Nine To Noon

Wellington City Councillors will vote next month on a proposal to vastly expand the city's bush track network into the Te Kopahou reserve. It's an area of over one thousand hectares that descends from the southern boundary of Zealandia and Polhill Gully to the south coast. The proposal will see existing tracks upgraded and new tracks built for walkers, trampers, runners and mountain bikers to go from Aro Valley all the way to the South Coast. The area also contains significant habitat for rare and threatened native species and coastal eco-systems, and some among the 300 submissions made on the plan suggest it ought to be left untouched. Kathryn discusses with Craig Starnes of Brooklyn Track Builders - a volunteer group which, for the last 12 years, has been building trails, planting trees and assisting with predator trapping in Polhill/Waimapihi Reserve - immediately to the north of Te Kopahou. Also Wellington Mayor Andy Foster.

The antibody drug Ronapreve is being reviewed by Medsafe to treat covid-19 patients in New Zealand. Described as an antibody cocktail, the World Health Organisation is recommending people who are most at risk of being hospitalised, and those with severe or critical Covid-19, who lack their own antibody response be treated with Ronapreve. It's already been cleared for use in the UK. Also known as Regeneron, it was previously used by former US president Donald Trump. Kathryn Ryan speaks with Infectious Diseases Physician and Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Otago, Professor Kurt Krause, who says these antibodies should be given early in the course of Covid to be most effective.

Cabinet will review Covid levels today, but the Prime Minister is already framing today's announcement more as a "roadmap" forward, after vaccination rates fell 87,000 short of a 90 percent goal for any loosening the city's lockdown. A big chunk of the Waikato is now included in level 3, after cases appeared outside of the Auckland border over the weekend. There is a growing call for a clearer path forward, and more detail about what people can plan for depending on vaccination rates achieved. The government's expert advisory group is also re-working the re-opening plan for next year that it delivered to government in August, just before the Delta outbreak. High vaccination levels are being touted by the government and experts as the way out of lockdowns. But where exactly are we at, and what will be possible at different levels of vaccination? Kathryn speaks with Covid-19 modeller, Professor Michael Plank from the University of Canterbury

Comedians Te Radar and Pinky Agnew bring a few laughs - including where one North Dakota squirrel stashed his nuts.

Dana talks to Kathryn about some interesting new research released to coincide with Sport NZ's women + girls summit this week. Also the argument surrounding sports stars unable to secure MIQ spots and the Covid scare ahead of the NRL grand final this weekend, with a community case in Queensland prompting fears that the sold-out game would have to move from Brisbane to Townsville. Dana Johannsen is Stuff's National Correspondent specialising in sport.

Kim Pittar from Muir's Independent Bookshop Gisborne reviews Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr, published by Harper Collins.

Rotorua-based Kharl WiRepa is the first Māori fashion designer to be featured in British Vogue. His brand specialises in red carpet styles, racewear, bridal couture, and power dressing. Vogue described the Te Whanau Apanui, Tainui and Te Awara designer as a 'designer of the future'. Kharl started his fashion career in a Supre store, although fashion is in his ancestry - a great kuia of Kharl's made shoes for Queen Victoria in London.

Thailand has responded to a tough economic outlook with new special visas aimed at attracting "wealthy global citizens" to move to the country's beaches. Myanmar's humanitarian, security and economic siutation is worsening, meanwhile Laos is opening up to cryptocurrency mining in a bid to monetise its massive hydro electric dams. And a Duterte dynasty is emerging in the Philippines rise ahead of next year's presidential election with both president Rodrigo Duterete and his daughter Sara in the mix.

The internet can be an extremely toxic place for women or members of minority groups - but could there be a way to kill online trolls with kindness? Kathryn speaks to Jacqueline Comer, who's been working on ways to combat some of the poison sprayed at women in the social media space.

Importers of medicinal cannabis products say they've been left in the ridiculous position of having to destroy perfectly good stock, while patients needing their usual medicine will - from today - need it directly imported for them.