The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Working a nonstandard schedule - such as night shifts, split shifts or rotating shifts - can have a harmful impact on your life. It impacts how and when you eat, sleep, exercise and maintain relationships, and concerns have been raised over the long-term health impacts. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained how to mitigate the long-term health impacts. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystu...

Curry in a hurry  Cook time: 25 minutes  Prep minutes: 20 minutes  Serves: 6-8 1 size 14 chicken   2 tbsp cooking oil   1 onion, peeled and diced   2 cloves garlic, crushed   1 can wholepeeled tomatoes, chopped   200ml water   1 vegetable stock cube  Pinch of salt if required   1/2 cup chopped mint leaves   1/2 cup chopped coriander leave...

Artificial intelligence is already helping scientists discover new drugs, predict protein structures, and accelerate medical research. Now it has reached another milestone: helping design a vaccine that has been tested in humans for the first time. Researchers have published results in the  Journal of Infection from a Phase I clinical trial of pEVAC-PS, an experimental vaccine designed using...

Olivia Rodrigo dropped her third album,  you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love , last week, and it's off to a notable start. Spotify recently revealed the project  became the most-streamed album in a single day in 2026 so far by a female artist. Entertainments correspondent Steve Newall unpacked the album further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions over whether SpaceX will live up to its colossal share price.  Shares soared above $160 US dollars as the rocket, satellite and data centre company hit the market yesterday.  It's sent Elon Musk skyrocketing to trillionaire status - a world first. Eric Berger, who's authored two books about Musk, says it's still a risky investment for those buying in - partly due to Musk's erra...

A seasoned politician says the Opportunity Party has a large uphill battle ahead.  Leader Qiulae Wong is gunning for the Mount Albert seat - currently held by Labour's Helen White.  Political commentator Peter Dunne says she's made the right call focusing on that electorate, but it's a big challenge. He says part of the difficulty for smaller parties is convincing voters their vote will...

Opportunity Party leader Qiulae Wong thinks she can take out the Labour stronghold Mount Albert seat.  Wong's launching a campaign dedicated to her race for the electorate this weekend.  The seat's currently held by Labour MP Helen White, but in the past it's been held by former Prime Ministers Helen Clark and Jacinda Ardern.  She says the party's gotten a clear message from its sup...

Last week, an Ashburton family won 28.6 million in the Powerball draw. Just imagine how overwhelming that must be. We all dream about it, but the reality of managing such a windfall and all that comes with it is more complicated than the fantasy.   Then this week, the world got its first trillionaire and suddenly getting your head around a huge windfall got even more surreal, and the wealth g...

Engelbert Humperdinck's been dubbed the 'king of romance' - with a long-running musical career to show for it. Rising to fame alongside The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, he's released  64 albums, been nominated for four Grammys and one Golden Globe, and he's kept the attention of millions of listeners over 60 years. He turned 90 last month and he's still going  strong, with his Celebra...

Over a decade after  Rove Live went off the air, comedian Rove McManus is making his big return to TV. His new show,  Celebrity Escape , will be available on Three and Three Now from Tuesday, and it's set to showcase comedians from both sides of the Tasman. McManus says he was expecting someone to step in and fill his shoes after he left for America after the end of Rove Live , but so fa...

Whistler by Ann Patchett. Daphne Fuller has had three stepfathers, the second of whom vanished from her life when she was nine years old after an accident for which her mother held him responsible. Years later, their chance meeting in a NY museum brings memories, regrets and a determination to make up for lost time. This is a wonderful book about the power of redemption, and families, and of story...

Sometimes life can happen and your bag suffers wear and tear - but sometimes the airlines can be blamed for property damage too. If you've noticed an airline has damaged your bag, you can get repairs or a replacement by utilising your insurance, but it's important to fie a report before you leave the airport. BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton unveiled the steps you need to take. LISTEN ABOVE S...

This week on the Sunday Panel, partner at Freebairn and Hehir Lawyers Liam Hehir and editor and journalist Jo McCarroll joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! There's been plenty of announcements on the future of the health sector, all centred around primary care and taking pressures off. Is this a smarter way to work to utilise the workforce we already have? D...

Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 7 June. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Budget 2026 offered up more money for healthcare, specifically hospitals and frontline services. However, experts believe more money could be directed towards primary healthcare and focus on prevention. Naturopath Erin O'Hara outlined what needs to change. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pear crumble with pouring cream and burnt blackberry marshmallow    Crumble mix  200 gm unsalted butter  150 gm raw sugar  200 gm plain flour  50 gm wholemeal flour  50 gm chopped dates Preheat oven to 170*C. Blitz all of the ingredients until just combined, apart from the dates. Spread the mix out on 1 large baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven. Ad...

Humans have used homing pigeons to carry messages across vast distances since ancient times. They delivered military intelligence during wars, business communications before telegraphs existed, and even love letters between separated families. Yet despite our long history with these remarkable birds, one mystery has remained unsolved: how do pigeons always know where home is?    Scientis...

The 2026 New Zealand International Film Festival will kick off later this winter, and the organisers have revealed what titles fans can expect to see. The first films confirmed for the 2026 programme include Comédie-Française, Jim Jarmusch's Father Mother Sister Brother, a documentary about All Black Jonah Lomu and queer classic Mysterious Skin. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall explained f...

Crimson founder Jamie Beaton is on a mission to find and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. In a joint venture with Icehouse, five high school students will be offered a fully funded scholarship to Crimson Global Academy and provided a yearlong immersive experience to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions. Beaton says entrepreneurship is one of the most exciting careers out there, beca...

This Sunday marks a historic milestone for McDonald's New Zealand, with the franchise turning 50. What began as a single restaurant in Porirua in 1976 has grown into a network of 177 restaurants, with thousands of employees and 53 local franchises. McDonald’s managing director Kylie Freeland says McDonald's was initially focused on expanding out to bigger countries, but a convincing business case...

There's a view it's been an overall successful trip for the Prime Minister across the Tasman. Christopher Luxon returned from Queensland after meeting with his counterpart Anthony Albanese with a group of New Zealand businesses.  Luxon has been making the pitch for New Zealand to be involved in building infrastructure for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.  Newstalk ZB senior political correspo...

Sentencing laws are back in the headlines - and will likely play a part in this year’s election campaigning.   This week, a news article about the sentencing and early release of George Starling, a repeat sexual offender, reignited the debate about New Zealand’s sentencing laws. It’s easy to see why - it’s one of many examples of how a punishment doesn’t appear to fit the crime, and gives the...

Paramedics may have to undertake further training, so they can prescribe medicines. Planned changes to the Medicines Act are set to allow paramedics to be prescribers, with consultation underway on what medicines can be authorised. The Government says training programmes will be established for them to gain the necessary qualifications. Health Minister Simeon Brown says it's important New Zealand...

The working relationship between artist Lucian Freud and British super model Kate Moss is an unlikely pairing, but director James Lucas wanted to bring it to life on film. In 2002, Freud painted Naked Portrait of Moss while she was pregnant with her daughter, which was the beginning of an unusual friendship between the pair. James Lucas managed to get Kate Moss herself on board as an executive pro...

Kiwi singer-songwriter Georgia Lines has returned for her yearly interview on the Sunday Session, and she's got some big news. She's relocated to Nashville, but she's been working hard on her creative projects. Her new album, Live At The Civic, is out on June 5th, and she says it captures a unique performance and experience.  "It was one of those things that was like - let's just record it an...