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;

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, 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

If you are one of those exercised about supermarkets and whether they are scandal merchants, then you must follow the current court case in Australia. 

It’s the second of its type. 

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is dealing with Woolworths, having previously dealt with Coles. The Coles' case decision is reserved as they wait for this week's Woolworths case. 

The charge, basically, is they up the price of something before they cut the price and claim it's on sale. The lawyers called it a "subtle magic".   

They are using a basket of goods that involves Tim Tams. 

The reason I mention this, and you should follow it, is for the simple fact that Australia is not short of supermarkets or supermarket competition. There are the 'Big 3", which is our two plus Aldi, and in total they have ten.  

The point being, if you asked your average Australian "do they get a good deal and is there enough competition", they would say no. 

The same way they say 'no' here. 

Are you ripped off? 'Yes' would be the answer from both sides of the Tasman. 

And in that is the conundrum. What you feel might well be different to what is real. 

Especially around money and price are powerful things and often what you want to see is what you will see. 

Part of it I'm sure is the dynamic nature of supermarkets and the literally thousands of products, and therefore tens of thousands of prices, they deal with every day. 

Different brands, different sizes, different specials, different deals, one off's vs regular prices, specials vs promotional prices, where in the isle it's placed, what sort of supplier deal is struck, what the cost of transport was, how many you bought etc, etc. 

It presumably goes on forever. 

Which is not to say anything other than when it has that many moving parts, telling me it's cheaper to buy baked beans in Sydney or Geneva doesn’t explain how this all works. 

Let's see how the courts work through it and what, if anything, comes from it. 

But in Australia there's lots of choice and lots of competition. Allegedly there's everything the supermarket critic here could want. 

And yet they're still in court. 

If you are one of those exercised about supermarkets and whether they are scandal merchants, then you must follow the current court case in Australia.&nbsp;
It’s the second of its type.&nbsp;
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is dealing with Woolworths, having previously dealt with Coles. The Coles' case decision is reserved as they wait for this week's Woolworths case.&nbsp;
The charge, basically, is they up the price of something before they cut the price and claim it's on sale. The lawyers called it a "subtle magic". &nbsp;&nbsp;
They are using a basket of goods that involves Tim Tams.&nbsp;
The reason I mention this, and you should follow it, is for the simple fact that Australia is not short of supermarkets or supermarket competition. There are the 'Big 3", which is our two plus Aldi, and in total they have ten. &nbsp;
The point being, if you asked your average Australian "do they get a good deal and is there enough competition", they would say no.&nbsp;
The same way they say 'no' here.&nbsp;
Are you ripped off? 'Yes' would be the answer from both sides of the Tasman.&nbsp;
And in that is the conundrum. What you feel might well be different to what is real.&nbsp;
Especially around money and price are powerful things and often what you want to see is what you will see.&nbsp;
Part of it I'm sure is the dynamic nature of supermarkets and the literally thousands of products, and therefore tens of thousands of prices, they deal with every day.&nbsp;
Different brands, different sizes, different specials, different deals, one off's vs regular prices, specials vs promotional prices, where in the isle it's placed, what sort of supplier deal is struck, what the cost of transport was, how many you bought etc, etc.&nbsp;
It presumably goes on forever.&nbsp;
Which is not to say anything other than when it has that many moving parts, telling me it's cheaper to buy baked beans in Sydney or Geneva doesn’t explain how this all works.&nbsp;
Let's see how the courts work through it and what, if anything, comes from it.&nbsp;
But in Australia there's lots of choice and lots of competition. Allegedly there's everything the supermarket critic here could want.&nbsp;
And yet they're still in court.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: Look at Australia for the supermarket experience

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b8e93a04-aed3-4edf-a528-b4340179e202/transcript

Barry Soper is a staple of New Zealand’s political landscape. 

After joining the Parliamentary Press Gallery in 1980, he’s spent nearly five decades as a political reporter, questioning the country’s leaders. 

And now he’s diving into the details, revealing some of the untold stories of the twelve Prime Ministers that have spanned his career in ‘One Last Question, Prime Minister’.  

While some things have changed throughout Soper’s time, something that hasn’t is politicians’ perception of the Press Gallery. 

“Being in the Press Gallery, you’re always labelled ... every time the Press Gallery does a story, they’re labelled as hunting in a pack, and going off on tangents that are inexplicable,” he told Mike Hosking. 

“I think the only thing that’s really changed from the time I was in the Press Gallery, started there in 1980, to today is the age of the journalists that are there.”  

In Soper’s time, the demographic skewed older and more male – the gallery seen as a ‘creme de la creme’ job that political reports aspired to. 

“Now it’s transposed, there are more women than men and they’re young, generally younger.”  

But although the journalists reporting the stories change, the stories they report can echo the past. 

“There are so many stories around Parliament, as you can imagine, all politicians talk, and the latest is a good example of when you get onto a good story,” Soper explained. 

“I’ve been involved in so many stories when it relates to people being rolled in politics,” he told Hosking – Bill English springing to mind. 

“I’d done the numbers and knew his time was up,” Soper said, which was something he’d revealed in an interview with one of Hosking's processors, Paul Holmes.  

“Holmes said to me at the end of the interview, he said, “Baz, is this man a dead man walking?” and I said, “Holmesy, more like a twitching corpse.””  

English of course, was not well pleased with Soper’s analysis, calling him up after the interview to tell him he had the numbers. 

“And I said, “No you haven’t Bill, you’ll see. See you by lunchtime.” And of course he was gone.”  

Twelve Prime Ministers have come and gone over the course of his career so far, but Soper has his top six, and funnily enough, Bill English doesn’t make the cut.  

From Muldoon to Luxon, Soper delves into the details of New Zealand’s Prime Ministers in ‘One Last Question, Prime Minister’, releasing on the 28th of April. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Barry Soper is a staple of New Zealand’s political landscape.&nbsp;
After joining the Parliamentary Press Gallery in 1980, he’s spent nearly five decades as a political reporter, questioning the country’s leaders.&nbsp;
And now he’s diving into the details, revealing some of the untold stories of the twelve Prime Ministers that have spanned his career in ‘One Last Question, Prime Minister’. &nbsp;
While some things have changed throughout Soper’s time, something that hasn’t is politicians’ perception of the Press Gallery.&nbsp;
“Being in the Press Gallery, you’re always labelled ... every time the Press Gallery does a story, they’re labelled as hunting in a pack, and going off on tangents that are inexplicable,” he told Mike Hosking.&nbsp;
“I think the only thing that’s really changed from the time I was in the Press Gallery, started there in 1980, to today is the age of the journalists that are there.” &nbsp;
In Soper’s time, the demographic skewed older and more male – the gallery seen as a ‘creme de la creme’ job that political reports aspired to.&nbsp;
“Now it’s transposed, there are more women than men and they’re young, generally younger.” &nbsp;
But although the journalists reporting the stories change, the stories they report can echo the past.&nbsp;
“There are so many stories around Parliament, as you can imagine, all politicians talk, and the latest is a good example of when you get onto a good story,” Soper explained.&nbsp;
“I’ve been involved in so many stories when it relates to people being rolled in politics,” he told Hosking – Bill English springing to mind.&nbsp;
“I’d done the numbers and knew his time was up,” Soper said, which was something he’d revealed in an interview with one of Hosking's processors, Paul Holmes. &nbsp;
“Holmes said to me at the end of the interview, he said, “Baz, is this man a dead man walking?” and I said, “Holmesy, more like a twitching corpse.”” &nbsp;
English of course, was not well pleased with Soper’s analysis, calling him up after the interview to tell him he had the numbers.&nbsp;
“And I said, “No you haven’t Bill, you’ll see. See you by lunchtime.” And of course he was gone.” &nbsp;
Twelve Prime Ministers have come and gone over the course of his career so far, but Soper has his top six, and funnily enough, Bill English doesn’t make the cut. &nbsp;
From Muldoon to Luxon, Soper delves into the details of New Zealand’s Prime Ministers in ‘One Last Question, Prime Minister’, releasing on the 28th of April.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Barry Soper: Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent on his new book 'One Last Question, Prime Minister'

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/09592584-27ed-49bf-8b57-b434017614dd/transcript

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 23rd of April, Trade Minister Todd McClay is off to India to sign the Free Trade Agreement, while Immigration Minister Erica Stanford discusses the success of the Active Investor Plus visa.  

After saying yes to an interview and demanding the right of reply, National MP Joseph Mooney pulled out of his interview this morning – Mike has a bit to say on that! 

After decades and decades in the politics game, our own Barry Soper has written a book on his career and the 12 Prime Ministers he has dealt with. 

Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 23rd of April, <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/todd-mcclay-trade-minister-on-the-india-free-trade-agreement-moving-ahead-nz-firsts-comments/">Trade Minister Todd McClay</a> is off to India to sign the Free Trade Agreement, while <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/erica-stanford-immigration-minister-on-the-economic-impact-of-the-golden-visa-shane-jones-comments-on-the-india-fta/">Immigration Minister Erica Stanford</a> discusses the success of the Active Investor Plus visa. &nbsp;
After saying yes to an interview and demanding the right of reply, National MP Joseph Mooney pulled out of his interview this morning – Mike has a bit to say on that!&nbsp;
After decades and decades in the politics game, our own Barry Soper has written a book on his career and the 12 Prime Ministers he has dealt with.&nbsp;
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 23 April 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f36427b0-4574-42b1-9b4e-b434015c6f25/transcript

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

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