Afternoons

Afternoons TV critic Philippa Rennie shares what she's been watching with Jesse. This week it's Good Bones (TV3) and Billy Idol Should Be Dead (TVNZ+)

It's time for our expert feature and today we're talking about drones. In the modern world drones are used for just about everything, from fishing to military use to nighttime light displays. A while back Jesse even spoke to a guy who had invented chainsaw drones for felling trees. Our expert today is Philip Solaris, chief executive of Obsidian Systems, a New Zealand robotics company developing autonomous systems across air, land, sea, and sub-sea environments.

Each week at this time Jesse hits the clubs. It's just him and some hardcore clubbers left holding up the dance floor.

Each Monday we head across the ditch to discuss the big stories with our correspondent Brad Foster.

Our next guest calls himself The Notetaker, and for good reason. David McGill has spent 70 years of his life taking notes, and what a life he has had. As a journalist in London he was present for Jimi Hendrix's last gig, he saw a young Rod Stewart strutting the Roundhouse stage, and met Paul McCartney when he was still with his group Grapefruit. But that's just a snapshot of what David has seen and written about. He joins Jesse to share some stories from his new book The Notetaker - The Ultimate Memoir.

Christchurch's Port Hills have twice been ravaged by fire - once in 2017 and again in 2024 - both times ripping through hundreds of hectares of land full of native plants. Now new research has revealed that a repeat of wildfires at Port Hills could be creating a 'fire trap' that is preventing native bush from regenerating. Jesse talks to University of Canterbury's Professor Emerita Paula Jameson and Dr John Clemens.

A story caught our eye in The Post this morning, about a rise in schools installing higher fences and electronic gates. We wanted to find out why and what that means for schools being used in the weekends by the community. Berhampore School Principal Mark Potter joins Jesse to discuss.

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

This extinct native frog was once widespread across the North Island until Early Maori settlement. The Waitomo frog was comparatively massive to living native frogs, growing up to 10 cm in length! Now, we know this is slightly cheeky critter of the week because extinct, but Nicola says it's a crucial key to the story of our ancient frogs here in NZ so we're all allowing it!

Sylvia Sandford joins Jesse to chat about what an interior designer actually does. She'll share what she's working on so we can get a sense of the role of an interior designer. If you've got questions, please don't hesitate to text us on 2101.

Country Life is the RNZ show that puts the spotlight on rural New Zealand and shares the stories from rural New Zealanders. It's on air tonight at 7pm and again tomorrow morning at 7am .. and of course always on rnz.co.nz Here to tell us what you can expect from the show this weekend is Country Life's Sally Round

Fridays mean food here on Afternoons, this week we're joined by Tom Newfield from The Earl in Christchurch. He's sharing his recipe for Hapuku with Matbucha, raisins, capers, olives and pine nuts. Click HERE for the recipe

Time for our long running live music session. Can you believe it's in it's 21st year! That's right it's NZ Live time. Today Jesse is joined in the Wellington studio by Eigenface. They're something of a supergroup... Featuring 'French For Rabbits' Penelope Esplin, composer and RNZ concert presenter Elliot Vaughan and The Tweeks Logan Valentine Their self-titled debut album is set for release on Home Alone records on October 2nd, so you're getting an early preview. Friday 2nd October - Space Academy, Otautahi Christchurch Saturday 3rd October - Pearl Diver, Otepoti Dunedin Friday 6th November - Vogelmorn, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington Saturday 7th November - Porridge Watson, Whanganui Thursday 12th November - Big Fan, Tamaki Makaurau Auckland Friday 13th November - Last Place, Kirikiriroa Hamilton

It's Freaky Friday which of course means a chance to indulge in one of your wonderfully strange stories. As always we'd love to hear from you if you have your own story to tell - text 2101 or email afternoons@rnz.co.nz Today Jesse is joined by Christina who experienced a spooky co-incidence.

Artist Susan Te Kahurangi King has works in the permanent collections in some of the most prestigious art galleries in the world ... she's been called one of New Zealand's greatest living artists, and yet many New Zealanders have never heard of her. To help explain why that might be Jesse is joined by writer Laura Preston. Laura's the author of a recent article about Susan which appeared in the New Yorker. NZ On Screen has just added the 2012 documentary Pictures of Susan to our website, where people can watch it in full, for free. Click HERE to watch!

We love getting your ideas for stories and people we should talk to on the show. Our next guest sent us a pitch about a website he's created and we couldn't resist learning more. Rogan Boyle is with Jesse to share his public toilet project - poo.co.nz

The stakes couldn't be higher for the Warriors this weekend - a win against the Newcastle Knights will see them face Penrith in the preliminary finals next week. A loss ... and that's their season done for 2026. For the first time in 12 years, on Sunday night the Warriors will be playing at Eden Park. The crucial clash is sold out but one person who will be there is Paul Pirihi, a mad Warriors fan, and the principal of Rosebank School in the Auckland suburb of Avondale.

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Welcome to Political Group Chat, a space for good faith debate and friendly disagreement about the stories that have been in the news this week. Joining Jesse today: comedian and commentator Tim Batt, screenwriter and FSU member Dane Giraud, and University of Auckland political scientist Dr Lara Greaves. And you can text 2101 if you have thoughts.

It's time to chat about money matters ... personal finance whizz Mary Holm is with Jesse to share her thoughts on the 2026 KiwiSaver Annual Report and what it reveals.

We're back into our A to Z of Aotearoa .. this is our series where we pick something quintessentially Kiwi for each letter of the alphabet and dive into its history with the people who know it best. We've had P for Pies, S for Silver Fern, K for Kauri, and today it's Y is for Yachting. Yacht designer Brett Bakewell-White and coach and successful sailor Bruce Kendall join Jesse.

Quit is a four-letter word, and not just because of the spelling. In a culture that prizes grit, perseverance and pushing through, giving up can sound like failure. We're taught to finish what we start even when we've started wondering why we're still doing it. Lindsay Crouse argues that sometimes the smarter move is to walk away. Leave the job. End the relationship. Abandon the goal. Stop pouring time and energy into something that no longer makes sense. A former New York Times journalist and endurance athlete, Crouse explores why quitting is so hard, and why it's sometimes the right thing to do in her new book, The Case for Quitting: The Surprising Benefits of Opting Out.

New Plymouth's Puke Ariki museum wants your help. For the first time thousands of historic images are going to be shown publicly, and the museum needs help identifying the people, places and stories within them. The project is called Rekindled: Opunake Life through the Feaver Collection. Puke Ariki's pictorial curator Natasha McKinney joins Jesse.

In quite an extraordinary public announcement, the US military has confirmed that it has deployed weapons in space. According to the US secretary of the air force, Washington had active "on orbit" weapons, which means they have been deployed and are circling the globe. We wanted to get a better understanding of what this means, and how worried we should be. Maria Pozza is an international space lawyer and senior lecturer at Lincoln University - she chats to Jesse.

A tiny (extinct) bush wren and a cautionary tale as the Bird of the Year kicks off today. The Stead's bush wren is a symbol of how vulnerable our small ground dwelling birds are, and how crucial island biosecurity and predator control continue to be in NZ. The story of this wee wren helped shape our modern conservation practice and is a poignant reminder of what's at stake for our wildlife.

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight. [picture id="4JO9WD2_Jesse_and_Wallace_Smiling_jfif" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Afternoons' chance to chat about the topics that might be filling up your group chats .. joining Jesse in the Auckland Studio is Culture 101's Perlina Lau, Afternoons Senior Producer Olivia Wilson and Lucy Walker Senior Producer on Morning Report. This week we're discussing the Ed Sheeran tour, Sydney Sweeney's controversial ad and that Hyrox situation. [picture id="4KFNGZU_AFP__20230606__1496393314__v4__HighRes__EdSheeranPerformsOnNbcSToday_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

It's Wednesday which can mean you're on struggle street for meal inspiration ... but don't worry .. help is at hand in the form of the very talented Kelly Gibney and our Easy Eats segment. [picture id="4JIFRIP_RNZ_Curry_chicken_katsu_1_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Time for our weekly travel segment Heading Off. Remember if you have a travel story of your own we'd love to share it with your fellow listeners, just text us on 2101 or email afternoons@rnz.co.nz Today we're heading off to Honfleur, a little seaside port in France, with Afternoons listener Tommy Wilson. [picture id="4JI7MKR_Honfleur_Church_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Our Changing World's Claire Concannon is with Jesse to talk about the H5/N1 bird flu strain and what plans are in place for Pukekura or Tairoa Head on the end of Otago Peninsula, which is the site of the only mainland colony of Northern Royal albatross. [picture id="4JL1BOR_Cat_spotted_on_Royal_Cam_png_16x10_png" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Nutritionist Lily Henderson joins Jesse to chat about Weet-Bix. Just how healthy is the breakfast food and how many should you eat in one serving? [picture id="4PD4Q2L_copyright_image_42015" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

A new podcast is taking a closer look at what happens to Maori when they are released from prison. Over six episoides the podcast, called TIAKI - which means 'to care' - reveals that more research needs to be done on the mental impacts of prison when it comes to re-entry into the community. Maori health expert Gabrielle Baker discusses the issue with Jesse.  [picture id="4JI7OL7_Tiaki_gif" crop="16x10" layout="third"]

Three hour school bus rides... missed firefighter call outs .. loads of Queenstown locals say traffic jams are having a real impact on their day to day life. Residents say it's not just a peak-hour problem - congestion can strike at almost any time of the day. Now the council has set up an anti-traffic congestion taskforce to tackle the issue. But, what can actually be done? To look at some of the potential solutions, Jesse is joined by Ross Copland from Southern Infrastructure. [picture id="4NJZCPJ_copyright_image_180186" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Each Tuesday here on Afternoons we play You're the Judge where you, our audience, get to chime into someone else's dilemma. This week Billy wants our advice on what to do if he and his new girlfriend are politically opposed - he votes NZ First and she is Greens voter! Send us your thoughts on 2101 or email jesse@afternoons.co.nz [picture id="4K06BN3_getty_images_f84knUj__Q_unsplash_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

If you had one last meal, what would you choose? This is a question that begins every episode of a podcast called Last Meal with Tom Nash. But food is just the entree into much bigger conversations. Tom Nash has a life story that feeds the idea that the hardest moments in our lives can sometimes become our greatest source of strength. As a teenager in Sydney, he contracted meningococcal septicemia and was given little chance of surviving. He did but lost all four limbs. He eventually learned to walk with prosthetic legs and chose metal hook prostheses for his arms. Now he's a speaker and an advocate for antifragility who believes adversity isn't necessarily trying to teach us a lesson. Sometimes life simply serves you something you didn't ask for, and you have to take it as it comes. Click here to learn more about Tom's podcast. [picture id="4JI9L2J_Tom_Nash_png" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

A good podcast is like good radio, you can't stop listening, but with so many podcasts on offer it's hard to know what to commit to - fortunately our podcast critic Ximena Smith is here to help. She shares her thoughts on The Poisoned Wife and Black Box: The Chatbots. [picture id="4JI9L0Q_the_poisoned_wife_podcast_jfif" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

This week Afternoon's book critic Lisa Glass looks into the theme of invisible women via these books: Sophie, Standing There - Meg Mason Boring Asian Female - Canwen Xu People Hacker - Confessions of a Burglar for Hire - Jenny Radcliffe [picture id="4JJUL2T_mm_webp" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

It's time for Mayoral minutes .. where we speak with a local mayor about the challenges they're facing ... how they're working to solve them... and what makes their community special. Today we're heading to the Masterton ... that's in the Wairarapa District in the southeast of the North Island and that's where Mayor Bex Johnson is when she chats to Jesse. [picture id="4JPGAC8_Milky_Way_over_Lake_Wairarapa_1K2A3437__1_JPG" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Multiple sclerosis, also known as MS, is a life long neurological condition that affects five thousand New Zealanders. Symptoms often start for people between the ages of 20 to 50, but being such a complex condition, how it presents is also complicated .. with no two people experiencing MS in the same way. Which also means it can take time to be diagnosed with MS .. some people waiting up to ten years for an official diagnosis after symptoms start. Jesse talks to Shania Mathers about her story getting a MS diagnosis, but first MSNZ General Manager Amanda Rose joins Jesse to discuss why more needs to be done. [picture id="4JI9GK6_Amanda_Rose_1_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

To help build a picture of what regenerative farming practices might look like here in New Zealand, Te Whare Wanaka o Aoraki Lincoln University PhD student Kaitlin Watson compared a regenerative pasture-based system with a conventional one. She chats to Jesse about what she discovered. [picture id="4JI9H27_Kaitlin_Watson_jfif" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

We're going to start today's show by talking about political polls and whether they're reliable. This election is looking really close - and polls are consistently showing both National and Labour below the 30 percent mark. That means polls could take on an added importance .. helping shape narratives .. but how do we know we can trust them? Our next guest has concerns about who gets polled, how the numbers are calculated and who pays for the research. Ben Gray is an Associate Professor at University of Otago - for the past twenty years he has convened a course that covers appraisal of evidence, research ethics, cultural competence and health law. [picture id="4JPVS66_reid_poll_1_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Ugly is having a moment. Cars are getting bigger, buildings louder and fashion more deliberately outrageous, some might even say deliberately ugly. It's a way to get noticed says designer Debbie Millman. She's an author, educator and host of a podcast that's been going strong for 20 years called Design Matters. She argues that in a world where being noticed has become a form of currency, taking up more space has its own value. In an essay for TIME magazine, she asks whether the world is actually getting uglier or whether ugly is being deployed as a very effective way to make us look.

Let's find out what's good to watch on the television, our critic Dominic Corry is with Jesse in the Auckland studio to share his picks: Lanterns (HBO Max) and The Westies (Neon).

Today we're going to focus on the brain. We'll be talking about brain development, how it controls or bodies and our senses, and what happens when it isn't functioning as it should. Our expert today is Professor Maurice Curtis. Maurice is Professor of Neuroscience and Director of Human Anatomy at the University of Auckland, as well as Co-Director of the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank. If you have any questions for Maurice, send them through to 2101.

Every Monday afternoon we hit the clubs. We've been to lots of amazing places this year, but we're always keen for more so if you have a club or society you'd like me to visit do get in touch .. 2101 on the text or email jesse@rnz.co.nz Today Jesse is joined by Cherie Hames. [picture id="4KH74W7_farnham_jfif" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Afternoons contributor Brad Foster joins Jesse to tell him what's hitting the headlines in Australia. [picture id="4KH74W7_farnham_jfif" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Do you find yourself speaking less than you used to? We're asking because a new study has revealed that daily conversations are shrinking, with some people speaking 300 fewer words each day. To find out more we're joined by one of the lead researchers, Dr Valeria Pfeifer, she is an assistant professor at the University of Missouri Kansas City.

This week is te wiki o te reo Māori, and to mark it, journalists Eugene Bingham and Adam Dudding have released a new podcast called Reo Journeys: Te Pou Herenga Tai. Along with musician James Dansey, the three hosts take their reo Māori learning from the classroom to the cycleway. Across five episodes, they meet with kaumatua, historians and artists in Northland communities and discuss the revival of te reo Māori throughout Te Tai Tokerau. Eugene and Adam join Jesse in the Auckland studio.

We want to start with some positive news, because it's been a big week for Tikipunga High School at the AIMS Games. For the first time in more than a decade, the small Whangarei school sent their netball team .. and while they didn't stand out for their on court skills .. finishing 127th out of 132 .. their off court behaviour did get them noticed. They are the winners of the coveted Ripple Effect Award, given to a team which embodied the spirit and sportsmanship of AIMS in the best manner possible. Tikipunga High School netball team coach Bethany Badger and player Pheobe Theodore join Jesse. [picture id="4JIBCEA_tikipunga_avif" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Music 101 producer Tony Stamp joins us to reveal the runners up in the 2026 Kiwi Cover Song Contest. The winning song will be revealed on Monday's show.

Connie Clarkson joins Jesse to share her recipe for Lime and Coconut Mussel Hot Pot. A 'Little bit Country little bit Rock and Roll" moment. Savory coconut and aromatics - garlic, onions, ginger, celery, peppers then hit with an uplifting bolt of limes wrapping around that taste of the sea from Green Lip Mussels. Finished off with a whiff of curry leaves. [picture id="4JIGZRV_Lime_and_coconut_mussels_2_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Former professional netballer turned successful musician JessB joins us in Studio 5 to celebrate the release of her second album 'Matters Of The Heart".

Dom Corry reviews 'Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant', 'Fall 2: Deadpoint', & 'The Whisper Man'. [picture id="4JOPDCE_eede4344_c9dd_4de7_b926_9a507dbd069a_jfif" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Freaky Friday is the place for your spooky stories and terrifying tales. Please get in touch if you have your own tale to tell, you can text 2101 or email afternoons@rnz.co.nz. Today we hear from Sarah in Epsom [picture id="4PTYVTZ_30602028_l_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Abby Leterri's new book ' 'Perfectly Themselves' looks examines our relationship with horses. To write the book - which was completed as a PhD thesis at the International Institute of Modern Letters - Abby visited Iceland, Mongolia and the Outer Hebrides. [picture id="4JIIN6M_Perfectly_Themselves_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

For some, motherhood can be a lonely journey, something Mercedes Swann knows well. After the birth of her child she suffered from a sense of isolation. Now she advocates for better support for new mothers 'Mama Talanoa' is an online safe space for Pacific mothers. A place they can openly share the highs and lows of parenthood without fear of judgement. [picture id="4JJ0MLY_Screenshot_2026_08_31_210753_png" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Caroline Andrews is a New Zealander living in New York City. On September 11 2001, at 9:03am, Caroline witnessed the second hijacked plane hit World Trade Centre's south tower. Three-thousand people died at the attacks on the World Trade Centre in Manhattan and Pentagon in Washington DC. Caroline then witnessed a changing America as the US mourned and responded with its war on terror. 25 years on, Caroline is still a New Yorker. [picture id="4JIHXJK_AFP__20100630__dpa_7354612__v1__HighRes__FirstAnniversaryTheTerrorOf11September_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

We're all aboard the Warriors bandwagon here on Afternoons, as the Wahs chase their first premiership in the club's 31-year history. But first, they've got to get past the Dolphins at Go Media Stadium. A win would send the Warriors straight through to the Grand Final in Sydney. Rugby league journalist and author of The Warriors Life Substack, Will Evans, joins Jesse to break it all down. [picture id="4JJ2TQ9_260830WarriorsKnights_041_JPG" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Wallace and Susanna star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

No. 11 Jonah Lomu - was the youngest to ever wear the black jersey when he took to the field as an All Black at the Rugby World Cup in 1995. There's a documentary out now 'Lomu' by directors Vea Mafile'o and Gavin Fitzgerald premiered at the New Zealand International Film Festival after a massive outdoor screening in Tonga. And now there's a stunning children's book 'Giant Heart - How Jonah Lomu Became a Rugby Legend. David Hill & Nadene Lomu chatted to Susanna.

Electoral Commission figures show enrolment among younger voters has steadily declined over the past decade. At the moment 43% of eligible 18-24-year-olds are unenrolled to vote in the upcoming general election. Approximately 187,000 young people are missing from the roll. Is there a historical precedent for this and what is the history of young Kiwis voting (or not voting)?

Every second Thursday we try to wrong some rights and solve some of the world's problems. Journalist Simon Wilson joined Susanna to discuss perimeter housing?

Time for NZ Sporting History, where we dig into the great names and moments in Kiwi sport. Today though, we're keeping it contemporary, because New Zealand athletics is having a moment right now. At the recent Commonwealth Games our track and field team came away with medals across sprints, jumps and throws, while a new generation of athletes is rewriting national records and making themselves known on the world stage. The World Athletics Ultimate Championship is taking place in Budapest this weekend, bringing the international season to a close. So, it feels like an appropriate time to ask: is New Zealand becoming a force in athletics once again? Sports journalist Grant Chapman has followed New Zealand sport for decades.

Susana Lei'ataua is joined by Professor Kirsty Ross from Massey University's School of Psychology.

Dame Juliet Gerrard was New Zealand's Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor for six years from 2018. She served during the Christchurch Mosque attacks, Whakaari/White Island eruption, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In her new book, she assesses the big policy decisions made during that period. Dame Juliet looks at science communication, in an age of growing misinformation and scepticism. The book is Front Row Seat: How Science Can (and Can't) Shape Public Decision-Making.

Thousands of young athletes. Nine different sports. And six weeks of competition right across Auckland. The Auckland Secondary School Winter Series is in full swing ... an event that's grown from a single week into a six-week sporting showcase Over the series, children will be competing in hockey, basketball, wrestling, karate, skateboarding, cycling, weightlifting, duathlon and rugby league. And one man who knows exactly where a love of sport can lead is Whanganui-born Max Brown, a two-time Olympic canoe sprint paddler

Several galleries at The Auckland War Memorial Museum are set to remain closed until 2029 The immediate issue is asbestos - 1000s of taonga have to receive specialist cleaning. The museum is also using the opportunity to upgrade its ageing infrastructure. But there is a bigger issue sitting underneath the surface. Who pays for the upkeep of New Zealand's cultural institutions? And how? Like other museums much of the funding comes from Ratepayers... But as we look at local government reform and 4% rate caps, do we need a rethink? I'm joined now by Museums Aotearoa Chief Exec Jaenine Parkinson

"Quiet quitting" started as a workplace trend on social media, describing how people stopped going above and beyond at work and started doing just enough to avoid getting fired. Now social media is talking about people who are "quiet quitting" their marriages, staying together while emotionally checking out. The conversations disappear, intimacy goes, and the relationship becomes more like a partnership for running a household. Alex Beattie helps people navigate separation and divorce because she's been there herself. She says Quiet quitting isn't a failure, it's a signal. She hosts The Divorce Planner podcast. [picture id="4JIGP4Y_Alex_Beattie_png" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Wallace Chapman and Susana star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Kelly Gibney shares her cosy Minestrone soup. Click here for the recipe

Time for our weekly travel segment Heading Off, your chance to hear about some amazing adventures without leaving the comfort of your home. Although, with today's destination, comfort isn't necessarily the number one priority. We're off to Papua New Guinea with one of our listeners Frank Bollen, who's been living in New Ireland while volunteering with VSA. He's also had the chance to explore fascinating parts of the country, including Bougainville.

Time now to catch up with Our Changing World's Claire Concannon. And across a two-part deep dive the show has been investigating the controversial plans to de-extinct the moa.

To write It Gets in Your Blood: Lives of a Racecourse, Marty Smith spent 10 years documenting life at Hastings Racecourse. The book is part memoir, part portrait of a changing industry. Along the way, readers meet the trainers, jockeys, horses and the other characters at the centre of our horse racing industry. Author Marty Smith spoke with Susanna.

Scorpio Books' owners have decided that now is the time to expand - and works are underway at a new location in the city. The shop is also celebrating its 50th birthday this year. To talk bookshops, reading trends and how Christchurch is faring, Scorpio head buyer Bel Monypenny chatted to Susanna.

Things are heating back up in the middle east. After a period of relative calm, Iran and the US have resumed exchanging fire. This morning - NZ Time - the US Military announced it has destroyed 5 Iranian oil tankers, in retaliation for attempted Iranian attacks on a US Navy Warship. In Europe, the war in Ukraine grinds on, while Germany has accused Russia of being behind an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport - an allegation Moscow strongly denies. And with Russia heading into parliamentary elections later this month, there are growing questions about what Vladimir Putin might do next - and whether Europe is preparing for the possibility of a much wider confrontation with Russia. Friend of the show Retired Major General John Howard spoke to Susanna. He is a former New Zealand Chief of Defence Intelligence and also a former Deputy Director at the US Defence Intelligence Agency in Washington DC.

All over the world, people just aren't having babies anymore. Journalist and author Anna Louie Sussman says years of society putting economic growth and individual success ahead of shared wellbeing has made it harder for young people to imagine a future where they want to have kids. Anna has been reporting on population decline and reproductive issues for more than a decade and choosing not to have kids has become a vote against the future. Her new book is called "Who Gets to Have Kids? Creating a Family in an Age of Uncertainty".

Each week we get your help to solve a dilemma. This week we're looking at whether a daughter in law should insist on requiring her mother-in-law to swaddle their baby when she babysits.

Tim Batt joins Susana to discuss what's hitting headlines in the world of technology. This week he'll look at whether our LG TVs are spying on us, The OpenAI Hugging Face hack and chatbots.

Claire Maybe reviews Green Sea: Lost in the New Zealand Bush by John Summers, Hide by Rebecca Hawkes, and The Taming of the Cat by Helen Cooper.

It's time for Mayoral minutes, where we speak with a local mayor about the challenges they're facing, how they're working to solve them and what makes their community special. Today we're heading to the Horowhenua Mayor District. Susana spoke to Mayor Bernie Wanden.

A Tauranga group is using art as way for people to connect and challenge the stigma around dementia Artful Mind pairs local artists with people living with Alzheimer's and dementia - to see what they create together The works are then shown and sold at Dementia Tauranga's annual awareness exhibition. Dr. Bronwyn Copeland is a Tauranga based geriatric psychiatrist and artist, she spoke with Susana.

Papatoetoe's night patrol volunteers are calling for more funding and better equipment as they try to plug the gap left by stretched Police resources The Counties Manukau Community Safety Patrol Trust says its volunteers are patrolling into the early hours ... observing incidents and reporting concerns to Police and other agencies. Patrol team leader Bella Tamotu spoke to Susana.

Following in the footsteps of Taylor Swift ... another one of the world's biggest acts has decided to park up in Australia.... and skip NZ entirely Radiohead announced its 2027 tour overnight, with 18 shows across Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, plus five dates in Japan. But there's not a single show here in Aotearoa. For Kiwi music fans, international artists bypassing New Zealand is becoming an increasingly worrying trend. Susane spoke with music journalist - and author of the Boiler Room substack - Chris Shulz

Winter can feel like one long game of pass the parcel when it comes to sickness. One person gets a cough, then someone else gets the flu, the kids are off school, a colleague calls in sick, before you know it, everyone seems to be unwell This flu feels particularity bad - with reports of people waiting 20+ hours to be seen in hospitals, while octors becoming increasingly disillusioned by the health system But just how bad is it? Are more people actually getting sick, or are we just hearing more about it? Dr Luke Bradford spoke to Susana Leiataua.

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

The AI debate usually sounds like a choice between the camp that thinks artificial intelligence will solve our biggest problems, and the other camp, certain it will create entirely new ones. But there's a lot of territory between utopia and apocalypse. That's where longtime journalist Josh Tyrangiel is looking. Rather than asking what AI might do in theory, he looks at what happens when people put it to work deliberately using the technology alongside human judgement to tackle genuine problems in the world today. His book is called AI for Good: How Real People Are Using Artificial Intelligence to Fix Things That Matter.

We've got a segment on Afternoons we like to call Roadie Songs ..we want to know the songs you love to turn up loud when you're on a road trip. If you have a song and a story you'd like to share, send your suggestion to 2101 along with your phone number. Aileen shared her song with us today.

Caitlin Cherry reviews 'Alone Australia' (available on TVNZ+) and 'Trying' (Apple TV)

Jesse calls the Hannah Purdie from the Pania Plodders Hash House Harriers.

Brad Foster joins us to discuss the NSW Governments plan to combat organised crime, tougher enforcement of the U16s social media ban, and the NRL finals.

Every Monday we invite an expert to take your questions on their subject. You can send them to 2101 or Afternoons@rnz.co.nz. Today we're discussing freediving. Freediving is diving underwater on a single breath of air. There's no tanks. No breathing apparatus. No bubbles. Just complete silence New Zealander William Trubridge is a freediving world champion, and the first person to dive deeper than 100 metres without changing his weighting or using fins. He joins Jesse to take your questions.

Who does most of the thinking, planning, and scheduling involved in the running of your household? New research has confirmed what many of us might already know - that it's women who cop most of the burden. And it's not just cleaning, cooking, and laundry - there's a cognitive load including remembering appointments, organising activities and planning meals. Dr Sarah Coundouris is a Research Fellow in the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland. Dr Sarah Coundouris is a Research Fellow in the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland. [picture id="4L29LWX_045_IS098YY9V_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

A group overseas-trained doctors calling for better working conditions in New Zealand for doctors who trained in less affluent countries. The group, of almost 400 doctors from places like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and South Africa, want more support on the job. Having navigated and paid their way through our qualification pathways - they often feel isolated and unsupported once they're in work. Jacqui de Smidt is a doctor from South Africa representing this group, and Johanna Thomas-Maude completed her PHD research on the subject of overseas doctors at Massey University. They join Jesse. [picture id="4JN20OC_etactics_inc_JkWMM8x1sLo_unsplash_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Foodstuffs and Woolworths would be forced to sell 120 stores and two distribution centres into public ownership under the Greens' plan - with a 2.8 billion dollar price tag. 2degrees founder Tex Edwards runs pro-competition think-tank Monopoly Watch... and has previously attempted to get a third supermarket chain off the ground. He joins Jesse in the Auckland studio. [picture id="4JIQ7MV_greens_kiwimart_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

A tiny (extinct) bush wren and a cautionary tale as the Bird of the Year kicks off today. The Stead's bush wren is a symbol of how vulnerable our small ground dwelling birds are, and how crucial island biosecurity and predator control continue to be in NZ. The story of this wee wren helped shape our modern conservation practice and is a poignant reminder of what's at stake for our wildlife.

As most people will know, adopting a greyhound has been making a lot of news of late. Rachael Quin is once again a pet owner - Stevie our greyhound has been with her for 3 weeks Pets bring into the house quite a bit of dust and dander. And fleas and worms and mud and maybe critters too. Not to mention the hair!! The Housekeeper's Rachael Quin talks to Jesse about how to keep your home hygienic and not too smelly if you have a pet or several pets.

Anisha Satya from Country Life joins Jesse to let us know about their show this weekend. Country Life is the RNZ show that puts the spotlight on rural New Zealand and shares the stories from rural New Zealanders. It's on air tonight at 7pm and again tomorrow morning at 7am and of course always on rnz.co.nz.