Nine To Noon

Universities are steeling themselves for Omicron outbreaks within their student populations, with an outbreak already tearing through Otago University's student precinct. All of the country's eight universities have adopted vaccine mandates in some form for the coming year, and lectures will largely be online. The University of Otago is in the grips of an outbreak in its student population, with 955 active cases of Covid in the city. Dunedin is currently reporting a positivity rate of 21.6 percent, meaning one in five tests are coming back positive, compared to a nation-wide average of 10.9 percent. Kathryn speaks to Professor Grant Guilford, the Vice Chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington, Professor David Murdoch is the new Vice Chancellor at Otago University and a student in Dunedin, who has tested positive.

Kathryn speaks with Dmitri Alperovitch, a US-Russian cybersecurity specialist and geo-political analyst based in Washington DC. He says the West must tailor its sanctions to forestall economic devastation and a spiralling conflict.

Ukraine is under full-scale Russian attack - with troops reportedly advancing from the north, east and south. The Russian Defence Ministry claims to have "neutralised" all Ukraine's airbases and air defences, including an airbase just 30 kilometres from the capital Kyiv. Many Ukrainians are fleeing and those who aren't are seeking spaces in temporary bomb shelters. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky says a new iron curtain is falling in eastern Europe. He has declared martial law and says Kyiv will issue weapons to every Ukrainian who wants to defend their country. The United States President Joe Biden addressed the nation just over an hour ago, announcing new sanctions on Russia, and promising to limit - as much as possible - Russia's ability to do business. Kathryn speaks with New Zealand freelance journalist Tom Mutch and our US correspondent, NPR's Senior Editor and Correspondent Ron Elving.

Film and TV reviewer Laumata Lauano joins Kathryn to talk about Pax Assadi's new comedy Raised by Refugees (Prime, Neon, Sky) based on his family's experiences of moving to New Zealand. She'll also look at second season of Raising Dion (Netflix) and the new documentary Downfall: The Case Against Boeing (Netflix) which examines the actions of the company in the lead-up to, and the aftermath of, two deadly crashes.

Neuroplasticity educator and parenting expert, Nathan Wallis discusses children and Covid. What is the impact on children of having to wear face masks at school? And what are the common features we would expect to see in children who are resilient and not negatively impacted by covid?

Technology commentator Mark Pesce joins Kathryn to talk about whether Google search has optimised itself to deliver ads, rather than worthwhile search results. What happens if Google continues to decline - will we be unable to access decent information because money has been prioritised over functionality? And should you rethink that ancestry test? Mark has some concerning examples of where DNA has been used in ways the person it belongs to didn't expect.

Elisabeth Easther reviews Again, Rachel by Marian Keyes, published by Penguin Random House NZ.

The Reserve Bank Governor joins Kathryn to discuss interest rates, inflation and the economy following yesterday's increase in the official cash rate.

"Davos Man: a member of the global billionaire class that controls the majority of the world's wealth". In his new book, New York Times global economics correspondent Peter S. Goodman contends that those billionaires have spent the past fifty years systematically looting the world's economies, starving societies of much needed tax revenues, profiting from the Covid-19 pandemic and destabilising democracy, all under the guise of a new, more socially conscious form of capitalism. Mr Goodman calls it one of the most monumental heists in human history; the systematic transfer of wealth from ordinary people to the billionaire class. Kathryn speaks with Peter S. Goodman about Davos Man: How the Billionaires Devoured the World.

UK correspondent Matt Dathan joins Kathryn to talk about how some in Boris Johnson's party don't feel sanctions against Russia over Ukraine go far enough, but he's defended them, saying the UK is "out in front" on the issue. Meanwhile the effects of the tension with Russia are being felt at the pumps, with petrol hitting new highs. Covid restrictions will be lifted tomorrow - there'll be no legal restriction to isolate if you test positive. And a plan to limit the availability of student loans to those who pass their GCSE English and Math has critics crying foul.