We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston. This is a novel based on the infamous 1993 Waco siege between the FBI and a cult known as the Branch Davidians (named after David Koresh, their leader). A cult has been established in the same area, led by a charlatan named Perry Cullen who is known as The Lamb, and the story centres on two star crossed teenagers who are caught up amongst it. Jaye’s mother is a devotee of The Lamb and she and Jaye are living in the compound, while Roy’s Dad is the local sheriff who’s becoming increasingly worried about the cult stockpiling weapons and the potential for disaster. The kids find themselves at the centre of something apocalyptic.

Cher: The Memoir, Part One. This is Cher’s account of her life up until the early 1980s - there’s so much material it’s been split into two books and the second will come next year. It’s a fascinating read - her family background and upbringing were unconventional, to say the least, along with the story of her marriages to Sonny Bono and Greg Allman, and the highs and lows of her early professional life. As we all know, she’s had - and is still having - an extraordinary career, which is well worth reading about.

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It's a big weekend for the US, with Thanksgiving and Black Friday bringing Americans together for another year.

The holiday has evolved beyond eating turkey and stuffing and lining up outside the shops - and several traditions have been embraced by people all over the world.

The famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade is an annual tradition that's gained popularity outside the US - and Bloggeratlarge's Megan Singleton explained the significance of the parade after its latest anniversary.

Read more about Megan's Thanksgiving highlights - and parade balloon fails - here.

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This week on the Sunday Panel, editor and journalist Jo McCarroll and TV producer Irene Gardiner joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more!

The Labour Party has gathered for its first annual conference since their election loss - and the theme of the weekend is change. Can Labour turn their image around by 2026? Do they need a reset?

Speaking of which - do Chris Hipkins and Jacinda Ardern need to apologise for their response to the Covid-19 pandemic?

NZ Gardener has officially turned 80! What do we make of this? Do Kiwis still enjoy gardening?

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Research has revealed a poor diet is one of the leading factors behind overall health inequality.

Grocery prices and the ongoing cost of living crisis has turned healthy food into another luxury, putting low-income groups at risk of poor health.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara says there are cases where poor diet isn't a choice - and it's a significant problem in New Zealand.

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Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are significant health challenges, with asthma affecting around 600,000 New Zealanders - with one in seven children and one in eight adults living with the condition.

Tragically, asthma contributes to an average of 60 deaths per year in New Zealand, and Māori and Pasifika communities are disproportionately affected.

New research out this week in the journal The Lancet could offer fresh hope.

For the first time in 50 years, a new drug, benralizumab, has shown remarkable potential for treating severe asthma attacks. Clinical trials, led by researchers at King’s College London, revealed that the drug outperformed conventional steroid tablets in treating life-threatening breathing difficulties caused by a severe form of asthma known as eosinophilic asthma.

This type of asthma, which involves white blood cells called eosinophils, leads to inflammation that can cause the airways to swell and close. It’s responsible for nearly half of all emergency asthma flare-ups and contributes to severe exacerbations of COPD as well.

The trials demonstrated that patients who received an injection of benralizumab during an attack were less likely to experience symptoms like wheezing and breathlessness even four weeks later, compared to those treated with steroids. Importantly, these patients also reported a significant improvement in their overall quality of life, marking a shift in how we could manage these conditions moving forward.

Asthma and COPD place a heavy burden on New Zealand’s healthcare system, with thousands of hospital admissions every year. The reliance on steroid tablets during flare-ups has long been the standard treatment. While steroids can reduce inflammation, they don’t work for everyone, and repeated use carries risks, including diabetes and osteoporosis.

Benralizumab offers a different approach by specifically targeting eosinophils, providing a more precise and effective treatment option. This treatment could improve outcomes for over a billion people globally.

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The Christmas countdown is on - meaning it's the season of sharing platters and pre-dinner nibbles.

Pickled vegetables

Cook time: 5 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Serves: 12

Pickled vegetables can include:

Carrots, fennel, baby beetroot, radish, red onions, cucumbers or red cabbage

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

2 chili

2 bay leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

300 ml cider vinegar

250 ml water

1/4 cup sugar

Sterilized jar and lid

Firstly prepare the vegetables for pickling. Clean all the vegetables and cut in 1/2 or 1/4 or finely slice. Try to make all the vegetable pieces roughly the same size.

To make your pickle mixture, start by toasting your seeds in a pan until fragrant. Place the rest of the pickling mixture ingredients into a pot, adding seeds once toasted and heat until boiling.

Remove the pickling mixture from the heat and carefully pour the hot mixture over the top of the vegetables and seal with a lid. (If pickling cucumbers or finely sliced veg allow mixture to cool first)

To sterilize your jars and lids -

Start by washing the jars and lids in soapy water and rinse well with hot water. Place the jars onto a tray open side up and then into a cold oven and turn onto 100*c. Once the oven reaches 100*c, leave in the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove jars from the oven to allow to cool slightly before use.

For the lids, simply place them into a pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to the boil and heat the lids for 10 minutes before draining and using.

Sticky Onion jam

Cook time: 30 minutes

Prep time: 5 minutes

Serves: 2 cups

3 red onions, finely sliced length ways

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

4 tbsp brown sugar

Pinch of salt

Place all ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan. Cook on a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until thick and syrupy. Stirring every couple 5 minutes.’

Roasted beetroot hummus

Cook time: 45 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Serves: 6-8

2 cups chickpeas, soaked over night in water

2 whole beetroot

1 tbsp cooking oil

2 tbsp tahini

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp curry powder

Sea salt

Pre-heat the oven to 180*c

Individually wrap the beetroot in tin-foil, drizzle over a little oil and sprinkle over a touch of salt before wrapping.

Place into the oven and cook for 30 minutes before testing. Test by inserting a small knife to see if the beetroot is cooked. Once cooked allow to cool before removing skin.

While the beetroot is cooking, place the soaked chickpeas into a large pot, cover with cold water and add a touch of salt and the baking powder. Bring to the boil and cook until tender. Once cooked drain.

Place the beetroot into a food processor and biltz until smooth. Add the chickpeas and biltz until smooth. Add the tahini, curry powder and seasalt to finish.

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Professor Richard Scolyer has helped transform the treatment of skin cancer in his role at the Melanoma Institute of Australia and his research has also helped aid additional breakthroughs.

After Scolyer was diagnosed with an incurable brain cancer, he used his melanoma research to treat his condition - and the results paid off.

Scolyer says he felt compelled to try the new research after learning the treatment for his brain cancer hadn't evolved in 20 years.

"We had an opportunity to go down this path and it felt right for me - and I guess a bit risky."

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On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 1st December 2024, The Block Australia host Scott Cam stops by the studio to dish the dirt on the latest contestants on season 20 of the popular reno show.

Australian of the Year Dr Richard Scolyer talks about his risky decision to trial his own melanoma research to treat his brain tumour.

David Cunliffe talks through the changes Labour need to make to win the 2026 election. Francesca questions how Australia will police the new social media ban for under 16s and Mike Van de Elzen starts the countdown to Christmas with the key to a good Christmas Day platter.

Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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