RNZ: Nine To Noon

Film and TV reviewer Tamar Munch discusses what she's been watching. 

Tips about smartphone alternatives for younger kids and for parents embarking on a device journey with their little ones. 

Tech commentator Mark Pesce discusses a new study finding that while our social circles have increased, so has polarisation. 

Torika discusses the petition calling for an inquiry into voting in Paptoetoe, the latest in the measles outbreak, a fine over illegal earthworks on the North Shore and embers lead to a fire on a track in the Waitakere Ranges.

Sally Wenley reviews Nash Falls by David Baldacci, published by Macmillan.

From Southland to Marlborough with a few other places in between, Maegen Blom has grown into one of New Zealand's young leaders of industry.

UK correspondent Dan Bloom joins Kathryn to talk about a Russian spy ship that crossed in and out of British waters.

New Zealand may have lost over 90% of its wetlands, but the work of a small West Auckland restoration group has been recognised.

Plestia Alaqad's book coveres her life as a Palestinian living in Gaza after October 7 2023. 

One of the country's most experienced wildfire experts is concerned over Fire and Emergency NZ's restructure plan.

Science commentator Laurie Winkless joins Kathryn with a new study that looked at 86,000 people in 27 European countries to understand how multilingualism may influence their brain health as they age. The results might just have you reaching for the Duolingo app. This year's Global Carbon Project has found emissions from fossil fuels have risen by 1.1% to reach their highest level yet. And there's new hope for people suffering from anaemia; researchers in Switzerland have developed a new iron supplement for food that's tasteless and more quickly absorbed than iron sulfate. Laurie Winkless is a physicist and science writer.

In 1962, Dunedin farmer Alan MacLeod said to his wife Joan and six kids, 'how about going for a drive'?' Little did they know the 'harebrained scheme' Alan had cooked up would see them travelling the world in a homemade house truck a year later. Alan's wanted to reconnect the family with their MacLeod ancestry on the Island of Skye in Scotland, and visit friends he had made fighting in the Italian campaign in World War II. With a few boat crossings, they did it all in their house truck 'Holdfast' built from a Ford tractor engine, a city bus cab and the chassis of an armoured scout car. The extraordinary story is told by Hannah MacLeod whose mother Marilyn was one of the six kids on board. Hannah interviewed her aunts and uncles, and trawled through diaries and old newspaper clippings to recreate the story in her recently published book Overland to the Island.

Libby discuses the local impact of a decision by Fire and Emergency to pull back from responding to water emergencies, wire thefts leaving life threatening hazard and the Japanese textile collection on display at a gallery in Morrinsville.

Elisabeth Easther reviews An Eccentric History in Batik by Dinah Priestley, published by Mary Egan Publishing.

A new book covers cartographical conundrums like disappeared Soviet cities and whether Google Maps has completely ruined our ability to navigate.

Australia correspondent Karen Middleton joins Kathryn to discuss how the toxic sand discovery is being handled by different states.

The government is aiming to get more disabled and neurodiverse people employed in manufacturing, engineering and logistics.

New Zealand needs to better manage the decline of domestic gas to avoid costly business closures, according to a new report. 

Police attended 7,370 fewer mental health-related requests in the year to June - the result of a plan to wind back on responding to calls for help. 

The All Blacks' loss to England has sparked questions about what went wrong, whether Scott Robertson is the right coach heading toward the next World Cup. 

The story of Thomas Cheeseman, Auckland Museum's curator for 50 years 

The housing market has stabilised, but a well-stocked rental market is pushing down rents. Dan talks about the inevitability of more taxes to pay for an increasing amount of public needs. And the banks have been told to publish transaction account profits.

Michael covers strong visitor numbers at the renovated Sarjeant Gallery, investors wanted to build a new hotel in Whanganui's CBD, a new pirate ship with an interesting past for Ohakune's playground and the three bridges run signals the start of summer.

Gail Pittaway reviews The Land of Sweet Forever by Harper Lee, published by Penguin Random House.

Stefan Powell, co-founder and CEO of Dawn Aerospace, has received the Prime Minister's Space Prize for Professional Excellence.

Australian journalist Aaron Patrick on the fight in southern Afghanistan that created - and then destroyed - a national hero. 

The US shutdown is over, and the House is back working again with Democrats releasing Epstein emails that President Trump "knew about the girls" and was the "dog who hasn't barked". 

A kiwi avoidance programme for dogs now has more trainers than ever, as demand rises ahead of summer. 

A Dunedin building company is lifting houses in a flood prone suburb by as much as a metre to prevent future inundation.  

Psychiatrists and Clinical Psychologists warn their workforces are depleting to the point there won't be enough experienced professionals to provide supervision for those in training. 

Bill discusses the recently changed laws around building a granny flat on your land. Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.

Jill Hermansen - founder of Jill's Complements- works from her kitchen in her hometown of Whanganui producing a range of complementary foods based on some of her own family recipes. Her Rustic Seed Crackers - handed down from her mum - made the finals in this year's NZ Food Awards.

Peter Dunne was the leader of United Future and is a former MP and Minister who has worked within both National and Labour governments. Tim Hurdle is a former National senior adviser, consultant and director of several companies. He is currently the Campaign Director for Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown.

Tom discusses how Wellington City Council lost money in carbon trading and more. 

Cynthia Morahan reviews Attention by Anne Enright, published by Penguin Random House.

A Waikato scientist's startup has made a feedstock the company says reduces livestock methane output by as much as 90 per cent. 

Leading Auckland University scientist Professor Christian Hartinger has been recognised for his work using metals to develop cancer drugs. 

Emerging evidence of mass killings in Sudan now being investigated by UN, upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, and deadly landslides in Kenya and Uganda. 

Dozens of shoes line a current art exhibition on display at Whirinaki Whare Taonga in Upper Hutt.

Andrew Robinson has set himself a goal of conquering all of New Zealand's 23 Great Rides in just a month. 

ACC is planning to use artificial intelligence to identify claimants it could remove from the long term claims pool, as a way to save money.

Irene Pink and Donna Brookbanks highlight some of the funnier stories of the past week.