Nights

8:10 What does the future hold for Iran and who might lead it?

Predicting the end of Iran’s Islamic Republic has always been a fool’s errand. In its 47 years the regime has survived wars, mass protests and economic crises.

But last month hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets and thousands lost their lives, and President Donald Trump has continued to threaten military action if talks over Iran’s nuclear programme fail.

So how did we get to this point, what do Iranians inside and outside the country want, and what does the future hold for Iran and who might lead it?

Middle East expert Dr Leon Goldsmith joins Emile Donovan.

8:30 How useful are State of the Nation speeches?

It is an election year, and this month has seen parties deliver their State of the Nation speeches to set the tone for what they see as the big issues the country is facing.

Political scientist Natalia Albert has been digesting them, and she has some thoughts on the matter -- primarily, a concern that political messaging is being oversimplified to the point of nonsense.

Natalia Albert joins Emile Donovan.

8:50 The case for lowering the threshold for interest on student loans 

Student loans -  the bane of many graduates and a political hot potato.

It's been used as a vote winner before, case in point, in 2005 when the Labour Party campaigned on interest-free loans for those who stayed in New Zealand.

And you can see why it would be an attractive option in election year, and a way to try to stem the number of graduates leaving for greener pastures overseas.

Political Editor at the New Zealand Herald Thomas Coughlan has been giving the issue some thought, and has suggested a case for raising the student loan threshold.

He joins Emile Donovan.

9:05 Nights Quiz

Do you know your stuff? Come on the air and be grilled by Emile Donovan as he dons his quizmaster hat.

If you get an answer right, you move on to the next question. If you get it wrong, your time in the chair is up, and the next caller will be put through.

For each question answered correctly, a quizzee gets their name put in the draw for the weekly prize: the coveted Nights mug.

9:25 Educating children on grief

John Adams is a past president of the UK's National Association of Funeral Directors, and himself a fourth-generation funeral director.

He led a campaign in the UK for grief education to be added to UK schools. The guidelines will come into effect in September of this year.

He is in Auckland for NZ's Funeral Directors Association conference, and joins Emile Donovan.

9:45 Pacific Waves

A daily current affairs programme that delves deeper into the major stories of the week, through a Pacific lens, and shines a light on issues affecting Pacific people wherever they are in the world. Hosted by Susana Suisuiki.

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10:17 The Detail

Tonight on The Detail - The government's making city shop owners happy with its decisive move-on orders for homeless people, but there are doubts they'll achieve anything

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10:45 The Reading: Goneville Episode 10

Goneville is a rock'n'roll coming of age story by Nick Bollinger, who was just 18 when he went on the road with the band Rough Justice and its smoky-voiced, charismatic leader Rick Bryant.

Times are changing for Nick Bollinger and Rough Justice as you will hear in the final episode of Goneville.

11:07 The Mixtape: LA Mitchell 

Ōtautahi-based artist L.A. Mitchell has lived a rich, far-reaching musical life lending her unmistakable vocals to acts like Sola Rosa, bill withers social club and Fly My Pretties, and projects Terrible Sons and platinum-selling rock band Dukes.

She joins Kara Rickard to talk about her life and career.