Features

Fiji is celebrating the life of a local musician at this weekend's Kulture Beer and Music Festival in Lautoka.

Senior government ministers have endorsed two major strategies heading into next month's Pacific Islands Forum summit in Tuvalu.

Popular Wellington musician Louis Baker plays us tracks from his debut album Open – and a stunning cover of Prince's 'Purple Rain'. Video, Audio

Finnish composer Jean Sibelius presents us with majesty and unique inspiration in his seven symphonies.

Mediawatch - Last Friday New Zealand's biggest news publisher Stuff announced it was joining 60 other media outlets around the world "to reframe climate change coverage". Video, Audio

Mexican drug cartels have fought over it, NZ orchards protect it with electric fences and eating it smashed on toast has became synonymous with millennial excess. Nikki Mandow looks at the ascent of the avocado. Audio

A brutal war, an imprisoned princess torn between love and duty, and the desperate actions of a jealous rival. The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and guests present Verdi's Aida.

Celebrity chef Simon Gault talks us through how to make a delicious spicy side dish. Audio

King Country farmers are spreading out ewes into lambing paddocks, while farmers in Canterbury wait for things to dry out. Audio

Power Play - The National Party leader was chortling when Jane Patterson arrived at his office for an interview this week.

Harper Finn chats to Kirsten Johnstone about his songwriter dad, his own musical style and his hero – Spanish singer Rosalia. Audio

The reputation of All Blacks coach Steve Hansen will be on the line if he perseveres with Kieran Read and Sonny Bill Williams, writes Hamish Bidwell.

Back in the mid-18th century, London's Foundling Hospital chapel was the place to go for your Sunday sermon, with music provided by the likes of George Frederic Handel. Audio

Family, friends and famous ex-girlfriends paint a tragic, intimate picture of Australian rock star Michael Hutchence in Mystify – a new documentary about the INXS frontman.  Audio

'Panthalassa' occupied almost 70% of Earth's surface in an age when algae, sponges, corals and crustaceans were recovering from a mass extinction. The Panthalassa album uses hydro-phonic recordings of today's migrating marine animals, made by NIWA in Cook Strait/Raukawa.

We scored the recipe for these delicious, easy-to-make muffins from Waikato bakery Volare.

"Bedouin don’t ride camels now… they’d drive up to us in old jeep type things and tell us we were going the wrong way" – National MP Andrew Bayly, who took a 22-day camel trip last year with son Dan. Audio

The NZSO conducted by Christopher Dragon dress up and play selections from seven Harry Potter films.

It's time sport reflected our rethinking of gender division, says sociologist Holly Thorpe.

The bedding manufacturer Sleepyhead plans to build a town in North Waikato to house employees. Audio

James Ellroy's novels paint vivid portraits of the seedier side of Los Angeles: its police, the underworld and postwar America, it is a period of US history that has always had a hold on him, he says. Audio

From playing nine-a-side ‘basketball’ in gym slips and stockings, to this week’s Silver Ferns World Cup success.  Our champion netball team has inspired a visit to the sound archives of Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.   Audio

Mental health services are in line for the biggest shake-up they've had in half a century. Health Correspondent Karen Brown explores the pressure points and whether real change will happen. Video, Audio

An indigenous Pacific view risks being lost among a global series of ocean science meetings.