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Economic pain is being felt in the latest employment numbers. 

The unemployment rate is 4.3%, an increase of 0.3 percentage points from the December quarter. 

ANZ economist Henry Russell told Mike Hosking that we've come out of a period of intense labour shortages, with migration doing the heavy lifting. 

He says skill shortages remain and that's why we continue to import people into New Zealand. 

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Patience has run out for the authorities cracking down on student protests across the United States. 

Pro-Palestinian protests at multiple colleges have broken out into violence and property destruction.  

US correspondent Mitch McCann told Mike Hosking that police were called to clear out students in New York’s Columbia University. 

He says up to 300 people were arrested as a result. 

This morning there have been violent clashes between pro-Palestine and pro-Israel demonstrators at UCLA, with reports of fireworks, projectiles, and physical violence. 

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The Government's continuing discussions around potential future cooperation with AUKUS but it's still a long way off.  

Foreign Minister Winston Peters outlined New Zealand's position to the Institute of International Affairs at Parliament last night.  

He says we should be considering exploring Pillar 2 —the technology leg— but we'd first need to be invited to join. 

Former Defence Minister Wayne Mapp agrees, telling Mike Hosking that if we didn't join, we'd be turning our back on our traditional allies.

He said it's a pretty deep decision to make.

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It's been found the blame lies at NZQA’s feet for a number of digital exam assessment glitches. 

An independent review found last year's issues —which included trouble saving exam work and lagging— was down to a number of safeguards failing. 

Avonside Girls' High School Principal Catherine Law told Mike Hosking that it wasn't catastrophic from their perspective, but some students would've felt that way. 

She says the vision for going digital is great but current issues make it difficult. 

Law says she's unsure whether we're as prepared for it as previously thought. 

NZQA's accepted the findings and apologised. 

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Unemployment is continuing to rise. 

New figures from Stats NZ show the unemployment rate was 4.3% in the March quarter, up 0.3 percentage points from 4% in the December quarter. 

The unemployment rate has been steadily rising since reaching a record low of 3.2% in the December 2021 quarter. 

Business NZ Director of Advocacy Catherine Beard told Mike Hosking that the biggest problems businesses are seeing is a slowdown in demand from consumers as opposed to unemployment. 

It’s a bit of a crunchy time we’re going through, she said. 

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Questions are arising around the Police response to a fatal sword attack in London. 

A 36-year-old man has been arrested after a 14-year-old boy was killed in the incident near the suburb of Hainault. 

Four other people were injured including two officers. 

UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking that the Police's response time will likely be looked at. 

He says it took officers 22 minutes to arrive at the scene and taser the man.

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