Midday Report

More than 50,000 teachers are striking today, closing almost all schools and forcing many parents to take a day off work to look after their children.

Big crowds have been gathering at locations across the country in support.

Education correspondent John Gerritsen spoke to Māni Dunlop.

Today marks the 12th anniversary of the start of civil war in Syria, and aid organisations say the situation in the country is only getting worse.

On top of the desperate living conditions brought about by conflict, the recent earthquakes affected millions of people, and left infrastructure in parts of the country ruined.

More than 15 million Syrians are in need of aid, the majority of whom don't have reliable sources of food.

Max Towle spoke to World Vision's programmes director in Syria, Clynton Beukes, who's been working on the situation for more than 5 years.

The largest indigneous film festival in the world kicks off today in its tenth year on the Kapiti Coast.

Libby Hakaraia established the festival in 2014 and is stepping down after this year handing the rakau over to her niece Medelin Hakaraia De Young.

This year Maoriland has its largest programme yet, representing more than 150 Indigenous nations from across the world.

Libby Hakaraia spoke to Māni Dunlop.

Some early childhood centres don't know how they'll cover the cost of pay parity for their staff.

For Vince Grgicevich, the gap between extra government funding and higher pay rates will be about $120,000 at each of the three centres he owns.

And with centres not wanting to pass the cost onto parents, they're having to take a massive financial blow.

Just yesterday, The Rainbow Group - which owns 13 centres across the country - announced it's gone into receivership.

Vince Grgicevich spoke to Māni Dunlop.

Issues with ferry services aren't helping the flow of primary sector goods.

Auckland is set to join the A-League next year.

Briscoe Group is breaking profit records again.

The price of the City Rail Link project has skyrocketed by a billion dollars.

City Rail Link Limited has asked the government and Auckland Council to foot the bill between them, taking the full price to five-and-a-half billion dollars.

The project's timeline has also been pushed out.

Our reporter Felix Walton spoke to Māni Dunlop.

RNZ political reporter Giles Dexter looks at the situation with Stuart Nash and the Police Commissioner.

ACT has called for the Police Minister to resign after he encouraged the Police Commissioner to appeal a case.

Stuart Nash told Newstalk ZB this morning he had spoken to the Police Commissioner and asked whether he was going to appeal a case.

He is standing by his comments, saying he has nothing to resign for.

Act Party Leader David Seymour spoke to Māni Dunlop.