Nine To Noon

President Biden's agenda is at risk with further delays on spending packages and the threat of a potential default as a critical borrowing limit looms. And Ron has an update on the oil spill in the Pacific that has reached the California coast.

In the next day or so a film crew is heading off to spend a week and a half on the international space station. Scenes for the Russian movie Challenge will be shot at the space station that orbits around 400 kilometres above the Earth. One of the actors who plays a surgeon has to do heart surgery on a sick cosmonaut!. To discuss the commericial use of the galactic facility, Space archaeologist Alice Gorman from Flinders University.

Last week Nine to Noon looked at the situation with the availability of medicinal cannabis in New Zealand. October 1 marked an end to the bulk importation of unapproved products, leaving just four products from Canadian company Tilray as the only ones that have managed to meet the minimum standards that came into effect in April 2020. Medsafe has left the door open for doctors and pharmacies to import directly for patients on an individual basis, but there are concerns about how practical this is. Since the scheme was set up, no New Zealand companies have got medicinal cannabis products to market, although two have recently been granted certification to begin manufacturing. However, they'll then still have to meet those stringent minimum standards. So, where does this leave patients? In a stinging interview on Friday with the New Zealand Herald, Health Minister Andrew Little said if any patients suffer, it's because the industry "didn't get off their asses". Kathryn speaks with him about how well the scheme is working for medicinal cannabis patients.

Afghans with connections to New Zealand are pinning their hopes on a government change of heart as they wait for a judicial review into their case next month. In August, Community Law Waikato launched legal proceedings for 70 clients, all of whom have family in New Zealand and are in danger because they, or someone close to them, helped the New Zealand Defence Force, or they are single women at risk. But there are grave fears for the group as they wait for their November court date; one of the 70 has been killed - it is believed by the Taliban - while trying to flee the country, there are fears for the whereabouts of two others in the group, and those who have remained in Afghanistan are receiving targeted home visits from the Taliban. Community Law is taking court action against the Minister of Immigration and MBIE, essentially for inaction in processing residency visas, which have been stalled for at least 18 months due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The case is due to be heard in Wellington on November 3rd and 4th, but it's hoped the government may choose to take action sooner. Kathryn speaks with Sue Moroney the chief executive of Community Law, and "Mina", whose cousin is in Afghanistan and has been waiting years for her visa to be issued by Immigration New Zealand, and now fears for her life under Taliban rule.

Bill looks at the history of the backyard in New Zealand and how it's changed over the years. As the housing crisis continues, could our backyards be the perfect place to look for a solution? Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.

For almost 40 years, horticulturalist Hamish Alexander has been growing capsicums in at Omaha Flats and now employs more than 150 people. His business, Southern Paprika is one of many food producers featured in a new book from food writer Lauraine Jacobs. It takes a village, a guide to Matakana and its surrounding districts - showcases the local artisans, food businesses, wineries, breweries, restaurants, cafés and boutique accommodation. Matakana is well known for its Saturday morning market and the area is not just a bounty of food, but is a leisure mecca with beautiful beaches including Omaha and Tawharanui, regional parks and cycle trails. Hamish Alexander and Lauraine Jacobs talk to Kathryn about all the area has to offer and Lauraine has a recipe for making fritters out of Mahurangi oysters.

Neale Jones and Brigitte Morten talk to Kathryn about the Govenment's ongoing plans to deal with the Covid delta outbreak as two positive cases in Hamilton and Raglan see parts of Waikato move to level 3. Is an elimination strategy still feasible? The Prime Minister is announcing a roadmap today, and National and ACT's Covid plans have been announced Neale Jones was Chief of Staff to Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern, and prior to that was Chief of Staff to Andrew Little. He is the director of Capital Government Relations. Brigitte Morten is a director with public and commercial law firm Franks & Ogilvie and a former senior ministerial advisor for the previous National-led government.

Matthew Morris from Wellington second-hand book store Arty Bees reviews Mort by Terry Pratchett published by Penguin Random House

Geoff Ross & Justine Troy swapped their busy urban Auckland lives to embark on a new adventure on their Otago high country farm, Lake Hawea Station. They founded the vodka brand 42 Below in their garage in Wellington in the late nineties, and sold it to Bacardi in 2006 for over 100 million dollars. Geoff is Executive Chair of Moa Brewing, former director and chair of The Triolgy Group and a Trustee of Pure Advantage. But two years ago the couple and their two sons made the big move south to Lake Hawea Station where their vision is to lead the way in carbon positive farming, preserving biodiversity, improving the ecosystem and making a profit. Lake Hawea Station is the country's first carbon positive certified merino sheep farm.

A court in Paris has been hearing harrowing testimony from survivors of the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris that left 130 people dead and more than 400 injured. Meanwhile, another court in Paris has imposes a one year jail term on former French president Nicolas Sarkozy after he was found guilty of illegal campaign funding when he unsuccessfully stood for reelection in 2012. And in Brussels there are talks to ease Kosovo-Serbia tensions.