Nine To Noon

America is experiencing an unprecedented moment in which two men are simultaneously claiming to be its president. While Joe Biden has a legitimate claim to the office, Donald Trump has the support of tens of millions and a majority of people in his own political party - at least according to polls. Ron Elving is Senior Editor and Correspondent on the Washington Desk for NPR News.

With less than a month until voting closes for local body elections, we take a look at who is in the running for the mayoralty in Wellington. With nine candidates vying to become mayor, three main contenders are leading the pack; incumbent Andy Foster, Labour MP for Rongotai and former deputy mayor Paul Eagle, and former Green Party chief of staff Tory Whanau. So what are the key issues in Wellington and what policies are the mayoral hopefuls promising? Kathryn speaks with Tom Hunt, a journalist at Stuff and the Dominion Post, covering the Wellington region. We've also covered mayoralty races in Auckland, and Christchurch. We'll be in Dunedin next week.

Spring is here - apparently - and along with it a massive cold snap. Snow has closed roads in both islands overnight. The Desert Road remains closed between Waiouru and Rangipo, as is the Napier-Taupo Road. There has been light snow and flurries seen in Christchurch and the hill suburbs of Wellington, and on the new Transmission Gully State Highway. In Dunedin - a couple of main roads are closed and it's been an extremely cold night. RNZ Dunedin reporter Tim Brown with the latest.

The UK has a new prime minister; Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. She has been selected by the Conservative Party membership, and she will formally take the role in a ceremony at the Queen's Balmoral Estate in Scotland tomorrow. Truss prevailed over former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, in a vote of the party's 180,000 paid-up membership. She received over 81,000 votes, against Sunak's more than 60,000, after a two-month campaign following Boris Johnson's resignation announcement in July. Kathryn speaks with Matt Dathan, Home Affairs Editor at The Times.

Kathryn goes off the beaten track on Waiheke Island, gets an update about Lucky the kereru, and gives a tribute to whale expert Ramari Stewart, who has been recognised for her contributions to both matauranga Maori and Western science with a prestigious Doctor of Science degree.

A small Northland food company is winning awards for Vince – a plant-based mince product made with 500 grams of dehydrated vegetables per pack.

Our political commentators discuss the government's Kiwisaver tax u-turn, the cost of living payment, Luxon ruling out a Freedoms NZ coalition, and the Greens co-leadership. Gareth Hughes is a former Green MP and now works for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa. Ben Thomas is a former National government press secretary, a columnist and a director of public affairs firm Capital.

Ray Shipley from Scorpio Books in Christchurch reviews Arms & Legs by Chloe Lane, published by Te Herenga Waka University Press

Kiwi actor Cliff Curtis is a critically acclaimed Hollywood actor with a string of starring roles working with A-list directors and performers. But his heart is with the stories of Aotearoa New Zealand. The latest is Muru, a fictional action thriller whose story begins with the 2007 real-life, so-called 'anti-terror' police raids in a remote township in Te Urewera. Cliff Curtis is a co-producer, and actor in Muru and plays a community police officer caught in the middle of the unfolding events. The film also features Tame Iti, a police target for arrest in the 2007 raids, as himself. Curtis' roles in NZ made productions stretch back to the early 90's, including Desperate Remedies, Once Were Warriors and Whale Rider.

The latest from Europe from our correspondent Seamus Kearney. Amid mounting concern in Europe about Russian gas cuts, Germany has announced a major energy relief package to tackle rising inflation and energy prices. Also, under pressure from Ukraine and European countries that border Russia, the EU has agreed to suspend a visa facilitation agreement with Moscow.