Morning Report Podcast Options

7:19 AM.South America has more Catholics than any other continent. Brazil has the most Catholics of any country. Freelance journalist Andrew Downie comments on the Pope's resignation. Audio

7:14 AM.The Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said he was "greatly shaken by this unexpected news". The French President, Francois Hollande, said the Pope's decision to resign was eminently respectable. Audio

7:09 AM.Pope Benedict XVI has stunned the Roman Catholic world by announcing he will resign on 28 February, the first pope to do so in 600 years. Audio

6:48 AM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

6:43 AM.The union representing some of the 200 workers who are being made redundant by the receivers of building company Mainzeal says their job prospects are slim unless they're prepared to head south to… Read more Audio

6:38 AM.Pope Benedict XVI is resigning his leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. It's the first papal resignation since 1415. Audio

6:27 AM.The Electoral Commission has told Maori organisations tasked with spreading the word about the upcoming Maori electoral option to do so with strict impartiality; Ngati Kahu says the Waitangi Tribunal… Read more Audio

6:22 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

6:18 AM.The latest from the Pacific region. Audio

6:14 AM.The Prime Minister's being accused of talking up the possibility of boat people arriving in New Zealand waters, in order to justify deals being struck with Australia. Audio

6:00 AM.Pope resigns surprising 1.2 billion Catholics; Germany reacts to Pope's resignation; World's most populous Catholic nation reels from Pope news; Uncertainty over remaining Mainzeal jobs; Govt says… Read more Audio

8:56 AM.We chat to our Melbourne correspondent Phil Kafcaloudes. Audio

8:53 AM.London is getting its annual injection of big-screen glamour. Audio

8:48 AM.A budgeting organisation is reporting a big rise in the number of Maori seeking help - recording an increase of 41 per cent last year; The Prime Minister John Key is encouraging Maori to see the… Read more Audio

8:42 AM.Police in France have arrested twin brothers for sexual assaults, but they can't tell which one committed the crimes because their DNA is too similar. Audio

8:40 AM.A world-class science research centre in Nelson has thrown open its doors, allowing a glimpse into some pioneering research techniques. Audio

8:35 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

8:30 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:26 AM.The Ministry of Education is planning to axe 10 bus routes in the Waikato, which the regional council says will overload public transport, and potentially leave school children stranded. Audio

8:22 AM.The Northeast of America is cleaning up after a mammoth blizzard that resulted in at least 9 deaths and left many parts of North Eastern US and Canada buried under a metre of snow. Audio

8:18 AM.New Zealanders who move back from Australia will now be able to bring their retirement savings with them. Audio

8:13 AM.The Refugee Council says by accepting refugees from Australia's offshore detention centres, the Government could displace other genuine asylum-seekers. Audio

8:09 AM.The Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Australia say the trans-Tasman relationship could not be in better shape thirty years after the Closer Economic Relations agreement was signed. Audio

7:56 AM.Five days of events commemorating the arrival of Robert Falcon Scott's ship, Terra Nova, have wrapped up in Oamaru. Audio

7:50 AM.International troops in Afghanistan have a new commmander who will ll oversee the departure of all Nato troops from the country by 2014. Audio