Thu 8 Oct ~ Geopolitical analyst Dr Jeffrey Miller, editor of Gulf States Insight, reflects with host Andrew Curtis on the two years since Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, which killed around 1200 people and took 250 hostages before triggering a devastating war in Gaza. Dr Miller notes the conflict reshaped global attention away from Ukraine, hardened divisions over who counts as victim or aggressor, and has since spread into Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran, with Hamas and Israel now locked in a stalemate over disarmament and occupation.

Dr Miller argues Benjamin Netanyahu's hardline military response was driven partly by domestic political survival after Israel's intelligence failure, and warns there is no military solution to the region's problems, only difficult diplomatic ones that neither side currently wants to pursue. He also discusses the deepening polarisation seen even in New Zealand around the conflict, and points to the renewed war in Yemen as a growing, under-reported flashpoint now contributing to high global oil prices.

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Simon O'Connor of Family First joins host Davina to discuss New Zealand's retirement income landscape, covering the rising cost of superannuation, proposed KiwiSaver hikes, and the five-year anniversary of the End of Life Choice Act. He warns the country is heading towards a fiscal "cliff" as an ageing population drives up the superannuation bill, arguing successive governments of both colours have avoided the politically unpopular step of raising the pension age.

O'Connor opposes lifting KiwiSaver contributions to twelve percent, saying the extra cost burdens businesses and locks away money New Zealanders could otherwise use to pay down mortgages, while criticising Labour's proposal letting employees pause contributions while employers keep paying. On euthanasia, he cautions that financial and social pressure on the elderly will likely drive further expansion of the law, pointing to Canada's experience and recalling a chilling comment from a nurses' group suggesting euthanasia could cut health costs, and urges voters to use Family First's "Value Your Vote" tool to check MPs' conscience-vote records ahead of the election ([www.valueyourvote.nz](https://www.valueyourvote.nz)).

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Matt Perry, executive director of the Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC), updates Andrew Curtis on the deepening crisis in Ukraine as the war enters its fifth year. He reveals that FEBC's roughly forty Kyiv-based staff are now being evacuated westward to Chernihiv amid a relentless new Russian bombing campaign targeting bridges, roads and transport infrastructure, causing severe sleep deprivation and psychological strain across the civilian population.

Despite the hardship, Perry highlights a striking spiritual response: Pentecostal leaders report fifty-four new churches planted in the Kyiv region since the invasion began, many made up of 60-80% new believers from Orthodox backgrounds. He explains how FEBC's down-to-earth, non-denominational broadcasts - including programmes like "Wounded by the War" and "Embrace" for strained marriages and widows - have become a key discipleship tool, as listeners seek authentic, hope-filled content rather than constant crisis talk ([febc.nz](https://www.febc.nz)).

Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App.

For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz.

Produced using AI tools under human supervision.

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