Tom discusses the pressures on Wellington Hospital ED amd a stoush over access holding up intensified housing apartment plan.

Stella Chrysostomou reviews three of her favourite books from last year:

Kiwi costume designer Kate Hawley's year has got off to a great start, with multiple award nominations - including a Bafta and an Oscar- for her work on the Guillermo Del Toro-directed Frankenstein film.

EU toughens up on illegal arrivals in new migration policy, Friedrich Merz calls for greater tech independence for Germany and Europe, and like potatoes? Berlin is giving away 4 million kilos.

Researchers are calling for dietary fibre to be deemed an 'essential nutrient', which they say would recognise its importance for people's health.

New Reserve Bank figures show record numbers of people switching banks in December, as mortgage lending statistics hit record highs.

Ddoctors and nurse practitioners can now prescribe medicine for those with ADHD without first needing to needing to see a psychiatrist.

Comedians Elisabeth Easther and Irene Pink find the humour in recent news and current events including Egypt's terrible tennis player, the Norwegian ski teams uniform tampering and the two-year-old snooker player.

Sam discusses the latest at the Australian Open in Melbourne, while the Black Caps win big in their final T20 cricket match against India.

Ian Carson, Editor of Otaki Today.