Immigration Minister Erica Stanford has issued a scathing takedown of her ministry, saying officials deliberately withheld information from both her and the previous Labour government about a failed technology upgrade. Erica Stanford spoke to Guyon Espiner.

The top stories and other headlines at midday

All the latest from the football World Cup in North America, while Kane Williamson announces a sudden retirement from test cricket. The Hurricanes and the Chiefs blow away their oppoinents in the Super rugby semi finals - they meet this weekend in the final in Wellington.

Musician Shayne Carter is perhaps most well known for Straitjacket Fits and Dimmer. Now the Music Hall of Fame inductee has collaborated with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra on REforms - ten classic songs reformed with a full orchestra. They're performing the works as part of the Loemis Festival in Wellington this week.

Following its miraculous turnaround from near-collapse in the competitive US market, Wellington-founded car parts platform PartsTrader was sold to a private equity firm Mitchell for $650 million.

Music festival Le Currents is expanding to two days for 2026 while Taupō is joining Harrods as home to one of the world's rarest honeys.

Phil Vine reviews Elemental by Arthur Snell, published by Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand.

Surviving and thriving outside of earth's orbit is the aim behind Australia's Centre of Excellence for Plants in Space.

The latest RNZ Pacific news and sport.

Weekly interview with opposition leader, Chris Hipkins; Waitomo boss discusses what US/Iran deal means for fuel prices; Screen use researcher discusses UK social media ban; Economists identify apparent errors in Labour transport policy; Trailblazing surgeon hopes to inspire Pacific women