The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Irish comedian and tv host Dara O'Briain has always known he was adopted and he's worked that detail into his standup comedy routines.

His 2023 tour focused on his journey to find his birth mother, and his upcoming tour - set to arrive in New Zealand later this month - will share the story of finding his birth father.

He's promised the show will be a 'romp' as it's a 'lovely' story to tell.

"I'm lucky to have got in under the length of it being a long and involved story."

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Chain Reactionby Lee Child and Andrew Child. The latest outing from the two brothers is the 31st in the Jack Reacher series and for me, it held up very well. General Susan Turner is a former colleague of Jack’s from his Pentagon days, and when someone on her team is brutally murdered she needs someone she can trust to work out what happened and why, Jack being the obvious candidate. She tracks him down and the mission rekindles their previous relationship as they take on the bad guys, set in a modern world where data farms are the new big thing and not everyone is on the right side. It’s full of action, as always with Reacher, but there’s some great human interaction as well and is less one dimensional than some in the series.

King’s Ransomby Matthew Reilly. This is the second in a new series featuring an autistic detective, Sam Speedman, who is called on to help with a case when the world’s richest man and some of his family are kidnapped in New York and the kidnappers demand that five of America’s smartest detectives be brought in to solve the riddles and clues they’ve laid down as a challenge. It’s fun, pacy, requires some serious willing suspension of disbelief but is extremely entertaining and I’ll be looking out for the next in the series. Highly recommended for some great escapism. 

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The summer season is over for another year in the US, and tourism in Hawaii has seen a noticeable decline.

Visitor numbers are down, and there's less flights in and out of the region, according to new reports.

BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton was recently there, but she cited a weakening dollar and growing political discontent in America.

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This week on the Sunday Panel, partner at Freebairn and Hehir Liam Hehir and journalist and TV producer Irene Gardiner joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more! 

We've got one week of the election campaign left to go - but is is too negative? What have we made of the campaigning across the board? Winston Peters said people are sick and tired of it and that this campaign has been among the worst he's seen. Is he right? 

How do we see the election playing out? What are our predictions? 

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Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 1 November.
Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Your brain and your gut communicate with each other all the time, and certain emotions can impact how your body feels.

Often, when people experience gut symptoms like diarrhoea or constipation, they attribute them to gut problems rather than to stress or the nervous system. 

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained this process further - and revealed some techniques to address stress.  

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Coddled eggs with beans and meatballs

Cook time: 25 minutes 

Prep time: 30 minutes 

Serves: 6

250gm beef mince 

150gm pork mince 

¼ pumpkin, grated 

2 tsp Dijon mustard

400gm tin whole peeled tomatoes

400gm tin chickpeas in spring water, drained

400gm tin white haricot beans, drained

1 onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme 

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

4 eggs 

1 tbsp sunflower oil 

5-6 sprigs sage (optional) 

Salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180*C.

Mix the mince, mustard, pumpkin and 1 tbsp fresh thyme in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.  

Roll the mix into golf sized balls. Heat a little oil in a cast-iron frying pan and shallow fry the meatballs, just enough to colour the outside. Set aside.

Now add a little more oil to the pan and sauté the onion, garlic and remaining thyme.  

Add the tomatoes, beans and Worcestershire sauce, cook for one minute.  

Pour this mix into a large baking dish (about 50cm square). Place the meatballs into the tray then gently crack the eggs in around the balls.

Bake in the oven for around 15-20 minutes or until the egg white is cooked (the yolks should still be a bit runny).

While this is cooking, shallow fry the sage in hot vegetable oil until crispy. 

Set aside on absorbent kitchen towel.  

Garnish the baked dish with the sage and serve. 

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Good news if you like taking a hot bath as new research, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology I, investigated how our blood vessels respond to heat compared with exercise.

Researchers recruited 25 adults aged between 45 and 70, with an average age of 59 who were all classified as overweight or obese and were relatively physically inactive.

Each volunteer took part in two different experiments.

In the first experiment, participants sat in a hot 40°C bath for 30 minutes.  

In the second experiment, the same people spent 30 minutes cycling on a stationary exercise bike at a moderate intensity, working at around 60–70 percent of their maximum heart rate.

The scientists measured their heart rates, core body temperatures and blood pressure before and during the experiments and had the volunteers swallow tiny electronic temperature sensors that transmitted readings from inside their bodies.

The researchers used optical coherence tomography which allowed them to examine microscopic blood vessels in the skin of participants' forearms, measuring their width, the speed at which blood travelled through them and how much blood was flowing.

They also used laser Doppler flowmetry, to independently measure changes in skin blood flow. 

After 30 minutes in the hot bath, participants' tiny skin blood vessels had widened by an average of 5.2 microns, allowing more blood to flow through them compared to a decrease of 1.1 microns for the cyclists. 

They also measured 14 percent more blood-perfused vessel density after the bath, compared with a decrease of 3 percent after cycling. 

After the hot bath, participants experienced an average reduction of approximately 6 mmHg in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) and 10 mmHg in diastolic pressure (the bottom number). 

After cycling, the average systolic reading increased by approximately 1 mmHg, while diastolic pressure decreased by around 2 mmHg. 

When you exercise, your muscles produce heat as they work and your body responds by moving blood towards the skin, where that heat can be released. 

When you sit in hot water, you absorb heat from your surroundings, your body still needs to regulate its temperature, so it responds by widening blood vessels near the skin and increasing circulation. 

Wider blood vessels generally create less resistance to blood flow, which can help reduce blood pressure. 

While heart rate increased more during cycling, showing that although the bath produced a stronger response in the skin's small blood vessels, the two activities were putting different demands on the cardiovascular system. 

The findings suggest that heat exposure alone can create a significant circulatory response, even without exercising your muscles. 

Of course, physical exercise provides many benefits that passive heating cannot replicate, including improvements in muscular strength, endurance and physical fitness. 

However, this is particularly interesting for people who find conventional exercise difficult, including those with mobility limitations or conditions that restrict physical activity. 

So while a hot bath probably isn't going to replace your daily walk, it's reassuring to know that relaxing in warm water isn't necessarily doing nothing. 

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Director Lance Oppenheim's newest project is set to examine the impact of one of the most infamous reality shows out there. 

To Catch a Predator ran from 2004 to 2007, and the series and host Chris Hansen are back under scrutiny in Primetime, a new film starring Robert Pattinson.  

Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall explained further. 

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Despite some tough economic conditions impacting the hospitality sector, one big industry success story is set to hit a milestone.

Tala, the famed Samoan restaurant, celebrates three years in business this Tuesday, and it's accomplished a lot over those years.

Bookings are up, wait-lists are growing, and demand has only surged since Tala became the world’s first Michelin-starred Samoan restaurant earlier this year.

Chef Henry Onesemo says he's very thankful for the restaurant's success. 

"It's huge, we are super grateful for where we're at. We opened in the middle of a recession, and then just to see it grow incrementally within the last three years has been a testament to the community."

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National's revealed it was behind a complaint to the Electoral Commission, regarding Harry Mowbray's Split the Vote website.

Mowbray's taken the website down after the Commission started looking into a potential advertising breach - and National says this is a deliberate attempt to confuse voters in a very close election. 

Newstalk ZB political reporter Azaria Howell says the issue of vote splitting is causing tensions among the right bloc, especially given the state of the polls.

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Recent polling predicts a tight race in the US midterm elections next week, and there's a lot at stake for President Donald Trump.

Both the House and Senate are currently controlled by the Republicans, and the fate of Trump's final two years in office could rest on the outcome.

US political analyst Dan Schnur says it's likely the Democrats will take at least one of them, and that could have consequences for Trump.

"Historically in the US, the party that does not hold the presidency easily does much better in those midterm elections than the President's party."

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With less than a week until New Zealanders have their say at the polls, our political leaders have become remarkably good at telling us who they won’t work with.  

Christopher Luxon has ruled out Labour, the Greens, Te Pāti Māori and The Opportunity Party. Chris Hipkins has ruled out National, ACT and New Zealand First. David Seymour has drawn his own line against the left, but would consider Opportunity. Winston Peters has made it abundantly clear that Labour and Opportunity aren’t on his Christmas card list.  

The Greens, meanwhile, have kept their options open, although their preference for a change of Government is hardly a secret.

And then there’s The Opportunity Party, led by Qiulae Wong, which has pitched itself as willing to negotiate across the political spectrum - albeit with serious reservations about serving in a Government with Peters as Foreign Minister.

Welcome to MMP: the electoral system in which everybody wants the numbers, but not necessarily the people and parties that come with them.

The two big ‘ifs’ are of course the possibility of an overhang, and whether The Opportunity Party will hit 5 percent. We have to wait and see how it unfolds, but given the tight polling and steady demise of the major parties, knowing who is prepared to deal with who matters.  

Voters deserve to know what they’re voting for. If a party has fundamental disagreements with another over tax, climate policy or the role of Government, pretending those differences don’t exist would be dishonest. 

But there’s a difference between establishing principles and bolting the door before you know who’s knocking.

National’s rejection of Opportunity is the much discussed case in point. Luxon objects to its proposals for a land tax and universal basic income, which sit awkwardly with National’s low tax philosophy. That is a legitimate policy argument. Luxon is also desperate for both the party and electoral vote so has kept the messaging simple.

But if the numbers on election night leave National needing Opportunity to govern, what then? 

Does Luxon stick to his promise and risk handing the Government benches to Labour? Or does he discover that Qiulae Wong is, after all, a perfectly reasonable person to have a cup of tea with?  

The difficulty is that a change of heart would come with a price. Having repeatedly ruled a party out, a leader cannot simply welcome it aboard and expect nobody to notice. Opponents would call it desperation. Disillusioned supporters may call it betrayal. And the media would have a field day replaying every previous emphatic denial.

Yet voters may also recognise political reality. A party that negotiates a workable agreement, secures sensible compromises and delivers stable Government could argue it had put the country ahead of campaign rhetoric.  

There is a difference between changing your mind because circumstances have changed, and abandoning your principles because the ministerial cars are beckoning.

The irony is that ruling parties out potentially reduces a leader’s bargaining power. The fewer options you leave yourself, the more leverage you hand to those still at the table.  

Opportunity’s potential importance lies precisely in its ability to talk across the divide, provided it can win enough votes to enter Parliament. 

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Film director Travis Knight and his studio Laika have built up a name for themselves in the world of stop-motion animation, but his newest project is his most ambitious one yet.

Wildwood is in theatres now, after 16 years in development - and it took 6 years of filming, 233 handmade puppets and over a thousand artists to get it all done.

There's already plenty of Oscar buzz around this project, with early speculation claiming it could take home the prize for Best Animated Feature.

Travis Knight says it was 'bittersweet' getting this wrapped up.

"Now we're finally sharing this thing that we've been working on for years with the rest of the world and I'm really thrilled by the response so far."

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Oscar-winning actor Ke Huy Quan's had a memorable Hollywood career, but there's more to his story than the fame and accolades.

He got his start as a child actor, having starred inIndiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Goonies - but he took a hiatus after he couldn't find any new roles in his 20s.

Two decades later, he made a big professional comeback and won an Oscar for his role in the hit film Everything Everywhere All at Once.

But before his big film career, he was a refugee escaping a war-torn Vietnam, and he's exploring that part of his life in his new memoir Never Say Die.

"I never thought I would have the courage to write this book, but I'm really glad I did."

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London Station by David McCloskey. This is the fourth book in his series about Artemis Aphrodite Procter, a CIA operative who’s a bit of a maverick and does things by her own rules. The author used to work at the CIA and clearly knows his way around and some of the background in the stories is fascinating. In this new one, Artemis has been (reluctantly) appointed as the Chief of the CIA London’s station just as the American administration wants to cut ties with their UK counterparts and diplomatic change is in the air. This is as good as the previous titles.

Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus – who wrote the brilliant Lessons in Chemistry which has now been loved by thousands of readers. This is her first book since, about a young man who gets a job at the most prestigious, secretive and dysfunctional poetry journal in the world: the renowned Peck & Peck. Batter Gray (named after his mother’s dog) is an unusual individual who ends up working for an even more unusual business. It’s quirky and clever. 

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Three years after the devastating fires tore through the village of Lahaina, Megan Singleton visited the seaside town as part of her day in Maui.  

Officials have been working to rebuild residential homes, and it's expected more new businesses will be opening in 2028.  

Amid the ongoing recovery efforts, Megan shared what Maui has to offer - read more about her experience here.   

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This week on the Sunday Panel, Newstalk ZB Wellington mornings host Nick Mills and Resident Economist at Opes Partners Ed McKnight joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more!

Enrolments are due to close tonight, with early voting beginning on Monday. 92 percent of eligible Kiwis are enrolled, but only 69 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds are enrolled. Do we think officials have done enough to get people enrolled? How could they reach more people?

JetBlue has teamed up with Virgin Voyages to launch a child-free holiday package made exclusively for travellers over 18. Do we see this catching on? 

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Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 25 October.
Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Neurowellness is an emerging health and wellness framework aimed at regulating the autonomic nervous system.

New data indicates anxiety and mental health problems are on the rise, with Gallup’s 2025 global survey of 144 countries finding that 40 percent of people are reporting high anxiety on any given day.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara unpacked the phenomenon further. 

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Roasted pineapple and lime custard layered meringue 

Cook time: 30-40 minutes 

Prep time: 30 minutes 

Serves: 6

1/2 fresh pineapple  

1 tsp sunflower oil  

1 tbsp dark brown sugar  

Lime leaf custard  

200ml milk  

300ml cream  

6 makrut leaves, lightly crushed  

1 vanilla pod, scraped and seeds discarded  

5 egg yolks  

100gm sugar  

Brown sugar meringue  

125ml egg whites (approx. 4-5 eggs)  

250gm soft brown sugar  

Soft cream if required

Preheat oven to 180*C. Using a sharp knife, slice skin off pineapple. Cut pineapple in half length ways and remove core. Slice each half thinly. Lightly oil a roasting tray and lay out pineapple pieces in a single layer. Sprinkle with sugar and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.  

For the custard  

Place milk and cream in a heavy-based saucepan with vanilla pod and makrut lime leaves. Heat to boiling then remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy. Slowly whisk in hot milk and cream. Place in a clean saucepan and stir over a low heat until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Transfer to a jug and cool in fridge.  

For the meringue  

Turn oven down to 150*C. Using whisk attachment in an electric mixer, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually the sugar while whisking, until the whites become stiff and glossy. Line a 20 x 30cm with baking paper, dotting a little of the meringue mix between the tray and the paper to keep it in place. Spoon meringue onto tray and spread out thinly. Bake for 25 minutes, remove from oven and leave to cool. Once cool, break into large, rough chunks. and assemble your Eton mess in a large glass jar. Refrigerator till required.

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Could blocking out noise during surgery stop you from feeling sick afterwards? 

If you've ever had surgery under general anaesthetic, you might remember waking up feeling nauseous, dizzy or desperately wanting to vomit. 

It's a surprisingly common side effect of anaesthesia, and despite doctors routinely giving patients medications to prevent it, many people still experience it. 

A new clinical trial suggests that simply covering patients' ears during surgery could significantly reduce their chances of feeling sick afterwards. 

The research, presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2026 annual conference in San Diego, raises an intriguing question about how much information our brains continue to process when we're under general anaesthetic. 

The researchers recruited 192 adults aged between 18 and 65 who were undergoing keyhole surgery and randomly divided them into two groups. 

The first group underwent surgery as normal, receiving standard general anaesthesia and medications to help prevent nausea. 

The second group received exactly the same treatment, but from the moment they were anaesthetised until their surgery was completed, they wore noise-blocking ear defenders. 

They recorded whether participants experienced nausea, retching or vomiting while recovering from their anaesthetic and during the following two days. 

The results found that only 35 percent of the ear defender wearing patients experienced nausea or vomiting within 48 hours compared to 52 percent without ear defenders (32 percent reduction). 

They also found that patients whose hearing had been protected experienced less severe symptoms during the first 24 hours after surgery. 

So why would blocking sound make a difference when someone is unconscious? 

It's tempting to think of general anaesthesia as switching the brain off, but that's not really what happens. 

The researchers suspect that sound exposure during surgery might activate stress-related responses even when patients aren't consciously aware of the noise. 

Those responses could potentially interact with the brainstem circuits involved in triggering nausea and vomiting. 

Perhaps blocking sound reduces physiological stress, or changes how the nervous system processes pain. 

The fascinating part to this study is that it challenges our assumptions about what it means to be unconscious. 

The study raises the question that if our brains can still respond to the world when we are unconscious, perhaps a quieter operating theatre could help us wake up feeling better. 

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New data has revealed only 4 percent of music streamed in New Zealand over the 2025-2026 timeframe was made by Kiwi artists.

Despite revenue being up, it's harder for Kiwi musicians to earn their share, with more people gravitating towards international artists.

Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall says the streaming share for Kiwi artists has dropped over 28 percent over the last 5 years, despite the growing number of homegrown acts bringing crowds to their shows. 

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Celebrity Michelin star chef Josh Emett was appointed Air New Zealand's culinary ambassador earlier in the year - and his new menu officially launched today.

Emett’s dishes will be available as part of some Premium Economy and Business Premier long haul services out of Auckland and North America.

He says this Kiwi-inspired menu has been in the works for the last six months.

"First and foremost, you've just got to create delicious food - that is consistent and that definitely has a point of interest. We've dialled into great Kiwi ingredients, we've got a gorgeous venison dish with golden kumara chutney and then we spice the beetroot with kawakawa." 

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Gangs remain a contentious topic during this election campaign, following another week of high-profile incidents.

Labour's Kerrin Leoni has resigned after a video emerged of her campaigning at a whanau event, with gang members present.

A photo recently emerged of National's Tama Potaka standing next to patched members of the Mongrel Mob., prompting Labour's Chris Hipkins to accuse Luxon of 'double standards'.

Former Minister and commentator Peter Dunne says these events have slowed down Labour's political momentum, and the damage has been done. 

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There's a new treatment aimed at reducing melanoma, and it's seeing positive developments.

An mRNA-based melanoma vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of death or cancer coming back among patients by 42 percent.

The vaccine has undergone a phase III trial, led by experts in Australia and New Zealand.

Kiwi oncologist Dr Gareth Rivalland led the New Zealand part of the research, and he says this is the first treatment that's added to existing immunotherapy methods - with a significant jump in benefits. 

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There's hope for a last minute rush tonight, as a significant number of Kiwis still aren't enrolled to vote in the election yet.

The deadline to enrol to vote is midnight tonight, with voting starting from Monday until election day on November 7.

Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne says they're hoping 100 percent of eligible people will enrol to vote.

"We want to see that rise, and we're getting a lot of enrolment transactions coming through at the moment - so we know it'll keep going up."

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If you were feeling a little election fatigue before this week, you may now be reaching for the remote, the mute button and possibly something stronger than a cup of tea.

We’ve had the policies, the debates, voting strategies and enough political point-scoring to qualify as an Olympic sport. Voters have listened patiently to arguments about the cost of living, health, education and the economy. All important stuff, of course. But even the most devoted political tragic can only take so many announcements before wondering whether anyone has actually come to fix anything.

Then along comes the gangs controversy. Suddenly, the campaign had a fresh lease of life - although not the sort any party leader, or voter, wanted.

Photographs of Green and Te Pāti Māori politicians at a Mongrel Mob gathering sparked fierce criticism. Labour leader Chris Hipkins condemned their judgement and ruled those parties out of police and corrections portfolios in a potential Government. Then Labour candidate Kerrin Leoni appeared in footage campaigning alongside gang members in Labour-branded clothing. She resigned on Friday.

And just when National may have thought it had a comfortable position from which to criticise its opponents, and boy did they, a photograph emerged of National minister Tama Potaka with Mongrel Mob members at a public hui. Potaka said one gang member was a former schoolmate who had asked for a photo. Christopher Luxon insisted the circumstances were quite different.

Today, photos of Luxon and Erica Stanford at an event around the Abuse in Care report have surfaced.  

Welcome to election campaigning, where every photograph has a backstory, every backstory has a rebuttal, and every rebuttal creates more questions.

The trouble for leaders is that voters expect, and deserve, consistency. It is erratic and suspect to declare a standard non-negotiable on a Wednesday, and on Thursday the following week announce that applying it to your own team requires a more sympathetic interpretation of the evidence.

There are genuine distinctions between attending a public event, maintaining family connections and actively campaigning for votes alongside gang members. Politicians should be able to explain those distinctions. Equally, voters are entitled to question the judgement involved, given gang violence causes real harm to families and communities.

We should also remember that contact with gang members does not automatically mean endorsement of criminal behaviour. Politicians sometimes need to engage with difficult people and difficult communities. The challenge is knowing where engagement ends and political promotion begins.

But the timing is brutal. With the campaign already well advanced, leaders have found themselves defending decisions, distancing themselves from colleagues and answering questions they would much rather avoid. The important conversations have been elbowed aside by gang patches and political photographs.

For voters, the weariness is understandable. Shall we have an amnesty on photos with gang members and be done with it? Come on - let's lay them all out on the table and be done with it. Voters want solutions, not another week of political theatre in which everyone claims the moral high ground while checking whether their own footprints are visible.  

Thankfully, the election will ultimately be decided by more than one controversy. The campaign is entering its final stretch. Perhaps the best promise any politician could make now is a simple one: leadership and positivity. Or as National would say - Stick to the Plan.  

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Irish actor Ciaran Hinds has spent five decades in the film industry, including distinctive roles in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, There Will Be Blood, Munich and Game of Thrones.

His latest project, The Three Urns, will be available for Kiwi audiences too check out soon - as part of the upcoming British and Irish Film Festival. 

He says the film follows the story of a man on a mission, but there's some extra details that won't surface until the end. 

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Taika Waititi is well-regarded as one of New Zealand's most successful directors - and he's got a new project in the works.

He's known for directing films like Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit, Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What We Do in the Shadows, but the new sci-fi film Klara and the Sun promises to show fans a different experience.

He says he didn't feel the need to 'Taika' this project up too much, and add as many jokes as he's used to using.

"Cause it's a really beautiful story, it's kind of bittersweet as well, and I want to retain all that and not make it a super silly film." 

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Adam & Eve by Jeffrey Archer. Sadly, this is his last work of fiction but is a great way to end an extraordinary career. Many readers will recall Kane & Abel which is considered by many to be amongst his finest work - and lovers of that will love this one. It begins on Armistice Day, 1918, when two very different children are born. One is the daughter of an Earl, the other the son of a shepherd who works on the Earl's estate. Despite their different circumstances they form an extraordinary bond and on a September night in 1940 as Hitler prepares to invade Britain, their actions will change his mind.

Inter Alia by Suzie Miller. She wrote a wonderful play, and novel, called Prima Facie which was a legal story as is this. Jessica is a judge in London. Her husband resents that she’s been appointed to the bench when he hasn’t, and hey have a teenage son with social issues about whom they worry. They’re thrilled when he’s invited to a party, but things don’t go as planned and in the weeks and months afterwards, Jessica has to juggle the competing pressure of being a mother, an advocate for her child, a wife, a friend and a judge. As with Prima Facie it’s very well done - terrific storytelling with a moral dilemma at its heart.

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Travel expert Megan Singleton's on her latest adventure to Hawaii, and she's noticed it's still busy in the off-season.

She took a look at the Pearl Harbour memorial ahead of the infamous bombing's 85th anniversary, and experienced a sunset harbour cruise.  

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This week on the Sunday Panel, journalist and editor, Jo McCarroll, and Director at 818, Chris Henry, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

Do we know who we're going to vote for yet? Early voting opens next week - are we ready for it? What do we need to see in the coming days? 

The Taxpayers' Union recently released a controversial attack ad directed at Labour - and made with AI. Do we think this is fair campaigning?

What's with the supermarket chicken bags being sold on eBay? 

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Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 18 October.
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The spring season is well underway, which means there's more pollen in the air.

Spring hay fever (allergic rhinitis) affects about 20 percent of New Zealanders, with symptoms typically peaking between September and November.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained why these conditions are more likely to impact some people, and how they can work around it all.

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Spring risotto with peas, rocket and asparagus 

Cook time: 30 minutes 

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Serves: 6

600ml vegetable stock  

1 onion, finely chopped  

4 cloves garlic, crushed  

1/2 white wine  

3 Tbsp sunflower oil  

250 gm Arborio rice  

100 gm butter  

1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan  

1 cup fresh peas  

1 bunch asparagus  

2 small leeks  

1/2 cup chopped fresh rocket  

Shaved parmesan to serve

Blanch the peas, leeks and asparagus in some lightly salted boiling water and refresh in an ice bath. Drain and aside.

Next, make the risotto.  

Start by frying the onions and the garlic together in a large frying pan with the sunflower oil.  

Add the rice and toast on high for 5 minutes while stirring with a wooden spoon, we are looking for a toasty brown color. Turn the pan down and add the wine and reduce fully.  

Gradually add the hot stock, a little at a time until the rice is al dente.  

Turn of the heat and stir in the butter and the grated Parmesan. Add the blanched peas, aparagus, leeks and the rocket and stir to combine.  

Serve with some shaved Parmesan and extra rocket.

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If you've ever spent hours memorising vocabulary and grammar in a new language, only to find yourself completely lost when a native speaker starts talking, your ears might be part of the problem. 

New research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology suggests that people who are better at detecting tiny differences between sounds may have an advantage when learning a new language. 

The challenge is that our brains spend years learning which sounds matter in our native language. We become so good at recognising familiar sounds that we struggle to distinguish unfamiliar ones. 

For example, Cantonese speakers learning English may find it difficult to distinguish certain vowels, such as the sounds in cat and bed. It's not that their hearing is worse, but that their brains have learned to organise sounds differently. 

To investigate this, researchers studied Japanese learners of English and tested how accurately they could distinguish subtle differences in sounds. 

Rather than just playing English words, the researchers also used non-speech sounds, testing whether participants could detect tiny changes in pitch, duration and other acoustic features. This allowed them to measure how precisely someone could hear differences without relying on their language knowledge. 

They then used functional MRI brain scans to investigate what happened when participants listened to unfamiliar English vowel sounds. 

The results revealed that people better at detecting subtle sound differences showed less activity in a brain network involved in connecting sounds with familiar speech patterns. Those with less precise hearing relied more heavily on this network. 

The research suggests that your brain's expertise in your native language might sometimes get in the way of learning a new one. 

So, does this mean we should spend less time memorising vocabulary and more time training our ears? Possibly, although this particular study didn't test whether auditory training improves language learning. 

Earlier research by the same team suggests we can. In a 2022 experiment, scientists divided 98 Japanese learners of English into four groups. Some practised distinguishing unfamiliar English vowels, others trained their ears using non-speech sounds, a third group combined both approaches, and a fourth acted as a control. 

The results found that practising listening to sounds that aren't even words helped people recognise sounds in a foreign language. 

Instead of immediately reading a new word, try listening to it several times first. Pay attention to differences between similar vowels or consonants, and practise identifying which sound you're hearing. Listen to the pitch, rhythm and timing of native speakers, even when you don't understand every word. 

For tonal languages such as Cantonese or Mandarin, where changing the pitch of a syllable can change its meaning entirely, learning to hear these differences is particularly important. 

None of these techniques guarantees faster language learning, but they encourage us to practise a skill that traditional vocabulary and grammar exercises can overlook. 

We often assume that learning a language is primarily about remembering more words. This research is a reminder that before our brains can understand those words, they first have to hear the sounds that make them up.

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There's plenty of new streaming shows for TV fans to get into, and Steve Newall outlined his picks for the week.

Small Prophets is a short form comedy series that's been available in the UK for a few months, and it recently made its debut on Apple TV.

Crystal Lake is a horror series available on Neon, and it follows the origin story of horror icon Jason Voorhees.

Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall explained further.

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After months of hype and excitement, Olivia Dean's sold-out concert took place at the new Western Springs Bowl - but it wasn't without some issues.

Three songs in, the concert was stalled for 40 minutes following some technical issues. 

Newstalk ZB host Andrew Dickens says it was an 'amazing' experience with a huge crowd of fans, ignoring the technical troubles. 

"I think the system had some computer glitch to it, I think they had to reload and reset everything computerised. I know a lot of people have said - well, we don't know what happened there." 

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The Greens say their trades policy will end up providing a boost to the local economy. 

If elected, the party will abolish the training wage, and introduce a $2000 equipment grant to help cover tools, uniforms and course materials.

Newstalk ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths says this is in contrast to ACT's plan to reduce the training wage and freeze the minimum wage.

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A dominant first half has earned the All Blacks a 43-21 victory in the second test against the Wallabies in Sydney.

The visitors carried a 36-7 lead into the break as an improved second half from Australia just wasn't enough.

Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith says it was a match of 'two halves' and the Australian side could have taken the lead in the right circumstances.

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GPs hope a $400-million-dollar political pledge results in more competitive pay packets.

The ACT Party is promising the funding boost if elected, which is designed to help practices offer competitive remuneration and retain staff.

It's worth about six percent of GPs budgets.  

Royal College of General Practitioners President Dr Luke Bradford says it shines a light on the issues they face right now. 

"It's an absolute privilege, looking after people all the way through their life course, and their whole families. But it is a hard sell when, on average, there's a $100,000-per-year pay difference between GPs and hospital doctors."

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It is about now in an election campaign when you start weighing up the benefits of a 4-year term, right?  

Attack ads? Tick. Scare tactics? Tick. MPs in a Gang furore? Tick. The release of basic, sensible and unspectacular policies? Tick. Debates in which no one shines? Tick.  

It’s hardly been an inspirational election campaign has it. Too many familiar faces with the same unconvincing rhetoric.  

Do we really want to do this again in another three years? It feels too soon.  

Earlier this year, the Government scrapped plans to put a four-year Parliamentary term to a referendum. And there are undoubtedly legitimate concerns over a longer term leading to less constraints on power, less accountability, a need for stronger checks and balances within Government, and our wavering trust in politicians. 

But if a referendum was being held on November 7th, I’m sure many would be attracted by the chance to avoid, for an additional year, having to go through another dispiriting election campaign like this one. Made worse by the parties ‘soft launching’ their campaigns as soon as the Prime Minister announced the election date in January.  

But there’s a good chance the next governing arrangements will look different to anything we’ve experienced before, and it’s something that might give you pause for thought.  

The two major parties are polling in the high 20’s – the latest poll released on Friday has Labour on 29 and National on 28 – and history tells us the polls don’t normally move much in the final campaign weeks.  As Derek Cheng observed in his NZ Herald article yesterday, “This election could well mark the first time the biggest party in Government has support in the 20s.”  

It all depends on where the votes land on November 7th - and whether there’s an overhang, and if TOP gets 5 percent. We could end up with a three party coalition, a four party coalition, or a three party coalition with confidence and supply agreements. The one thing which seems certain is that the major parties will be weaker than they’ve been before under MMP.  

So election day is going to be interesting - but the real action will take place after November 7th as the government formation process takes place?

We know parties are reluctant to give us their non-negotiables bottom lines. We also know they would prefer to be in power than sit on the sideline. So, voters have the difficult job over the next few weeks of working out for themselves how possible coalitions would work, which policies and initiatives would be agreed, and which would be sacrificed.

Given all the uncertainly we’re already faced with, taking a four year term referendum off the table feels more and more like a sensible move. Even as an additional year’s respite from election campaigning gets more appealing by the day. 

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Kiwi comedian, actress and director Alice Snedden has relocated to the UK, and she's got a new project for fans to stream on Neon.

Snedden's best known for the BBC show Starstruck, as well as the likes of Funny Girls, Jono and Ben, Educators and Taskmaster NZ.

She says she always goes back to creating things she's going to have good time on, and her new show, Break Clause, has a relatable premise.

"If you're a young couple - even living just the two of them together is pretty aspirational, the idea that they could sustain a place on their own or anything like that is absurd." 

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Psychologist John Aiken is best known for matchmaking and advising the contestants on Married at First Sight - but he's got a new project lined up. 

Lessons on Living is a three-part series inspired by the late Nigel Latta, with the original book being released last year on the day he died.  

John Aiken explained that he's carrying on the conversation Nigel started, and it's very different to what he's used to. 

"It was a chance to really deep dive on some of the key elements to building resilience, and doing it by interviewing really powerful Kiwis, and also doing experiments and also getting to know Nigel's nearest and dearest."  

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There's all sorts of new and exciting ideas happening in the world of travel - and even New Zealand-made developments are getting credit.

BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton explored the benefits and opportunities that come with bigger projects like Etihad Rail and Viking's new hybrid hydrogen powered cruise ship.

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American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee. She wrote the wonderful book Pachinko some years ago and this is another masterpiece. John Koh is a South Korean businessman who’s badly betrayed by his boss and struggles to find another job, in the midst of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. He’s most concerned about the future of his kids, and the family move from Seoul to Sydney and then to Los Angeles looking for the good opportunities which never come. The next generation get involved in a hagwon, which is essentially a cramming school for students – but unlike the typical hagwon which is entirely driven by the desperate need for academic success, they’re more interested in developing well rounded and less stressed students.

Partita by Barbara Kingsolver. Author of the equally brilliant The Poisonwood Bible and Demon Copperhead amongst others. Lydia Bohusz is a young, naïve, supremely gifted pianist who leaves Appalachia for college where her prodigious musicality promises a brilliant future - until an affair and its subsequent aftermath dramatically changes the course of her life. This is Barbara Kingsolver writing at her most sublime. 

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This week on the Sunday Panel, journalist Simon Wilson and host of The Prosperity Project, Nadine Higgins, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

New data shows over a third of young Kiwis are not enrolled to vote - two weeks ahead of enrolment closing. Are we doing enough to engage young people? How important is it that we get young people enrolled and voting? Do we think the law change to stop election day enrolments will have an impact on this election?   

National has recently announced they'll be campaigning on students being required to stay at school until they complete year 11, rather than being able to leave when they turn 16. It also wants more uniform school start and finish dates. Do we think this is a good idea? Do we see this working for voters? 

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On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 11 October, MAFS relationship expert John Aiken has taken on a new challenge.  He joins Francesca to talk about bringing the last work of Nigel Latta to life in new tv show 'Lessons on Living'.

Kiwi director, comedian and writer Alice Snedden is back with a new show 'Break Clause'.  Alice joins Francesca to share what it's like trying to make a name for yourself in the UK tv industry.

Francesca questions US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision to livestream an execution.

With two weeks until enrolments close,more than a third of young people are still no enrolled. On a Roll is a youth led campaign to get young people enrolled, volunteer Adriana Bird lets us know why that demographic is slow to enrol and what could be done to get them more engaged in politics.

And Michelle Dickinson shares why joint exercise might just be the key to a happier marriage.

Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Frozen vegetable yellow curry with crispy pork 

Cook time: 60 minutes 

Prep time: 20 minutes 

Serves: 6

400gm Brined pork belly  

2 tbsp sunflower oil  

2 cups frozen mixed vegetable  

2 cups fresh spinach leaves  

1 cup of curry paste  

2 can coconut cream  

1 cup vegetable stock  

2 tbsp brown sugar  

3 tbsp thai fish sauce  

Juice of 2 lemons  

1 cup mint leaves  

1 cup coriander leaves  

Curry paste  

1 onion, peeled & diced  

6 garlic cloves, peeled  

2 stalks of lemongrass  

1 knob ginger  

2 tbsp curry powder  

2 chilli, you choose!  

1 cup of coriander stems, left over from the leaves  

1/4 cup sunflower oil  

1 tsp salt  

6 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves (optional)

Pre-heat a oven to 170*c  

Place the brined and dried pork onto a oven tray and place in the oven for 1 hour. To finish, turn the oven to grill to crisp up the skin.  

To make the curry paste, bend all the ingredients together until smooth.  

Heat a cast iron fry-pan. Add in the yellow curry paste and fry over a medium heat until the paste become fragrant.  

Add the coconut cream along with vegetable stock. Season with a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and then add in the frozen vegetables. Simmer for a further 10 minutes.  

Finish by adding the sugar, Thai fish sauce, lemon juice and finally the mint, coriander leaves and spinach leaves.  

Chop up the crispy pork and place into the curry just before you serve. 

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The state of the health system is a big talking point in this year's election, but there's debate to be had about preventative steps as well.

Despite the well-documented benefits of preventive measures, many people fail to engage in proactive preventive health behaviours - and there's also societal factors that add to declining health, like housing, income, and food systems.  

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara unpacked the debate further.

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What if one of the simplest ways to improve your marriage wasn't couples counselling, a romantic holiday or an expensive date night, but something as ordinary as going for a walk together?

New research published in the journal Family Relations suggests that couples who exercise together may communicate better, resolve disagreements more peacefully and experience less conflict in their marriages.

The study looked at nearly 1,700 married couples that were part of a larger research project called the Couple Relationships and Transition Experiences (CREATE) study, which investigates relationships during the early years of marriage.

They examined two different types of physical activity: exercise that husbands and wives did individually, and exercise they participated in together.

They then compared those exercise habits against three measures of relationship health:

The researchers collected information from both husbands and wives rather than relying on just one person's perspective, they then used a statistical technique called dyadic regression, which allows researchers to analyse information from two people in the same relationship while accounting for the fact that their experiences are connected. 

They also compared individual and shared exercise within their statistical models to see which had the stronger association with relationship outcomes.

The results showed that 60 percent of husbands and wives reported exercising, but only about one-third exercised together.

When the researchers compared the responses, they found that people who exercised generally reported healthier relationships than those who didn't.

Shared exercise was associated with better communication, more constructive conflict resolution and lower levels of marital conflict.

This is particularly interesting because the most commonly reported shared exercise wasn't an intensive gym workout, running or cycling, it was walking.

The researchers suggest that walking together may offer something that exercising alone doesn't - uninterrupted opportunities to talk, listen and connect without the distractions of everyday life.

Couples who exercised together also reported feeling more heard and supported by their partners.

There may also be other factors at play. Couples who have more free time, fewer financial pressures or similar interests might find it easier to exercise together and also experience less relationship stress.

However, when you're walking side by side, there are fewer distractions competing for your attention and you're not necessarily looking at a television, checking emails or rushing through household chores. Instead, you have time to talk about your day, discuss problems or simply enjoy each other's company.

The study concluded that exercise may also improve mood and help regulate stress, potentially making difficult conversations easier and is a simple and free way to help improve your physical and marital health. 

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The Celebrity Traitors UK is back for another season - where UK stars need to guess each other's motives for a cash prize for the charity of their choosing.

The first season was well-received, but what can this new season offer viewers.

Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall explained further - and whether this show could be a good distraction during a busy election season.

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Mental Health Awareness Week is set to get underway for another year, with this year's theme being 'Belonging Matters.' 

More Kiwis are reporting feeling lonelier than ever, according to new data - and schools, workplaces and other communities are being encouraged to give people opportunities to connect. 

Mental Health Foundation CEO Shaun Robinson says economic troubles, global tension and lack of trust are pushing us all away from each other.

"That has created a climate of blame, and finger-pointing - we know that there are worsening levels of trust around the world and that is also affecting New Zealand. All of that tends to push people away from one another."

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The election season is well and truly under way, with the first debates of the campaign taking place last week.

The cost of living, the health system and education were among some of the major issues discussed on the campaign trail.

Former Minister and commentator Peter Dunne says the first leaders' debate fell 'flat' and it's still a very close race for both major parties.

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The All Blacks have ensured the Bledisloe Cup's air miles are limited for another year.

The 50-19 win over the Wallabies at Eden Park has extended the run to at least 25 years between series wins for the Australians, who last defended the Cup in 2002.

Former All Black and Sky Sport commentator Jeff Wilson says the Kiwi side will have learned some lessons following their string of losses to the Springboks.

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The election is a month away and enrolment is due to close in two weeks - but new data shows a significant number of eligible young Kiwis aren't enrolled. 

Recent data from the Electoral Commission shows only 63.4 percent of people aged between 18 and 24 are enrolled to vote, and questions have been raised.   

On a Roll campaign volunteer Adriana Bird says this age demographic is more mobile, meaning updating their enrolment details can fall by the wayside.

"This age bracket is very mobile when it comes to updating details as well, you often have young people that are moving flats, moving accommodation, moving in and out of halls that struggle with kind of knowing how to navigate the system in that way." 

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There are some crimes so horrendous that finding the right words to describe them is almost impossible. The 2009 Fort Hood shooting in Texas, in which Nidal Hasan killed 13 people and wounded 32 others, is one of them. 

Hasan was convicted and sentenced to death. Now, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says his execution by firing squad, scheduled for December 3, will be livestreamed so the public can watch. The reasoning, apparently, is that people need to understand there are serious consequences for crimes like this. 

Really? I think we already understand. 

There can be no argument about the enormity of what Hasan did, or the devastation inflicted on the victims, their families and colleagues.  The justice system has imposed its ultimate penalty.  

But why do we need to watch? 

What does livestreaming an execution actually achieve? Is it about transparency? Or has the business of justice, or vengeance, become a performance, with the execution the grand finale, the final episode? 

I have never watched a beheading. I have never watched footage of the Christchurch mosque massacre. I have never deliberately sought out videos of people being killed. Not because I don't want to understand the horror of these events, but because I don't believe watching somebody die helps me understand it any better. It also feels disrespectful to the victims. Their horror turned into a curiosity.    

We’re already surrounded by images of violence. The internet has made it possible to witness the very worst of humanity, often within seconds of it happening. But just because something can be broadcast doesn't mean it should be, and we could be subjected to it even if we choose not to watch.  

There is a reason public executions have largely disappeared from modern society. It’s believed this would be the first public execution in the US in almost a century. Legally there may be issues as to whether it can be broadcast. But there’s no doubt that reducing someone's death to a spectacle risks reducing a serious judicial act to entertainment, outrage or political messaging.  

And it raises an uncomfortable question: what separates this from the public executions associated with countries such as Iran, or the Taliban in Afghanistan? This places the United States in dubious company.  

Will watching an execution deter crime? People continue to commit crimes knowing they could be put to death for them. Does it help victims' families? I can’t say. But this feels less about deterrence, and more about asserting control, projecting power and scoring political points. 

We can understand the severity of a crime without watching someone die. We can support justice without turning death into a show. A healthy society is measured not by what it is able to broadcast, but by what it chooses to leave unwatched.  

JD Vance has said that if the livestream of the execution goes ahead, he won’t be watching it. For once, there’s something we agree on.   

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Amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, one filmmaker has made a start on depicting history as it continues to unfold.

The Wizard of the Kremlin is an adaptation of the book of the same name and it follows the political landscape of post-Soviet Russia and President Vladimir Putin's resulting rise to power. 

French filmmaker Olivier Assayas says making a movie about modern history comes with risks and concerns - since the world can change in five minutes these days. 

"You're dealing with a battleground that's very much alive, and anything can happen, including major events that would make your movie worthless or pointless. I always had in the back of my mind - okay, we're shooting, we're rewriting this, we're preparing this, we're shooting this, where will we be in a year?" 

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Sir Tony Robinson has made a name for himself as an actor, an author and a historian - and he's set to bring his stories to New Zealand shores for another tour.

Following the success of his tour in February, he's set to bring An Audience with Sir Tony Robinson: The Regional Encore Tour across New Zealand this November. 

Robinson says he's looking forward to experiencing the 'variety' all of New Zealand's cities can offer him, especially in the regional areas. 

"It's the same with my career - when I'm doing something, it's like part of my brain's going, next one, next one, what happens next?" 

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Stationsby Louise Kennedy. Róisín and Red are kids in the same small Irish town, some years later meeting up again in a precarious London squat where Red has discovered booze and drugs and sidelines Róisín who has to make her own life. For 25 years they’re haunted by each other, and what might have been.

Nothing But the Truth by Stuart Greive KC. With over five decades working in law, few have had as much experience of New Zealand courtrooms as Stuart Grieve KC. Having had a front-row seat for many of the most notorious cases in our recent history, he's also seen the evolution of our legal systems and society over the years. 

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Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 4 October.
Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Royal Caribbean recently acquired a 50 percent stake in operator ​Sandals Resorts International for $3 billion.

This move is aimed at expanding Royal Caribbean's land-based offerings for tourists in order to boost travel spending and give people more experiences.

BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton says this will likely lead to a mix of land and cruise-based all-inclusive experiences for travellers. 

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This week on the Sunday Panel, journalist and broadcaster, Wilhelmina O’Keeffe, and Coast Day host, Lorna Riley, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

The Green Party has announced plans to introduce an overnight rail service between Auckland and Wellington, a passenger rail between Christchurch and Dunedin, and to extend the Te Huia train route to Tauranga. Do we support this? Will this be good for tourism? 

Price gouging is back in the news again, after the Electric Avenue music festival in Christchurch sold out. People were re-selling tickets at marked-up prices and one Airbnb property manager cancelled a client's booking and re-listed it - from $1032 to $9210. What do we make of this? Can we really regulate price gouging? 

Jobseekers are sounding the alarm over 'ghost interviews' that harvest data to train artificial intelligence. There's calls to ban these - how concerning is this development? 

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With the recent opening of Auckland's CRL, more local pubs and restaurants will see a boost in potential visitors, and Mike's compiled his recommendations for a CRL food and drink adventure.

The Waitemata station features the Queen's Rooftop Bar, the Te Waihorotiu Station is close to the Irish bar Father Teds ,and for the Karanga-a-hape Station, Mike recommends the Lebanese Grocer.

Maungahau Station, or Mt Eden, features the Galbraith Alehouse - with a big selection of brews to choose from. 

From there, Mike recommends getting off at Morningside, where you'll find the Urbanaut Brewing Co just across the road.  

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Imagine your phone suddenly flashes with an emergency alert in the middle of the night and you must leave your home immediately. 

What do you grab? 

Researchers have been investigating what people would want to take with them during a disaster as part of the Wellcome Trust-funded After the End project, which is investigating how people experience and recover from crises. 

1,000 adults were asked to imagine receiving an emergency alert telling them to leave their home immediately and take enough supplies to last for the next three days. They were then asked what they would want to take with them. 

Most participants forgot to pack essential survival items including food, water, essential medicines, cash, important documents and batteries or power banks. 

Only four people out of the 1,000 surveyed reported being already fully prepared for a disaster with a pre-packed emergency bag. 

Then, the researchers asked if they could take one more item what would it be. 

Their answers didn't simply list more survival equipment - they started listing pieces of their lives. 

Photographs were the most mentioned item, with nearly a third of participants saying they would take them. Phones came next, followed by jewellery and sentimental keepsakes. Dogs, toys and teddy bears, cats, books, wedding rings, letters, diaries, children's artwork and even the ashes of deceased relatives and pets all appeared among the responses. 

It might initially seem irrational.  If your house is threatened by fire, flood or another disaster, surely bottled water is objectively more useful than a teddy bear? 

Psychology suggests it may not be quite that simple due to a psychological concept known as the extended self where some of the things we own become incorporated into the way we understand ourselves. 

Your wedding ring isn't simply a piece of metal, a photograph isn't merely ink on paper, an old teddy bear isn't simply fabric and stuffing.  These objects can contain memories of people, places and earlier versions of ourselves. 

Following the devastating 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake in Japan, researchers surveyed survivors about important possessions they had lost. People who had lost possessions they considered important showed greater stress than those who had not, supporting the idea that involuntarily losing meaningful possessions can affect us psychologically. 

Researchers also looked at self-efficacy, which is our belief that we are capable of dealing with situations and achieving what we need to achieve. 

Someone with high self-efficacy is more likely to think: I can deal with this. 

People in the survey who reported greater self-efficacy also reported having more of the practical items, which raises an interesting possibility. 

Disaster preparedness may not simply be about owning enough tins of food, it may also be about creating a sense that I know who I am, I know what matters to me and I can cope with what happens next. 

Emergency authorities are right to focus on water, food, medication, communications and other essentials. Those things can literally keep us alive. 

But perhaps psychological survival deserves a little space in the bag too. 

Because disasters don't just remove electricity, running water and access to shops. 

They can suddenly remove our home, our routines and the familiar objects that normally surround us. 

And when almost everything familiar disappears, a photograph, wedding ring or battered childhood teddy bear may do something surprisingly important. 

It reminds us that although our surroundings have changed, we are still us. 

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The line-up for Laneway 2027 has been released, with Fontaines D.C., Slayyyter, Adéla and Hayley Williams set to headline.

The event will take place at Auckland's Western Springs on February 21, and pre-sale tickets will be available from October 7th.

Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall unpacked the full line-up, and noted this will be the first New Zealand performance for some acts. 

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The Government books were opened up last week, and they unveil a somewhat more promising outlook ahead of the election.

The Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update shows the planned 2028/29 surplus - will be nearly $2 billion dollars bigger than forecast, and the Crown will borrow less. 

Political commentator Brigitte Morton says the focus is now on Labour to respond to this with their own announcements and financial updates - including their pay equity plan. 

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Last week, Australia's ban on credit and debit card surcharges took effect, and it's sparked debate as to whether we should follow suit.

National expressed interest in implementing a similar rule with the Retail Payment System (Ban on Merchant Surcharges) Amendment Bill, but it appears to have stalled following backlash. 

Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young says this ban led to Australian businesses increasing prices - and it's likely Kiwi businesses will have to do the same if these changes were made. 

"In such a tight environment, everyone's struggling - consumers are struggling, businesses are struggling - that 2 percent or 2 and a half percent or 3 percent can make a difference around whether a business survives or doesn't survive." 

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The 2026 election season is well under way, with ACT officially set to get their campaign going this weekend.

According to the Herald's most recent Poll of Polls, ACT is on 8 percent support - but leader David Seymour isn't fazed by this figure.

Seymour says they're up to 11 percent in the most recent poll, and the figures in the Poll of Polls are 'questionable' - given how Opportunity performed. 

"There's never been a poll where they've done better than ACT - you say we're on 8, the latest polls has actually got us on 11... it uses a very questionable formula." 

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This week I thought I would distract myself from talk of tax, fiscal holes and pledge cards by heading to Tauranga to help my parents pack in preparation for a move from a house into an apartment.  

I am a bit of a hoarder. Not in an unhealthy way. My hoarding is very organised - in plastic boxes and tucked out of sight - but I do hold onto things longer than is practical. Walking into my parents half packed house and observing the number of boxes piling up I realised the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree.  

This is not the first time my parents have downsized and they’re very good at having a clean out, and yet my mother still keeps finding children’s paintings, athletics club certificates and school reports.  

Turns out I placed first in the 100m and 400m in 1980 at the Eastern Suburbs Amateur Athletic Club - that’s as good as it got when it came to my athletics career. I played a ‘child’ in the Jill Proudfood School of Ballet Christmas Recital in 1982 according to the programme my mother still had. And I found a Form 7 report card in which teachers had written  “Francesca is an outgoing student who is easily distracted in class.” And “Francesca’s examination result was disappointing. She is capable of better results with more careful revisions and learning the work”.  

Thankfully, in the subjects I loved I was well organised, efficient and competent, and I quote “always makes an intelligent and lively contribution to class discussions”. In other words, they couldn’t shut me up.  

School reports are fun because at the time they’re presented as important documents, but reading them years later you realise the script is often the same - whether you’re doing well or not - and there’s a particular language used by teachers to explain your progression.  

What fascinated me were the two parts of my reports that didn’t require words. One was the grade for Effort - 1 being excellent and 4 being unsatisfactory - and this was a brutal assessment of how things were really going. The other was the number of days attended - in Form 7 I had two days off school.  

In our house, school was simply where you went. Regardless of how sick you were, or whether you felt like going or not. There weren’t extra family holidays tagged onto long weekends. And that tells us something about how much life has changed. 

But what amused me most was that I bothered to gather up all these certificates and reports and bring them home.   

Why do we keep this stuff? I think there’s a moment in every parent’s life when you open a shoe box, drawer or cupboard, and realise you’re not storing useful or relevant things anymore. You’re running a museum, and likely not a well organised one.  

I think the answer is simple. Many parents are incapable of throwing away reminders of their children as children. It’s not about remembering how they did in statistics and economics - in which we’ve already established I didn’t do well - it’s about remembering the child.  

Are any of these nostalgic mementos of my childhood worth keeping? Will they be of any value to my children? Almost certainly not. But while I’m around I’ll continue to treasure the memories they evoke.  

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Kiwi comedian Joseph Moore has been working behind the scenes as a writer on many iconic TV shows like Taskmaster, 7 Days and Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee - and he's hit the big time overseas.   

Earlier this year, he got chosen from hundreds of applicants to write for the new Saturday Night Live UK - and he's proven popular, with his 'Pub Song' skit going viral.    

He says he'd already moved to the UK with his wife, comedian and actress Laura Daniel, but he didn't expect to score something like this. 

"When we moved, we didn't know that SNL UK even in the works, let alone that it existed - but it was never going to happen...so to have landed here has surpassed anything that we were imagining." 

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Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 27 September.
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Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult. This is Jodi doing what she does best. It’s the story of Molly Fitzgerald and her husband Jesse (he was a character in Jodi’s much loved book My Sister’s Keeper and there is a reference to that previous work in here, although it wouldn’t matter if you haven’t read the previous book - it’s just a nice continuation for anyone who did). Molly’s mother died in the Twin Towers in the 9/11 attacks and she’s made her career working in emergency response. But things aren’t quite what they seem and a serious incident sparks the discovery that everything that Molly and Jesse had thought to be true was in fact a lie. 

That Woman by Silvia Cartwright. She is of course a notable New Zealander - she was our first female High Court Judge and our second female Governor General. She chaired the Cartwright Commission in a major enquiry at National Women’s Hospital, and was a judge of war crimes in Cambodia, along with many other achievements throughout her long career. This is her revealing story from a difficult childhood in Dunedin, to blazing a trail, told with humour and empathy and warmth.

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The school holidays have gotten underway, with many Kiwis jetting off for the break.   

Air New Zealand has recently confirmed Rarotonga is now the most popular South Pacific destination for Kiwi travellers, and travel expert Megan Singleton has looked into why this is.  

She highlighted the accommodation choices, the food, the beaches and snorkelling tours - with plenty of options available for all kinds of travellers.   

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This week on the Sunday Panel, Resident Economist at Opes Partners Ed McKnight and host of The Front Page Chelsea Daniels joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

The election campaign has officially launched and the big Leaders Debates are due to take place - with the first one happening on Thursday October 1st. Do we see these upcoming debates changing the minds of prospective voters? Or are these just for political nerds?   

Meta's new smart glasses are officially available in New Zealand. Is this a sign technology has gone too far - or has the horse bolted?   

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We all want to live long and healthy lives, but there's a difference between living longer and living longer well.   

Biological age measures the health and functional state of your cells and tissues, reflecting how well your body is aging compared to your chronological age. 

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained further, and revealed the sleep and nutrition steps to take to improve biological age.   

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Mike's chicken enchiladas

Cook time: 40 minutes 

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Serves: 4-6

4 flour tortilla wraps  

3 cups shredded left over chicken 

1 large onion, peeled and sliced 

3 cloves garlic, crushed 

1 tbsp sunflower oil  

1 can black beans, drained 

2 cans diced whole peeled tomatoes 

2 tbsp tomato paste 

1 tsp dried mixed herbs 

2 tsp smoked paprika 

2 tsp ground cumin 

1/2 tsp chilli powder 

Salt and cracked pepper

1/2 cup soft feta, crumbled 

1/2 cup grated cheddar 

Salt and cracked pepper 

Coriander for garnish

Salad greens for the table

Pre-heat oven to 180*c

Heat a large cast pan over a medium heat and add in the oil. Then the onions and garlic. Sauté until they start to caramelize. Add in the spices and herbs and sauté for a further minute before adding in the whole peeled tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook out for 10 minutes and reduce slightly before turning off to cool.    

Remove about 1 cup of sauce and set aside for later. With the remaining sauce add in the drained beans, shredded chicken and crumbled feta. Season.  

Lay the tortilla wraps out flat and fill evenly with the chicken filling. Roll up and place into greased 20 x 23 cm baking tray. 

Cover the top of the enchiladas with the remaining tomato sauce and grated tasty cheese. Place into the oven for 40 minutes or piping hot.

Serve immediately with some coriander over the top and salad greens on the side. 

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What if one of the simplest ways to improve students' grades wasn't more homework, tutoring or extra study, but instead paying them to go to bed? 

Research published in theJournal of Political Economy tested exactly that in an experiment involving more than 1,100 university students. 

The researchers offered some students US$4.75 if they managed to get at least seven hours of sleep on a weeknight and it worked! 

Rather than simply asking students when they went to bed, each participant was given a Fitbit. The devices measured movement and heart rate, allowing the researchers to estimate when students fell asleep, when they woke up and how long they slept. 

Students were monitored before the intervention to establish their normal sleeping patterns, followed by four weeks of experimentation and then another one to five weeks of observation afterwards. 

At the beginning of the study, students managed at least seven hours of sleep on only around 43 percent of weeknights. 

Then the researchers divided them into different groups, a control group who wore their Fitbits and completed the surveys but otherwise carried on as normal and an experiment group who were challenged to sleep for at least seven hours by 9am on a weeknight. 

If their Fitbit showed they had achieved it, they earned US$4.75. 

Each student in the main treatment group was given a personalised bedtime target based on their normal sleeping pattern, generally around an hour earlier than their usual bedtime.  Thirty minutes before that target, they received a reminder. 

The researchers then created several other experimental groups to tease apart which parts of the intervention were changing behaviour. 

One group could earn the same financial reward, but instead of receiving the money immediately, their accumulated payments arrived at the end of the study. 

Another could earn the delayed financial reward but didn't receive the nightly reminders or daily feedback. 

A further group received the bedtime reminders and morning feedback, including happy or unhappy emojis depending on whether they had reached their sleep target, but received no money at all. 

During the four-week experiment, students receiving the immediate incentives became substantially more likely to get at least seven hours of sleep. 

Their average weeknight sleep increased by about 19 minutes which was enough to push many students across the seven-hour threshold. 

The timing of the reward mattered with immediate incentives producing a larger improvement in sleep during the intervention than delayed payments or reminders and feedback without money. 

Getting the money tomorrow morning appeared to be more motivating than knowing the same money would arrive weeks later. 

Then the researchers stopped paying the students and found during the following one to five weeks, students were still sleeping around eight minutes longer per weeknight than they had before the experiment. 

The researchers also obtained the students’ academic records from the university and found the students receiving the immediate sleep incentives improved their average semester course performance by around 0.075–0.089 grade points, equivalent to roughly 0.10–0.11 standard deviations. 

So the students slept more, and their academic performance improved too. 

Then the question became, if the students are spending more hours asleep, what are they doing less of? 

Screen time! Students reported spending less time browsing the internet, watching television and videos or playing games, particularly around bedtime. 

The study raises an interesting question about how we try to change behaviour. 

Perhaps knowing what is good for us isn't always enough, what matters is when we experience the reward.

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Taylor Swift recently expanded The Life of a Showgirl, and dropped four new songs last Friday.

TheLife of a Showgirl: The Encore came with the songs Patient Zero, Cleveland!, Pink Clouding,and Babylon.

Entertainment correspondent Chris Henry says these songs were recorded after the album's initial release, and there's speculation she's trying to get more attention on the project ahead of next year's Grammy's.

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Irish singer-songwriter and former Boyzone member Ronan Keating has launched his latest tour, and he's set to play in Auckland and Christchurch in March 2027.

Since launching his music career as a 16-year-old, Ronan has 19 albums across both the band and his solo career and sold over 45 million albums.

He says it's been a long time since he brought an international tour of this size and scale to life, and he's looking forward to it. 

"It's special, because it's tricky out there at the moment for artists and for people being able to afford tickets - a lot of tours are being cancelled, etc. So for me, it's a risk, it's always a risk putting on a tour, but the reaction has been unbelievable." 

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Both major parties are kicking off their campaigns today in Auckland, with Labour and National hitting the trail to reach out to voters.

Labour made an appearance at the Ōtara markets on Saturday - and a familiar face from the Ardern era made an appearance alongside Hipkins.

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper said the emergence of former Labour Speaker Trevor Mallard could remind voters of the previous Government, and the party should try keep their distance.

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The election race has gotten into full swing, with both parties set to hold their campaign launches today.

Labour's event in South Auckland is set to take place this afternoon, and it's likely some new policies will be unveiled ahead of the election.

Labour's campaign chair Kieran McAnulty says Chris Luxon is out of touch with the average New Zealander, and they'll be calling out the Government's broken promises.

"We're gonna be targeting the fact that unemployment is up and that homelessness is at the highest level it's ever been and that for 70 percent of New Zealanders last year, their wages did not keep up with the cost of living. So take your pick."

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The election race is officially under way, and National has revealed how they plan to address the opposition's policies.

Both National and Labour are holding campaign launches today, with plenty of new announcements set to be made.

National campaign chair Simeon Brown says voters should know the left-bloc wants to tax, borrow and spend more.

"We cannot have a capital gains tax, a wealth tax, an inheritance tax, a land tax on top of your rates - these are the issues at stake as the work we've done, but also the risk that there is with a Labour-Greens-Te Pati Māori-Opportunity Government." 

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The school holidays are upon us again, the clocks changed for daylight saving this morning, and this week saw the final sitting of the House before the election.

You know what that means - stump speeches are being refined, hustings are well under way as the debate comes out of the House and into the public arena. Let the entertainment - or as one Newstalk ZB listener called it this week, the nonsense - begin. 

It actually feels like we’ve been in campaign mode since politicians returned to work after the new year, but from this weekend the campaign starts in earnest. Parliament will be formally dissolved on Thursday, but essentially - we’re all go from now.  

And that means it’s time for my favourite part of any general election - the televised debates.

The first of a variety of debates is on Tuesday and they’ll roll through until November 5th on all the main news outlets. The main attraction are the Leader’s Debates between Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins, of which there are three. 

But are these debates useful?

They can be. If the moderators and journalists can push past the rehearsed lines, there is a slim chance we’ll learn something new. If they can keep the participants from talking over each other, and keep deflection to a minimum, we’ll get the opportunity to see how participants handle difficult questions and pressure.  

Accomplishing this is a lot harder than it looks. 

The trouble is that modern political debates can become an elaborate game of verbal dodgeball. You ask a question about the cost of living, and suddenly you’re hearing about the other party’s tax policy. Ask about health, and somehow we’re discussing the economy. Ask about an awkward policy, and the answer is a sentence beginning, “Well, the reality is”…or “As I have indicated…”

There is a name for this – it’s called “block and bridge”, and Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins use this technique extensively. There is a very simple reason for it. Most voters do not delve deeply into the detail of a policy announcement, they don’t scrutinise the complex fiscal mechanics behind a promise. They make decisions based on slogans, media headlines and interpret them through their own beliefs and loyalties. This is why the constant repetition of key messages is vital to a successful election campaign. 

It’s also why, even though I still get excited about a televised leaders debate, I always feel a bit flat afterwards as commentators judge it like a boxing fight, and ultimately name a debate winner based on who was the most Prime Minister like. It all comes down to performance – or ‘studio presence’ - rather than substance.

With neither party or leader heading into this election with safe, promising poll results the pressure is on to convince voters they’re the person to lead the next Government. Let’s hope this pressure creates some unpredictability under the hot studio lights - that’s why most of us watch after all. 

Ultimately though, while a televised debate may help some undecided voters choose how they’ll cast their vote, I doubt they will change many other minds. At this point, Chris and Christopher are very familiar to most of us and what we think is locked in. Maybe one of the keys to getting our attention is surfacing others in the party who we haven’t already prejudged. 

So, let the campaigning begin. From now on every announcement will be carefully timed, every photograph will be carefully chosen, every slogan will be tested, and every awkward question will be met with a rehearsed answer to a completely different question. 

Hopefully, somewhere along the way someone will answer these simple questions - what exactly will they do, how much will it cost, who pays, and what difference will it make to my life?

Fingers crossed. 

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Dame Silvia Cartwright has been a trailblazer for women in the fields of law and justice, and she's detailed her life story in a new memoir.

She was one of two women studying law at Otago University in the 1960s, and went on to become New Zealand's first female High Court judge and the second woman to hold the role of Governor-General at a time when the sector was overly male. 

She's been on an extraordinary professional journey, which she's detailed in her new memoir That Woman.

"I do remember reading, or at least glancing at a book about Roman law when I was about 14 - but I think it was a process of elimination. In those days , if a woman studied at university, the options were fairly limited to teaching, nursing, or - being Dunedin - medicine."

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Actress and singer Keala Settle was launched into international stardom thanks to her role inThe Greatest Showman as the bearded lady, Lettie Lutz.

She sang the film's biggest hit This Is Me, which won a Golden Globe and got an Oscar nomination - and it ensured the Tony-nominated actress became a household name.

Keala Settle spent a lot of time in New Zealand visiting family as she grew up, and she's set to return to our shores for the WITCH musical theatre premiere of Sunset Boulevard at the Wellington Town Hall.

"I'm just excited to go back - and then just forgot that there's this actual job that I had to do. So it could be overwhelming, if I let it be. But I'm just trying to keep my wits about me as much as I can and lean on everyone that's around me." 

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The Pirate Queenby Ariel Lawhon. Fiction, based on the real life of Grace O’Malley who lived in the 16th century and gained renown as a fiercely independent woman and a fearless pirate who controlled an army of men, key maritime routes and trade in the west of Ireland. Suffering English rule, she bowed to no one and her story is extraordinary. This is by the author of The Frozen River which is one of my favourite books in recent years. 

Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley. Readers of Agatha Christie will be familiar with Miss Marple, her village living amateur detective about whom many books were written. Lucy Foley has now produced a new Miss Marple story, authorized by the Christie estate - in which Miss Marple finds herself in a flash hotel high in the Alps where murders occur and of course her sleuthing skills come to the fore. It’s a real homage to the original author, and fans of her work - but also readers discovering them for the first time - will find much to enjoy. 

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Travel expert Megan Singleton recently went to the Cook Islands and she's revealed how to make the most of one small island - described as 'heaven on Earth'. 

The tiny island of Aitutaki is about 220km north of Rarotonga, and easily accessible on a short flight from the region.

Megan says you'd need three or four days on the island to see all that it has to offer - and outlined her recommendations.

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This week on the Sunday Panel, Partner at Freebairn and Hehir lawyers Liam Hehir and journalist, TV producer and commentator Irene Gardiner joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

National has proposed to, if elected, break up Foodstuffs in a bid to bring down food prices for Kiwi consumers. Has National made a mistake with this policy?  Does this completely go against the party's values of ambition and hard work and success? Do they also need to take a look at banks or petrol companies? 

Labour's Chris Hipkins recently claimed smaller parties shouldn't be able to veto National and Labour working together amid calls for more bipartisanship for key issues like the NZ-India trade deal or the teen social media ban. Do we think Hipkins has a point here? Would the benefit of the two major parties agreeing and working together outweigh any negative?

Wahs fever is on the rise - how excited are we for tonight's big game?

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Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 20 September.
Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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September marks a big period of change, as the weather gets warmer and the days get longer.

It's the perfect time to shake off the winter blues and get outdoors, especially with daylight saving due to kick in next weekend.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained further.

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Fired broccolini with grated ginger, parsley and parmesan

Cook time: 10 minutes 

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Serves: 4

1 pkt broccolini

Flaky sea-salt  

2 knobs ginger

1 cup flat leaf parsley

1 cup finely grated parmesan 

4 tbsp olive oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and plunge in the broccolini.

Cook until just under. This will take 2 minutes.

Remove and plunge into iced water to stop the cooking.  

Drain once cold and place the cauliflower into a large bowl, drizzle with oil and season with salt. 

Char-grill over embers or on a hot BBQ.

Place back into a clean bowl.

Peel the ginger and grate finely with a mircoplane and add to the broccolini.

Chop the parsley and add into the broccolini and finish with the Parmesan, olive oil and extra seasoning.

Season and toss. 

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As New Zealand heads towards what could be a drier-than-usual summer, here's an unusual way we might save water - stop flushing the toilet quite so often. 
 
The old water-saving advice goes: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow.” 
 
The problem is that many of us find an unflushed toilet really unpleasant. 
 
Now researchers at the University of Surrey have investigated a surprisingly simple solution - a pellet that dissolves in the toilet, turns the water blue and masks the smell after you wee. 
 
Their results found that the biggest barrier to flushing less might not actually be habit, it might be worrying about what other people think.

In the study the researchers recruited 20 adults and gave each a dispenser containing 70 Wizso pellets. 
 
For one week, participants used the pellets at home as part of their normal bathroom routines. 

Drop one into the toilet and it dissolves, colouring the water blue and releasing a fragrance designed to mask odour. The idea is that after urinating, you leave the toilet unflushed without the usual yellow appearance or smell.

At the end of the week, researchers interviewed each person for 40 minutes, asking when they flushed, when they didn't, and how they felt about leaving the toilet unflushed.

Overall, participants found the pellets easy to use.

The blue colour was surprisingly important. People associated it with bleach and toilet cleaning products, making an unflushed toilet appear cleaner.

People living alone were generally comfortable not flushing. Many were also happy doing it around partners and family.

However, when guests arrived, the flushing returned.

People worried that visitors might see an unflushed toilet and think they were unhygienic.

Female participants identified that seeing menstrual blood often prompted an automatic flush regardless of their intention to save water.

The researchers suggest that social expectations may actually be a bigger barrier to flushing less than the habit of flushing itself.

New Zealand is currently experiencing a strong El Niño, which is expected to influence our weather through the coming summer, bringing unusually dry weather.

That doesn't mean we're definitely heading into a drought, but it does make the humble toilet an interesting place to look for savings. 
 
A toilet flush uses betwee 4–13 litres of drinking-quality water, so at several flushes a day, that's a surprisingly large amount of treated water being used simply to carry away urine. 
 
The study highlights something fascinating about environmental behaviour.  Sometimes getting people to conserve resources isn't about convincing them to care more. 
 
It's about understanding, what actually stops them from changing their behaviour and designing around it.

In this case, apparently one of those barriers is not wanting your dinner guests to think you forgot to flush. 

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The show is set to go on - as Ed Sheeran looks to take the stage without any opening acts as his tour continues.

He's set to play at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field later today, in his first show since Macklemore was dropped over his pro-Palestinian remarks onstage, and his other openers quit in protest.

Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall says ticket prices have fallen significantly since this development, with tonight's tickets dropping as low as $32 USD.

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The supermarket competition debate continues on, with National indicating they'll make changes if re-elected.

The party's proposing to increase competition by splitting Pak'nSave from New World and Four Square - as long as the Commerce Commission agrees.

Kai Co founder and operations director Ethan Vickery says it's hard to tell how this proposed change will impact Kiwi consumers.

"It's really complicated, but I think you have to look at it and be like - why is New World's everyday prices more expensive than Pak'nSave's? Why is Four Square's everyday prices more expensive than New World's? And yet, they all buy from the same DC and they're all part of the same co-op." 

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Parliament unanimously passed a new law reforming building rules, with thousands of buildings no longer considered earthquake-prone under this change.

Building and Construction Minister Simon Watts said this change would save building owners and the New Zealand economy $8.2 billion.

 Newstalk ZB political reporter unpacked the changes further - and revealed why we could be in for some interesting weeks in Parliament.

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The US and Denmark have announced a deal, which President Donald Trump says will grant the US permanent control over Greenland’s security.

The leaders of Denmark and Greenland have welcomed the deal, but say it won't compromise the region's sovereignty.

It follows months of tension over Trump’s threats to take control of the Danish territory.

US political analyst Dan Schnur says this is a face-saving measure for the President. 

"It allows him to campaign in our mid-term elections in a few weeks, on the basis that he's achieved that promise."

The agreement is expected to be signed next week, but its details have not been released.

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It's do or die for the Warriors this evening, as the team gears up for their elimination round against the Knights.

The must-win clash will take place at a sold-out Eden Park at 6:05 PM, and excitement is brewing among Kiwi fans.

Former Warrior Monty Betham says he's feeling nervous, and he knows all eyes will be on the Kiwi side as they look to move past their last loss against the Dolphins.

"I think everyone felt that sense of letdown, because the Warriors promised so much, there was so much within that match and the Dolphins came and they played really, really well... you just need to do the right things." 

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