Nine To Noon

Science commentator Laurie Winkless joins Kathryn to talk about three new studies. The first shows evidence from 25 European countries that over the course of a decade extreme heat is directly influencing voting choices - with an increase in Green parties' support. GPS data from Manx shearwater birds found they're impacted by the sun's changes as they navigate long distances to their feeding grounds and back again. And a new dwarf planet's been discovered in our solar system. Laurie Winkless is a physicist and science writer

A major exhibition, Blood Is Thicker: Jason Greig, first staged at The Dowse Art Museum and now showing at Christchurch Art Gallery.

Unemployment rose to its highest level in nearly 11 years as the economy shed jobs, and there are signs some people may have stopped looking for work. Stats NZ said the unemployment rate was 5.7 per cent in the three months ended September, up from 5.6 percent in the previous quarter. A total of 174,000 people were unemployed, a rise of 3000 on the previous quarter and 14,000 higher than a year ago. Gyles Beckford is RNZ economics correspondent.

Kereama has the latest on the down grading of alert levels on Whakaari/White Island plus Whakatane Hospital neonatal unit gets an upgrade, Kawerau's Deputy Mayor wins gold in powerlifting, the Ngati Awa Te Toki Festival and 12 years of kapa haka and a new summer reggae festival for Whakatane.

Lucy Black reviews two books: Bedford Street by Ross Murray (Earth's End Publishing), and Music Against the Night by Yiyun Li (HarperCollins).

The film offers a reflection - not just on his extraordinary broadcasting career - but on the father, husband and person behind the public persona.

Australia correspondent Karen Middleton on another OCR hike, the glitz and glamour of the Melbourne Cup, the drug regulator has approved the pill version of weight-loss drug Wegovy, a children's author jailed for possessing and distributing child sex abuse material and a 12-year-old boy's been up against a magpie with a grudge.

Electrolyte drinks and powders are pushed as the answer to dehydration - but does anyone actually need them? uss.

Nearly one in four new vehicles in the year to October was a plug-in EV - up from 10 per cent in the same period last year.

Wellington City Council is proposing a major shift in how it collects rates from households.

What's next for a future professional netball league after the sport's national body parted ways with private backers Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray.

Liv Sisson has a new book out this week about the butterflies and moths of New Zealand.

Big moves among retailers The Warehouse and Kathmandu, as the former head of the Financial Markets Authority gets a big payout.

Piers Fuller, editor of the Wairarapa Times-Age, has the latest news from the region.

How we understand our animals? What are our pets trying to tell us and how can we even 'hear' them?

Nix Adams discusses her book Nothing to Lose: A mother's journey through grief, addiction and recovery.

David Smith has the latest on the midterms, as one Democrat switches sides.

A new project aims to improve healthcare professionals' capacity to provide compassionate, evidence-based lactation care after infant loss.

University of Auckland is building a $125 million high-performance engineering facility in racing driver Bruce McLaren's honour.

Otago farmers are fighting are losing battle against invasive pests, including deer, pigs and possums. Several farmers in The Catlins lost large portions of their winter crops to feral deer, with one losing an entire paddock even though it had been sprayed with deer repellent. A survey undertaken by Federated Farmers earlier this year reported pest numbers, and that costs relate to pest control, were increasing. In 2024 half of farmers reported pest numbers had risen over the previous five years. In 2026, that has risen to two-thirds of farmers. And that farms which bordered on forestry or Crown land were more susceptible to pests entering, than form other land types. Richard Dawkins is pest spokesperson for Federated Farmers and Rachel Napier farms in Owaka Valley and for the past four years has worked with other landowners as part of the Catlins Biodiversity Group in an effort to combat the swelling populations of possum, pig and deer.

Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.

Drawing on six years of working with New Zealand families Ganesh Raj has produced a new resource he hopes will help.

Brigitte, Gareth and Kathryn discuss recent events in politics as the election campaign moves into its final week, and John Key has a message for voters.

Simon Wilson is a Listener columnist based in Auckland.

Louise Ward from Wardini Books reviews two books: Somebody Always Comes Looking by Paul Cleave (Upstart Press), and Bookrapt's Treasury by Debbie McCauley (Mauao Publishing.

A new book tells the comprehensive story of our trusted police dogs and their handlers - going back to 1956 and the foundation of the New Zealand Police Dog Section.

Spanish transport minister rejects calls to resign after second deadly train crash, protests and clashes with police across Europe spread to Germany, tension in Poland over control of country's constitutional court, and exhausted and hungry residents from the Russian-controlled town of Oleshky have crossed back behind the Ukrainian front line.

Micro-robotics is a developing research field that may revolutionise future medical applications, such as drug delivery for cancer treatments.

Wētā Workshop experts on the challenge of creating a sexy husband made out of basketry for the film Wicker opening in cinemas this week.

US voting in the mid terms gets underway overnight tomorrow in an election that could change the bal;ance of power in Congress.

The cancellation of the proposed domestic netball competition, and the more of the latest sports news.

Comedians Irene Pink and Michele A'Court with a lighter take on some stories of the week.

Ian has the latest on a multi million dollar driving range being developed by local golf mad farmers and grape growers, and more.

Paul Diamond reviews Introducing The English Text of the Treaty of Waitangi by Ned Fletcher, published by Bridget Williams Books.

At 82, Michael Douglas is looking back on his extraordinary professional success in movies like Wall Street, Basic Instinct and Fatal Attraction.

The company behind Hello Kitty is in hot water over its links with a Japanese TV show and student protests are simmering across Indonesia.

Wild West Gourmet combines traditional methods with practices such as waste reduction, water management and low emission transport.

A long-held mystery, the wall was able to be analysed after it was pulled apart and rebuilt as part of the build of the City Rail Link.

Hospice New Zealand says after three years of work and more than $100,000 spent, there is still no resolution on pay equity for hospice nurses.

Film and TV reviewer Tom Augustine shares his picks of what's on at the movies this week.

Parenting can be extremely rewarding - but it can also be relentless and sometimes, overwhelming. Dr Jo Prendergast is a psychiatrist and comedian who shares her knowledge of how to avoid burnout.

Tech commentator Bill Bennett looks at how a planned join venture between One NZ and 2degrees, allowing them to share their physical mobile networks but remain separate companies, might work.

Robin has the latest on calls for a alternative route to Awakino Gorge, the Taranaki conversation project harnessing the power of AI, the latest on staff numbers at the New Plymouth district council.

Pacific correspondent Christina Persico looks at reaction to Israel joining the Pacific Islands Forum as a two-tier dialogue partner.

The gripping story of Britain's first Antarctic expedition that would launch the careers of Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton.

UK correspondent Steph Spyro joins Kathryn to talk about what's in Chancellor John Healey's Budget released overnight NZ time, after which PM Andy Burnham ruled out calling a general election in the next 12 months.

The homes that win Best House awards are usually beautifully crafted dwellings on spectacular sites. But this year's Best House is one with real purpose.

RNZ's Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch responds to the latest RNZ-Reid Research poll - which has seen the National Party drop below 25 percent, and Opportunity reach a new high.

National Party leader Christopher Luxon joins Kathryn Ryan in RNZ's Auckland studio to talk about everything in this election campaign, including the latest polling in an extremely tight election race.

Stuart is University of Canterbury's Executive Dean of Science, and a Professor in the School of Biological Sciences.