National Radio Midday Report

Missing Woman – Kiwi Bank – Van Heist – GM Commission – Doctor Resignations – Vet Strike Wgtn Service Industry – Tasmanian Bus Crash – Abandoned Kurds – Serbian Police Killed – Israeli Justice – Nerve Gas Plot

- MISSING WOMAN: Police are upgrading search the for Auckland Woman Marie Jamieson, who has been missing for nine days. A police spokeswoman says the inquiry has been stepped up as police have become increasingly fearful for her safety. Ms Jamieson only had $10 on her when she was last seen and her bank accounts haven’t been touched. Ms Jamieson was last seen in a liquor store on New North Rd.

- KIWI BANK: NZ Post won’t be taking legal action against National Party Leader Jenny Shipley over her leaking of confidential Kiwi bank documents. However, they are investigating the source of the leak, and will send Mrs Shipley a letter asking for a meeting as part of the search for the leak. Meanwhile, Jenny Shipley says she will demand that Ross Armstrong appear before the Commerce Select committee.

- VAN HEIST: Three more people have pleaded guilty to taking part in the near million dollar Wellington security van robbery before Christmas. Now five of the eight accused have pleaded guilty to their parts in the robbery.

- GM COMMISSION: The Royal commission on Genetic Modification has told that gene technology can only become a useful tool if ethical implications are taken into account.

- DOCTOR RESIGNATIONS: Capital coast health says patients in Wellington hospitals won’t be affected by the sudden resignation of 14 senior doctors and five GPs from teaching positions at the Wellington Medical School. The specialists resigned in protest of what they say is an autocratic style of management. Dean of Wellington Medical School John Macy says his teaching programmes won’t be affected by the resignations. He says there is a pool of people who can fill the vacant teaching slots.

- VET STRIKE: Most North Island meat plants are silent today as the vet strike enters its fourth day. On Friday, the vets rejected another pay offer from MAF. AFFCO Chief Executive Ross Townsend says there is clear concern from overseas markets about the strike.

- WGTN SERVICE INDUSTRY: A new survey says the Wellington region will become increasingly dependent on service industries.

- TASMANIAN BUS CRASH: Two New Zealanders were injured when a bus carrying 18 people crashed on Cradle Mountain in Tasmania. Four people were killed and 14 injured in the crash.

- ABANDONED KURDS: French police and Interpol have launched an international manhunt for the traffickers who abandoned more than 900 Iraqi Kurds in a cargo ship marooned on rocks off the French Riviera.

- SERBIAN POLICE KILLED: Three Serbian police were killed when their vehicle ran over antitank mines near the buffer zone between Kosovo and southern Serbia.

- ISRAELI JUSTICE: Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups have attacked Israel’s Highest Court freeing a Jewish settler after he served eight years in jail for killing a Palestinian who was tied up and shot in the back. In January, human rights groups denounced the Jerusalem District Court for sentencing a Jewish settler to six months community service for beating to death a 10 year old Palestinian on the day another Israeli court sentenced a Palestinian girl to 6 ½ years jail for lightly injuring a Jew in a stabbing.

- NERVE GAS PLOT: A Police raid on London house has uncovered a terrorist plan to release deadly nerve gas on the London Underground.

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