/on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/rss ob体育接口 Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:19:42 Z en /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/gillian-swinton-author-of-the-good-life-opens-up-about-her-experience-homesteading-in-central-otago/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/gillian-swinton-author-of-the-good-life-opens-up-about-her-experience-homesteading-in-central-otago/ Gillian Swinton grew up watching her grandmother maintain a family farm in Northern Scotland - and used her experience to cultivate the rural lands of New Zealand. Now based in Central Otago, Gillian and her partner Hamish live on a 2.7 hectare property - embracing their own journey of living a self-sufficient and more simple life. Gillian has shared her own story of homesteading with tips and tricks in her new book The Good Life. "All of a sudden, we've got two-and-a-half hectares and sheep and bees - and it snowballed."  LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 27 Apr 2025 01:20:37 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/chris-whitaker-author-reflects-on-creative-journey-ahead-of-writers-festival-appearance/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/chris-whitaker-author-reflects-on-creative-journey-ahead-of-writers-festival-appearance/ Epic thriller All the Colours of Dark was one of the must-read books of 2024 - but author Chris Whitaker's road to success was a long one. Whitaker has suffered his share of trauma - childhood abuse, stabbing, and losing millions of pounds as a stockbroker. He turned to writing - a move he credits with saving his life. Ahead of his upcoming appearance at Auckland Writers Festival, Whitaker says it was a 'vulnerable' place putting his creative work out for audience approval.  "It felt like I didn't have anything else to offer - that was then, obviously, but now I've started writing a new book and I'm in love with that." LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 27 Apr 2025 00:55:24 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/whitcoulls-recommends-1985-a-novel-and-high-heels-and-gumboots/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/whitcoulls-recommends-1985-a-novel-and-high-heels-and-gumboots/ 1985: A Novel by Dominic Hoey. Set in Auckland in the mid 80’s as the title suggests, this is the story of a young man coming of age in a dysfunctional family in Grey Lynn before it became gentrified, when the area and many of the people who lived in it were rough, not necessarily law abiding and where there seemed sometimes to be no future. Obi and his best friend Al discover a map which they believe leads to treasure, and which they hope will turn their fortunes around. The book is extremely atmospheric of the era, and took me right back. Terrific local fiction. High Heels and Gumboots by Rebecca Hayter. Rebecca is a sailor and a journalist, often combining the two things, who turned her back on Auckland and bought a property in Golden Bay, where she had grown up many years earlier. It’s a story about leaving the city and discovering independence and self sufficiency, a strong community to call her own, and finding ways to come to terms with the fractious relationship she had had with her mother, who was something of a legend in the area.  LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 27 Apr 2025 00:42:55 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/megan-singleton-bloggeratlargecom-writer-on-how-to-make-the-most-of-your-spending-to-earn-airpoints/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/megan-singleton-bloggeratlargecom-writer-on-how-to-make-the-most-of-your-spending-to-earn-airpoints/ One of the perks of using credit cards is the Airpoints rewards - but there's benefits and pitfalls involved. A Platinum AMEX, for instance, will give you points for every $70 spent - but it comes with a higher annual fee than the Airpoints Low Fee Visa card. You can also earn Airpoints through New World's rewards programme, but it takes a bit of spending to make a significant impact. BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton explains further. LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 27 Apr 2025 00:34:12 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/the-sunday-panel-do-we-agree-with-the-vatican-asking-people-not-to-take-selfies-with-the-late-pope/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/the-sunday-panel-do-we-agree-with-the-vatican-asking-people-not-to-take-selfies-with-the-late-pope/ This week on The Sunday Panel, NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson and journalist and editor Jo McCarroll joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  Should Kiwis have more say over the state of the health system? Can health ever become bi-partisan? Do we believe it is a matter of doing things differently with the money we have, rather than continually expecting more money to be the answer?   Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world came together to pay tribute to the Pope - but the amount of people taking selfies raised a few eyebrows. Does this cross the line? LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 27 Apr 2025 00:20:43 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/full-show-podcast-27-april-2025/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/full-show-podcast-27-april-2025/ On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 27 April 2025, author of smash hit 'All the Colours of the Dark' tells Francesca of the traumatic life events that inspire his writing. Scottish expat homesteader Gillian Swinton shares her journey to living self-sufficiently in Central Otago. New Zealand Archbishop Cardinal John Dew attended the funeral of Pope Francis overnight, he shares his experience from St Peters Square and explains his role in picking the next Pope.  Blogger at Large's Megan Singleton gives us tips to maximise the Airpoints you earn on your credit card and the panel debates whether taking selfies with the late Pope crosses an ethical line. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 27 Apr 2025 00:12:42 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/erin-ohara-naturopath-and-wellness-expert-reveals-how-to-tell-if-your-pelvic-floor-is-tight-or-weak/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/erin-ohara-naturopath-and-wellness-expert-reveals-how-to-tell-if-your-pelvic-floor-is-tight-or-weak/ It’s a subject many would prefer not to think about, but there’s no avoiding the fact that people can struggle with issues with their pelvic floor. A weak pelvic floor can lead to issues with getting proper exercise - as well as other complications.  Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara reveals the signs and symptoms of a weak pelvic floor - and how to best treat this condition.  LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 27 Apr 2025 00:05:38 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/mike-van-de-elzen-chicken-coq-au-vin/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/mike-van-de-elzen-chicken-coq-au-vin/ Chicken Coq au Vin  Cook time: 25 minutes  Prep time: 30 minutes  Serves: 6  6 large bone-in chicken thighs or legs   2 cups red wine   12 baby white onions, outer skin removed   2 tbsp sunflower oil   Flaky salt and white pepper   200gm button mushrooms   6 rashers streaky bacon   1 cube chicken stock dissolved in 1 cup water   ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley + extra for garnish   6 serves mashed potatoes  Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and marinate in red wine for at least two hours in the fridge.   Preheat oven to 180*C.   Place the baby onions and mushrooms into a large casserole dish, toss with oil, salt and pepper and roast until the onions are tender (about 10 minutes)   Next heat a large cast iron pan and saute bacon till coloured. Remove bacon and chop into large pieces.   Remove chicken thighs from marinade and brown in the pan with a touch of oil. Cook the chicken in batches to avoid stewing. Once coloured place the chicken into the casserole dish Cover with bacon, onions, mushrooms, red wine, stock and parsley. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove tin foil and continue to cook for a further 25 minutes.   To serve: spread a generous amount of parsnip mash on each plate. Spoon over the coq au vin and garnish with chopped Italian parsley.  LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 26 Apr 2025 23:56:52 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/dr-michelle-dickinson-nanotechnologist-on-scientists-discovering-a-new-colour-with-lasers/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/dr-michelle-dickinson-nanotechnologist-on-scientists-discovering-a-new-colour-with-lasers/ Imagine seeing a colour so vivid, so unlike anything in nature, that your brain has no reference for it. That’s exactly what happened to five people who took part in an experiment published in the journal Science Advances this week.  The newly perceived colour, which is described as a hyper-saturated blue-green shade, has been named olo, and it unlocked a visual experience that was previously impossible with natural light alone.  To understand the experiment, we first need to understand how we see colour.  At the back of your eye lies the retina, which contains three types of photoreceptor cone cells - S, M, and L cones -each tuned to different wavelengths of light:  S cones respond to short, bluish wavelengths, M cones to medium, greenish wavelengths, L cones to long, reddish wavelengths.  Together, they allow your brain to mix and interpret the colours of the world around you. But here’s the catch: in nature, the M and L cones are almost always activated together due to how their sensitivities overlap. This means it's essentially impossible to isolate just the M cones with regular light. As a result, a truly pure green, seen by stimulating only M cones, is something no one had ever seen - until now.  The researchers used pinpoint lasers and advanced optics to stimulate individual photoreceptors in the human eye.  Using a laser no more powerful than a standard green laser pointer, the team was able to target cone cells with surgical precision.  First, they needed to create a cone map, a detailed image showing the exact arrangement of cone types on each participant’s retina. This map allowed the system to fire microscopic pulses of light solely at the M cones, leaving the others in darkness.  When volunteers looked into the laser system, they described a colour that doesn’t exist in nature. Some said it was like a supercharged peacock green, others just stared in amazement. As soon as the laser was adjusted to stimulate even a few non-M cones, the olo colour vanished and was replaced instantly by the familiar green of the laser.  The implications of this go far beyond a cool visual trick and open up new possibilities in both science and medicine. By allowing researchers to control cone cells at this level of precision, it may help us:  Understand how colour vision truly works on a cellular level, Simulate what it's like to lose certain types of vision, helping us study degenerative eye conditions like macular degeneration, Explore how to expand human perception, possibly giving people with colour blindness access to colours they've never seen before or even enable humans to experience tetrachromacy.  Sadly, most of us will never get to see olo ourselves, but its discovery is a powerful reminder of how much there is still to learn about the human body, even something as seemingly simple as colour.  LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 26 Apr 2025 23:52:36 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/steve-newall-flicksconz-editor-reviews-pink-floyd-at-pompeii-mcmlxxii/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/steve-newall-flicksconz-editor-reviews-pink-floyd-at-pompeii-mcmlxxii/ One of the most distinctive concert films in rock history, Pink Floyd at Pompeii, has been rereleased to theatres - along with an accompanying soundtrack. Filmed in 1971 and released the following year, the film captures the band shortly before Dark Side of the Moon ushered in their most commercially successful phase. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall recaps the experience - and explains whether or not this is worth the watch. LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 26 Apr 2025 23:38:32 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/dr-glenn-colquhoun-and-dr-art-nahill-doctors-launch-h%C4%ABkoi-for-health-to-raise-awareness-over-struggling-health-system/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/dr-glenn-colquhoun-and-dr-art-nahill-doctors-launch-h%C4%ABkoi-for-health-to-raise-awareness-over-struggling-health-system/ Sick of inaction from politicians around our ailing health system, two Kiwi doctors are taking matters into their own hands.  GP Dr Glenn Colquhoun and general hospital physician Dr Art Nahill yesterday launched Hīkoi for Health: A People’s Inquiry. They’ve hit the road in a bright yellow 'vanbulance' in a bid to protest the state of the health system - and collect stories from people who've been impacted by the health system. "I've gradually seen conditions, both for patients and for healthcare providers, deteriorate - to the point where I didn't feel like I could bear anymore of what I would call moral injury from trying to treat and discharge patients in a broken system." LISTEN ABOVE  Sat, 26 Apr 2025 23:22:22 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/thomas-coughlan-nz-herald-deputy-political-editor-on-chris-bishops-announcements-about-roading-projects/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/thomas-coughlan-nz-herald-deputy-political-editor-on-chris-bishops-announcements-about-roading-projects/ Works toward improved public transport for northwest Auckland are a step closer after an investment case was endorsed by the Transport Agency, the Minister of Transport says. The announcement on the Northwest Rapid Transit plan - which includes public transport on State Highway 16 (SH16) from Brigham Creek to the city centre and a Northwest Busway - was made by Chris Bishop earlier in the week. NZ Herald deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan explains further. LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 26 Apr 2025 23:08:14 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/jo-mckenna-rome-correspondent-on-the-crowds-of-people-who-turned-up-to-pay-tribute-to-the-pope/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/jo-mckenna-rome-correspondent-on-the-crowds-of-people-who-turned-up-to-pay-tribute-to-the-pope/ There's been an outpouring of support from all over the world as thousands gathered to pay tribute to Pope Francis. The 88-year-old pontiff has been laid to rest at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. At least 400,000 mourners, including hundreds of foreign dignitaries, paid their respects last night at Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican. Rome correspondent Jo McKenna says she saw flags from Croatia, Latin America and Germany - to name a few. LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 26 Apr 2025 22:53:05 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/john-dew-new-zealand-archbishop-cardinal-on-pope-francis-funeral/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/john-dew-new-zealand-archbishop-cardinal-on-pope-francis-funeral/ A sea of mourners watched on, as the Vatican bid a final farewell to Pope Francis last night. The 88-year-old pontiff has now been laid to rest at Rome's Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Hundreds of thousands filled out Saint Peter's Square and surrounding areas to catch a glimpse of the funeral. New Zealand Archbishop Cardinal John Dew was among the crowd - and he said it was a 'lovely' ceremony. "I think there were 50 heads of state here - from 50 different countries. I thought that just spoke volumes of the fact that that many people would make the effort to get to Rome for his funeral." LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 26 Apr 2025 22:25:48 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/rachel-fairburn-and-kiri-pritchard-mclean-comedians-discuss-shared-passion-for-true-crime-ahead-of-new-zealand-comedy-fest/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/rachel-fairburn-and-kiri-pritchard-mclean-comedians-discuss-shared-passion-for-true-crime-ahead-of-new-zealand-comedy-fest/ While true crime might not be the obvious pick for comedy-based content, a familiar duo have leaned into the genre. In All Killa No Filla, comedians Rachel Fairburn and Kiri Pritchard-McLane explore their shared passion for serial killer cases.  Ahead of their planned stops in New Zealand for the Comedy Festival, the duo opened up about their comedic podcast. LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 20 Apr 2025 01:32:43 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/reb-fountain-kiwi-alt-folk-singer-talks-new-album-and-tour/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/reb-fountain-kiwi-alt-folk-singer-talks-new-album-and-tour/ Singer-songwriter Reb Fountain is back with a new album blending folk, art-pop and rock - How Love Bends. Released in March, Reb and her band have wasted no time getting it out there with a new nationwide tour. This is Reb's first full album since Covid-19 happened , and she's looking forward to promoting her work without the lockdowns and restrictions getting in the way. "This one - it feels like it's a whole new experience to be sharing it with everyone while we can walk around and I can come and do interviews and play shows." LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 20 Apr 2025 01:17:53 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/whitcoulls-recommends-nobody-s-fool-and-northbound/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/whitcoulls-recommends-nobody-s-fool-and-northbound/ Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben. A former detective turned private investigator is stunned when the woman he thought had died 22 years ago suddenly appears in the back of a lecture he’s giving, and as soon as they make eye contact, disappears. Her death has haunted him all these years but the possibility she could still be alive has never occurred to him – and now he needs to track her down and find out the truth. From the pen (or the keyboard!) of a terrific and well established thriller writer. Northbound by Naomi Arnold. Naomi is a local journalist who decided to walk the entire length of the Te Araroa trail on her own. There have been books from other people about taking on that challenge, but hers is a really gritty, no holds barred account of the slog of it – the mud, the fear, the loneliness and the exhilaration of achieving something so momentous, all by herself. It’s clear there’s a very caring network on the trail even though the walkers pass one another like ships in the night. There’s also a lot of kindness from people around who keep an eye out on them and offer food and support. This book is a lovesong to the trail and the NZ outdoors; and to the power of communities.  LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 20 Apr 2025 01:04:54 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/megan-singleton-bloggeratlargecom-writer-with-her-tips-for-handling-currency-overseas/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/megan-singleton-bloggeratlargecom-writer-with-her-tips-for-handling-currency-overseas/ The world is getting complicated and new methods to handle cash while travelling overseas are popping up - but which tools work the best? The Wise card has gotten plenty of attention within the travel community and it allows you to hold and exchange money in 40+ different currencies and spend in 170+ countries. BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton has reviewed the card - read her thoughts here. LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 20 Apr 2025 00:59:24 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/the-sunday-panel-should-we-be-surprised-by-trumps-latest-statement-on-ukraine/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/the-sunday-panel-should-we-be-surprised-by-trumps-latest-statement-on-ukraine/ This week on The Sunday Panel, Newstalk ob体育接口 host Roman Travers and partner at Freebairn and Hehir lawyers, Liam Hehir, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  Donald Trump said he could stop the Ukraine war in 24 hours, but he's recently been threatening to abandon peace talks. Should we have seen this coming? The all-female Blue Origin flight has copped some backlash - do we think this was just a spectacle or did it help further women in STEM? A new year brings renewed debate about the future of Easter trading laws. Do we need to get rid of them and open up the shops every day? Should we scrap holiday surcharges too? LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 20 Apr 2025 00:47:11 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/erin-ohara-naturopath-and-wellness-expert-reveals-how-jump-training-can-improve-bone-health/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/erin-ohara-naturopath-and-wellness-expert-reveals-how-jump-training-can-improve-bone-health/ Jumping has been found to have plenty of health benefits - and it may even reduce the risk of osteoporosis. New research has revealed jump training is highly beneficial for osteoporosis and improving bone density, particularly in the femoral neck, a part of the hip. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara reveals how we can utilise jumping to stay healthy. LISTEN ABOVE  Sun, 20 Apr 2025 00:15:59 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/mike-van-de-elzen-hot-cross-bread-butter-and-custard-pudding/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/mike-van-de-elzen-hot-cross-bread-butter-and-custard-pudding/ Hot cross bread, butter & custard pudding 6 hot cross buns 4 eggs 500 ml cream 1/2 cup soft brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla paste 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp icing sugar Vanilla custard 500 ml cream 500 ml milk 1 vanilla pod 200 gm sugar 5 egg yolks 80 gm cornflour Start by preheating your oven to 160*c Make up the custard by heating the cream and milk along with the vanilla bean which has been cut in half adding in the seeds and the pod. Place the egg yolks and sugar into a S/S bowl and carefully whisk in the hot cream, removing the vanilla pod at the end. Place the custard mix into a clean pot, adding in the cornflour. Continue to whisk and cook out the custard over a medium heat until thick and velvety. Take a 25cm casserole dish and lightly butter the inside. Cut the tops off the hot cross buns and butter them with the remaining butter and set aside. Cube the bottoms of the hot cross buns. Combine the cream, whole eggs, brown sugar and vanilla paste. Add in the cubed hot cross buns. Then pour into the roasting tray, Spoon over the custard (reserving some if you wish) then top with bun tops. Brush the tops with water and dust over the icing sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes and allow to sit before eating. LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 20 Apr 2025 00:07:18 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/dr-michelle-dickinson-nanotechnologist-on-the-new-trick-to-hearing-conversations-in-noisy-places/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/dr-michelle-dickinson-nanotechnologist-on-the-new-trick-to-hearing-conversations-in-noisy-places/ Have you ever found yourself nodding along in a noisy bar, pretending to understand your friend’s story, but truthfully, you’re just hoping for a quieter moment to catch the plot?   You’re not alone. Hearing conversation in loud environments is something many of us struggle with. But thanks to a new study published in the journal Proceedings Of The Royal Society B - science might have a simple fix!  All you need to do is tap your fingers to a beat, before the talking starts.  The researchers explored whether rhythmic motor priming, like tapping your finger to a beat, could help your brain process speech more efficiently in noisy environments. Participants listened to long sentences buried in background noise. Right before the sentence began, some were asked to tap along to a beat at different speeds, like one tap every half-second or so. The other participants didn’t tap at all.  After the sentence, all participants had to identify a word they’d just heard.  They found that the people who tapped at a specific rhythm, around 1.5 to 2 times per second, did noticeably better at understanding the sentence, even in the noisy environment.  It turns out that this tapping rate lines up with the natural pace of words in human speech (called the “lexical rate”) and helps your brain tune in more effectively. Think of it like syncing up your brain's "listening rhythm" with the speaker’s flow.  The study also supports a growing idea in neuroscience: our motor system (the one that moves your body) also plays a role in how we listen. When we move rhythmically, even just by tapping a finger, it seems to help our brains track the rhythm of speech.  It’s an easy, no-tech, zero-cost hack to try the next time you are in a noisy café or busy dinner party. LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 20 Apr 2025 00:04:23 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/steve-newall-flicksconz-editor-on-fyre-festival-2-getting-postponed-with-no-date-confirmed/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/steve-newall-flicksconz-editor-on-fyre-festival-2-getting-postponed-with-no-date-confirmed/ Fyre Festival 2 has officially been postponed - less than two months before the event was said to be taking place. The organisers have reportedly postponed the event that was set for May 30 to June 2, and no new dates have been revealed. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall speculates about the event's future following this latest update. LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 19 Apr 2025 23:58:44 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/blake-schimanski-kiwi-runner-plans-to-run-the-length-of-new-zealand-to-raise-money-and-awareness-for-youth-mental-health/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/blake-schimanski-kiwi-runner-plans-to-run-the-length-of-new-zealand-to-raise-money-and-awareness-for-youth-mental-health/ Blake Schimanski has taken on the challenge of running the length of New Zealand - from Bluff to Cape Reinga - within the month of April. Through his campaign ‘Run Aotearoa’, he aims to raise $100,000 for youth mental health efforts, with the goal of creating 'positive change. With 10 days left to go, he says he's been averaging out 80 kilometres a day. "There's a lot of stuff you don't really know until you start - and I'm learning a lot along the way, it's been a bit of a challenge."  LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 19 Apr 2025 23:51:29 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/debbie-fairbrother-super-pressure-project-manager-at-nasa-on-the-balloon-release-from-w%C4%81naka-airport/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/debbie-fairbrother-super-pressure-project-manager-at-nasa-on-the-balloon-release-from-w%C4%81naka-airport/ A stadium sized balloon has successfully launched from Wānaka Airport - after several cancellations. The super-pressure NASA balloon will travel the Southern Hemisphere’s mid-latitudes for planned missions of 100 days or more.  It's the sixth balloon operation in New Zealand since 2015, with two balloons successfully launched from Wānaka in 2023. NASA's Debbie Fairbrother says safety was a key priority in getting the balloon launched.  LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 19 Apr 2025 23:31:46 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/jamie-ensor-nz-herald-political-reporter-ahead-of-chris-luxons-upcoming-trip-to-the-uk/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/jamie-ensor-nz-herald-political-reporter-ahead-of-chris-luxons-upcoming-trip-to-the-uk/ The Prime Minister departs today for the United Kingdom, before travelling to Gallipoli in time for ANZAC Day.  Trade, security and the current geopolitical climate are on the agenda, when Chris Luxon meets with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.  Luxon says he'll discuss what more the pair can do to support the rules-based trading system, a chat coming off the back of phone calls to world leaders amid Donald Trump's tariffs.   NZ Herald political reporter Jamie Ensor says the pair will likely discuss how to strengthen their trade partnership.  LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 19 Apr 2025 23:20:21 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/dr-kat-bolstad-aut-associate-professor-on-scientists-capturing-footage-of-a-colossal-squid/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/dr-kat-bolstad-aut-associate-professor-on-scientists-capturing-footage-of-a-colossal-squid/ World-first video footage of the elusive colossal squid has been captured by US researchers. It lives in the deep Antarctic waters, can reach up to seven metres in length, and weighs up to 500 kilograms. Schmidt Ocean Institute’s remote drone filmed a baby colossal squid alive 600 metres down in its environment for the first time. AUT Associate Professor and squid expert Dr Kat Bolstad says this is a very 'exciting' development.  "We've been studying these animals, we've known about them for a century - personally, I've been studying them for over 20 years." LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 19 Apr 2025 23:08:59 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/carolyn-young-retail-nz-chief-executive-on-the-growing-number-of-retailers-calling-for-an-end-to-easter-trading-hours/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/carolyn-young-retail-nz-chief-executive-on-the-growing-number-of-retailers-calling-for-an-end-to-easter-trading-hours/ Limited Easter trading hours are bringing extra financial burdens for businesses according to retailers. The Retail Radar survey shows almost 70 percent of retailers are concerned about the cost of living - with merchant fees also top of mind.  The law says local council have the final say on when businesses are allowed to open.  Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young says these restrictions are 'outdated' and don't reflect the current market. "When these laws were first established, we didn't have the internet, people weren't shopping 24/7 online any day they wanted - and families work in different ways and shopping is available in different ways." LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 19 Apr 2025 22:51:58 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/yvonne-strahovski-australian-actress-on-what-viewers-can-expect-from-the-final-season-of-the-handmaids-tale/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/yvonne-strahovski-australian-actress-on-what-viewers-can-expect-from-the-final-season-of-the-handmaids-tale/ The final season of The Handmaid's Tale started airing on Neon last week, and actress Yvonne Strahovski is looking back on her creative journey after six seasons.  Strahovski co-stars as Serena Joy Waterford - an architect and prisoner of the show's dystopian regime.  She says it's been an 'extraordinary' journey taking on the role of Serena. "This has been such an amazing opportunity for me to be so challenged and grow and work on my craft, my artistry - everything I want to do as a performer."  LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 13 Apr 2025 01:33:45 Z /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/peter-greste-and-richard-roxburgh-jailed-journalist-and-actor-join-forces-for-the-correspondent/ /on-air/the-sunday-session/audio/peter-greste-and-richard-roxburgh-jailed-journalist-and-actor-join-forces-for-the-correspondent/ In December 2013, Australian journalist Peter Greste was arrested in Egypt and charged with aiding a terrorist organisation. What followed was 400 days of incarceration, solitary confinement, interrogations, a politically motivated trial and complete uncertainty in a corrupt legal system. Peter’s story and fight for freedom has been turned into a film, The Correspondent, staring veteran Australian actor Richard Roxburgh. "It felt like it was an even more urgent story to tell - the simple fact is, journalists used to be protected by the Geneva Convention and they're now regarded as fair game in theatres of war, and also in the White House now." LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 13 Apr 2025 01:06:29 Z