National Radio Midday Report

Stadium Stampede – US Spy Plane – Social Welfare Merger – Cervical Cancer – Cyclone Sose – Renshaw Edwards – Fake Prescriptions – Egg Production – Turkey Demonstration – License Case – Postie Industrial Action – Seekam Dies

- STADIUM STAMPEDE: There are fears the final Johannesburg football stadium stampede death toll may reach 50. The stampede happened as a soccer match was being broadcast live on South African television. Punters descended on the stadium, overcrowding the stadium.

- US SPY PLANE CREW: A chartered commercial jet has taken off taking home the 24 US spy plane crew. The US handed over a letter saying it was very sorry about the death of the Chinese pilot and entering Chinese airspace and landing without permission.

- SOCIAL WELFARE MERGER: The Minister of Social Services Steve Maharey says the Government has no concrete plans about how the merger of the Dept of Work and Income and the Ministry of Social Policy will be managed.

- CERVICAL CANCER: Minister of Health Annette King says she has an open mind and will consider compensation for women affected buy misread cervical smears in Gisborne.

- CYCLONE SOSE: Although cyclone Sose is weakening it is still set to cause a wet start to Easter for the North Island.

- RENSHAW EDWARDS: There has been another twist in the case of the defunct Upper Hutt law firm Renshaw Edwards. The Privy Council in London has exonerated lawyers who represented a client of the firm after the courts in NZ said they seriously breached their professional duties.

- FAKE PRESCRIPTIONS: Pharmacists are being warned to look out for fake prescriptions for drugs that can be used to make methamphetamine.

- EGG PRODUCTION: Consumers can expect to pay more for eggs as the industry experiences one of its most prolonged production shortages.

- TURKEY DEMONSTRATION: Police have used batons and water cannons to disperse 50,000 protesters who tried to march on Turkey’s parliament to get the Government to resign over the country’s economic crisis.

- LICENSE CASE: Lois McInnes, the woman at centre of legal challenge against the validity of photo licenses says she didn’t get a fair hearing at the appeal court. She now says she will go to the Judicial Complaints Lay Observer after three judges unanimously rejected her case.

- POSTIE INDUSTRIAL ACTION: An Industrial dispute at Auckland mail centre is causing some mail delivery delays.

-SEEKAM DIES: Welsh entertainer Sir Harry Seekam, made famous on The Goon Show, has died at the age of 79.

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