Midday Report Essentials for Wednesday 11 March 2026

US media report Iran is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and despite Donald Trump saying the vessels were destroyed we ask Trade Minister Todd McClay what it could mean for global trade; An expat American tech entrepreneur with links to the adult entertainment industry has donated hundreds of thousands to New Zealand political parties, and our reporter Farrah Hancock reveals who; Researchers at a Melbourne start-up have taught a biological computer made from human brain cells to play Doom, and we speak to a scientist from Cortical Labs.