Today on the Wednesday Wire, Christina Huang hosts for the first time!

Jemima Huston has her weekly chat with the ACT Party's Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden. They talk about teachers being considered essential workers, and international students entering the country.

Christina looks into the recent developments in the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. She speaks to Associate Professor Jim Headley from the University of Otago about the political background of the crisis. She also talks to Professor Robert Ayson from Victoria University about Aotearoa's role in de-escalating the situation.

Aneeka speaks to Dr Robert Smith from the university of Otago about the current marine heatwave, and its implications for iwi, a sustainable seafood industry, and research efforts.

And finally, Christina speaks to Dr Alice Mills, a Criminology professor from the University of Auckland, about intimate partner homicide statistics and domestic violence in Australia and New Zealand.