Actor and Democratic donor George Clooney has urged Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race. 

All eyes have been on Biden at the NATO summit in Washington DC. 

Nancy Pelosi says time is running short for him to make a decision. 

US correspondent Katherine Firkin told Ryan Bridge Clooney has written an essay in the New York Times saying they need a new nominee. 

He says the Joe Biden he was with three weeks ago wasn't the Biden of 2010.

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Actor and Democratic donor George Clooney has urged Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race.  
All eyes have been on Biden at the NATO summit in Washington DC.  
Nancy Pelosi says time is running short for him to make a decision.  
US correspondent Katherine Firkin told Ryan Bridge Clooney has written an essay in the New York Times saying they need a new nominee.  
He says the Joe Biden he was with three weeks ago wasn't the Biden of 2010. 
LISTEN ABOVE

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Katherine Firkin: US Correspondent on George Clooney's essay urging Joe Biden to drop from the race

Is it just me or does it feel like democracy is somewhat under threat or at risk?

Just reading the international news headlines day in day out, it feels precarious.

Trump, over the weekend if you missed it, is suggesting that he will fix the next election. And I know he's probably joking, but you never really tell with Donald Trump.

"You won't have to do it anymore, four more years, you know what? It'll be fixed, it'll be fine. You won't have to vote anymore.

My beautiful Christians, I love you Christians."

So there's Trump and then you've got a barely functioning Joe Biden in the White House. Are these the shining beacons of democracy we can hold up as our poster kids.

I don't think so.

And then there's, if you look apart from the Olympics in France, the election result there has left them basically in limbo.

I mean, who is actually running the government you know, the Olympics is kind of the spectacle.

That's a sideshow, but really who's running the place and there's such an extreme spectrum from that vote that they had.

You've had Hungary's Viktor Orban at the weekend talking about nationalism. You know, he's Putin's mate.

He says there's a shift in global power underway, in a few decades or centuries he reckons Asia will be the centre of the world, the future big powers, China, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, the West has pushed Russia towards this block of countries.

The International Institute for Democracy and electoral assistance says half of the world's countries are suffering democratic decline.

They say things like flawed elections and curtailed rights of freedom and assembly and speech are reducing the power of democracy across the world and this is six consecutive years of declines, they say so I don't really know what the conclusion of all that is other than I suppose, just keep watching the Olympics and forget about it.

LISTEN ABOVE

Is it just me or does it feel like democracy is somewhat under threat or at risk? 
Just reading the international news headlines day in day out, it feels precarious. 
Trump, over the weekend if you missed it, is suggesting that he will fix the next election. And I know he's probably joking, but you never really tell with Donald Trump. 
"You won't have to do it anymore, four more years, you know what? It'll be fixed, it'll be fine. You won't have to vote anymore. 
My beautiful Christians, I love you Christians." 
So there's Trump and then you've got a barely functioning Joe Biden in the White House. Are these the shining beacons of democracy we can hold up as our poster kids. 
I don't think so. 
And then there's, if you look apart from the Olympics in France, the election result there has left them basically in limbo. 
I mean, who is actually running the government you know, the Olympics is kind of the spectacle. 
That's a sideshow, but really who's running the place and there's such an extreme spectrum from that vote that they had. 
You've had Hungary's Viktor Orban at the weekend talking about nationalism. You know, he's Putin's mate. 
He says there's a shift in global power underway, in a few decades or centuries he reckons Asia will be the centre of the world, the future big powers, China, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, the West has pushed Russia towards this block of countries. 
The International Institute for Democracy and electoral assistance says half of the world's countries are suffering democratic decline. 
They say things like flawed elections and curtailed rights of freedom and assembly and speech are reducing the power of democracy across the world and this is six consecutive years of declines, they say so I don't really know what the conclusion of all that is other than I suppose, just keep watching the Olympics and forget about it. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Ryan Bridge: Is democracy under threat?

Oranga Tamariki’s bootcamp pilot programme for serious youth offenders starts today.

The 12-month military style programme will see one-to-one mentoring with a focus on routine, physical activity and education.

Labour’s children’s spokesperson Willow Jean Prime tells Ryan Bridge the programme is experimental and is taking place despite evidence that bootcamp models do not work.

LISTEN ABOVE

Oranga Tamariki’s bootcamp pilot programme for serious youth offenders starts today. 
The 12-month military style programme will see one-to-one mentoring with a focus on routine, physical activity and education. 
Labour’s children’s spokesperson Willow Jean Prime tells Ryan Bridge the programme is experimental and is taking place despite evidence that bootcamp models do not work. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Willow Jean Prime: Labour's Children's Spokesperson on bootcamp pilot programme for serious youth offenders starting today

France’s high speed rail network is expected to be back to normal tomorrow after a co-ordinated attack on the infrastructure occurred before the Olympics Opening Ceremony. It’s estimated 800,000 have been affected.

And, the UK Government is softening taxpayers up for widespread tax rises. Ministers are set to reveal a treasury audit of public spending pressures inherited by the new government. 

Europe correspondent Gavin Grey tells Ryan Bridge there are claims of a “black hole” worth tens of billions of pounds.

LISTEN ABOVE

France’s high speed rail network is expected to be back to normal tomorrow after a co-ordinated attack on the infrastructure occurred before the Olympics Opening Ceremony. It’s estimated 800,000 have been affected. 
And, the UK Government is softening taxpayers up for widespread tax rises. Ministers are set to reveal a treasury audit of public spending pressures inherited by the new government.  
Europe correspondent Gavin Grey tells Ryan Bridge there are claims of a “black hole” worth tens of billions of pounds. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Katherine Firkin: US Correspondent on George Clooney's essay urging Joe Biden to drop from the race

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