family farm. Since then, Booth bulbs have raised thousands for local charities.  Audio, Gallery

More than 2000 people attended a memorial service for the late Prime Minister of Tonga in Auckland last night. Audio

An air service agreement has been reached between French Polynesia and Canada, paving the way for possible direct air links.

The state funeral for the late Prime Minister of Tonga is to be held on Thursday, with an accompanying public holiday and national day of mourning.

Indie folk singer Mel Parsons plays songs from her impressive back catalogue in our Christchurch studio. Video, Audio

Fiji's secretary-general to parliament says police haven't reviewed a video taken of the prime minister allegedly assaulting an opposition MP.

The administrator on Norfolk Island has dismissed a claim by the Chamber of Commerce that the island is at risk of becoming a failed state. Audio

The first Pacific language commentary of international rugby matches on New Zealand television has been hailed as a big success, with hopes it will become a regular occurrence.