Rnz: Afternoons With Jesse Mulligan

Today we're exploring the world of Birding - otherwise known as Birdwatching - with Rick Szabo. Rick has been birding for more than 14 years and observed over 1600 different species. He also guides tours for fellow bird enthusiasts in Texas, California, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Costa Rica.

Monday means Jesse hits the clubs. If you've got a club you'd like him to visit, please text us 2101 or email us afternoons@rnz.co.nz. Today Jesse is chatting to Daryl Purdie from Auckland's Pinball Club.

Brad Foster joins Jesse to discuss the latest developments across the Tasman. Today, he's talking about the return of the so-called ISIS brides, who are seeking to come back to Australia from Syria.

In 2024, the Ministry of Education released guidelines for the use of AI tools in the classroom. The guidance stated that generative AI should be used to "improve teaching and learning, supporting knowledgeable and skilled teachers." However, many of the most widely used AI tools, such as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, are developed and based in the United States. That raises an important question, how well do these tools understand our national curriculum? And if their knowledge is limited, how effective can they really be in a New Zealand classroom? Australian education technology company CurricuLLM has been looking into this. Founder Dan Hart spoke to Jesse.

Dr Jess Robertson, National Manager of Advanced Technology at Earth Sciences New Zealand joined Jesse to speak about New Zealand's most impressive supercomputer.

The government has announced it will give police new powers to issue so called move-on orders - as a way to legally get disruptive individuals out of a particular area like the CBD. It's expected to impact the way they police homelessness in particular, in Auckland and across the country. But once you move on someone who doesn't have a home, where do they go? Director of the Methodist Mission in Christchurch Jill Hawkey spoke to Jesse.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has just delivered his State of the Nation speech. But with no new policies announced is this really going to get him over the line in an election year? Bryce Edwards joined Jesse.

The critter of the week is the newly crowned Bug of the Year 2026, the Avatar moth! This beautiful day-flying moth is only found on the Denniston Plateau, from 640 to 850m. They eat alpine marshwort found in ephemeral wetlands and enjoy basking in the sun to help regulate their body temperature. Males find females through pheromones and use their furry comb-like antenna to locate them. This year, they came first in the 2026 Bug of the Year competition, with an overwhelming 5192 votes! The Avatar moth is "Nationally Critical" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.

We all know how important a good night's sleep is, there is a whole industry promoting it! But have you ever considered what the environment you're sleeping in is like? Rachael Quin, from thehousekeeper.co.nz, is here to share tips on making sure your bedroom is sleep friendly.

Shared Kitchen's Julie Biuso joins me to talk us through this delicious twist on avocado and toast. Get the recipe here.

Movie critic Dominic Corry joins Jesse in the Auckland studio to review: Crime 101, now in cinemas, No Other Choice, in cinemas this week, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, in cinemas next week.

Freaky Friday time! The place for all your spooky and unexplainable stories. Jesse spoke to Jill, who shared a story of her encounter with a ghost in Gisborne in the early 90s.

A new international proposal is sparking debate in the autism community, with a diagnosis of "profound autism" now under consideration. The proposed diagnosis would describe autistic people who have little or no functional language, an IQ below 50, and who require 24-hour supervision and care. A new Australian study has taken a closer look at what this could mean for children and their families. Jesse spoke with Dr Antoinette Hodge, a Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist at The Children's Hospital at Westmead in New South Wales.

Now we're heading to the centre of the North Island where Waimarino Golf Club is marking it's 100th birthday this Easter. At 580 metres above sea level, set against a stunning backdrop that is Mount Ruapehu - it's not hard to see why it's had enduring appeal. But like lots of country courses, it really has to be innovative to keep going. Club President Aiden Gilbert joined Jesse.

Recent severe weather and flooding have seen a huge number of 'states of emergency' declared across the country. In fact, there has already been more states of emergency declared in 2026 than all of last year, and we're only in February. So, what's behind this rise and how does the whole process work? John Price, Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management spoke to Jesse.

Well, it's the story that's got everyone talking - former Prince Andrew was arrested on Thursday morning UK time on suspicion of misconduct in public office ... The arrest follows allegations that he shared confidential government material with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He is the first senior British royal in modern history to be arrested. He has since been 'released under investigation' with King Charles saying in a statement that, "the law must take its course." So, what will this mean for the monarchy moving forward? Dr Grant Morris spoke to Jesse.

We're asking because it seems that most adults, in the midst of busy lives, have swapped play and silliness for seriousness and productivity. But there is clear evidence that you adults benefit from play just as children do. So what are these benefits and how can we all get more playful? Scott Duncan, Professor of Population Health, Auckland University of Technology explains.

Personal finance whizz Mary Holm joins Jesse to share some tricks and tips on picking your Kiwisaver fund.

Today Jesse continues through the A-Z of Aotearoa. Today it's the letter P for Pies.

Every second Thursday we talk about relationships with Professor Kirsty Ross from Massey University's School of Psychology Whether matters of the heart, workplace dramas or friendship pickles, relationships take work and sometimes a professional opinion can come in handy to sort any conflicts. If there are any topics, you would like Kirsty to cover email us at afternoons@rnz.co.nz