The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Astrid Jorgensen used her love of communal singing to build Pub Choir - a concept she took all the way to America's Got Talent. The idea involves turning a theatre of regular people into a choir and with Jorgensen's tuition and a PowerPoint, any group can sing a three-part harmony. She used her experience to craft a memoir - Average At Best. "Can everyone learn to sing and win a Grammy Award? Absolutely not. But can everyone physically sing? Yes! If you can talk, it's the exact same mechanisms that help you to sing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ken Follett's made a name for himself as an author of historical epic novels - and he's got a new one out. After starting his career as a thriller writer in the 70s, Ken's decision to write The Pillars of the Earth in 1989 set his career on a different trajectory, and it paid off. Pillars has sold over 27 million copies and to date remains his most famous novel - and his total book sales now sits around 198 million copies globally. Ken's latest book, Circle of Days, is another historical epic built around the mysteries of Stonehenge. "They didn't leave anything written, they didn't do many cave paintings and so all we've really got is what the archaeologists dig up out of the ground. My policy is - I find out what's known, what the historians feel confident about. And what isn't known, I'm entitled to make up." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Culpability by Bruce Holsinger. When a self driving car crashes, a family's lives are thrown into chaos. In the aftermath, questions are raised about responsibility for the accident and where the ethical line between human culpability and the technology is drawn. The people in this family are all keeping secrets from one another, and as these are thrown into the spotlight this book just gets more and more compelling. I couldn't put it down. Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy. She won the Booker Prize in 1997 with The God of Small Things which was fiction – this new one is a memoir, about her life, and specifically about her relationship with her mother who was a singular, difficult woman who is referred to throughout the book as Mrs Roy. They had a challenging relationship – Arundhati said her mother was her shelter and her storm – and there are loads of fascinating and entertaining stories and anecdotes in the book. It's a terrific memoir. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's common for people to want to build a trip around a big event, but waiting for the flights and hotels to line up can be tricky. Booking things at the last minute can add on a bunch of extra costs, so BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton revealed how you can get ahead and make a booking. She also revealed how to make the most out of a cancellation policy - read more about her travel tips here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, resident economist at Opes Partners, Ed McKnight, and Newstalk ZB host Roman Travers joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Foreign Minister Winston Peters confirmed New Zealand wouldn't recognise a Palestinian state at this point in time. Are we surprised by this? The All Blacks managed to turn their luck around and beat the Wallabies 33-24 at Eden Park - and claim the Bledisloe Cup. But would it mean more if we won it over three matches? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflammation can be caused by a number of factors, but new research has found there's a link between the condition and hormone changes in women. Loss of oestrogen can affect joints and the connective tissue that 'glues' your skeleton together, and the changes in hormones can result in general muscle aches, pains and stiffness. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 28 September 2025, Ken Follett is the master of the historical epic, this week he tells Francesca why he turned to Stonehenge for his new novel Circle of Days. Pub Choir has become a global phenomenon, it's founder Astrid Jorgensen talks about why she's so passionate about getting people singing and why being able to sing, isn't important. The Government has announced it's position on Palestinian statehood, Geopolitical analyst Geoffrey Miller on why our stance surprised him. Heard of Fat Bear Week? It's appointment viewing in Francesca's household so we cross to Alaska to see how bears preparing for hibernation became appointment viewing around the world. And Dr Michelle Dickinson brings us some of the wackiest science studies of the year. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Throw-out roasted vegetable salad Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes 6 parsnips, carrots, courgette or buttercup & cut into long wedges 2 tbsp cooking oil Heat oven to 180 degrees. Place the vegetables into a large bowl and toss through oil and spiced salt. Then into a roasting tray ensuring all the veggies are single layer. Bake for 20 minutes before tossing and cooking for a further 5 minutes while you make the chickpea salsa. Once the veggies are cooked and whilst they are still hot, toss through the chickpea salsa, garnish and serve. Spiced salt: 1/2 tsp smoked paprika powder 1 tsp sea salt Warm chickpea salsa: 1x 330 ml can chickpeas, washed, rinsed and dried 2 tomatoes, finely diced ½ cup parsley, roughly chopped (reserve some for garnish) 3 cloves garlic, crushed 5 tbsp sunflower oil 1 lemon, juiced & zested Salt and pepper Heat a frypan and add a touch of oil, quickly sauté chickpeas until they are golden and crunchy. Place into a bowl and combine all the rest of the ingredients and mix well. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2025 Ig Nobel awards have been revealed, with drunk bats, pizza-eating lizards and painted-up zebra cows among this year's nominees. Dr Michelle Dickinson's gone through the nominees - and outlined her top three. Does painting a cow to look like a zebra mean it's bitten less by flies? Scientists have long wondered why zebras are not bitten by flies as much as other animals. Researchers who were looking into how to prevent cows from being bitten by flies decided to test if had something to do with the stripes, so they painted cows with black and white stripes and measured how many bites they had, and lo and behold the striped cows had half the number of bites than the non-painted cows did! Does eating garlic when breastfeeding change the smell of your breastmilk? Garlic is known to have a very potent odour - but it's also delicious, and so scientists wanted to know if the odour could be passed on to breastmilk and if it bothered the babies who were drinking the milk. Breastfeeding mothers were either given garlic capsules or asked to eat a sulphurous-free diet (emitting garlic, onion and asparagus) and their breastmilk was then sniffed by adults to see if they could detect any difference between them. The milk from the garlic consuming mothers was reported to have a much more intense odour which peaked at 2 hours after ingestion. Interestingly, it seems that the garlicky-smelling milk was actually more desirable and babies who were fed after their mothers ate garlic not only breastfed for longer, but consumed more milk! Are you more fluent in a second language if you are drunk? Alcohol is known to have detrimental effects on memory and inhibitory control, but there has been a belief among bilingual people that their foreign language fluency improves after a few drinks. To test this, 50 native German speakers who also spoke Dutch were tested with one group receiving a vodka and bitter lemon drink and the other group just water. After they were asked to rate their own self-perception of their skill in Dutch and the Dutch speakers they were talking to were also asked to rate them. The results showed that intoxication did actually improve the Dutch fluency of the participants according to the sober Dutch speakers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The highly-anticipated Bird of the Year vote is set to close tonight - with the champion bird due to be announced tomorrow. The annual contest has grown into a cultural phenomenon, and it's produced plenty of memes, international headlines, a bit of vote-rigging scandal, and even controversy when Last Week Tonight got involved. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall weighed in on the most popular birds - ahead of voting closing at 5pm tonight. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fat Bear Week 2025 is under way - and people can now cast their votes for their favourite chunky bear ahead of the winter season. Fat Bear Week is an annual competition between brown bears in Alaska, and the bears are all up against each other as they try to eat as much as they can to prepare for hibernation. Former park ranger and long-time worker on Fat Bear Week, Naomi Boak, says the event's seen plenty of growth over the last few years. "Lat year, there were over a million votes from over 100 countries - so a little bit of growth." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions have been raised as to how the Government can bounce back after the recent Mood of the Boardroom survey result. The annual survey of New Zealand business leaders showed Luxon slipping in the rankings of ministers - from 6th to 15th. NZ Herald political reporter Adam Pearse says the economy isn't improving the way the Government needs and people still aren't feeling hopeful. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks have set their eyes on consistency after snaring the Bledisloe Cup for another year. The 33-24 win over the Wallabies keeps the trophy at NZR headquarters - the 23rd consecutive summer it will spend there. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith says the All Blacks didn't fold like they did in Wellington last time, but there's still room for improvement. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An international relations expert is deeming New Zealand's decision on Palestinian statehood as 'surprising'. Winston Peters confirmed at the UN General Assembly that we won't recognise a Palestinian state right now - as the conditions aren't right. Geopolitical analyst Geoffrey Miller says this decision is out of synch with our international allies, including Australia, the UK and Canada. "And these are states with which New Zealand is quite close with, when it comes to positions on the war in Gaza since October 7th. New Zealand has signed a number of joint statements with Australia and Canada, for example...it's worked very closely with those three." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back in 2022, investigative reporter Sönke Iwersen received 100 gigabytes of confidential leaked data from a whistle-blower inside Tesla. The files detailed dangerous autopilot software errors, a high number of workplace accidents in Tesla's factories and a culture of fear within the company. Iwersen's investigation is now a book called The Tesla Files: Inside Elon Musk's Empire of Power and Deception. "We found, actually, that there had been warnings inside Tesla about this mistake, the level of insecurity - and later, the guy who had warned us about it was later fired for it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Clarke Gayford-produced documentary chronicling the premiership of his wife and former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern promises an intimate look at the former leader. Besides interviews and archival footage, it also includes home footage shot by Gayford and is described as a look into both Ardern's administration and private life Clarke Gayford says he wanted the documentary to reveal the honest bits of Ardern's tumultuous political life. "Just trying to put a human face on what it means to be a politician, because the world we live in is getting crazier and spinning faster and faster - and so that was sort of the drive that made me want to pull this all together." Prime Minister is set to arrive in cinemas on Thursday September 25th. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clown Town by Mick Herron. This is the latest novel in his Slow Horses series, about Jackson Lamb and the cast of MI5 misfits and rejects that he manages in Slough House. They are brilliant books and this one is no exception. There are several seasons of an Apple TV series based on the books which is wonderful television, but as always, the books are even better. Highly recommended for anyone who likes spy stories, and eccentric, interesting and deeply flawed characters. Fly, Wild Swans by Jung Chang. In 1991, Jung Chang's memoir about three generations of women in her family in China was on everyone's reading list - and it was wonderful. This is a follow up, updating things since the impact that success had on her life, change in China and its place in the world over the years and what's happened to her during that period - it's really a personal and global memoir, and much of it is a love letter to her mother. Her books are all banned in China, but luckily we have them here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Turns out you can get more out of Air New Zealand's flexichange service than previously expected. BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton recently revealed you can change the destination and date as part of the flexichange package on domestic flights - which can come in handy for unexpected events. Megan revealed how you can take advantage of this travel hack - read more here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills and broadcaster and journalist Wilhelmina Shrimpton joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Late-show host Jimmy Kimmel was unexpectedly pulled off the air after after he made controversial comments in the wake of Charlie Kirk's death. What do we make of this? Is this concerning for the future of free speech? Te Pati Māori's recent scandals have prompted discussion about whether Labour should make a statement about ruling them out. Do we think they need to say anything? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 21 September 2025, former 'First Bloke' Clarke Gayford on his involvement in new documentary 'Prime Minister' and why he filmed candid footage of Jacinda Ardern's time in office. German investigative journalist Sonke Iwerson talks about his new book 'The Tesla Files' and how he came to investigate the Elon Musk firm. Republicans and right wing conservatives are speaking out with concerns over the suspension of late night host Jimmy Kimmel. Associate law professor Jacob Schriner-Briggs explains the situation. The panel debate whether Labour should rule out working with Te Pati Māori. And Travel blogger Megan Singleton gives us a flexi-care travel hack. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Sunday is World Gratitude Day - and it's prompted discussion about the surprising health benefits that come with being thankful. Practicing gratitude offers significant physical and psychological health benefits, including lower blood pressure, improved immune function, better sleep, reduced stress, decreased anxiety and depression, and enhanced self-esteem. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara reveals the best ways to practice gratitude in your daily life. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Smoked chocolate crème brûlée Cook time: 35 minutes Prep time: 10 minutes Serves: 6 400ml cream 4 tbsp caster sugar 100g good quality dark chocolate 1/2 tsp vanilla paste 5 egg yolks 1 whole egg 6 tbsp caster sugar (for the caramel top) Preheat oven to 140*C (NOT fan-forced). If you have a cold smoker, place the cream into a roasting tray and cold smoke for 1 hour. (if you don't have a cold smoker, just skip this) Place cream, sugar, chocolate and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until hot (do not allow to boil). Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk egg yolks, vanilla paste and whole egg in a heatproof bowl until well combined. Pour hot milk mixture over egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly. Skim all bubbles off the surface then pour into 6 small ovenproof bowls. Place bowls in a deep roasting dish, then pour boiling water into the bottom of the dish until it reaches halfway up the bowls. Very carefully place the roasting dish in the oven and cook for 35 minutes. Remove the crème brûlée form the oven and allow to cool before placing into your fridge to chill. To finish, sprinkle 1 tbsp of sugar over each brûlée and burn with a brûlée torch to finish. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've found yourself holding a book at arm's length or squinting at your phone in dim light, you're not alone. Almost everyone develops presbyopia as they get older. It's a natural part of aging where the eye's lens loses flexibility, making it harder to focus on nearby objects. Traditionally, the go-to solution has been reading glasses, or, for some, surgery. But now, a surprising contender is on the horizon: eye drops. At the recent Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, researchers presented results that could change how presbyopia is treated. In a study of 766 patients, eye drops combining pilocarpine and diclofenac helped people read extra lines on a near-vision chart, and the improvements lasted for up to two years. The drops contain two active ingredients working in tandem: Pilocarpine: an older drug that contracts the eye's ciliary muscle and makes the pupil smaller. This helps sharpen focus for near objects. Diclofenac: a common anti-inflammatory drug that eases the discomfort pilocarpine can cause. Together, they act like a workout and cushion for the eye: one trains the focusing muscles, the other keeps irritation at bay. Patients in the study used the drops twice a day once in the morning and once later in the afternoon, with the option for a third dose if needed. The findings were striking: Within one hour of the first dose, patients could typically read three extra lines on the near-vision chart. 99% of those using the lowest concentration (1% pilocarpine) gained at least two lines of improvement. For many, the improvements lasted more than a year, with some maintaining better vision for nearly two years. Side effects were mild and included temporary dim vision (32%), irritation (3.7%), and headaches (3.8%). Importantly, no serious complications like retinal detachment were reported. Imagine a future where instead of fumbling for your reading glasses at dinner, you simply use an eye drop in the morning and carry on with clear sight throughout the day. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Celebrities and former politicians have weighed in on the decision to axe Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show. The US talk show host has been pulled off air indefinitely, after suggesting Charlie Kirk was killed by a pro-Trump Republican last week. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall unpacked the responses - and weighed in on the debate over this situation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Ferns are determined to wrap their World Cup campaign with a medal, quickly turning their attention to the bronze playoff next week. They've surrendered their World Cup title, defeated by Canada in the semi-finals in Bristol. Sports journalist Alice Soper has voiced disappointment with this weekend's loss. "On the other hand, as a fan of women's rugby, there is a beautiful story attached to this Canadian team, so you kind of can't help but get behind them and hope that they go all the way - so it's been a tough pill to swallow." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New reports show the economy is worse off than previously thought and it's sparked debate about what - or who - is to blame. GDP data shows the economy shrunk 0.9 percent in the June quarter - a more significant dip than the 0.3 percent forecast by the Reserve Bank and similar figures from most economists. Newstalk ZB political reporter Azaria Howell says economic conservatives are calling for a bigger reduction in spending, while Labour has called for the whole Government to resign. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Auckland apartment market is so dire that a developer is renting instead of selling all the units in one new block. Ockham Residential CEO William Deihl said all the new 10-level 77-unit Whetū in Pt Chevalier would be rented, not sold - sparking discussion about whether apartments have value in the current market. Mt Hobson Group urban planning expert Hamish Firth says apartments can still suit Kiwi buyers - at a certain age and stage. "Perhaps older people or downsizers, perhaps students coming through or perhaps young families with lesser amounts of kids. So I think that it's really good that we've got that variety of housing forms." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Late-show host Jimmy Kimmel's been meeting with top Disney executives since he was pulled off air earlier this week. ABC put his talk show on hold indefinitely after he made controversial comments about the Charlie Kirk killing. US associate law professor Jacob Schriner-Briggs says there's a strong case for Kimmel to sue. "Typically, the First Amendment only applies to Government actors, which is to say that private entities cannot typically violate a person's freedom of speech, but the Supreme Court has been clear in interpreting the First Amendment that the Government cannot force private intermediaries to do its censorship work for it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dame Robin White is well-regarded as one of New Zealand's most significant living artists, and she teamed up with Dame Gaylene Preston for a new project. Grace: A Prayer for Peace traces White's evolution as an artist and her creative output fuelled by the world around her. "We knew one another through our work, but we didn't know that. And then when we ran into one another Rita Angus exhibition - we kind of met in the flesh, but that's when we really knew one another." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi chef Al Brown is well-regarded as one of New Zealand's top foodies, and he's back with a new book for novice fishermen. Fans of Al's work will have seen his love of all things fish in his many cookbooks, restaurants and TV shows, and his book Hooked: Learning to Fish aims to teach Kiwis a thing or two. He says he has a massive love of fishing and lots of positive memories around fishing - and he used that insight to help craft the book. "I started writing it for 12-year-olds, but it kept morphing into more...not just a how-to, but so much more in there for everyone else to use as well." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fulfillment by Lee Cole. Two half brothers lead very different lives. When they converge on their mother's home in rural Kentucky, the rivalry between them intensifies with potentially terrifying consequences. This is a story about class, privilege, family, brotherhood and ordinary people living ordinary, messy lives - and what it takes to find fulfilment. All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert - who is of course the author of the bestselling Eat, Pray, Love. This is another deeply personal story, about her relationship with Rayya Elias - which was one of co-dependence, serious addictions and a spiral of self destruction. Rayya was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and after her death Elizabeth shone a spotlight on their affair and managed to recover through a determined adherence to a 12 step programme. It's a really brave book, harrowing at times and ultimately fascinating. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Destination Facebook groups are a useful tool to utilise while travelling - and they can help you be better prepared in the face of disaster. Between natural disasters, adverse weather conditions or mosquito outbreaks, online communities can be useful to get perspective from the locals to prepare for all kinds of scenarios. BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton explained further - read more about it here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a sad week. Humanity has not been at its best. A police officer almost lost his life and we got a glimpse into the harsh reality of life in the bush for three young children. A conservative activist lost his life practicing politics in the US. And a trial begun here against a mother who is alleged to have killed her children, drugging them and then placing them in a suitcase and leaving them at a storage unit. And to top it off, a complaint about the comedic ad with Tina from Turner's was upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority. Which may be proof we're losing our sense of humour! It's not just the events themselves that were saddening, but also the way we, the public, responded to them. We have a tendency to react without knowing the full story, we weaponize tragedy politically, and we're easily outraged by a burnout. After shooting a police officer in the head in front of his child, it was baffling to hear Tom Phillips being regaled as a folk hero of sorts. After seeing the conditions these children were living in, and learning how he armed them and took them on his many alleged armed robberies, restricted them from society and family, and took away their rights to education and medical care - he doesn't sound much like a hero to me. If the court orders preventing a lot of information being made public, comments from the police about Phillips receiving help, and the children being in state care tells us anything, it's that this is a complicated story. There are already plenty of questions to be asked - from the police and Orange Tamariki's response to the first abduction through to now, whether the risk to the children was appropriately assessed, and whether the police have responded in their best interests over the last 4 years. But right now, the most important thing to remember is there are young people at the heart of this. Young people who will always be defined by and identified with what has happened. Protecting them, helping them deal with what they have been through, and adjusting to life again, is the most important thing. Our 2 cents on what we think about what's happened and the people involved is utterly irrelevant. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 14 September 2025, celebrity chef Al Brown might just be one of our keenest fisherman, he joins Francesca to talk about his life long love of fishing and how to best prepare your catch. Two of our arts greats, Dame Gaylene Preston and Dame Robin White have joined forces, they join Francesca to talk about their friendship and that new film. Washington DC Bureau Chief for The Guardian David Smith discusses the way forward for America following the assassination of Charlie Kirk and growing political violence while Francesca reflects on a sad news week and questions humanity's response to this weeks events. And can VR help people with dementia? Dr Michelle Dickinson has the latest science. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Sunday Panel, managing director of 818, Chris Henry and journalist and editor, Jo McCarroll, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! How concerned are we about the growing political violence in America following the Charlie Kirk incident? Is there a way back to being able to debate and accept different views - or has that ship sailed? Can information really be suppressed in a global media world? A suppression order has been put in place around the Tom Phillips case, but suppressed information has been reported on the internet. have we lost the ability to give people a fair trial or the privacy they need? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More and more people are looking into living longer and staying healthier, with the longevity movement encouraging individuals to take control of their health. People can be driven by a fear of becoming dependent or losing bodily function and appearance, and they're aiming to treat symptoms of aging through lifestyle changes, supplements, and medical advancements. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explains the benefits of the movement - and reveals some habits you can utilise to help with the aging process. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike van de Elzen: Chorizo paella with green chili and coriander Cook time: 45 minutes Prep time: 5 minutes Serves: 6 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 white onion, peeled and diced 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 2 chorizo sausage, sliced 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 cup red wine 1 1/2 cups long grain rice 3-4 cups vegetable stock 2 tsp tomato puree 1/2 tsp salt good Crack of pepper 12 cooked prawns 1 green chili (cayenne or similar) 1/2 cup fresh coriander 1 lemon, cut into 6 Start by pre-heat your oven to 180*c. Place your a deep cast-iron pan onto a element and start by sautéing the diced onions and garlic in the sunflower oil until soft. Add in the chopped chorizo and continue to sauté. Once the chorizo starts to colour up add in the rice. Reduce the heat and continue to sauté for a couple of minutes, before you carefully pour in the red wine. Allow the wine to reduce before finally adding in the vegetable stock, tomato puree and then season with salt and pepper. Place the a lid onto the pan and place it into the oven for 35 minutes. After this time remove and check the rice is just cooked through. If so scatter over the prawns and fire back into the oven without a lid for a further 10 minutes to heat the prawns through. After this time, remove and top with sliced green chili, coriander and lemon wedges. Serve. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine walking through a peaceful forest, listening to birdsong, or watching the waves roll in on a sunny beach. Now imagine doing all of that without ever leaving your chair. New research published in the American Journal of Health Behaviour took a group of older adults living with dementia and gave them this experience in a study exploring the benefits of virtual reality. The study looked at how nature-themed virtual reality sessions could help improve emotional well-being and quality of life for people with Alzheimer's disease. The research team worked with 11 residents at a long-term memory care facility, all diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's. Over five weeks, participants took part in two 20 to 30-minute VR sessions each week. Using a program called Nature Treks VR, they were transported to peaceful landscapes like forests, meadows, and oceans complete with animated animals and plants they could interact with. While nature is known to have powerful calming and restorative effects, many people living with dementia face challenges getting outdoors. Limited mobility, safety concerns, and lack of access to green spaces can make it hard to enjoy the real thing. That's where virtual reality came in offering a safe, indoor way to connect with the natural world. After five weeks of virtual nature sessions, participants reported feeling more positive emotions like pleasure and alertness and fewer negative ones, such as sadness, anxiety, and anger. They also said their overall quality of life had improved. And it wasn't just the numbers that told the story. In interviews, both participants and their caregivers shared heart-warming feedback. Many spoke of how much they enjoyed exploring the virtual environments, how exciting it was to try something new, and how the experiences sparked fond memories from the past. One key moment came when participants recalled special places from their childhoods, or family holidays by the sea showing that virtual nature didn't just offer relaxation, but also helped trigger meaningful memories and emotional connections. The study offers a hopeful glimpse into how technology can be used in care settings not to replace real-world experiences, but to offer new ways to connect, explore, and improve quality of life when the real world isn't always accessible. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards are set to take place tomorrow, with many top TV shows up for an award. Apple TV+ could be in for some big wins, with Severance and The Studio among the leading contenders for an award. The White Lotus, The Bear and The Last of Us are also among the favourites to win. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall unpacked the nominees ahead of the upcoming ceremony. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new youth-focused arts festival is set to debut in Auckland next week - and run until the 28th of September. We The Young is Auckland Live's first attempt at creating a festival specifically geared to a youth audience and it aims to make the arts more accessible for young people and their families. One artist involved in the festival is Rutene Spooner and he says the event will be 'something special'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris is standing by his controversial social media comments, according to recent reports. Ferris posted a video this week defending a previous post saying it was unacceptable for people of other ethnicities to campaign to take a Māori seat from Māori. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says this has caused some tension within the party, as some fellow MPs have raised concerns about these comments. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last night was a big one for New Zealand sport, but it didn't quite go the way many Kiwi fans were hoping. The Warriors' NRL finals hopes were dashed after their 24-8 loss to the Panthers and the All Blacks suffered a historic 43-10 loss to the Springboks in Wellington. In better news, the Black Ferns are into the semi-finals at the women's Rugby World Cup after beating out South Africa. Sky Sport commentator Jeff McTainsh says the Black Ferns played an 'excellent' game of rugby. "They came out in that second half and scored some wonderful tries and just played that brand of rugby that has seen them dominate the women's rugby landscape for so many years." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.