The Weekend for Sunday 9 January 2022

 

08:10 The treatment of the Capitol insurrectionists 

The date January the 6th picked up a new resonance in the United States Capital last year. The demonstration taking place outside the Capitol in Washington DC turned violent quickly and hundreds of people stormed government buildings. 140 police officers were assaulted and $1.5 million in US dollars in damage was caused. 

It led to something of an existential crisis in the US and the treatment of insurrectionists has been no different. Jeremy Stahl is a senior editor at Slate in Los Angeles and he's been reviewed all 733 criminal cases of those charged with actions relating to the January 6 events have been treated.

08:20 Dr. Gary McLean on the global impact of Omicron 

The Omicron variant of Covid-19 has cause chaos across the world - plunging many countries who thought they were on the cusp of controlling the virus back into full public health response mode. The transmission rate of the virus has changed the game in Europe, and in the UK in particular. While the virus may not be as deadly as the delta variant, the impact it is having on public health systems is extreme. New Zealander Dr. Gary McLean is a Professor in molecular immunology at London Metropolitan University and a researcher with Imperial College. He joins Emile to discuss entering 2022 in the shadow of Omicron and what Aotearoa needs to be prepared for. 

8:40 Who Lived There: the Lawrence Chinese camp 

We're going on a journey into Aotearoa's past now! We're continuing our series  'Who Lived There' this morning, it's based on a book of the same name which came out last year. Jane King took the photographs and Nic McCloy researched and wrote down the stories of dozens of significant buldings and places. Nic is taking us through these amazing buildings over the course of the month. Today we're going to Lawrence!

9.05 Bosker! the peculiar story of New Zealand slang

What happened to all the jokers?, asks writer and columnist John Summers in North and South last year. And he has a point. When my dear-departed great-grandmother Georgie Morrissey was alive every man on the face of the earth was a joker. Some of the young ones were bodgies. Their female accomplices were widgies.

John Summers explores this idea of slang - and the death of a particular slang word or phrase dies - in his piece in North and South.

9:30 Chess popularity soaring in Aotearoa 

Chess is the most popular it has ever been in New Zealand new players are picking up the pieces every year. It's hit somewhat of a sweet spot in popular media with the success of Netflix series The Queen's Gambit and with the internet providing a space for any enthusiast group in the world to connect. The New Zealand Chess Federation's 129th NZ Chess Congress is underway right now and the national final is being held later today! It all sounds pretty exciting and we wanted to find out more so we're calling up the President of the NZ Chess Federation Nigel Metge. 

9:45 Michal Akurangi: trapping possums in a big way 

An initiative aimed at wiping out possums once and for all the Eastern Bay of Plenty is reaching the end of its first year. The Korehāhā Whakahau project, run by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, is Predator Free 2050 Limited's first iwi-led landscape project and is a year into its possum eradication mission. Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa Manager Taiao Michal Akurangi says it's a perfect opportunity to show how effective iwi can be on land they know and understand. 

10:05 Jon Sopel: covering a political world in flux 

Very few people have seen as much news unfold in front of them as journalist, correspondent and editor Jon Sopel. Jon joined the BBC in 1983. He's been the chief political correspondent for BBC News 24, a Paris correspondent and a correspondent from conflicts in the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Most recently he's been the BBC's North America editor, a position he held until the end of last year. He took over that role in 2014 and it's fair to say quite a lot has happened in the intervening 7 years! He's also the author of multiple books on news and politics - most recently Un-Presidented - Politics, Pandemics and the Race that Trumped All Others - which came out last year. 

10:35 Lady and the Tramp: Queen Charlotte Sound 

Over the next few weeks we'll be taking a few trips  around the country with the former Prime Minister, head of the UN's development programme, and tramping enthusiast Helen Clark, who after many years of travelling around the world has put her time in Aotearoa to good use by walking some of the Great Walks around the country. Today we're packing our bags and heading to Queen Charlotte Sound! 

11:05 Moana Maniapoto: touring with the best 

Musician, journalist and icon Moana Maniapoto joins Emile to play some of the favourite artists she has joined on stage around the world over her career. No part of the musical globe will be left untrodden! 

SONGS: 

Blink Blink by Seeed feat FeFe 
Vuoi Vuoi ma by Mari Boine
Waliwaliyangu Li-Anthawirriyarra/Saltwater People song by Shellie Morris and the Borroloola Songwomen
Rude Boy by Dub Inc
Todos Mortales by Ojos De Bruno
7 Seconds by Youssou N'Dour