Acclaimed Maori historian Monty Soutar has turned his hand to fiction for the first time, drawing on almost 40 years of research into the history of Aotearoa and his own ancestral line. Kawai: For Such a Time as This, is the first in an ambitious series looking at how colonisation has shaped Aotearoa New Zealand. In the novel, a 19 year old Maori student asks his elderly grand-uncle about his tipuna, the respected warrior Kaitanga. That's in 1980. Then we're taken back to 1734, to Te Maniaroa, to the aftermath of a battle.

Danielle Kurtzleben is today's US correspondent. Abortion and inflation are top issues at the polls ahead of November's midterm elections and many eyes will be on Michigan's vote to enshrine abortion rights...could it galvanise Democrat turnout? And Colorado's Senate race is turning into a test of non-Trump Republicans.

In Dunedin 11 mayoral hopefuls are vying for the top job at this year's local body elections. Incumbent Aaron Hawkins is being challenged by a group of fellow councillors who all say his leadership style leaves a lot to be desired.

For the first time since March 2020 there are no major Covid restrictions in New Zealand. On Monday the Cabinet decided to scrap the traffic light system and drop almost all restrictions; masks are now only needed in hospitals or aged care homes, vaccine requirements for travellers have been removed, and isolation for household contacts has been dropped.

The NZ Institute of Architects in Auckland is celebrating Architecture Week, with discussions focused on Auckland and its issues. Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.

Like water into wine, Jenny McDonald and Sue Stockwell are turning bread into gin. Dunedin Craft Distillers are the only New Zealand company producing botanical spirits from surplus bread and bakery products.

Brigitte and Lamia join Kathryn to discuss potential changes to the Covid traffic light system, whether New Zealand should follow Australia and have a public holiday to mark the Queen's passing and the political reaction to police photo collection practices of young people.

Kiran Dass reviews Milk Teeth by Jessica Andrews, published by Sceptre.

Three of the world's finest crime writers; Val McDermid, Michael Robotham and J.P. Pomare join Kathryn in the studio. The trio are touring New Zealand this week, with an event, Crime after Crime.

As Brazil approaches its elections next month, Jair Bolsonaro faces criticism for his campaign events, and former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the front-runner in the election, campaigns on the protection of the Amazon. Plus the attempted assassination attempt on Argentina's vice-president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.