First Up for Tuesday 22 March 2022

5:49 AM.The National Party is calling for most Covid restrictions to be ditched, including mandates and vaccine passes National also wants to see isolation periods reduced from seven to five days. It comes as… Read more Audio

5:46 AM.Back to yesterday's wild weather - with SO much rain in such a short space of time, it was a very busy day for our insurers. Nathan Rarere asked AA Insurance's Tom Bartlett what it was like. Audio

5:35 AM.People in the upper North Island are hoping for a bit of sun today as they soak up the water and clear the debris left by yesterday's torrential rain and floods. Auckland recorded more than a month's… Read more Audio

5:23 AM.A Ukraine-born New Zealander is trying to raise funds so her ambulance driver brother can buy a new vehicle and continue treating people injured in the war. Dr Olga Dubnytska, who's a GP based in… Read more Audio

5:15 AM.To Japan now, where people are eager to take part in one of the most important events on the country's calender ... the start of the cherry blossom season. Our Tokyo correspondent Chris Gilbert… Read more Audio

5:08 AM.To the UK now, Nathan Rarere spoke to our correspondent in London, Hope Bolger.. Audio