National Radio Midday Report

Hall Collapse – Fraud Sentencing – GE Cows – Earthquake – Northland Hospitals – 767 Trouble – Montana Wines – Tertiary Education Protest – US Senate Defection – Kashmir Talks – Abandoned Baby – Fishing Boat Search – Woman Found – Auckland Bridge – Nelson Land Documents

- HALL COLLAPSE: A four-storey reception hall in Jerusalem has collapsed during a wedding, killing at least 15 and injuring about 300 people.

- FRAUD SENTENCING: A man has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years jail for defrauding over 400 people of more than $300,000. Marko Dawson was found guilty on 28 fraud charges for credit card scams.

- GE COWS: Experiments on a herd of GE cows are to continue. The decision by ERMA came after the High Court ordered it to reconsider its approval because it did not follow correct legal procedures. Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons says the decision is disappointing and does little to restore public confidence in ERMA.

- EARTHQUAKE: An earthquake in centre of the North Island this morning was almost as strong as the Edgecome earthquake in 1987.

- NORTHLAND HOSPITALS: Northland Health says hospitals in the region are facing budget cuts this year of 7-8 million dollars.

- 767 TROUBLE: In Australia, hundreds of Ansett passengers are facing delays due to mechanical problems on the company’s troubled fleet of 767s.

- MONTANA WINES: The battle over Montana wines has taken another turn, with the company’s chairman selling his stake to Allied Domeck, the British company that he originally favoured for control.

- TERIARY EDUCATION PROTEST: Academic staff from Lincoln University and Christchurch Medical School are to join those from Canterbury University to protest the Government’s offer of a 2.6 percent funding rise in Tertiary funding.

- US SENATE DEFECTION: President Bush has had his worst setback since taking office, with a republican senator quitting the party, giving the Democrats a one seat advantage in the senate.

- KASHMIR TALKS: The Pakistani foreign minister has confirmed that the country’s ruler will accept the Indian government’s offer of talks on Kashmir.

- ABANDONED BABY: A Napier District Court judge has delayed sentencing a 22 year old woman who abandoned her baby until she has completed drug and alcohol counselling, and also granted name suppression.

- FISHING BOAT SEARCH: A helicopter search for a Wellington fishing boat has resumed, but so far nothing has been found.

- WOMAN FOUND: Police and civilian searchers have found an intellectually handicapped woman who went missing in the Bush near an IHC home in Ruawai.

- AUCKLAND BRIDGE: Auckland may get another bridge over the Waitemata Harbour if the Regional Council gives the go ahead to a resource consent application.

- NELSON LAND DOCUMENTS: Nelson Iwi are asking the Waitangi Tribunal to stop the moving of historical land documents to Christchurch.

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