Nights

Wellington singer-songwriter Bryn van Vliet is live in the studio tonight.

We talk to Michael King Writers Centre Chair, Melanie Laville-Moore, about their 2020 Writers in Residence Programme.

Professor Louis Schipper from the University of Waikato asks what controls the size of the carbon stock in soil and how do we measure whether it is changing?

Dana Johannsen is our sportscaster - tonight she gives us her take on the speculation around the All Black squad for the Rugby World Cup, Kiwi Lisa Carrington continues to carve up on the canoe sprint circuit and The Silver Ferns are honoured at a reception at Parliament today.

The mysterious Plain of Jars in Laos is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks in part to work done by University of Otago palaeopathologist. Associate Professor Sian Halcrow has described the chance to work on such a significant, mysterious and globally-treasured site was "an incredible privilege".

To mark 2019 as the year of the Periodic Table, RNZ Nights has teamed up with the MacDiarmid Institute to bring you Element of The Week. Tonight, Ben Mallett a scientist with the Photon Factory which is part of the Physics Department at Auckland University, introduces us to the element silicon and the reason for tonight's sonic tonic dedicated to sand.

William Yang joins us once again from Taipei with the latest news from Taiwan. William has an update on the frontrunners for Taiwan's presidential election and how the protest in Hong Kong is being viewed in Taiwan.

The 25th Nelson Arts Festival - sees shows coming all the way from such far-flung places as Germany, Scotland, the USA and even Nelson! We talk to festival director, Charlie Unwin to find out how preparations are coming along.

Our tame teenager, Charlie Cuff join us once again with the news from Planet adolescent with news of his latest project, a podcast where he talks to war Veterans.

The other week - our overseas correspondent was Shoba Narayan - our woman in India.. Main item for discussion was Indian Government's decision to revoke the special status of Kashmir - the disputed Muslim majority state which borders Pakistan. The decision of the Hindu BJP Party under Narendra Modi to revoke article 370 - angered many Kashmiris - but Shoba told us most Indian public opinion, supported the decision. Joining me now is an Indian journalist - Niha Masih. She is the India correspondent for The Washington Post based in New Delhi and has recently been in Kashmir to see for herself.