Morning Report

A brief update from the business sector.

National security experts are warning foreign interference is happening in New Zealand in exactly the same way as across the Tasman.

Australia's Security Intelligence Organisation says foreign scientists and academics are ingratiating themselves into university life with the aim of conducting clandestine intelligence gathering.

New Zealand security experts say this is happening here too and universities should be vetting foreign scholars and students.

But the national body University New Zealand says it is not their role to be a quasi security agency.

It's chair Derek McCormack told RNZ reporter Amy Williams each year the group meets with the country's security agencies to discuss risks.

Latin and classics teachers say they and their students are shocked the Education Ministry wants to curtail the subjects.

The ministry wants classics dropped as an NCEA Level One subject, and Latin dropped from NCEA altogether.

Rob Griffiths from the Classics and Latin Teachers' Association told RNZ education correspondent John Gerritsen the proposed changes are hard to fathom.

Coronavirus concerns have forced the postponment of South Korea's table tennis world championships and the latest round of J League football in Japan while there are doubts about a Six Nations rugby fixture in Italy.

Top stories this morning... Global stockmarkets continue to fall as the coronavirus outbreak spreads International students from China sidestep travel bans by spending time in a third country before travelling here. The National Party pushes back against Jami Lee Ross.

Northland's drought crisis is getting worse with the regional council on the verge of restricting water usage in 23 coastal communities.

The acquifers in those areas are dangerously low - so low that people drawing water from them may start noticing it tastes salty. It can take months for a bore to recover once saltwater gets into it.

Ali McHugh is from the Northland Regional Council.

She speaks to Corin Dann.

The vaping industry says tighter regulations around vaping and e-cigarettes could push some back into smoking.

New legislation before Parliament includes age restrictions, an advertising ban, and limits on flavours.

Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa says restricting some vape flavours to specialist stores will help prevent young people from picking up the habit.

Vaping Trade Association of New Zealand spokesperson Jonathan Devery speaks to Corin Dann.

India went into the first cricket test against New Zealand as hot favourites - the world's number one-ranked team hadn't lost any of their last seven matches.

But the visitors crumbled at the Basin Reserve, two poor batting performances allowing the Black Caps to wrap up a 10-wicket win with a day's play to spare.

Corin Dann speaks to to Sharda Ugra from Cricinfo.

A string of toy companies are facing legal action for selling unsafe toys which pose choking hazards for young children.

Cinevan International Limited has been fined $81,000 and another four companies are before the courts.

Stuart Wallace is the consumer manager at the Commerce Commission

Victims of a multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency scheme labelled a scam want the government to step in, but the Commerce Commission has decided not to investigate after meeting people who invested in it.

Mackenzie Smith reports.