RNZ: Sunday Morning

Kim Vinnell visits Mali in West Africa amid a drought and fears over Al Qaeda linked Islamic militants occupying the north

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has reaffirmed his strong commitment to the establishment of a Middle East Nuclear-free zone. Wayne Brittenden describes some little-known aspects of New Zealand's anti-nuclear stance during the Lange years. Chris Laidlaw follows up with guests Roger Boshier, who was prominent in the New Zealand peace movement at the time, and Sverre Lodgaard, a Norwegian political scientist who was formerly Director of the UN Institute for Disarmament Research.

Why, despite warnings about a problem, was no urgent action taken to fix the security systems on the WINZ data bases so clients' private details were safe?

The co-directors of Victoria University's Centre for Applied Cross-cultural Research, Professor Colleen Ward and Professor James Liu, talk about the claim that multiculturalism in Europe is failing, and what is happening in a multicultural New Zealand.

The shockwaves from the global financial crisis of 2008 continue to be felt around the world and the banking profession has rarely be held in such low regard, but there are some financial institutions that have benefited from the crisis. Chris Laidlaw talks to Kristen Christian, the founder of Transfer Your Bank Day which has seen six million Americans switch from mainstream to community-owned banks; and Peter Blom, the CEO of Trodos Bank and the chair of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values, talks to Jeremy Rose about the idea of sustainable banking.

New Zealand veterans of the North African campaign in the Second World War are in Egypt to be part of commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein. Radio New Zealand veteran affairs reporter Andrew McRae is with them.

Maxine Alterio's historical novel 'Lives We Leave Behind' was inspired by the torpedoing of the British troopship Marquette by a German U-boat on 23 October 1915 - 10 New Zealand nurses were among the casualties. The book focuses on the work and experiences of kiwi nurses who served with the No. 1 Stationary Hospital in Egypt and France during the First World War.

A giant leap for marketing; extrordinary exposure for a major musical; New Zealand gets noticed in Frankfurt; the UK's front pages are startlingly sexist - is the story the same on ours?

Journalist Paul Little has written what he calls the story behind the legend of Sir Edmund Hillary. The book covers the conquest of Everest and Hillary's other great adventures - but also the drama of Sir Edmund's private life and, after his death, the falling out of family members and those in his inner circle.

Cushla Norman considers what, if any, changes may follow new local government legislation.

In the light of Auckland's Heritage Festival, Wayne takes a critical look at the reality of heritage, Auckland style. Chris subsequently speaks with Waitemata and Gulf councillor Mike Lee, and Brisbane conservation architect Peter Marquis-Kyle.

John Key is making a quick visit to Hollywood to see if he can drum up more film business for New Zealand. Two Hollywood studio moguls make plans for his visit.

Former Australian diplomat Richard Broinowski traveled to Japan after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami which killed thousands of people and caused explosions and meltdowns at a nuclear plant near the city of Fukushima. He talks about the consequences of the country's worst nuclear disaster, how the Japanese authorities are handling the crisis, the threat that remains, and the response from other nuclear nations.

Trevor Grice, the founder of the Life Education Trust tells Chris Laidlaw about the people, thinkers and events that have shaped his life. From a malnourished childhood and struggles with alcoholism to visiting both the South and North Poles and the setting up of the Life Education Trust - it's been an incredible journey.

Pavel Castka says there are so many product labels making all kinds of eco-friendly claims that it's almost impossible to know which ones to trust - and what does "all natural" mean, anyway? Dr Castka has also been studying global eco-labelling schemes such as Fairtrade, and he talks to Chris about his concerns about the 'green-washing' of supermarket shelf items.