Nine To Noon for Tuesday 17 September 2019

 

 

09:05 Saudi oil attacks: what next?

The United States has issued satellite images and cited intelligence to back its allegation Iran was behind attacks on major Saudi oil facilities. Iran denies involvement in Saturday's air attacks, which were claimed by Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen.  Kathryn talks with Barak Barfi - a research fellow at the New America Foundation where he specializes in Arab and Islamic affairs.

09:20 George Pell - the inside story

The convicted sex offender -  Australian Catholic Cardinal George Pell, looks likely to continue his legal bid for freedom with an application to the High Court, effectively his final chance at exoneration. Pell, the third most senior Catholic cleric in the world was convicted in March of sexually abusing two choirboys when he was archbishop of Melbourne in the 1990s.  Last month Victoria's Supreme Court dismissed the 78 year old's appeal against that conviction, ordering him to return to prison to continue to serve his sentence of six years' imprisonment. Australian investigative journalist Lucie Morris-Marr was the first to break the story that Cardinal Pell was being investigated by the police and covered the whole legal case for The New Daily and CNN.  She's just published a book about the case - called Fallen.

09:45 USA correspondent David Smith - coded threat to Iran

Washington bureau chief of The Guardian David Smith talks to Kathryn about oil prices soaring following attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure, with President Trump pointing the finger at Iran. A fresh historic allegation of sexual misconduct has emerged regarding Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh, and will Washington DC become the 51st state?.  

10:05 Is antisemitism on the rise once again?

Dr Deborah Lipstadt has spent her life studying hate - specifically, the hatred of Jews. The Atlanta-based historian and author wrote about antisemitism in her 1993 book 'Denying the Holocaust' and found herself sued by British author and Holocaust denier David Irving for libel. She won the case in part by providing evidence at the lengthy judge-only trial that the Holocaust happened, with a focus on the existence and use of gas chambers and a coordinated Nazi plan directed by Hitler. Her trial was made into a movie in 2016 called 'Denial'.  Dr Lipstadt has published a new book this year called 'Antisemitism Here and Now' arguing that acts and expressions of antisemitism are on the rise again.
 

10:35 Book review - Rise and Fall by Paul Strathern

Quentin Johnson reviews Rise and Fall by Paul Strathern, published by Hachette NZ.

10:45 The Reading

Wrecked on a Reef by Francois Raynal read by Bruce Phillips (Part 2 of 10). No webrights.

11:05 Business commentator Rod Oram - Fuel, trade and Gisborne growth

Fuel companies say the Commerce Commission made many mistakes in its report on them, the UK's international trade minister visits and  Gisborne leaps to the top of the charts for regional economic activity.

11:30 Lovely Grub, country caterers Gavin and Judy Marshall 

Farming couple Gavin and Judy Marshall deliberately keep stock numbers low on their Banks Peninsula farm these days, as their catering business eats into their time. They've been together for more than 50 years, and when times were tough on the farm, Judy would leave home during the shearing season to cook for shearers. Her culinary skills were used for starting up their catering business. Lovely Grub, specialising in feeding large gatherings, at weddings and special events - including the Clay Bird Shooting nationals, sheep dog trials, the Great New Zealand Trek and rowers at the  Maadi Cup.

11:45 Media commentator Gavin Ellis - Paddy Gower on Weed, emotion vs science?

Gavin talks to Kathryn about "Paddy Gower on Weed", suggesting it was high on emotion and a compelling anecdote but light on science. Also Mel Bunce's new book "The Broken Estate" has a spectrum of recommendations to improve journalism in New Zealand.
 

Gavin Ellis is a media commentator and former editor of the New Zealand Herald.  He can be contacted on gavin.ellis@xtra.co.nz