Nights with Bryan Crump

BBC World Service journalist Jonathan Frewin joins Emile Donovan to take a look at some of the events making headlines internationally including Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu meeting with US President Donald Trump, the 90-day pause on Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs that are set to expire this week and Poland setting up controls on its border with fellow EU member Germany.

RNZ sports whiz Jamie Wall joins Emile Donovan to debrief the weekend of sport, including the All Blacks' narrow victory over the French in Dunedin and what the visiting rugby journalist thought about the southern city.

Back in 1992, Nights listener Dean met his holiness and got to spend an afternoon with him - and even gave the Dalai Lama a hot tip.

Former MP and cabinet minister Peter Dunne thinks MPs have an obligation to the public to serve out their full terms, after New Zealand First list MP Tanya Unkovich became the seventh MP to resign since the 2023 election.

Producer Bonnie Harrison turns the tables on the quizmaster and takes a closer look at some of this week's quiz questions.

Dhargyey Buddhist Centre Trust chairperson Peter Small joins Emile Donovan.

After more than a decade at the helm, the current owners have decided it's time to hang up their bar mats and put the place on the market. Co-owner Cade Thornton joins Emile Donovan.

Biological age tests claim to measure how old your body is on a cellular level. Hassan Vally at Deakin University in Australia and is an expert when it comes to interpreting health data and joins Emile Donovan.

Tim Hunt is a Melbourne-based lighting designer who constantly thinks about how humans interact with light and how better lighting can make our cities safer, more welcoming and more beautiful.

University of Waikato senior lecturer in philosophy Dan Weijers joins Emile Donovan to ponder immortality.

After being stumped during Midweek Mediawatch with Hayden Donnell, Emile Donovan calls up Nights' resident sociolinguist, associate professor Julia de Bres from Massey University, to weigh in on whether the plural for a Kiwi (the national identity, not the bird) is Kiwi, or Kiwis.

Metservice meteorologist Stephen Glassey joins Emile Donovan for an update on the severe thunderstorms in Taranaki and other wild weather around the country.

Anneka Carlson Matthews first ran for the New Plymouth District Council in 2019 as a 29-year old former police officer and small business owner. She joins Emile Donovan to encourage people to give local government a go.

Faye Skelton is an associate professor in forensic cognition and miscarriages of justice at Edinburgh Napier University. She has been interviewing men who have lived through being wrongfully convicted.

Professor Richard Easther from the University of Auckland joins Emile Donovan to reflect on the news that New Zealand's methane-tracking satellite, launched in March 2024, has lost contact with the ground.

After Qantas' customer data was breached, cybersecurity analyst Adam Boileau joins Emile Donovan to discuss how common cyberattacks like this are and how worried Qantas customers should be.

The newly-appointed Chief Librarian of our National Library joins Emile Donovan to reflect on a life in books and the strategic future of the Alexander Turnbull and its new bedfellows, Archives New Zealand.

Wellington composer Michael Williams joins Emile Donovan to explain - and to test his own perfect pitch.

Christian Smith beams in to share news from the other side of the globe, including Irish rap group Kneecap's controversial set at Glastonbury, a bad fortnight for British prime minister Keir Starmer, and Wimbledon opening during a heat wave.

With another 'prominent New Zealander' in the headlines over unnamed charges, Wellington media lawyer Steven Price joins Emile Donovan to discuss how name suppression works.

Through exploiting a distribution loop, AI-generated songs were being uploaded against Australian bassist Paul Bender's will, and it remains foggy who's behind the ghost songs. He joins Emile Donovan.

BBC World Service journalist Pete Ross joins Emile Donovan to take a look at some of the events making headlines internationally, including the BRICS summit taking place in Brazil, a forthcoming Polish Supreme Court ruling on the validity of its presidential election, and a smoking ban comes into effect in France.

For the month of July, North Canterbury is celebrating all things flaky, steamy and meaty: The Made North Canterbury Pie Trail will direct pie-lovers to over 20 local artisans. Kelly Lynch, of Enterprise North Canterbury, joins Emile Donovan to opine pies.

RNZ sports whiz Jamie Wall joins Emile Donovan to debrief the week in sport.

Professor of Public Health Grant Scofield joins Emile Donovan to discuss the effectiveness of Wegovy and Ozempic, and whether the funding settings are right - with a month of Wegovy estimated to cost $450 to $600 per month.

Zinnia Foster is Regional Manager for Hospitality NZ, and she joins Emile Donovan.

Chief Economist at the New Zealand Initiative thinktank Eric Crampton joins Emile Donovan

MetService meteorologist Brian Mercer joins Emile Donovan for an update and a look ahead to the weekend.

Nicola Gaston is Director of the MacDiarmid Institute and Professor of Physics University of Auckland, and she joins Mark Leishman.

We invite on a member of New Zealand's literary community to reread a book they haven't read in years and share their experience.

Our monthly trip to the ancient world, with classics educator and enthusiast, Ben Jackson. Tonight, we are in Rome looking at the transition from Republic to Empire.

Ben O'Keeffe is one of New Zealand's leading rugby union referees, and joins Mark Leishman to talk about inappropriate behaviour from the sidelines.

Jane Groufsky is curator of social history at Auckland Museum and joins Mark Leishman.

Professor Bruce Arroll from the University of Auckland's Department of General Practice and Primary Care is among those welcoming the move, and he joins Mark Leishman.

Mikaela Nyman's new collection of poetry, The Anatomy of Sand, is being published next month. She joins Mark Leishman.

Locksmith Rusty Smith joins RNZ Nights to answer this question and more.

Marie-Claire Andrews is president of Retired Working Dogs and joins Mark Leishman.

Hato Hone St John's Andy Everiss and Leanne Tiscornia join Mark Leishman to talk about 'Giving Day'.

Researcher and author of The Stone Tower: Ptolemy, The Silk Road, and a Two-thousand-Year-Old Riddle' Riaz Dean, joins Emile Donovan.

BBC World Service journalist Rob Hugh-Jones joins Emile Donovan for a wrap of world news stories.

RNZ's sport journalist Jamie Wall shares his analysis of the All Blacks squad.

The former Prime Minster and Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme joins Emile Donovan.

Tonight, Finn waxes lyrical about Feel Good Aura by Melodownz, Noise by Forty Winks and Stand Up Now by Jo Tongo.

Nights' resident screen critic Dan Slevin shares his thoughts on Elio (in cinemas), The Eternaut aka El Eternauta (Netflix) and In My Father’s Den (TVNZ+).

Nights' resident sociolinguist, Associate Professor Julia de Bres is back to talk ... retronyms.

If you shopped at a New World or Pak'nSave in the North Island last year, there's a chance your face was scanned by facial recognition technology.

As the conflict between Israel and Iran rages on, we watch missiles and drones being launched and intercepted between the two countries.
And you may have heard a lot about Israel's Iron Dome -- an elite, world-leading air defence system, that has enabled Israel to avoid much of the destructive potential of conflict with Iran -- thus far.

Today, Statistics Minister Shane Reti announced the Census, which has existed in a similar format for more than 70 years, will be replaced with a combination of administrative data from other government agencies and smaller annual surveys.
To talk about the implications, Emile Donovan talks to Demographer and Distinguished Professor Emeritus Paul Spoonley.

Some stories taking up just half a page, new anthology Poto features bite-sized stories from some of New Zealand's literary luminaries, including Bill Manhire, Paula Morris and Owen Marshall.

Can you stutter in sign language? Does New Zealand Sign Language have the equivalent of mispronunciation, mistakes or sarcasm? Professor of NZSL studies Rachel McKee joins Emile Donovan.

Our man in London, Christian Smith, is chatting to us about the UK launching a grooming gangs inquiry after claims officials avoided the ethnicity issue, protests against over tourism erupting in southern Europe, Tottenham Football Club suing Ineos over a dropped deal, and Westminster copping flak for a £10m door.

Minister for Housing Chris Bishop joins Emile Donovan.

Historian and Maurice Gee biographer Rachel Barrowman joins Emile Donovan to reflect on the life of one of New Zealand's most beloved and enduring novelists.

BBC World journalist Jonathan Frewin joins Emile Donovan to look at some of the events making headlines internationally, including Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, an upcoming debate in the UK House of Commons on decriminalising abortion, and the upcoming deadline for the sale of TikTok if it is to remain functional in the United States.

Last week, the Grey District Council decided to throw the struggling theatre a lifeline and voted to take over its financial troubles. West Coast Theatre Trust chairman Andy Ross joins Emile Donovan.

RNZ sports whiz and journalist Jamie Wall joins Emile Donovan to debrief the week in sport.

Former Australian ambassador to Lebanon and research scholar at ANU's Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies Ian Parmeter joins Emile Donovan.

Featuring new music from Mokomokai, High Altar, and vegetabke.machine.animal.

Nights' resident screen critic joins Mark Leishman to review match-making rom-com Materialists (2025), documentary Bono: Stories of Surrender (2025) streaming on Apple TV+, and free streaming platform fawesome.tv.

Event organiser, and New Zealand's first barista champion, Emma Barkland Webster joins Mark Leishman.

The creative arts programme for young people living with disabilities is the brainchild of Fiona McKenzie, with her son Jasper helping bring the vision to life behind the scenes. They join Mark Leishman.

When Australian comedian Michelle Brasier was scammed by a stranger, she didn't report it. Instead, she extended her hand in friendship and turned the experience - into a cabaret.

Books from ten emerging New Zealand writers will be celebrated and amplified in a new initiative from The Coalition for Books.

When looking at a great work of art, does your heart race? A new neuroaesthetics study looks at how art and beauty can affect us physically and mentally.

It's Independence Day in the Philippines and Becky Buada, from Banyuhay Aotearoa, explains how Filipino migrants celebrate it in New Zealand.

As downtown Los Angeles sleeps for a second night under curfew, Professor Robert Patman explains the likelihood of California seceding and the mood of a nation on edge.

Angella Dravid took home the Fred Award for best show at the 2025 New Zealand Comedy Festival.

It's Men's Health Week and the man behind the Wednesday Waffle video explains how a simple way to keep in touch with your mates could also save lives.

According to the latest census figures, more people moved south than north in the period between 2018 and 2023 - a reversal of traditional migration patterns.

Ten years ago, New Zealanders' favourite car to buy was a Toyota Corolla. Today, it's more likely to be a Ford Ranger. Professor Alistair Woodward joins Nights to look at how big cars are changing our roads.

Nanotechnologist Dr Michelle Dickinson joins Emile Donovan to explain.

Pet custody lawyer Eve Smith joins Nights to discuss a new law giving Australian courts new powers to assess who should take the family pet when it comes to matrimonial property disputes.

They may have deregistered from the Electoral Commission in 2015, and their Wikipedia page may be written in the past tense, but Alliance Party president Victor Billot insists the party never fully went away.

Dr Will Gervais, a cultural evolutionary psychologist based at Brunel University of London and author of a new book Disbelief: The Origins of Atheism in a Religious Species, joins Emile Donovan.

We cross to BBC World journalist Pete Ross about the news making international headlines, including the latest on the Israeli response to Greta Thunberg's aid ship to Gaza, and how the situation is unfolding in Los Angeles after President Donald Trump sent in the National Guard to quell protests over immigration crackdowns.

Nights sports whiz and RNZ journalist Jamie Wall is in the studio to discuss Mark Robinson’s resignation and what it reveals about the broader state of rugby in New Zealand.

Ahead of Age Without Limits Day on June 11, Emile chats to Dr Joanna Hikaka, co-director of the University of Auckland's Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research.

Featuring Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Drugdealer, and Clbrks & Kurt Terese

Nights' resident screen critic joins Emile Donovan to review Ballerina (2025), Mountainhead (2025) streaming on Neon, and children's classic The Iron Giant (1999) streaming for free on ThreeNow.

We're heading to Christchurch, and the Cashmere Club, where the Mainland Big Band will be performing.

With New Zealand's first water crematorium opening for business today, President of the Funeral Directors Association Andrew Malcolm joins Emile Donovan to discuss how our attitudes to going out in style are changing.

Harold is a clinical psychologist who grew up in the projects of Washington DC, studied at Harvard and served as an officer in the United States Air Force - while doing so as a gay man was illegal.

Dave Alexander has spent almost nine years building a turbo-charged Lakester from his Mangatāwhiri garage - and now he's taking it to the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Dan Weijers asks: is moral repugnance a good guide to what is right or wrong?

University of Canterbury sociologist and gang expert Dr Jarrod Gilbert joins Emile Donovan.

The legendary British cabaret La Clique was formed 20 years ago by Australian David Bates. Growing up on a sheep farm playing the piano, David is now an Olivier Award-winner and tours his Spiegeltent of eclectic acts globally.

New Zealand has sent a strong squad of over-40s men to the Seniors World Cup in Thailand this year. Team manager David Batty joins Emile Donovan.

To shed some light on why a murder-accused like Erin Patterson might decide to speak in her own defence, Auckland criminal lawyer John Munro joins Emile Donovan.

Colin Peacock pops in on a Tuesday to discuss the long-rumoured, now-announced merger cooked up between TradeMe and Stuff.

Dame Jacinda Ardern's memoir A Different Kind of Power is the latest in a string of political memoirs. Janet Wilson weighs in on if they're any good.

Klim Type Foundry in Wellington have designed fonts for The Financial Times, Paypal and National Geographic; and closer to home, Kate Evans' definitive book about feijoas, Feijoa (which fittingly enough featured the Klim font, 'Feijoa').

RNZ sport reporter Jamie Wall joins Emile Donovan to debrief the week in sport, including the rise of 'run it straight' impact sports.

Dr Rob Bell, the managing director of adaptation consultancy Bell Adapt, co-authored a paper exploring our biggest cities' risk profiles in a changing climate.

Tonight he's spinning tunes from Salt Water Criminals, Salad Boys and Ganavya.

Amy Parris is the costume designer behind 20th century nostalgia hits Stranger Things and Yellowjackets. She's in Auckland for Wintergeddon and joins Emile Donovan to talk about her work.

Dan Slevin is back to talk about supernatural horror film Bring Her Back, documentary Deaf President Now! and a look back at Scarfies.

Every month in Dunedin the club brings people together for a relaxed, no-pressure drawing session where no experience is needed.

For the first time in the festival's 11-year history, Karangahape Road will close to cars to allow people and music to fill the street.

RNZ music journalist Tony Stamp beams in from the biggest night in New Zealand Music to share who's won big.

The CEO of advocacy group Rewiring Aotearoa Mike Casey joins Emile Donovan.

Anna from recipe blog 'Just A Mum's Kitchen' joins Emile Donovan to weigh in on whether buying cream for butter is cheaper in the end, and whether any butter substitutes pass muster.

Classics educator and enthusiast Ben Jackson joins Emile Donovan for a virtual holiday to some of ancient Greece's island city states: Delos, Rhodes, Lesbos and Samos.

Timaru District Council's Water Plant Manager John Clemens celebrates with Emile Donovan.