Nights for Thursday 1 August 2024

8:10: The House

We join Phil Smith with our report from Parliament - The House.

Tonight, the newly independent status of one MP has caused Parliament to rejig all of its rosters

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

Emile Donovan 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

Our reader Victoria Abbott isback with episode six of 'Billy Bird' by Emma Neale.

The story is about a small family that includes a young boy, Billy. Billy's parents, Iris and Liam, have concerns with Billy's acting like a bird.

While the story is about grief Emma Neale handles the subject with a disarmingly joyful simplicity that will actually make you smile and laugh at times.

9:07 Nights Quiz

Do you know your stuff? Come on the air and be grilled by Emile Donovan as he dons his quizmaster 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 The world of puns and why we love (or hate) them

What exactly is a pun? Why do we find them funny? And are they the same genre as the dreaded Dad Joke?

Our resident socio-linguist Dr Julia de Bres who also helps run the pun-based Facebook group called 'Expect the Punexpected' joins Emile Donovan to explore the world of puns.

9:35 Nights Culture: Nail Art

Aucklander Tanya Barlow makes works of art, except her canvas is about two centimetres long.

She's been a nail artist for over a decade, specialising in elaborately detailed, colourful designs -- cityscapes, vintage perfume labels, hyperrealistic slugs -- as well as creating looks for TV and film.

She joins Emile Donovan.

10:17 What's behind the shortage of finance sector workers?

Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand say there is a critical shortage of accountants, auditors and finance professionals.

And a large part of it is young people's interest completely dropping off the deep end.

Enrolments in accounting degrees have HALVED since 2018, leaving the future of the workforce up in the air.

Charlotte Evett is the general manager for New Zealand Regions at Chartered Accountants ANZ and she joins Emile Donovan.

10:30 Auckland's new kid on the block in the improv comedy

Bull Rush are a group of Auckland comedians, actors and performers, and they're taking to the Basement Theatre every Friday at 10pm for an improvised show - that means totally different, totally made up, every night.

Josh Metcalfe is one of the founding members of Bull Rush, and he joins Emile Donovan.

10:45 Where to from here for new HIV drug trial

Details of what could be a breakthrough preventative drug for HIV were unveiled at the AIDS 2024 summit in Munich last month.

Paul Sax is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and the clinical director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

He's recently returned from the summit, and he joins Emile Donovan from Boston.

11:07 The Mixtape: Kiran Dass

The Arts festival 'Word Christchurch' is well underway, and this week's guest on the Mixtape is beloved book reviewer and programme director for WORD, Kiran Dass.

Kiran talks books and picks the music with Charlotte Ryan.