Nine To Noon
Smart, in-depth and relentlessly curious, host Kathryn Ryan dives into the stories shaping New Zealand and its people. Interviews and expert analysis from around the world and at home. It’s where big ideas are unpacked and everyday life explored.
Episodes
Sports editor Dana Johannsen
The Football World Cup is underway, Super Rugby semifinals, ANZ Premiership and fake AI and sports stars. RNZ Sport Editor Dana Johannsen
Friday funnies
Michele A'Court and Donna Brookbanks with the lighter side to some of the week's stories.
Around the motu: Ian Allen
Ian discusses a debate among Marlborough councillors over the costs of a posssible new by-law for the local appearance industry, the new Coastguard unit in Marlborough has been funded to build a rescue boat for Havelock, plus the school name change and a trek to a summit for Marlborough Boys' College students and Blenheim teams make a splash in an aquabots competition.
Book review: Lucky Creatures by Joseph Trinidad
Airini Beautrais reviews Lucky Creatures by Joseph Trinidad, published by Te Herenga Waka University Press.
Four brain surgeries, but fighting back to fighting back to run marathons
Now in remission, Nicole White is training for her second Queenstown marathon to raise awareness for Brain Tumour Support.
Asia correspondent Edward White
The latest on the rescue and recovery efforts following a deadly earthquake in the Philippine, charges after fatal Hong Kong fires, Indonesia soldiers in court after attack on political activist and China's president Xi Jinping visits North Korea. Edward White is the Financial Times China correspondent.
SPCA pushes for regulations over puppy breeding
The SPCA has launched a campaign to try to get regulations brought in to control breeding and prevent puppies and their mothers suffering.
A bumper Fieldays
New Zealand's agricultural exports have hit a record high of just over 64 billion dollars in the year to June.
Moves to offer mobile broadband worrying consumer advocates
Digital Equity Coalition Aotearoa (DECA) says it is seeing cases where a consumer is locked in to a plan that doesn't suit them, and faces a break fee.
Screentime: Disclosure Day, Scary Movie 6 & more
Film and television reviewer Tom Augustine looks at Steven Spielberg's latest offering: sci-fi Disclosure Day starring Emily Blunt.
The two wildly different sides of a child's brain (and how to parent both)
Mary Willow talks about why modern childhood's putting parenting to the test, and why a radical parenting approach is needed to help free kids from constantly responding to their defence system.
Tech: UK seeks to ban nudes from kids' phones
Technology journalist Bill Bennett joins Kathryn to talk about moves by the UK government challenging Big Tech to clean up what kids can access on their phones.
Around the motu: Piers Fuller
Piers discusses how the Wairarapa's coastline fared in this week's big swells, a row over bags being offered to schools printed with contact details of a local MP and the opening of Wellington's Te Ara Tupua cycleway.
Book review: The Rolling Stones by Bob Spitz
Harry Ricketts reviews The Rolling Stones by Bob Spitz, published by Penguin Random House.
100 days in Fiordland exploring new rivers
A film about three men's extraordinary whitewater journey through Fiordland has been captured in a new film, which has won Best New Zealand Made Film at this year's Mountain Film Festival.
UK: Belfast riots, social media ban progresses & more
UK correspondent Steph Spyro talks to fears that Belfast could see more violence sparked by a stabbing attack by a Sudanese man.
Confused about KiwiSaver? Susan Edmund's book has the answers
KiwiSaver is one of the most important financial tools available to New Zealanders, but many people still aren't sure if they're making the most of it.
World Vision's national director on Sudan humanitarian crisis
Civil war in Sudan has created what aid groups say is the world's largest humanitarian crisis. Simon Mane is World Vision's national director in Sudan, overseeing the emergency response.
Disability 'almost invisible' in our health care data
Never before seen data on the quality of care disabled people experience has been released, after 18 months of research, revealing inequities that are even more stark than first thought.
Science: Starfish arms, fighting cells, Black Hole wind
Science commentator Laurie Winkless joins Kathryn with three new studies, including one into how starfish arms can guide and focus light.
Conductor James Judd on Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro
James Judd conducts NZ Opera's production of The Marriage of Figaro is at the St James Theatre Wellington, from Wednesday 17th June to Sunday 21st June. Tickets and information here.
Around the motu: Kelly Makiha, senior journalist
Kelly discusses the $100m Rotorua Law Courts project set to revitalise the city, iwi developer moves ahead with plans for a new lake front hotel, tributes after the death of Te Arawa leader, Ken Raureti, and the handwriting expert called into a tenancy dispute.
Book review: Names of Hare by Bernice Barry
Lucy Black reviews Names of Hare by Bernice Barry, published by Fremantle Press.
Kids help to decide this year's Children's Book Award shortlist
This year's shortlist for the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults is out - and what better way to find out what kids like than ask the kids themselves?
Ferrari collecting businessman reflects on career
He co-founded vodka company 42 Below with business partner Geoff Ross - who would become a great lifelong friend.
Australia: KPMG scandal, SA anti-abortion moves & more
Australia correspondent Chris Niesche joins Kathryn to talk about the latest news from across the Tasman.
Kiwi architect on Sagrada Familia tower completion
The final tower at Barcelona's Sagrada Familia will be blessed by Pope Leo later on Wednesday. Mark Burry is a New Zealand architect who worked at the Sagrada Familia from 1979 until 2016.
Disappearing wetlands
New mapping commissioned by the Environmental Law Initiative shows that wetlands are still being lost despite strengthened national protections introduced in 2020.
AI Warefare: US Military Project Maven
Project Maven is a secretive, nearly decade-old AI technology being used by the United States military - including in Iran. In her new book journalist Katrina Manson explores how what was once science-fiction is now reality.
Sports correspondent Sam Ackerman
Criticism of the pitch at Lord's after the Black Caps lose the first test to England, while the Super Rugby competition narrows. And Sam discusses the latest in netball's ANZ Premiership.
Conquering the Triple: The Queen Swing
The Triple is an endurance climbing challenge in Yosemite Valley that requires scaling the three most prominent big walls in the park - El Capitan, Half Dome, and Mount Watkins in under 24 hours.
Business commentator Cécile Meier
While the government is facing scrutiny for defaulting to Microsoft AI tools without a competitive tender to offset massive public sector job cuts, a school lunch recycler is facing council action over a severe pest-ridden backlog that threatens the future of the lunch program. Gym injuries have become a major financial strain, with costs skyrocketing to $72 million annually and rising three
Around the motu: Ian Carson, Editor of Otaki Today
Ian discusses the closing of Levin's Reevedon Rest Home due to financial pressure, the maintenance needed on the building that is home to the Horowhenua District Council, Air Chathams suspending its Kapiti Airport service to Auckland at the end of July and the decisions facing the Kapiti Coast District Council over amalgamation - do they go north or south.
Book review: Not a Babe by Sarah Johnson
Louise Ward of Wardini Books reviews Not a Babe by Sarah Johnson, published by One Tree House.
Top honour for Kiwi educator's robotics and AI lessons
The computer science educator is based at ACG Sunderland and was shortlisted in this year's Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards, out of 12,000 nominations.
Why some autoimmune patients are turning to worms
She tried a number of treatments over eight years, but nothing really worked. Then she came across an account of helminth therapy.
USA correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben
Congressional Republicans resist some President Trump moves, while the US leader continues to downplay his ongoing 100-day war in Iran
Changes to SIS since 2019 attacks & Islamic community's own research
The domestic security intelligence agency says they have undergone significant transformation since the 2019 mosque attacks plus the Islamic community's own research into the shooting.
Call for new climate insurance levy
A leading climate academic warns a mandatory public insurance levy will be needed to protect homeowners from looming catastrophic events.
State of Emergency in Wellington
Waves are reported to be just starting to top the roads on Wellington's South Coast where residents have been ordered to leave ahead of predicted storm surges.
Off the beaten track with Kennedy Warne
Kennedy recounts highlights from a recent National Geographic expedition cruise around the outer islands of Britain and Ireland. He'll cover the Staffa, an island in the Inner Hebrides off the western coast of Scotland, famous for its stunning columnar basalt formations, a sea cavern called Fingal's Cave (popularised in music by Felix Mendelssohn) and ... puffins.
Blue cheese martini? Coming to Wellington
One for the cheese lovers - a dinner consisting of a cheese tasting menu. Even the cocktails have a cheesy influence - think a blue cheese martini. It's the brain child of Pierre Fenoux from Wellington's Jano Bistro and will be held in Zealandia as part of the Loemis Festival.
Political commentators Tracey Martin and Liam Hehir
Tracey, Liam and Kathryn discuss recent events in politics including the post-Budget mop-up.
Around the motu: Tom Hunt senior journalist with The Post
Tom talks to Kathryn about Wellington's rates being restricted to 5.8%, questions over the behaviour of security guards at the Ultra music festival, the publicity spending by Wellington's new water entity, Tiaki Wai and a cat survival story form the Berhampore floods.
Book review: Frank the Monster by Mats Strandberg
Stella Chrysostomou of VOLUME Books in Nelson reviews Frank the Monster by Mats Strandberg, published by Gecko Press.
Matt Haig is back with the sequel to The Midnight Library
Best-selling British author Matt Haig is set to release a sequel to his multi-million-selling novel The Midnight Library.
More revelations about lives of Andrew, Sarah
As investigations continue into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, British historian and biographer Andrew Lownie updates his groundbreaking book on the former Duke and Duchess of York.
BBC Middle East correspondent Sebastian Usher
Iran has fired multiple waves of missiles at northern Israel.
Terrorist's path of radicalisation revealed in new book
A new book out today says warning signs were missed ahead of the terror attacks in Christchurch on March 15th 2019.
Sports commentator Sam Ackerman
The Black Caps series in England, Super Rugby, the All Whites in the United States, and Kiwi polevaulter Imogen Ayris has also had quite the week.
Friday funnies
Elisabeth Easther and Te Radar with a lighter take on some of the week's news.
Around the motu: Kirsty Pickett co owner of the Southland App
Kirsty discusses a celebration of the role of the floatplane in Fiordland, a new "sausage" bait proving effective against stoats, and more.
Book review: Nuremberg Women by Natalie Livingstone
Marcus Greville of Unity Books Wellington reviews Nuremberg Women by Natalie Livingstone, published by Hachette.
Anastasia Berg on AI's potential to destroy the way we think
A threat to cognitive competence is how Assistant Professor of Philosophy Anastasia Berg describes the impact Artificial Intelligence poses to her students at the University of California.
Pacific editor Koroi Hawkins
RNZ Pacific Editor Koroi Hawkins with the latest news from the Pacific.
The men who jumped ship to build lives in NZ in 1945-1970
Victoria University PhD researcher Dean Broughton is the son of one of the thousands of men from overseas who jumped ship to stay in New Zealand - he's looking for more stories of these men to add into his research.
World nuclear head on case for small-scale atomic energy
With the growing interest in smaller nuclear reactors around the world, how should New Zealand weigh the developing technology?
Screentime: Tuner, Cape Fear, Dear England
Film and TV reviewer James Croot joins Kathryn to discuss new film Tuner (cinemas), which is a crime thriller about a piano tuner whose skills also lend themselves to safe cracking and stars Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman. Cape Fear (Apple) updates the 1962 and 1991 adaptations and stars Javier Bardem and Amy Adams. And Dear England (TVNZ+) is a four-part drama series with Joseph Fiennes port
Parenting: Who rules the roost in your household?
You may be familiar with these scenarios: You make your child honey toast, because that's what they asked for but now they want peanut butter toast. You're not happy but you make another piece of toast, this time with peanut butter. You're driving to the supermarket. They want their music - not just some of the time but all the time. So, you go with that. Dinner is ready at the table, but the
Will $450m for health system's cyber needs be enough?
Tech commentator Tony Grasso breaks down what was detailed in the Budget for overhauling and securing the public health sector's digital infrastructure.
Around the motu: Che Baker the editor of the Southland Times
Ché has the latest on job and development projects slated for Southland, code of conduct issues for two Gore councillors and celebrating another successful Golden Guitar Awards.
US House votes to restrict Trump's war powers
The Republican party-led House of Representatives has voted to restrict Donald Trump's ability to continue the war against Iran without congressional approval.
Numberless credit cards on the horizon
Mastercard says it is planning on introducing numberless cards as a pushback against scams. The company says scammers were able to use stolen credit card numbers to take $84 million from New Zealanders in the year to November. The card still has a number - but it isn't shown on the card. RNZ's Money Correspondent Susan Edmunds.
Award-winning author Philippa Werry's new YA novel
Philippa Werry is back with a new novel - Degrees of Happy.
Book review: A Flame in the Dark by Maria Gill
Libby Kirkby-McLeod reviews A Flame in the Dark by Maria Gill, published by One Tree House.
A new exhibition celebrates tikumu - the large mountain daisy
In what's believed to be a first, a new exhibition underway in Nelson is dedicated entirely to the mountain daisy Tikumu.
Solar subsidy better value than winter payment - researcher
An energy hardship researcher at Otago University suggests scrapping the winter energy payment and putting that money towards solar subsidies for households.
Calls for only liquor store in Otara Town Centre to be closed
There have been calls for the only liquor store in Otara's Town Centre to be shut down. It comes as Auckland's Local Alcohol Policy temporary freeze on new off- licences in several suburbs, including Otara, is set to be lifted.
Loyalty programmes - are they really worth the effort?
Two of the biggest customer loyalty programmes are undergoing changes. Bodo Lang is a professor of Marketing Analytics at Massey University and joins Susie to discuss.
Sharron Martin's new novel - Cygnet River
Irish-born New Zealand-based author Sharron Martin's latest novel, Cygnet River, is set amid the Troubles in Ireland and shines a light on the experiences of women during this time.
Around the motu: James Pocock Gisborne Herald Editor
James has more on the Budget funding to secure the Waioweka Gorge and Gisborne's elderly and solo parents fear higher costs under social housing reforms.
Book review: Te Kaikaukau: The Swimmer - I te Ao o te Reo
Elizabeth Heritage reviews Te Kaikaukau: The Swimmer - I te Ao o te Reo by Witi Ihimaera Smiler published by Auckland University Press.
Veteran Brad Poulter's powerful memoir on serving while gay
Brad Poulter's new memoir Built for This, traces the journey from a small-town upbringing through deployments to Afghanistan and the Gulf of Oman, exploring the personal and professional challenges he faced along the way.
Australia: One Nation rising, second-hand subs and more
Australia correspondent Karen Middleton looks at the opinion poll that suggests Pauline Hanson's far-right One Nation party is now the most popular political party in Australia.
Mobile defibrillators instead of public AEDs?
A study has found mobile health workers with defibrillators would be more effective saving people having a cardiac arrest, than having the device fixed in a public location.
Oranga Tamariki - Amanda Malu, taking on the task of preventing child abuse
New Secretary for Children and Chief Executive of Oranga Tamariki, Amanda Malu is taking on the task of working out how to best improve services.
Sports-chat with Glen Larmer
The All Whites are facing midfield injury setbacks with Ryan Thomas and Joe Bell ruled out of their upcoming warm-up matches. Across other sports, the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs are locked in following a final-round ladder shake-up, the Warriors narrowly lost 20-18 to the Panthers in a top-of-the-table NRL clash, and pole vaulter Imogen Ayris secured a career-best Diamond League silver in R
Popular Kiwi who's released her own romantasy novel
Ashley Andersen knows what romantasy readers want - because for years she's been one herself.
Business commentator Nicholas Pointon
A merger of two major second tier banks is proposed, and Nicholas also discusses the ongoing struggles going on at telco operator Spark. He also covers latest market movements, and insolvency figures.
Around the motu: Simon Wilson based in Auckland.
Simon discusses the on going battle involving former All Black Ali Williams and billionaire Anna Mowbray who want to use a helicopter from their back yard. He also has the latest on a suggested new design for a second Auckland bridge, the end of a liquor licence freeze, the first of the new electric ferries on the water and a huge month a festivals for June.
