Nights

Nelson nut butter brand Fix & Fogg was approached by NASA with a request to create a space rocket-approved product - and now it's launched.

Nights' resident screen critic Dan Slevin is reviewing the debut for writer-director Lauren Taylor The Moon is Upside Down, Home, a real estate and design show with a difference, and all three seasons of Star Trek: Picard.

ComicFest is being held at the National Library of New Zealand on Saturday, with a range of events on offer for the comic- and cartoon-mad on its 10th anniversary.

Called a 'music mag for the music mad', Newzician Magazine features profiles, interviews and photo spreads on emerging independent musicians across Aotearoa New Zealand - in print.

Massey University Professor Mohan Dutta joins Emile Donovan to examine the India elections.

Commencing this weekend, duck season is an occasion so big in some parts of the country, club rugby games have to be shifted to another day to accommodate it.

Moa bones, obsidian and tools found at the site indicate people first arrived here as early as 1250 AD - the last land mass in the entire world to be settled by humans.

In 1972, the Victoria University students' association raised $2000 for the Vietnam War - but did it go to the Viet Cong for the purchase of a tank?

The former prime minister reacts to foreign minister Winston Peter's comments on AUKUS.

Futuromania: Electric Dreams, Desiring Machines, and Tomorrow's Music Today is a new book that traces the history of sounds that prefigure pop music's future.

Nights' resident Agony Aunt, comedian Courtney Dawson, is back and ready to answer your quandaries, your palavers, your misgivings.

Started in 1991, the Costume Cave on Wellington's Wakefield Street has long been a friend to filmmakers, theatre practitioners and partygoers in the capital and across the country.

Festival Open Christchurch returns this year with 50 open buildings for the public to explore spanning Gothic Revival, Christchurch Modern, contemporary and a range of uses.

This weekend, Sam Harvey is hoping to not only win the Dead Cow Gully race in Australia, but break the work record running continuously for 800km in 120 hours.

Stuff political reporter Thomas Manch joins Emile Donovan to break down some of the big political stories of the week, including AUKUS posturing and a tough political poll for the coalition government.

We've seen it in just about every American sitcom, but why don't we 'post bail' in New Zealand? And why is paying to get out of jail allowed at all in some jurisdictions?

BBC World reporter Pete Ross joins Emile Donovan to take a look at some of the events making headlines internationally, including local elections in the UK, protests in the former Soviet state of Georgia, and a forthcoming report from a Canadian government inquiry into foreign interference and spying.

Otago Daily Times sports reporter Kayla Hodge joins Emile Donovan to cover the rise in suspensions to start the ANZ netball premiership, the New Zealand Warriors' search for up-and-coming talent in the deep south, and profile some of New Zealand's most underrated athletes.

The mental health hotline Lifeline turns 60 this year, and they say financial pressure has never been greater.

Every eighty years, a nova 3,000 light years away called T Coronae Borealis spectacularly erupts, appearing as a new star in the sky.

Justine has been behind the award-winning docuseries NZ Wars, and tonight she's been celebrating the premiere of a new season with a personal connection, Stories of Tauranga Moana.

Featuring new music from New Zealand band Ha the Unclear, a 2022 track from Adelaide-based band Workhorse, and the debut album from artist Mandy, entitled Lawn Girl.

Wellington NZ commissioned the creation of 20 bronze pigeons statues to celebrate the city's business community. But now, two of the statues have disappeared, leaving some Wellingtonians all aflutter.

Nights' resident screen critic Dan Slevin is back with Short-Cuts for another week.

This Saturday, in the village of Waimauku, hundreds of guinea pigs will be gussying up to be named Mr or Ms Auckland at the Auckland Guinea Pig Show.

Morrine Martin is a trombone player with Rolleston Brass, and her son will be playing the Last Post on the trumpet at their local service.

The Online Cenotaph is a vast collection of old photos, beloved memories, diaries and records supplied by the public for all to access - from family members to historians and academics.

Henry Erdman designed posters for some of the biggest blockbuster films of the past decade, including Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), Tenet (2020), and The Boy and the Heron (2023). But making his way in the industry required some creative thinking.

Locally, music festivals have pulled back to once every two years - or disappeared completely. Even the New Zealand A&P Show was on the brink of shutting completely after 160 years, saying that it was just no longer financially viable.

TAHI co-host Evie Orpe joins Nights to debrief one of the biggest events in independent New Zealand music.

She's been a tailor for the British police, a bridal seamstress, taxidermist, and even a set maker for the band Iron Maiden. Now, she's turning to her local community.

While the Game Boy would eventually be surpassed by newer, faster and better consoles, its cultural impact was huge: even today, it's sought after by collectors, with original games and the console itself selling for hundreds or even thousands.

Interest.co.nz economic policy reporter Dan Brunskill has been following prime minister Christopher Luxon on his tour of southeast Asia and joins Emile Donovan to debrief.

Is this old trick good gardening, or just a bit weird? Landscape designer Justin Newcombe says he's tried it - and it works.

BBC World's Rich Preston joins us from London to talk about some of the major events making headline internationally, including a hearing on the legality of the UK selling arms to Israel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to China, and Venice becoming the first city in the world to charge tourists a fee to enter for the day.

Nights' sport correspondent Bryan Waddle is back after a big weekend of sport and chats to Emile Donovan about the Blackcaps tour of Pakistan which got off to a terrible start, another successful motor racing event in Taupō. and is it a good thing someone else other than the Crusaders is going to the win the Super Rugby competition?

Ginette McDonald is an actor, writer and TV producer best known as the comedic suburban heroine Lynn of Tawa. NZ On Screen's new Ginette McDonald Collection celebrates McDonald's trailblazing career with videos of her comedy, production work and historic interviews.

Oxford University professor Subir Sarkar says over the past 100 years our understanding of how the universe works has changed dramatically as technology has improved in leaps and bounds.

The manukura of St John's Theological College picks a whakataukī that means 'it is the job of the children to smash the calabash'.

Featuring a political track from Dunedin doom-pop two piece Night Lunch, a new release from Baby Rose and BADBADNOTGOOD, and Melbourne-based Cyanide Thornton's self-titled 2018 EP.

He brought forth the eponymous Byronic hero, inspired musicians from Liszt to Leonard Cohen, and despite a roguish reputation, he is still regarded today as one of the great poets.

BBC World's Middle East correspondent Sebastian Usher joins Emile Donovan for the latest on the reported strike on the city of Isfahan.

Nights' resident film critic Dan Slevin joins Emile Donovan to review some top picks for weekend viewing, including Origin (2023) in cinemas now, Constellation (2024) streaming on AppleTV+, and Eleanor Coppola's directing debut Paris Can Wait (2016) streaming for free on Māori+.

This Saturday, the Netherlands Society in Rotorua is hosting a competition to crown the 'Master Baker of Oma's Appeltaart', what they call one of the most comforting pies in the history of pies.

Bryer Oden joins Emile Donovan to talk cheap eats and her dislike of the online diet culture.

Those Who Have The Courage is the first book to bring the story of New Zealand's mounted and armoured forces together. Emile Donovan talks to author and researcher Matthew Wright.

Tim Groser is a former National Party minister and diplomat who served as the ambassador to the United States from 2016 to 2018. He speaks with Emile Donovan.

Frances Loo is the owner and operator of Chapters Book & Tea Shop in Auckland's Mount Eden and hosts a romance readers club. She joins Emile Donovan.

GNS volcanologist Brad Scott joins Emile Donovan.

University of Sydney researchers have developed an AI application using cartoons from The New Yorker to help people be funnier. Dr Anusha Withana joins Nights to explain.

Where do you start? How do you afford it? And how do you find a piece you're confident you're going to love forever?Art expert Bentley de Beyer joins Emile Donovan.

Black Salt Games Producer's Nadia Thorne and Lead Artist Alex Ritchie join Emile Donovan to discuss the success of the game 'Dredge'.

Colin Peacock joins Nights to debrief another big week in the media.

Stats NZ's Mark Sowden joins Nights to discuss why collecting data in this country has been getting more difficult.

Joe Bill has been called one of the best teachers of improvisation in America today. He joins Emile Donovan during his visit to New Zealand.

Steven Price is a barrister specialising in media law and joins Nights to discuss the long running Bruce Lehrmann defamation case.

Noël Jelsma from Neudorf Black, New Zealand's leading Black Garlic producer, joins Emile Donovan.

Newsroom's Marc Daalder joins Emile Donovan to talk about the big stories in New Zealand politics.

Aviation expert Peter Clark joins Emile Donovan to help answer this question.

BBC World's Rich Preston gives us a rundown of the events making headlines internationally, including the latest in the Iran and Israel conflict, jury selection starting in the criminal trial of former US president Donald Trump and the world largest democracy gears up for its national election.

RNZ sports journalist Jamie Wall joins Emile Donovan to discuss how sports betting is affecting women's sports, a pivotal moment for the ailing Crusaders, and a gambling scandal involving star baseballer Shohei Ohtani's interpreter.

Not long after filming wrapped on Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, the film's iconic bus disappeared, without a trace - until now.

Aotearoa New Zealand has played an unusually pivotal role in humanity's understanding of how light and matter interact, Dr Jacob Ngaha says.

Award-winning broadcaster and host of RNZ's Māpuna Julian Wilcox joins Emile Donovan to share a whakataukī close to his heart, attributed to the late Erima Henare.

It's easy to junk something when it's broken, and just buy something new. In the decade since it was founded, RAD Bikes has recycled over fifty thousand bike parts and served nearly twenty thousand people, in what they say is unlocking the joy and freedom of cycling. Nights talks to the coordinator of RAD Bikes, Jess Smale.

Nights' resident film critic Dan Slevin joins Emile Donovan with new picks for the weekend. This week Dan is looking at Civil War (Garland, 2024) in cinemas now, documentary STEVE! (Neville, 2024) which looks at the life and career of the legendary Steve Martin streaming on AppleTV+ and finally Dan revisits the modern Kiwi classic Out of the Blue (Sarkies, 2006) which is streaming for free on TVNZ+

Tonight we're talking to Alexander Gandar about National Scrabble Day which celebrates the popular game of Scrabble which is played around the world. It coincides with the birthday of Alfred Mosher Butts in 1899; the man who invented the iconic board game.

Whanganui's Youth Council has been axed in the District Council's long term plans as a cost-saving measure. Youth councillors say the decision shows that youth engagement is seen as expendable.

Britt Austin is one of a team of Kiwis jetting off to compete at the World Axe Throwing Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma next week, competing for a chance at a $50,000 prize pool - and axe throwing glory.

Globally, companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods initially made waves in the stock market, but things have come crashing back down to earth.

MetService meteorologist Heath Gullery provides the latest on the heavy rain on the South Island's West Coast and beyond.

Poetry can be intimidating, confounding, or straight-up weird. But Chris Tse says it's all about finding the right poem to fall in love with the artform.

Back in 1998, Otākou kaumātua and key Ngāi Tahu negotiator Edward Ellison was sat in the public gallery when his iwi's landmark settlement was passed in parliament.

It's described as the ultimate in democratized art; seen by everyone, owned by no-one.

The White House has directed NASA to create a standard time for the moon and other celestial bodies, so astronauts and spacecraft can better coordinate their missions with earth.

Analysing over 12,000 songs across different genres, researchers found that the lyrics of popular music have also become more emotional and personal.

The West Coast of the South Island is bracing for another day of heavy rain tomorrow, after a downpour today left bodies of water like the Waiho River swollen to the banks.

Nights' monthly chat with Classics educator and enthusiast Ben Jackson traverses the misty mountains of prophecy in ancient Greek myth: from the famous Oedipus, to the doomed Cassandra.

At most big events in New Zealand, even if the bins are separated into rubbish and recycling, it all ends up going to landfill. Precycle NZ in Palmerston North is trying to change that.

New Zealand writer and Stephen King superfan Elizabeth Knox reflects on King's debut novel, which changed the landscape of horror fiction and set him on his course to becoming the 'king of horror'.

Final decisions on cuts to Sunday and Re:News are yet to come, and there is a suggestion that Fair Go may continue in some form.

'Girl of the Mountains' is Wellington-based archivist and former journalist Trish McCormack's fourth book.

Newshub political journalist Amelia Wade joins Emile Donovan to dig into MP pay rises, minister for foreign affairs Winston Peters' trip to the United Nations, and Christopher Luxon's nine-point-plan to be in effect by 2030.

It's all sudsy stuff, it all cleans - so why does dish soap feel so different on our hands than hand soap?

BBC reporter Pete Ross joins Emile Donovan to take a look at some of the events making headlines internationally, including the Israel-Gaza conflict entering its seventh month, a climate change case escalating to one of Europe's top courts, and a trilateral summit between the leaders of the US, Japan and the Philippines.

Nights' sports correspondent Bryan Waddle recaps the Black Sevens' double gold at the Hong Kong Sevens, the White Ferns' revealing performance in their series against England, and the Phoenix's tough run home in the A League.

Diagnosed with a rare cancer, UK neonatal doctor Nick Embleton's chances of survival were slim. But a bone marrow transplant from a donor in Germany saved his life.

The Derby involves riding over 1,000km along Genghis Khan's historic postal system in rugged terrain - all on semi-wild Mongolian horses.

We recognise 11 base colours in New Zealand today. But prior to the arrival of European settlers, te reo Māori described the world using five categories of colour: black, white, red, yellow, and green.

The award-winning host of documentary series NZ Wars picks a whakatauakī that relates to the new series: 'be firm, o trembling hearts, be firm'.

Tonight, songs from American singer-songwriter Zsela, a new Afrofuturist album from Moor Mother, and Estonian experimental musician Lolina.

They say whales are a canary in the coalmine for the health of our oceans, and the world needs to act urgently to protect these taonga by giving them legal personhood.

Nights' resident film critic Dan Slevin joins Mark Leishman with new picks for the weekend, including Monkey Man (2024) in cinemas now, and eight-part sci-fi series Tales from the Loop (2020) streaming on Prime Video.

Mead, bee-infused cocktails, and a two-course meal using bee products from a local apiary are all on the menu at restaurant Kitchen Takeover as part of the Flavours of Plenty Festival.

Glenn Sutton has run all over the world, pushing his endurance and body to the limits of what's possible. But the Dunedin man's next challenge has him admitting to being a bit scared.

Sleep cycle expert Guy Warman shares a few tips to make those earlier mornings next week a bit more bearable.

According to a historian, Italian sugar farmers in Queensland may have popularised the flat white, making the iconic coffee Australian in heritage.

As well as being a boon for the small Ruapehu District town, it's also one for the history buffs, as it is thought the Royal is the oldest provincial cinema in New Zealand still in existence.

After three disappointing years on dating apps, Canterbury woman Beaulieu Matthews founded the speed dating service Instadate last year. Now she hosts speed dating events and tells funny anecdotes about her own bad dates as icebreakers.