Security for Obama

Barack Obama will be heavily protected in New Zealand, with a ‘‘wannabe jihadi’’ the most viable threat against him, a security expert says. The former United States president will speak to about 1000 invited guests at an event run by the NZ-US Council in Auckland on March 22. He will spend about three days in the country, before going on to Sydney. Security analyst Paul Buchanan said Obama’s US Secret Service detail could consist of between six and 12 armed agents. Buchanan said he was concerned by recent cases of New Zealanders becoming radical adherents to Islam. He said risks to Obama’s safety were low due to his heavy protection, but the authorities needed to closely monitor radical New Zealanders during the visit. ‘‘I think the only real threat might be a wannabe jihadi. operating in a lone wolf fashion.’’

Swimmers die

Two people have died in two separate incidents while swimming north of Auckland on Saturday. A man drowned as four swimmers got into difficulty at Pakiri Beach about 1.30pm. Police said a woman was flown to hospital, and two children were treated at the scene. In a second incident about 10 kilometres away, a man in his 60s died at Goat Island, near Leigh. Two other men went into the water to assist the man about 4pm but were unable to save him.

Cash machine targets

Two Canadian men have been arrested for targeting Christchurch cash machines to record card details and PIN numbers. Detective Sergeant Joanne Parks said the pair, aged 28 and 39, were charged on Saturday with accessing a computer for a dishonest purpose.