Morning Report

The Silver Ferns have won the Netball Nations Cup in England beating Jamaica in the final.

RNZ sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe watched the final.

She speaks to Susie Ferguson.

The Whakataukī may warn about curiosity killing the cat, but near Arthur's Pass it's also killing Kea.

Drawn into the township by the lure of human food, the birds then are attracted to lead roofing nails, which taste sweet to them.

But lead isn't good for the bird's stomachs and several birds have died.

Dr Laura Young is from the Kea Conservation Trust.

Dry conditions in Northland are raising fears that a drought may soon be declared in the region.

Farmers are increasingly worried about water and stock feed levels, with no heavy rain forecast for the next few months.

The Minister of Agriculture Damien O'Connor has been to visit parts of Northland and speaks to Corin Dann.

Waitemata DHB is calling for the urgent drawing up of national guidelines on how patients give their informed consent, amid a women's health controversy at North Shore Hospital.

Phil Pennington reports.

Schools are reopening from today and the Education Ministry is predicting they will need up to 900 more teachers during the course of the year.

It says the teacher shortage that has dogged many schools appears to have eased and principals say foreign teachers are helping to plug the gaps in their staffing.

Here's RNZ education correspondent, John Gerritsen.

Napier residents are urging the government to do more to tackle the root causes of poverty and crime that's led to an explosion of the gang population.

The pleas were made at a public meeting in Taradale yesterday afternoon - held exactly a week after a shots were fired in the middle of the day in the suburb's town centre during a massive brawl between 30 to 40 Black Power and Mongrel Mob gang members.

The Police say they can't arrest their way out of the problem and there must be a multi-agency approach to stop gangs.

But many locals say not enough is being done to stop young people from joining gangs in the first place.

RNZ Hawke's Bay reporter Anusha Bradley was there, and filed this report.

New Zealand is stepping up its response to the Novel Coronavirus, as the death toll climbs.

Public health experts have said it's likely the virus will make its way to New Zealand.

Corin Dann speaks to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Nurses have been stationed at Auckland Airport to test any unwell passengers arriving from China as the government steps up its response to the novel coronavirus.

The virus is thought to have originated in animals and has killed 56 people since it broke out in Wuhan, Hubei.

Cases have been confirmed in Japan, Taiwan, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, the US, and France.

Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay speaks to Susie Ferguson.

Nurses are at Auckland Airport this morning ready to test any unwell passengers arriving from China, as New Zealand steps up its response to the novel coronavirus which has spread to almost 2,000 people.

Fifty-six people have died from the virus, which broke out in Wuhan in Hubei and is thought to have originated in animals.

Cases have been confirmed in Japan, Taiwan, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, the US, and France.

Chinese officials say the virus is infectious in its incubation period - before symptoms show - making it harder to contain.

Corin Dann speaks to RNZ's correspondent in Beijing, Patrick Fok.

Jamaica's netball team's performance has vastly improved.

The team were beaten by NZ by 26 goals earlier in the week and are now playing them again in the Netball Nations Cup.

England beat South Africa 65-63 in the play-off for third.