Features

The finalists for the 2018 Waiata Māori Music Awards have just been announced with Ria Hall, Tory Kingi and Rob Ruha all picking up multiple nominations.

Mission Impossible Fallout is the sixth for Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt. This one co-stars Rebecca Fergusson, Michelle Monaghan and Vanessa Kirby (The Crown). Video, Audio

Sound recordings from the archives of Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision reveal a little about how and when transgender lives appeared in New Zealand's media in the past. Audio, Gallery

After years of trials, Scion entomologists believe New Zealand could safely introduce a parasitic wasp to control the eucalyptus tortoise beetle. Audio

Restricting our eating hours could be key to curbing obesity, kidney disease, high cholesterol, bad sleeping, joint pain, possibly even cancer, according to recent research. Audio

In tonight's live broadcast from Auckland, Henry Wong Doe plays Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. He talks to Upbeat about his varied musical life. Audio

Mel Parsons is playing a Nelson fundraiser tonight for The Boathouse, a venue which was badly damaged by Cyclone Fehi in February. Watch her play live in the RNZ studios this week. Video, Audio, Gallery

Lord$eez is 16-year-old Kiwi-born South African, Sizwe Singhsesi. He's an Auckland-based trap rapper building a name online and drawing young audiences to his energetic live performances.

Former Chiefs winger Toni Pulu has turned his back on representing Tonga and will now chase a Wallabies jersey after signing a two-year deal with the Brumbies.

Trailing other Western nations pushing into the Pacific in a bid to counter Chinese influence and promote regional stability, the United States seemingly only arrived on the scene in recent weeks.

Are the kids today less disciplined than ever? According to a US researcher and author the answer is emphatically yes. Audio

More than three quarters of sexual crimes against children in Papua New Guinea's capital never make it to trial because of problems gathering evidence. Audio

The Cook Islands group, the Merchants of Paradise, is aiming to restore economic life to the country's outer islands, or Pa Enua.

Data shows Australia and New Zealand have pumped the vast majority of money into the region - totaling $7.79 billion since 2011 - making up 55 percent of all aid to the Pacific, whereas China pales in comparison - putting in $1.26bn - that's just eight percent of total aid since 2011. Audio

Folic acid added to flour has been preventing anencephaly and spina bifida in Australian babies - saving lives and curbing costly, dangerous birth defects - since 2009, and scientists are demanding the same in New Zealand. Audio

Influential female Saudi Arabian artist Arwa Al Neami’s work is being exhibited in Wellington from this weekend, marking 125 years of women’s suffrage in New Zealand. Audio, Gallery

Open banking is a term New Zealanders will have to get used to hearing more of. Audio

Wellington's favourite turntable/throat singing/drum trio All Seeing Hand discuss life, art, making music and all of the above for their new album‘Syntax Error’ Audio

Our Changing World - Tiny grains of fossil pollen are helping GNS Science researchers piece together the big picture of past environments. Audio

The House - Parliament is in for a busy Thursday as the waka-jumping bill comes to the House along with a raft of other decisions.  Audio

Introducing Daybreak Book Corner - Cynthia Morahan's tips for musical titles. This month she'll be sharing ‘Driving for Music’ a memoir by New Zealand Symphony Orchestra violist Peter van Drimmelen.

Analysis - The government and business are playing a high-stakes game of chicken - the ultimate confidence game, Guyon Espiner writes. 

While we know of no recording of the huia, Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision archives does have a recording made in 1949 by Henare Hāmana who mimics the different calls of the extinct huia bird.  Audio

Lucy Saunders is the architect of a 'healthy streets' approach to transport, which has been adopted by Transport for London and the Greater London Authority, aiming to make it the world's most walkable city by 2041. Audio