First Up Podcast Options

5:47 AM.The jump back to the red alert level means thousands of businesses once again having to adapt to new restrictions. Infometrics Chief Economist Brad Olsen is here to help explain them. Audio

5:34 AM.We're going to go back to Australia this morning as the Australian Open is at the quarter-finals stage - joining Ellie Jay for a look at the first Grad-Slam of the year is tennis commentator Dave… Read more Audio

5:26 AM.We'll head now to the Middle East where Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed responsibility for a drone attack on an oil facility in Abu Dhabi.. Ellie Jay spoke with our correspondent Alex Baird. Audio

5:06 AM.Ellie Jay was joined by our correspondent in Australia, Pam Corkery. Audio

5:51 AM.Nathan Rarere spoke with the deputy leader of the National Party, Nicola Willis, and asked if she thinks the country's prepared for Omicron. Audio

5:46 AM.A major live events company has cancelled all of its shows for the rest of the year as a result of the country going to the red traffic light setting. Greenstone Entertainment made the difficult… Read more Audio

5:34 AM.To the Cook Islands now where Cabinet has to decided to keep the travel bubble with New Zealand open - despite the Omicron outbreak here. Nathan Rarere spoke with Liana Scott from the Cook Islands… Read more Audio

5:27 AM.This week on TradeMe - a very very special Land Rover AND A John Britten tribute helmet, being auctioned to support an up and coming motorbike racer. But first, producer Jeremy Parkinson talks with… Read more Audio

5:17 AM.Much of Tonga is still covered by a layer of ash after the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano just over a week ago. And that ash isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. Nathan Rarere spoke… Read more Audio

5:11 AM.We head to Japan now where, like in New Zealand, things were starting to get back to normal ... until Omicron came along. Since the start of the month, the new variant has washed over the country at… Read more Audio

5:08 AM.We begin this morning in the United Kingdom, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson is still under pressure from both opposition parties and members of his own Conservative Party to resign over what has… Read more Audio

5:53 AM.Back to the situation in Tonga now as New Zealand Defence Force personel join efforts to restore essential services in the wake of the eruption and resulting tsunami. Joining Nathan Rarere is the… Read more Audio

5:47 AM.New Zealand is waking up to tighter Covid-19 restrictions this morning after confirmation that a family in the Nelson-Tasman region have the Omicron variant. Ten people have now tested positive in the… Read more Audio

5:37 AM.To Tennis now, where the Aussie Open is heading toward the pointy end. Nathan Rarere spoke with our tennis correspondent Dave Worsley. Audio

5:24 AM.Joining Nathan Rarere for the first time for 2022 is our ole mate, and Minister of Fruit and Veggies Glenn Forsyth. Audio

5:17 AM.It wasn't only Tonga that was affected by the tsunami triggered by the huge volcanic eruption. Parts of neighbouring Fiji also suffered significant damage. Joining Nathan Rarere is our correspondent… Read more Audio

5:43 AM.We finish the weird year of Delta variants and lockdowns with a look back at our favourite moments from 2021. Audio

5:21 AM.We're off to the fresh produce markets for the very last time this year - and we're joined by our Minister of Fruit and Veggies, Glenn Forsyth! And of course the first ever Fruit of the Year! Audio

5:13 AM.As it's our last programme we thought we'd speak with locals across the motu about what makes their region so special, so we said "here's 60 seconds" tell us why people should visit this summer. First… Read more Audio

5:08 AM.To the Middle East now - where our reporter Alex Baird is now based. Audio

5:05 AM.We begin in New York City where our man Bevan Hurley has been in court following the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell. Audio

5:48 AM.Nathan Rarere put some of the concerns raised by those Northland businesses to the Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Grant Robertson. Audio

5:42 AM.Northland's tourism operators say that if they can't welcome visitors back to the region soon, there won't be an industry at all in the not too distant future. Te Tai Tokerau is the only region that… Read more Audio