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Tonight on The Huddle, BRG director Georgina Stylianou and Business Mentors CEO Sarah Trotman joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Winston Peters is in hot water following his inaccurate tweets claiming Kiwis only just found out about the terrorist's pre-attack email to the Beehive. What is his goal here? Mt Maunganui businesses and residents have voiced outrage over plans to introduce paid parking at the beach. Should holiday summer spots be off limits when it comes to paid parking? According to a new study, one in three Kiwis say they've been sexually harassed at work in the past six months - that includes suggestive stories, sexist comments etc. Is this surprising? Three's 7pm news show The Project is set to be axed at the end of the year- is this a sign of the times? Are evening news shows dying? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi scientists have developed ground-breaking new technology that will allow farmers to measure methane emissions from cattle. Crown institute AgResearch has developed a portable chamber to test individual cows- helping farmers to selectively breed cattle and reduce emissions over time. The Country's Jamie Mackay says this technology is the latest scientific development that will cull emissions and keep farms running. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Innovation is a key driver of global economic growth- and it's moving faster than ever. Science, research, and technology have driven economic growth over the years, ever since the industrial revolution. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds says society has gotten better at adapting to new developments, comparing the fast adoption of AI and weight-loss drugs to the slower reception of earlier technology. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation may be coming down- but three big influences have accelerated living costs for Kiwi households. The cost of living has gone up by 7.4 percent in a year, with groceries, insurance and interest payments driving up these increases. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says these increases will keep inflation up for longer in a temporary worst-of-both-worlds scenario. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Council has voted down introducing Māori seats for the 2025 local body elections, after a tense debate today. Councillors voted 11 to 9 against the decision. Auckland Councillor Alf Filipaina has expressed disappointment with this rejection. "This was about establishing Māori wards for 2025. The argument was a non-argument, because that work is getting done anyway- and it doesn't need to get completed until later on." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growing calls for Winston Peters to apologise for his incorrect claims about the March 15 terror attacks. Peters said New Zealand only recently found out that the Prime Minister's office received information about the attack before it happened. But then-Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed at the time her office had received the killer's manifesto. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Peters has tried to appeal to the nation's fringe groups before- but it's perplexing as to why he's making these false claims now. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A council plan to set up more paid parking at one of New Zealand's hottest summer spots has been met with community backlash. Mount Maunganui was set to introduce more paid parking meters this summer season- but that plan has been delayed after residents and business owners voiced opposition. Tauranga Business Chamber CEO Matt Cowley says paid parking has been regarded as an unpopular decision by Mount Maunganui business owners. "We need the commissioners focusing on the bigger issues in the long-term plan, we don't want them to pick a fight with the community." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Workplace sexual harassment is just as detrimental for employers, as it is for employees. A new study has found about a third of the New Zealand workforce have experienced it, with around 36 percent of females and 30 percent of males targeted. It shows employees may be more likely to suffer burnout, stress, or act counterproductively at work and call in sick. Massey University Professor Jarrod Haar says they're also more likely to quit, which is just as bad for employers. "They take the knowledge and the insights from the organisation with them and leave- they're less likely, if they haven't quit, to stay there and not perform as well as they used to." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chairman of Federation of Islamic Associations says the Coronial inquest into March 15 is not the time for political posturing. Winston Peters is refusing to apologise for falsely tweeting that Kiwis only just found out about the terrorist's pre-attack email to the Beehive. It was revealed at a press conference the next day. Abdur Razzaq Khan says it was also in the Royal Commission's report, which he says shows Peters didn't read it. "And to come out after so many years now, on the day when people are trying to find out what actually happened to their loved ones- I thought that was very insensitive." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global superstar pop princess Britney Spears' just-released book is already set to become the highest selling celebrity memoir. Leaked chapters from 'The Woman In Me' are making headlines, including the revelation Spears had an abortion while dating Justin Timberlake. Fans of the singer advocated for years for her release from her father's overarching control of her life. A Free Britney Movement leader, Kevin Wu, says he's so proud she's sharing her story. "It's totally heart-breaking, what she went through. The way she was treated was so unfair, especially by her own family." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police today confirmed they've launched a homicide investigation into the death of a Lower Hutt toddler. Ruthless-Empire Souljah Reign Rhind Shephard Wall was found to have suffered blunt force trauma, with authorities claiming his injuries were 'not accidental'. NZ Herald senior crime reporter Sam Sherwood says police believe the toddler had suffered from injuries for 12 hours before he was taken to hospital. "Police said when he arrived at hospital at 10:30 on Sunday, he was unresponsive. Efforts were done to revive him, but they were unsuccessful- he had multiple injuries to his body." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 21-year-old water polo instructor has been found dead at a prestigious Sydney CBD school, sparking a full-scale investigation. Lilie James was discovered with serious head injuries by police after midnight on Thursday in a campus bathroom. Authorities have launched a manhunt for her colleague, Paul Thijssen, who James had reportedly dated in the lead-up to her death. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the school will be closed to all pupils until Monday. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the US, a manhunt is under way in Maine for a shooter who's killed 22 and injured about 60 in a Lewiston restaurant and bowling alley. Police say 40-year-old Robert Card is a suspect, and have posted videos and photos of him and his car. He's described as a certified firearms instructor and a member of the US Army Reserves. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says police will be following the facts - and trying to anticipate his moves. "You're trying to guess where he may be going, what he might be doing next, now that we know that he is somebody with military experience- that's almost the worst nightmare that you can ask for in a situation like this" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster is likely to make a couple of changes to his side to face the Springboks in the Rugby World Cup final. In which order locks Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick are used is likely to be the biggest debate. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave shares his prediction here today. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I want to start off by reading some Winston Peters quotes, straight from the source. "We waited until today to find out for the first time that the Prime Minister's office received information about the March 15 terrorist attack before the massacre took place." "Jacinda Ardern should be called to the hearing and asked to explain this appalling lack of transparency to the New Zealand public, let alone to the deputy Prime Minister and Government coalition partner." Those are the words of the former deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters. And while they whipped up an intense response among an Ardern-hating, conspiracy-nurturing social media crowd- the words are demonstrably wrong. They're not just wrong, that's not just an opinion, they are demonstrably wrong. We did not wait until now to find out about the Prime Minister's office receiving information concerning the attacks shortly before they began. We, the New Zealand public, to whom Winston Peters refers, were told the next day. It was widely publicised at the time- the manifesto was sent to a range of recipients, including media and politicians, nine minutes before the attack began. Someone in Parliament called the police as soon as they saw it. Winston Peters has since published a second post on social media channels clarifying that his complaint was referring to the fact that he wasn't personally informed about these events prior to the public press conference. And maybe that complaint has more legitimacy. Maybe that is actually a fair point. But if that's the case, isn't it weird that he didn't raise it at the time of press conference? Isn't it weird that he or his staff didn't immediately call the Prime Minister's office right after that press conference on March 16 to question why he hadn't been informed first? I can only see two possible scenarios here. Either Winston Peters and his advisors somehow completely missed the detail about the manifesto email at the time of massacre, despite him being deputy Prime Minister - it was referenced in the colonial inquiry, he thought he saw an opportunity and he immediately swung for it. That's one possibility, the other is perhaps something more cynical. He knew full well the manifesto was released a few minutes in advance, but he chose to deliberately spread a falsehood intimating that we, the New Zealand public, had been misled. Either way, I think it speaks volumes that Winston Peters has so far refused to delete a demonstrably false statement. I don't care about him being forced to apologise or anything like that. To post it in the first place is one thing, to leave it up on those social media platforms with a conspiratorial tone to fester away- I think that speaks to character. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finnish authorities have recently claimed that the rupture of a gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea may have been caused by an anchor dragging along the seabed. Russia was initially suspected of causing the damage as retribution for Finland joining NATO, an accusation Putin denied. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Finland's NBI has since focused their probe on the Chinese NewNew Polar Bear container vessel, which was missing an anchor. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett and current affairs commentator Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Business owners in Auckland want a bylaw to allow them to trespass people from public spaces who are a nuisance. They say they feel like downtown Auckland has become too dangerous- are these concerns valid? Wellington City Council has voted in favour of pouring millions more into the redevelopment of the Town Hall- is this a good investment? National's Chris Bishop has opted to sell his shares as he prepares to take a spot in Cabinet- is this a good idea? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newly released provisional estimates from Stats NZ show the country has experience rapid population growth after two years of shrinkage. Auckland's population expanded the fastest in the year to June, with the region gaining 47,000 more people. Otago, Waikato, and the Bay of Plenty also grew faster than the New Zealand average. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen says Auckland's economy stands to benefit from an expanding workforce. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big tech companies are posting strong sales results this quarter- with AI aiding this economic turnaround. ChatGPT kicked off the recent AI wave, with chip company Nvidia spurring this growth. Microsoft and Google have seen sales up by 11 percent to 12 percent, with their new AI features and tools generating interest. Milford Asset Management Portfolio Manager Felix Fok explains what this technology could do for the future of work and commerce. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's largest bank, ANZ, has lifted their mortgage and deposit rates by as much as 30 basis points. As of today, the bank's six-month mortgage rates will increase by 26 points, its four and five-year rates will rise by 25 points, and its three-year rates by 20 points. ANZ has also hiked their one-year, 18-month, and two-year rates by between 10 and 14 points. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains the economic factors driving up these rates. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The outgoing Government has joined international calls for a humanitarian pause, as violence in Israel and Gaza escalates. Chris Hipkins, in consultation with the incoming Government, has requested humanitarian corridors in Gaza and designated safe areas that can't be targeted. ZB political editor Jason Walls says this pause would allow aid organisations to go into established safe areas to provide resources, aid and relief. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Rugby has approved several key changes and a new 12-strong biennial competition. The concept will start in 2026 and bring together the Six Nations teams, Sanzaar sides and two others in the Pacific such as Japan and Fiji. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what this might mean for the future of rugby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One prospective Cabinet minister appears to have learned from his predecessor's mistakes. Senior National MP Chris Bishop has sold his shares in Kiwi Income Property and plans to sell off his further shares in Paysauce Ltd, Telstra and Parrotdog. Former National MP Steven Joyce disagrees that ministers should have to sell their shares once they get into office. "You keep lifting the bar higher and higher in terms of what people can't do while they're a politician- which makes it less attractive for people. In principle- the Cabinet manual makes it clear people can do things in their private capacity." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former All Black Sir Bryan Williams is voicing concern over the future of the Rugby World Cup for Tier Two nations. World Rugby has announced an expansion to 24 teams for the next event in Australia in 2027, including two extra pools and a round of 16. There'll also be a 12-strong Nations League starting in 2026, which will pit the Six Nations sides against the Rugby Championship teams, plus two invitees. Williams says this news is 'disappointing' for nations like Samoa and Fiji- and claims there'll be an imbalance at the next World Cup. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland businesses have demanded more action on addressing antisocial behaviour in the city centre. They're calling to adjust a bylaw, which would give the council power to trespass people if they believe they're a risk to public safety. Fort Street restaurant Vivace is planning on giving safety advice to customers and using private security guards. Co-owner Mandy Lusk says the unruly behaviour is a nuisance and hurts their businesses. "But there's also people just out there making a nuisance of themselves- and they seem to get some kind of pleasure out of scaring people and being aggressive." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An international relations expert doesn't believe New Zealand was too slow to call for a pause to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Outgoing Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has joined international calls for humanitarian corridors in Gaza and designated safe areas. Paul Buchanan says our country has done well, considering it has a caretaker Government. "New Zealand has always tried to straddle defence on conflicts such as this. Recognising the Palestinians' cause on the one hand, recognising Israel on the other- they chose the path of least resistance." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Wellington City Councillor says there are ramifications from the Town Hall renovation budget blowout. The council today voted to pay up to $147 million to cover cost increases for earthquake strengthening the CBD venue. The total overall cost could end up as high as $329 million. Councillor Ben McNulty says it'll take a toll on other things. "We have to be clear that by doing this Town Hall project and the extra money, we won't be doing other things. We will be taking away from other things that we should be doing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dozens of US states are suing Meta and its Instagram platform, saying they've fuelled a youth mental health crisis. 33 states have filed a lawsuit in federal court in California, claiming Meta has repeatedly misled the public about its platforms' danger. Meta says it's disappointed by the lawsuit. Auckland University health researcher, Samantha Marsh, says there's strong evidence to support the claims. "Social media in particular has a really negative impact on youth mental health- so that's things like depression and anxiety." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Rugby has announced the details for its new men's competitions. 12 teams are going to compete in the new World League outside of the World Cup, though they haven't decided what the actual name is going to be. It could be the World League- or it could be something else entirely, we don't know yet. Anyway, the new competition will put the six nation sides in a tournament alongside the All Blacks, the Wallabies, the Springboks, the Pumas and two other teams. It hasn't yet been confirmed, but the reports at this stage suggest that Japan and Fiji are likely to take up the final two slots. There will be a Tier Two competition with promotion and relegation, but that doesn't start for several years after the Tier One. The other big changes are going to come with the men's Rugby World Cup. The competition will be expanded to more teams, but shortened in terms of its length. So there's going to be a new 16-team knockout round between pool play and the quarter-finals. There is a central question at the heart of all of these changes- what's the priority? Is it to make as much money as possible from the game in the short-term, or is it to grow the game into new rugby markets? Because if you want to grow a game in order for it to have a global footprint, you really need to ensure that teams aren't just playing- they're actually competing. Turning up isn't enough, they actually have to be kinda good. And how do teams get good? It's a combination of resources and experience playing stronger opposition. There is a really good example right now in the Cricket World Cup- with its players steadily increasing their amount of experience playing against tougher opposition. Afghanistan has stunned Pakistan and England in the 50 over format. I definitely think a shorter Rugby World Cup makes sense and having more teams will benefit the likes of Brazil and the Netherlands and Hong Kong- who are on the cusp of being in the top 24 in terms of the world rankings. But you have to feel sorry for the better Tier Two teams that are really facing a possibility of even fewer games against Tier One opposition. What do I mean? Think about Samoa and Tonga, for example. In the islands, rugby isn't an off-Broadway sport like it is in Brazil and the Netherlands. Other countries might squeak their way into a bigger World Cup, and that's great. But in the islands, it is the sport. And yet, those teams are going to find themselves outside of the World League with very few opportunities to play big teams outside of the Rugby World Cup. What's that going to mean when they turn up every four years for the likes of Samoa and Tonga? A thrashing, most likely. World Rugby is caught between conflicting priorities. They want competition structures that reward existing rugby fans and make a lot of money for the dominant teams- but they also want to expand the game. And for those of us who only care about the All Blacks playing the very best teams- sure the new format might be enjoyable enough. But if you care about rugby in the Pacific, I don't think this is it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police will receive 'clarified' guidance on addressing hate crimes after chaos broke out at a pro-Palestine rally in London. A video of a man shouting 'jihad' at the rally has sparked calls for tougher police action on hate speech. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley agreed existing hate crime laws 'needed re-drawing'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Sir Wayne Smith predicts new rule changes will be implemented in rugby, with permissible tackle height being lowered to belly-button level. Are the rugby rules too complicated? Are tackles below the belly button the way of the future? David Seymour wants to make the coalition agreement public, Luxon says he'd be open to it. Do we think Winston would too? Is transparency the way to go when it comes to the coalition? A piece from Thomas Coughlan indicated David Parker could become the next Labour leader- what do we think of this? What does Labour need? Residents of Auckland's Ōrākei and Eastern Bay are protesting against McDonald's opening another restaurant in their neighbourhood. Should communities have a say against junk food? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data indicates the milk price cycle may be picking up after an earlier downturn. The latest lift on October 17 saw prices move 4.3 percent, with milk powder up 4.2 percent and the overall average price reaching $3202 USD. Fonterra has lifted their forecast by 50 cents and ASB and Westpac have since followed suit and increased their forecasts $7.35/kg MS and $7.25/kg MS respectively. The Country's Jamie Mackay is confident numbers will pick up after a dismal year for the dairy sector. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two warnings from international credit ratings agencies have sparked concern amongst economists. S&P Global Ratings expressed concern with National's proposed Three Waters policy, as it could negatively impact the debt ceilings for local councils. Fitch Ratings predicted that the new National-led Government couldn't live up to their promise of producing a budget surplus in 2027. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie explained the impact of these warning signals. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newly released tapes revealed Australian billionaire Anthony Pratt used his wealth to build a relationship with Donald Trump. The recordings showed that Pratt had bought his way into Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, sent money to Rudy Giuliani, and bragged that his wealth was his 'superpower'. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Donald Trump also leaked information about private calls with the leaders of Ukraine and Iraq to Pratt. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister-elect's leaving the door open to revealing details of a coalition deal. Arrangements in 2017 weren't publicly released, because the Chief Ombudsman ruled details couldn't be requested under the OIA- because it came within Jacinda Ardern's capacity as Labour leader. ACT's David Seymour is in coalition talks with National and says he'd be happy for his promises to be made public. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Seymour is quite transparent as a politician- and he'd want to see which of ACT's proposals made it through. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions are being raised as to why competing weather forecasters NIWA and MetService don't work together in times of extreme weather events. MetService has recently concluded its weather forecasting models performed badly before the Auckland floods, leaving staff in disbelief over the inaccuracy. WeatherWatch Head Analyst Philip Duncan says the situation wouldn't have gone this far if the Government hadn't allowed NIWA to commercialise everything. "MetService would have a lot more access to tax-funded modelling and be able to improve it, because climate change- or even the fact that things are warming up- is breaking some of the modelling." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The outgoing head of New Zealand's Insurance Council has advised Kiwis to stop building in 'dumb' places. Tim Grafton has spent 11 years in the role and overseen the pressure earthquakes, cyclones, floods and climate change are placing on infrastructure. He says building houses in risky locations will put people in harm's way and make it harder for insurance to be readily available. "All of those things combined, we should be thinking smarter about where we build- and not just consenting in dumb, stupid, unintelligent places." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sir Wayne Smith, former All Blacks and Black Ferns coach, suspects new amendments will be made to rugby's laws. Speaking on the Between Two Beers podcast, he claimed rugby would need to 'reinvent' itself by lowering the permissible tackle height to belly-button level. Sky Sport commentator Ken Laban says these potential changes come with 'dangerous' consequences for the future of the sport. "It's a physical contest taking place, this encouraging them to tackle low- to me that's a reduction in the physicality and a reduction in the game's appeal, that's the danger." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jobseekers being ghosted by prospective employers- are often down to the company itself. New Seek data shows 72 percent of Kiwi jobseekers don't hear back about the job they've been interviewed for. Seek career coach Leah Lambart says it happens for a number of reasons, like the company choosing not to inform the candidate isn't the right fit. She says it may also be down to an internal issue in the company that takes precedence. "It could be no hurry to recruit that role- and as a result, it gets put on the backburner because there's some other vacancies that come up that are perhaps more urgent." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour says he sees no reason why a potential coalition deal shouldn't be made public. Arrangements in 2017 weren't publicly released, when the Chief Ombudsman ruled details couldn't be requested under the Official Information Act - because it came within Jacinda Ardern's capacity as Labour leader. But ACT Party leader Seymour says he'd be happy for this year's finalised arrangement to be in the open. "We're really happy with the way it's going, I mean, we've been chatting through the different challenges that we think the Government will face." Prime Minister-Elect Chris Luxon isn't ruling out it out. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A coronial hearing into the Christchurch Mosque attacks has begun, but it's not a question of who is to blame. Coroner Brigitte Windley is tasked with determining the circumstances of each of the 51 deaths - and addressing unanswered questions. It follows a criminal prosecution and a Royal Commission of Inquiry. Herald senior reporter Anna Leask has spent the day in court- and she says the Coroner is clear the responsibility rests on terrorist Brenton Tarrant. She says this is about shining a light on what happened. "Tarrant didn't go to trial because he pleaded guilty and the Royal Commission was done more privately, so there's a lot of the evidence that the families of the victims will only hear during this process." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Rugby has launched a formal review into allegations made by England's Tom Curry over a racial slur in their World Cup semi-final loss to South Africa. Curry approached referee Ben O'Keeffe during the first half, alleging South African hooker Bongi Mbonambi made the derogatory remark. The move is poised to disrupt the Springboks build-up to the final against the All Blacks on Sunday morning. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Rugby has launched a formal review into allegations made by England's Tom Curry over a racial slur in their World Cup semi-final loss to South Africa. Curry approached referee Ben O'Keeffe during the first half, alleging South African hooker Bongi Mbonambi made the derogatory remark. The move is poised to disrupt the Springboks build-up to the final against the All Blacks on Sunday morning. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Democracy activist Ahmed Zaoui is facing a new legal battle- this time for his life. The former refugee to New Zealand was arrested after holding a political meeting at his home. He's been charged with subversion, which can be penalised by up to 20 years in prison, or death. Lawyer Deborah Manning says Zaoui says the charges don't meet international standards. She says he was one of a number of political leaders who returned home when the political situation improved. "Ahmed went there before Covid, and was planning to go between the two countries- but obviously couldn't do that with our borders being closed. And Ahmed loves Algeria, just as any migrant loves their home- and he still has family there." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two by-elections have spelt bad news for the ruling Conservative Party ahead of the next general election. Mid Bedfordshire has elected its first Labour MP since the 1930s, and Tamworth also swung towards the Labour Party. Both by-elections were triggered by the resignation of their respective Conservative MPs. Violent crime statistics are down by 28 percent. The decline is driven by a fall in criminal damage and fraud offences. However, shoplifting and knife crimes are on the rise. A late Italian Prime Minister has seen his art collection mocked by leading art critics. Silvio Berlusconi, who died in June aged 86, bought around 25,000 paintings and sculptures over the years, ranging from Titian and Rembrandt to more recent ones from late-night telesales. But top art critic Vittorio Sgarbi, says perhaps six or seven of them are of any artistic value. UK correspondent Gavin Grey joined Jason Pine. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chinese President Xi Jinping promised foreign companies greater access to China’s huge market and more than $100 billion in new financing for other developing economies as he opened a forum Wednesday on his signature Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. Xi's initiative has built power plants, roads, railroads and ports around the world and deepened China’s ties with Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Mideast. But the massive loans backing the projects have burdened poorer countries with heavy debts, in some cases leading to China taking control of those assets. At the forum’s opening ceremony at the ornate and cavernous Great Hall of the People, Xi promised that two Chinese-backed development banks – the China Development Bank and the Export–Import Bank of China – will each set up 350 billion yuan ($47.9 billion) financing windows. An additional 80 billion yuan ($11 billion) will be invested in Beijing's Silk Road Fund to support BRI projects. “We will comprehensively remove restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector,” Xi said. He said China would further open up “cross-border trade and investment in services and expand market access for digital products” and carry out reforms of state-owned enterprises and in sectors such as the digital economy, intellectual property rights and government procurement. The pledges of hefty support from Beijing come at a time when China's economy has slowed and foreign investment has plunged. Xi alluded to efforts by the United States and its allies to reduce their reliance on Chinese manufacturing and supply chains amid heightened competition and diplomatic frictions and reiterated promises that Beijing would create a fairer environment for foreign firms. “We do not engage in ideological confrontation, geopolitical games nor clique political confrontation,” Xi said. “We oppose unilateral sanctions, economic coercion and the decoupling and severance of chains,” a reference to moves elsewhere to diversify industrial supply chains. Reiterating Chinese complaints that such moves are meant to limit China's growth, Xi said that “viewing others’ development as a threat or taking economic interdependence as a risk will not make one’s own life better or speed up one’s development.” “China can only do well when the world is doing well,” he said. “When China does well, the world will get even better.” Representatives from more than 130 mostly developing countries are attending the forum, including at least 20 heads of state and government. Russian President Vladimir Putin is attending, reflecting China’s economic and diplomatic support for Moscow amid the isolation brought by its war in Ukraine. Addressing the forum right after Xi, Putin praised BRI as being “truly important, global, future-oriented, aimed at creating more equitable, multipolar world relations." “This is truly a global plan,” he said, adding that it aligns with Russia's plan “to form a large Eurasian space, as a space of cooperation and interaction of like-minded people, where a variety of integration processes will be linked.” He referred to other regional organizations, such as the security-oriented Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the Eurasian Economic Union of former Soviet states. Several European officials including the French and Italian ambassadors to China and former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin walked out while Putin spoke and returned afterwards. On Tuesday, Putin met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is the sole European Union government leader attending the forum. Their meeting was a rare instance of the Russian president meeting a European leader since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine in February 2022. Putin met with Xi after the opening ceremony. Also in attendance are the presidents of Indonesia, Argentina, Kazakstan, Sri Lanka, Kenya among other countries, as well as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres. Most Western European countries and U.S. allies sent lower level or former officials to the forum. Guterres highlighted the BRI’s potential to bring development to neglected areas while stressing the need for projects to be environmentally sustainable. He said the initiative could help drive the transition away from reliance on fossil fuels. “Developing countries will need massive support for a fair, equitable and just energy transition toward renewables while providing affordable electricity to all,” Guterres said. He also called for an “immediate, humanitarian” ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine war after a strike killed hundreds at a Gaza City hospital on Tuesday. With the BRI, China has become a major financer of development projects on a par with the World Bank. The Chinese government says the initiative has launched more than 3,000 projects and “galvanized” nearly $1 trillion in investment. It has also attracted criticism from the U.S., India and others that China is engagi

Fletcher has its AGM next Friday, but it’s expecting a tough time from the shareholders. It’s expected the Iplex pipes drama will be a hot topic, as well as its persistently poor performance, and a number of shareholders being told to vote against directors’ remuneration. Business commentator Rod Oram joined Jason Pine. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exporters and importers are calling on Ports of Auckland to lift its efficiency and productivity by at least as much as they’re hiking their user prices. The number of containers moved on and off ships has dropped by 42 percent in the past four years. But at the same time, the Ports put up its prices, including a general increase of 7 percent from next year. New Zealand Council of Cargo Owners chair Mike Knowles joined Jason Pine. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks aren’t taking their Rugby World Cup semi-final opponents lightly at all. Despite having the easier opponent on paper, Los Pumas have beaten Ian Foster twice since the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Meanwhile, the other matchup will see England take on the Springboks in a rematch of the 2019 Rugby World Cup final – but also the 2007 final. NZR’s investigation of the Ranfurly Shield saga has found insufficient evidence of foul play. It confirmed the shield was broken accidentally on a concrete floor – and no drugs were involved. It comes as holders Hawke’s Bay gear up to face Taranaki in the NPC Final this weekend. A tough run of fixtures awaits the Black Caps in the Cricket World Cup. Having won their first four games convincingly with a healthy run rate, they now have to face hosts India this weekend. They follow that with Australia, South Africa and Pakistan, before wrapping up the first round against Sri Lanka. Clay Wilson and Matt Brown joined Jason Pine to discuss the week’s sports newsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks are one win away from their fifth Rugby World Cup final – but they’ll have to get past Argentina. Los Pumas have beaten the All Blacks twice in their history – both of those coming in the past four years during Ian Foster’s tenure. Their first win came in 2020 with a 25-15 win in Sydney, before following it up with a 25-18 win in Christchurch last year. Argentina rugby journalist Frankie Deges joined Jason Pine. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.