Nine To Noon for Friday 25 February 2022

 

09:05 Ukraine under full-scale Russian attack, West responds

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.

09:30 Ukraine war:  Russian-American cyber security and geopolitical analyst

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.

09:45 Omicron sweeping through universities

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. 

10:05 Desire : Why we want what we want

US entrepreneur and founder of four companies, Luke Burgis talks to Kathryn about  desire and what drives it in people's personal and work lives. He's the author of a new book Wanting - the power of mimetic desire in everyday life. Mimetic theory seeks to explain human relations and culture in terms of desire. Luke Burgis is the Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Director of Programs at the Ciocca Centre for Principled Entrepreneurship,  where he also teaches business at The Catholic University of America. 

10:35 Book review: Mothers, Fathers, and Others by Siri Hustvedt

John Duke from Unity Books reviews Mothers, Fathers, and Others by Siri Hustvedt, published by Sceptre

10:45 The Reading

11:05 Music reviewer Grant Smithies​

We’ll hear two tracks today from a new classic funk compilation on French label, Wagram, followed by a new song from New Brighton shoe-gazer Blair Parkes and a dusty sound-system classic from Jamaican singer, Neville Brown.

11:30 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman

Sad news coming from the world of sport, Sam discuses the loss of another cult hero in Va'aiga Tuigamala - Inga the Winger, and looks at a big week for New Zealand Cricket.

11:45 The week that was

Comedians Irene Pink and James Elliott with a few laughs.

 

 

Music played in this show

Track: Coyote
Artist: Joni Mitchell 
Time played: 10:30am 

Track:Sugar
Artist:A Hori Buzz
Time played: 10:45