Nine To Noon for Wednesday 5 April 2017
09:05 Syria 'the humanitarian test of our time' - Lyse Doucet
A Syrian boy cycles past damaged buildings in the rebel-held town of Douma, on 30 December 2016, on the first day of a nationwide truce. Photo: AFP
The BBC's Chief International correspondent, Lyse Doucet reports on future of Syria and the region on a day when as many as 100 people have been killed in a a toxic gas attack, which activists say is one of the worst chemical attacks in years. She's been covering the Middle East for the past two decades and the Syrian conflict since it began six long years ago.
09:20 Meditation in prisons
Meditation in prisons Photo: Supplied
Meditation courses have been introduced in Rimutaka and Waikeria prisons in an effort to help rehabilitate inmates. The six week courses are being run by The Bright Path Meditation group, who are behind documentary film A Mindful Choice, filmed in Mexico's Apodaca prison. Meditation courses were introduced there after a riot in 2012 which left 44 prisoners dead.
09:45 Australia correspondent Peter Munro
Peter Munro reports on the after-effects of Cyclone Debbie which has been causing havoc across Queensland and northern NSW.
10:05 Sarah Kenderdine - Cultural heritage in the age of experience
Professor Sarah Kenderdine is a New Zealander at the forefront of interactive and emersive experiences for galleries, libraries, archives, museums, and increasingly, some of the world's most precious heritage sites. She is the founding director of the trans-disciplinary Expanded Perception and Interaction Centre, at the University of New South Wales Art and Design. Professor Kenderdine has been brought to New Zealand by the Friends of Futuna Charitable Trust for the annual Futuna Lecture Series - it's main fundraiser for the year. There are tickets still available for her Christchurch talk tomorrow and for her Wellington talk on Monday 10 April from Friends of Te Papa.
10:35 Book review
Rae McGregor reviews The Little Breton Bistro by Nina George published by Hachette NZ
10:45 The Reading
11:05 Music with Graeme Downes
The alt-rock band Television considered influential in the development of punk and alternative music and the lyrics of its song writer Tom Verlaine.
Graeme Downes is a founding member of the Verlaines, songwriter, musicologist and senior lecturer in the Department of Music at the University of Otago.
11:20 Attention buglers! Andy Zaltzman
Photo: Zaltzman
Andy Zaltzman is one of Britain's leading comedians best known for writing and presenting the hit satirical podcast, the Bugle which he created with John Oliver. He is also a top cricket writer. He's here in New Zealand for the 2017 NZ International Comedy Festival
11:45 Science commentator Siouxsie Wiles
Siouxsie Wiles explains why government grown weed isn't dank enough for US scientists, why neuro-science journals are becoming increasingly unreadable, and a cheap way of finding new uses for existing drugs.
Music played in this show
Artist: Maisey Rika
Song: Pumau Tonu
Composer: Rika
Album: Whitiroa
Label: Moonlight
Time: 9.11
Artist: Andrew Keoghan
Song: Bright Idea
Composer: Keoghan
Album: Arctic Tales Divide
Label: Brave Beluga
Time: 10:07