Category: Radio New Zealand

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Donald Trump replaces Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem

Source: Radio New Zealand

By Ted Hesson, Reuters

Kristi Noem is being moved to a new role. TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP

One of the top officials overseeing President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, will leave her role, US President Donald Trump said on Thursday (US time).

It’s a major staffing move that raises questions about the direction of the Republican president’s immigration agenda.

“I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Noem will serve as “Special envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” Trump said.

Noem, a former governor of South Dakota, became one of Trump’s most high-profile Cabinet secretaries with social media posts that portrayed immigrants in harsh terms, highlighting cases of alleged criminal offenders and using vitriolic language.

She faced criticism in January when she quickly labelled two US citizens fatally shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis as committing “domestic terrorism.”

Videos that emerged after the deaths undercut the assertion by Noem and other Trump officials that the two deceased – Renee Good and Alex Pretti – were violent aggressors.

The public backlash for the deaths led the Trump administration to move to a more targeted approach to immigration enforcement in Minnesota after months of sweeps through US cities that led to violent clashes with residents opposing the crackdown.

Democrats in the US House of Representatives moved to impeach Noem and at least two Republicans in Congress called for her to lose her job after the incidents.

During congressional hearings in March, Democrats and some Republicans criticized Noem for her approach to the immigration crackdown and management of DHS, including concern over a US$220 million (NZ$373m) ad campaign that heavily featured Noem.

The staffing change raises questions about whether the Trump administration could seek to intensify its mass deportation push or retreat to a more targeted approach.

Under Noem’s leadership, masked immigration agents surged into Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, DC., scouring neighborhoods and Home Depot parking lots in search of possible immigration offenders.

The popularity of Trump’s immigration approach fell as agents detained US citizens and tear-gassed streets in an attempt to drive up deportations, which last year fell short of the administration’s goal of 1 million per year.

AFP/Kamil Krzaczynski

Strong embrace of Trump’s hardline immigration approach

While Noem, 54, served as a prominent proponent of Trump’s agenda, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, a long-time Trump aide, controls Trump’s immigration policy.

Noem was quickly confirmed to lead the 260,000-employee Department of Homeland Security in January 2025 after Trump took office. On social media, she referred to immigrants convicted of crimes as “scumbags” even as the number of non-criminals arrested by immigration authorities rose under Trump.

She joined immigration enforcement operations on the ground in New York City and visited a maximum-security prison in El Salvador where Venezuelan immigrants deported by the Trump administration were being held without charges or access to lawyers.

The number of migrants caught trying to illegally cross the US-Mexico border plummeted under Trump’s restrictive policies, a steep drop after high levels of illegal immigration under former President Joe Biden, a Democrat.

Noem, reflecting Trump’s agenda, also took steps to cut legal immigration programmes and increase vetting. She ended several Temporary Protected Status programmes that provided work permits to hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Venezuela, Haiti and other nations, drawing legal challenges.

After an Afghan immigrant was accused of attacking National Guard members in Washington, DC, Noem said she recommended that Trump place “a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.”

Critics said Noem demonised immigrants and promoted an immigration enforcement strategy that targeted non-criminal, working immigrants and families.

During Noem’s tenure, the number of deaths in immigration detention rose to a two-decade high while staff in DHS oversight offices were slashed sharply.

-Reuters

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/06/donald-trump-replaces-homeland-security-chief-kristi-noem/

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Review: Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! falls apart

Source: Radio New Zealand

From the punctuation in the title of The Bride! you might think you’re about to see something exhilarating.

Director Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Frankenstein-inspired romance has all the parts for what should be a monster of a film: big-name lead actors who deliver, a retro creature-feature setup, a Bonnie and Clyde plot, gorgeous costumes and make-up, delightful art deco sets, a brilliant score and dance numbers.

But no matter how much its creators work to breathe a spark of life into it, the bits of its plot are so loosely stitched together it feels like it’s falling apart not longer after it arrives.

This video is hosted on Youtube.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/06/review-maggie-gyllenhaals-the-bride-falls-apart/

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A rival to the cheese roll? The story of the Hawke’s Bay meatball

Source: Radio New Zealand

This story was first published ahead of the 2025 Meatball Festival. From Friday to Sunday Hastings will host the second annual Meatball Festival. First Up spoke to the town’s chief meatball officer.

Those unfamiliar with Hawke’s Bay’s humble meatball imagine Italian mince with red sauce. The actual description isn’t that mouth-watering, but the crumbed golden sphere filled with whipped, fatty meat offers an unexpected yet comforting morning tea delight.

Unlike its celebrated sibling, the Southland cheese roll, the Hawke’s Bay meatball has remained a local treat on the East Coast – a fact that irks me as a self-declared meatball enthusiast and a champion of its supernatural creaminess.

Growing up in Te Matau-a-Māui, a white bakery paper bag, translucent with oil, was a symbol of a trip to town and a meatball. Friends who now live abroad insist the moment they touch down on Napier’s tarmac it’s time to visit BJs bakery for a meatball.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/06/a-rival-to-the-cheese-roll-the-story-of-the-hawkes-bay-meatball/

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Former MP Jackie Blue quits National to join Opportunity party

Source: Radio New Zealand

Jackie Blue has also been the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner. Supplied

Former MP Jackie Blue has resigned her National Party membership and joined The Opportunity Party.

Blue was a member of the cross-party People’s Select Committee on Pay Equity.

She says the government’s handling of the Equal Pay Amendment Act 2025 was her “breaking point”.

Blue will join Opportunity to mentor new leader Qiulae Wong.

She is praising Wong for having the courage to enter “the nasty business of politics”.

More to come…

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/06/former-mp-jackie-blue-quits-national-to-join-opportunity-party/

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Britney Spears arrested in California

Source: Radio New Zealand

Britney Spears was arrested Wednesday night (local time), according to information from Ventura County, California authorities.

Booking information obtained by CNN shows that the pop superstar was stopped by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) around 9.30pm, was booked shortly after 3am, Thursday and later released.

CHP public information officer Ryan Ayers confirmed to CNN via phone on Thursday that Spears was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI).

Her vehicle was towed, according to the arrest information.

“This was an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable,” a representative for Spears told CNN in an email. “Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life. Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time.”

“Her boys are going to be spending time with her,” the representative said. “Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue needed plan to set her up for success for well being.”

It is not the first time Spears has had legal issues.

The following year she was hospitalized for a psychiatric evaluation. Her father, Jamie Spears, was subsequently granted what was initially temporary conservatorship over her assets.

That conservatorship was later extended and lasted for 13 years, prompting fans to start a “Free Britney” movement aimed at ending it.

It was terminated in 2021 and since then Spears has mainly been seen through posts on her social media accounts, often in videos of her dancing posted to Instagram. Her account was unavailable Thursday.

Spears is scheduled to appear in court on 4 May.

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LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/06/britney-spears-arrested-in-california/

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Watch: NZ woman’s brazen meth-smuggling attempt discovered at Sydney border

Source: Radio New Zealand

A New Zealander is one of two women facing an Australian court after an alleged attempt to import 38 kilograms of methamphetamine by hiding it under some towels in suitcases.

In December, an Australian and the New Zealander, both aged 35, were stopped for a targeted bag exam by Sydney border officials after arriving from Singapore, a joint statement from the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said.

Upon inspecting the women’s luggage, ABF officers found dozens of vacuum-sealed bags of a crystallised substance, concealed underneath a small layer of towels.

Dozens of vacuum-sealed bags were found hidden underneath towels. Supplied / Australian Federal Police

Testing returned an initial positive result for methamphetamine.

The two women were arrested and later charged with one count each of importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine. The offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

They were due to reappear at Sydney’s Downing Centre this week.

An x-ray of the suitcases. Supplied / Australian Federal Police

ABF Superintendent Elke West said officers were attuned to emerging trends, observing passenger behaviour and “using intelligence-led targeting” to assess who or what might be a threat.

“Our ABF officers are seizing significant quantities of illicit drugs at the border, removing profits from the hands of criminals and stopping their corrupt business model in its tracks,” Supt West said.

“Organised crime groups will run the gauntlet and attempt to smuggle in their illicit goods by any means possible, and that includes exploiting young vulnerable travellers.”

AFP Detective acting Inspector Trevor Robinson said the consignment was worth “thousands of dollars in criminal profit” and stopping it prevented “immeasurable harm”.

Border officials found 38 kilograms of methamphetamine. Supplied / Australian Federal Police

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LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/06/watch-nz-womans-brazen-meth-smuggling-attempt-discovered-at-sydney-border/

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Kurahaupō waka goes on display at Masterton’s Aratoi Museum

Source: Radio New Zealand

[brightcove] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6390401519112

For the first time in several years the modern Kurahaupō waka has gone on public display after being moved overland from Levin to Aratoi Museum in Masterton.

The waka was built and launched to celebrate 150 years of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1990 and while it was not designed to be a replica of the waka which brought people to Aotearoa it has served as a vessel to bring their descendants together.

Piri Te Tau was one of the kaihoe (paddlers) aboard Te Waka Wairua o Kurahaupō in 1990. He said it was a new experience for many of them.

“I had never been at Waitangi before 1990, and the huge amount of people that were there, but the huge number of waka that was there. I think there was 30-something waka there that year, so that was huge for me. I’m a country boy, totally gobsmacked about the amount of people and the amount of whakawhanaungatanga that goes with that type of thing. It was brilliant.”

The waka was born out of the Kurahaupō Waka Society in the late 80s, a partnership between three iwi descended from the original waka, Ngāti Apa, Muaūpoko and Rangitāne.

The modern Kurahaupō waka has gone on public display for the first time in several years. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Te Tau said the waka was completed around January 1990. And although many of the paddlers from different iwi did not know each other the bond between them was immediate, he said.

“It was launched over in Horowhenua. We did all our training on the Lake Horowhenua, and that was very, very compacted. And most of us were novices. Well, I won’t say novice, we’d never done this before. But it was so exciting and innovative because we had a plastic fantastic, and we knew that we would get some critique from our peers, but we loved it. And so the day we went to Waitangi was the beginning of the real journey to take our waka up to Waitangi, the place where it all happens, in our humble view anyway, we’d never been there before.”

The hull of the waka was made from fiberglass rather than wood which caused some debate, he said. However the wooden embellishments, including the prow and stern, were carved from tōtara by tohunga whakairo Kelly Kereama.

“We weren’t trying to replicate the original Kurahaupō waka, because as we understand the original Kurahaupō waka was a double hull. We weren’t trying to do that, we were wanting to do a contemporary waka … because this was associated with three iwi, we wanted to be able to share it amongst ourselves, and a waka and fibreglass seemed to be the ideal thing for us.”

Piri Te Tau. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Te Waka Wairua o Kurahaupō is usually housed in Levin among the iwi of Muaūpoko.

“One thing that this waka has given us is that faith in our ability to make things happen. It’s not called the Waka Wairua for nothing … First of all we had to go over to tono for it from our whanau in Muaūpoko. They supported the kaupapa, and they assisted us in preparing to transport it over,” Te Tau said.

Te Tau said when they arrived to pick it up he could not stop crying, even once the waka was on board the truck.

“As it happened, it was just like, you know how they say that Moses cleared the waves. Well this happened on the day that we went over to Muaūpoko. It just went so smoothly. It was amazing.”

Te Waka Wairua o Kurahaupō is usually housed in Levin among the iwi of Muaūpoko. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

The waka being put on display at Aratoi is a prelude to a Rangitāne iwi exhibition – Tino Rangitānetanga – which opens in May.

Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History director Sarah McClintock said opening a Rangitāne iwi exhibition at the museum had been years in the making.

The waka was being housed in a specially designed space in the museum’s courtyard, with temporary roofing to protect it from the rain.

“As much the waka loves water. We don’t want it to be flooded with water. So we wanted to protect it for the five months it’s here. But getting it from where it lives in Levin, onto the back of a massive truck, through over the big roads in the middle of the night, getting it here, then a crane to get it off because it’s heavy. And then getting it into the space created a lot, it was weeks of work,” she said.

Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History director Sarah McClintock. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

McClintock said the Tino Rangitānetanga will display the history, the present and the future of Rangitāne in Wairarapa.

The waka arriving at Aratoi was a teaser of how exciting that exhibition was going to be, but also a signal of the journey that the community, the museum and the iwi were on together, she said.

“We want this space to be their space, not that they’re occupying Aratoi, but they become part of Aratoi, that it becomes a safe space, a home for Rangitāne. And we know that they’ve felt that to an extent, but this really makes an incredibly strong and powerful message to everyone that we’re not about telling the story through a lens from any perspective other than Rangitāne’s.”

Te Tau said the iwi had been talking about holding an exhibition for about eight or nine years. It would be a chance for whānau to bring their taonga out, because many whānau had taonga at home but did not know how to care for it, did not know how to get it repaired and did not know how to store it.

“So it’s not just about showing our taonga, it’s about caring for them, it’s about when you need to have them repaired or better stored, it’s all of that stuff as well. Plus the feeling that we get from the whānau, and this is only the first four days it’s been on display, is one of a sense of belonging,” he said.

The hull of the waka is made from fiberglass rather than wood. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Rangitāne o Wairarapa kaumātua Mike Kawana said it had been very humbling to open the waka up to the public and see its reaction.

“We’ve had some great, great feedback from the whole community, not just our Māori whānau, not just those who have a connection to the waka and those who descend from the tūpuna of the waka, but from the whole community in terms of the experience that they have … listening to the kōrero, the history.

“You know, although it’s not an exact replica of the Kurahaupō waka, the name we’ve sort of utilised and been talking about over the last couple of weeks is He Waka Wairua and largely because of the journey that it’s taking those of us who are here as far as our own history, our own connection to our waka is concerned, along with other iwi who also connect and that’s Mauaūpoko, Ngāti Apa, and of course our other Rangitāne areas, Manawatū, Tamaki nui-ā-Rua, Rangitāne o Wairau anō hoki.”

Te Waka Wairua o Kurahaupō is on display at Aratoi in Masterton until 19 July, with the Tino Rangitānetanga exhibition opening on 2 May.

The wooden embellishments, including the prow and stern, were carved from tōtara by tohunga whakairo Kelly Kereama. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

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Second Oranga Tamariki boot camp will see youth stay four months instead of three

Source: Radio New Zealand

Oranga Tamariki’s second boot camp will have 10 teenagers volunteering to live at Palmerston North’s youth justice facility. 123RF

Oranga Tamariki’s second boot camp that begins on Monday next week will be longer in the lock-up phase and have more staff but still have only pilot status.

The second military-style academy (MSA) would, like the first camp, have 10 teenagers volunteering to live at Palmerston North’s youth justice facility but they would be there for four months instead of three.

They would go out into the community, supervised, for the rest of the year.

The second would, like the first, be run without the legislation to establish permanent bootcamps going through Parliament yet, though the bill was introduced to Parliament almost 18 months ago.

“It will build on the 2024/25 pilot,” said Oranga Tamariki (OT) online.

The legislation was to give judges the sentencing option and set up a category of youth offenders they could use it on.

A review of the pilot camp in 2024 found it was too thin on clinical staff.

OT told RNZ it had learned from that.

“There will be consistent therapeutic support throughout both the residential and community phases,” it said in a statement.

The camps were part of government’s moves to reduce serious crime by teenagers but opposed by the opposition.

Both whānau and the rangatahi had agreed to take part in the second one, the agency’s Dean Winter said.

They had to be eligible under the bill, with histories of serious and repeat offending, and be on a supervision order.

The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill was introduced to Parliament in late 2024 and had a select committee report last May but has not had a second reading.

It would also set up a young serious offender or YSO category for 14-17 year-olds where the Youth Court was “satisfied on reasonable grounds that the young person is likely to reoffend and previous interventions have been unsuccessful”.

Winter said the teenagers would get life skills like budgeting, cooking, household maintenance, applying for a job and completing an interview, getting a bank account and starting the process to get a driver’s licence.

This was on top of “intensive physical, mental wellbeing and cultural support aspects”.

Iwi provider Best Care (Whakapai Hauora) that worked in the pilot had helped OT design the second academy.

OT made no mention of Defence Force involvement.

The NZDF resisted running the boot camps from very early on and recoiled from government comments about how involved it was.

Officials early on advised the government that softer-style boot camps were better, and a strict discipline model was “likely to be detrimental to young people”.

“The pilot programme evaluation showed promising results in driving change for participants,” OT said.

“The second programme will incorporate lessons learnt from the pilot and will provide further learnings to assist in the implementation of MSA programmes once the YSO legislation is passed.”

Budget 2025 put $33 million into the camps.

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NZ travel agents helping clients escape Middle East conflict

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ

Travel agents are helping their New Zealand clients get out of the Middle East.

It has been almost a week since the US and Israel began bombing Iran, which is carrying out retaliatory strikes on US bases and embassies.

Most commercial flights are not operating, with much of the region’s airspace closed.

Paul Diamond from Wendy Wu Tours said the company was helping to evacuate six New Zealand clients from Egypt.

“They were due to carry on through to Jordan. But obviously, with the travel warnings out, we decided that it was only right for the safety of the passengers to cancel the Jordan part of the trip and to find ways to get them home early.”

He said the clients were booked on upcoming flights from Cairo to Auckland via China.

He said one of their clients was not able to evacuate via London because of recent changes to immigration rules, meaning dual citizens can no longer use a foreign passport to enter the UK.

“We couldn’t reroute them back through the UK because even though they were born in Britain, they didn’t have a British passport with them. They only had their New Zealand passport. With the new immigration changes, EgyptAir told us that they wouldn’t be able to get on the flight to transit through London because they would have had to go through customs.”

He said they had rerouted or cancelled all tours going through the Middle East since the conflict broke out, affecting about 500 of their clients across New Zealand, Australia, and the UK so far.

“We won’t operate our tours, and we won’t send passengers through any country if there is a travel warning that says to avoid non-essential travel. We always cancel our tours and make other arrangements while those warnings are in place.

“We’re going to see a lot of disruption, not just for us, but for a lot of people looking to travel to Europe that have got their tickets booked with Middle Eastern carriers, which, since Covid, have been one of our main routes to get New Zealanders over to Europe.”

Flight Centre general manager Heidi Walker said some New Zealanders had been able to get on flights from Dubai to Sydney.

Flight Centre NZ general manager Heidi Walker. Supplied / Flight Centre

“We’ve been in daily correspondence with Emirates in New Zealand and many of the other airlines as well. They’ve been helping us get people onto the limited flights that are departing. Emirates has managed to get a few flights from Dubai into Australia, and those have been really beneficial to everyone trying to get out of there.”

She could not say how many clients were in the Middle East currently, but about 100 had planned to travel via Dubai in March.

“We’re reaching out to those customers who have booked with us to make sure that we can find the best solution for them. Everyone is a little bit different about what they want to do and where they need to get to.

“We are saying to everybody to make their own decisions, to not rush into any decisions. We’re trying to give them all the information that we have and refer them to where they can find information about the safety of the destination that they’re travelling to.”

She said there was no firm date on when Dubai to Auckland flights would resume.

“The message from Emirates, which I fully support, is that when it is safe to be able to travel, then they will look at that. But until the point where it’s safe, they won’t be resuming those flights.

“At the moment, the Dubai-Sydney flights are definitely filling our requirement to help New Zealanders out of Dubai.”

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How do you know if your beach is okay to swim at?

Source: Radio New Zealand

After a couple of days of rough weather and some heavy rain, beaches all around Wellington’s south coast and in the inner harbour have been slapped with an unsuitable for swimming status.

The problem isn’t confined to the capital. Many Auckland’s beaches are often unswimmable after rain, and Christchurch is looking at a plan to divert wastewater into the ocean outfall pipe as the council struggles to control a stench from fire-damaged treatment ponds at Bromley.

RNZ/Charlotte Cook

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/06/how-do-you-know-if-your-beach-is-okay-to-swim-at/

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House seriously damaged in overnight fire in Southland

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

A home is seriously damaged after a fire in Southland overnight.

Fire and Emergency says the property in Mataura, near Gore, was well alight by the time crews arrived at about 9.15pm on Thursday.

A spokesperson says nobody was home, but the house suffered extensive damage and fire crews had to call for backup from another station.

The blaze was under control by 10pm, but fire crews remained at the scene until midnight.

Police have had a scene guard in place overnight until a fire investigator arrives later this morning.

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Why do some of us remember dreams and others say they ‘don’t dream’?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Some mornings, you wake up and the dream is right there. Clear and vivid. You might still feel the emotion in your chest, and it can take a few minutes to remember where you are and what was real.

Other mornings, you open your eyes and there is nothing. Just a quiet sense of having slept.

You might know people who think they do not dream. However, the reality is we all do. Sometimes we have many in one night.

Dreams can sometimes feel highly emotional, dramatic or unusually vivid.

Getty Images / Unsplash

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/06/why-do-some-of-us-remember-dreams-and-others-say-they-dont-dream/

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What to know about the war in Iran

Source: Radio New Zealand

A man makes his way through debris littering a street following airstrikes in central Tehran, on March 4, 2026. AFP

A look at the history, the players, and the early stages of global fallout from the war in Iran

Acclaimed New Zealand foreign correspondent Anna Fifield was on the ground in Iran across two years as the Financial Times’ Tehran correspondent, allowing her to gain a deep understanding of the country’s history and political complexities.

So, she’s not surprised the long-simmering stand-off between Iran, the United States, and Israel has exploded into open war or that the ripple effects are being felt far beyond the Middle East.

She talks to The Detail about the war, which began over the weekend, when the US and Israel targeted Iranian military and strategic sites with coordinated strikes, after tensions over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and regional militia support reached a breaking point.

Iran immediately retaliated with missile and drone attacks, and since Sunday, civilian casualties have mounted, global markets have wobbled, and disruption around the vital Strait of Hormuz has raised concerns about fuel prices and supply chains worldwide.

The impact is being felt in New Zealand.

So, with growing military, political, and economic fallout, The Detail looks at what led to the war in the first place.

“This is not the first time that the United States has intervened in Iran to try to bring about regime change, and it was not successful the first time round either,” says Fifield.

“In 1953, there was a democratically elected Prime Minister, [Mohammad] Mosaddegh, who the US and the UK actually overthrew because he was trying to nationalise the oil company at the time … and the US and the UK didn’t like the idea.”

That oil company is now known as BP.

“As in so many conflicts, this all comes back to the oil, so they overthrew him and reinstalled the Shah of Iran, who was a monarch who had been unseated there. He was very unpopular … he was very corrupt, and this directly led to the Iranian revolution in 1979 and the overthrow of the Shah, of the monarchy, and the installation of the Islamic State.

“So in many ways, the very existence of the Islamic State of Iran is a direct result of the US.”

She says this time around, there are three main players – Iran, Israel, and the US, which “Iran continues to call ‘the great Satan’”.

“Over the intervening decades and especially under the leadership of the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on Saturday, they have become more and more hardline in terms of developing a nuclear programme, supporting other groups aimed at destabilising the regions, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, and the Houthis in Yemen, and really trying to assert themselves in the Middle East.

“Iran does not agree with the right of the state of Israel to exist, so Iran and Israel have been at loggerheads ever since as well.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu AFP

This, she says, does not sit well with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“So the tensions between Iran and Israel are very long-standing and have been simmering for decades; both of them see the other as an illegitimate regime.”

Then, she says, there is the US, whose relationship with Iran remains equally volatile.

“There has been ongoing burbling animosity there. Last year, we saw the limited strikes and 12-day war in June when Israel and the US went in together and took out a lot of Iran’s nuclear material, buried a lot of it under the rubble and really neutralised it as that threat. So this has been going on for a long time.”

Then, in January this year, thousands of Iranian anti-government protestors were killed by security forces during nationwide protests. That, in part, gave Trump a window to strike last weekend.

Back here, in New Zealand, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has taken a cautious line, calling for de-escalation while reiterating New Zealand’s opposition to nuclear proliferation. He has ruled out any military involvement and focused on the safety of Kiwis in the region.

But that response has drawn criticism, with opponents arguing the government should take a clearer stand on the legality and morality of the strikes.

“I think trying to strike a balance between condemning what is happening in Iran and saying ‘we have no love for that regime and what it stood for, but there are still rules and laws that have to be applied’, I think that’s where the government, and other governments, have struggled,” says Newsroom associate editor Sam Sachdeva.

For now, New Zealand is watching from afar – but in a globalised world, wars rarely stay contained. If oil prices spike, markets tumble, or the conflict spreads further, the impact will be felt here too.

And as missiles fly in the Middle East, the diplomatic balancing act in Wellington is only just beginning.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/06/what-to-know-about-the-war-in-iran/

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Why travel insurance might not help right now

Source: Radio New Zealand

Travellers are being warned to check what they are actually covered for by insurance. RNZ

Travellers are being warned to check what they are actually covered for by insurance if they cancel travel plans due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman Karen Stevens said people should make sure they understood what they could claim for before they cancelled their insurance policies.

The conflict had closed many areas of airspace and meant a number of flights had been cancelled.

Many travel policies do not cover anything to do with the outbreak of war, civil disobedience or riot. That includes flights, accommodation or rebooking costs.

“I think most people don’t think about how the insurance is going to respond before they cancel,” Stevens said.

“They’ve got to be very careful before they just go ahead and cancel things.”

She said people should talk to their airlines first, or their accommodation providers, to see if they could get a refund or credit, or change their arrangements.

“A lot of people are still travelling or want to continue to travel, it’s just that because of the travel alerts and so forth and because of what’s going on in the Middle East they can’t go that way.

“But a much better suggestion for them is to actually start with the airline than it is to just cancel and then think that they can rely on the insurance cover because in most cases they will not be able to.”

Insurance would also not cover situations where people cancelled out of concern.

She said her scheme had dealt with many situations in which people had changed their minds about travelling and not been able to claim.

Stevens said she expected to receive complaints.

“I think to try and avoid those complaints, the best thing people can do is understand what they are covered for before they make any claims or before they decide to do anything about the travel arrangements. They really need to know if the insurer is going to provide the cover or they’re going to say an outright no as soon as the claim is made.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/06/why-travel-insurance-might-not-help-right-now/

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How has Country Calendar lasted 60 years on NZ TV?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Taking the gravel road less travelled is one of the great joys of New Zealand’s longest running TV show, Country Calendar.

The iconic show, which has arguably the country’s most recognisable theme tune, celebrates its 60th birthday this weekend.

Host and director Dan Henry says Country Calendar has covered just about every corner of the country in that time “and some properties we’ve been to two or three times”.

“I really enjoy those stories where you get to go somewhere that you would got no business driving up, or to a part of the country that’s just a little bit inaccessible.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/06/how-has-country-calendar-lasted-60-years-on-nz-tv/

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Reverse mortgage or retirement village: Which will give you the retirement you want?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Jo Murphy says she very much regrets moving into a retirement village as early as she did.

She said she sold her freehold home at least 15 years too soon.

“It was a neat little brick home on a nice quiet side road in Waikanae… the garden and the drive took hard work to keep tidy but I was fit and well, I had established some beloved plants. The labour – with hindsight – was beneficial and the property looked good too.

“Maybe I was simply lonelier than I thought … I had lots of activities so I didn’t put my finger on it being loneliness.

“I badly wanted to take that reverse mortgage but I also was thinking about my daughter who’s clued up on finances. She was a senior dealer for a while in the money market, and I could feel her disapprobation… so I stalled.”

She has since moved through three retirement villages in two parts of the country and said her capital had been eroded to the point where she could not buy another home if she left. The villages charged an initial fee for an occupation right agreement as well as ongoing fees.

“I had no idea until I wasn’t in my own home how much agency you lose in your day-to-day life. A lot of decisions are made around you. In this particular instance where I am now… I live with their constant vibration.”

She has been distressed by ongoing noise in her unit but was not able to do anything about it.

Planned work had not happened as promised, she said. Other people who were considering making a similar move need to think about what they were giving up, she said.

It is something that many people around the country are weighing up, particularly if they have built up good levels of equity in their homes but are struggling with the rising cost of living.

Property law expert Joanna Pigeon said people who were “asset rich and cash poor” often found it tough to stay in their homes when the cost of rates, insurance and other expenses increased.

But she said there were things to weigh up, whichever path someone took, and there could have been drawbacks if Murphy had opted for the reverse mortgage.

Heartland, for example, charges a variable interest rate – currently 7.75 percent – on reverse mortgage lending. This compounds because repayments are not made until the property is sold. Pigeon said this could mean equity reduced quickly.

“I would encourage people considering whether to have a reverse mortgage to have legal advice, and to also if suitable discuss with their family. Sometimes family members may prefer to assist if they can to assist with the preservation of equity in a property.

“The decision whether to go into a retirement unit or remain in a home with a reverse mortgage will always depend on age, stage and health situation. Care may be required at a later date, and if equity is eroded by a reverse mortgage it may reduce options if say a fall necessitates care needs etc. It is impossible to have a crystal ball for potential needs in the future. These potential issues need to be discussed and a decision made in the circumstances. Reverse mortgages are a product to enable a person to remain in their home, but the pros and cons need to be weighed up.”

Retirement Village Residents Association president Brian Peat said he chose a retirement village because he needed to find something quickly when he returned from Queensland.

He said it was not common for people to regret moving into a village but it was a “huge step into the unknown” for residents.

“”It is certainly a different lifestyle and some adjust but others don’t.”

Michelle Palmer, executive director of the Retirement Villages Association, said there were about 53,000 people in retirement villages around the country and 130 moved in every week.

“However, we recognise village living isn’t for everyone. That’s why we encourage anyone considering a move to visit different villages, talk to residents and have conversations with family and friends.

“It is also a legal requirement under the Retirement Villages Act to obtain independent legal advice before signing an agreement. “

She said Murphy’s experience was not typical and she was disappointed and surprised that none of the villages had met her expectations.

“The residents I speak with tell me they value the sense of community, companionship and security villages provide, along with the peace of mind that comes from a low-maintenance lifestyle. They tell me how much they love the village amenities and activities. For many, access to hospital-level care, should they need it, is also an important consideration.

“Some older New Zealanders do choose options such as a reverse mortgage to remain in their home. However, many residents appreciate that in a retirement village, exterior maintenance, lawns, rates and often building insurance are managed by the operator. In many cases, retirement villages also have fixed weekly fees so that provides greater financial certainty.

“As people age, the responsibilities associated with owning a house can become more physically demanding and a financial burden, so having them taken care of provides real reassurance.”

Heartland Bank general manager of retail and reverse mortgages, Will White, said there had been a 15 percent increase in reverse mortgage business in the past six months. There are now more than 26,000 people with a Heartland reverse mortgage.

He said reverse mortgages were popular when prices increased and people had more equity to draw against. They were still popular now, in a weaker housing market, when people struggled with the cost of living and rising rates.

He said people who were under the age of 60 would not be able to access a reverse mortgage. “The earlier you get the reverse mortgage, the more interest you will pay.”

But he said there were many customer protections in place that were not there 20 years ago.

“People rightly have a long memory and there’s this idea that debt’s going to be left to the children, you no longer own your own home… all those things are false but it’s always important for us to make sure we get those messages out there that it’s a different product than people remember.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/06/reverse-mortgage-or-retirement-village-which-will-give-you-the-retirement-you-want/

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Several top Kiwi netballers undecided on Silver Ferns future

Source: Radio New Zealand

From top-left clockwise, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Jane Watson, Whitney Souness, Gina Crampton. Photosport

Several top Kiwi netballers preparing to play in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) league are still undecided about whether they will make themselves available for the Silver Ferns ahead of the sport’s biggest events.

Nine current and former Silver Ferns will test themselves in the Australian league this year, widely regarded as the world’s toughest domestic netball competition. It comes after Netball NZ loosened its eligibility rules last year, allowing players based overseas to remain eligible for the Silver Ferns through a formal exemption process.

Among the group snapped up by Australian franchises are several players who have elected not to make themselves available for national selection in recent years – Gina Crampton, Jane Watson and Te Paea Selby-Rickit.

The veteran trio each told RNZ they remain undecided on whether they would put their hands up for the black dress ahead of July’s Commonwealth Games and the 2027 World Cup.

Crampton, who is returning to the court with the NSW Swifts following the birth of her first child, joked she is just focused on “remembering how to play netball again”, while Selby-Rickit and Watson said they planned to take the season as it comes.

The loss of experienced players from the Ferns’ selection pool has raised concerns about squad depth in recent seasons.

Former Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio. Marty Melville / PHOTOSPORT

Last year skipper and frontline star Ameliaranne Ekenasio stepped aside from the captaincy and made herself unavailable for the international season, saying she needed a break. Her decision came amid a turbulent 2025 season that saw Dame Noeline Taurua stood down as coach following an employment dispute with Netball NZ.

Ekenasio, who turned down offers in Australia to play for the Pulse in this year’s ANZ Premiership, has not ruled out a return to the black dress.

Remembering how to play again

Crampton admits she thought her chance of playing in the most competitive league in the world might have passed her by.

“I probably resided to that fact that that could have been the end. Last year before I fell pregnant I was really excited to play in the SSN, the world leading competition and now getting that opportunity again is very exciting, it’s a little bit daunting for sure. But even just being involved with a club like the Swifts, who have been historically very successful, I’m just excited to be involved and I can’t wait to see how we go this season,” Crampton said.

The specialist wing attack will play alongside Silver Ferns starting shooter Grace Nweke, who effectively forced Netball New Zealand to revisit its eligibility rules when she joined the Swifts last year.

The national body subsequently loosened its rules, which saw six players apply for and granted exemptions to still be able to play for the Silver Ferns.

Crampton and her partner Fa’asiu Fuatai have been based in Sydney since early 2024. That year Crampton was signed as a training partner with the Giants, and played one game as injury cover. The Giants then signed her on a full contract for the 2025 season before Crampton found out she was pregnant.

Gina Crampton last played for the Stars in the ANZ Premiership. Photosport

An opening came up at their cross town rivals for the 2026 season when Australian Diamond and New South Wales stalwart Paige Hadley announced she was pregnant.

Having given birth to baby boy Reggie just seven months ago, Crampton said pre-season had been tough.

“Sort of had a bit of and up and down journey so far, had a few niggles pop up and things. I guess it was a bit of a learning curve on the return after having a baby, but feel like I’m in a good place now, which has been really cool to get back into things and try and remember how to play netball again.”

After the 2023 World Cup where the Silver Ferns finished a disappointing fourth, Crampton took extended leave to join her rugby playing partner in New York, before they moved to Australia.

Would she consider making herself available for the Silver Ferns again?

“Oh gosh, I’m not sure I think you have to say whether you want to be available for selection or not and I haven’t said anything yet,” Crampton laughed. “So I’m not sure, it seems all a bit far away I guess in terms of just having a baby as well, so maybe something to think of.”

As a former Ferns captain Crampton said it was hard seeing the team surrounded in controversy at the back end of last year with the shock suspension of coach Dame Noeline Taurua.

Crampton spent most of her Silver Ferns career under Taurua, who was reinstated after a 51-day stand-off.

“That was really tough, obviously you could see the impact it had on the girls and how I guess everyone reacted to that but I think the awesome thing to see was how they banded together and they had a huge international season. Not being so close to it anymore, didn’t know exactly what was going on but I think the best thing that came out of it was how the girls played those games.”

Unexpected career twist

Te Paea Selby-Rickit was a Tactix stalwart. Photosport Ltd 2021

Shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit said she had enjoyed a better work-life balance over the past two years since stepping away from international netball after several years.

The 34-year-old arguably had the best domestic season of her career last year when she was a key cog in the Tactix side, which claimed a maiden domestic title.

Selby-Rickit is not sure yet if she will make herself available for the Silver Ferns, who have a huge two years ahead.

“I’m just trying to see how this season goes, if the body is all good and I’m still enjoying my netball I might make myself available but at this stage it’s 50/50, still thinking about it. Obviously a big couple of years and they’d probably want a couple of years of commitment so it’s a big decision whether I can commit to that or not but it’s definitely an option but waiting to see how I go,” Selby-Rickit said.

Playing in the SSN is an unexpected career twist for Selby-Rickit.

“Even over the last couple of years when I wasn’t playing for the Silver Ferns I didn’t really consider it, I thought it probably wouldn’t happen. But I’ve always loved watching SSN and admired it and wondered what if? So when the opportunity came up I couldn’t say no.”

No end date

Jane Watson was a key part of the Silver Ferns defensive end at the 2019 World Cup. © Photosport Ltd 2019

Watson has also got a career refresh after signing with the Sydney based Giants. The defender was in strong form for the Tactix last year when the side finally broke its title drought.

“Having played for them for so long, actually getting a win, in previous years we’d been very close, it was a very special moment for the club and the fans and all the people that came before us would have been stoked with that as well,” Watson said.

Watson thought 2025 was going to be her last year of elite netball before the Giants reached out to her just before the ANZ Premiership finals.

The 35-year-old, who has been joined in Sydney by her partner and three-year-old daughter, is not putting an end date on her career.

“I thought that I was supposed to be finishing a couple of years ago so who knows whether this is the last year or not we’ll just have to see what happens.”

Post the 2023 World Cup, Watson played two series for the Silver Ferns later that year but has not made herself available for the black dress since. But the 66-Test cap Silver Fern told RNZ that she has not retired from international netball.

Souness targets Silver Ferns recall

Whitney Souness spent several seasons with the Pulse in the ANZ Premiership. PHOTOSPORT

Former Silver Fern Whitney Souness also signed with the Giants, and was recently named captain before her first SSN season.

The 44-test midcourter missed out on Silver Ferns selection last year and is determined to push for inclusion before July’s Commonwealth Games.

“Not making it last season it was quite tough, it had been a hard season in the ANZ. For me it was probably the best time to go, I think it came at the right time for me to really push myself and what better way to do that than in the SSN competition so it’s been good timing for me to work my butt off and hopefully get back in that squad,” Souness said.

Knowing that she wanted to be considered for Silver Ferns selection, the 30-year-old applied for and was granted an exemption by Netball New Zealand.

“It was a bit of a different process, it was new, a lot of us had come over here so it was a bit of a different situation for me because I hadn’t made the squad so just a lot of comms with me and Netball New Zealand to make sure that I was available to still be part of the squad and have the opportunity to be part of it.”

Kiwis playing in 2026 SSN

  • *Grace Nweke – NSW Swifts
  • *Kelly Jackson – Queensland Firebirds
  • *Maddy Gordon – Queensland Firebirds
  • *Kate Heffernan – Adelaide Thunderbirds
  • *Karin Burger – Sunshine Coast Lightning
  • *Whitney Souness – Giants
  • Jane Watson – Giants
  • Te Paea Selby-Rickit – Queensland Firebirds
  • Gina Crampton – NSW Swifts

* Have been granted an exemption

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/06/several-top-kiwi-netballers-undecided-on-silver-ferns-future/

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Super Rugby preview: Barrett and D’Mac back, old rivals do battle

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Brumbies are winning the race after three rounds of Super Rugby. Brett Phibbs/Photosport

The Brumbies have galloped out of the gates, and after three rounds lead the Super Rugby field.

The two-time champs sit six points clear of the best placed New Zealand side the Chiefs, with the Waratahs still in second.

It was a rough week for Kiwis teams, the sole side to taste victory, the comeback kings, the Crusaders who picked up their first win of the season in a humdinger in Hamilton.

Despite the defeat, the Chiefs can count themselves almost a lock for try of the season, after Etene Nanai-Seturo’s length of the field stunner.

The Chiefs continue their run of derbies, though should expect an easier encounter on Friday night against an out of sorts Moana Pasifika.

Tana Umaga’s men were woeful against the Force, and they now find themselves at the bottom of the ladder with a wounded and dangerous Chiefs outfit awaiting.

The Hurricanes were dealt a cruel hand in Lautoka, forced to not only battle the heat but the wet in ‘sauna’ like conditions against the Drua.

They look to bounce back in an enticing clash in Sydney against the Waratahs, fresh off two wins and a bye.

The Highlanders were also luck-less in Brisbane, and head back under the roof to host the Force on Saturday afternoon.

The match of the round without a doubt is at Eden Park as two of Super’s greatest rivals go to battle.

The Crusaders turned around a poor start to their campaign with their 43-33 victory while the Blues had their hearts broken by the Brumbies.

Selection notes

All Black first five’s Beauden Barrett and Damian Mackenzie return for his first matches of the season.

Tupou Vai’i will skipper the Chiefs in the absence of Luke Jacobson Wallaby Lalakai Foeketi will get his first at centre. Augustine Pulu will make his debut for Moana Pasifika with Joel Lam and Tyler Pulini also to debut form the bench.

Angus Ta’avao returns for the Highlanders while the promising Lucas Casey has been left out of the 23.

All Black hooker Codie Taylor also returns for the Crusaders while Rivez Reihana is back at first five, with Taha Kemara dropping to 15, Will Jordan earning a rest.

Injury ward

Brett Cameron’s season has been confirmed to be over, while Ruben Love’s ankle is still anywhere from two to four weeks away from match fitness.

Luke Jacobson sits the week out with a hip complaint while Brodie McAlister will be back for week five. Moana have a packed casualty ward with Jimmy Tupou, Julian Savea, Lalomilo Lalomilo, Israel Leota and William Havili all out.

The Blues are low on locking stocks with Laghlan McWhannell and Patrick Tuipulotu both unavailable. Crusaders hooker George Bell suffered a foot injury last week and will be at least two weeks away.

Key stats

  • The Chiefs are 7-0 against Moana Pasifika.
  • Moana Pasifika have conceded 35 tries across their last four away games.
  • Hurricanes are on an eight game winning streak against the Waratahs.
  • Lehi Fineanganofo has scored eight tries across his last six starting appearances.
  • The Highlanders are on a six-game losing streak against teams from Australia.
  • Timoci Tavatavanawai has broken 36 tackle in his last five matches.
  • The Blues have won just once from their past ten encounters with the Crusaders at Eden Park.

Team lists

Chiefs vs Moana

Kick-off: 7:05pm Friday March 6

FMG Stadium, Hamilton

Live blog updates on RNZ

Chiefs:

1. Benet Kumeroa. 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho. 3. Reuben O’Neill. 4. Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi. 5. Tupou Vaa’i, who will captain the side. 6. Samipeni Finau. 7. Jahrome Brown. 8. Wallace Sititi. 9. Cortez Ratima. 10. Damian McKenzie. 11. Leroy Carter. 12. Quinn Tupaea, who is vice-captain. 13. Lalakai Foketi. 14. Emoni Narawa. 15. Liam Coombes-Fabling.

Bench: 16. Tyrone Thompson. 17. Ollie Norris. 18. George Dyer. 19. Josh Lord. 20. Simon Parker. 21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi. 22. Josh Jacomb. 23. Kyle Brown.

“It’s a very strong team for a game where we need to respond after we got a punch in the nose by the Crusaders.” – Chiefs coach Jonno Gibbs.

Moana Pasifika:

1. Abraham Pole 2. Millennium Sanerivi 3. Chris Apoua 4. Tom Savage 5. Allan Craig 6. Miracle Faiilagi (c) 7. Semisi Paea 8. Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa 9. Augustine Pulu (debut) 10. Jackson Garden-Bachop 11. Solomon Alaimalo 12. Ngani Laumape 13. Tevita Latu 14. Tevita Ofa 15. Glen Vaihu

Bench: 16. Samiuela Moli 17. Malakai Hala-Ngatai 18. Lolani Faleiva 19. Ofa Tauatevalu 20. Ola Tauelangi 21. Joel Lam debut 22. Patrick Pellegrini 23. Tyler Pulini (debut.)

“The Chiefs always bring a great challenge and we know that we need to be accurate and come out strong from the start. As a team we’re focused on trusting what we can do and going out there and executing our game plan.” – Moana coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga

Waratahs vs Hurricanes

Kick-off: 9:35pm Friday March 6

Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Live blog updates on RNZ

Hurricanes:

1. Xavier Numia 2. Asafo Aumua (vc) 3. Pasilio Tosi 4. Warner Dearns 5. Isaia Walker-Leawere 6. Devan Flanders 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (c) 8. Peter Lakai 9. Cam Roigard 10. Callum Harkin 11. Fehi Fineanganofo 12. Jordie Barrett 13. Billy Proctor 14. Bailyn Sullivan 15. Josh Moorby

Bench: 16. Jacob Devery 17. Siale Lauaki 18. Tevita Mafileo 19. Brad Shields 20. Brayden Iose 21. Ereatara Enari 22. Lucas Cashmore 23. Jone Rova

“They’re coming off a bye week, so they’ll be ready to go. We feel really prepared. We’ve travelled well and recovered well from Fiji.” – Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw.

Highlanders vs Western Force

Kick-off: 4:35pm Saturday March 7

Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

Live blog updates on RNZ

Highlanders:

1. Ethan de Groot (CC) 2. Jack Taylor 3. Angus Ta’avao 4. Oliver Haig 5. Mitch Dunshea 6. Te Kamaka Howden 7. Veveni Lasaqa 8. Nikora Broughton 9. Folau Fakatava 10. Cameron Millar 11. Jona Nareki 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai (CC) 13. Jonah Lowe 14. Caleb Tangitau 15. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens

Bench: 16. Soane Vikena 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown 18. Sosefo Kautai 19. Will Stodart 20. Sean Withy 21. Adam Lennox 22. Reesjan Pasitoa 23. Tanielu Tele’a

“We need to build on our start to the season, lift a notch or two, and convert more of the pressure we’re applying into points.” – Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph.

Blues vs Crusaders

Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday March 7

Eden Park, Auckland

Live blog updates on RNZ

Blues:

1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi 2. Kurt Eklund 3. Marcel Renata 4. Josh Beehre 5. Sam Darry 6. Torian Barnes 7. Dalton Papali’i (c) 8. Hoskins Sotutu 9. Finlay Christie 10. Stephen Perofeta 11. Caleb Clarke 12. Pita Ahki 13. AJ Lam 14. Codemeru Vai 15. Zarn Sullivan

Bench: 16. James Mullan 17. Mason Tupaea 18. Sam Matenga 19. Che Clark 20. Anton Segner 21. Taufa Funaki 22. Beauden Barrett 23. Xavi Taele

“The Crusaders are always a quality side and these contests carry a bit of extra edge. It’s special to be back at home in front of our supporters. We know the lift that Eden Park gives us and the boys are looking forward to putting in a big performance.” – Blues coach Vern Cotter

Crusaders:

1. George Bower 2. Codie Taylor 3. Fletcher Newell 4. Antonio Shalfoon 5. Jamie Hannah 6. Dom Gardiner 7. Ethan Blackadder (VC) 8. Christian Lio-Willie 9. Noah Hotham 10. Rivez Reihana 11. Sevu Reece 12. David Havili (c) 13. Leicester Fainga’anuku 14. Chay Fihaki 15. Taha Kemara

Bench: 16. Manumaua Letiu 17. Finlay Brewis 18. Seb Calder 19. Will Tucker (Crusaders Debut) 20. Corey Kellow 21. Kyle Preston 22. Xavier Saifoloi 23. Dallas McLeod

“One win doesn’t make a season, but the energy was great and everyone’s done a great job keeping things grounded as we look forward to heading up to Eden Park.” – Crusaders coach Rob Penney.

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‘Record speaks for itself’: Blues battle mental block against Crusaders

Source: Radio New Zealand

Blues coach Vern Cotter said despite the Crusaders’ domination, the rivalry is still very much alive. Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz

The Blues need no reminding that the Crusaders have had their number in recent times.

The side has lost 10 of their last 12 encounters with the Cantabs, with the rivalry becoming heavily one sided.

So, is there a mental barrier for the Blues?

Coach Vern Cotter admits there might be.

“It’s a question we ask ourselves. We know it’s one of the hardest teams in the world to play against. Since I’ve been here, I think we’ve only won once. So the record speaks for itself, and that’s the challenge that the players have in front of them, but they don’t want to have a negative mindset. They want to be able to play the game, be decisive, and have a bit of fun out there. I think that’s key to making sure that we move forward. I think we will surprise a few.”

Cotter said despite the Crusader’s domination, the rivalry is still very much alive.

“Everybody wants to beat the Blues, and of course the Crusades are the team that have been, over the last eight years, the best performing team. So yeah, of course the rivalry is there.”

If last week’s heated Chiefs and Crusaders encounter was any indication, there is no love lost between the Kiwi franchises.

“There’s ultimately massive respect. I think that’s probably the key thing you have in and around when you play them or other teams in New Zealand. And the first thing you know is it’s against your rival mates and people want to show up and walk away with the win at the end. So that adds a little bit of spice into it obviously.”

However, Cotter is under no illusions about the task that awaits his men.

“They’re just so tough, and last week we saw the championship team that’s in them. What they did to the Chiefs was impressive. So we know it’s going to be tough, they’re a team that just find parts of your game to exploit at any moment. So being focused and fully connected will be important if we want to get the result we want.”

Helping with those connections, Cotter welcomes back the experience of Beauden Barrett for the crucial clash.

“It’s nice to have him back because he has a curious brain and he’s a perfectionist. So having him in and around the team, he asks a lot from his team-mates. And although he is short of a run, I think when he gets out there, he’ll definitely want to put his mark in the game.”

In the wake of the announcement that Dave Rennie will take on the All Blacks coaching job and his comments about having no loyalty to incumbents, Cotter said the approach would help motivate players sitting on the fringe of selection.

“I think it’s probably one of the reasons he was given the job is that he can walk in and have a look objectively at every player and make his assessment on them. He watches a lot of rugby. So when he comes together, you’ll get an indication of how he wants the game to be played when you see his first selection, and that’ll be fascinating to see how that unfolds for each of the teams in New Zealand.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/06/record-speaks-for-itself-blues-battle-mental-block-against-crusaders/

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Adam Hall grateful family and friends will see him in his last Paralympics

Source: Radio New Zealand

Adam Hall will be competing in his sixth Winter Olympics in Milan this month. PHOTOSPORT

Sixth Paralympics in, Wānaka’s Adam Hall knows exactly how rare this moment is.

The 38-year-old para alpine skier is preparing for what will likely be his final Winter Paralympics in Italy. But for the first time in his decorated career, he’ll have a full family cheering squad on the sidelines.

Hall and fellow Kiwi Corey Peters make up New Zealand’s two-strong Paralympic team, and both head to the Italian Alps as genuine medal contenders. But for Hall, this campaign carries an extra layer of meaning.

Born with spina bifida, Hall burst onto the global stage with gold in the men’s standing slalom at Vancouver in 2010. Eight years later he reclaimed the title at PyeongChang, adding to a haul that also includes three Paralympic bronze medals.

Now, with nearly two-thirds of his life spent on snow, he said perspective comes easily.

He said he is full of gratitude for those around him, including team-mates and coaches, who have supported him. As for many top athletes though it is family who sacrifice most.

Hall’s seven year old daughter Gracelynn will watch her father race in person for the first time, alongside his wife Elitsa – herself a two-time US Winter Paralympian.

With travel restrictions during the last games because of Covid, Hall’s family and friends are making the most of seeing him in action this time.

“To have our daughter there watching is something special and she is at an age now where hopefully she’ll be able to remember that experience,” Hall told RNZ.

Adam Hall has been competing on the international stage for more than two decades. Photosport Ltd 2018 www.photosport.nz

Hall also has the in-laws, cousins and an old childhood mate from his days growing up in Outram among his supporters.

He calls the Kiwi Paralympic squad “a small but mighty team” who spend a lot of their time away from family and is hoping to reward them with another podium finish in Italy.

“I’m just missing a silver so we’ll see if we get the full set or not.”

His specialist event is the slalom but he’ll also line up in the giant slalom.

“The competition is so tight now and the margins are getting smaller and I’ve said this before that no matter what colour, if it’s a bronze or silver it feels just as good as gold.

“Can’t be too fussy about the colour but we do strive to be on top.”

Hall is familiar with the Italian Alps and closely followed the Winter Olympics with interest as he’ll be skiing on the same slopes around Cortina.

“For us we call the Olympics the test event, jokingly, they kind of iron everything out before the big show.”

The big show for Hall starts with the GS on March 13 followed by the Slalom on the 15th.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/06/adam-hall-grateful-family-and-friends-will-see-him-in-his-last-paralympics/