Morning Report for Thursday 19 January 2023

8:56 AM.After more than one hundred and fifty  years, Christchurch Museum is about to launch its last exhibition before moving to its new building. 

More than sixty street artists from around the world have… Read more Audio

8:40 AM.New research has found a respiratory disease is what caused high numbers of hoiho / yellow eyed penguin chicks to die over the last three years. 

The collaborative study by Otago and Massey… Read more Audio

8:38 AM.From June this year, New Zealanders can apply to amend the sex recorded on their birth certificate without showing evidence of medical treatment. Read more Audio

8:33 AM.This week's games between the USA and our own Football Ferns are proving to be the perfect curtain-raiser for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

New Zealand will jointly host the event with Australia… Read more Audio

8:29 AM.Business update for 19 January 2023. Audio

8:27 AM.Pharmac is launching consultation today on a proposal to fund treatment for spinal muscular atrophy.

The drug is called risdiplam, which is taken orally once a day, and is said to significantly… Read more Audio

8:24 AM.Prominent members of the Taliban have reportedly attained a blue tick on Twitter thanks to its paid for verification service.

Previously, the blue tick was a marker than an account was authentic… Read more Audio

8:22 AM.Despite the West Coast's reputation as one of the country's wettest spots, parts of the region are now grappling with drought.

The Grey District Council has imposed bans on sprinklers and automatic… Read more Audio

8:17 AM.Ukrainian officials say at least fourteen people have died after a helicopter crash ouside Kyiv.

The crash happened near a nursery and authorities on the ground say the dead include the country's… Read more Audio

8:10 AM.Labour and National are in Napier today for their traditional summer caucus retreats. 

The meetings mark the end of the summer political hiatus and the looming General Election is undoubtedly be… Read more Audio

8:06 AM.The Black Caps all-rounder Michael Bracewell scored his second one day hundred but it wasn't enough for the tourists as they came up 12 runs short against India in the opening one-dayer in Hyderabad.

7:57 AM.Researchers have discovered argentine ants attacking beehives have brought another misery with them - disease.

It has long been known the ants attack the hives to get at the honey, but now it has… Read more Audio

7:55 AM.New Zealand Cricket's Māori Secondary Schoolboys and Schoolgirls are facing a new challenge next week. 

They're taking on a newly formed team of New Zealand's top Pasifika students. 

It's hoped it… Read more Audio

7:51 AM.Ongoing disruptions to public transport as people head back-to-work are causing headaches for many - especially for those with disabilities.

They're asking providers to not forget about their needs… Read more Audio

7:47 AM.Nearly 3000 Waka Ama paddlers and thousands more spectators have gathered on the shores of Lake Karapiro this week. 

They're there for the Waka Ama national  sprint championships - one of the biggest… Read more Audio

7:43 AM."See you in court".

Scotland's government says it's seeking legal action against the UK government, after it blocked a gender bill passed in Scotland.

The legislation aims to make it quicker and… Read more Audio

7:38 AM.A Whitianga boating club is part-way through shifting it's building following coastal erosion during last week's storm.

The Mercury Bay Boating Club lost three metres of bank during high tide.

But… Read more Audio

7:34 AM.The Tairāwhiti region appears to have escaped another expected storm just days after the last major downfall.

The region suffered significant damage from Cyclone Hale last week with homes flooded and… Read more Audio

7:27 AM.The Football Ferns could only keep the fight up for so long as they were beaten 4-nil by the USA in Wellington yesterday.

The vastly inexperienced Ferns manage to keep the world champions scoreless… Read more Audio

7:24 AM.The Drug Foundation says it's found a dangerous new drug being sold as LSD. 

It's a hallucinogen called 25B-NBOH - and similar synthetic drugs have caused deaths in New Zealand and internationally. 

7:14 AM.Labour and National MPs have descended on Napier for their first caucus meetings of the year - their eyes firmly set on the looming election. 

The two parties' retreats mark the end of the regular… Read more Audio

7:11 AM.
One person has died and another is still missing after a group of seven swimmers signalled for help at a Whangamatā beach yesterday morning.

Emergency crews safely rescued five people with minor to… Read more Audio

7:08 AM.Emergency services are expected to resume the search about now for a person still missing after the tragedy at Opoutere Beach yesterday.

One person died and five others were injured - one critically… Read more Audio