Saturday Morning

7.11 Trump accuses Zelensky of 'gambling with World War 3'

Donald Trump has publicly scolded Ukraine's leader at the White House, telling him he needs to be thankful and accusing him of gambling with World War 3. 

The vice president JD Vance also interjected during the unprecedented press conference.

Volodymyr Zelensky is in Washington to discuss and likely sign a deal giving the US access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals - this was likely the most pivotal diplomatic moment since the war began.

US correspondent Nick Harper breaks down what happened with Susie.

7.16 Waipoua blaze: Up to 100 firefighters on the ground

Now to the massive wildfire burning in Waipoua, in Kaipara, which is still not contained.

Up to 100 firefighters will be on the ground today - about double the number yesterday.

Helicopters and heavy machinery will also be used to fight the blaze, which covers almost 100 hectares.

Fire and Emergency says it will be a significant day for firefighting efforts.

So far 20 homes have been evacuated residents sent to the nearby Waikara marae for refuge.

Meanwhile, a total fire ban across most of Northland will be imposed from eight o'clock this morning, until further nortice.

Kaipara mayor Craig Jepson speaks to Susie.

 

7.22 South Africa feeling brunt of 'America First' approach

On Thursday this week the Trump administration cut its HIV programme.

South Africa, where almost eight-million people live with the condition, was the biggest beneficiary.

Trump is also put thousands of staff at USAid on notice - and fired some at the the US Agency for International Development, which promises to have a profound impact on the millions of people world wide it has been helping.

Mihi spoke to Cape Town based analyst and journalist Crystal Orderson and asked how the news of the cuts is being received.

 

7.33 Study finds link between ADHD and use of paracetamol in pregnancy

A study of over 300 women in the US is adding to research suggesting a link between pregnant women who take paracetamol and the prevalence of ADHD in their children. 
 
Previous studies on an apparent link between the medicine, also known as acetaminophen have led to different findings.

A 2019 study showed a 20 percent higher risk of children developing ADHD, while a larger analysis last year saw no such pattern between siblings who either were or were not exposed to paracetamol.

And while far from conclusive, this latest study from the University of Washington and published in the New Scientist relied on blood samples taken from the women rather than self-reporting.

The researchers followed up with the mothers when their children were between 8 and 10 years old, to check for a diagnosis of ADHD.

Susie found out more from lead study author at Seattle's Children's Research Institute Dr Brennan Baker.

Plunket in New Zealand says if you are pregnant, talk to your doctor before taking paracetamol. Paracetamol can usually be safely used by pregnant women but there are limits to how much can be safely taken in a 24-hour period. Always follow the label and make sure the medication is not expired.

 

7.39 Menopause advocate calls for awareness

A menopause awareness advocate says women need to be better informed and GPs better trained to treat menopause.

Women in Australia will soon be eligible for a menopause health check and in Britain menopause is taught as part of the high school curriculum.

Meanwhile, our Ministry of Health has told menopause health and awareness advocate Sarah Connor it has no plans to lead a national menopause awareness campaign

Instead, Sarah and a team of volunteers are distributing menopause awareness-raising posters to GP surgeries.

Sarah talks to Susie in the Wellington studio.

 

7.56 Manu World Champs: Splashing to victory

Now, hoping to splash their way to victory today are the finalists for the Manu World Champs.

After travelling the country to find the best of the best, Aotearoa's finest have one last showdown in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, before the new winners are crowned.

The event is being held in the CBD, at Karanga Plaza and the Tidal Stairs at the Viaduct.

Organiser Scott Rice is there and speaks to Mihi.

8.11 Boot camps: learning from America's incarcerated youth

Frankie Guzman is the Senior Director at the National Center for Youth Law in California (NCYL) where he leads a team of attorneys, policy advocates, and community organisers to transform the youth justice system. 

Frankie's work is focused on ending the prosecution and incarceration of children in the adult criminal system, and championing age-appropriate services and opportunities. He's received a James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award for his work. 

Frankie has been a primary contributor to more than 20 pieces of legislation, halving the number of incarcerated juveniles in Santa Clara County, California. 

Earlier this year Frankie visited New Zealand to see how our youth laws compare to those in the US. 
 

8.35 The discovery of a feminist Iron Age society

A rare discovery in the UK, an Iron Age burial site in southern England has revealed that the ancient community was centered around the female line.

Archaeologists from Bournemouth University and geneticists from Trinity College Dublin found that two thirds of the 50 individuals at the site could be traced back to a single woman. In contrast, the relationships through the father's line were almost absent. This means that husbands moved to join their wives' communities upon marriage, with land potentially passed down through the women.

Dr Lara Cassidy is an Assistant Professor in Trinity's Department of Genetics and led the study into the burial site. This is the first time this type of system has been documented in European prehistory.

9.06 NZ's growing ties with South Korea

On the foreign affairs agenda again this week, Chinese ships in the Tasman and the Cooks' deal with China.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has met with his Chinese counterpart and his diplomatic tour now has him in South Korea for the final leg of his trip to Asia, looking at how New Zealand can strengthen our growing ties.

Corin Dann has been following the Foreign Minister's visit and reports live from Seoul with the latest updates.

9.15 Maggie Beer: serve them well

Australian chef, food author, restaurateur, and food manufacturer, Maggie Beer has made it her life's mission to raise the bar for food in aged care across Australia, improving the dining experience with good food and nutrition. 

Maggie says how we care for older people is a mark of how we are as a society and her ABC iview series Maggie Beer's Big Mission follows her and her team in an ambitious world first social experiment to transform the meals and dining experience at an aged care home to see what impact it can have.

9.35 Róisín Owens: The brain-gut connection

We often think of bacteria as germs that can make us sick, but there are trillions of different bacteria in our gut producing molecules that protect our immune system and brain health. In fact, science continues to find an undeniable link between gut and brain.

Róisín Owens is Professor of Bioelectronics at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Newnham College. She's currently researching this connection, using innovative and groundbreaking ways of testing human cells. 

10.05 Lynne Peeples: Resetting the Body Clock

Getting your circadian rhythm right can help you sleep better, feel happier and improve your overall health.

In her new book The Inner Clock science journalist Lynne Peeples shares her findings from interviewing scientists, astronauts, athletes, and patients at the forefront of internal clock research. She'll decipher what makes our internal clocks tick and how we can reset them for the better.

Lynne Peeples is a former staff reporter at The Huffington Post. Her writing has also appeared in The Guardian, Scientific American and Nature.

10.30 In Sir Ed's Vertical Footsteps: Alexander Hillary

The late Sir Edmund Hillary said education is the bedrock of everything, which is one of the reasons he founded the Himalayan Trust alongside his wife Louise in the 1960s. To Sir Ed, his greatest achievement was not climbing Everest but helping the people of Nepal.

Sir Ed's grandson, Alexander Hillary is now the General Manager of the Himalayan Trust, as well as an adventurer in his own right.

The trust built the first schools and hospitals in the Everest region, and continues working to improve education, healthcare and drinking water for people living in this part of the world.

In March the Himalayan Trust holds one of its biggest fundraisers for Himalayan people: The Summit Challenge, where people record the number of vertical metres they do each day during March and raise funds for their efforts.

Alex Hillary shares his personal connection to the work taking place in Nepal.

11.05 How to be Wrong: a crash course in startup success

Rowan Simpson, veteran investor and early employee at Trade Me, Xero, Vend and Timely, has been described as "the most important figure in New Zealand technology you've never heard of".   

His new book How to be Wrong: A crash course in startup success draws on two decades at the heart of New Zealand's most successful technology companies, into a masterclass in embracing uncertainty and transforming mistakes into fuel for success.

11.30 Wildfoods Festival serving up snails, locusts and huhu grubs

If you're looking to be a bit adventurous with your palate, next weekend's Wildfoods Festival in Hokitika might hit the spot. Snails, locusts and huhu grubs are just some of the delicacies that will be available.

The festival was started in 1990 by Hokitika local Claire Bryant, whose wine cellar was stocked with a home brew of West Coast gorse flower wine that people were clamouring to get a taste of.

Claire is joined by Don Neale, the infamous stall owner of Huhu grubs at the festival.

11.45 Te Matatini finals 

Julian Wilcox joins us from finals day at Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga, from the Bowl of Brooklands in New Plymouth.

The biennial festival, and the world’s largest celebration of traditional Maori performing arts, is wrapping up with the very best of 55 teams vying for the big prize.

Julian gives us the inside scoop from side of stage.