Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

11 new faces feature in the Moana Pasifika squad for the next Super Rugby Pacific season. They include English lock Tom Savage, who has earned 179 caps for Premiership team Gloucester. Former All Blacks wing Julian Savea has joined from the Hurricanes, while flanker Sione Havili Talitui comes in from the Crusaders. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave recaps today's picks. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Actors are likely to get back in front of the cameras as early as tomorrow, with the SAG-AFTRA actors' union reaching a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios. The 118-day strike was sparked by demands for increased minimum salaries, a share of streaming service revenue and protection from being replaced by digital replicas generated by AI. KTLA entertainment correspondent Sam Rubin says Hollywood's been dormant, now it'll roar back into action. "The actors are going to get back to work literally as soon as tomorrow. On the promotion side, I think production of film and television will resume as soon as next week." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles III delivered the British government's agenda for the first time on the throne. The monarch laid out the Government's plans to tackle crime, boost growth and reduce Britain's climate change targets. UK correspondent Gail Downey says law and order is the primary focus of the current Government over the next 12 months. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke partners joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The Electoral Commission is under pressure to recheck the voting results after the Herald uncovered wrong vote counts at three polling booths. Is this going to lead to a crisis in confidence in future election results? New Zealand's Jewish community is reporting escalating threats and abuse against them. Do politicians have a responsibility to watch their rhetoric in fear of inflaming the situation? Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger is the latest to oppose ACT's proposed referendum on the Treaty. Does there need to be a debate about the Treaty- or is the threat of civil unrest too strong? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economists are wracking their brains over how negotiations are set to shape the incoming Government's economic polices. ANZ's latest economic outlook examined the fiscal outlook for the incoming National-led Government, and noted that the addition of ACT and NZ First could lead to more significant changes. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen says National will face potential roadblocks in introducing tax cuts and a foreign buyers tax, as those have divided all three parties. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sky TV has terminated discussions about a potential takeover with an unnamed third party. Last month, the company reportedly received an expression of interest from a prospective bidder hoping to buy the company out. Earlier today, Sky revealed they had received a non-binding offer from the third party that didn't meet their expectations. Milford Asset Management's Sam Trethewey explains why Sky rejected this proposed buyout. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lobbying efforts are already underway to prevent the incoming Government from implementing a new tax on commercial and industrial building owners. National campaigned on removing the ability of commercial and industrial building owners to deduct depreciation as an expense when paying tax. This extra tax would bring in an extra $2 billion over four years and help cover National's proposed tax cuts. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says this is one of the easiest methods National can use to generate extra tax revenue, as less voters are affected by it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First and ACT have made their first contact in coalition negotiations since the election wrapped up. ACT’s chief of staff Andrew Ketels and NZ First’s Darroch Ball met in Wellington today to establish 'lines of communication'. As of yet, Winston Peters has not responded to David Seymour's invitation for a conversation. NZ Herald deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan says there's still tension between Seymour and Peters, meaning other party members will have to clear the way. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US is experiencing a shortage of essential over-the-counter drugs and prescription medications. A dwindling supply of ADHD, cancer and diabetes medication is disrupting hospitals and pharmacies- and creating widespread concern. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says even animals are being impacted by this shortage, as medications for pets has also gotten harder to find. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Rugby is set to implement smart mouthguard technology to detect head injuries suffered on the field. From January 1, these mouthguards will be mandated into all professional rugby competitions. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains the implications of this technology, and whether players will benefit or suffer from this practice. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some University of Auckland managers were uncomfortable with Dr Siouxsie Wiles’ 'celebrity' status during Covid-19 and gave her the nickname 'Brand Siouxsie', a court heard today. Wiles is taking on the university in Employment Court, on the grounds that they should have done more to protect her from threats directed at her during the pandemic. NZ Herald reporter Isaac Davison says the university's dean of Medical and Health Sciences had voiced concern about Dr Wiles' prominence. "He had raised concerns about the nature of that and whether some of her commentary would bring the university into disrepute." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 19-year-old Waitaki candidate has spoken out about the abuse he faced on the campaign trail. Ethan Reille says he went through a 'daunting' experience in his first campaign- he was subject to verbal and digital abuse and threats, and was spat at a rural A&P event. He says young candidates shouldn't have to experience that kind of abuse in politics. "We've seen it progressively get worse as more young people enter the political space. At the same time, as a Pakeha male, I don't share the brunt of what our female, Indigenous and Pasifika candidates face." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A healthy lunch seems to be hard to find at school canteens. Researchers reviewed food in more than 120 primary school tuck shops- assigning green, amber, or red ratings based on how healthy it was. Only 19 percent scored green. Massey University's Carol Wham says she's not surprised to see most items don't meet Ministry of Health guidelines. "They really want at least 75 percent percent of food offerings to be in the green, which is the healthy group items without fat and sugar and salt- not highly processed." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A spokesperson for New Zealand's Jewish community says antisemitism is rising. The fence of an Auckland Jewish community centre was graffitied overnight, with the words 'Free Gaza, save the kids' and 'Ceasefire'. It was then set on fire. Jewish Council spokesperson Juliet Moses says it's hard to quantify, but threats are increasing. "There's a lot of online abuse, there's in-person death threats, there's a lot of bad stuff happening at schools, where children have been quite seriously bullied." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An electoral law expert says a vote counting error could have been easily avoided. The Electoral Commission is conducting a full check, after results from three polling booths were recorded incorrectly. The data entry slip-up saw the Leighton Baker Party and the New Conservatives score votes meant for National. Barrister Graeme Edgeler says it should have triggered alerts when National got no votes at one booth. "You should have two independent people both inputting the data, and then the computer checks if they're the same. I would have assumed they did that, and the fact that this wasn't caught suggested they don't." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Wellington chef says it hurts to see high profile local restaurants closing. In the past fortnight, Field and Green and Shepherd have announced they'll be shutting at the end of the year. Logan Brown chef Shaun Clousten says hospitality is the heart and soul of the city. He says times are tough and he doesn't think the problem is too many restaurants. "We know there's a lot of restaurants, and I can tell you right now that you really don't want to be putting a cap on things and saying- no, you can't do that because somebody else is already doing that." He says restaurants are likely to need to up their prices. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm not about to tell Chlöe Swarbrick that she shouldn't have used that phrase. Right-minded people don't make a habit of policing what people say, I don't think it crosses the line at all or incites people into violence, so it's not going to break the law and she can technically say it if she want to. But she might want to really consider whether she wants to be saying that phrase. Chlöe, as a New Zealand-based politician, is probably not going to change what's happening in Israel. So heading off to the domain in Auckland and chanting that phrase is probably not going to affect what's happening in the Middle East. But it does have the power to affect what's happening here in New Zealand. We have got both Palestinian and Jewish communities in the region who are hurting, and many members of those communities will be quite angry about the situation at the moment. You don't have to look far to see evidence of that. The graffiti on the fence on the synagogue in Epsom that popped up in the news today? That's some evidence. The anger at the pro-Palestinian rally on Saturday? That's obvious evidence. The apparent boycotting of Jewish businesses in New Zealand? That's evidence. You've got the level of vitriol on social media, which is genuinely surprising to some people when they weigh in on the subject and see what comes back at them. People are clearly feeling strongly about this, and what they don't need is a political leader in this country with a high profile jumping on stage and whipping up that anger or that fear. That's exactly what Chlöe did by using that phrase. She might argue she didn't whip up any anger and we can't argue against her because we can't measure it- but I can tell you for certain that she whipped up fear. The Jewish community, who heard what she said, had members saying that it made them feel scared. That is objectively the opposite of calming things down- which is what Chlöe should be using her position for. Chlöe doesn't need to apologise if she doesn't want to, doesn't have to back down if she doesn't want to, she can defend the phrase and she can keep saying it- but if she cared about the New Zealand Jewish and Palestinian communities, she shouldn't say it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Harry and Meghan were the subject of another royal family controversy, over claims they snubbed King Charles. The monarch is celebrating his 75th birthday next week, and reports claimed Harry - and possibly Meghan - rejected his invitation. The pair have since responded, claiming they had never received an invitation to the event. UK correspondent Enda Brady says it's unlikely Harry would have forgotten this event, and it's likely he was left off the list altogether. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Ali Jones from Red PR and Kiwiblog contributor and Curia pollster David Farrar joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Chris Hipkins will remain leader of the Labour party after securing a vote of confidence from his caucus. Hipkins intends to run again in 2026- and capital gains and wealth taxes are back on the table again. Could these polices help Labour in the future? Is Chris Hipkins the future of the Labour party? NZ Rugby has released a study into concussion among community rugby players, showing the impact on 94 percent of players is lower than on people jumping on trampolines. Does this make you keen to have your kids play rugby? The Melbourne Cup has updated their dress code to allow men to wear shorts- what do we think of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Prime Minister John Key is taking Zespri's kiwifruit fight straight to top Chinese politicians. Zespri filed a civil case in China's Intellectual Property Court in August, against parties it claims are growing unlicensed golden kiwifruit. Key has since spoken with China's foreign affairs minister Wang Yi on a business trip to Beijing to ensure Kiwi farmers have confidence their intellectual property is protected. The Country's Jamie Mackay says China's unlicensed growth is a threat to Zespri's sales, as 25 percent of their total sales come from the region. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time is running out for National's proposed pre-Christmas mini-budget. Prime Minister-elect Chris Luxon and his new Finance Minister Nicola Willis promised to create a scaled-down budget by the end of 2023 back in September. ANZ's latest economic outlook has cast doubt on whether the incoming Government can deliver on this promise. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie explains the roadblocks National will need to take into account while crafting a mini-budget in this timeframe. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Foodstuffs is set to apply to the Commerce Commission to merge its North Island and South Island co-operatives into one national business. The company is half of New Zealand’s supermarket duopoly - and expected to spark big debate on competition issues. Foodstuffs North Island CEO Chris Quin says this merger is part of a strategy focused on creating better value to customers. "Like any business, we have to look harder at our cost base- and also where our energy and efforts are going." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research on concussions has shed light on how rugby head collisions affect community players. The collaborative study includes research by Otago University and data from local and international rugby governing bodies. It used smart mouthguard technology - obligatory in training and elite matches from next year. Research scientist Janelle Romanchuk says it measured 17,000 incidents across 300 players. "86 percent of that data would be relative to what you might experience jumping on a trampoline or what you might experience on a roller coaster." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chlöe Swarbrick says it's abhorrent to suggest she supports the destruction of Israel. The Green MP is under fire for chanting 'from the river to the sea' at a pro-Palestine rally on the weekend. The phrase has been used since the 1960s to advocate for freeing Palestine from Israel's occupation. The Jewish Council says it's anti-Semitic. Swarbrick says she decries anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and violence in all forms. "The pathway forward for ongoing peace means justice. That means an immediate ceasefire, a return of hostages on all side and a recognition of humanity and shared rights of Palestinians." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Labour Minister says the Party's Caucus has made the right move in re-selecting Chris Hipkins as its leader this morning. Hipkins says he plans to stay on as leader until the next election. Former Cabinet Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says Hipkins is the right choice, for now. "Labour needs to spend the time taking stock of the election results- and how they got there." Lees-Galloway says Hipkins has 18 months to prove he's the right man, or someone else will need to step up. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins has survived as Labour leader, after securing the confidence of his Caucus in a vote this morning. Carmel Sepuloni was unanimously voted in as Labour Deputy - taking the place of Kelvin Davis, who stepped down. Hipkins also confirmed he plans to run for Prime Minister in 2026, and all previously canned policies are back on the table including capital gains and wealth taxes. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Labour would be better off re-evaluating several key policies, but they should consider leaving wealth taxes alone. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's Reserve Bank is taking a crack at inflation - lifting the country's cash rate for the first time since June. It's up 25 basis points to 4.35 percent. Correspondent Murray Olds says inflation was cooling at 5.4 percent- but spiked in the September quarter. "That's because rents are rising very quickly on the back of high immigration numbers, we've got petrol spiking because of international conflict." New Zealand's Reserve Bank is set to review the OCR on November 29, which is currently on hold at 5.5 percent. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Blacks captain Sam Cane has been suspended for two matches following his high tackle at the Rugby World Cup. The All Blacks captain was the first to be red-carded in World Cup final history, after his shoulder-led tackle connected with Jesse Kriel's head. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what the brief ban entails here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The race that stops two nations kicks off in about half in hour. About 80,000 punters will be track side at Flemington for the Melbourne Cup, with 23 horses ready to hit the ground running. Australian correspondent Donna Demaio says the party's already started. "Post-pandemic, it really feels like the Melbourne Cup has got its buzz back." Newstalk ZB will cross live to the race when it begins. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All eyes are on the UK, as King Charles III is set to deliver the first inaugural King’s Speech in 70 years. The ruler is expected to cover the UK's legislative agenda for the next few months, in the lead-up to the general election. UK correspondent Gail Downey says the speech will address key political issues impacting the region. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former National press secretary Ben Thomas and former Labour chief of staff Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Concerned Christchurch residents have been tracking a woman with a history of poisoning neighbourhood cats and making them sick- do authorities need to intervene? Once the final vote was known, Winston Peters called for a three-way meeting between himself, Chris Luxon and David Seymour. Is this sensible? Is it a good idea for Luxon to get the two of them negotiating together? The Labour caucus is set to meet tomorrow to vote on leadership- is Chris Hipkins the obvious choice? Will his caucus want him to carry on as leader? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The next phase of establishing a new Government is set to begin, as all the final ballots have been counted. National is in talks with ACT and New Zealand First, after special votes revealed all three are needed to form a Government. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan says all three parties will need to have negotiations in person so Luxon can work around Seymour and Winston's complicated history with each other. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Albanese has become the first Australian Prime Minister to visit China in seven years- touching down in Shanghai yesterday. He's trying to improve relations with the country's biggest trade partner. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says Albanese is expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to repair the damage left by Scott Morrison. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black Cap run machine Rachin Ravindra may be the breakout star of the Cricket World Cup but he's keeping his feet firmly on the ground. The 23-year-old is third on the tournament run-scoring list, totalling 523 runs at the stunning average of 74.71. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains Ravindra's success and popularity further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Westpac's CEO has identified a range of reasons for its fall in profits. The bank had a $963 million net profit for the year to September, down seven percent from 2022. Catherine McGrath says Westpac has been investing heavily in key parts of the business to improve the customer experience. "We've been investing in the foundation of the bank, so we've been introducing new tools. For example, we're the first bank in New Zealand to bring in an extra layer of security for our customers to protect them from fraud and scams." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister-in-waiting is letting nothing slip on coalition negotiations. National is in talks with ACT and New Zealand First, after special votes revealed all three are needed to form a Government. A former New Zealand First MP, Andrew Williams, told Mike Hosking this morning leader Winston Peters would want to be Treasurer. But Nicola Willis wouldn't be drawn on it. "One of the things that's been really great about this process, and I think you've seen it from David Seymour, from Chris Luxon, from Winston Peters- is our respectful desire not to negotiate via the media." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerned Christchurch residents have been monitoring a woman with a reported history of harming local cats. A 400-strong Facebook community dubbed this woman the 'harmful cat feeder' and claim she's feeding their pets questionable food and making them sick- or worse. One resident, Kate Russell, says this woman has been creating problems for years, but her behaviour has intensified over the last 18 months. "She has been told again and again, to the extent that people have put signs up on their property asking her not to feed, which she rips down. Local businesses and local medical centres have signs in their windows- she has no permission at all from anyone." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She's dressed royals, A-list stars and even Prime Ministers- and now Emilia Wickstead's designs will be part of Air New Zealand's uniform refresh. The London-based Kiwi designer is set to craft new looks for the airline's 5,000-strong cabin and ground crew. They will be revealed late next year for a wearer trial, before taking to the skies in 2025. Wickstead expressed excitement with this creative opportunity and looks forward to bringing her designs back to her home country. "Essentially, it's like a full circle, when I was a little girl, I had a dream and took it away and built a business abroad- and now I've come full circle and I'm so proud to be doing this." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon has shot down ACT's wish for a Treaty referendum, but there's suggestions there could be a consolation prize. The Prime Minister-elect says it would be divisive and unhelpful. He's in negotiations with ACT and New Zealand First, who need to combine to govern. Former National Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson says there is a case for looking at the Treaty of Waitangi Act. "The tribunal's coming up to 50 years old- so what's the role of the tribunal in the future once it's dealt with historical grievances?" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A report has suggested the average Auckland house deposit could reach $1 million by 2045. The report was shared exclusively with One News. Enable.Me financial adviser Katie Wesney says it's not an inconceivable amount. "A million dollar deposit in 22 years, that's a 6.5 percent rate. And in all reality in the last 10 years, Auckland house prices have risen by 7.8 percent." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour MPs are not expected to oppose Chris Hipkins staying as party leader when they meet tomorrow. It'll be the first catch up since Friday's full election result revealed who will stay and go. They'll discuss the campaign and the political road map for the next three years- and they'll also vote on Labour's leadership. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Hipkins is expected to win handsomely. "I've been hitting the phone and speaking to MPs- and the sense that I'm getting is that Chris Hipkins is going to be safe." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

High-profile scientist Siouxsie Wiles left a courtroom in tears after recounting a threat made against her on Christmas Eve. She's taking legal action against her employer, the University of Auckland, saying it didn't seriously respond to those threats until more than two years after Wiles first complained. Herald reporter Isaac Davison says Wiles and colleagues with complaints of harassment counted about 60 emails and 7 meetings before they felt the university was responding. He says the university initially got external security advice- and her complaint was much of it was reactive. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once again, thanks to MMP, we're back in a state of suspension and waiting for the conclusion of coalition talks. Which for all the parties' claims- are barely progressing. And I think it's important for our collective sanity that we concentrate on what we know, rather than all the ifs, buts, maybes and reckons which we might imagine to be the case. What is it that we actually know? We know that National and ACT and NZ First are willing to form a coalition, and that's pretty much it so far. The big thing we need to do now is to get the three to meet. Now what we know about that was revealed in Winston Peters' only interview thus far, with Sean Plunket- which was held on Friday. And he said two things- he said that all three parties should meet together at the same time. Not National-ACT, then National-NZ First, then ACT-NZ First. All three, at the same time, in the same room. We can also presume that based on his telephone tag with David Seymour this weekend, he would like all of that to happen face to face. No-one on the phones, no-one on the conference call- all three walk into the room at the same time. His other thing that he said in the interview was that the nuts and bolts of the coalition deal should be negotiated by chiefs of staff, and not by the leaders. Now, those two ideas came out first thing on Friday. I mentioned this to Chris Bishop. And I actually think they're good ideas. I think the leaders should be seen entering the same room, just to show that they're seriously considering a strong, stable, united Government. At the moment, I don't even know if they're in the same city. And this is all so important that a phone call really isn't enough to nail it. The other thing I feel is that NZ First is afraid of being thought of as an afterthought. Tacked on to the end of a National-ACT agreement. They feel they're just as important as the other two players. Numerically smaller, but without them- there will be no Government. Winston Peters believes he's an equal to the other two leaders. In fact, comparing his experience to the other two, he'll probably consider himself their superior. And his standing needs to acknowledge that, because we all know he has an ego. Leaving the chiefs of staff to thrash it out is a good idea too, it means the leaders don't get sucked into all these arguments about minor details and hate each other. Then at the end of the day, they all gather for a symbolic signing- it's all how international treaties are negotiated. All the chiefs of staff do it, and then the Presidents and Prime Ministers gather together to shake and wave. So far on those two ideas mentioned- first thing on Friday, there's been no movement from National. I asked Chris Bishop about party talks on Friday, he says it's too soon to discuss. All the other debates about what jobs the various MPs get in the coalition are still way down the track, which is why I didn't believe Andrew Williams' earlier claims on Mike Hosking. Now, the really important thing in this whole process is not to underestimate Winston Peters. It's not his first rodeo, he's a lawyer. And he may not have started his own business, but he started his own party. He hired all the staff, he chose all the candidates, he did all the branding, he made all the ads and got finance for the whole thing- that's a big job, and he's been the master of the rat king needed to be a political leader since he entered Parliament 45 years ago. Don't underestimate Winston Peters. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Caps are approaching the pointy end of the Cricket World Cup group stage. New Zealand is hanging on to fourth in the group stage table, ahead of fifth-placed Pakistan on run rate. Tomorrow's clash with Pakistan is one of their two remaining clashes, and need a win to all but secure a semi-final place. Black Caps batting coach Luke Ronchi joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk declared artificial intelligence “one of the most disruptive forces in history” in a sit down conversation with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that dove into the dangers and opportunities of AI on Thursday, capping off the UK’s inaugural AI Safety Summit. “AI will be a force for good most likely,” Musk said. “But the probability of it going bad is not zero percent.” The two men spoke in an interview-style chat from a stage at Lancaster House, a government venue in central London often used for diplomatic purposes, before the conversation was opened up to questions from journalists. The conversation was then posted for streaming on Musk’s personal account on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter that he owns. Musk was present throughout the two-day event held mainly at Bletchley Park, the headquarters for the Allied Forces codebreaking program during World War II, along with US Vice President Kamala Harris, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and other notable politicians and global tech leaders. Chinese officials were also present at the event. “I’m glad to see at this point that people are taking AI seriously,” Musk said to Sunak on Thursday. “Thanks for this summit. I think it will go down in history as quite important.” Musk unpacked several predictions for AI, including a future where no jobs would be necessary and AI companionship would be one of the highest forms of friendship. In office for just over a year, Sunak has restored some calm to British politics, but also faced challenges over his elite background, having studied at the exclusive Winchester College, Oxford and Stanford universities. Before entering politics, he worked for banks and hedge funds, including Goldman Sachs. In the first day of his AI event, more than 25 countries and the European Union signed the Bletchley Declaration, agreeing to work together to create a united approach to oversight in efforts to deploy AI technology in a “human-centric, trustworthy and responsible” way, underscoring the “potential for serious, even catastrophic, harm” that many tech leaders have expressed concern over. Musk and world leaders Musk’s conversation with Sunak is one of numerous chats with world leaders the SpaceX and Tesla CEO has joined in the past few months. It showed his growing influence in geopolitical affairs as well as various technology and industrial sectors. Musk met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in September, weeks before the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. Netanyahu met with Musk to discuss artificial intelligence and antisemitism on the Musk-owned social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, at a time Musk was warring with the Anti-Defamation League. Musk also sat down with French President Emmanuel Macron numerous times in the past year. Other big names that recently made time for Musk in their schedule include Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in June, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in September. At the event Thursday, Musk noted that if the AI powerhouses such as the United States and the UK “are aligned on AI safety, that is a good thing.” And he suggested other global powers such as China should also remain involved in discussions. He compared AI to a magic genie and noted that fairy tales with magic genies that grant wishes “don’t end well” and cause people to “be careful what you wish for.” Musk has increasingly become a fixture in international affairs, making headlines not only for his meetings with heads of state but also for the provision – or lack thereof – of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite services in war-torn regions. Starlink in war zones The billionaire received backlash this week for pledging to provide aid organizations in Gaza with Starlink satellite service as the besieged strip struggles with internet connectivity. The Israeli Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi said on X that Hamas “will use it for terrorist activities.” “Perhaps Musk would be willing to condition it with the release of our abducted babies, sons, daughters, elderly people. All of them! By then, my office will cut any ties with starlink,” Karhi posted. Musk made the announcement on X after US Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that “cutting off all communication to a population of 2.2 million is unacceptable.” “Starlink will support connectivity to internationally recognized aid organizations in Gaza,” Musk said in a post replying to Ocasio-Cortez. In Walter Isaacson’s new biography of the eccentric billionaire titled “Elon Musk,” it was revealed that Musk secretly ordered his engineers not to turn on his company’s Starlink satellite communications network near the Crimean coast last year to avoid supporting a Ukrainian sneak attack on the Russian naval fleet. “There was an emergency request from government authorities to activate Starlink all the way to Sevastopol. The obvious intent being to sink most of the Russian fleet at anchor,

President Joe Biden is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the White House said, sharing an agreement in principle has been reached on a meeting later this month in San Francisco. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed that the White House believes the best way to manage competition is through “intense diplomacy,” and said, “It’s going to be a constructive meeting. The president’s looking forward to it.” Pressed repeatedly on the meeting, Jean-Pierre said she “just confirmed it,” though a White House official later clarified that the press secretary “was speaking to the agreement in principle.” “We are planning for a constructive meeting between the leaders, but still working together to put those plans into place,” the official said Wednesday, noting that logistical details continue to be worked out. Biden is traveling to San Francisco on November 14 to host representatives from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation member economies for APEC Economic Leaders’ Week. The high-stakes meeting comes as the White House is navigating major wars in Ukraine and Israel, and amid growing competition with China as the US has worked to reestablish regular communication with Beijing following months of tension. Biden has frequently framed the battle between the world’s democracies and autocracies as a central issue of his presidency. Other key issues up for discussion include trade and the economy and human rights concerns. Biden has frequently pressed the importance of face-to-face interactions with world leaders as he seeks to foster improved relations. US officials have previously stopped short of confirming the Xi-Biden meeting, suggesting preparations were underway but noting that the Chinese government regularly confirms high-level meetings only at the last minute. Biden and Xi previously met face-to-face in November 2022 for a three-hour talk in Bali, Indonesia, at a G20 Summit, marking a step toward improving a souring –- but critical –- bilateral relationship. Since then, however, tensions have emerged over China’s spy balloon and restrictions on US investments in China. - by Betsy Klein, CNNSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The special votes are in and officially point to a National-ACT-NZ First coalition. They all ran on a similar election promise of turning the country around, including how they pledged to save the economy. But what could this all mean for businesses? Business commentator Rod Oram joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian mushroom cook Erin Patterson appeared in court today facing two charges of attempted murder and three of murder. A brief hearing was held at the Latrobe Valley magistrates court, with the case officially adjourned until May next year. Her former in-laws Gail and Don Patterson as well as Gail's sister Heather died from suspected toxic mushroom poisoning in July, and Gail's husband Ian was hospitalised. Melbourne journalist Nathan Currie joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle - Three's Patrick Gower and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The special votes are finally out, and National's two lost seats have all but confirmed they have to form a three-way coalition with ACT and Winston Peters. It's also been a horror day for Labour, after only just clinging onto Mt Albert by 20 votes, and both the Greens and Te Pāti Māori making huge grounds on their special vote speciality. And Labour deputy Kelvin Davis has announced he'll stay on as leader of Labour's Māori caucus, after losing his Te Tai Tokerau seat to Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Corrections has admitted it was alerted when New Windsor dairy stabber Mitchell Lam's ankle bracelet went offline an hour and a half before the attack. They say they didn't investigate the issue and didn't call the police because Lam had never tampered with it before. However, Corrections say Lam had also breached bail conditions five times and had been arrested on multiple occasions. Victims advocate Ruth Money joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.