Midday Report Essentials for Monday 23 February 2026

Police will be given new powers to move on beggars and homeless people, but there is a catch: officers say they do not have the time or resources to enforce them, and it could mean they are unable to respond to your house burglary complaint. We get the 10-1 from the Police Association. Meanwhile, the tariff saga involving Donald Trump takes another turn, with the Supreme Court of the United States ruling his tariffs illegal, prompting the US president to retaliate with a 15 percent global tax on imports. What will this mean for exporters in New Zealand? We speak to one of the country's leading trade experts. Later in the hour, we examine Japan's new political direction, as its new prime minister models herself on Margaret Thatcher. What will her leadership mean for Japan's military build-up and its relationship with China?