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Poland's shot down drones over its territory after repeated violations of its airspace during a Russian attack on Ukraine. It's shut four of its airports after warning of the drones in its airspace. US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley says this has sparked concern among NATO nations, with investigations ongoing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump hosted a tech get-together with some of the biggest names in modern technology. The CEOs of ChatGPT, Google Facebook and Microsoft were all present at the high-profile dinner hosted by the President. Correspondent Jonathan Kearsley told Heather duPlessis-Allan that Trump's former right-hand-man and CEO of Tesla Elon Musk was invited but did not attend. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump says reports of his death have been greatly exaggerated. The US President addressed media in the White House after his recent absence from the spotlight over the weekend sent social media into a tailspin. Health rumours have been ramping up since his diagnosis of a chronic vein condition, with photos of his bruised hand circling online. US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley says Trump claimed he was active over the weekend - and he wasn't aware of the death rumours. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chicago is bracing for a major immigration enforcement operation.

Donald Trump says reports of his death have been greatly exaggerated. The US president is addressing media in the White House after his recent absence from the spotlight over the weekend sent social media into a tailspin. Health rumours have been ramping up since his diagnosis of a chronic vein condition, with photos of his bruised hand circling online. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking his reappearance comes after yet another federal judge ruled against his deployment of military tropes in Los Angeles in June. He says the ruling could have significant implications for the President's future plans if it holds, but the Trump Justice Department is planning on appealing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the repercussions of the US President's move to take over the Federal Reserve? 

A recent decision by the US Court of Appeal has ruled Trump's tariffs illegal. The court has said it will leave the tariffs in effect for the next few weeks, giving time for Trump to appeal the decision. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that although the President has been given the chance to appeal, his team are likely shaken by this ruling. ‘The back and forth shows the concern behind the scenes in Trump world. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether it's the government, international organisations, higher education, or the media, one of the defining dynamics of the social media age is the deteriorating trust in public institutions. It's extraordinary, really. At a time when humans are on the whole wealthier, healthier, and more dominant than at any other time in our species' history, we're more distrustful of the institutions that are supposed to serve us. Saturday Mornings is usually a monetary policy-free zone, and I promise to mostly keep it that way for now. But it was pretty remarkable at the close of play last night to see an announcement from the Finance Minister about the Chair of the Reserve Bank. Neil Quigley had resigned, effective immediately, following further revelations about his handling of former Governor Adrian Orr's departure. Nicola Willis confirmed to Newstalk ZB that if Quigley hadn't offered his resignation, she'd have asked for it. I don't expect everyone to follow all of the Reserve Bank dramas. But the long and short of it is that former Governor Adrian Orr got in a dispute with the government over the bank's funding. It turned into a showdown of sorts, the Reserve Bank Board raised concerns with him about his conduct (some of which he disputed), and after taking leave for a few days he ultimately resigned. But instead of being absolutely transparent about the dispute and what had actually happened, the RBNZ Chair Neil Quigley told media that Orr had resigned for “personal reasons”. If this was just some rando then no harm no foul. But Adrian Orr was the Governor of the Reserve Bank, one of the most powerful public servants in the country. His pen stroke and the decisions of his Monetary Policy Committee could be the difference between thousands or hundreds of thousands of people losing their jobs or homes. Like many journalists, I didn't buy the “personal reasons” explanation and felt we all deserved to know more detail about what had actually happened. Ater all, this wasn't a private company. The Reserve Bank serves us. After Neil Quigley's explanation, and after the Reserve Bank declined for Adrian Orr to be interviewed, I even went to the extreme length of sending him a letter at his home asking him to front. It's something I'd almost never do, but the public deserved an explanation. And it's taken until now and a ruling from the ombudsman for us to get the full story. I think there are lessons in this for all of us who work in jobs that purport to serve the public. In my role, I think about trust a lot. And look, I know this is very different to the Reserve Bank, much lower stakes, but I had the chance to reflect on my own work this week, and tried to lean into the spirit of introspection and openness. I was on a podcast, re_covering, in which Newstalk ZB's Frank Ritchie asks journalists to reflect on a story they covered. I didn't choose one which I'd absolutely nailed. Instead, I reflected on my five years as TVNZ's US Correspondent, and on my surprise at the first election of Donald Trump. As I said on re_covering, the fact so many of us were so shocked by the result (including Trump!) shows I and the rest of the news media covering that election had done a massively insufficient job of reflecting the scale of the anger and dissatisfaction with the status quo in the US. That election changed the world. Ultimately, I hope reflecting on my surprise will make me more sceptical of conventional wisdom, and better at my job today. Humans are fallible. We all make mistakes. But the Reserve Bank episode demonstrates the best thing a public institution can do to protect its reputation is not try and protect its reputation. Just admit when you got things wrong. Admit things that make you look bad. Learn lessons the hard way. Convince the public you have nothing to hide by showing us you have nothing to hide. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minneapolis' Police Chief says they'll be working to make sure schools are protected following a shooting which killed two children. Eighteen people were also injured when a gunman shot through church windows at Annunciation Catholic School, before turning a gun on himself. The FBI's investigating the shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crimes targeting Catholics. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking a survey reveals that in the last year, there were at least 91 shootings on school grounds – almost two a week. He says the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in the United States is not illness or accidents, it's gun violence. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a big day for Swifties - as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement. The multi-Grammy winner and NFL star took to social media this morning, sharing photos of the proposal. US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley says this story interrupted the US Open coverage - and even made its way into President Trump's cabinet meeting. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Minneapolis Catholic school's been left devastated after a gunman killed two children and injured 17 other people. He was armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol, and shot through the church windows before turning a gun on himself. Annunciation Catholic School was marking their first week of school with morning mass and had highlighted their theme for the year as 'hope'. US Correspondent Toni Waterman told Ryan Bridge the shooter doesn't have an extensive criminal history, despite showing up fully armed. It's unknown what the motive was at this stage. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump is escalating his threat to deploy the National Guard in Democrat-run cities. He's doing it under the guise of cracking down on crime, beginning with Washington DC. New York City, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Chicago were among the cities singled out. The US President called Chicago a “mess”, and derided its mayor, Brandon Johnson, as “grossly incompetent”. The Illinois Governor, JB Pritzker, is hitting back at Trump, saying it's not about fighting crime but rather finding an excuse to deploy the military and intimidate his political rivals. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that in the past, the National Guard has been temporarily deployed by state governors only, not the federal government, so this is all new. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US correspondent Leon Busby joined Piney to discuss NBA contracts, the ongoing MLB season and the start of the NFL season. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Erik Menendez has been denied parole 36 years after he confessed to killing his parents. He and his brother Lyle were sentenced to life in prison in 1996 for murdering their parents Jose and Kitty Menendez. Since then, further details around abuse from their father have surfaced, leading to public debate over their sentencing. US Correspondent Jonathan Kearsley told Heather duPlessis-Allan that Eric Menendez will have to wait another three years before requesting parole again. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The White House is claiming plans are well underway for a meeting between Russia's President Vladimir Putin's and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. US President Donald Trump met with Zelenskyy and several foreign leaders earlier in the week, following his meeting with Putin in Alaska. Trump says he hopes Putin will move forward on ending the war in Ukraine but admits the Kremlin leader may not want to make a deal at all. Former US Correspondent Nick Bryant told Mike Hosking that this presumably will end with Trump issuing an ultimatum to Putin, but the crunch moment never seems to come. Before the talks in Alaska, Trump said if a ceasefire is not reached, there would be serious consequences and sanctions on Russia, but in the aftermath of the talks, Trump appears to have backed down. Bryant says that Trump seems to be influenced by the last person he speaks to and lacks a coherent strategy, so it's hard to see how this will end. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The White House is claiming plans are well underway for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin's and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. US President Donald Trump met with Zelenskyy and several foreign leaders earlier in the week. He's also now ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine under any peace deal. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says it's clear Trump doesn't want to be a part of any discussions between the leaders. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest from the meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump at the White House.

Donald Trump's focussing on a peace deal rather than a ceasefire as talks with Ukraine's President get underway. Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the White House for talks with Trump and several European leaders today. Trump also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday and says he'll have a phone call with him after today's talks. Channel 9 US Correspondent Lauren Tomasi told Mike Hosking the meeting has been quite warm so far, with it appearing to be a room full of friends as opposed to heads of state. She says that it's a good thing for Europe, who has come into this supporting Zelenskyy, as they know the security of Ukraine will have ramifications on Europe. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A reasonable chance of the Russia-Ukraine war ending if a trilateral meeting with both country's leaders occurs. This comes from Donald Trump ahead of today's big meeting at the White House. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived, along with several European leaders. Russia's President Vladimir Putin met with Trump on Saturday, and Trump says he'll have a phone call with him after today's talks. Trump says the whole world is tired of the war, and they're going to get it ended. Feature Story News US Correspondent Nick Harper shares the latest. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump is due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska tomorrow. This is the first time a Russian leader has been on US soil in more than a decade. Donald Trump has made it clear on many occasions that he wants to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine. US Correspondent Jonathan Kearsley told Heather duPlessis-Allan that, “He wants to be seen as a peacemaker president.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are gearing up for tomorrow's highly anticipated talks in Alaska. The US and Russian presidents will discuss ending the war in Ukraine, with suggestions a second meeting could follow if it goes well. The Kremlin's already dangling financial incentives, saying there's untapped potential in US-Russian relations. US Correspondent Toni Waterman told Ryan Bridge there are reports Trump is considering granting Russia access to Alaskan natural resources, as well as potentially allow them to access rare minerals in the territories it occupies in Ukraine, among other things. She says in Trump's mind, this would be an incentive for Putin to take negotiations seriously. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's uncertainty over how Donald Trump's dialling up of law enforcement in Washington DC will play out. The President has placed the DC Metropolitan Police Department under federal control, and has deployed roughly 800 National Guards. US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley says local authorities have claimed Trump's measures to crack down on crime in DC aren't necessary - and that violent crime is at a 30-year low. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US President has said he would be happy to have a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The focus of this meeting will likely be around peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. US Correspondent Jonathan Kearsley told Heather duPlessis-Allan that Donald Trump wants to be the middleman to this peace deal. ‘He would want to make it look like he is the peacemaker.' LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The effects of Donald Trump's tariff hikes are already being felt in the US and around the world. The US President's updated trade policy is now in effect for more than 90 trading partners. New Zealand goods are grappling with a 15% tariff at the American border. US Correspondent Charles Feldman told Mike Hosking the income will pay for Trump's tax cuts for the wealthy at the cost of consumers. He says prices for almost anything Americans get as an imported product will rise. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk's reputation has taken a noticeable dive, according to the most recent data. Gallup surveyed Americans about what they thought of 14 well-known U.S. and global figures, with 61 percent of respondents having an unfavourable opinion of Musk. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says that other people in Trump's inner circle also had negative net favourability ratings, with RFK Jr and JD Vance underperforming in the poll. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former US President Bill Clinton and wife Hillary have received subpoenas from a congressional committee to testify about Jeffrey Epstein. The Republican committee chair has also called eight others, including former FBI directors James Comey and Robert Mueller. The committee's looking for more information about the deceased sex offender after the Trump administration decided against releasing further files. US Correspondent Charles Feldman told Mike Hosking we're unlikely to see any great revelations come from this. He says it doesn't seem like there's anything that will come out about Epstein that hasn't already been leaked over the past few years – but that hasn't stopped either the Republicans or Democrats from pursuing the files. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump's latest tariff deadline is rapidly approaching. The US President has reached 11 deals, and agreed to pause tariff increases for Mexico, ahead of his deadline of 4pm today. He's indicated he'll raise the baseline tariff faced by most countries, including New Zealand. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that at the same time, the trade wars are facing a critical court test within the United States. The Trump team is being sued by a coalition of states and businesses who claim Trump has been overstepping his powers when it comes to some of the steepest tariffs. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People are scrambling to higher ground across the Pacific, after a magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's east. It's recorded four-metre waves, with half-metre waves reaching Japan and tsunami alerts in effect for Alaska, Hawaii and the entire US west coast. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Hawaiian residents are 'scrambling' - and traffic is building up. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Contradicting statements out of the US and Israel over the hunger crisis in Gaza. The region's health authority says 14 people have died in the past 24 hours due to starvation, which Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denies. He says Israel's enabled humanitarian aid throughout the duration of the war, otherwise there would be no Gazans. But US President Donald Trump says he's seen it, and is promising to set up food centres. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the question now is how long does a starving kid continue to starve while new systems are being set up? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US correspondent Leon Busby joined Piney to discuss the WNBA All-Star game, NBA offseason, and the MLB. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unprecedented discussions between a high-ranking US justice official and Ghislaine Maxwell. CNN reports Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Jeffery Epstein's accomplice in her Florida prison, where she's serving a 20 year sentence for child sex trafficking and abuse offences. Intelligence Analyst John Miller says a meeting like this is unheard of, speculating they could have discussed others involved in the scheme, or what she'd be willing to say publicly on President Trump. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking it's all occurring as the Epstein saga blew up on Capitol Hill. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More tributes for heavy metal pioneer Ozzy Osbourne, who's died aged 76. Band-mates of Black Sabbath's lead singer say they've lost a brother. Musos from Pearl Jam, Metallica and Aerosmith are calling Osbourne a hero, and an inspiration for generations. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Osbourne helped bring metal music into the mainstream - at least, in the US. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fallout over the Epstein files appears to have ground Capitol Hill to a halt. CNN reports Speaker Mike Johnson closed proceedings for August recess a day earlier than planned, ahead of votes around the release of the files. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that Johnson says the whole issue should be allowed to cool down, saying they've been ‘clear and transparent'. However, Arnold says, this is not the view of the MAGA faithful, with Republican activist Marjorie Taylor Green saying “if there is no justice and no accountability, people are going to get sick of it”. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump is now asking for some of the Epstein documents to be released. The President, who earlier this week was calling for people to forget about the files, has now changed his approach to the situation. US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson told Ryan Bridge, ‘I think he wants to try and get ahead of this, even though he has been trying to divert attention from it.' These documents are suspected of containing important information about the identities of some of Jeffery Epstein's clients. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Johnson, the US Speaker of the House, has called for the Justice Department to release the files of deceased sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein. President Donald Trump has been facing increased backlash from fellow Republicans for not properly handling the case - which Trump campaigned on getting to the bottom of. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says the White House has been trying to shift public attention away from this case - but the division is making it hard to ignore. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, the FBI investigation that Trump promised would reveal all about Jeffrey Epstein concluded there was no evidence to implicate anyone else in his abuse. But diaries from Epstein's most prominent victim, Virginia Giuffre, released exclusively to The Times, tell a different story.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Josie Ensor, US Correspondent, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Anna Dowell.Further reading: Jeffrey Epstein victim's diary ‘contradicts' FBI blackmail claims.Clips: MSNBC, Sky News Australia, The Dan Bongino Show, The Washington Examiner, ABC News, Tucker Carlson, Breaking Points.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The death toll from flash floods in Texas has risen to 111 - including 28 children - and the numbers missing have skyrocketed to 173. It's the US's deadliest freshwater flooding in nearly 50 years. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says fingers have been pointed at the Republicans in charge - claiming their cuts to emergency services have worsened the impact of the disaster. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The death toll from flash floods that struck central Texas has now climbed to at least 108 people. Search and rescue efforts have reached their fifth day, with the dead including 28 children due to flooding west of San Antonio. Dozens of people are still missing. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Heather du Plessis-Allan hundreds of volunteers have joined in. He says searches along the Guadalupe River are slow and dirty. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Republicans are celebrating after US President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful" bill crossed the line. Trump is expected to sign his sweeping domestic policy bill tomorrow as he celebrates the Fourth of July at the White House. House Speaker Mike Johnson claims everything was a disaster under the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris administration. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking there was a lot of drama throughout the entire process, but eventually, Trump bullied the vast majority of House Republicans into signing onto the bill. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After hours of stalemate, Republicans in the US Senate narrowly passed President Donald Trump's latest bill on tax and spending. The 'big, beautiful' bill passed with Vice-President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote after over 24 hours of debate. US correspondent Charles Feldman says Elon Musk extensively criticised the bill, and he's recently threatened to support campaigns against Congress Republicans voting for it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US President is facing questions over health coverage cuts in his tax and spending bill, which just passed the Senate The casting vote of Vice-President JD Vance was needed, but it still needs House approval before it can be signed by Donald Trump by July 4th. The Congressional Budget Office says 11.8 million people could lose health coverage if it becomes law. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that Trump originally said they wouldn't touch Medicaid, which has turned out to be a lie. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest from the One Big Beautiful Bill being voted on in the Senate, while the Supreme Court delivers a win for Trump on birthright citizenship.

The Trump Administration has hit out at reporters pushing back against their official line on Iran. US President Donald Trump continues to insist the strikes from the US obliterated Iran's nuclear sites – a stance Iran's Supreme Leader claims is exaggerated. Fox News' Pentagon Correspondent Jennifer Griffin questioned Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during a press conference, asking if the White House was certain all the highly enriched uranium was inside the Fordow Mountain – the location hit by the US. US Correspondent Kirk Clyatt joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to break down the latest developments. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reports claim US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities did not destroy the Iranian nuclear programme - and likely only set it back. Details of the initial damage assessment from the Pentagon's Defence Intelligence Agency were recently leaked and the White House has been quick to fire back against it. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Trump's conduct has been 'surprising' for a world leader. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump's recent social media posts hint at major escalations in the Iran and Israel conflict. Israel and Iran continue to trade strikes, with at least 224 Iranians and 24 Israelis killed since hostilities began after Israel's initial attack on Friday. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking Trump's posts mean we could be on a brink of a rapid shift in the American role in the Iran and Israel conflict. He says Trump wrote that they now have complete and total control of the skies of Iran, which echoes exactly what Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu said in his most recent US interview. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US police have found a 'hit list' of names after they confronted the man who shot and killed Democrat Melissa Hortman and her husband in the state of Minnesota. US correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the 57-year-old suspect got away - but police were able to search his vehicle. He says they found a papers listing around 70 names of other targets - as well as anti-abortion material. The gunman had also shot another Democratic senator and his wife in their home - they both survived.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India's set to lead an investigation into a plane crash in Ahmedabad, which has killed at least 290. The Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed onto a doctor's hostel right after take-off, heading for London's Gatwick Airport. According to the Telegraph, the last words from the pilot were 'Mayday, no thrust, losing power, unable to lift'. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking this is the first fatal crash by this particular Boeing model, of which there's about a thousand in service around the world. He says experts believe the black box should contain a significant amount of information about the crash, and no doubt Boeing and US safety inspectors will play some role in the investigation. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unrest is spreading in the US over immigrant deportations. Donald Trump is sending hundreds of US Marines and has ordered 2000 more National Guard troops to go to LA's immigration protests. California Governor Gavin Newsom's called the US President's orders deranged and has filed a lawsuit. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking of the 2000 National Guard troops deployed, only 315 were mission assigned, the other 1700 having no particular responsibility. He says that 100 arrests have been made, but no charges have been laid. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David gives an update on events in LA, where the National  Guard as been sent in and President Trump's conflict with Elon Musk.

President Trump's tariffs have been ruled illegal by a federal court, but the Oval Office is appealing. Meanwhile, Trump announced steel and aluminium tariffs would double to 50 per cent - and the court has not struck these down. Elon Musk is leaving as questions rise about his drug use, and the President's legislation to enact much of his agenda, the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' is falling foul with fiscal hawks in his party because of the amount of debt it puts on the Government.