Stability is continuing to erode across the Middle East with another day of large-scale combat.

The White House advises its military attacks on Iran could last weeks.

The strikes have killed Iran's Supreme Leader and numerous officials and more than 1250 targets have already been struck.

Tehran's been retaliating, sending strikes over surrounding countries, with six US servicemen among the dead.

National Security Expert Matthew Schmidt told Ryan Bridge that when all is said and done, there are a few basic groups who may gain control in Iran.

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The commander of naval vessel HMNZS Manawanui is facing a court martial —alongside two other officers— over its sinking off Samoa's coast in 2024.

Charges laid under the Armed Forces Discipline Act allege errors on the bridge meant the vessel grounded on a known navigational hazard.

Commander Yvonne Gray, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Gajzago, and a third unnamed officer are facing charges.

John Battersby, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Defence and Security Studies, told Ryan Bridge that as a commander of a naval vessel, your one job is to keep it above water.

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The Prime Minister’s being accused of playing politics over Iran.

Christopher Luxon says the Government will make a decision very shortly on whether to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity.

Former Foreign Minister Phil Goff told Ryan Bridge if Luxon wanted to take a stand, he should have done it already, as moving now would look opportunistic.

He's questioning why the Government's treating Iran differently than countries like Russia, and thinks we need consistency.

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On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 3rd of March 2025, New Haven University Director of International Affairs and National Security Expert Matthew Schmidt shares the reaction from the US following the latest developments with Iran.

The captain of the Manawanui Commander Yvonne Gray, is among three navy officers being charged over its sinking in Samoa last year, Massey University Centre for Defence and Security Studies Senior Fellow John Battersby shares his thoughts.

The PM’S signalling the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could soon be officially listed as a terrorist organisation here, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Former Minister of Defence Phil Goff tells Ryan how New Zealand should react to the ongoing situation in the Middle East.

Plus, Australia Correspondent Lesley Yeomans has the latest on a state of emergency in central Australia following torrential rain and Aussie dairy farmers want law changes to stop labelling non-dairy products as "milk".

Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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There’s been a lot of chat about AI replacing jobs lately.

And I get it, there are signs it’s happening. For certain roles, especially more junior ones, the threat is real.

But there are some things a computer will never know and never be able to do.

Like reading somebody’s emotions.

Burger King in the US, this is a story out this week, is trialling AI software to judge how courteous and friendly its staff are. They’ve got an aptly named AI assistant, Patty, apparently doing this task.

Party lives in their headsets, monitoring their every word. If you’re handing out Whoppers at a drive thru, Patty will apparently record how many times you say welcome, please, and thank you. Patty then delivers the Whopper crew a daily friendliness score.

Apart from sounding like a peak micro-managing pain in the ass, Patty, with respect, actually doesn’t know what she or it is talking about.

Can Patty detect sarcasm? Does Patty know if you’re dead in the eyes while welcoming the next hungry customer?

Customer service isn’t so much about what somebody says, but how they say it.

It’s a glint in the eye. An affectation of the face. In Japan a polite bow of the head. In New Zealand, too much talking and fake friendly could be seen as rude. We’re more of a smile and polite hand gesture-type country.

Human interaction is intricate and unique and takes even trained humans time to properly figure out.

We humans have more than 40 facial muscles and using them in different ways can apparently convey 10,000 subtle emotional messages.

I went to the bank yesterday to order a Eftpos card. The bank manager came over to say hello and I can’t tell you most of she said, but I know she was lovely. I went home and told my partner about her.

Is this a job AI can master? I mean really?

Even if Patty had a camera on our eyeballs, a microphone, and pulse checker, I don’t it could truly tell what we’re really thinking in a way only other humans can.

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A barrier stopping rural workers from using KiwiSaver is being lifted.

Farm workers, rural teachers, police and defence staff have been unable to make first-home withdrawals, because they’re required to live in employer housing.

The Government’s now allowing them to use their savings, including towards buying a farm.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Ryan Bridge that these workers have been locked out of the KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal for too long.

She says if people are working hard to get ahead, where they live shouldn't exclude them from the property ladder.

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The Israeli Prime Minister says bombing in Iran could continue for days.

Coordinated strikes with the US have killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and multiple senior officials - resulting in Iran launching counter strikes across the Middle East.

Three US service members have been killed in the military operations while nine people in Israel have been killed in Iran's retaliatory attacks.

Iranian officials have formed a transitional council to lead the country.

The Guardian Washington Bureau Chief David Smith told Ryan Bridge Benjamin Netanyahu wants the offensive to continue - but US Congress likely won't.

He says they will want US President Donald Trump to leave Iran as soon as possible.

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We have a new issues poll out this morning.

It's from IPSOS. 1000 people. Was taken after Waitangi weekend.

The numbers are bad for National, because they should be winning on more issues.

But Luxon won't hate the numbers because they're going in the right direction of a few key issues.

A significant increase on Cost of Living - after a period of trending in the wrong direction.

Another 'significant' increase on healthcare/hospitals- closing the gap from 19 to 12 points since October.

After being overtaken on the economy, they've come back to draw with the reds.

Interestingly, concern from voters about poverty and inequality is trending down - despite the big push in the media last week.

The reality is that Labour is still ahead on three of the five issues.

But no election is won or lost on a single issue, is it? Although Covid in 2020 and cost of living in 2023 were dominant.

What the election will come down to, as I've always said, and everyone already knows, is Winston Peters.

He has told me that he will not form a government with Labour if 1. Hipkins is in charge. And 2. it needs propping up by the Greens or TPM.

He says they're nuts.

So, as long as the polls, stay roughly where they are, the National party strategists will stick largely to the same script and wait for Winston at the alter.

Barring, of course, nay campaign snaffus that might get any of the above into trouble and offside with us, the voters.

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