Rnz: Afternoons With Jesse Mulligan

Here on Afternoons we've been making our way through the A-Z of Aotearoa. Today we focus on Sir Edmund Hillary.

Kate Rodger and Afternoons Senior Producer Olivia Wilson talk about musicians leaving Spotify and a celebrity interview with Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri.

Eric Beecher, who was once hired by Rupert Murdoch as editor of The Herald in Melbourne, offers his unique perspective. 

A very special book Silent Witnesses was launched this week at the Elmwood Rest Home in Auckland's Manurewa.

Will we see Kiwis living on Mars anytime soon? 

Time now for Our Changing World, we're catching up with host Claire Concannon who has been learning about one very kitted-out electric van, and what it might be able to tell us about our carbon emissions.

Perfect is the enemy of good. It's also the enemy of joy, creativity, relationships and even our health. We are living in the age of perfectionism says acclaimed author and contributing writer for The New Yorker, Leslie Jamison. Perfectionism used to be considered a "respectable flaw" you can confess to in a job interview. But now, with easy access to weight loss drugs and filtering apps, the illusion of perfect is everywhere. Her latest article explains the flaws that lie within flawless. Her piece is called The Pain of Perfectionism.

It's time for Bookmarks now and today I'm joined by one of the most recognisable faces of stage and screen in this country, Mark Hadlow. Tickets are on sale now for the sequel to one of New Zealand's most successful plays, 'MAMIL' aka Middle-Aged Men in Lycra. Mark has reunited with writer-director Gregory Cooper for the follow-up. It's called 'GOMIL' aka Grumpy Old Men in Lycra. It's touring venues all over the country between the 18th of September and the 17th of October. Mark joins Jesse to tell us about the show along with some of his favourite things.

A cosy dish that tastes of warmer weather thanks to Kelly Gibney. Tinned cherry tomatoes are such a brilliant way to get that bright taste of summer all year round. Here they are the star of a simple risotto, along with melting chunks of fresh mozzarella and a splash of balsamic vinegar. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil is the lovely way to garnish each bowl.

Jesse is joined by Jeremy Parkinson, the Executive Producer of RNZ's First Up.

Zero Waste Aotearoa held its annual hui this week, marking 25 years since the movement first began here in New Zealand The core principle of zero waste is to minimise waste production as much as possible... and then to compost, reuse, or recycle what's left Gerry Gillespie has over 30 years of experience designing organic recovery systems - and he's been involved with the zero-waste movement since the very beginning.

Graham Lowther has been documenting the damage vehicles are doing to Muriwai Beach. 

Waikato District Council is considering blocking a rocky coastal area in an effort to prevent drownings.

Night sweats, insomnia, brain fog and unexplainable rage; these symptoms came out of nowhere for science writer Amy Alkon. And when she sought help, she was shocked by how little her doctor had to offer. So, Amy went looking for the answers herself. She found that women's health is routinely misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and mistreated. She discovered tools to help women make better choices, like this cancer risk assessment calculator. Her book is called 'Going Menopostal: What You (and Your Doctor) Need to Know About the Real Science of Menopause and Perimenopause.

Huge news out of Australia today that a resolution has been reached by the Murdoch family, after a long running legal battle for control of Rupert Murdoch's companies, News Cory and Fox Corporation. Here to share more details is our friend from across the Tasman, Brad Foster.

Bill Hastings joins Jesse to chat about what he's been reading. 

Evie Ashton shares her top listens: What's My Age Again? Katherine Ryan Maori Made Easy - Scotty Morrison

t's no secret that New Zealand's music and arts scene is under pressure and local Wellington radio station RadioActive.FM is no exception.

Principal of Whananaki School Shaun Tepania speaks to Jesse.

But is there room for economic optimism amid all this unpredictability and uncertainty?