As long COVID touches our lives more and more, the scientific community are rushing to catch up - hindered in no small way by the wide-range of symptoms and severity. Some research is however beginning to join up some of the dots. New Zealand's Dr Richard Webby is a prominent infectious diseases researcher at St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Between T20 cricket, the All Blacks playing Japan, the Rugby World Cup quarter-final game against Wales and the Rugby League World Cup there's lots to talk about with RNZ Sports journalist Joe Porter.

Journalist John Campbell's latest podcast premieres on Labour Day on TVNZ. From Egmont to Taranaki "is a personal story of Pakeha me. Who didn't know what I didn't know, until I began discovering it."

The Chinese Communist Party's 20th Congress looks set to give Xi Jinping his unprecedented third term in office as the secretary general of the party. The Party has ruled China since 1949, but it's facing its most difficult economic challenges in 30 years, with GDP predicted to grow between 2 and 3 percent compared with highs of 6-7 percent over the past decade. University of Waikato International Law Professor Dr Al Gillespie is the author of multi-volume books on the Causes of War, and A History Of The Laws of War. And most recently, People, Power & Law: A New Zealand History.

Anna Bibby is living that life that many of us fantasise about living, in France. She's been in a charming old village surrounded by walnut groves; then it was a charming old village surrounded by grape vines. Anna Bibby is calling home this morning from the Gironde region of France, in the south-west, on the Bay of Biscay, near the city of Bordeaux, surrounded by a countryside dotted with vineyards and old chateaux. Anna was born in Wellington then later owned a well-known gallery in Auckland's Herne Bay, and then, in her fifties, 12 years ago, she just moved to France. "If you want a final adventure, jump now" It's been a considerable adventure. Anna Bibby has written a book, it's called Learning to be French (and failing).

Psychologist Professor Marc Wilson takes on some of the latest self-help topics and advice including new research that shines light onto what makes us better-operating humans.

In the last few weeks, Cherneka Johnson, aka Sugar Neekz Johnson, has experienced both triumph and tragedy. Earlier this year, the Brisbane-based boxer (who is Ngāti Ranginui) became the second wahine Māori to win a world boxing title. Now, after winning the IBF World Super Bantam championship, she is the first wahine Māori to retain one. Last month, during Sugar's buildup to the competition, her younger brother Levi was assaulted and killed outside a Brisbane gym.

Auckland Councillor and former international cricketer Peter McGlashan talks us through Saturday's action between New Zealand and Australia at the T20 World Cup.

Bard-gate; on the sidelines of big news in China; chaotic politics sparks crude comebacks - and decency dilemmas.

60 years ago, the Cuban Missile Crisis was deepening. Following the discovery of Soviet nuclear warheads in Cuba there was a 13-day stand-off, and the world was bracing itself for war between the Soviet Union and the United States. Going against advice from his generals, US President Jack Kennedy did a secret deal with Soviet leader Nikita Kruschev. American nuclear weapons were removed from Turkey and in exchange Russian missiles left Cuba. The historian Sir Max Hastings says the Cuban Missile Crisis has frightening lessons for the world now. In his book Abyss, he draws on everything that was said in the White House at the time, and on extensive material as well from Russian officers, Cuban peasants, American pilots, and a whole host of accounts from the people in the middle of that very tense fortnight.