Midday Report

The latest news from RNZ's business team.

Members of the International Energy Agency, including New Zealand, have agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil to try to rein in energy prices which have been soaring because of the conflict in the Middle East. EMA boss Alan MacDonald spoke to Guyon Espiner.

Yesterday we saw the closure of parts of the Heinz Wattie food manufacturer. Kathy Perrin, an E Tu union delegate, who has spent decades working for Heinz spoke to Guyon Espiner.

US media report Iran is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and despite Donald Trump saying the vessels were destroyed we ask Trade Minister Todd McClay what it could mean for global trade; An expat American tech entrepreneur with links to the adult entertainment industry has donated hundreds of thousands to New Zealand political parties, and our reporter Farrah Hancock reveals who; Researchers...

An update on the latest news and results from RNZ's sports team.

A clump of human brain cells can play the classic computer game Doom. Researchers at a Melbourne start-up Cortical Labs have taught their "biological computer" made from living human brain cells to play Doom. Dr A-lon Loeffler is a Synthetic Biological Intelligence scientist at Cortical Labs and spoke to Guyon Espiner.

An update on the latest news from RNZ's rural team.

The latest news from Australia with correspondent Amanda Copp in Canberra.

The latest news from RNZ's business team.

Brian Cartmell, an expat American, has given big donations to ACT, National, NZ First and the Opportunity party. In total, it appears the technology entrepreneur has donated at least half a million dollars. Farah Hancock spoke to Guyon Espiner.

Iran is laying mines across the Strait of Hormuz according to reports surfacing this morning New Zealand time. Trade Minister Todd McClay spoke to Guyon Espiner.

Markets lurch back following Trump comments on Iran; Psychologist Dougal Sutherland on Covid's social 'long tail'; What impact does Iran war have on China and its relationships?

An update on the latest news and results from RNZ's sports team.

What is the impact of the war on China and what strategies are they deploying in the crisis? Until recently Anna Fifield was The Washington Post's Asia-Pacific editor and before that the newspaper's bureau chief in Beijing. She spoke to Guyon Espiner.

An update on the latest news from RNZ's rural team.

The latest news from RNZ's business team.

The latest news from America with correspondent Laura Taglianetti in New York.

Guyon Espiner spoke with Dr Dougal Sutherland, Senior Supervising Psychologist at Victoria University of Wellington about the long tail of psychological impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has left us with.

Markets lurched back today after big losses yesterday and oil dipped back down after Donald Trump said the US had made "major strides" and that the war against Iran was "pretty much complete." Westpac Senior Economist Satish Ranchhod spoke to Guyon Espiner.

Bracing for impact. Energy and retail prices set to rise for New Zealanders as the impact of the war on Iran washes up on these shores; we speak to the chief economist of New Zealand's largest bank about how this will hit your pocket; Christopher Luxon defiant about staying on as National leader despite record low poll numbers and whether a derailed economic recovery could cost him his trump card;...

An update on the latest news and results from RNZ's sports team.

America and New Zealand are the only two countries in the developed world to allow direct to consumer advertising of medicines. David Menkes, an associate professor in psychological medicine at the University of Auckland spoke to Guyon Espiner.

An update on the latest news from RNZ's rural team.

The latest news from Australia with correspondent Amanda Copp in Canberra.

The latest news from RNZ's business team.