Afternoons

For decades, genetic testing has promised parents a way to avoid serious inherited diseases for their children. Now some Silicon Valley-backed companies are going much further, claiming they can help prospective parents not just avoid negative diseases, but choose the "best" embryo based on predicted intelligence, health, or height. Christopher Cox is a science writer for New York Magazine. He investigates the booming business of embryo screening, the anxiety driving parents toward it, and the ethical questions raised when reproduction starts to look more like optimization. His article is called Can You Really Choose Your 'Best Baby?'

Our weekly segment where we get your help resolving a dilemma. This week we're looking at whether a couple should break up because of the man's seemingly racist dog. We'd love your thoughts, 2101 or [email protected]

Tech expert Tim Batt joins Jesse to discuss the tech issues hitting the headlines. Today he'll chat about META's smart glasses and how Bot traffic has overtaken human traffic online.

Ohakune - a once thriving railway town - known for its sweet carrots, and a base to get your ski season fix on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu. But what about the name Ohakune? What does it mean and what's the story behind it? Let's find out more with RNZ producer Justine Murray, who is back with another season of NAU MAI TOWN a podcast about Maori place names in Aotearoa.

Jenna Todd, owner of Auckland's Time Out bookstore joins Jesse to share what she's been reading.

It's time for Mayoral minutes, our regular segment where we speak with a local mayor about the challenges they're facing, how they're working to solve them and what makes their community special. Today we're heading to Invercargill from where Mayor Tom Campbell joins Jesse.

The Philippines and New Zealand are separated by more than 8,000 kilometers, but for more than 100,000 Filipinos, Aotearoa is now home. The Filipino community is one of the fastest-growing communities in Aotearoa, but behind the numbers are thousands of individual stories of migration, identity and belonging. A new book "Amóng Kinabuhi Sa Aotearoa" captures some of those stories through interviews with 14 Filipinos who have helped shape their communities here. Author Vivien Beduya joins Jesse.

A Wellingtonian chasing his acting dream has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime. Henry Ashby has just been accepted into the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts - a school which boasts an alumni list of some pretty big names - think Richard Harris, Brian Cox, Benedict Cumberbatch. The conservatory takes in just 30 people a year so as you might imagine - competition is fierce. Henry Ashby joins Jesse.

The clip of a rescue of a horse called Chance who was stuck in a culvert in Paparoa (in Southern Kaipara District) has been watched online by millions of people. Chance's owner Simone Frewin chats to Jesse.

And authorities say those strong winds are adding an extra half metre on top of very large swells. The highest wave recorded by MetService in Wellington Harbour today has reached 11 metres. A mandatory evacuation order was in place from 9am this morning for waterfront properties in Owhiro Bay, Island Bay, Houghton Bay and Breaker Bay. For the latest Jesse is joined by RNZ field reporter Charlotte Cook.