The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

A Promised Land by Barack Obama It covers the years from being a young man keen to make a difference, through to being elected President and then his first three years in office. It ends with the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011. As you’d expect from Obama it’s introspective, elegant and a real insight into the business of running the most powerful office in the world. The Law of Innocence by Mich...

Next Friday, I’m lucky enough to be taking a few days off, and with a group of girlfriends, I'm heading to Karamea to fast-pack the Heaphy Track. We go on an adventure like this each year - it’s our version of a girl’s weekend. Some people go shopping, others treat themselves to a fancy hotel, but on the last weekend in November, my mates and I go bush to run, walk, laugh, and be awed by our natio...

As the country gears up for the holiday season and drawing a curtain over 2020, people are being urged to be sensible and moderate with their Christmas parties. Naturopath and wellbeing expert Erin O'Hara joined Francesca Rudkin on simple tips to avoid overindulging at parties.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike's No Soak Christmas Cake 1 lemon, zested 1 orange, zested 350 gm castor sugar 300 gm raisins 300 gm currants 300 gm sultanas 200 gm mixed candied peel 500 gm plain flour 75 gm baking powder 1 pinch salt 100 gm ground almonds 8 eggs 50 gm blanched almonds 25 ml milk 75 ml brandy/dark rum (optional)   Cream butter and gradually work in the fresh citrus rind. Add the sugar and cream together unt...

It has been a rough year for many, but there's some good news that just might alter your perception of 2020 - eating mangoes reduces wrinkles! The University of California study analysed mango consumption in 28 post-menopausal women. The results show those who ate half a cup of mango four times a week, experienced a 23 percent reduction to their deep wrinkles -- but those who ate a cup and a half,...

Rock legends Guns N' Roses have announced a New Zealand tour in 2021. The band will hit Wellington's Sky Stadium on Friday 19 November before performing their first-ever South Island concert at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium on Sunday 21 November. Guns N' Roses will come to New Zealand after a multi-city tour of Australia, where they will quarantine upon arrival. "Announcing an international tour...

Jack Reacher is back for his 25th adventure but this time around there’s a new author on the cover. Lee Child is the beloved creator of the character and book series, but after 25 years he’s planning his exit strategy and is handing the reigns over to his younger brother, fellow thriller writer Andrew Grant, who is now known as Andrew Child - that was part of the deal. The latest book is The Senti...

Like the All Blacks, the National Party needs to take responsibility - and move forward. Former Prime Minister and National leader Sir John Key has likened rugby to politics, after both suffering heavy defeat and scrutiny. Sir John told Francesca Rudkin that by blaming the media, or other people, you can forget to look in the mirror. He says they both need to look at what happened - and go back to...

National's long-serving president Peter Goodfellow has held onto to the position, beating off a potential challenge from former MP David Carter at the National's party annual general meeting. Goodfellow was chosen as president again by the party's board on Saturday night. Earlier in the day, the party's delegates had re-elected him to the board along with Rachel Bird. Carter, who was an MP for 21...

Dame Anne Salmond's life-long work to improve "intercultural understanding" between Māori and Pākehā has been recognised with the prestigious Blake medal. Salmond - a leading social scientist, communicator, author and conservationist - was presented the award during the annual Blake Awards ceremony in Auckland on Thursday night, in honour of sailing legend Sir Peter Blake. "Dame Anne Salmond is on...

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she wants to ensure first home buyers can get into the market after it was revealed this morning that house prices have increased nearly 20 per cent. House prices have increased 19.8 per cent year-on-year with the median now at $725,000. Ardern this afternoon said figures show an increase in first-time buyers in the market since 2017, but that investors in the ma...

Children’s author Andy Griffiths is one of the men behind the beloved, extremely popular Treehouse Series. Alongside illustrator Terry Denton, the pair have written over 30 books together, selling over 10 million copies and winning numerous awards.  The Treehouse Series is now published in 35 countries and has been adapted for stage. The series started back in 2011 with the 13 Storey Treehouse, ev...

Working from home has become the new normal for many of us due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While some have struggled to adapt to this new working mode, others have come to the welcome realization that their job requirements can be completed from anywhere and are beginning to explore their options. As a result, a number of exotic destinations which have seen their tourism revenue pretty much vanish o...

Addressed to Greta by Fiona Sussman Greta lives a timid life in Auckland – not many friends, the same job for 22 years and her mother’s mantra always in her head : no expectations, no disappointments. Then she befriends someone who, in his will, leaves her a bequest which will change her life – tickets around the world for big adventures and new experiences and it’s the making of her. Parting Word...

We may not often think about our genes, but they can have a big impact on our health. Healt and wellbeing expert Erin O'Hara says people can think of them just as a way of tracking your ancestry, but understanding your genes can help you reach optimal health. She joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss how you can explore your genetics in order to change your lifestyle.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com...

Lamb rump curry w homemde naan ½ cup curry paste ½ cup natural unsweetened yoghurt juice of ½ lemon 4 large lamb rumps, fat trimmed Curry paste 1 onion, roughly chopped 6 cloves, whole 2 bunches coriander, stalks only, keep the tops for later 2 tbsp mild curry powder ½ tsp turmeric ½ tsp chilli powder 1 tsp salt Handmade naan 500g plain flour 1 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar ½ tsp dried yeast 100ml milk 150...

New research finds that telling white lies to your children like 'eating carrots helps you see in the dark', 'Father Christmas won’t come if you’re naughty', or 'if you watch too much TV you’ll get square eyes' can lead to them feeling more anxious as teenagers. The researchers from China’s Xinyang Normal University recruited 900 volunteers aged between 10 and 17 to examine the association between...

Kylie Minogue will be feeling lucky, lucky, lucky this week, after setting a stunning new record on the UK Charts. Minogue has become the first solo female artist to have a number one album in the UK across five decades, after her latest album, Disco, went straight to number one this week.  Minogue has managed at least one number album a decade in the UK since her debut in the 1980s.  #Lovers … TH...

Swedish actress Noomi Rapace rose to worldwide fame playing Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. Since then she has been in many Hollywood blockbusters including Sherlock Holmes and Prometheus. Now, she has a new film out, The Secrets We Keep. In it, Rapace plays Maya, a Romanian Nazi concentration camp survivor seeking revenge 15 years after the war. Rapace joined Francesc...

Argentina have pulled off one of the great test rugby upsets, stunning the All Blacks 25-15 for the first time - and leaving rugby fans questioning the new era under coach Ian Foster. The fallout is coming thick and fast, with many - including All Black great Sir John Kirwan - questioning the All Blacks' discipline and leadership. Foster, who has just two wins in his first five tests in charge, ad...

A digital technology expert is backing the Government's moves to make the use of the Covid Tracer app mandatory in certain circumstances. Ministry of Health data shows fewer than one in six of the 2.3 million registered app users are using it daily. Minister for the Covid-19 response Chris Hipkins is looking at whether people should be required to scan in with the app at big events and in places l...

New Zealand is set to join a new trade deal today that will open a free trade zone with 14 other countries.  Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last wrapped up speaking with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations - ASEAN. The summit took place digitally, and also marked the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic partnership between New Zealand and ASEAN. In a joint statement with the leade...

After more than 30 years living in the UK, world-renowned Kiwi chef Peter Gordon has returned home to New Zealand. What has greeted him is an industry in crisis having been dealt a cruel blow by Covid-19. But Gordon and partner Alastair Carruthers have come to the rescue. An idea that has been brewing for a while, they have created Homeland, a social enterprise that Gordon and Carruthers are descr...

Joe Biden's bet on the 2020 race was a simple one: that a nation riven by deep partisanship was ready for a reset. Biden ultimately emerged victorious over President Donald Trump, a moment of both celebration and relief for his supporters. But the results sent mixed messages about the nation's eagerness to turn the page on one of the most polarized periods in modern American history. Biden carried...

Travellers from Japan can now bypass Hawaii’s mandatory 14-day quarantine if they show a negative COVID-19 test from one of the state’s trusted testing partners. Businesses that rely on Japanese tourists are gearing up for their return. We won’t see the buses that shuttle large groups of Japanese visitors around Honolulu like the 'Oli'Oli or Waikiki Trolley anytime soon, but we can expect to see m...