Nights for Monday 27 November 2017

7:12 Special Olympics - five days of sporting excellence in Wellington

As fine weather stretches ahead, Wellington hosts the Special Olympics National Summer Games

Thousands of athletes, coaches, managers - converge on the city, in a celebration of sporting excellence for the intellectually disabled.

Canterbury team manager Jeff Waters, athlete Andrew Oswin, and Kathy Gibson, chief executive officer of Special Olympics New Zealand join Bryan in the studio.

7:35 Upbeat

Last Monday - Michael Houston - the best New Zealand classical pianist of his generation, gave his final interview.

He's not about to retire, he just figures he'd rather focus on making music than talking about it.

He chose to give that final interview to Upbeat on RNZ Concert and he spoke to Eva Radich.

8:12 Nights' Science -  Nights' Science - Geology
Senior Scientist at GNS Hamish Campbell covers the earthy science of geology from erosion to earthquakes.

Hamish has just come back from Gondwana 16 in Bangkok - does that refer to the 16 countries that would have once been part of the continent? 'Course, we didn't have countries back then - or did we?  Bryan is rather intrigued! 

8:30 Window on the World - Europe's Illiberal Democrats

In the first of a two part series, the BBC World Service examines what's happening to democracy in Hungary.

Hungary is becoming an "illiberal democracy", in the words of its Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Is that the country's democratic right, or the path to autocracy, asks Naomi Grimley. The government has changed the constitution, electoral law, and refused to take its EU-allocated quota of refugees, while warning of a "Muslim invasion". The government spokesman insists that avoiding 'mass immigration' is Hungary's right, and that it is merely helping to protect Europe's Christian culture and heritage: "we want to stay as we are, a Christian continent".

9:10 Night Mail

To get in touch, email nights@radionz.co.nz , you can text us from your mobile on 2101 or you can find us on Facebook.

 

9:30 Insight

More than seven years after the Trans Pacific Partnership began in earnest, the eleven nations still involved continue to haggle over the details.

But they insist the finish line is in sight on the rebranded Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership.

Economics Correspondent Patrick O'Meara reports

10:17 Late Edition

A roundup of today's RNZ News and feature interviews as well as Dateline Pacific from RNZ International.

11:07 Nashville Babylon - with Mark Rogers

For past episodes of Nashville Babylon head to Radionz.co.nz and search Nashville Babylon - or alternatively you can subscribe to the show on iTunes.