The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

We all have our moments where stress and anxiety are too much to bear - so how can we stop ourselves from feeling overwhelmed? Anxiety has been found to weaken your stress coping abilities, and ' task paralysis' can add to anxieties. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explains how to get around the extra stresses of day-to-day life. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

Parsnips in a soup with curry oil   Cook time: 35 minutes   Prep time: 20 minutes   Serves: 6-12   1 kg parsnips, peeled and chopped   3 white onions, peeled and chopped   10 cloves garlic   3 tbsp sunflower oil   1 cup white wine   1.5 ltr vegetable stock   2 cups cream   salt   Curry oil   1 tbsp coriander seeds   1 tbsp cummin seeds   2 tbsp garam masala   1 tsp turmeric   1/2 cup sunflower oil...

Why do we like our beer cold but our sake warm? This was the question posed by two scientists who were out drinking together. Their results have just been published in the journal Matter. The researchers measured the contact angle of different solutions that had varying concentrations of water and ethanol - which is the most common form of drinking alcohol. This gave them insights into how molecul...

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld managed to dominate the headlines ahead of the release of his newest Netflix project. Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story was overshadowed by Seinfeld's statements about the state of comedy, where he took pot-shots at the 'extreme left'. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall explains why a cast of comedians and big acting names couldn't help this film. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/...

Australian sailor Lisa Blair has undertaken plenty of adventures - and gone on to break records and inspire a documentary. In 2022, Lisa became the fastest person to sail around Antarctica solo, non-stop and unassisted, something only achieved by two other sailors.   Her first attempt at that feat went on to inspire the new documentary 'Ice Maiden'. She says she examined the perceived risks of the...

New reports suggest filmgoers are less interested in sex scenes than ever. Data shows there has been a 40 percent drop in sexual content in major Hollywood movies than there was at the start of the millennium. Founder of Intimacy Co-ordinators Aotearoa Tandi Wright says societal changes have led to audiences reconsidering intimate scenes in films.  "The conversations that followed #MeToo, which wa...

Kiwi indie band The Beths have enjoyed plenty of success and international acclaim. Their 2022 hit Watching The Credits got a shout-out from Barack Obama as part of his summer playlist, and they've made their Coachella debut last month. Lead singer Liz Stokes says they played to a full tent - with lines outside their performance. "There's definitely a pressure, the place that a festival like Coach...

Not all agree with the cancellation of this year's New Zealand Fashion Week. Event organisers pulled the pin after financial pressures on the industry and made it a bi-annual event, starting from next year. Fashion PR agency Showroom 22 director Murray Bevan says he feels a midway point could've been reached. "When the chips are down, sometimes you double down on how hard you pushed to pull out of...

A nightmare run for the Green Party as further accusations come out about Julie Anne Genter. The MP's now being accused of grabbing Wellington business owner Nicola Cranfield, during a heated exchange. It's the latest of several alleged altercations that have come to light involving Genter, after her outburst in Parliament on Wednesday night. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Genter technically...

There's pleas for the Government to hit the brakes on education overhauls, amid concerns changes are being implemented without sector consultation. It follows commitments to crack down on cell phone bans, attendance and implement a structured literacy approach by 2025. New Zealand Principals' Federation President Leanne Otene says it's importance to pace these changes for the benefit of educators....

So, there’s a dog-fight brewing in Auckland - literally - and it got me thinking. Now I know this is potentially a controversial question - especially coming from someone who’s only had cats as an adult - but should you really have a dog in the city if you don’t have time to walk it yourself? Recently, a dog died after being mauled by other dogs that were being walked in a pack by a dog walker, an...

Return to Blood by Michael Bennett : sequel to Better the Blood from a couple of years ago, featuring Hana Westerman who in the first book was a detective in Auckland, but she’s moved now to a small town looking for a fresh start. A skeleton is found in the sand dunes near her house – the bones of a young Maori woman who’s been missing for five years, and Hana has a connection to the case. Twenty...

Tourists may think twice before visiting Venice, with a new entrance fee set to be put in place. The tax will be levied on tourists who come to the Italian city for just a day. BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton says this move has been met with scepticism from residents and critics alike. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Sunday Panel, Front Page host Chelsea Daniels and producer and commentator Irene Gardiner joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more! Is health the best area to be making cuts in? Is there a difference between making cuts, and making cuts to bring an organisation back to budget? Are we concerned that this will have an impact on hospital care for pa...

There's a lot of hype around 'free-from' diets - but will they do people more harm than good? There's been an uptick in people avoiding certain ingredients for dietary reasons, including gluten, dairy, eggs, and soy. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara unpacks this trend - and examines the drawbacks. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand International Comedy Festival begins this week - and one Kiwi comic is set to make a return to the stage. Actress, writer and Billy T nominee Alice Snedden has been making waves overseas, having written and directed international hit series Starstruck with Rose Matafeo. She says it's been difficult returning to the world of stand-up after four and a half years. "You have an expecta...

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 cups vegetable stock 2 tsp tomato puree 1/2 tsp salt good crack of pepper 12 cooked prawns 1 green chili (cayenne or...

I am not a robot. It’s a common box that you have to tick on many websites as you log in - which apparently proves that you are a human, and not a robot. Many people however, seem to be more robot than human as they struggle to get the correct answers - which in some cases could mean the difference between getting tickets to a sell-out show or not. Captchas (an acronym for 'Completely Automated Pu...

Comedy, action and romance come together in The Fall Guy - now playing in theatres. Starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, the film explores the world of stunts and movie-making it between romantic drama and brewing conspiracies. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall examines whether or not this film is worth a watch.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Irish author Marian Keyes is back with her 16th book - My Favourite Mistake. She's already sold 35 million books over the course of her career, and even has a Netflix adaptation in the pipeline. Keyes says she felt inspired to write about relationships, friendships romances and community during a turbulent time in the world. "I've subsequently discovered that people are craving love stories. Becau...

Kiwi kids will return to school tomorrow - but the cellphones won't be part of the experience. The Government's ban on phones in schools kicks in from term two, meaning students won't be able to use them during the day, including lunch time and breaks. NZ Secondary Principals' Council chair Kate Gainsford says schools across the country already have measures in place - but these changes will make...

Prime Minister Chris Luxon has pulled no punches in his first Cabinet reshuffle during his tenure. Media Minister Melissa Lee and Disabilities Minister Penny Simmonds have both been dropped from their portfolios, after a string of controversies surrounding them. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Luxon has acted on the number one rule in politics to remove all distractions. But he says he has a...

It was amazing to see so many people out commemorating ANZAC Day at Dawn Services and parades around the country this week. We may move chronologically further away from the horrors of World War I, but it’s heart-warming to see so many people continue to honour the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women at any point in history, and currently. Our Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Mini...

WARNING: This interview mentions suicide and may be distressing. Reports of online 'sextortion' are on the rise, according to experts. Recently, police have issued a warning claiming reports of online child exploitation have quadrupled in the last five years.   Bloomberg investigative journalist Olivia Carville says the FBI has labelled this issue a 'hidden pandemic' for users. "This crime has exp...

Broadcaster and Podcaster Brodie Kane joins Director at Capital and political commentator Ben Thomas on The Panel.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.