Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Eight people have died while trying to cross the English Channel from France to England in a rubber vessel. It's the second deadly incident involving a migrant boat in the Channel in as many weeks. UK correspondent Gavin Grey rescue services identified 60 people on the vessel.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

McLaren's Oscar Piastri has won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The race ended behind a safety car after a collision between Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Red Bull's Sergio Perez as they fought for third. ZB sports reporter Andrew Alderson recaps the race. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hopes worrying new figures can help the health sector improve the outcomes of respiratory disease. A report has found more people suffer from respiratory diseases than previously known, going from one in seven to one in five Kiwis each year. Asthma and Respiratory Foundation Medical Director Bob Hancox says while it shows New Zealand's not doing well, the new research is important. He says it gives experts a better understanding of how big the issue is. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A union's labelling the Education Minister's changes for reliever teachers a knee-jerk reaction to the current shortage. Erica Stanford's changing who can gain a Limited Authority to Teach - allowing about 200 teachers who no longer hold registration to work as relief teachers. It means both experts who aren’t qualified teachers and previously registered teachers, can come into classrooms as relievers. PPTA President Chris Abercrombie says the change is essentially just putting in warm bodies to fill the gaps. "They're looking after kids, not teaching kids or educating kids, not helping them - they're just looking after them. These kids deserve more." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday the 16th of September. The PPTA aren't happy with short term changes the Education Minister has made to the sector. President Chris Abercrombie speaks to Ryan. The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation say more Kiwis are being diagnosed with respiratory diseases, so what's causing the rise? The foundation's Medical Director Professor Bob Hancox joins the show. Oscar Piastri takes first place in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the America's Cup challenger series wraps up and the Black Ferns lose to England at Twickenham - Andrew Alderson has your weekend sport wrap. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The use of coal and gas to generate energy has increased sharply due to falling hydro lake levels.  Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment data from April to June shows that coal produced 883 gigawatt hours of electricity.   That's a more than a 500% increase on the same time last year, and it’s the first time since 2021 that coal produced more electricity than wind.   Low hydro lake levels mean electricity generated from renewable sources dropped to 81% of total generation, an 8.6% drop compared to same time last year.  Otago University Senior Research Fellow Kimberley O’Sullivan told Ryan Bridge that while we do have to go somewhere, it’s time to stop looking underground for the solution to our problems.  She said that we need to get smarter about the things such as housing, and we could solve a lot of problems by increasing insultation and making homes more energy efficient, as well as adding solar panels.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Space milestones are only going to keep on coming, with the first ever commercial space walk mission.  Billionaire Jared Isaacman and engineer Sarah Gillis have become the first civilians to walk in space.   The Space X mission also put the total number of people currently in space to 19, tying the record set in 2021.  Auckland University's Spacecraft Missions Director Chris Jackson told Ryan Bridge the number's only going to increase with SpaceX and NASA's future plans.  He says they want to populate the Moon, which will put a lot more people in space across a lot of different places.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kamala Harris was wearing audio earrings during the debate this week.  Did you hear about this? Yeah, she was cheating.  They looked like pearl earrings, but they also look like audio earrings. You can buy them, and you can have your staff feed you information in real time during a debate, they can coach you live.  Yeah, it's real, I read it on the internet.  That's the problem, isn't it? On some corners of the internet there's the dog-duck-immigrant conspiracy thing, there's the trans migrant prisoner sex change thing, and now there's the Kamala earrings thing.  Misinformation, disinformation, conspiracies, whatever they are, they seem to be everywhere at the moment.  Kamala Harris is pushing the conspiracies too, remember she said during the debate that Trump would implement project 2025 if elected, he says he won't.  Isn't that the same thing? Just lies, just making stuff up?  Don't get me wrong, I do love a good conspiracy, especially the bizarre ones you get out of the States, but I would never go nuts o

The nurses union says there's not enough health staff to meet health targets.   The Health Minister's laid out his plans for delivering health targets set in March.    Dr Shane Reti's discussed increasing public hospital beds and operating theatres and using private hospital capacity more.   He's confident the Budget and resources are already in place to deliver them.   Nurses Organisation President Kerri Nuku told Ryan Bridge the whole workforce is understaffed and chronically underfunded.   She says it's fine to have ambitious plans, but if there aren't the people or resources to implement them, it'll fail.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 13th of September, the government's revealed how they will reach its health targets, but health workers are raising concerns. Kerri Nuku from the Nurses Organisation joins the show to discuss.  Extra coal and gas was needed over winter to generate electricity with low lake levels in the South Island, should we be concerned about the reduction in renewable generation? The University of Otago's Dr Kimberly O'Sullivan talks to Ryan.  The first privately funded spacewalk has ended successfully. Is this the start of space tourism? University of Auckland's Head of Space Operations Chris Jackson joins the show.  Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today marks the anniversary of the September 11th tragedy in the United States.   23 years ago, nearly 3000 people died at a number of sites across the US, and memorials and moments of silence are held on the anniversary every year.  US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Ryan Bridge that a number of political figures were in attendance at this morning’s memorial at the World Trade Centre in New York, including Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A heated exchange between the two US presidential hopefuls - with many saying Kamala Harris got under Donald Trump's skin  The pair faced off over inflation, abortion and foreign policy in a high stakes debate in Pennsylvania.  US Pollster Henry Olsen told Ryan Bridge that debates in the past have had a minor effect on the polls, but this race is so close that even a minor effect could transform Harris from an underdog to the favourite.  This debate could have an impact on the polls, he said, but we won’t know for at least another week.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People seem to think Kamala Harris made a fool of Trump in the debate, but real fool was us, New Zealand.  Within 24 hours of the debate we got news of 230 jobs lost due in part to an energy crunch caused by moral grandstanding on climate change.  That's 230 jobs, but up to 1000 people including families. That's half the population of Raetihi and Ohakune.  Shane Jones calls it the hollowing out of regional NZ, and there's much more to come.  We also had news Methanex is consulting on mothballing, indefinitely, one of its two remaining plants.  Why? You guessed it - in part it's moral grandstanding on climate change.  More on that in a second, but first back to the debate. This is the most left, progressive political leader in America, Kamala Harris, boasting about fracking.  "I will not ban fracking. I have not banned fracking as Vice President of the United States. And in fact, I was the tie breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act which opened new leases for fracking."  And here, Kamala Harris boasts ab

Another blow for regional New Zealand and the manufacturing industry is being seen as potentially devastating.  Methanex is proposing cutting staff and moving from two plants to one.  Earlier this week Winstone pulp confirmed plans to shut, putting more than 200 jobs on the chopping block after soaring energy prices.  Energy Resources Aotearoa's John Carnegie told Ryan Bridge the system is going from crisis to crisis - something he believes is predictable following the oil and gas ban.  He says it leaves a hole in the confidence of investors.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The global shortages of orange juice is good news for our local growers.  The world's largest grower Brazil has been hit by drought and disease, bringing juicing orange yields down by at least a third.  That, combined with lower yields on the East Coast due to Cyclone Gabrielle damage, has left New Zealand with a shortage of orange juice.  Orange grower and Citrus NZ board member Matthew Carter told Ryan Bridge it's been quite profitable for those growing here.  He says juice grade fruit usually would be worth around 50 cents a kilo, and that's nearly doubled over the last couple of years.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 12th of September, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have faced off in their first debate, less than two months out from the election. Famous pollster Henry Olsen joins Ryan from the U.S. to discuss it.  Methanex is proposing to scale down operations to just one plant - what does it mean for the energy sector? John Carnegie from Energy Recourses Aotearoa joins the show to give his thoughts.  Have you noticed a shortage of orange juice in the supermarket? We check in with a grower and ask what's happening with the industry.  Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Major Electricity Users' Group says consumers are grossly over-paying for power.   Electricity prices have risen over the years, both businesses and average citizens struggling to afford their power bills.  Chair John Harbord told Ryan Bridge the companies are producing the same amount of electricity, while making record profits.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a belief a social media ban could benefit young people.  Australia's holding an age-verification trial in coming months, but it's unknown what the cut off age will be, or how it will be enforced.   Christopher Luxon has also expressed interest in the idea.  Parenting expert Nathan Wallis told Ryan Bridge there's a correlation between social media and youth mental health issues.  He says if things like social media are banned, it may be revealed as the major cause of the country's mental health crisis in teens.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US presidential debate looks to be a chance to get to know the candidates.  Vice President Kamala Harris is facing off against Donald Trump for the first time at 1pm our time in Pennsylvania.   No notes are allowed, and microphones will cut off when each candidate's not speaking.  Former US Ambassador to New Zealand under Barack Obama, Mark Gilbert told Ryan Bridge many polls show people still don't know Harris.  He says this will be an opportunity for her to be seen, as more than 50-million people are expected to tune in.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A wild, bizarre, and highly entertaining media scrum took pace in Wellington yesterday, culminating with an MP saying he didn't mind swimming in other people's sewage. Yes, human waste.  A chaotic caucus run with Labour's Ōhāriu MP Greg O'Connor.   He was asked why Wellington's dying - with cafes closing down, etcetera:   "There's not enough to do along that waterfront, there's been stopping things from happening. You can walk a long way there, there's no cafe, there's nowhere to actually get a coffee."  Greg, Greg, Greg. Why don't they just put more cafes in?  These things require business investment and a profit to be had. Could the reason there aren't enough flat whites at Queens wharf be because 1) Labour hiked minimum wage beyond affordability, 2) helped drive inflation sky high through unrestrained government spending, and 3) told everyone to stay home and out of the CBD and the office.  So far so normal, an MP struggling to grasp the realities of running a small business.  Here's where it all gets a bi