Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Incoming All Blacks coach Scott Robertson is reportedly persona non grata at his prospective teams' Rugby World Cup games. Former halfback and SuperSport pundit Justin Marshall claimed Robertson would be a 'distraction' to the current players, according to New Zealand staff. Former All Blacks coach Laurie Mains has cast doubt over Robertson's reported ban. "Anybody can go to the games that wants to go- New Zealand Rugby Union doesn't have any say in that. You can't ban him from games." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 10-year-old was among people who witnessed an attack at their local dairy this morning, in Auckland's New Windsor. A 24-year-old man's been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and resisting police. A man and woman are stable in hospital and the man reportedly has stab wounds. Herald reporter Raphael Franks says he spoke to witnesses at the scene, who saw the alleged perpetrator stagger out of the shop. "And when they did, they were terrified that he was going to be coming for them. And they also saw one of the victims wheeled out from the shop on a stretcher." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Salaries are continuing to rise. Trade Me figures show the average salary now sits at just over $70,000. Trade Me Jobs Sales Director Matt Tolich says this quarter has seen an 8 percent year on year growth - meaning it's now beating inflation. "15 of our 25 categories have had big growth year-on-year, so healthcare's up 10 percent, trades and services up 9 percent, education up 8 percent and hospitality up 8 percent as well." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Prime Minister Sir John Key says he offered to endorse National in a video, urging Kiwis to vote blue and avoid uncertainty. It was released on the Party's social media channels today. He says it aimed to address complacency in the electorate. "There's quite a bit of complacency in the electorate. A lot of people are saying National's going to win- look at the TAB odds, for instance- the problem with all that is, that would be great if there was predictability." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour has accused National of misleading voters with their proposed tax plan. An analysis from Council of Trade Unions (CTU) shows just 3000 households would receive the $250 per fortnight relief National promised. National's Nicola Willis defended these figures saying the claim came with the 'up to' caveat- but admitted the 3000 figure was correct. ZB Political Editor Jason Walls says prospective voters have a responsibility to check what they can get- but National only advertised their most favourable figures. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Less than 24 hours after Victorian residents were warned to evacuate from bushfires, flash floods started tearing through the region. Authorities issued flood warnings as heavy rain drenched the state and flooded rivers during the typically dry spring season. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says roads have been closed and flights have been cancelled as the wild weather belts the region. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Incoming All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has reportedly been told to stay away from his future charges at the World Cup. According to halfback Justin Marshall, Robertson has been barred from games involving the All Blacks because the current coaching group feels his presence would be a distraction. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains the ongoing issue further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The death of Christchurch woman Mellory Manning is one of two cold cases police are keen to crack, looking to a new DNA tool. Police confirm they're trialling Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy testing, which compares DNA of unidentified suspects with genetic profiles on genealogy websites. Mellory's brother Rob Manning says this technology is a positive step forward for everyone in society. He says this technology has done well overseas, where it famously helped catch the 'Golden State Killer' after 40 years. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pope Francis has suggested he would be open to having the Catholic Church bless same-sex couples on a 'case-by-case' basis. This was in response to a number of requests sent to the Pope ahead of a global gathering about the Church's future. When asked to clarify, the Pope stated any request for a blessing should be treated with 'pastoral charity'. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says there's debate as to whether this stance is progressive, as the Pope said same-sex relationships were 'objectively sinful'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Curia pollster David Farrar and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Deputy National leader Nicola Willis has criticised former National minister Paula Bennett for posting a public photo with ACT's Brooke van Velden. Is this an endorsement, or are we overthinking this? Nanaia Mahuta is facing a threat from Maori Party candidate Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke - do you reckon it's possible Mahuta gets kicked out by a 20-year old? Richard Prebble made a case for Jacinda Ardern getting involved in Labour's campaign to give it an extra boost- is this a good idea? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

House prices are in recovery mode after a 18-month slump, according to new data. The Reserve Bank's today held the Official Cash Rate at 5.5 percent- with the next review of monetary policy late November. Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan says increased interest rates are still a concern for prospective buyers, but an uptick in migration has added to demand. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Little surprise the Official Cash Rate remains unchanged- for the time being. The Reserve Bank has today held the OCR at 5.5 percent, claiming interest rates are constraining economic activity as required. Milford Asset Management's Katlyn Parker says there's a lot of uncertainty around this point in the election campaign, and the RBNZ will be waiting for a change. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Goldman Sachs analysts have warned National's proposed tax cuts could risk worsening existing economic pressures. Andrew Boak and William Nixon believe National's plan could exacerbate inflation, and therefore cause interest rates to remain higher for longer. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny agrees, claiming National's proposed foreign buyers tax and increased immigration fees won't offset the stimulatory impact of the cuts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grant Robertson's reflected on his Government's record on student poverty, after a confrontation at a Wellington university today. After Robertson cast his vote at Victoria University, a student initiated a testy exchange, asking about Labour's rejection of a universal student allowance. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Grant Robertson's defence was fair, as Labour removed first-year fees during their term. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest One News/ Verian poll shows NZ First still holds the balance of power. Labour is stagnant at 26 percent, National's leading with 36 percent- but ACT has dropped two points to 10 percent, meaning they'll need NZ First to reach the threshold. National finance spokesperson Nicola Willis isn't confident Winston Peters will stand by a possible National/ACT coalition. "It's been 27 years since he's gone with us, so we've said- look, that's a last resort phone call we're prepared to make, but our message is really clear. If you want a change in Government, cast your vote for National." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A popular Auckland walkway has been partially closed following a spat between some property owners and the council. The dispute is centred around a around a seaside cottage with heritage status, with the owners requesting the status be removed. The cottage used to belong to Kiwi artist and photographer Clifton Firth​. Their lawyer, Alex Witten-Hannah, says the owners want to knock the 'derelict' cottage down, but Auckland Council hasn't moved. "We need assurance from the council that they are taking all appropriate steps in a timely way to lift the heritage listing." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An internal police review paints a broken picture of New Zealand's bail system. The report shows 0.4 percent of offenders - one in 250 - are automatically flagged as high risk, while low risk offenders are needlessly targeted, because police IT systems aren't fit for purpose. Police Deputy Commissioner Naila Hassan acknowledges the current bail management application system isn't fit for purpose by today's standards. "The IT system first came in about 10 years ago, and we know technology turns back a long time ago. So the bail management application isn't fit for purpose today in order to prioritise offenders on bail." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suggestions the wheels are falling off the economy faster than expected. The Reserve Bank today held the Official Cash Rate at 5.5 percent, with the next review of monetary policy happening in late November. There's no saying whether the OCR will rise again, but the central bank is signalling it doesn't expect it to drop until early 2025. But BNZ's head of research, Stephen Toplis, says he predicts unemployment will rise above five percent next year. "You'll see inflation out of the system, you'll see wage growth markedly lower than where it is- and the economy is still bouncing along the bottom." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin McCarthy has become the first US House Speaker ousted from the role. Representatives have voted 216 to 210 to remove him- after Republican ire over McCarthy compromising with Democrats on a stopgap deal to avoid a Government shutdown. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says it's unclear who will replace McCarthy in the role, as the Republicans haven't lined anyone else up. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks have their eye fixed on the quarterfinals ahead of Friday's match. All Blacks coach Ian Foster has made nine starting changes for the team's final World Cup pool match against Uruguay. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave recaps the choices made ahead of this week's key match. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The retail sector wants changes to the justice system, after a concerning report. The latest Retail NZ report shows the sector has suffered just under $2.6 billion in losses from crime in the year to June. It also found 92 percent of retailers have suffered a crime in the past year. Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young says more businesses are expecting to incorporate AI facial recognition to identify offenders, with Foodstuffs running a trial next month. "Technology is going to be a tool that's part of the next wave of protection businesses are going to look to combat crime. Some businesses are undertaking use of number plate recognition and using that to solve crime." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's some good news, we've finally got some new rules around forestry slash that might actually make a difference to places like Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay, which have been absolutely pounded by logs in Cyclone Gabrielle. The rules are kicking in very soon- just 4 weeks’ time. And they will require forestry owners to remove their slash if it’s over a certain size, and it’s not particularly large. Anything with a diameter of more than 10 centimetres and a length of more than 2 meters has gotta go. It can't be left behind to wash down and smash up bridges and houses. Removing it will be expensive though; there is no doubt about that. It will be so expensive that it will make it too expensive to plant some of that steep land. Which is great, it’s what we want, because that land shouldn’t be planted in pine anyway. I cry absolutely no tears for the forestry owners who are whingeing about this today, because they have not done their bit for their communities. You take a look at that photo of Waikare beach halfway between Napier and Wairoa which popped up a couple of days ago. That beach is covered in logs. None of the forestry guys have cleaned it up, it’s been that way since February 14. The logs destroyed the DoC campsite, and none of the forestry guys have cleaned it up. These guys have made huge bucks off New Zealand- and broken our stuff as they made their money. Now, I'm not naïve. I know that these rules will probably create as many problems as they solve. But we needed to start somewhere. And here’s another bonus, just the threat of these rules has already stopped the sale of land for forestry. How good is that? It’s shocked that industry so badly that the sales have come to a shuddering halt. Which is good, because fewer pines means less slash for us to clean up. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Speculation claims UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak may axe part of the High Speed 2 rail project. Sunak is set to deliver a speech as part of the Conservative Party conference, and a rumour that he'll scrap the Manchester leg of the rail link. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the project costs have ballooned to $200 billion, and Sunak will be feeling the pressure to cut costs. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Neale Jones from Capital and Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Chris Luxon says he'll be active in Christchurch next Tuesday, but there's no room in his itinerary for a rescheduled Press debate. The event due to happen tonight was called off after Chris Hipkins got Covid. Is this cowardice on Luxon's part- or a clever strategy from National? Sanitarium says it will reinstate supplies of Weet-Bix to The Warehouse after last week's controversy. Did they make this choice because of the mass backlash? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has kept the OCR on hold for the fourth month in a row. The decision to keep the cash rate at 4.1 percent is the first one made by the RBA's new governor, Michele Bullock. However, Bullock warned that Australia isn't out of the woods yet when it comes to inflation, and warned of future hikes to come. HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham thinks the RBA could hike interest rates as soon as next month, depending on the next CPI outlook. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another key GDT auction is set to take place tonight, and experts have an optimistic outlook. This auction is off the back of two positive lifts in September, with a 2.7 percent and 4.6 percent increase improving moods within the sector. The Country's Jamie Mackay says he consulted rural economists from Westpac, Jarden and Rabobank- and they're feeling positive about tonight's predicted results. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Until Monday, no-one knew the name of the reclusive Pennsylvanian millionaire regularly visiting Hawke's Bay. Sean Colgan found himself in the spotlight after it was revealed he'd been lending his private plane to ACT's David Seymour. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie's been digging into his background- and earlier investments during the Covid-19 pandemic. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon says he'll be in Christchurch next Tuesday - but still has no time for the Press debate. Hipkins is unable to make the Press leaders debate, which was due to be held tonight, as he's tested positive for Covid-19. Luxon has been accused of chickening out of the debate by Labour. ZB political editor Jason Walls accuses Labour of being 'churlish', allowing Luxon to take the high road. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Wellington City Councillor believes the Council will have to borrow money to fund the quake-prone Town Hall. It faces yet another cost increase, which would add between $70 million to $147 million to the $182 million budget. Council will vote on approving the budget in a matter of weeks. Councillor Ray Chung says it's annoying council's continuing with business as usual. "We're going to have a real shortfall. It could be $1 billion dollars- the valuations of all our assets have gone up, but we haven't got the money to pay for the insurance for it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An alternative theory about the mysterious origins of the white powder on the Ranfurly Shield has been proposed. The iconic log o' wood was split in two after the Hawke's Bay Magpies dropped the Shield at an after-party celebrating Saturday's win. Ranfurly Shield restorer James Dwan says the white powder seen in photos is likely plaster from earlier repairs of the famous taonga. "I put some plaster into the centre part of the shield a couple of years ago to try and reinforce it, because it's a pretty weak area in the metal work itself. I've got a funny feeling that's what's happened. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A booking system is being set up for the Tongariro Crossing. The Department of Conservation says it's a plan to manage visitor numbers- it'll be free to book and not compulsory. Tour company Adrift Tongariro co-owner Stewart Barclay says it's a trial for now. "And it will be compulsory in a wee while, maybe next summer. It's a bit of a dry run test, really." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A political commentator says he doubts an incorrect email sent by the Council of Trade Unions was a genuine mistake. The CTU's email sent on Sunday night incorrectly claimed National would remove policies like 10 days sick leave and the Winter Energy Payment. It has now clarified it meant to say they are things National has opposed in the past.Commentator Peter Dunne says the CTU economist previously gave advice to Grant Robertson. He says they'd know what was supported by whom. "And I think the fact that they can get so much of it so wrong suggests that he's either not done his job, or more likely, it was a deliberate attempt to deceive." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weet-Bix will soon be back in trolleys at the Warehouse. Sanitarium has reversed a decision announced last week to withhold supply - although still stocking supermarkets. The Warehouse's $6 charge for Weet-Bix is lower than other outlets. Chief Product Officer Tania Benyon says despite Sanitarium's change of heart, they still want the issue looked into. "What led Sanitarium to this decision, and just to make sure that the new grocery commissioner and the Commerce Commission are able to ensure that there is fairness." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian homeowners can breathe a sigh of relief - with interest rates on hold for the 4th month in a row. The Reserve Bank Governor has today handed down a decision to keep the Official Cash Rate at 4.1 percent. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the Reserve Bank will be looking to bring inflation down, but stubbornly high fuel prices threaten to disrupt the downswing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The mystery surrounding the damage to the Ranfurly Shield has compounded. The Shield's craftsman has cast doubt over Hawke's Bay's explanation that the rugby taonga split in two when dropped on a concrete floor. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave shares his theory here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data paints a 'dire' picture of our children's academic abilities, sparking concern from experts. Results from the 2023 NCEA Literacy and Numeracy assessments show that 2 out of 3 Year 10 students passed the reading component and only half passed writing and numeracy. The writing results are a step up from last year's pilot, but reading and mathematics skills are down. Secondary Principals' Association President Vaughan Couillault says these results are worrying, but primary schools haven't equipped students with the foundational skills needed. "That's not to portion blame to our primary colleagues, but the prep work hasn't been done. And then you throw over the last 2-3 years of disruption- we're weighing and measuring students who were very disadvantaged." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Chris Luxon chickening out of the press debate tonight? Of course he is chickening out. Sure, his campaign diary will be full and it’ll be a pain in the butt to rearrange things to fit in an afternoon and evening in Christchurch, because it is a several hours long operation to get ready for a debate and then do the debate. But if he really wanted to do it, he would. He just doesn’t. Fair enough- he's leading in the polls, and there’s no reason to do that debate because Luxon's not great in long debates and interviews. I mean he holds his own, but he gets tripped up on detail. The TV3 Paddy Gower debate- he got himself tied up in knots over whether kids who take MDMA at festivals are criminals or not. The 2 hour long interview with Mike Hosking yesterday- he said it was up to the Police Minister to fire the Police Commissioner. But actually it’s not, it's up to the Prime Minister… which would be him. Those don’t matter too much because they’re not big missteps- yet. So doing the debate would just help Chippy. And remember, it was that TV3 debate where Chippy came out firing that actually breathed life into his campaign again. Chippy wants it badly, because he needs the audience. Luxon doesn’t. So yeah, Luxon’s chickening out. But he’s also making what is - for him - a smart strategic decision. And the best of all is that we don’t have to sit through another debate in this boring campaign. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NHS bosses are warning are warning patients to expect extreme disruption in hospitals ahead of a planned walkout. Junior doctors and consultants have staged a three-day joint walkout in England amid ongoing disputes over pay. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says one million appointments have had to be put on hold or rescheduled as a result of these strikes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week's Mood of the Boardroom survey ranked National's Chris Luxon over his Labour counterpart. The survey compiled responses from more than 100 chief executives and leaders- with Luxon scoring 3.24 out of 5 compared to Hipkins' 2.95. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan says voters are still sceptical of National's tax package, with experts criticising the party's priorities. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cash-strapped GPs are being forced to fund an important medical tool out of pocket. The Point of Care Ultrasound (Pocus), a handheld device widely used by general practitioners overseas, is not publicly funded by Te Whatu Ora. Pinnacle Health Clinical Director Jo Scott-Jones says the tool allows doctors to get a physical view into a patient's body in order to detect conditions. "With a stethoscope, you can hear the heart murmur. With the Pocus device, you can see what's causing the heart murmur and you can determine whether it's something significant or not- you can see a lot of detail." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's bushfire season has kicked off, with extreme fire danger warnings and total fire bans across the Tasman. Firefighters battled 85 active fires in New South Wales alone last night, with 39 still not being contained. Victoria is also being hit with soaring temperatures and strong winds, and authorities have told residents of Briagolong, Culloden, Moornapa, Stockdale and surrounding areas to evacuate. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says several communities are on alert and the next 24 hours will be difficult for firefighters. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour may need to change gear for the next week of election campaigning. Party leader and incumbent Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has Covid and will isolate for five days, or until he tests negative. Finance Spokesperson Grant Robertson says these circumstances aren't ideal, but Labour has a big team of candidates and volunteers raising support on the campaign trail. "There's not a lot we can do about it now, it is what it is. Chris is going to be doing some virtual campaigning, some phone calling, he's going to be continuing to do what he can over the next few days." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yet another thread to the situation surrounding Hawke's Bay Rugby and the Ranfurly Shield. Following the after-party celebrating the Magpies' win, images surfaced of a broken Shield with white powder on it- and a player was charged for drink-driving. Sportstalk's Jason Pine recaps a tumultuous weekend in the history of Hawke's Bay rugby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police are breath testing people at levels not seen for a decade. They've done 2.6 million tests in the past year, more than a million up on the previous 12 months. The police target is 3 million per year. AA road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen says numbers have been low since before the pandemic. "The AA, for a number of years has been beating the drum and saying 'we've got to get these numbers back up'- because this is one of the key tools to catching drunk drivers and deterring drunk drivers, meaning we see less people lose their lives." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cabinet's approved another Crown loan to keep Mount Ruapehu's skifields operational. The $7 million Crown funding includes a $4.3 million loan to the under-liquidation RAL. The rest goes into an in-principle agreement of support to the preferred bidder, subject to being granted a concession. Pure Turoa has been trying to take over skifield operations in a joint bid with Whakapapa Holdings. PwC Liquidator John Fisk says this support will get them to March next year. "And that will hopefully give us time, once a new Government has formed, to have further discussions about getting through to the start of the 2024 season- and hopefully to finding a more permanent solution." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Hawke's Bay rugby player has been charged by the police after Saturday night's Shield celebration. An image has surfaced on social media of white powder on the broken Ranfurly Shield, which Hawke's Bay Rugby say was accidentally dropped on a concrete floor. TVNZ rugby commentator Scotty Stevenson says it's obvious that the Hawke's Bay players and associates have no respect for the history of the game. "What we're left with is a picture of carnage and contempt, as people are taking videos laughing about it. And by the looks of it, possibly much worse." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National has disclosed allegations of violence and intimidation threatening to disrupt their election campaign. Allegations claim a gang threat has forced a candidate to move house, a volunteer's faced death threats, and another's been the victim of a dog attack. Labour's Angela Roberts has reported being slapped at a debate, and Te Pati Maori's Hana Maipi-Clarke says she's had a politically-motivated home invasion. National Campaign Chair Chris Bishop says the gangs are campaigning for a third Labour term and aim to keep National out of Government. "The behaviour our candidates have experienced on the campaign trail has been disgraceful. There's been death threats, there's been people having to move house, one of our candidates has had a Head Hunters member threaten them when they're out at dinner." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every Monday until the election, The Front Bench will take on the biggest talking points of the election campaign. Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper, former Business NZ CEO Phil O’Reilly and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills have the insight word and analysis. This week, the The Spinoff’s Editor-at-Large Toby Manhire steps in for Barry Soper. Our expert panel discusses the call that this election campaign is being marred by violence and attacks across the political spectrum. They also chat about Chris Hipkins’ Covid diagnosis and the implications that will have on the final fortnight of campaigning. The experts dissect that interview with Winston Peters – and if that means National should re-think its stance to work with NZ First. Heather asks the panel whether the rise in early voting will continue – and what that might mean for the result on October 14th. Plus, they take a deep dive into the latest policy announcements – including the Greens’ universal student allowance and Labour’s supermarket pledge. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 16-year-old boy was arrested Thursday in northern England in connection with what authorities described as the “deliberate” felling of a famous tree that had stood for nearly 200 years next to the Roman landmark Hadrian's Wall. Thousands of visitors each year walk along Hadrian's Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that guarded the Roman Empire's northwestern frontier. Many have paused to admire and photograph the tree at Sycamore Gap, a beloved icon of the landscape that was made famous when it appeared in Kevin Costner’s 1991 film “Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.” Photographs from the scene on early Thursday showed that the tree was cut down near the base of its trunk, with the rest of it lying on its side. Northumbria Police said the teen was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage. He was in police custody and assisting officers with their inquiries, the force said. “The tree is a world-renowned landmark and the vandalism has caused understandable shock and anger throughout the local community and beyond,” police said in a statement. “This is an incredibly sad day," police superintendent Kevin Waring said. “The tree was iconic to the North East and enjoyed by so many who live in or who have visited this region.” The Northumberland National Park authority asked the public not to visit the felled tree, which was voted English Tree of the Year in 2016. Alison Hawkins, who was walking on the Hadrian's Wall path, was one of the first people who saw the damage early Thursday. “It was a proper shock. It’s basically the iconic picture that everyone wants to see," she said. “You can forgive nature doing it but you can’t forgive that."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trading in shares of heavily indebted Chinese property developer China Evergrande Group was suspended in Hong Kong on Thursday, according to a notice on the Hong Kong stock exchange. China Evergrande said in a notice on Thursday night that authorities had informed the firm that its chairman, Hui Ka Yan, had been subjected to “mandatory measures in accordance with the law due to suspicion of illegal crimes" and said that trading in the firm's shares was suspended until further notice. The company didn't elaborate on the crimes that Hui was suspected of. Evergrande is the world’s most heavily indebted real estate developer and is at the center of a property market crisis that is dragging on China’s economic growth. The group is undergoing a restructuring plan, including offloading assets, to avoid defaulting on $340 billion in debt. Shares of Evergrande closed at 32 Hong Kong cents on Wednesday. The company had resumed trading on Aug. 28 after a 17-month hiatus. Trading in two other units, China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group and Evergrande Property Services Group, was also halted Thursday. Last week, Evergrande said in a filing that it had to delay a proposed debt restructuring meeting with creditors as “sales of the group have not been as expected by the company.” On Friday, China’s national financial regulator announced it had approved the takeover of the group’s life insurance arm by a new state-owned entity. Earlier in September, police in Shenzhen, a southern Chinese city, said they had detained some staff at China Evergrande Group’s wealth management unit. Evergrande ran short of cash after Beijing tightened controls in 2020 on corporate debt that the ruling Communist Party worries is dangerously high. Evergrande said it had more assets than debt but had trouble turning slow-selling real estate into cash to repay creditors. A series of debt defaults in China’s sprawling property sector since 2021 has left behind half-finished apartment buildings and disgruntled homebuyers. Observers fear the real estate crisis may further slow the world’s second-largest economy and spill over globally. In August, Evergrande applied for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection filing in New York, which allows a U.S. court to halt litigation and other collection efforts in the U.S. in cross-border insolvency cases. - by Zen Soo, APSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.