National Radio Midday Report

Montana Shares – Burglary Legislation – Helicopter Crash – Yacht Accident – Ambulance Driver Trial – One Nation – Sub/Trawler Crash – Godley Head Murder – Human Genome Map – Powell To Middle East – Red Cross Riot – Taxi Murder – Cricket Rankings – Rodeo Accident

- MONTANA SHARES: Small investors are lining up to sell their shares in Montana Wines. Lion Nathan’s partial takeover of the company has caused a storm of controversy after being granted permission to start buying Montana shares while the stock exchange was closed, allowing them to head of a full takeover offer by British Liquor giant Allied Domecq, which has been called an unfair advantage. Lion Nathan moved closer this morning to gaining a controlling stake in Montana Wines.

- BURGLARY LEGISLATION: The Insurance Council is criticising civil liberties groups for defending the rights of suspected burglars. The Government is to introduce legislation that will allow DNA samples to be compulsorily taken from suspected burglars.

- HELICOPTER CRASH: Police have confirmed a pilot was killed when his helicopter crashed near Motueka while doing logging work. He was the only person on board. A bush fire started by the crash has been put out.

- YACHT ACCIDENT: A coast guard craft is on its way to assist the two crew of a yacht disabled in Tasman Bay north of Nelson. Christchurch Police say the skipper of the yacht has badly burned legs.

- AMBULANCE DRIVER TRIAL: An ambulance officer has gone on trial over the death of an 85-year-old pedestrian, who died when she was hit by the Ambulance. He denies two charges of dangerous driving causing death and careless driving causing death.

- ONE NATION: The Leader of the Australian far right party One Nation Party, Pauline Hanson, today begins campaigning in Queensland after resurrecting her party’s fortunes in Western Australian elections in the Weekend.

- SUB/TRAWLER CRASH: The US coast guard has widened the search area for any survivors from a collision between a US Navy Nuclear submarine and a Japanese fishing trawler of the coast of Hawaii. Nine sailors from the trawler, some students, are still missing.

- GODLEY HEAD MURDER: The trial of three men accused of killing a 21-year-old man whose charred and mutilated body was found at Godley Head near Christchurch has opened in the High Court. All three pleaded not guilty.

- HUMAN GENOME MAP: Two teams of the world’s top geneticists have published the first map of the human genome, and are surprised we do not have more genes, and that we are remarkably similar to other organisms.

- POWELL TO MIDDLE EAST: US Secretary of State Colin Powell says his trip to the Middle East at the end of the month is not just about the Israeli Palestinian peace process. He has added Syria to his itinerary and says he will try to shore up sanctions against Iraq.

- RED CROSS RIOT: Two illegal migrants were seriously hurt and dozens injured when a massive riot broke out at the Red Cross where they were being detained near the French port of Calais.

- TAXI MURDER: The trial of a young Paeroa man accused of murdering a Lower Hutt Taxi driver has opened in the High Court of Wellington. He has pleaded not guilty.

- CRICKET RANKINGS: The test cricket playing rotation and the new ranking system to find a new champion formulated by New Zealand Chief Executive Chris Doig has been officially announced by the International Cricket Council.

- RODEO ACCIDENT: 19-year-old Wairoa man was bucked off a bull in a local rodeo. The bull stood on his face and broke his nose.

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