Afternoons

This week builder Stan Scott joins Jesse to help with any handy hints for projects people might be undertaking at home. If you have a question or need a hand with something you're up to please text 2101 or email jesse@rnz.co.nz.

Today's recipe from Gretchen Lowe is a fabulous evening meal for the family or a lovely platter to share with a larger number of guests as a snack. Gretchen shares her recipe for chicken meatballs with whipped tahini. You can find the recipe here.

Today Kate talks to Jesse about The Garfield Movie, her top 5 picks for the long weekend and a 10 year celebration of Christopher Nolans' Interstellar release taking place at the Stardome.

Our weekly segment where we ask listeners to share their strange and spooky stories. If you have a spooky tale to share, email afternoons@rnz.co.nz or text 2101 with the details.

The Kitchen Project is an Auckland Council initiative that's been running since 2018 It aims to help food entrepreneurs build successful, sustainable businesses. It does this by providing them with access to education, resources and industry mentors. Connie Clarkson - the founder & project manager, she speaks to Jesse.

Safe Surfer is an organisation here in Aotearoa New Zealand who've come up with a potential solution to the damage that devices are doing to young people. Rory Birkbeck is part of the team, and a dad, he talks to Jesse.

Big night for music in Aotearoa last night with the music awards being handed out to our talented musical artists and associated craft. We catch up with Marlon Williams about his big win.

Today Mary talks about first home buying following the loss of the Kiwisaver first home buyer grant. She has some tips about using Kiwisaver to buy a home and other options for those looking to purchase their first property.

More than 1,700 people have signed up for the Starship hospitals recently launched community bake off. The bake off is raising money to support the hospital, which in turn supports over 140,000 children each year. One of the people powering up the stand mixer is Director of Paediatric Medical Specialties Dr Helen Evans. She speaks to Susana.

How do New Zealand politicians stack up in their choice of dress? Are they sharp or shabby? Stylist Michiko Hylands talks to Susana.

Saturday is one of the biggest days in the farming calendar - moooo'ving day. The annual event sees farmers, pack up their homes and herds to head to new pastures. Hundreds of thousands of cattle and thousands of farming families will hit the road. Most of the cattle are moved by truck, but if you're heading off the state highway this long weekend, don't be surprised to see cows on the back country roads too. To find out why the entire farming community move on the same day I'm joined by Fed Farmers National share farmers chair Sam Ebbett talks to Susana.

Now on Our Changing World, a story from Australia's ABC Science series, Pacific Scientific, about one of the last places without the killer frog fungus. We join reporter James Purtill just outside of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, on a frog hunt with Yolarnie Amepou, director of the Piku Biodiversity Network, and her friend Heather.

Carli McConkey didn't join a cult, she was recruited into one at a time when she was searching for direction in her life. She spent 13 years working for nothing, even enduring medical sterilization while part of a doomsday cult called Universal Knowledge in Australia. She's now an advocate for people drawn in to these groups, despite attempts to silence her by the former leader of the group. In this age of misinformation and conspiracy theories, Carli McConkey helps us understand how people get taken in by what may seem like outrageous ideas.

This week's midweek meal inspiration from chef, author and busy mum Sam Parish is bound to be a regular go to dinner for many households. She's got a great tasty and budget friendly recipe for eggplant and chicken parmigana.

Today Ximena talks to Jesse about The Gas Man, an investigative series from Tortoise Media. She's also been listening to Intrigue: To Catch a Scorpian.

For Heading Off today we're heading to the east coast of the South Island to Waitaki. It's one of the destinations around that is attracting more tourists each year. We speak to journalist Lisa Scott about why Waitaki!

BabyX is an interactive AI model of an 18 month old. It was originally launched in 2013, by then Auckland University researcher Mark Sagar. Over the last 10 years it's been developed and improved, to the point it's now suitable for academic research into early childhood development It allows researchers to do work that would be impossible or unethical on real human participants. University of Auckland psychologist Florian Bednarski is taking advantage of those possibilities to conduct groundbreaking research.

The New Zealand Rose of Trelee competition took place in Invercargill this weekend The annual contest has been running here since 1966 and sees women of Irish heritage compete for a slot in the International Rose Of Trelee contest which takes place in Ireland later this year. The winner of that becomes a global ambassador for the country - it's a big prize which comes with a 25,000 euro travel budget This years New Zealand winner - 21 year old Keely O'Grady. She speaks to Jesse.

Aucklands oldest department store Smith and Caughey's is set to close in 2025. The retail store on Queen Street has been a fixture for 144 years Jesse speaks with CEO of Auckland's Heart of the City; Viv Beck.

The budget will of course be delivered from Wellington, but this year our rural community will be keeping a close eye on it as well. Farmers Weeky journalist and former share milker Richard Rennie joins us to run us through what he's looking out for.

Bob Calkin considers himself a lucky man. Too young for both world wars and entering the workforce in the '50s and '60s, New Zealand gave working-class men like him tremendous opportunities.

Brad Foster reports on the search for a mum and newborn baby in Sydney after evidence of a birth on the banks of a river in Sydney's south west were found by a man walking in the area late on Monday. He also reports on a nationwide initiative by a radio personality and filmmaker to increase the age of social media use by teenagers from 13 to 16 to reduce what they describe as "an anxious generation". He also talks film and footy.

Today Claire talks to Jesse about two very different memoirs, First Things by Harry Ricketts and Splinters by Leslie Jamison. She also talks about Jane Arthur's children's novel Brown Bird.

Today Tim talks to Jesse about how AI will change jobs and careers.

Baby food pouches could be providing our little ones with very little nutritional value, according to new research.  Ioanna Katiforis is PhD candidate in the Department of Human Nutrition at University of Otago, was involved.

We often have multiple layers of names and nicknames for different groups and situations. But increasingly many Chinese given those as a child are choosing - when they grow up - to revert back to their Chinese names.

Around 76 dog incidents happen each day in New Zealand requiring medical attention, according to ACC data. The Dog Safe Workplace helps reduce the number of incidents and protects workers.

Work isn't working. We are so busy staying busy, with constant emails and new message apps, we end up exhausted says professor Cal Newport.

Electricity - how do we generate it, how does it get from a hydro-station to our kettles, and where is the technology involved heading?

This week on Made in NZ we meet Shona Garven who's dedicated her business to making and restoring rocking horses. The Rocking Horse Place is based in Turakina just south of Whanganui. Shona explains her passion and business to Jesse.

Today Linda talks to Jesse about The Tattooist of Auschwitz on Neon and Clarkson's Farm on Prime Video.

This coming weekend the New Zealand Association of Scrabble Players (NZASP) is hosting the 44th National Scrabble Championship in Wellington.

Research is underway on the barriers on the West Coast which are stopping young freshwater fish travelling upstream to feed grow into adult fish.

The Helen Clark Foundation have teamed up with engineering company WSP to release a major new report into our infrastructure deficit.

This week's critter isn't tiny, unloved or even unattractive, but it is bizarre. The puteketeke or Australasian crested grebe was crowned Bird of the Century last year thanks to an 'alarmingly aggressive' campaign by talk show host John Oliver. The puteketeke got a whopping 290,374 votes, light years ahead of the second-place winner - the North Island brown kiwi, which got 12,904 votes. John Oliver chose to champion the bird because "They puke, they do a 'weed' dance before mating, they have great hair, and there are fewer than 1000 of them left in New Zealand!"

This week Lynda's talking all about yams!

Today's recipe is a great warm and spicy winter dish that be the main part of the meal or a side dish. Julie Biuso of Shared Kitchen has a great recipe that's budget friendly to share with our listeners.

Today Sam reviews Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Joika.

Our weekly segment where we ask listeners to share their strange and spooky stories. If you have a spooky tale to share, email afternoons@rnz.co.nz or text 2101 with the details.

Country music fans will be celebrating tonight with the Country Music Honours taking place tonight. As an added treat for country music fans, the original queen of country in Aotearoa, Suzanne Prentice is performing.

Burke Family who run Pukekauri Farms at Katikati in the Bay of Plenty have been named as freshwater champions.  Assessors described them as "genuine trailblazers". John Burke from the Burke family speaks to Jesse.

Award-winning local musician Vera Ellen performs a live session in our Wellington studio.

An international team of researchers has undertaken the most extensive review of masks so far. Among them was our very own Professor Michael Baker, of the Department of Public Health at Otago University in Wellington.

Budget Day 2024 is coming up next week on Thursday 30 May.It will be one of the biggest political events of the year and possibly define the Coalition Government. Some critics have predicted it will be a 'Black Budget' but what does that actually mean? Today Dr Grant Morris looks back to 1958 and the infamous Black Budget.

Today Simon Wilson's with Jesse to talk about 'green housing' off the back of the NZ Green Building Council Housing Summit held in Auckland this week.

A three-time Olympic gold medal-winning rower, a Commonwealth Games bronze for road cycling, and soon-to-be Team New Zealand cycler, Hamish's athletic career knows no bounds. Hamish speaks to Jesse.

Rachel talks about Reb Fountain's cover of OMC's How Bizarre and a new track out from Vera Ellen.

The New Zealand Catan National Championships take place on June 1st and 2nd at Wellycon.

RNZ has created an Asia unit, largely based here in Auckland to reflect the diversity in our communities and share their stories.

Charlotte Squire helps people write their family history - for themselves and future generations. Why?

Central Auckland's Kelmarna Community Farm have been feeding the community and bringing the joy of gardening to urban residents for forty years.

This week, Phil Vine dives into the science of climate attribution. How much is climate change affecting extreme weather events? And how can this new science prepare us for the future?

Every generation has its own brand of crisis. As far as writer, linguist, and podcaster Amanda Montell is concerned, celebrity worship, conspiracy theories and a tad of mysticism is a crisis. She says our shared grasp of reality is slipping. She says the rise in irrationality is a response to information overload in the digital age. She offers a message of hope that we can regain our ability to reason in her new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality.

Our bookmarks guest this week is an example of what it means to beat the odds. As a tech entrepreneur, David Downs was at the centre of many amazing innovations during the 1990s and 2000s. He also spent over a decade working with Microsoft as a regional director. In 2013 he was a semi-finalist for New Zealander of the Year for his dedication to improving cancer research and treatment following his own battle with the disease. He's with Jesse this week to share what he likes to read, watch and listen to in his down time.

Each Wednesday she presents us with Easy Eats - the solution to putting something healthy delicious and affordable on the table rather than reaching for your device to get a take out or meal delivery.

Today Matt Heath talks to Jesse about The Rest is History and Professor G.

We held our very first reading party here in Auckland last night. We reflect with one of the guests and our very own people about how that went.

While kids are usually accused of not being interested in local democracy, Rotorua's Jimmy Bathgate has shown age is no barrier to having your voice heard on local matters.

Using drones to find lizards might sound like an impossible task, but it's hoped the technology can get to our endangered ones. Carey Knox has spent 13 years as a lizard ecologist - or herpetologist is the technical name - and he's in the process of undergoing research collecting important data on New Zealand's endangered lizards. He's fundraising to get a drone to help him get to the tricky places where they live. He explains it all to Jesse.

The disappearance of 11 years Mike Beckenridge and his stepfather John was initially thought to be a sad story of a murder suicide. Stuff journalist Michael Wright's podcast on the complex and compelling case released this morning.

They're called The Redheaded Murders, the brutal killing and dumping of up to 14 women along motorways in the American South more than 30 years. The murders remained a mystery, almost forgotten, until Mr Campbell's students from a small high school in Eastern Tennessee got on the case. They identified a serial killer connected to six of the murders. The work of the high school students is featured in a 10 part podcast called Murder 101. At one point it was the most listened to podcast in New Zealand. We'll talk to Mr Campbell and student sleuth Hannah Metcalfe.

Ray Charles was a pioneer of soul, jazz, gospel and rhythm and blues music, and according to Frank Sinatra "the only true genius in show business".

Brad Foster reports on news of the closure of a number of restaurants in Sydney including celebrity chef Kylie Kwong's Lucky Kwong's. He also talks rising unemployment, the start of Vivid Sydney, soccer, immigration and the new Mad Max movie.

Today Catherine speaks to Jesse about Brown Bird by Jane Arthur, Fox Spirit on a Distant Cloud by Lee Murray and Accidental Magic: Book 1 of the Myrtlewood Mysteries by Iris Beaglehole.

Today tech commentator and chief executive of Gorilla Technology Paul Spain speaks to Jesse about longer lasting batteries in microsoft lap tops as well as a new privacy tool to stop all AI work being sent to the internet automatically.

Kevin Ford and his partner Jules are the folk behind Nelsons Obstacle Park - the only permanent obstacle course racing park in the country.

New research out of Antarctica has revealed it's storing more carbon than ever thought. Previously researches believed that Antarctica wasn't a suitable habitat for seaweed. NIWA Marine Ecologist Dr Leigh Tait speaks to Jesse.

Kaiapoi Coastguard is leading the way in swift water rescue with the launch of their brand new boat, the "Extreme 47 Coastguard". Volunteer Coastgaurd and unit skipper, Logan Pryce speaks to Jesse.

On Here Now this week, as Sudan's civil war continúes, diaspora across the world are holding on to slivers of hope.

Everyone has a complaint about something. Being a victim and feeling resentful has become a form of social currency says New York Times opinion writer Frank Bruni. It's driving political division and eroding civility, and the willingness to compromise. He looks at the causes and argues that humility is the antidote in his new book, The Age of Grievance.

Maintaining a long, healthy relationship is never completely smooth sailing, and external pressures can cause stress that couples struggle to work through without support.

For Made in NZ today we're looking to Nelson where an award-winning product called EmGuard is manufactured.

Today Pratik talks to Jesse about The 3 Body Problem, ExMen '97 and Malcolm in the Middle.

A small family run convenience store in Oamaru has taken matters into their own hands when it comes to grocery prices.

RNZ podcast producer and presenter Katy Gosset has a brand new six part series about to launch all about saving money, making budgets go further and expert tips on fiscal responsibility.

New information about one of New Zealands mysterious extinct birds has come to light. Associate Professor Nic Rawlence is the Director of Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory at the University of Otago speaks to Jesse.

This week’s critter is the pūtawa or bracket fungus (also known as white punk, pangu or morepork bread). The fruiting body of this fungus looks a bit like a caramel-coloured flying saucer that crashed into a tree. It's got a great history too!

Builder Stan Scott's back today to help with some handy hints and tips for your DIY projects or repairs around the house. If you have any questions for Stan please text 2101 or email jesse@rnz.co.nz.

Charlotte Ryan, host of Music 101 here on RNZ each Saturday afternoon from 1pm talks about what's happening on the music scene over the weekend, what's coming up on her show tomorrow and because Friday is new music day - she'll pick us a track to play.

Today's recipe has a little bit of heat to warm you up on these colder days. Nic Watt, chef and restaurateur for MASU, INCA and Akarana Eatery, joins Jesse to share his recipe for a tasty morsel.

Today Dom talks to Jesse about new Netflix movie Unfrosted, horror/thriller The Strangers and family fantasy film IF.

Our weekly segment where we ask listeners to share their strange and spooky stories. If you have a spooky tale to share, email afternoons@rnz.co.nz with the details!

If you're a fan of jigsaw puzzles and you fancy yourself as a bit of a whizz at getting them done in a jiffy - there's now a competition for you to show off your skills. Competitive speedpuzzling is coming to our shores.

Massey design student Isabel Nicholls has taken out the university's Grand Ideas competition with her comfortable, eco-friendly, health-prioritising postpartum underwear. They're called 'Nurture'. Isabel Nicholls speaks to Jesse.

Wool has been one of our primary products and exports for over half a century, but even greater than the quantity of our wool is the quality. The resignation of New Zealand's only two wool classing tutors has the sector worried.

This week Mary talks about a recent conference run by the Retirement Commission - Te Ara Ahunga Ora. It was all about planning next steps in their National Strategy for Financial Capability. Mary talks to Jesse about what that means for us.

For Sports History NZ today our guest has recently called time on one of the most decorated careers in New Zealand basketball.

A report last week highlighted the cultural and economic value our fashion, clothing and textiles industry provides.

Awards season is truly upon us, with this year's Best Tasting Tap Water in New Zealand awards happening tonight in New Plymouth.

Prostate cancer is symptomless disease which kills 700 New Zealand men a year and has overtaken breast cancer in terms of deaths.

A surge of suffering is happening to teenagers around the world with rising rates of anxiety, depression and self harm. We changed their childhoods with smartphones says social psychologist Dr Jonathan Haidt.

Our Bookmarks guest today has made history more than once Maori Professor Jacinta Ruru is with Jesse for Bookmarks this week.

This week on Easy Eats Sam Parish has a great recipe that can be used in a number of different meals. It's, as always, fast, budget friendly and a crowd pleaser.

Today Alex talks to Jesse about Indigenous 100 Podcast and Being Well

For Heading Off today we're looking at what's on offer for the luxury travellers coming to our shores.

Come the 10th of July, Tamaki Makaurau Auckand will sound a little sweeter. 11,000 singers from more than 250 choirs will hit the city for the 2024 World Choir Games. =

A group of Chatham petrel chicks have been relocated in the Chathams under the watchful eye of DOC ranger Jemma Welch.

Zenno Astronautics is an Auckland and US-based austronautic company which has already sent its technology into space via Elon Musk's SpaceX.

The email to actor Lucy Lawless came out of the blue. Would she like to do a documentary about legendary CNN photojournalist, Kiwi Margaret Moth? After years in warzones all over the world, even after a sniper's bullet in Sarajevo shattered her jaw, Moth felt compelled to show the world the reality of war until she died of cancer in 2010. Her best friend and heir to her estate called to ask if the former Princess Warrior would tell the story of a warrior of courage under fire. Lawless immediately said yes and makes her directorial debut with the documentary, Never Look Away.