Features

Palau's president wants to see Taiwan given full access at this year's Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders' meeting.

Papua New Guinea has five months remaining to fix its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) systems or risk being placed on the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) "grey list".

Norfolk Island locals are shocked after a 40-kilogram package - believed to contain cocaine - washed up on one of their beaches.

A New Zealand-born Niuean educator says being recognised in the King's Birthday honours list reflects the importance of connecting young tagata Niue in Aotearoa to their roots.

Nauru has revised its commercial agreement with Canadian mining group The Metals Company for deep sea mining in international waters. The updated "sponsorship agreement" was announced in a press release from The Metals Company.

Former Black Ferns sevens player Shiray Kaka says one of the reasons she is learning Samoan is to pass on her heritage to her baby boy, who is due in August.

The former Flying Fijians captain, Waisea Nayacalevu, has announced his retirement from test rugby. Nayacalevu, 33, made the announcement through the Fiji Rugby Union in Suva.

A new report on the United States nuclear weapons testing legacy in the Marshall Islands highlights the lack of studies into important health concerns,

Hymns for the Feast of Pentecost today, including plainchant from the 9th century (Veni, Creator Spiritus) and the contemporary hymn Spirit of God, rest on your people by UK hymn writer Bernadette Farrell. Audio

Nick Tipping takes a look at some of the leading lights of jazz's rainbow community, including drummers Terri Lyne Carrington and Bill Stewart, singers Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith, pianists Fred Hersch and Billy Tipton, and NZ's own Eilish Wilson. Audio

New Zealand musician Leah Thomas talks to RNZ Concert from New York about her just completed arts management course, and the mindful book that came out of it. Audio

Bruno Ravella is in Aotearoa to direct a brand new production of Puccini's La bohème for NZ Opera. Audio

Once he was a second violinist in the Auckland Youth Orchestra. Now Tony Yan Tong Chen is the piano soloist for the orchestra's next concert. Audio

Congratulations to Peter de Blois, who has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music in this year's King's Birthday Honours List. Audio

Erika Grant is bringing her gongs to a special Listening Occasion that's part of Wellington's midwinter Lōemis Festival. Audio

Tabea Squire talks about the 'building block' approach she took to writing a piece for groups taking part in this year's New Zealand Community Trust Chamber Music Contest. Video, Audio

The Samoan hymn Fa'afetai I Le Atua begins this week's programme, celebrating the start of Samoan Language Week, and we mark the Feast of the Ascension. Audio

In memory of the late NZ drummer Frank Gibson Jr, Nick Tipping revisits his work with jazz-fusion outfit Space Case. Audio

Briar Prastiti's new work 'The Garden' gets its New Zealand premiere this weekend. Video, Audio

Myles Payne and a novel campaign to raise money for the Nelson Centre for Musical Arts' organ. Audio

The combined Manawatū Sinfonia and Youth Orchestra will tackle one of the pinnacles of symphonic music this King's Birthday Monday. Audio

We've harvest hymns and hymns of thankfulness in this week's programme. Audio

Three very different live orchestral shows have been recognised at the prestigious New York Festivals Radio Awards.

Composer Tom McLeod talks about how a bad exam and a motorcycle ride changed his life. Audio