Morning Report

The New Zealand women's footballers are currently doing battle with Belgium in their opening game of the Algarve Cup in Portugal.

Misleading advertising over petrol discounts has cost Contact Energy a quarter of a million dollars.

The power company has been convicted in Wellington District Court after pleading guilty to seven charges under the Fair Trading Act over a "no tricks, no surprises" ad campaign promoting a rewards scheme.

The charges were brought by the Commerce Commission.

Chair Anna Rawlings speaks to Susie Ferguson.

Don't be put out if you lean in for a hongi at a pohiri in Wellington and the person leans away. Wellington mana whenua are asking people to excercise restraint in light of the second confirmed case of Corona virus and they aren't the only Maori who're temporarily reconsidering the traditional greeting. Meriana Johnsen reports.

A Wellington student says some people are using the Covid-19 coronavirus as a disguise for racism.

Louise Jiang is an actor in training at the New Zealand Drama School.

She told RNZ reporter Chen Liu that despite being born here people have told her to "go home" and she's also noticed other, more subtle racism.

The Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says former and future Australian prime ministers wouldn't treat New Zealand in the way the current regime is over deportation. Dancing on the head of a pin at Parliament yesterday, Peters wouldn't name Scott Morrison but was clear the issue is with the present Australian government and its Prime Minister. A trans-Tasman sledging match has been playing out since Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern attacked Morrison's hardline deportation policy in Sydney on Friday. RNZ political reporter Jo Moir has the story.

What to do with 10,000 tonnes of aluminium dross - so-called ouvea premix - stored in Mataura is causing a quandary for authorities, but just as vexing is how it came to be there.

The dross came to attention last month when flooding of the Mataura River threatened to inundate the building it's stored in - potentially sparking a toxic ammonia gas cloud. The liquidation of Taha Asia Pacific - the company which moved it to Mataura in 2016 has left a bad taste in the mouths of many Southlanders, but the company's corporate parent in Bahrain says the situation is just as frustrating for them.

RNZ Otago-Southland reporter Timothy Brown has more.

Two men whose lives have been tipped upside down by the 15 March mosque shootings are organising a football tournament to mark the one year anniversary.

Siraz Ali, who lost his father in the Al Noor mosque and Azam Ali, who witnessed the shooting at the Linwood mosque, are holding the inaugural Memorial Cup, on the weekend following the one year anniversary.

As Conan Young reports, they say it's a way to raise money for St John and to bring people together.

A homicide inquiry is underway in Christchurch.

RNZ reporter Eleisha Foon is at the cordon in Riccarton Road.

Former US vice president Joe Biden has made a comeback on Super Tuesday in the race to become the Democratic nominee to take on President Donald Trump.

He's overtaken Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders after 14 states voted for their preferred candidate.

Just a few hours ago billionare Mike Bloomberg announced he was pulling out of the race, and backing Biden.

Washington correspondent Nick Harper speaks to Susie Ferguson.

A group of cabinet ministers has met to discuss the government's response to the outbreack of Covid-19.

It's been decided in principle the stand down period for accessing benefits will be waived for those who have lost their employment due to the virus.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson told Corin Dann he's also preparing to pump money into the health sector if the virus becomes widespread here.

"We will do what we have to do to keep New Zealanders safe and healthy," he said.