Nights

The birds are back in town! The ever growing beloved Bird of the Year campaign will once again have the nation in a flap. But this year - there's a very important difference. The Bird of the Year website will feature sign language translations for many of our native species, alongside both their te reo Maori and English names, bird call, and conservation status. Its the16th Bird of the Year and voting opens in just under a month from now. The Spokesperson for Bird of the Year - Laura Keown chats to Yadana.

How is the medical profession handling the fallout from a small group of health professionals who signed an open letter opposing the pfizer vaccine - and to what extent are people being influenced by them? There are now several cases under investigation by the Medical Council, after it received complaints about some GPs. Not all of those who signed are GPs, but their decision to sign the letter in their professional capacity has alarmed the Royal New Zealand College of GPs. Yadana Saw talks to its medical director, Dr Bryan Betty.

We head to Tairawhiti to take a look at a project trying to bridge the digital divide - The Tairawhiti Technology Trust aims to increase local access to digital technologies and the knowledge and skills of users in their communities. We chat to Operations Manager, Polly Crawford.

Otago University have just announced their Arts Fellowships for 2022 and it's a hugely diverse collection of artists. To find out about what fellowships like this mean for artists, I'm joined by three of the Fellows, Musician, Sean Donnelly, writer Swapna Haddow and visual artist Sorawit Songtaya.

Late Edition - Latest from the UK with the BBC's Pete Ross.

For more on covid level updates we're joined by Auckland Mayor, Phil Goff.

At ten past four this afternoon Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield annouced the roadmap for New Zealand's Covid-19 alert levels.

Going West Festival have put together a book to celebrate 25 years of the festival. It is a collection of essays from a host of Going West speakers since it's origin and will be a beautiful hardback. See press release attached. A lovely reflection of the literary scene over the last 25 years and includes the speeches of some no longer with us, Micheal King and Maurice Shadbolt. It give a real sense of history. We're joined by going west trust chair Naoni McCleary.

Organisers are heartbroken to have had to pull the pin on Alexandra's Blossom Festival. Set to be the biggest yet on the Festival's 65th birthday next weekend, with thousands of people were planning to flock towards the floral fanfare from all over Central Otago and beyond, but sadly, Covid cancelled that

The BLACKCAPS are abandoning their tour of Pakistan minutes after the team was due to begin a one day game following a New Zealand government security alert.