Sunday Morning for Sunday 26 February 2023

8:10 Norman Hermant: Russia, Putin and the war one year on.

Vladimir Putin’s plans for a swift victory a year ago failed spectacularly. But now, Russia’s president appears to be preparing for round two.

We gauge the mood inside Russia with former ABC Moscow correspondent Norman Hermant who has been speaking to Russians including some who have left the country.

8:25 Professor Al Gillespie: Ukraine and the world one year on.

As the West remains resolute in its opposition to the invasion of Ukraine, many are wondering where Russia might look for support.

Al Gillespie is a Professor of Law, specialising in international law related to war, the environment and civil liberties, at the University of Waikato.  

8:45 Megan Phifer-Rixey: Do mice really like cheese?

Dr Megan Phifer-Rixey is a professor of evolutionary biology at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She studies the house mouse, mus musculus, and she knows what mice like to eat – and what we should put in those traps.

9:10 Mediawatch

Mediawatch looks at how our infrastructure has become an urgent issue in the media after Cyclone Gabrielle - and some commentators changing their tune on climate change. 

Also  - how alarming reports of crime and looting in cyclone-hit communities fired up politicians and the Police. 

9:30 Calling Home: Catherine Costello in Lyon, France

Catherine Costello was home in NZ over the summer showing her French partner a Kiwi Christmas. They live in Lyon, France, where she works for a company teaching English to French business people.

Wellington born and bred, Catherine has, over the past five years or so, established a new life in France.

10:06 John Miller: The Philosophy of Tattoos

Once to many, the ultimate symbol of deviance and defiance, tattoos are now much more firmly in the mainstream.

Dr John Miller is a Senior Lecturer in Nineteenth-Century Literature at the University of Sheffield. His book The Philosophy Of Tattoos is a broad and very personal exploration of tattooing from around the world as a unique expression of individual, cultural and national identity.

10:35 Marc Wilson: Psychology hacks for tough times.

The last few years have been difficult for most of us – and it’s been particularly tough recently for many across the North Island.

Professor Marc Wilson, from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University's School of Psychology joins us once again to look at techniques for overcoming anxiety and depression, and also to discuss the idea of going to the supermarket on a first date.

Karen Kasler: US Correspondent

Joining us again is our U.S. correspondent Karen Kasler, the Statehouse Bureau Chief for public radio and television in Ohio. 

She takes a look at the current candidates for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and how the legal wrangling over an obscure section of U.S. Telecom legislation could have wide-reaching implications for the internet worldwide.

Fred Johansen: Student health and procrastination.

As another academic year starts, most students don't need to be told that procrastination is bad, but they may need to know it can cause health problems.

Fred Johansen from Sweden's Karolinska Institute and Stockholm's Sophiamet Medical University joins us to talk about his research into student health and procrastination.

Lynda Hallinan: Restoring a flood-damaged garden

With lives lost and countless homes and businesses devastated, it may seem trivial to talk about gardening, but for many of us, our gardens are a source of joy and a place that helps us recover after a crisis.

Gardener, author and broadcaster Lynda Hallinan takes your questions on how to restore a weather-damaged garden.