Afternoons

On Thursdays we like to solve some of the world's problems so we get in friends of the show and experts in their fields to share what wrongs they would like made right. Today Emile is joined by Holly Bennett from the Ahwi Group and she wants to talk about lobbying through the lens of te ao Maori.

NZ Sport History is our regular segment where we talk to athletes who have changed the game. Today we're thrilled to have Linda Villumsen with us. Linda is often described as Denmark's gift to New Zealand road cycling ... that's because she switched allegiance to New Zealand when she became a citizen in 2009. She went on to win a world title, and medals at three consecutive Commonwealth Games.

Our chance to talk about the topics that might not make the news but certainly could feature in your social media feeds or your group chats. Joining Emile for Afternoons Group Chat is Culture 101 host Perlina Lau and Afternoons Senior Producer Olivia Wilson. Today they're talking about the World Cup half time show, dogs in restaurants and why Moana Live Action isn't doing well at the cinema.

There is nothing all that new about using AI in healthcare .. indeed just this morning there was another article about how AI tools can mean doctors spend more time with patients and less time on administration. But what's not so positive is people choosing to use AI instead of a professional. It seems more and more of us are treating AI chat bots as 24/7 therapists .. using them to talk through problems or seek support when we're struggling. University of Auckland's Dushanthi Manamalage has been investigating this phenomenon and joins Emile.

The Kids Lit Quiz is an international competition for 10-14 year olds who love reading. It was founded by New Zealander Wayne Mills, who noticed that while there were plenty of competitions for the sporty kids, there wasn't really anything to celebrate young people who loved books. This year's world final was held here in New Zealand, taking place in Paihia on Friday. Ben Watson from the team joins Emile.

To football now and as you'll surely know the hopes of English football fans were dashed this morning, as England was dispatched from the World Cup by Argentina in a tense 2-1 semi-final. The Argentinians have now booked a spot in the final on Monday with Spain .. breaking hearts all over England .. so just how awful are the British press going to be .. and what can we expect from the final. Here to help answer those questions and more .. Emile is joined by Fred de Jong .. former All White and now football commentator.

An RNZ story caught our eye this morning discussing the number of vacant Kainga Ora houses in Wellington. An apparent stall in redevelopment is the reason for these properties staying empty. But it got us thinking about the wider issue of so called 'ghost housing' - houses which appear to be left empty for sometimes years. We want to know how much of a problem is it ... And is there a case for following the likes of Vancouver who have introduced an 'empty house' tax. Gareth Kiernan is Chief Forecaster and Director at Infometrics - he chats to Emile.

Sir Greg Doran is somewhat of a legend in the world of theatre and William Shakepeare. The first time the former Artistic Director Emeritus of the Royal Shakespeare Company came to New Zealand it was thanks to a copy of a First Folio of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet held at the Auckland Central City Library. Now the renowned theatre director is back in the country, but this time working with students, actors and the public discussing the love stories cultures share, and why they are such timeless tales. Sir Greg's visit was prompted by a creative project involving the Maori legend of Hinemoa and Tutanekai - two star crossed lovers that some call New Zealand's Romeo and Juliet, but with a happier ending.

Kelly Gibney is with Emile to share her latest Easy Eat recipe.

Heading Off is our weekly travel segment driven by your stories. If you want to talk about your recent trip on the radio - get in touch via 2101 or [email protected]. This week we're joined by Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit and Member of the Order of the British Empire ... Barbara Kendall. You might know her best as the five time Olympian and Olympic Windsurfing gold medalist, but today she's here to talk with us about sailing to Fiji. Barbara has made the trip twice - almost 50 years apart.