Nights for Thursday 18 July 2024

8:15 Pacific Waves

A daily current affairs programme that delves deeper into the major stories of the week, through a Pacific lens, and shines a light on issues affecting Pacific people wherever they are in the world. Hosted by Susana Suisuiki.

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8:30 Nights Jukebox

Todd Zaner plays your requests - as long as you've got a compelling reason, or a good story to go with it.

Send in your requests to nights@rnz.co.nz or text 2101.

8:45 The Reading: Hand Me Down World by Lloyd Jones

The eleventh episode of a 12-part series with Melissa Phillips reading the 'Hand Me Down World' by Lloyd Jones.

An African woman becomes pregnant while working as a cleaner in a Tunisian hotel but, just weeks after the birth, her baby is stolen away by the father. Her journey to find him relies on the barest of resources as she tracks him across continents.

9:07 Nights Quiz

Do you know your stuff? Come on the air and be grilled by Todd Zaner as he dons his quiz-master hat.

If you get an answer right, you move on to the next question. If you get it wrong, your time in the chair is up, and the next caller will be put through. The person with the most correct answers at the end of the run goes in the draw for a weekly prize.

The quiz is themed - find out more about tonight's theme on Nights' Facebook page.

9:15 New Zealand's oldest female boxer riding high after winning in Australia

Reefton's own Lisa Ryan is officially New Zealand's oldest female boxer, at the ripe age of 55.

The catch is that she can't actually box competitively here in New Zealand, due to the cut-off age being 50.

Last month Lisa had a knockout win at the Ageless Warriors amateur tournament in Australia and now she's gearing up for her next event, the Pan Pacific Masters Games.

She joins Todd Zaner.

9:35 Life in a community founded on 'spirit, love and connection'

A new documentary is honing in on the legacy of one of New Zealand's spiritual communities.

The Kahunui Village, known as The Farm, was founded to house Auckland's lost and wayward youth back in the 1970s.

Director Charlotte Newman has a personal connection to the farm, with its founder being her great-grandmother.

'The Farm' has been selected for the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival and is screening this weekend.

Charlotte joins Todd Zaner.

9:50 University of Otago archaeology students digging into Spain's ancient Roman history

A group of Otago University students and graduates are currently excavating a two-thousand-year old archaeological dig site in Merida, Spain.

Their finds from the ancient Roman colony so far include a bone die used for gaming, a carved bone hairpin, as well as some pottery pieces.

Dr Dan Osland from the University of Otago's Classics programme is leading the expedition, and he speaks to Todd Zaner.

10:17 After four years, local democracy returns to Tauranga

There are just under two days left for Tauranga residents to vote in their first council elections in four years.

Those who haven't voted yet have until noon on Saturday and for those who haven't even registered to vote yet tomorrow is the last day to enroll.

Alisha Evans is the Local Democracy Reporter for the Bay of Plenty and is based in Tauranga with Sunlive and she's been covering the election for the past month.

She speaks to Todd Zaner ahead of the final day of voting.

10:30 Photos exploring dementia win World Press Photo Contest

Aucklanders will be able to get up close to some of the best  best photojournalism and documentary photography in the world when the prestigious World Press Photo Exhibition goes on display this Saturday.

One of the photographers whose work will be in the exhibition is Lee-Ann Olwage a visual storyteller from South Africa.

Her series, Valim-babena, won Story of the Year, and explores the stigma in Madagascar surrounding dementia and memory loss.

Lee-Ann speaks to Todd Zaner.

10:45 New Zealand's inaugural in-person National Speed Puzzling championships

When you think about puzzles you might be picturing a cosy night in with the family and a cup of tea - well, that's a long way off from the world of competitive speed puzzling.

A competitive speed puzzling event is happening this Saturday in Auckland with hundreds already registered to attend.

Co-founder of the New Zealand Jigsaw Puzzle Association and a competitive speed puzzler herself, Mona-Lynn Courteau takes some time away from setting up the event and speaks to Todd Zaner.

11:07 The Mixtape

Our guest picking the music is actor, writer and director Chelsie Preston Crayford.

Chelsie's acting projects have been vast and numerous including Eagle vs Shark, Savage, The Panthers, Netflix's global hit The Royal Treatment, Nude Tuesday, and winning a Logie for her role in Underbelly and an AACTA for The Code.

Most recently she starred in crime thriller Dark City: The Cleaner, and has just wrapped a new show called A Remarkable Place to Die - a New Zealand set detective series.

Chelsie has written and directed her own short films and has just been funded to make a feature film that celebrates her upbringing in a household of three generations of women.