Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

The comments made by the Police Minister in her interview with Mike Yardley have to an extent obscured the important discussion.Poto Williams told Mike she does not support general arming of police; and I don't like it much myself.But the Minister shot herself in the foot with her reasoning, and the comments she went on to make about what she said were the communities she represents.Now National's accusing Williams of not backing her own officers, and saying she should be sacked.And she probably should go. She obviously doesn't have a clue.I personally like the fact that our police don't routinely carry weapons, or at least that they don't routinely carry a handgun on their hip that we can all see.There are lots of studies that show when police are routinely armed criminals are more likely to carry weapons.And once you've got used to carrying a weapon it's not so much of a leap to use it.When you go to a country where police carry handguns you notice it right away it changes the dynamic between the police and the public.The fact is our police do routinely carry firearms in locked boxes in their cars.They have to.We've seen only in the past few weeks some incredibly brazen cases; people producing guns in the streets, people ramming police cars in broad daylight, guns pointed at police, guns being fired at police.Maybe what we really need is a change in the dynamic between police and the public.Or at least a change in the dynamic with an element of the public.Bottom line: we're asking men and women to go out on the mean streets, mop up the violence, and protect the rest of us from bad people.We in return have a duty to give them the tools they need for the job.And if the tools on some of those mean streets now are firearms, then I'm sorry to say so be it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is it about true crime documentaries that draws so many people in?TV, film makers; and according to ABC Australia nearly half of all podcast users have a taste for it.Research also shows that more women are listening to true crime podcasts than men.Tim Dower asked Associate Psychology Professor and crime psychology expert Amanda Vicary if a fascination with true crime is healthy.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extreme heat and dry conditions are fueling raging wildfires in the western US, charring more than a million acres, requiring evacuations and creating smoky conditions visible from space.Smoke stretched early Wednesday all the way to the East Coast, including New York City, because high-level winds carried them thousands of miles from the West.The smoke mixed down to the surface in New York City, creating an eerie scene Wednesday morning -- though a cold front is expected to usher the smoke out of the area later in the day.In the West, the fires have caused power outages, destroyed structures and prompted the deployment of the Oregon National Guard.As extreme drought still grips most of the West and the fires have become so intense they've created their own weather systems, the threat of more fires remains.In Oregon -- where eight fires have burned nearly 475,000 acres -- officials said the current fire season is unlike any they've seen before."I would categorize this fire season thus far as historic in terms of the amount of resources we've deployed, how many times we've deployed -- within a three-week period we've mobilized to six conflagrations -- and this is the earliest and most significant mobilization to date," Mariana Ruiz-Temple with the Oregon fire marshal's office said Tuesday.At least 1.29 million acres have burned in 83 large fires across 13 states as of Tuesday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. More than 19,000 wildland firefighters and support personnel have been deployed to deal with the blazes.Advisories for elevated fire potential and activity have been issued across Idaho, California, Oregon and the Northern Rockies, according to fire center.It's not just fires in the US contributing to the smoky haze. The Canadian province of British Columbia declared an emergency due to wildfires there effective Wednesday. Nearly 300 active wildfires have been reported in the province.Bootleg Fire is largest in countryIn Oregon, record-breaking, triple-digit temperatures and severe drought have devastated parts of the state.The conditions are fueling the Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon, which is the largest burning wildfire in the country. The Bootleg Fire has scorched more than 394,000 acres and prompted evacuations with only 32% containment, according to InciWeb, the US clearinghouse for wildfire information.The climate crisis has made deadlier and more destructive wildfires the new normal. And Oregon Gov. Kate Brown cited recent fires, ice storms, record-breaking high temperatures and drought emergencies as evidence that climate change is impacting her state."There's absolutely no question that climate change is playing out for before our eyes," Brown said at a news conference Tuesday. "We saw the heat dome event a few weeks ago; we unfortunately lost a lot of Oregonians through that event. In February, we saw devastating ice storms, over a half a million people lost power last fall, as you are well aware; we've had unprecedented wildfires."Fire potential in the state is being driven by drought conditions, with 90% of the Oregon in either exceptional, extreme or severe drought, Doug Grafe, chief of fire protection at the Oregon Department of Forestry said while forecasting a "long, difficult fire season."He said it's possible that another 50,000 to 100,000 acres could burn before the Bootleg Fire is contained."The future for us for the remainder of the season continues to look above normal dry and above normal temperatures," Grafe said. "So this is not going to return to normal anytime soon."Red flag warnings in the area will continue into Wednesday evening, signaling dry and windy conditions with lots of smoke, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said.As a result of the fires, 62 members of the Oregon National Guard have been deployed, along with Blackhawk helicopters to provide water...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is hard to imagine a time when the real estate sector has had it so good.With the huge price increases we've seen, agents' percentages are steady, so they too are banking big pay increases.On a sale of $900,000, around $30,000 will go to the agent.The question therefore remains, in a sellers' market; does it make sense to cut out the middle man?Graham Squires is with Massey University's school of Economics and Finance and he told Tim Dower he can see a future where more New Zealanders take a DIY approach to selling property.“There’s going to be a few sellers, I would imagine, who want to, as you say, cut out the middle man and start to take more of a DIY ethos when they see such a high proportion of the house price being ripe for the pickin.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Makers of the film about the Christchurch mosque attacks are expecting taxpayers to subsidise the venture.The director Andrew Nicoll has been looking to cover 40 percent of production costs by way of the film subsidy.Nothing is confirmed yet, but if the movie does go ahead, it would likely qualify for that.A question to come out of this is whether taxpayers should fund a movie depicting current politicians?Eric Crampton, chief economist at the NZ Initiative told Tim Dower more often than not, it’s the filmmakers that end up winning.“It’s kind of a losing game for taxpayers, internationally; filmmakers come out of it pretty well. Countries bid against each other to try provide the largest subsidies to attract international film productions and when countries do that, the winners wind up being the film companies.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The America's Cup post-mortem report has revealed a lot of juicy gossipy stuff about what went on during the event.And to me it raises questions about who was calling the shots, and who ought to have been calling them, given that it was the sorry old taxpayer that funded the whole thing.But the headline take-out from it all is of course, the spectacular financial failure.All up NZ Inc is almost $300 million worse off as a result of it.Auckland Council has also quietly admitted it put in 92 million more than it had previously said. That's a scandal in its own right.You can partly blame it on the pandemic, and a lack of challengers, plus the lack of international visitors. But when you get below the lid, there's a string of dysfunctional stuff-ups and of course the usual pettiness and one-up-manship we've all come to associate with this event.Bottom line: we put far too much public money in, so Auckland alone has a deficit of $146 million dollars.On the upside, lots of people in lockdowns in other part of the world saw it.The question now is: do we go through all of this again to try and recoup some of the investment in facilities by hosting the next Cup? Or do we let Team New Zealand take the show on the road, and find a higher bidder?I'll admit I'm in two minds.On the one hand, I've had a gutsful of the arrogant expectation that New Zealanders will fund this rich boys' game indefinitely, whatever the cost.So part of me says good luck, if you can find another sucker city to pay for your party take it there.But another part of me says: hey, you lot owe it to New Zealand, and to Auckland, to help pay for what we built for you.And by the way, there's a fee for using our brand.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 7.5 billion dollar trip to the edge of space by Jeff Bezos [ bay zoss] is being seen as bad timing.The world's richest man has soared more than 100 kilometres above the Texas desert, with three others, and returned safely.Fellow billionaire Sir Richard Branson took a similar flight earlier this month.Oxfam New Zealand's Jo Spratt told Tim Dower the coronavirus is sweeping the world, with second and third waves, and our close neighbour Fiji has some of the highest rates of the disease in the world.“It’s just not the time to spending massive amounts of resources going to space, when we could be helping our fellow human beings.”Jeff Bezos has a multi-billion dollar Earth Fund for battling climate change.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disney is widely regarded as the very symbol of childhood innocence.Disney and Disneyland have apparently fallen victim to cancel culture.The Jungle Cruise ride has needed a facelift, after being criticised for its depiction of indigenous Africans.But it's not the only part of the organisation under scrutiny.Architectural historian and author of "Walt Disney's Disneyland" Chris Nichols told Tim Dower attitudes and perceptions have changed since Disneyland was originally built.“Disneyland is changing constantly, things come and go and we can see bits of 1950s Disneyland still peeking through and to some people some of things can be out of place in the 21st Century.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covid-19 has left its mark on the balance sheet of New Zealand's hosting of this year's America's Cup.Analysis found that financially, New Zealand was almost $293 million worse, but when net benefits are considered, the loss shrinks to $156 million.The impacts of the pandemic, having fewer challengers and high public investment contributed to significant deficits.AUT sailing professor Mark Orams told Tim Dower even within our closed borders, the event was held - at various times - under Covid levels two and three.“And that really constrained all of the hospitality sector, the movement of people, the ability of even New Zealanders to engage in the event in the way that was originally planned.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Act Party, as part of their Law and Order Policy, want gang members to receive their benefits on a card, which would restrict spending on alcohol, gambling and tobacco.However, it doesn't address why young people are still being drawn into gang life.Patched member of the Mongrel Mob Aotearoa Wairoa chapter and youth worker Bronson Tither, is trying to redefine what it means to be in a gang.Bronson Tither told Kerre McIvor he knows many gang members who don't use drugs, alcohol or gamble and singling them out isn't the solution."The solution needs to be more focused around doing the type of mahi with the gang members to change their mindset, so that they want to not be on the unemployment benefit and they can be supported into another pathway, another way of thinking."LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wouldn't New Zealand be the perfect place if it weren't for the gangs?Over the years you've probably heard dozens of politicians promise gang crackdowns, tough policies to curb them, rein them in, or just lock 'em up.Electronic Income Management is new terminology to me, but the idea itself has been around a fair while.The Act Party says it wants to impose it on gang members when they're receiving benefits.The idea is to make sure children being raised in the homes of gang members have their basic needs met.So, money coming in from a benefit would be controlled electronically so it couldn't be spent on, well, you know where it goes.Instead, Act wants it used on the children, making sure they're properly fed and clothed.In principle, I have no objection to that at all.Not so long ago, Simon Bridges was talking refusing benefits altogether if a gang member couldn't prove where their assets had come from, and that they'd been paid for legitimately.What about the kids caught up in that? They didn't get to choose their parents.As I said at the outset, the gangs and what they do in and to our society are to me the saddest and most shameful thing about this beautiful country.The trouble is, every time we get to an election, the beauty contest between political parties is ‘who's going to smash the gangs hardest?’And what have we got from that? Growing numbers, rising inter-gang violence and an epidemic of P.It's time for a radically different approach.Is Electronic Income Management the answer?To be honest, I believe it's wishful thinking, at best.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A man who was brought up in a gang, says education will benefit gang members' children more, rather than controlling benefit spending.The Act Party wants gang members to receive their dole on an electronic card that would restrict spending on alcohol, gambling and tobacco.Dave Letele, who also runs the Manukau food bank, told Tim Dower you're much better off educating and empowering people, rather than trying to do this.“It’s limiting and monitoring spending, it’s not dealing with the issue of why people are joining gangs and that’s the real issue here.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pause on quarantine-free travel with Victoria's been extended until at least tomorrow.The Health Ministry says it needs a better understanding of the developing situation in the Australian state - including the number and pattern of Covid-19 cases.Correspondent Lesley Yeomans says Victoria was supposed to come out of lockdown tonight, but that's been delayed."The Premier Daniel Andrews indicated they still neds some more time and we're waiting to see what the numbers are today."Our Health Ministry will review the quarantine-free travel pause with Victoria and New South Wales tomorrow.Ministry staff are keeping in contact with Australian authorities about each state - including keeping a close eye on South Australia, which has a new community case.Meanwhile, Fiji has announced another 784 new cases and 15 new deaths overnight.LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Biden administration and Western allies formally blamed China on Monday for a massive hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software and asserted that criminal hackers associated with the Chinese government have carried out ransomware and other illicit cyber operations.The announcements, though not accompanied by sanctions against the Chinese government, were intended as a forceful condemnation of activities a senior Biden administration official described as part of a "pattern of irresponsible behavior in cyberspace." They highlighted the ongoing threat from Chinese hackers even as the administration remains consumed with trying to curb ransomware attacks from Russia-based syndicates that have targeted critical infrastructure.The broad range of cyberthreats from Beijing disclosed on Monday included a ransomware attack from government-affiliated hackers that has targeted victims — including in the U.S. — with demands for millions of dollars. U.S officials also alleged that criminal contract hackers associated with China's Ministry of State Security have engaged in cyber extortion schemes and theft for their own profit.Meanwhile, the Justice Department on Monday announced charges against four Chinese nationals who prosecutors said were working with the MSS in a hacking campaign that targeted dozens of computer systems, including companies, universities and government entities. The defendants are accused of stealing trade secrets and confidential business information.Unlike in April, when public finger-pointing of Russian hacking was paired with a raft of sanctions against Moscow, the Biden administration did not announce any actions against Beijing. Nonetheless, a senior administration official who briefed reporters said that the U.S. has confronted senior Chinese officials and that the White House regards the multination shaming as sending an important message.President Joe Biden told reporters "the investigation's not finished," and White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not rule out consequences for China, saying, "This is not the conclusion of our efforts as it relates to cyber activities with China or Russia."Even without fresh sanctions, Monday's actions are likely to exacerbate tensions with China at a delicate time. Just last week, the U.S. issued separate stark warnings against transactions with entities that operate in China's western Xinjiang region, where China is accused of repressing Uyghur Muslims and other minorities.Then on Friday, the administration advised American firms of the deteriorating investment and commercial environment in Hong Kong, where China has been cracking down on democratic freedoms it had pledged to respect in the former British colony.The European Union and Britain also called out China. The EU said malicious cyber activities with "significant effects" that targeted government institutions, political organizations and key industries in the bloc's 27 member states could be linked to Chinese hacking groups. The U.K.'s National Cyber Security Centre said the groups targeted maritime industries and naval defense contractors in the U.S. and Europe and the Finnish parliament.In a statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the hacking was "conducted from the territory of China for the purpose of intellectual property theft and espionage."The Microsoft Exchange cyberattack "by Chinese state-backed groups was a reckless but familiar pattern of behaviour," U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.NATO, in its first public condemnation of China for hacking activities, called on Beijing to uphold its international commitments and obligations "and to act responsibly in the international system, including in cyberspace." The alliance said it was determined to "actively deter, defend against and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats."That hackers affiliated with the Ministry of State Security were engaged...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may be surprised to learn Year 13 girls still think being pretty and popular on social media is more important than intelligence and academic achievements.This is our 16-18 year-olds, and perhaps most surprisingly, the information comes from interviews with the top achievers at four high schools.Dr. Eunice Price at Auckland University's faculty of Education and Social Work told Tim Dower parents need to be supportive and let their kids know it isn’t the be all and end all.“Some of the pressures they feel are really real, they almost feel as if some of their failures are a life or death experience… if I have one small failure that’s my future ripped away from me.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak will self-isolate for 10 days, after initially saying they would not despite coming in contact with someone who contracted Covid-19.Johnson and Sunak came in contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid who tested positive.The two initially claimed they didn't need to isolate as they were taking part in a pilot scheme that involves daily testing. However, backlash ensued from opposition parties claiming there's one rule for them and one for the rest of the public.Meanwhile, almost all legal restrictions in England will be lifted today, including limits on gatherings and nightclubs reopening.UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Tim Dower that means virtually everything will go back to normal."No limits on how many people can meet, the one metre-plus social distancing guidance has been removed except in places like hospitals or passport control, or entering the country. You no longer require face coverings and that's the one that's been controversial."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two athletes living in the Olympic Village have tested positive for Covid-19, the first to do so with the Tokyo Games opening on Friday.Organisers confirmed the positive tests on Sunday and both were listed as "non-Japanese". No names or other details were provided.Organisers on Sunday also said another athlete had tested positive but this person was not residing in the Olympic Village. This athlete was also identified as "non-Japanese".Organisers say since July 1, 55 people linked to the Olympics have reported positive tests. This accounting does include athletes or others who may have arrived for training camps but are not yet under the "jurisdiction" of the organising committee.The Olympic Village on Tokyo Bay will house 11,000 Olympic athletes and thousands of other support staff.Tokyo recorded 1,410 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, the highest in six months. It was the 28th straight day that cases were higher than seven days previous.The Olympics will open on Friday under a state of emergency in Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures. The emergency order lasts until August 22. The Olympics close on August 8.Fans — local and fans from abroad — have been banned for all Olympic events in Tokyo and the three neighbouring prefectures.A few outlying venues may allow a smattering of local fans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even before the Olympics are officially open, things are looking decidedly dicey in Tokyo.As of this morning, there are now 55 covid cases among people linked to the Games.This includes various contractors and suppliers, as well as the smattering of cases among the athletes themselves.Most recently, members of the South African football team have been told to isolate, after cases in their contingent.So far, the New Zealand team have not been directly affected.Let's hope it stays that way.But teams are flying in from all over the world...some from countries where the virus is totally out of control.Even with all our requirements about pre-departure tests and travellers supposedly being covid free...we get new cases arriving in managed isolation every day.To think the Olympics won't end up being a super-spreader event is living in dreamland.The first day of competition includes football and softball, as well as opening ceremony itself.Neither of those is a contact sport per se...but you can't have a game of either of those without players getting very close to one another.Some won't even know they're infectious...but they'll be spreading it among their own teammates and from team to team.And then heading back to their home countries with newly acquired new variants to share all around the world.80 per cent of people in Japan don't want it, but there's a lot invested.Sponsors have put in billions...the broadcasters have big dollars tied up...there's all the infrastructure...the accommodation...and so on.Let's hope I'm wrong, and that somehow the Games go off without causing another mass outbreak.We wouldn't want Tokyo's name to become as infamous as Wuhan's.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The more I see of this Three Waters legislation, the more it smacks of a dictatorship bent on centralisation, and the less I like it.This is a massive change in the way we live our lives, everyone needs water.But it's being hammered through with indecent haste, and the strategy seems to be to swamp us with very dodgy data and immensely complex legislation.The Prime Minister tried to win over local mayors yesterday with a sweetener, two and a half billion dollars to encourage them to go along with it.At the same time, the Government claims we need to spend anything from 120 billion to 185 billion, over the next 30 years.Now, I'm not denying that in some parts of the country there is a major infrastructure challenge.It can't be right that some councils have let their systems run down so much we see sewage in the streets when it rains, and beaches you can't swim at because they've gone code brown.It can't be right to have flood waters running through people's homes, when storm water systems can't handle the weather.So the Government has decided to tell local bodies, this is obviously too hard for you, we're going to relieve you of the job.Oh, and at the same time, we'll relieve you of the assets you do have, built up over generations and paid for by local people and are still being paid for in many areas.For the local bodies that have done a good job, spent the money and done the mahi, it's a slap in the face, and a straight out theft of assets.The good will subsidise the bad, even the Prime Minister acknowledges that in her speech.Instead of local systems accountable to local people, we'll get four massive and remote bureaucracies, accountable to no-one but themselves.It's a massive power grab, and the only way you have of escaping is to do a Whāngarei, if you can.Opt out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The quarterly inflation figures are out today.If it's anything near one percent for the three months, it will take the annual rate into territory we haven't seen for a long time.There are concerns that the first digit on that annual figure could come out to a 3.And if so, is it a blip, or a sign the economy is overheating?Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan told Tim Dower there are a significant amount of inflationary pressures on our economy.“We’ve got oil prices rising, electricity prices are rising as well, container costs for international shipping are triple what they were before Covid and firms are also having to compete more for staff because the borders are shut.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s no secret social media giants are constantly looking for ways to get your attention, or better yet, your interaction.It's how they make their money.The granddaddy of them all, Facebook, is set to spend one billion US dollars getting influencers to create content on their platform.It's theorised this has come due to pressure from upstarts like Tik Tok.Tech commentator Paul Spain told Tim Dower when you’re dealing with the kind of numbers Facebook has, it’s a drop in the bucket.“When you’ve got that much money, you can afford to throw some of it around to make sure the best content creators are on your platform.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trucks, utes and even dogs will descend on city centres around the country today, as farmers take part in a huge protest.The Howl of a Protest event, organised by Groundswell New Zealand, will see thousands of farm vehicles rumbling through cities in protest against what farmers say is increasing interference from the Government, unworkable regulations and unjustified costs.The protests are taking place in 55 cities starting from Kaitaia to Southland.In Auckland, up to 50 tractors and utes are expected to take part in a convoy starting from Drury, on the Southern Motorway, at 9.20am.The convoy will be escorted by police as farmers head towards the Auckland CBD, where they are set to head down Queen St by the early afternoon.It will leave the motorway at Wellesley St, travel down Queen St before going along Beach Rd and rejoining the motorway heading south from Stanley St.Auckland motorists are told of a large convoy going through the CBD today. (File Photo / Mark Mitchell)A police spokeswoman said authorities were aware of the plans for protest action today."Police recognise and respect the lawful right to protest and our aim is to ensure that both the participants and the community are safe.Police will monitor the activities to ensure the safety of everyone involved."People have been encouraged to bring their tractor, ute and dogs for a bark-up.Groundswell NZ co-founder Bryce McKenzie, from West Otago, is expecting an "enormous" response to the nationwide event.The only major city that had left off the itinerary, and that was intentional, was Wellington.McKenzie was expecting a huge number of tractors in Auckland's Queen St today.The logistics were different in the various areas, with some towns requiring traffic management plans, he said.Bright said a number of vegetable growers would be donating three tonnes of vegetables to the City Mission.'We're fed up'The Herald understands a protest planned for Christchurch has been moved out of Cathedral Square as organisers were expecting a large number of participants.Some protesters have been diverted to other Canterbury towns.Christchurch organiser Aaron Stark told John MacDonald on NewstalkZB their main concerns are around constant changes to regulations and the "moving of goal posts"."We're fed up to be honest. Every farmer I know around here, around Canterbury, we're having the talk that maybe it's time to hang up the boots and find something else to do."It's getting to a point where we can't do it."The Otago Daily Times reports that in Dunedin, organisers have decided it would not be safe for the protest to stop in the city so participants will drive through the Octagon, between about noon and 12.15pm, their dogs barking.Hastings event organiser Chris Miles will be among thousands of people taking part in the Howl of A Protest movement today. (Photo / Warren Buckland)They will then return to Mosgiel where former Invermay head Dr Jock Allison would give a short address and Groundswell NZ's statement on how it sees things would be delivered.Even though protest vehicles would be keeping left and letting other traffic flow as smoothly as possible, there would still be significant disruption to the travelling public around Dunedin and Balclutha and more time should be left to get to destinations.In Levin, tradies and farmers are planning to drive their utes and tractors down Oxford St.The local protest group is planning to meet at Donnelly Park at 11am. The convoy would then leave for a drive through Oxford St at noon.Hundreds of farmers, growers and tradies are expected to take to the streets around Northland.Protests in Whangārei, Dargaville, Kerikeri and Kaitaia are due to start around the country at 11am.Whangārei co-ordinator Tracey Thomasson said she expected up to 200 vehicles.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the England football players targeted with online racist abuse after his team's loss in the final of the European championship condemned social media companies Thursday for doing too little to block "hateful and hurtful" messages on their platforms.In comments directed at Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, Bukayo Saka said he didn't want anyone else to be targeted by the kind of messages he and teammates Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho received after the three Black players missed penalty kicks during the shootout that ended Sunday's game."I knew instantly the kind of hate that I was about to receive and that (it) is a sad reality that your powerful platforms are not doing enough to stop these messages," the 19-year-old Saka wrote on Instagram. "There is no place for racism or hate of any kind in football. …"The U.K. Football Policing Unit is investigating potential hate crimes linked to the online abuse, and four people have already been arrested, according to a statement from the National Police Chiefs Council."We are working very closely with social media platforms, who are providing data we need to progress enquiries,'' Cheshire police Chief Constable Mark Roberts, who leads soccer policing nationwide, said. "If we identify that you are behind this crime, we will track you down and you will face the serious consequences of your shameful actions."The hate crime investigation follows a night of widespread crime and disorder during and after Sunday's European Football Championship match. As of Tuesday, authorities around the country had made 264 arrests linked to 897 incidents surrounding the final, the police chiefs said.- by DANICA KIRKA Associated PressSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was holding my breath for a moment listening to our 2 o'clock news yesterday.In the end, the interest rate didn't go up, but the flag's been raised and the printing of money is coming to an end; the party's almost over.You've probably noticed signs of inflation in your supermarket shop, a couple of things I buy regularly have sneaked up all of a sudden.That big pack of toilet roll jumped by a dollar, from $8 to $9, only a dollar, but it's still a 12 and a half percent hike.Dog food has gone up 50 cents a bucket, and sure, it only works out to a few dollars more every week, but in percentage terms it's quite a hike.Even a small coffee has sneaked up to 5 bucks from 4.50, that's well over 10 percent.Petrol is up more than 20 cents a litre since last year, 95 is at least $2.35, the average over 2020 was $2.11 a litre.You might say that's just a return to normal conditions.I saw broccoli priced at $4.99 a piece yesterday, I think that's a record, and cauliflower is off the charts, I've seen an asking price of 8 bucks.Now sure, they are seasonal, and with luck we'll be back to 99c when the supply comes back in.But even putting seasonal factors to one side, you've probably seen signs of inflation yourself.Some experts are freaking out, and others are quite laid back about it all.We've had low inflation for a long time they say; this is just a short term catch up.I hope the second lot have it right and this is just catching up.I'm sure anyone who has experienced high inflation and the stiff interest rates that come with it will be hoping that too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Senate's top Democrat is backing a bill that would strike down a longstanding federal prohibition on marijuana, embracing a proposal that has slim chance of becoming law yet demonstrates growing public support for decriminalizing the drug.Proposals to legalize marijuana are nothing new. But Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is a sponsor of the effort unveiled Wednesday, underscoring how a once-fringe idea is increasingly mainstream. The measure would erode a central pillar of the decades-long war on drugs, which has disproportionately affected communities of colour in the United States."I will use my clout as majority leader to make this a priority in the Senate," said Schumer, of New York, who is the first Senate leader to support such an effort. "It's not just an idea whose time has come, it's long overdue."The bill would treat marijuana much like alcohol or tobacco, allowing it to be taxed and regulated. States could still outlaw its use. And those under the age of 21 couldn't purchase it. It would remain illegal to sell significant quantities without proper licensing and authorization, much like bootlegging alcohol. It would also clear the path for additional cannabis medical research.But besides clearing obstacles to recreational use, advocates say the bill would help the poor and those from communities of colour who have disproportionately been arrested, charged and jailed for marijuana crimes.The bill would expunge federal nonviolent convictions and allow for records of them to be sealed. Those currently serving nonviolent marijuana-related sentences could also seek a review hearing and receive an expungement."We have our precious resources being used to lock up ... Black and brown people for doing things that presidents, Congress people and senators have done," said Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, who is also a cosponsor of the bill, along with Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden.A similar bill has passed the House. But the measure faces a virtually nonexistent path in a narrowly divided Senate, where 60 votes are needed to pass most legislation.Schumer acknowledged that not all Democrats support the bill. That includes President Joe Biden, who has said he supports decriminalizing marijuana but believes the federal prohibition should remain."I've spoken in the past about the president's views on marijuana. Nothing has changed and there's no new endorsements of legislation today," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday.Republicans and influential law enforcement groups are certain to oppose it, as well."I don't understand how Republicans who say they are for 'states rights' won't support what my colleagues are talking about," said Wyden. "What this bill does is we decriminalize at the federal level, but we don't require states to legalize."Schumer and the other sponsors of the bill say their proposal is a "discussion draft" that's intended to get the conversation started.Though 18 states have legalized recreational use and 37 allow for some sort of medical marijuana, the remaining federal prohibition has created headaches for the industry in states where it is legal, making it hard for businesses to get banking services and loans.Those in the marijuana industry called Schumer's support a significant advance."It is a big ask and I'm a realist," said Joe Caltabiano, CEO of Choice Consolidation Corp. and the cofounder of Cresco Labs. "It will take a lot to get this bill through Congress."Maritza Perez, of the Drug Policy Alliance, said Congress is finally catching up with where the general public has long been. Meanwhile, those who are convicted of marijuana-related offenses face life-altering consequences, making it hard to get a job or receive public benefits.Earlier this month, American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson was left off the U.S. team's Olympic roster following a positive test for marijuana, costing...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Declaring Venice's waterways a "national monument," Italy is banning mammoth cruise liners from sailing into the lagoon city, which risked being declared an imperiled world heritage site by the United Nations later this month.Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said the ban was urgently adopted at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday and will take effect Aug. 1. It applies to the lagoon basin near St. Mark's Square and the Giudecca Canal, which is a major marine artery in Venice.Franceschini said the government decided to act fast "to avoid the concrete risk" that the U.N. culture agency UNESCO would add Venice to its list of "world heritage in danger" after it begins meeting later this week in Beijing.The Cabinet decree also "establishes an unbreakable principle, by declaring the urban waterways of St. Mark's Basin, St. Mark's Canal and the Giudecca Canal a national monument,'' the minister added.Before the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed international travel, cruise ships discharging thousands of day-trippers overwhelmed Venice and its delicate marine environment. Environmentalists and cultural heritage have battled for decades with business interests, since the cruise industry is a major source of revenue for the city.The government's decision was "awaited by UNESCO and by all those who have been to Venice and who have remained disturbed by the huge size of these ships passing through the most fragile and most beautiful place in the world," Franceschini told reporters.UNESCO recommended last month placing Venice on the agency's list of World Heritage in Danger sites.There was no immediate comment from the U.N. cultural agency.The Italian government earlier this year had decided on a ban but without quickly setting a date for it to start.But now, the government "decided to impose a strong acceleration" to implementing the move given the looming UNESCO review, Franceschini said in a statement.Another impetus was the startling appearance in early June of a 92,000-ton cruise ship nosing its way down the Giudecca Canal for the first time since the pandemic's arrival in early 2020 effectively suspended mass tourism in Venice.The ban applies to ships weighing more than 25,000 tons or longer than 180 meters (530 feet) or with other characteristics that would make them too polluting or overwhelming for Venice's environment.Italian Premier Mario Draghi's office specified that ships that don't have any of those characteristics and thus "are considered sustainable" to the Venetian environment can continue to dock in Venice. The premier's office noted that permitted ships generally have about 200 passengers compared to the thousands that huge cruise vessels carry.With only a few hours of shore time in Venice, the big liners' passengers tend to clump around classic tourist sites like St. Mark's Square, adding to the city's already crowded public spaces.No cars are allowed in historic Venice, which consists of narrow alleys and many bridges linking passageways. During high tourist season, which occupies a good deal of the year in Venice, navigating as a pedestrian is a daunting challenge.The Cabinet decree also establishes compensation mechanisms for navigation companies and others affected by the ban. Until a more suitable docking area can be established elsewhere in waters outside the heart of Venice, the government has approved creating at least four temporary docking sites near the industrial port of Marghera, located on the northwestern Adriatic Sea.- by FRANCES D'EMILIO Associated PressSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For those who have entered into the housing market in the past seven years, the prospect of a rising interest rate will be new.ASN and Kiwibank have moved already, hiking fixed mortgage rates.ASB expects the Official Cash Rate will rise half a percent next month, and it's not the only big bank thinking that way.For your average property prospector, the question remains as to whether these projections are right.Nick Goodall is Corelogic's Head of Research and he told Tim Dower he is waiting to see how the situation plays out.“They see some of the pressures on inflation as being still a bit one-off and temporary, and if that’s the case then they still may wait until November until they make any lift on that one.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A mass vaccination event in South Auckland needs to address the failure so far to vaccinate vulnerable groups including Māori, Pasifika, and those in south Auckland, health experts say.Five months into the vaccine rollout and nearly 1.4 million doses having been administered, the rate of Māori fully vaccinated is more than 40 per cent behind Pākehā per capita.Pasifika are also about 20 per cent behind, despite both groups being identified as about twice as at-risk from Covid-19 and expert advice they be prioritised.Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said these reasons, and proximity to the border, were behind the country's first mass vaccination event, delivering 15,000 doses over three days, being held in Manukau, South Auckland.The event would target Manukau Institute of Technology students, staff and families and take place at the Vodafone Events Centre over the weekend of Friday, July 30, to Sunday, August 1.Other population centres with density could expect to see similar events to "top up" vaccination rates, he said.Choosing Manukau was also in recognition of low vaccination rates for Auckland, tracking about 40,000 doses or seven per cent behind schedule.Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said it was concerning the gap was still widening for Māori in terms of vaccination rates. (Photo / Mark Mitchell)Across New Zealand the rate of Māori fully vaccinated per capita is about 42 per cent behind European/Other New Zealanders.Data analysis by the Herald cross-referencing Ministry of Health vaccine data with Stats NZ population data has found just 6.8 per cent of Māori have been fully vaccinated, compared to 11.6 per cent of European/Other, 11.5 per cent Asian ethnicity, and 9.4 per cent Pacific Peoples.And the gap between Māori and European/Other is widening, up from 39 per cent two weeks ago, despite the rollout having moved well into group 3, which has a strong focus on Māori.Due to differences in recording ethnicity between the departments - Stats NZ allows multiple ethnicities while the ministry records just one in order of priority with Māori first - the Māori percentages are likely to be the most accurate while the Pākehā percentage would likely be higher.Founding director of Te Pūnaha Matatini Professor Shaun Hendy said such an event should have occurred earlier to address the vulnerability of Māori and Pasifika to Covid-19. (Photo / Supplied)In Auckland, which has been the centre of the country's largest outbreaks and where majority of managed isolation centres are located, Māori rates are just slightly more than half those of Pākehā, taking into account population.Hipkins said there was expected to be a gap initially, given Māori were underrepresented in the medical workforce who were first to be vaccinated, but now group 3 was being targeted he expected the gap to rapidly narrow."We want to see those overall rates start to get close to a proportionate share of the population, and it is one of the reasons we have chosen south Auckland as we know there is a high concentration of Māori and Pasifika living in that community."Am I satisfied with those rates? Not at all, we are going to need to do better among those communities."The fact it hasn't budged much as we move further into group 3 is a concern so is something we need to look at."Founding director of Te Pūnaha Matatini Professor Shaun Hendy said the location of the event "absolutely" should be about addressing the failure so far to vaccinate vulnerable groups - including Maori, Pasifika, and those in south Auckland."It would have been good to see that happen earlier. I don't think enough weight was given to the vulnerability of Maori and Pacific people."Despite expert advice, the Government rejected a recommendation to prioritise vaccinating Maori and Pasifika aged 50 and over, instead keeping the age group priority...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Would it surprise you to find out that the requirement for pre-departure COVID tests is only being checked on a random basis?It surprised me.As I'm sure you know, under the travel bubble, anyone coming from Australia is meant to have negative test in the 72 hours before flying.Now, you might have thought this was being checked before people get on the plane, but as we've reported earlier this week, more than 50 people have been caught without one.How so?Well, it turns out that Customs is dealing with this by what it calls "random validation."In other words, not everyone is being checked.And given that we've caught more than 50, and we're only doing random checks, would it be fair to say a lot more have probably sneaked through by the skin of their teeth?I'd say it's highly likely.You can't tell me that it's too much work to check everyone.For a start, the airlines have always been responsible for checking people have the proper travel documents, and it's in their interest to get it right, because they're stuck with taking people back if they don't.Surely, the Covid test is just another travel document.No test, no boarding card. Is it really that difficult?On top of that, the numbers actually travelling right now are a tiny fraction of what they were pre-pandemic.So surely, with the army of people available to control our supposedly vital border, this is not an overbearing amount of work.How many more shortcomings and stuff-ups do we tolerate before we call this out for what it is, incompetence.As usual, ACT's David Seymour picks it, he says our response has barely evolved in a year, and we're a sitting duck praying for luck.The Minister of Customs this morning is Meka Whaitiri.If the ninth floor of the Beehive wants to show it expects competence, there'll be a new Minister by lunchtime.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Education's being urged to stump up enough funding to help children with autism and other learning needs.An Auckland mother's been told she can't keep paying 10-thousand dollars a year for a teacher aide for her eight-year-old son.It followed her email to Education Minister Chris Hipkins, arguing there's not enough support for all learners at existing state schools, and suggesting the ministry pay for the help.Principals' Federation president, Perry Rush, told Tim Dower there isn't enough funding to go round.“If we support inclusive practice, and I think we do, it’s important that every young person’s needs are met, government need to step in and address the funding shortfall.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is being told it has a great opportunity to take advantage of cryptocurrency.Parliament's Finance and Expenditure select committee has launched an inquiry into the risks and benefits of cryptocurrency.Environmental impact and criminal use will be probed.Cryptocurrency advocate Matthew Griffin told Tim Dower the inquiry is essential.“They really do have to have a deep understanding of this technology because it’s something that they also do, but it’s currently being done in the public without much oversight.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to figures, as a nation, we're feeling a lot better about our finances than we did 12 months ago.Investment house Kiwi Wealth says more than a quarter of us feel wealthier.70 percent are confident about the economy, and the number struggling to make ends meet has halved, to 4 percent of the population.Kiwi Wealth acting CEO Rhiannon McKinnon told Tim Dower there are a few reasons for the figures.“I think good savings behaviour is really, really encouraging to see though and you're seeing a bit more asset diversification with Kiwi as well, so all really good positive trends."LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s approach to tackling the Delta Covid-19 variant has come under fire, with multiple experts warning the current strategy is putting the nation at risk of fresh outbreaks.The current strategy of letting states and territories deal with outbreaks in their own ways has attracted criticism, with infectious disease experts saying not having a national approach is putting the country at risk.Professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Australia, Adrian Esterman, described the current strategy as “absolutely stupid”, telling the Sydney Morning Herald a set of common rules on border closures, quarantine and lockdowns were needed.Head of Monash University’s epidemiological modelling unit, Professor James Trauer, said the country was in “desperate need” of a national approach, saying the outbreak in NSW was highlighting the “enormous the holes” in the current strategy.It comes after NSW recorded 112 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total number of infections in the outbreak to 678.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen up, this is important, a stern message from the Prime Minister.This is directed at people travelling here from Australia, who think it's OK to ignore the requirement about a pre-departure test.Jacinda Ardern is not amused.If we catch you in future she says you run the risk, mark that, run the risk of two weeks in managed isolation.And you know what, we might even make you pay for it.You've been warned.I'll bet that sends a deep shudder of fear through anyone contemplating bucking the system.You'll have heard by now that about 50 people have been caught doing this, and Chris Hipkins is working on ways to strengthen the system.How someone even gets on a plane without the right paperwork is beyond me.I hope any Australians who get caught are put on the first plane back, deported, they obviously don't meet the good character test.But hang on a moment; didn't we get a stern warning from the Prime Minister only a few months ago when the travel bubble opened?Weren't we were warned it was fly at your own risk?If you get stuck in a lockdown over there, you're on your own.Now of course, we learn that's not really the case at all.We're allowing people who've been in New South Wales, about a thousand of them, to come home on repatriation flights.Emergency MIQ rooms are being made available, and of course we're paying for it.So what's the message here? Here's your bubble, these are the rules and mark my words we're very strict about this, we're talking a public health issue here.And if you break the rules, make no mistake, there's a strong chance you'll get a telling off.Don't say we didn't warn you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced current Covid restrictions will end on the 19th of July.The move is hugely political, with it having already been delayed, and half of people still wanting to keep current restrictions in place.UK correspondent Vincent McAviney told Tim Dower this isn't the big release that many people were hoping for."Whilst there are legal obligations lifting for things like mask wearing, there is still the hope and expectation that people should wear them especially in confined spaces."LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting vaccine doses into the arms of 1800-odd unvaccinated border workers is a top priority and should be done as quickly as possible, a leading public health expert says.But port bosses say the 11-week lead-in time for workers to get a single jab is necessary to limit workplace disruption, and even then exceptions may be needed to keep operations afloat if key workers - such as maritime pilots - still refuse to get vaccinated.Yesterday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a change to the Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order so it would apply to more border workers.As of July 9, there are still 1766 border workers who are yet to have a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine - the majority of them port workers.As of July 9, there were 1766 active border workers who were unvaccinated. (Photo / Supplied)The expanded order will apply from Thursday, but the extra non-government border workers it captures - which make up most of the 1766 unvaccinated workers - won't need to get their first jab until September 30.Government workers newly captured by the order will need their first jab by August 26. Any new border worker will need to have had one jab before they can start work.It comes as the Government reopened quarantine-free flights to New Zealand from Queensland from 11.59pm last night, though anyone arriving without a negative pre-departure test will face a 14-day stay in MIQ - and a hefty bill.Only about 50 per cent of travellers are being checked for a pre-departure test, and so far more than 50 travellers have been caught without one.The pause on the transtasman bubble remains for New South Wales - which had 112 new cases yesterday.New Zealand citizens and residents are able to return home on green flights with a 14-day stay in MIQ, though flights for the next two weeks sold out within minutes.Ardern said the Government was still considering enforcement and privacy issues around making QR code scanning mandatory for bars and restaurants, and more widespread mask use at alert levels 2 and up.She said it was an "extraordinary" step to make vaccinations mandatory for privately-employed border workers - even though she had said in April that all border workers will need to be vaccinated or they would be redeployed.Otago University epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker said the unvaccinated worker gaps at the ports and airports should be plugged as quickly as possible."I'm sure there are logistical and other barriers to getting vaccinated, but we've got all of the infrastructure in place to administer the vaccine and track who needs it. The supplies are there. The staff to administer it are there."The unvaccinated workforce at the border was the weakest part of our Covid defences, he said, following the decision to reduce the number of travellers from high-risk countries."If you look at what happened in Taiwan, Sydney and Singapore, those were all problems around workers connected with borders, but not MIQ workers."Otago University epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker says unvaccinated border workers is currently the biggest weakness in New Zealand's Covid'19 response. (Photo / Supplied)Ardern said the long lead-in time would limit disruption at the ports."There may be people in key roles that this will affect that will have a significant knock-on effect, if that particular worker chooses not to be vaccinated."We have allow the time for those workforces to readjust, if that is what is required."Those key roles included maritime pilots, and specialised stevedore roles and crane operators, said Charles Finny, chair of the Port Company CEO Group, which represents 13 ports."It is very near impossible to recruit replacement staff in New Zealand in a hurry," Finny said."We don't want perverse outcomes here. We don't want the whole sector to shut down. We'll have to work...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One small trip for Sir Richard Branson, one giant leap for space tourism.The 70-year-old billionaire has successfully reached the edge of space, on board his Virgin Galactic space plane.The aircraft has been in development for 17 years.US space expert Wendy Whitman Cobb told Tim Dower the achievement will ease people's concerns about safety."They really have a strong incentive to ensure safety, to make sure what they're doing is 100 percent safe, especially when you have somebody like Richard Branson or Jeff Bezos going up."Whitman Cobb says for the ordinary person, the possibility of space tourism is now in reach.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of the script for the film about the Christchurch mosque shootings has been leaked out.Newshub says it's seen the draft document, it runs to 120-odd pages...and there's a graphic reconstruction of the attack itself.We have shown the version of the script obtained by Newshub to some of the victims, who describe it as worse than the terrorist's livestream of the 2019 atrocity.Now this is being circulated around the film industry, looking for a potential buyer.Working title 'They Are Us'...it's being pitched as not so much the story of the attack, but the response to the attack.But Newshub says the draft shows the attack taking place over 17 pages, and that would come out at around 17 minutes of film.More than a dozen of the murders are depicted in graphic detail.One woman who lost both her husband and her son says the movie sounds worse than the livestream.And she thinks it would encourage others to commit similar atrocities.I dunno about that.I can't for a minute imagine why anyone would want to see it...but then morbid curiosity has driven plenty to seek out the material online.So I guess there is a market for it.And who hasn't seen a documentary about the September 11th attacks...or the film about United Flight 93?I have.Did they stir up violent intentions...not in me personally...but in others...who knows?Perhaps this project is touching a nerve for me because it's so close to home.But we've had a doco about Aramoana...13 people killed there....did that set off a wave of mass shootings...no.Perhaps the problem with this one is the timing...the indecent haste of it all.And from what Newshub's reported...the idea so far does seem to at least flirt with the idea of glamorising murder.Not my cup of tea thanks...and ultimately...people will decide for themselves whether they want to see it or not.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National says the Government needs to consider the long-term impacts of Covid-19.Documents released under the Official Information Act show officials have been looking into long-term MIQ facilities since July last year.But they say a shortage of health workers would make it difficult to staff them.National Covid-19 Spokesman Chris Bishop told Tim Dower a way needs to be found to establish purpose-built facilities, as the pandemic isn't going to be over anytime soon."I think we will need MIQ in some shape or form for the foreseeable future for some years to come."LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Football fans reportedly breached the Wembley gates hours before the start of the Euro 2020 final between hosts England and Italy.The Telegraph is reporting that a number of fans broke past stewards at Wembley as the thirst for entry reaches desperation for those who don't have tickets to the game.Daily Mail reporter Mike Keegan on the scene described it as "carnage". Can only describe scenes outside Wembley as carnage and not in a good way. First line of security clearly breached. Dozens hanging around outside turnstiles offering operators cash to let them in and trying to barge in behind punters with tickets. Police nowhere to be seen.— Mike Keegan (@MikeKeegan_DM) July 11, 2021 Febrile atmosphere at Wembley. This is near the main entrance to Club Wembley a few minutes ago where it looked like a group of fans broke through the security cordon. Stewards currently chasing people around. Not sure they’ll get all the way to the wine and canapés pic.twitter.com/YTIx8eQLz2— Sam Wallace (@SamWallaceTel) July 11, 2021 Lack of security at Wembley is unbelievable. Fans have just rushed a disabled gate (D11) when it opened. No ticket checks until the turnstiles. Seen hundreds here without tickets trying to jib in. Remarkable contrast to security at La Cartuja in Seville.— Richard Martin (@Rich9908) July 11, 2021 Estimated 200,000 fans in the Wembley area. Disabled areas in front of the press box now being invaded. Stewarding essentially non-existent.— Oliver Brown (@oliverbrown_tel) July 11, 2021 A large group of fans set off red and yellow flares and some were banging drums at Wembley Way. It started getting rowdy about four hours before kickoff with beer cans being thrown into the air.Fans started hurling cans at one man who had climbed a tall light pole and he was trying to dodge them. He then slid down like a firefighter to the cheers of the crowd and the pole started to wobble.Two women pose with England fans near Trafalgar Square in London. Photo / APSeveral dozen Italy fans were allowed into the stadium about three and half hours before the start. The normal entry time for supporters is three hours.England is trying to win a major football tournament trophy for the first time in 55 years.Thousands of England fans also descended on central London.Piles of rubbish left behind by partying England fans in Leicester Square central London. Photo / APBottles and other objects are being thrown and Leicester Square is full of litter like beer cans, empty boxes and plastic bags. So far no violence has been reported but the scenes are chaotic. One man threw a large yellow cone high in the air and as it came down another man headed it like a soccer ball. Police with helmets were seen walking through Leicester Square.The official fan zone is in nearby Trafalgar Square and thousands more are there. A large contingent of police are on standby.-APSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard Branson became the first person to ride into space aboard a rocket he helped fund. The supersonic space plane developed by his company, Virgin Galactic, roared into the sky over New Mexico early Sunday, carrying Branson and three fellow crewmembers.Branson -— along with Virgin Galactic employees Beth Moses, Colin Bennett, and Sirisha Bandla and pilots Dave Mackay and Michael Masucci — boarded the SpaceShipTwo, a winged plane with a single rocket motor that the company has spent nearly two decades developing, before the crack of dawn. Attached beneath its massive, twin-fuselaged mothership, dubbed WhiteKnightTwo, the vehicle took to the skies at 8:30 am MT and climbed to about 50,000 feet in the air.Just after 9:15 in the morning, the SpaceShipTwo detached from its mothership and dropped momentarily before its engine screamed to life and the vehicle swooped upward. On board, the passengers experienced up to three Gs of force from the burst of extreme acceleration and watched the blue sky fade into the star-speckled darkness of outer space. At the top of the flight path, more than 50 miles high, the vehicle was suspended in weightlessness for a few minutes, allowing the passengers to enjoy panoramic views of the Earth and space as SpaceShipTwo flipped onto its belly. It then deployed its feathering system, which curls the plane's wings upward, mimicking the shape of a badminton shuttlecock, to turn the spaceship rightward as it flew back into the Earth's thick atmosphere and glided back down to a runway landing.As Branson floated around in microgravity, he taped a message using cameras onboard the space plane: "To all you kids out there — I was once a child with a dream, looking up to the stars. Now I'm an adult in a spaceship...If we can do this, just imagine what you can do," he said.This flight marked only the fourth test flight of the vehicle that reached the edge of space.Surrounding SpaceShipTwo's takeoff was — in typical Branson fashion -— a high-production party with friends, family, employees and a few VIPs in attendance. Earlier on Sunday, Branson tweeted a picture of himself and a barefoot Elon Musk hanging out. Grammy-nominated artist Khalid is also expected to perform an as-yet-unreleased song on an outdoor stage.What this meansBranson's flight — which came just nine days before Amazon bilionaire Jeff Bezos is slated to rocket into suborbital space aboard his own company's spacecraft — is a landmark moment for the commercial space industry. The up-and-coming sector has for years been seeking to make suborbital space tourism (a relatively simple straight-up-and-down flight, as opposed to orbiting the Earth for longer periods) a viable business with the aim of allowing thousands of people to experience the adrenaline rush and sweeping views of our home planet that such flights can offer.Branson and Bezos are situated to become direct competitors in that industry, each offering tickets to wealthy customers for brief rides to the upper atmosphere aboard supersonic, rocket-powered spacecraft.Virgin Galactic plans to conduct just one more test flight before it will begin flying paying customers. More than 600 people have reserved tickets priced at $200,000 to $250,000 so far. The company is expected to reopen ticket sales soon, though at a higher price point.Branson's flight also helps bolster Virgin Galactic's reputation as the "world's first commercial spaceline." That's how the company advertised itself as it signed up those hundreds of willing customers who've waited through development delays — and a tragic mishap — for their chance to ride aboard SpaceShipTwo.But whether or not Virgin Galactic will really be the "first" commercially operational suborbital space company is not yet clear. Bezos' space company, Blue Origin, appeared poised to put its founder in space before Branson, until Virgin Galactic made the surprise announcement earlier...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand is preparing for its busiest July school holiday period ever.That's very welcome news to tourism operators and hotel owners, who are now dealing with the news that the Queensland and New South Wales bubble pause is indefinite.Paul Anderson, from NZ Ski in Queenstown, who operate Coronet Peak and the Remarkables, and Paul Button, from Rotorua Canopy Tours joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss the news.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ve received the best news ever this week, another sleep study. I love sleep studies because no one gets less sleep than shift workers.We sleep at weird hours; we wake at weird hours, those of us who are up early for other reasons like kids sport, or gym classes or being woken by babies.I mean, we all want to know the deal on sleep don’t we?So according to a new study by an international psychiatry journal, scientists now say getting to bed earlier, and getting up earlier, can dramatically reduce your risk of depression. The study investigated the relationship between sleep timing and mood and found that ‘even one hour earlier sleep timing is associated with significantly lower risk of depression,’ according to one report.So, no more late nights.To delve into this they needed to look at which came first; ‘whether staying up late led to depressive symptoms or whether depressive symptoms led to staying up late.’ According to this report, they “found ‘firm’ evidence it's the time that people go to bed that influences their state of mind, not so much the other way around.”And what does it all come back to? Light.“Research suggests it's that early risers get more light exposure, which can positively affect mood.” They say we need to keep our days light and our evenings dark.We need to set our circadian rhythm with sunlight exposure in the morning, blocking out the light at night. But what about those of us who get up in the dark? So we’re up early but it’s still dark outside, how does that work?Do we turn on all the lights at home and stare at them?I’m not sure how that sleep study affects those of us operating in the dark, or whether we are any less depressed because we are up so jolly early? But I’m hoping it has a positive effect. Because the other thing we know about sleep is that large amounts of deprivation of it does us no favours.It increases the risk of health problems like obesity, diabetes and heart diseases, according to Harvard University sleep researchers.So the tried and true old tips for sleep remain the same. Good sleep hygiene like blocking light, keeping the bedroom cool, keeping blue light and electronics away, not exercising too close to bedtime.Also, staying away from caffeine before bedtime or rich foods can help you get off to sleep easier. Even though we know all this, it’s often not that easy to do.The best news of all is that naps are good. If you’re a shift worker and you’re tired - don’t skip the naps apparently, just have them by the middle of the day no later.So I think that’s good news for us early birds.At least if you’re getting up about now you’re more likely to feel more positive, just make sure you get yourself into some sunlight as soon as it’s up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are no doubt a few hangovers across England on Thursday after a night of wild celebrations in the wake of the national football team's victory over Denmark in the European Championship semifinals.There will likely be many, many more on Monday morning if England manages to beat Italy in the final, its first in a major tournament since winning the 1966 World Cup.The worry is that beyond the headaches and the grouchiness, the outpouring of joy will worsen rising coronavirus infection rates, particularly among younger men, many of whom have yet to receive a vaccine against COVID-19.“Whilst association does not necessarily mean causation it is difficult to escape the conclusion that celebrations around the Euros have been an important factor in driving up the epidemic in the U.K.,” said Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia.It's clearly difficult to rein in the enthusiasm associated with England's march to Sunday's final.There's a lot of pent-up frustration out there that has been further fueled by the rigors endured during coronavirus restrictions — and a fair bit of booze. The British Beer & Pub Association predicted that fans across the country would consume 6.8 million pints during the match alone.The scenes inside Wembley Stadium were particularly raucous — more than 60,000 fans were allowed to attend the match. Long-suffering England supporters outnumbered their Danish counterparts by around six to one.Two England fan favorites — Neil Diamond's “Sweet Caroline” and the Lightning Seeds' “Three Lions,” with lyrics by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner — were sung with delirium, even by the England team and staff who joined in the singalong after the final whistle blew.The partying didn't end there. On leaving the stadium, fans released red-colored smoke and carried on singing as they swarmed out of the stadium and went home, no doubt to celebrate some more.“It was a brilliant game, the atmosphere was absolutely amazing," said 18-year-old Scarlet Devereux.It wasn't all positive though. European football's governing body UEFA charged the English Football Association with three offenses at the stadium — the use of a laser pointer by fans, fireworks being set off and for disturbing the Danish national anthem.Another 27.6 million people tuned in at one point during the match — the biggest peak football audience ever for a single channel, according to broadcaster ITV.It seemed that most of them took to the streets the moment it ended.People clambered on top of London buses, while others opted to stand on the roofing of the subway station at Leicester Square.It was one of those nights.John Engall, 65, who was a student during England’s only previous major triumph, said he felt “absolutely fantastic” after watching the match from Boxpark entertainment venue in Croydon, just south of London.“I remember ’66 but I’m much more ecstatic now than when I was 10,” he said.As is always the case, there's always a cleaning up process following the festivities, and teams were out in force to remove litter on Thursday morning. Streets across England were strewn with empty disposable plastic pint glasses and food cartons. Even laughing gas canisters.London's Metropolitan Police said 23 arrests were made by officers across the capital following the match for offenses including common assault, public order and assault on police.Concerns have also been raised that the team's progress in the tournament is responsible for spreading coronavirus across the U.K., which is seeing a third surge in the pandemic as a result of the more contagious delta variant.Although infections are less likely in an outdoor environment, public health experts warned that the virus could still find a way to spread, notably as tens of thousands of fans travel to and from Wembley, which after the final will have...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Forget Facebook and Twitter, even Instagram should be worried.Tik Tok is where all the kids are these days.But it seems the popular app is encouraging more young people to read books.Book Tok has become a trend, where people post videos reviewing and recommending books.This has boomed in popularity, so much so that book sales have greatly increased.Joining us now from New York is director of books at Barnes and Noble Shannon DeVito it’s not just books that have been released in the same era as Tik Tok.“So many new readers are discovering or rediscovering books that in some cases have been on shelves for over a decade and it’s really heartening.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As you may know, for the first time ever, skateboarding is going to be included in the Tokyo Olympics.But this has caused some division in the skateboarding community.While some say it's good for the sport, others say it could harm the industry.Others argue whether it's actually a sport?Ian Michna is the publisher of skateboarding magazine Jenkem and he joined Kate Hawkesby from New York.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I see Chris Hipkins is saying we won't, in this country, aim to be like the UK and take the approach that we just have to learn to live with Covid. Hipkins says lifting restrictions like the UK is about to is not a realistic option for us long term.So it seems the eradication strategy is still NZ's goal. And if this is true, then are we in for a life of lockdowns and closed borders?As of the 19th of July the UK, rightly or wrongly, is ditching all restrictions and opening the place back up, normal life can resume. They are desperate for it, let's be honest they've been locked down a very long time, but the new Health Minister's approach is – learn to live with Covid, take some personal responsibility, this is what it is.That may sound terrifying to some of us. There'll be a lot of people in the ‘too soon’ brigade who will freak out at that freedom.But if not now, when? When is it ever going to be ok to lift restrictions and how long can you keep a country locked down for?One thing is for sure, schools need to get back to normal. According to one report, “Children have missed almost a billion days of school since the start of the pandemic,” that’s according to analysis by a think tank called the Centre for Social Justice.That can’t be good for kids at all. Socially, pubs and other venues can open back up and will have to take customers details, but the previously tight restrictions prohibiting people from normal operation will be gone.And I just wonder when you’ve lived with rules and regulations and a government telling you how to live your life for so long, whether in fact you are ready to just go it alone all of a sudden?In a sense you lose the ability to make your own decisions and run your own life, you're used to being told what you can and can’t do.In general terms, I’m a fan of this approach of personal responsibility and letting people live their lives, but then again I’m not inclined to be one of those people who goes nuts.But how do you account for the people who do take crazy risks and flout their newfound freedom? And then you’ve got of course the potential conflict of those who’re sensible versus those who are not.Are people going to start ganging up on each other and taking matters into their own hands if they feel someone isn’t standing far enough away from them, or hasn’t coughed into their elbow? What then?It'll be an interesting experiment and I guess the bonus for us (if there is one) of being so far behind everyone else, is that we can look on and watch how it unfolds.Boris is asking people to ‘exercise judgement‘ and ‘carefully manage risk’.. which sounds good in theory, but you have to be interested in managing risk, or responsible enough to exercise judgement in the first place, don’t you? Which is why I think the world will be watching with interest from July 19th.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard Branson will take a rocket-powered space plane on a 2,400 mile-per-hour ride to the edge of space this weekend. That's if everything goes according to plan. And there's plenty that could go wrong.The rocket motor could fail to light up. The cabin could lose pressure and threaten the passengers' lives. And the intense physics involved when hurtling out of — and back into — the Earth's atmosphere could tear the vehicle apart.But Branson is ready to follow in the footsteps of the test pilots and Virgin Galactic employees who have already flown on VSS Unity, the vehicle Branson's company, Virgin Galactic, has spent nearly two decades working to develop. If all goes as planned, Branson will also be the first billionaire ever to travel to space aboard a vehicle he helped fund the development of, beating fellow space baron Jeff Bezos by just nine days.Any time humans are on an airborne vehicle, there's risk involved. Here's a breakdown of just how much danger Branson -— and the three people going with him — will be taking on.About the space plane: VSS UnityRichard Branson founded Virgin Galactic in 2004, after watching a space plane called SpaceShipOne rocket into space to win the Ansari X Prize. Branson bought the rights to that tech, and a team of engineers set to work developing a larger vehicle capable of carrying two pilots and up to six paying customers on a high-speed joy rides. The evolved designed is called SpaceShipTwo.SpaceShipTwo takes off from an airplane runway attached beneath the wing of a massive, custom-designed quad-jet double-fuselage mothership known as WhiteKnightTwo. Once the mothership reaches about 40,000 feet, the rocket-powered plane is dropped from in between WhiteKnightTwo's twin fuselages, and fires up its engine to swoop directly upward, accelerating up to more than three times the speed of sound, or 2,300 miles an hour.Once it reaches the very top of its flight path, it hangs, suspended in microgravity, as it flips onto its belly before gliding back down to a runway landing. From takeoff to landing, the whole trip takes roughly an hour.VSS Unity — the name of the SpaceShipTwo that Branson will be taking to space and the first to make the full trek — has completed three successful test flights so far. But the company's development program has also endured years of delays for a variety of reasons, including a fatal 2014 crash that killed a test pilot.A planned test flight in December was also halted when VSS Unity's onboard rocket motor computer lost connection. And Virgin Galactic encountered a potentially serious safety hazard during a test flight in 2019, New Yorker staff writer Nicholas Schmidle revealed in a new book, "Test Gods." A safety probe was ordered to investigate why a seal on its space plane's wing had come undone, risking loss of the vehicle and the lives of the three crew members on board. No one was harmed in the test flight, which was publicly deemed a success.But after VSS Unity's third test flight in May, the company received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to begin flying passengers. That doesn't mean, however, that the FAA — which is focused primarily on ensuring safety of people and property on the ground — is guaranteeing the spacecraft is safe. That decision is left up to Virgin Galactic, and the company made the surprise announcement on July 1 that Branson would be on the very next test flight — becoming the first non-crew member ever to make the trek — this Sunday.Markus Guerster, an aerospace industry professional who co-authored a 2018 paper on the risks of suborbital space tourism, said there is never a perfect time for a company to deem its spacecraft safe enough to fly members of the public."It's kind of a difficult decision to make — if you're ready, or if you're not ready, because there is some risk remaining. But if you don't try it, you're also not going to learn,"...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Bill stating marriages and civil unions should be allowed to be dissolved immediately in domestic violence situations has been submitted by a Labour list MP.Angie Warren-Clark said Labour was committed to protecting survivors of domestic violence and submitted her Family Proceedings (Dissolution for Family Violence) Amendment Bill to the members' bill ballot."The current law requires a couple to be separated for two years before a divorce can occur. This means people must remain married to the person that is abusing or has abused them, even if a protection order is in place," Warren-Clark said."This Bill allows a person to apply for an order dissolving a marriage or civil union if they have been the victim of family violence inflicted by the other party in the relationship."Many people are surprised that survivors of domestic violence are required to stay married to their abuser for two years before being able to finalise their divorce. This change is overdue and I'm calling on my parliamentary colleagues to sign on to support this Bill."This Bill builds on the Government's work to protect survivors of family and sexual violence, including the biggest-ever investment in family violence and sexual violence support services, the introduction of domestic violence leave and new offences, like strangulation, to better reflect the severity of family and sexual violence." Warren-Clark said."I worked in the family and sexual violence sector for 15 years before coming to Parliament and I'm proud to be able to progress this change on behalf of the many women who have raised it with me."The Bill was lodged in the members' bill ballot this morning. If the Bill receives the support of 61 non-executive members of Parliament, it will be introduced on the next sitting day.- Bay of Plenty TimesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Folic acid will be put in bread making flour to prevent devastating birth defects that can result in death or lifelong disability, it can be revealed.Fortifying bread and other food staples with folic acid has significantly reduced birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord in other countries including the United States, Canada and Australia.The move comes after an investigation by the Herald exposed the heartbreaking stories of parents who have been pushing for years for New Zealand to match other countries by fortifying bread."This is about protecting babies. Low folate levels in mothers cause neural tube defects that result in the death of babies, or lifelong disability," said Food Safety Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall."This B vitamin is safe and essential for health, particularly for development of babies early in pregnancy. Folate is naturally present in food - folic acid fortification restores what is lost during processing such as flour milling."A little over half of pregnancies in New Zealand are unplanned, so it's not practical for all women to take a folic acid supplement one month before they conceive."The health measure is a breakthrough for New Zealand's medical and scientific communities and patient advocates, who were despondent after plans to add folic acid to bread from 2009 were upended by industry opposition claiming possible risks from "mass medication".An illustration of spina bifida. A 'snowflake condition', it affects each person differently.Under the policy announced today, fortification of bread making flour will happen from mid to late 2023. Organic and non-wheat flour will be exempt, which the government says will give consumers choice.The change is expected to prevent 162-240 neural tube defects over 30 years, and save $25 million and $47 million over the same period in health, education and productivity costs. Flour millers will get about $1.6 million to buy and install the necessary equipment.Today's announcement follows a Herald investigation that revealed the benefit could be much greater, because official estimates did not count miscarriages earlier in pregnancy. The College of Public Health Medicine believes as many as 200 such miscarriages could be prevented every year, something it called an "iceberg of heartbreak".Our reporting also told the stories of families affected by birth defects, including a woman who lost her son to anencephaly, an unsurvivable defect where parts of the brain and skull don't develop.Verrall told the Herald that quantifying any prevention of miscarriages in early pregnancy was tricky, given such tragedies often don't generate medical statistics."We made the decision to make sure we could prevent neural tube defects, and if in the course of that we happen to save some families the grief of miscarriage we'd be very happy."An illustration of anencephaly, one of the birth defects that adequate folate consumption can reduce the risk of.Getting enough folate, a natural B vitamin found in foods such as leafy green vegetables, before and in early pregnancy can considerably reduce the risk of such neural tube defects, the most common of which is spina bifida.It's difficult to get enough from diet alone, and women are advised to take folic acid tablets. However, many don't, and more than half of pregnancies aren't planned - a proportion that rises for young mothers (83 per cent), Māori (75 per cent) and Pacific Kiwis (71 per cent). When those women realise they're pregnant it's often too late - the neural tube closes 15 to 28 days after conception.For this reason, NZ and Australia agreed to mandatory fortification from 2009, but the new National Government backed out after an opposition campaign by bakers and the Food & Grocery Council (an industry lobby group), who warned of unknown effects and labelled the initiative an example of the "nanny state".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.