Nine To Noon

Louise O'Brien reviews Book of Night by Holly Black, published Penguin Random House NZ.

A just-released report has found the Covid-19 pandemic could lead to growing inequalities, spanning beyond the health sector to all parts of society, unless countries cooperate more. Casting out over the next five years, the International Science Council report forcasts deepening global inequalities and the possible collapse of some health systems.

When Dr Michael Sampson embarked on a Fulbright Scholarship late last year he was expecting to continue the research and teaching he's devoted his life to. Instead his time in Ukraine was cut short by the Russian invasion and he was forced to flee to Poland. In addition to an academic career - most recently as the Dean of the School of Education at New York's St Johns University - he is also a children's writer.

Ron Elving is Senior Editor and Correspondent on the Washington Desk for NPR News. He talks to Kathryn about Buffalo's racially-motivated supermarket killings, the pushback from supporters of abortion rights, US aid for Ukraine and financial market's volatility as inflation fears strike deep.

Kathryn speaks with Climate Commission Chair, Dr Rod Carr about the government's first Emissions Reduction Plan released yesterday. The plan is the government's response to the Climate Change Commission's roadmap for how to get New Zealand to net-zero emissions by 2050, through a series of carbon emission budgets between now and 2035.

Sporting chiefs respond to the findings of a damning independent report into athlete welfare and the code's culture. The inquiry review panel suggest the high performance model is broken and needs to be reimagined.

Kennedy Warne visits the Hundertwasser Art Centre in Whangarei, initiated in 1993 and which finally opened in February this year. Austrian-born Friedensreich Hundertwasser lived the last 30 years of his life in New Zealand, and was a conservation pioneer as well as a brilliant artist and visionary architect. The centre expresses his philosophy that nature, art and life are a seamless and beautiful whole.

A successful restaurateur turned celebrity chef, Angelo Georgalli - also known as the Game Chef - has over 25 years experience in cooking, with a particular passion for hunting, fishing, archery and getting out into the great outdoors. His work as a volunteer Fish and Game ranger, and putting lunch together for his colleagues, inspired him to write a cookbook devoted to New Zealand's wild animals. The outcome is the Fish and Game Cookbook, in collaboration with the organisation of the same name.

Shane, Brigitte and Kathryn look ahead to the Government's Emissions Reduction Plan, Thursday's Budget, also reflecting on the border reopening, immigration reset and the Maori Party's decision not to stand in the Tauranga by-election.

Mary Fawcett of Schrödinger's Books in Petone reviews Bookseller at the End of the World by Ruth Shaw, published by Allen and Unwin