Tensions between Italy and Russia are riding high. 

Italy has summoned the Russian ambassador in Rome after Vladimir Solovyov, a Russian television presenter, insulted Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on air. 

According to Italian media, Solovyov said Meloni was, among other things, “a disgrace to the human race” and a “certified idiot”. 

He went on to call her “fascist scum who betrayed her electors.” 

Italy Correspondent Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking it’s uncertain whether this was sparked by Meloni’s shaky relationship with US President Donald Trump, her support for Ukraine, or if it was personal for Solovyov, who apparently has a few luxury villas on Lake Como that are now subject to EU sanctions.   

LISTEN ABOVE 

Tensions between Italy and Russia are riding high.&nbsp;
Italy has summoned the Russian ambassador in Rome after Vladimir Solovyov, a Russian television presenter, insulted Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on air.&nbsp;
According to Italian media, Solovyov said Meloni was, among other things, “a disgrace to the human race” and a “certified idiot”.&nbsp;
He went on to call her “fascist scum who betrayed her electors.”&nbsp;
Italy Correspondent Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking it’s uncertain whether this was sparked by Meloni’s shaky relationship with US President Donald Trump, her support for Ukraine, or if it was personal for Solovyov, who apparently has a few luxury villas on Lake Como that are now subject to EU sanctions. &nbsp;&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

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Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Jo McKenna: Italy Correspondent on the attacks on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni by a Russian TV presenter

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f6023c57-dd60-479f-8b38-b434016682c4/transcript

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. 

 

Tax deductibility: 8/10 

Most likely the best thing Labour will do this campaign. It's either desperation or the realisation of common sense. Either way we are better off for it. 

 

India: 8/10 

Most likely the most impactful thing this Government has done in its first term. It's not just an FTA, but one with the biggest growth engine in the world. We can't lose. 

 

Supermarkets: 4/10 

It's become the obsession of the campaign. Only ACT are left as the option if you see this for what it is, which is not a thing. If you think it’s a thing, the queue for your vote is now a long one. 

 

Rugby: 4/10 

It's quite a thing to double your earnings and still not make ends meet. And given yesterday, they don’t look the lot to tackle the hard stuff. 

 

The Warriors: 6/10 

The season was awesome, the playoffs were awful. Maybe next year. 

 

LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW 

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Tax deductibility: 8/10&nbsp;
Most likely the best thing Labour will do this campaign. It's either desperation or the realisation of common sense. Either way we are better off for it.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
India: 8/10&nbsp;
Most likely the most impactful thing this Government has done in its first term. It's not just an FTA, but one with the biggest growth engine in the world. We can't lose.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Supermarkets: 4/10&nbsp;
It's become the obsession of the campaign. Only ACT are left as the option if you see this for what it is, which is not a thing. If you think it’s a thing, the queue for your vote is now a long one.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Rugby: 4/10&nbsp;
It's quite a thing to double your earnings and still not make ends meet. And given yesterday, they don’t look the lot to tackle the hard stuff.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The Warriors: 6/10&nbsp;
The season was awesome, the playoffs were awful. Maybe next year.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW&nbsp;

Mark the Week: Supermarkets have become the obsession of the campaign

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/9549bcd1-6d3b-4652-908c-b4cf017428fa/transcript

Andrew Little had a good crack at the Government over council amalgamation. 

He got interrupted by an alarm but made his point and his disappointment is well-founded. 

My major criticism of this Government is they said a lot of stuff they simply didn’t deliver on. 

Someone like Luxon would argue it's aspirational and it's better to fall short trying hard than not try at all. 

Little is rightly ropeable about council amalgamation being delayed until after the election. If the Government flips of course, it will never happen at all. 

Maybe, given the submissions made by various councils against the plan, that was what they wanted all along: stall until it's possibly too late. 

"Unleashed chaos" was a good line he used. But then it was a good policy. 

We are hopelessly over-counselled in this country and too many of them are run by a collection of knobs. They're well-meaning I'm sure, but complacency and mediocrity litter the council landscape. 

The fewer of them the better. 

Some got on with it and formed groups. Some kind of had a crack and some outright refused and you knew they were holding out until the bitter end. 

But like all top-down restructuring, it causes time, energy, and money to be spent on things that, as it turns out, might be off, which is an irony given wastage was one of the reasons the idea was being proffered in the first place. 

I like Little. He walks a fairly decent line between being a Labour wonk and a council representative, but also a guy with vast experience who plays the game and is professional with it. 

So when he says this is poor form he means it, and I believe him, and he is right. 

From 500 police that didn’t happen, to the reviews that never got to Cabinet, to the LNG deal that’s run out of time, to council amalgamation that wasted a lot of hours, this Government wasn't quite as sharp at delivery as they might have led you to believe when they showed you the tin. 

It won't switch any votes. But you would want to hope for a slicker, more well-oiled machine after November 7th. 

Andrew Little had a good crack at the Government over council amalgamation.&nbsp;
He got interrupted by an alarm but made his point and his disappointment is well-founded.&nbsp;
My major criticism of this Government is they said a lot of stuff they simply didn’t deliver on.&nbsp;
Someone like Luxon would argue it's aspirational and it's better to fall short trying hard than not try at all.&nbsp;
Little is rightly ropeable about council amalgamation being delayed until after the election. If the Government flips of course, it will never happen at all.&nbsp;
Maybe, given the submissions made by various councils against the plan, that was what they wanted all along: stall until it's possibly too late.&nbsp;
"Unleashed chaos" was a good line he used. But then it was a good policy.&nbsp;
We are hopelessly over-counselled in this country and too many of them are run by a collection of knobs. They're well-meaning I'm sure, but complacency and mediocrity litter the council landscape.&nbsp;
The fewer of them the better.&nbsp;
Some got on with it and formed groups. Some kind of had a crack and some outright refused and you knew they were holding out until the bitter end.&nbsp;
But like all top-down restructuring, it causes time, energy, and money to be spent on things that, as it turns out, might be off, which is an irony given wastage was one of the reasons the idea was being proffered in the first place.&nbsp;
I like Little. He walks a fairly decent line between being a Labour wonk and a council representative, but also a guy with vast experience who plays the game and is professional with it.&nbsp;
So when he says this is poor form he means it, and I believe him, and he is right.&nbsp;
From 500 police that didn’t happen, to the reviews that never got to Cabinet, to the LNG deal that’s run out of time, to council amalgamation that wasted a lot of hours, this Government wasn't quite as sharp at delivery as they might have led you to believe when they showed you the tin.&nbsp;
It won't switch any votes. But you would want to hope for a slicker, more well-oiled machine after November 7th.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: Council amalgamation – something else this Govt didn't deliver

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/467d42c2-ef44-4a72-a1a8-b4cf016d26bf/transcript

Donald Trump's welcoming Xi Jinping stateside as the US-China trade truce extends into next year. 

The two Presidents are meeting face-to-face for a second time this year, with minimal gains for their Beijing summit in May.  

But White House Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's already revealed some progress, with an agreement easing tariffs now expiring in January instead of November. 

However, US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking it's unclear whether the talks will bring any breakthroughs on key issues such as Taiwan or AI. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Donald Trump's welcoming Xi Jinping stateside as the US-China trade truce extends into next year.&nbsp;
The two Presidents are meeting face-to-face for a second time this year, with minimal gains for their Beijing summit in May. &nbsp;
But White House Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's already revealed some progress, with an agreement easing tariffs now expiring in January instead of November.&nbsp;
However, US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking it's unclear whether the talks will bring any breakthroughs on key issues such as Taiwan or AI.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on the meeting between Trump and Xi, return of the White House press pool

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/63421061-c851-4257-a58f-b4cf016a671c/transcript

Jo McKenna: Italy Correspondent on the attacks on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni by a Russian TV presenter

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