Early Edition on Newstalk ZB

There's a renewed call for Boeing to be prosecuted after being grilled in the US Senate over its recent safety issues. 

US Justice officials have until July 7th to decide if it lays criminal charges. 

Family members of the 346 victims of two separate crashes involving Boeing planes five years ago were also at the hearing. 

US Correspondent Katherine Firkin told Mike Hosking that they'...

Dolphin advocates are celebrating SailGP's decision to move next year's event from Christchurch. 

SailGP announced the 2025 edition wouldn't return to Lyttelton Harbour, which has hosted for the last two years. 

In this year's event, the first day of racing was controversially cancelled due to a Hector's Dolphin spotting. 

Maui and Hector's Dolphin Defenders spokesperson Christine Ros...

Dozens of migrants have been rescued from a sinking ship in the Mediterranean. 

German aid group RESQSHIP said it picked up 51 people from a sinking wooden boat, including two unconscious people, and found ten bodies trapped in the lower deck. 

A second ship sank nearby, and 64 people total are still missing from the vessels. 

Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking that the...

Maintenance on ageing Interislander ferries is seen as a short-term solution by the Maritime Union. 

Estimated annual maintenance costs to keep KiwiRail’s three ageing Interislander ferries running could almost double to $65 million by next year, and keeping the ferries afloat will be an “ongoing battle”. 

A previous assessment of the fleet’s condition raised concerns about steel corrosion, metal g...

There’s hopes an improved vaccine against an infectious disease running rife through New Zealand cattle could ease costs for farmers. 

The Ministry for Primary Industries is backing a project which aims to develop a modified vaccine against Bovine Viral Diarrhoea. 

It impacts about 80% of our dairy and beef herds and costs the industry more than $190 million each year. 

Research lead ...

A victims' advocate says new measures to address court backlogs are doable if all players in the system play their part.  

The Chief District Court Judge has introduced maximum waiting times based on the seriousness of the crime.  

For the least serious category —where there's no risk of prison— the aim is six months.  

Independent victims' advocate Ruth Money told Mike Hosking that t...

Following his visit to New Zealand, the Chinese Premier has begun his visit to Australia. 

Li Qiang was greeted by hundreds of supporters and protestors upon his arrival in Canberra on Sunday, receiving a ceremonial welcome at Parliament House. 

Australian Correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that there has been talks of better military communication, as well as extending the offering of vi...

The Government's changed its tune on transgender people participating in community sports.  

A policy in the New Zealand First-National Coalition agreement threatened to withhold public funding if sports bodies didn't separate trans athletes from grassroots competitions.  

After feedback from Sport New Zealand, Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop says the government will now take a watching ...

The Government promises “granny flats” of 60 square metres or less will be easier to build after planning changes that will force councils to permit small dwellings on rural and residential zones without resource consent.

Making it easier to build granny flats was part of NZ First’s coalition agreement with National. NZ First leader Winston Peters, taking over as Acting Prime Minister while Christopher Luxon is in Japan, used Mond...

The Princess of Wales has returned to the public eye for King's Birthday celebrations, making her first public appearance this year.

Kate faced wild internet speculation on her whereabouts earlier this year before revealing she's undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

She was pictured smiling, sitting alongside her three children in a carriage for the Trooping the Colour parade.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the public...

One teachers' union is concerned abut the recommended changes to teaching standards in a new report.

The Ministerial Advisory Group reviewing English and maths learning has recommended annual 'checkpoint' tests for students.

It also recommends children be encouraged to write by hand as much as possible for their first three years at school - and cursive lessons in years four to six.

NZEI president Mark Potter says children in so...

Christopher Luxon is on the ground in Japan, but his business delegation won't be touching down for another day.

The Prime Minister's plane has broken down yet again, this time while refuelling in Papua New Guinea.

Luxon's been forced to fly commercial to Tokyo, while the business leaders, officials and others in his delegation are travelling to Brisbane and then on to Japan today.

ZB political editor Jason Walls says Luxon abru...

Britain’s Labour Party has launched its manifesto. 

It said on Thursday that it would be “pro-business” and prioritise “wealth creation”. 

Among the party’s flagship pledges is the creation of a new publicly owned energy company, a ban on awarding new North Sea oil and gas licences, and reducing medical wait times.  

UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Mike Hosking that it’s quite ...

It’s a big weekend in sports as the Super Rugby semifinals kick off tonight. 

The Blues and the Brumbies are facing off at Eden Park tonight, the Hurricanes and the Chiefs going head-to-head in Wellington’s Sky Stadium tomorrow afternoon. 

Sports Commentator Sam Ackerman told Mike Hosking that if he could only watch one of the matches, he’d take the Hurricanes v Chiefs. 

He said it’s ...

There’s been push back against the Government's plan to scrap around the clock speed limits outside schools.  

The Coalition's reversing speed limit reductions implemented over the past four years under the previous Government.  

The draft report wants speed limits in place at the start and end of each school day as opposed to the current 24-7 system.   

Healthy Auckland Together spok...

The Government's ditching plans to make gender pay gap reporting compulsory.  

The Labour Government pledged it would require companies with more than 250 workers to publish a pay gap report. 

But acting Minister for Women Louise Upston's instead developing a tool for businesses to calculate pay gaps voluntarily. 

Mind the Gap Co-Founder Dellwyn Stuart told Mike Hosking that while man...

Yesterday saw another historic ruling in the United States, as Hunter Biden was found guilty in his federal gun trial. 

The conviction makes him the first child of a sitting President to be found guilty of a crime. 

He was convicted of three gun offences for lying about drug use while illegally buying and possessing a gun in 2018. 

US Correspondent Katherine Firkin told Mike Hosking t...

There's an expectation New Zealanders will continue to file out of the country in high numbers. 

The latest figures from Stats NZ show more than 130,000 people left the country in the year to April, the highest number on record. 

Among those were a record 81,200 NZ citizens. 

ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Mike Hosking that we are moving in the right direction, but there’s still...