1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:04,480 Speaker 1: International Correspondence with ends and Eye Insurance, Peace of Mind 2 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: for New Zealand business. 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 2: And speaking of America. We're joined now by Jonathan Kurzley, 4 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 2: who's our US correspondent. 5 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: Hello Jonathan, Andrew, Good afternoon to you and all the listeners. 6 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 2: Are you fizziting with excitement in that Taylor Swift's album 7 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 2: is now twenty one minutes and thirty seconds away from 8 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 2: being released? 9 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 1: Twenty one minutes, twenty four seconds. We could do this 10 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: for the next twenty one minutes and twenty seconds now, Andrew. 11 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,479 Speaker 1: But it is well and truly a champagne call that 12 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: is about to be released. I think when it comes 13 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: to Taylor Swift fans, look, there won't be any bad blood. 14 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: It may well be a love story for them. They 15 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 1: will have to shake off their excitement. They can look 16 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: forward to something that won't be a cruel summer, and 17 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 1: they may well feel enchanted and it will be all 18 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 1: too well for them all as they Let's just tick 19 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: off those Taliswift song names as we go through it. 20 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: How long did you? 21 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 2: How long did you work on that? 22 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: For about three and a half minutes, Andrew. But I 23 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: think I think we get the idea it's going to 24 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: be twelve tracks. The Life of the show Girl comes 25 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: out very soon. Indeed, here in the United States, there 26 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: are going to be watch parties for the music video 27 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: tomorrow movie cinemas across the country. There are listening parties 28 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,759 Speaker 1: taking place across the country tonight. Is no doubt there 29 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: is in New Zealand, no doubt the officers there will 30 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 1: be grinding to a hold as we get ready to 31 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: listen to the next installment from Well, I suppose, the 32 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 1: biggest musician of the twenty first century, and it will 33 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: be happening across the pond in Australia, will be happening 34 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: right around the world as we embrace the new era 35 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: I suppose from Swift. But it's just going to be 36 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 1: astronomical and I think you can expect this to be 37 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,479 Speaker 1: one of the biggest Spotify downloads that you will ever see. 38 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: So much is anticipated about this album. What are the lyrics, 39 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: what are the messages about? Who is she singing about? 40 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: But we'll find out, I suppose in well few minutes time. 41 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 2: To be honest, Jonathan, I think Teller Swift now transcends music. 42 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 2: She could actually release her sort of humming Happy Birthday 43 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:58,559 Speaker 2: over and over and over again, and it will still 44 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 2: go crazy. She has trendsit music. But when you put 45 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 2: that to Taylor Swift, fans like, oh no, the music 46 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 2: is everything, which I will do later on. Let's talk 47 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 2: about something a lot more serious, and that is the 48 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:13,920 Speaker 2: shutdown and Donald Trump's plans to perhaps fillow some people forever. 49 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:17,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, this is extraordinary, and I think we're going to 50 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: start seeing the initial movements probably in the coming hours. 51 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 1: The White House has already indicated there's going to be 52 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: mass layoffs in thousands, and they could begin as early 53 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: as tomorrow, as early as yeah, tomorrow, in the United States, 54 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: the president's itinery has been released. You likeily won't see 55 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: him in public again tomorrow. We didn't see him in 56 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: public today. He's been accusing Democrats of being the ones 57 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: behind this shutdown, but it is Republicans who control the House, 58 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: Republicans who controlled the Senate, and Republicans who control the 59 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: White House. Now what does it actually all mean. Well, 60 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,959 Speaker 1: it means that a whole bunch of federal government run programs, 61 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 1: federal government run tourist attractions can effectively have their doors closed. 62 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: And we've seen that already. I mean the Statue of 63 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: Liberty is threatening with having its lights turned off. Alcatraz 64 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: Island in the Bay Area here in California that's been 65 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: closed down, the Washington Monument's been closed down. But in reality, 66 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: this is now going to mean what Donald Trump has 67 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 1: been trying to do, and that is shrieked the bureaucracy. 68 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: And I think in the coming hours you're going to 69 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: start seeing his first movements on how that's going to 70 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: play out, and there will be layoffs. He's already said that. 71 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: His Press Secretary Carolinelevit said at the White House today, 72 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: It's just how deep and how wide are they going 73 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: to go, because we know that they are trying to 74 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: cut their bottom line big time in order to try 75 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: and say minions across the economy. But the longer this 76 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 1: goes on, the more it hurts the economy too. I mean, 77 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: we're already hearing from places that help mothers and children 78 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: who are on low incomes and try and get food 79 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: vouches to them. Those organizations are going to be forced 80 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: to shut down in the coming days if this goes on, 81 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 1: and it is going to go on at least until 82 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: next week. That is because they have not been voting 83 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 1: on the Senate today because it is yon Kapoor. They 84 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: will return tomorrow. It will not get through. The spending 85 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: bills will not go through tomorrow, They will not sit 86 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: over the weekend. So we will go through to this 87 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: into what will be day six come Monday, and so 88 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: it will drag on and very very quickly you will 89 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:18,359 Speaker 1: find that people financially will be hurting, them be hurting 90 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,359 Speaker 1: very very badly. Indeed, they won't be able to afford 91 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: to get to work. They may not be a fabled 92 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,039 Speaker 1: to afford to put the food on the table. And 93 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: the last time we saw a shutdown in Trump administration 94 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: twenty eight and twenty nineteen, it's thirty five days and 95 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: we saw lines at food banks. Now the president is 96 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: not going to want to see those images again, and 97 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,799 Speaker 1: if he does, he's likely to shift the blood politically 98 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: onto his opponents. So maybe it will be shrink the workforce, 99 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: get done what he wants to get done, and then 100 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: tell his Republicans to go back and get something through 101 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: that reopens the government again. 102 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a big risk because everybody who's paid by 103 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 2: the fair will also vote, you know, and he'll find 104 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 2: he'll lose a lot of voters, and there's a perception thing. 105 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 2: But there we go. Vladimir Putin's not happy and unhappy 106 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 2: that he's not happy. But what's he not happy about, Well, he's. 107 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: Not happy, but a whole range of things. I mean, 108 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: he's not happy that NATO is involved in trying to 109 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 1: protect NATO's own airspace. He is seemingly unhappy with the 110 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: idea that the United States could re arm Ukraine with 111 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: potentially even stronger Tomahawk missiles that could reach well inside Russia. 112 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 1: He's issued a warning that essentially to the United States 113 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 1: that could be an escalation. He's told NATO essentially they 114 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: need to calm down to even though what NATO has 115 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:29,279 Speaker 1: done is put up its own fighter jets to stop 116 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: Russian drones or drones launched from Russia going into their 117 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:34,599 Speaker 1: own airspace. So what you're seeing is a very tense 118 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 1: situation play out between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine. 119 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: America's president has said he's not happy with the Russian 120 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 1: president that he thought he might have got a little 121 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 1: bit more out of the Alaska meeting. But I think 122 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,040 Speaker 1: anybody who watched that Alaska summit take place between Vladimir 123 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: Putin and Donald Trump would have walked away in the 124 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 1: hours after thinking, well, America didn't really get anything out 125 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: of this, and peace in Ukraine doesn't seem any closer, 126 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: and right now it actually doesn't. And now you've got 127 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 1: the idea of the United States ramping up the supports 128 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 1: to Ukraine with missiles that could potentially reach well inside Russia. 129 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 1: And while that starts to become an extra big problem, 130 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: and with Vladimir Putin already saying that would be a 131 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: major escalation, well then you have to wonder what comes next. 132 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 2: Oh what a lovely thought to go into a weekend. 133 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 2: For Jonathan Kersey, I thank you so very much for 134 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 2: your time, Jonathan, our US correspondent. 135 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 1: For more from Hither Duplessy, Allen Drive, listen live to 136 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: news Talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 137 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.