95bFM: The Wire

The United States has frequently been in the news cycle recently for the Trump administration’s unstable foreign policy decisions.

This includes their decisions to cut 90% of USAID foreign contracts and to pause military aid to Ukraine following a fiery meeting between the leaders of both countries.

University of Otago’s Professor Richard Jackson describes President Trump’s behaviours as a threat to global order and security.

For International Desk this week, Wire Host Caeden spoke to him about the instability of United States foreign policy and the global ramifications of this.

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following his clash with US President, Donald Trump, has once initiated discussions to move forward a minerals deal with his US counterpart.

During the original discussions, Trump, alongside US Vice President, JD Vance, berated Zelenskyy, which resulted in the Ukrainian President walking out of the Oval Office without signing a minerals deal between the two nations, which the White House says is a precursor to peace talks.

This all comes as the US has abruptly halted US military aid to Ukraine.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to the honorary academic and retired Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland, Stephen Hoadley, about this clash, and his opinion that Trump will do a u-turn and start providing military aid to Ukraine, despite the US aligning closer to Russia.

They started off by asking how important this minerals deal is regarding the relationship between the US and Ukraine.

Up to 1,600 University of Auckland Tertiary Education Union Members are striking today for four hours.

The Union says staff are frustrated at their “employer’s refusal to value staff.”

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Tertiary Education Union Organiser Nicole Wallace about today’s strike.

They also spoke to University of Auckland Associate Professor in Arts and Education Sean Sturm (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa) for their view on today’s strike.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour party Wire Host Caeden speaks to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about recent issues with the school lunch programme and the introduction of legislation that would change parliamentary terms to 4 years. 

For International Desk, they speak to Professor Richard Jackson from the University of Otago about the instability of United States foreign policy.

And they speak to Nicole Wallace from the Tertiary Education Union and Sean Sturm (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa), Associate Professor at the University of Auckland, about today’s strike.

For City Counselling, News and Editorial Director, Joel, speaks to Councillor Shane Henderson about Auckland Council recommitting $15 million in funding to restore the historic St James Theatre, and plans to convert over half of Takapuna Golf Course into wetlands.

They also speak to Retired Associate Professor in International Relations at the University of Auckland, Stephen Hoadley, about Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Velenskyy and US President, Donald Trump’s spat at the Oval Office, and Zelenskyy pursuing a mineral trade between the two nations.

On 1 March 1954, the Castle Bravo nuclear bomb was detonated on Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands as part of a nuclear weapons test.

The bomb, which was 1,000 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, required the atolls 200 indigenous inhabitants to be relocated to the Rongerik Atoll before being allowed to return in the 1960s. 

However, has had devastating impacts on the Islands ecosystem and has created lasting health impacts that Marshall islanders face today.

As such, Greenpeace have issued a call to the US government to pay reparations to the Marshallese people for the impacts of nuclear testing and to comply with Marshallese demands for recognition and nuclear justice.

Oto spoke to Shiva Gounden from Greenpeace Australia Pacific to discuss their calls for reparations, as well as the rainbow warrior voyage, which will be travelling to the marshall islands to conduct research on the impacts of nuclear testing.

Recently an open letter was sent by 100 Christian leaders across Aotearoa to the government, calling for humanitarian visas to be granted to Palestinians in Gaza who have family in New Zealand.

The letter’s delivery to parliament grounds will be accompanied by nationwide Gaza ceasefire pilgrimages held today on Ash Wednesday, symbolising the walk from Bethlehem to Jerusalem and stopping to pray at points that also symbolise Israeli checkpoints in the West bank.

The open letter’s writing and delivery are part of a wider movement in Aotearoa spearheaded by Aotearoa Christians for Peace in Palestine - a cross-denominational group of Christians in support of Palestinians in the occupied territories looking to counteract the Christian Zionist Evangelical movement.

Oto spoke to Esmé Hulbert-Putt - a coordinator at Christians United for Refuge Aotearoa, to discuss the open letter, the ceasefire pilgrimages and why Christians should support the Palestinian people.

Recent developments within global politics have been under great scrutiny by many journalists and political thinkers, and now the meme phrase “nothing ever happens” may not be so true.

This past month has seen the inauguration of Trump into office and his cozying up with Putin and the billionaires. He has also implemented great tariffs onto many countries meaning everything will continue to rise in price.

Sasha spoke to Professor Robert Patman from the University of Otago, Dunedin, about these recent global developments and the implications for the world. We also briefly touched on New Zealand’s response and potential implications for AUKUS

As global temperatures continue to rise through unprecedented global warming, the risk of urban and wildfires continues to expand. Many countries continue to fight increasing global warming by phasing out the sale of petrol cars. These countries include most in the European Union, and additionally Canada and China are expecting to do so by the 2030’s.

However, with the United States leaving the Paris Agreement following president Trump’s inauguration, the future of mitigating global warming becomes more unlikely. A temperature rise of four degrees is projected should we not take any action to reduce it.

Producer Sasha spoke with Professor Bruce Glavovic from Massey University about these issues in addition to urban fire planning in New Zealand. We talked about how we can avoid urban fire scenarios and the world’s state of global warming.

For their weekly catch up with the Green Party, Oto spoke to Ricardo Menendez March about the 4th government investigation into school lunches, The proposal to cut Te Reo Māori resource teachers and the Greens call to the government to rule out joining AUKUS.

This week on the Tuesday Wire...

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Doctor Cushla McGoverin chats with us about the cleanliness of the International Space Station, colours on birds of paradise, and stretchable display materials, thanks to MOTAT!

In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Tuesday Wire Host Castor asked about the new citizen’s arrest policy and its potential impacts across society.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, speaks to the Principal of Papakura High School, Simon Craggs, about the roughly 50 principals from low-income schools who have expressed concerns about the new NCEA tests.

Castor spoke to the Co-Chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa, Professor Lisa Te Morenga, about the government’s new school lunch program.

And Joel spoke to a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland, Ritesh Shah, about the substantial cuts to USAID, and whether we should revise the models of international aid organisations.

Whakarongo mai!