The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

It's been over one year since King Charles III took to the throne - and it's been a rollercoaster for the ruler. The monarch's had to deal with scandals, family drama and even significant health issues within the first 12 months of his reign. Royal biographer Robert Hardman, off the back of releasing his new biography Charles III: The Inside Story , says it's been an eventful time - for good and b...

Hearty veggie soup with parmesan, garlic bread: Serves 6 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 medium onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 3 carrots, peeled and large diced 1 cup chopped celery 4 bay leaves 1 x 400g can whole peeled tomatoes 1 x 400g can cannellini beans, drained 1.5 ltr water 2 vegetable stock cube ½ tsp toasted and crushed fennel seeds 5 large silver beet leaves, destalked and ro...

We know that the quality of the sleep we get at night sleep has a strong impact on our waking lives. However, what we don’t know is how the different sleep stages contribute to how we process life experiences and memories. New research out this week in the journal eNeuro has used an unusual method to try and understand this more. Our sleep consists of different stages that help us to process our d...

The career and history of one of the world's most influential puppeteers gets examined in a new documentary on Disney+. Directed by Ron Howard, Jim Henson Idea Man , explores the life and creative output of Jim Henson, the man behind the Muppets and Sesame Street , among others. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall says the documentary offers viewers a compelling and clever, if sanitised, depiction of...

Kiwi actress Jodie Rimmer has played many roles on the screen and the stage - and now she's taking on her first one-woman show.  Rimmer's acting career includes well-regarded roles in In My Father’s Den , The Strip , Netflix’s Sweet Tooth , Nude Tuesday , Double Parked and the newly released Friends Like Her .   'Nicola Cheeseman is Back' promises to unpack the challenges of reaching 50, as our le...

As technology advances, more parents have their reservations about giving their children smartphones. The rise of violent or explicit content online and the harmful impact of social media is enough to cause concern among parents and caregivers. The founder of Safe Surfer, Rory Birkbeck, has worked out a way around these issues by teaming up with Samsung to introduce a kid-friendly device. He says...

There's assurances from the Health Minister that he'll deliver on the promised cancer drug funding this term. The Government had pledged to put $280 million towards funding 13 life saving cancer treatments under Pharmac. But they didn't make the cut on Thursday's Budget, with Finance Minister Nicola Willis saying it hadn't been possible. Health Minister Shane Reti says he's sorry about the uncerta...

The 2024 Budget appeared to receive a solid response from voters, according to an early poll. A Taxpayers’ Union-Curia snap poll, released exclusively to the NZ Herald, found that 48 percent of voters thought the Budget was 'okay'. ZB political editor Jason Walls says the goal of the Budget wasn't to impress voters - so a lukewarm response was the best-case scenario. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.co...

Long Island by Colm Toibin. It’s a sequel to the book Brooklyn which came out a few years ago and was made into a terrific movie – though this can easily be read on its own. Eilis moved to NYC from Ireland and married an Italian guy in Brooklyn. Twenty years later she’s living claustrophobically with her husband Tony’s family deeply embedded in her life. A stranger arrives to say that Tony has fat...

If you're travelling through the US, travel expert Megan Singleton recommends Tupelo as a day trip spot. The small American town is best known as the birthplace of Elvis, with his original home and church and the store where he got his first guitar visible for tourists to explore. BloggerAtLarge's Megan Singleton explains why this town is worth adding to your itinerary for an American road trip. R...

This week on the Sunday Panel, Coast day host Lorna Riley and Capital director, Ben Thomas joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more! We're less than a week from Budget 2024- what can we expect? What areas does it need to focus on? What problems do we expect it to address? Are children and teens becoming more violent? A 13-year-old has been charged with stabbing a...

The perils of ultra-processed food have been receiving more coverage and exposure. Ultra-processed foods are manufactured food products loaded with saturated fat, salt, sugar, and calories. Naturopath and wellness expert says these chemical-laded food have been linked to increased risk of diabetes, cancer, stroke and heart disease. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mince and cheese pies Cook time: 55 minutes Prep time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 small pies 1 small white onion 1 small carrot 1/2 stick of celery 1 small fennel bulb 250g of beef mince 1/2 tbsp plain flour 1/2 cup beef stock 1 bay leaves 1 sprig of thyme, stripped 1 cloves of garlic 2 fresh tomatoes, diced 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce 50g frozen peas Tasty cheese Your short crust pastry 1 egg Finely...

For the first time, an artificial limb has been fitter with sensors on the fingertip which enable a standard prosthetic hand to sense and respond to temperature. The new tech device provides the wearer with thermal information to the areas on the amputee's limb that have working nerve areas. The brain then believes that the arm is still connected to the missing hand and provides the user with a re...

The Sean Baker-directed tragicomedy Anora has won the Cannes Film Festival's top award, the Palme d'Or. The film tells the story of a sex worker  from Brooklyn who marries the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall says the film has been considered as a send-up of Pretty Woman. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Navigating midlife is quite the minefield - but one author and expert wrote up a solution. The Everything Guide: Hormones, health and happiness in menopause, midlife and beyond  promises to cut through the noise and teach readers about finding health and happiness in middle age. Health journalist and author Niki Bezzant says the world has become more aware about peri menopause - sparking necessary...

Hauraki breakfast host and ACC commentator Matt Heath has taken a deep dive into well-being and self improvement in his new book. A few years ago, Heath was miserable and stuck in a rut - and wrote his way out by exploring the philosophy and science of why we feel the way we do. His new book, A Life Less Punishing: 13 Ways To Love the Life You’ve Got reveals how readers can change the way they liv...

The United States Department of Justice is suing music promoter Live Nation - claiming it's using illegal tactics to hold a monopoly over live music. The Ticketmaster parent company has been accused of running an illegal monopoly on live music events in America. Variety Executive Music Editor Jem Aswad says it's unlikely if things will get better for fans, even if the companies are broken up "The...

There's been plenty of speculation ahead of the upcoming 2024 Budget, to be released May 30. The Prime Minister and the Finance Minister have promised surprises and 'bold moves' on top of the proposed tax cuts and reduced spending. NZ Herald political editor Claire Trevett says the Government has proved every new spending measure will be counteracted with a cut somewhere else. LISTEN ABOVE See omn...

There's concern gun licence holders aren’t seeking mental health help for fear their licences will be taken away. Under current firearms laws, health professionals can require further assessment or report anyone they feel is a danger to themselves or other people.  A report can result in the firearm licence being revoked - which means a five year stand-down period before they can apply again.  Cou...

Megan Singleton's on her eighth visit to New Orleans - and the city keeps giving her new stuff to check out. She's highlighted the live music, lively nightlife scene, the food, and the architecture of the city. Read more about her recommendations for New Orleans in this guide here. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. In a near future London the Government’s experimenting with time travel, bringing five people from various points in history into the 21st century where they’re confronted by the internet, dating apps and Spotify. Implausible though this sounds, it’s fun, highly entertaining and works brilliantly - and I never, ever read time travel but have happily made an...

This week on the Sunday Panel, PR Agency 818 Managing Director Chris Henry and ZB Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills discussed the following issues of the week- and more! There's a record number of Kiwis heading offshore to Australia - and they're not coming back. How can we keep skilled workers in the country? How can we make New Zealand more rewarding for people. The cost of living is continuin...

Shift work - work that starts before 8am or finishes after 6pm - has been found to take a toll on sleep habits and overall wellbeing. Shift workers, including truck drivers, cleaners, police officers, healthcare workers and security staff, are more at risk of developing fatigue-based conditions and eating poorly. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara says shift workers will need to plan ahead...

Spaghetti with roasted cauliflower pesto Cook time: 10 minutes Prep time: 30 minutes Serves: 6 Roasted cauliflower pesto 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets 1 cup basil leaves, chopped 1 cup parmesan, finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 1 cup almonds, toasted and crushed 1/4 cup sunflower oil 1 red chili, de-seeded and diced Sea salt and pepper 500g of Spaghetti Handful of fresh rocket...