Three American citizens detained in China have been released after several years.

U.S Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking the prisoner swap comes after 'many months' of negotiations from the Biden administration to bring the prisoners home to their families.

One prisoner, Mark Swidan, spent 12 years detained on drug related charges and was sentenced to death.

Swidan, alongside a fellow prisoner, was declared wrongfully declared.

In exchange three detained Chinese nationals will return to China.  

LISTEN ABOVE

Three American citizens detained in China have been released after several years.
U.S Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking the prisoner swap comes after 'many months' of negotiations from the Biden administration to bring the prisoners home to their families.
One prisoner, Mark Swidan, spent 12 years detained on drug related charges and was sentenced to death.
Swidan, alongside a fellow prisoner, was declared wrongfully declared.
In exchange three detained Chinese nationals will return to China. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

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

Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on the release of detained citizens

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/bba4a87f-6ca0-420b-a4a6-b23601825db8/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. 

 

The war: 6/10 

A ceasefire is reason for hope and not a lot of that has been floating about the place recently. 

 

The UK election petition: 4/10 

Small clue, they already had one of those. It's called an election. 

 

Capital Gains Tax: 6/10 

The debate and the vote this weekend. If Labour wants to enhance their chances of two, if not three, terms in Opposition, yes is the way to vote. 

 

The Covid Inquiry: 4/10 

Because the coverage of what I would argue is as big a deal as anything this year, was scant to say the least. 

 

The coalition's first year: 7/10 

Some good progress, some good co-operation and not a lot of fall out. But it's lacking the real bite that is needed to turn this shambles around. They must try harder. 

 

TJ Perenara: 4/10 

We didn't talk about the game or the tour and that is why it's a problem. 

 

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;
The war: 6/10&nbsp;
A ceasefire is reason for hope and not a lot of that has been floating about the place recently.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The UK election petition: 4/10&nbsp;
Small clue, they already had one of those. It's called an election.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/david-cunliffe-former-labour-party-leader-on-a-capital-gains-tax-being-on-the-agenda-at-the-labour-party-conference/">Capital Gains Tax: 6/10</a>&nbsp;
The debate and the vote this weekend. If Labour wants to enhance their chances of two, if not three, terms in Opposition, yes is the way to vote.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/tony-blakely-outgoing-head-of-the-covid-inquiry-on-the-findings-of-phase-1/">The Covid Inquiry: 4/10</a>&nbsp;
Because the coverage of what I would argue is as big a deal as anything this year, was scant to say the least.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The coalition's first year: 7/10&nbsp;
Some good progress, some good co-operation and not a lot of fall out. But it's lacking the real bite that is needed to turn this shambles around. They must try harder.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/te-wehi-wright-m%C4%81ori-all-blacks-cultural-advisor-backs-tj-perenaras-haka-against-italy/">TJ Perenara: 4/10</a>&nbsp;
We didn't talk about the game or the tour and that is why it's a problem.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW&nbsp;

Mark the Week: A ceasefire is a reason for hope

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/5124b719-4347-4477-a725-b2360179cc88/transcript

I am glad the Covid report has been released. 

Why wouldn’t it be? It's ours, we lived it and are living through it. 

It says a lot of stuff you thought it would say; compulsory mandates were one of the most controversial measures. No kidding. 

The country was not prepared for border closures or MIQ. Really? 

They run the line that we had fewer infections and therefore fewer deaths than other countries. 

I note Chris Hipkins yesterday was still rejecting the idea that vaccine mandates were a mistake. And in that is the problem. 

Incompetent Governments lead to incompetent responses. Arrogance leads to an inability to do things differently, which is I think in part, the point of the report, to give us a blueprint for next time. 

The blueprint says mandates were a mistake. Hipkins, who could be Prime Minister as soon as 2026, seems to think he is more right than the inquiry. So are we any further ahead? 

You need to also factor in that phase one, despite what Tony Blakely told us yesterday, is not the full picture. It’s a comprehensive picture within the guidelines he was given. 

The guidelines he wasn’t given are why we are having phase two. 

I still argue it would have been better if we had taken the British route, the adversarial approach. Put Ardern and Hipkins and Bloomfield on the stand and ask some penetrating questions. 

It doesn’t have to be a court to illicit material this report hasn’t found. 

The really important part for me is not what we did then, but what the outworking of what we did then produced what we have now. 

What we are still living through and why, because what we have now is so badly damaged. We must learn not to do what we did last time. 

The kids not at school, the behaviour of so many that has been out of control, the moral fatigue, the social decline and the malaise. That is not measured totally in statistics. 

But the overarching feeling is this country is a shadow of what it once was. That's the real story of Covid. 

But I still maintain that you can write all the reports you want and inquire until you are blue in the face, but a pandemic is luck. 

If the Government that’s in on the day the pandemic arrives is good, you will be OK. 

If it's Labour 2017-23, well, you don’t need the report.  

Just look at us. 

I am glad the Covid report has been released.&nbsp;
Why wouldn’t it be? It's ours, we lived it and are living through it.&nbsp;
It says a lot of stuff you thought it would say; compulsory mandates were one of the most controversial measures. No kidding.&nbsp;
The country was not prepared for border closures or MIQ. Really?&nbsp;
They run the line that we had fewer infections and therefore fewer deaths than other countries.&nbsp;
I note Chris Hipkins yesterday was still rejecting the idea that vaccine mandates were a mistake. And in that is the problem.&nbsp;
Incompetent Governments lead to incompetent responses. Arrogance leads to an inability to do things differently, which is I think in part, the point of the report, to give us a blueprint for next time.&nbsp;
The blueprint says mandates were a mistake. Hipkins, who could be Prime Minister as soon as 2026, seems to think he is more right than the inquiry. So are we any further ahead?&nbsp;
You need to also factor in that phase one, despite what Tony Blakely told us yesterday, is not the full picture. It’s a comprehensive picture within the guidelines he was given.&nbsp;
The guidelines he wasn’t given are why we are having phase two.&nbsp;
I still argue it would have been better if we had taken the British route, the adversarial approach. Put Ardern and Hipkins and Bloomfield on the stand and ask some penetrating questions.&nbsp;
It doesn’t have to be a court to illicit material this report hasn’t found.&nbsp;
The really important part for me is not what we did then, but what the outworking of what we did then produced what we have now.&nbsp;
What we are still living through and why, because what we have now is so badly damaged. We must learn not to do what we did last time.&nbsp;
The kids not at school, the behaviour of so many that has been out of control, the moral fatigue, the social decline and the malaise. That is not measured totally in statistics.&nbsp;
But the overarching feeling is this country is a shadow of what it once was. That's the real story of Covid.&nbsp;
But I still maintain that you can write all the reports you want and inquire until you are blue in the face, but a pandemic is luck.&nbsp;
If the Government that’s in on the day the pandemic arrives is good, you will be OK.&nbsp;
If it's Labour 2017-23, well, you don’t need the report. &nbsp;
Just look at us.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: The real reason for the Covid report

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/d3270af6-7075-4f83-9c5b-b236015e84dd/transcript

It’s becoming easier to order alcohol online, with fewer checks being conducted. 

New research from Alcohol Healthwatch suggests 73% of orders are being delivered without ID being checked, and 49% were contactless deliveries. 

In some instances, it’s arriving on doorsteps within 17 minutes. 

CEO Andrew Galloway told Mike Hosking that the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 was developed for a brick-and-mortar style arrangement. 

He says that New Zealand has high levels of harm as a result of alcohol, and so the regulations need to be adjusted to better suit online orders. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

It’s becoming easier to order alcohol online, with fewer checks being conducted.&nbsp;
New research from Alcohol Healthwatch suggests 73% of orders are being delivered without ID being checked, and 49% were contactless deliveries.&nbsp;
In some instances, it’s arriving on doorsteps within 17 minutes.&nbsp;
CEO Andrew Galloway told Mike Hosking that the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 was developed for a brick-and-mortar style arrangement.&nbsp;
He says that New Zealand has high levels of harm as a result of alcohol, and so the regulations need to be adjusted to better suit online orders.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Andrew Galloway: Alcohol Healthwatch CEO on the slipping standards for online alcohol delivery

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/fbb4e485-88c3-4321-8f63-b2360159a9d4/transcript

Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on the release of detained citizens

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