On today's First Up pod: Welcome to our final show for 2025, well done you've made it - we have a look back at all the wonderful people who've joined us on air; we say happy holidays to Glenn Forsyth, who's here with the supreme winner of FRUIT OF THE YEAR and the young sisters keeping relationships intact with their flatpack building skills... although not everyone's always happy to see them First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: Merry Christmas all you rotary-heads - we've got an RX-7 on Trade Me this week; we go to our people around the world for the big global stories - Nabil Ahmed Rufai in Ghana, and Alex Baird in Doha and in boxing, former Disney star Jake Paul is fighting former heavy weight world champ Anthony Joshua this weekend - we ask promoter Dean Lonergan what he thinks. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: we catch up with Ben Rose from Ronald McDonald House, where they're looking after families with medical needs over the holidays and in Japan, Chris Gilbert reveals the winner of Kanji of the Year. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: Anita Purcell-Sjölund has her last Europe news update for the year; our reporter Ke-xin Li has a warning over banned batteries which can be a danger to children and we have the latest from Sydney on the shooting at Bondi Beach. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: we catch up on the week in Parliament with Labour MP Willow Jean Prime; we're getting in the Winter Olympics spirit with New Zealand curler Anton Hood, who's over in Canada for qualifications and in Australia - it's The Incredible Journey all over again - Emma Cropper tells us about an escaped parrot that found its way home. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: deputy prime minister David Seymour responds to the week in politics; we hear about the unleashed dogs of Kawerau, meanwhile - the bears of Japan are catching people in unexpected places. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: nuns on the run in Europe; in the US, a Ukranian delegation is in Florida to discuss President Trump's peace plan; the Special Olympics' national summer games in Christchurch are about to kick off and we catch up with the new boss of Surfing New Zealand - 22 year old Jimi Higgins! First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: our Waikato reporter tells us the new mayor in Cambridge has a special reward for the answer to what's going bang in the night there; in Australia our correspondent thas the news of Robert Irwin's victory on Dancing With the Stars, 10 years after his sister's victory and the world's largest expedition race - GODZONE - kicks off today - covering up to 700 kilometres - we ask adventurer Molly Spark if she gets so tired she has visions (she does!!). First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: in a dominant display, Hamilton cyclist Kate McCarthy claimed back-to-back titles at the UCI Esports World Champs on Sunday - she joins us from Abu Dhabi; we talk school sand and asbestos with deputy prime minister David Seymour and Tokyo correspondent Chris Gilbert tells us about a travel agency's plan for one hour flights from Japan to America. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

First Up the Podcast for the 14th November 2025.