Morning Report for Thursday 31 March 2022

8:55 AM.Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have spotted what could be the farthest individual star ever observed.

Nicknamed "Earendel," the light from this star has taken nearly 13 billion years to… Read more Audio

8:50 AM.A campaign demanding a reliable train service between the regions is gaining steam.

The Climate Change Commission has called for more public transport as the country grapples with the urgent need to… Read more Audio

8:46 AM.Canterbury is now the country's Covid-19 hotspot with the highest rates of new infections.

It's nine weeks since Omicron was first recorded in New Zealand and cases have peaked - nearly - everywhere.

8:40 AM.Sydney has recorded its wettest March on record, as flash flooding forces residents across New South Wales to flee their homes for a second time this month.

Evacuation orders are in force across the… Read more Audio

8:26 AM.England and South Africa face off in the second semi-final of the Womens Cricket World Cup in Christchurch on Thursday afternoon.

The winner will play Australia in the finals.

The two sides also met… Read more Audio

8:25 AM.It's the biggest intake of foreign students since the borders closed two years ago - but schools and tertiary institutions say it's nowhere near enough.

From Thursday they can start nominating… Read more Audio

8:18 AM.Farming protest group Groundswell says it won't meet the Prime Minister alongside other agricultural lobby groups.

Groups such as Dairy-NZ and Beef and Lamb have been working with the Government on a… Read more Audio

8:13 AM.Air New Zealand is moving ahead with a $2.2 billion recapitalisation plan.

The national carrier wants to raise the money through a combination of shares and debt.

Shareholders are being offered two… Read more Audio

8:10 AM.Fog has covered large parts of Wellington, including the airport, for a third day.

Flights have been seriously disrupted with a raft of massive delays and cancellations.

Reporter Kirsty Frame spoke… Read more Audio

7:53 AM.Delivering supplies into disaster zones, or even Covid-19 tests to ships waiting to berth in New Zealand, requires precision skill and timing. To make sure its aim is on target the air force is… Read more Audio

7:52 AM.New Zealand Soldiers have been told not to attend public Anzac Day commemorations in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19 to veterans.

The Defence Force says it's a preventative measure to reduce the… Read more Audio

7:47 AM.Auckland Transport's proposal to reduce on-street parking to make space for more buses and cycleways will be debated by councillors today.

An urban designer says scrapping parking on main roads is… Read more Audio

7:43 AM.Fewer ACC staff can now look at sensitive claim files, amid a raft of changes being introduced.

Access to sensitive claims, which relate to sexual abuse, and client privacy has come under scrutiny… Read more Audio

7:40 AM.Workers employed by the Whanganui District Health Board are using jetboats and flying foxes to help them deliver rapid antigen tests to remote areas.

It's part of a new scheme to ensure that the… Read more Audio

7:25 AM.Health Minister Andrew Little says anyone who meets the criteria for Covid antiviral drugs will get them, whether they're vaccinated or not.

[audio_play] "We have a basic principle in the health… Read more Audio

7:21 AM.The first shipment of a breakthrough antiviral pill to treat Covid-19 has landed and will be available for patients next week.

Sixty-thousand treatment courses of Paxlovid are set to be delivered… Read more Audio

7:16 AM.A man whose bank account was used to receive thousands of dollars in donations for the parliament occupation is currently bankrupt and has been declared insolvent three times.

Jamie Patrick Mansfield… Read more Audio

7:10 AM.Air New Zealand wants to raise $2.2 billion dollars to help it recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The airline plans to make $1.2 billion by offering shareholders two shares for every one they… Read more Audio

6:50 AM.The practice of allowing rich-listers to chopper their way in-and-out of the Hauraki Gulf Islands will be put in front of Auckland councillors today. 

A 600-strong petition signed by locals and board… Read more Audio

6:39 AM.Wellingtonians are getting their first chance to drive Transmission Gully this morning after an official opening event yesterday.

The road was originally scheduled to open two years ago, but faced a… Read more Audio

6:21 AM.The Department of Conservation has granted two employees permission to move the kororā to safety, during construction on the breakwater where they nest in Kennedy Point.  

It says waiting for the… Read more Audio

6:15 AM.Tangata Whenua on Auckland's Waiheke Island are furious developers at Kennedy Point Marina are allowed to relocate the little blue penguins living there.

The Department of Conservation has granted… Read more Audio