Early Edition on Newstalk ZB

Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer have hit the ground running in the UK. 

The leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties, respectively, are out and about ahead of the July 4 election. 

But Newstalk ZB UK correspondent Vincent McAviney told Mike Hosking that it hasn't been a smooth start for the Conservative leader. 

He says Sunak had an embarrassing faux par in Wales when he asked loca...

It’s little surprise a large number of Kiwi teachers didn't pass some high-school subjects.  

New research has found a quarter of new primary school teachers failed maths and more than half failed science at NCEA Level One.  

More than half who pursued Level Two maths also failed.  

The Teaching Council's calling for more investment and widespread changes to how teachers are prepared ...

A mining lobby group thinks the Resources Minister's decade-long vision for mining is achievable. 

Shane Jones has announced a draft strategy which would see a critical minerals list for New Zealand produced, and a detailed stock-take made of the country's known mineral potential.  

He wants to double export values in 10 years, from one billion to two.  

Straterra Chief Executive, Jos...

Major tornados hit Iowa, leaving towns devastated and people injured or dead. 

Greenfield was struck by the deadliest tornado of the storm, leaving homes and businesses destroyed, and while police confirmed fatalities at a news briefing, they were unable to say how many. 

The town’s hospital was among the buildings damaged, forcing the injured to find refuge elsewhere. 

US Corresponde...

The Reserve Bank had a few surprises in its monetary policy update yesterday. 

While the OCR remaining at 5.5% was expected, Governer Adrian Orr’s signal that the cash rate may remain “restrictive” for longer, was not. 

Domestic inflation is proving more stubborn than expected, and the Bank is also considering hiking rates if it must. 

Malcolm Knight, Director of Advice Knight, told M...

French President Emmanuel Macron's imminent arrival in New Caledonia is being viewed as a show of defiance. 

Six have died in the unrest sparked by government electoral reforms. 

A further 49 New Zealanders have been rescued from Noumea following the initial 50 people evacuated on Tuesday night. 

They arrived in Auckland early this morning aboard a Defence Force plane, having initiall...

The OCR is expected to remain steady. 

It’s expected to remain unchanged at 5.5% when the bank releases its quarterly Monetary Policy Statement this afternoon. 

It's signalled a rate cut may not come for another year.  

Infometrics' Brad Olsen says the central bank is having to focus on inflation, over other negative economic indicators like rising unemployment. 

He told...

New Zealand’s rugby provinces have been warned by the professional players to brace for a civil war if they vote to approve their own governance change proposal at next week’s special general meeting. 

In an explosive move that shows how distressed the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association (NZRPA) is with the current governance system and the possibility of it not being fixed in line with independent recommenda...

Electoral paperwork is landing two MPs in hot water. 

The Greens have referred suspended MP Darleen Tana to the Electoral Commission for failing to put a promoter statement on a magazine advertorial. 

The party itself is investigating what she knew about allegations of migrant exploitation relating to her husband's business. 

At the same time, National has stripped MP David MacLeod of...

Passengers have described their terror when a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore dropped suddenly.  

A 73-year-old British man has died of a suspected heart attack and dozens of others were injured.  

A statement from the airline says 23 of the 211 passengers were from New Zealand.  

Flight SQ321 was diverted to Bangkok.  

UK correspondent Gavin Grey told...

Police response times in Australia’s Northern Territory have gotten worse. 

A domestic violence inquest has heard that police response times have increased in the past year, more than doubling over the previous five. 

NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy revealed that between 2022 and 2023, the number of hours spent on domestic violence cases increased from 712,000 to 882,000, costs increasing wit...

Local councils want a new approach to move decision making away from central government and back into communities. 

Local Government New Zealand is proposing city and regional deals, a system which would see councils team up with the government on specific projects. 

Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe told Mike Hosking that it will give more control to local communities. 

He says communitie...

The death of Iran's President isn't expected to have immediate impacts internationally. 

President Ebrahim Raisi and the foreign minister have been confirmed dead by state media after a helicopter crash near the Azerbaijan border. 

Iran has announced five days of public mourning. 

Otago University international relations professor Robert Patman told Mike Hosking reaction will come dow...

Immediate changes are in store for Kainga Ora, in light of a critical independent review. 

It found the public housing agency needs significant savings to become financially viable. 

Housing Minister Chris Bishop's indicated a total refresh of the board but rules out a mass sell-off of state houses. 

Community Housing Aotearoa Deputy CEO, Chris Glaudel told Mike Hosking that the repor...

A sellout crowd is certain as it's just one day til Wellington Phoenix chants ring out across the city. 

The nix are playing the Melbourne Victory at a packed Cake Tin. 

Excitement's been building up in the capital about the A-League semifinal clash, as the team goes into the second leg on a nil-all aggregate score, at home. 

Weekend Sport host Jason Pine told Mike Hosking that he get...

King Charles has been attending garden parties as he returns to public duties.  

The monarch returned to work in late April, about two months after it was announced he was being treated for cancer.  

UK correspondent Vincent McAviney told Mike Hosking that he appeared in good spirits at the garden parties this past week.  

He says hundreds of people are invited to the parties, which h...

The Workplace Relations and Safety Minister's being urged to address the huge cost of workplace bullying. 

A report by the Human Rights Commission and KPMG has found the cost of bullying and harassment to employers is about $1.5 billion a year. 

Equal Opportunities Commissioner Saunoamaali'i Karanina Sumeo told Mike Hosking that Minister Brooke van Velden wants to look at health and safety laws and...

Federated Farmers says most farmers are looking at Fonterra's change in strategy with cautious optimism.   

The dairy giant's signalled its intent to divest well-known brands such as Anchor and overseas brands Fonterra Oceania and Fonterra Sri Lanka.  

It wants to focus on producing ingredients and selling them to consumers and other businesses.  

Federated Farmers Dairy Chair Richard...

After months of goading, Donald Trump has his wish. 

Joe Biden has finally agreed to presidential debates, but on a different schedule. 

He released a video on social media earlier today saying that he’s ready to debate, and that Trump is available on Wednesdays, referring to the day that Trump’s hush money trial is not in session. 

US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Roman Travers tha...