National Radio Midday Report

Gadgets On Planes – Gary Sutheran – Derek Powell – Truancy – Civil Case Fees – Boats Out – Palestinian Leader Dies – Power Price Rise – Fake Residency – SkyCity – Colds & Flus – Maori Meeting – Drink Driver – Guilty Plea – Missing Tramper

- GADGETS ON PLANES: Airline pilots say travellers need more education about using electronic gadgets such as cell phones on aeroplanes, following reports of two incidents where cell phones have affected flight operations causing dangerous incidents in the air.

- GARY SUTHERAN: The jury in the manslaughter trial of Ansett Dash-8 pilot Gary Sutheran has now been considering its verdict for 19 hours at the High Court in Palmerston North without making a decision.

- DEREK POWELL: The judge at the manslaughter trial of Derek Powell, who drove through a picket line causing the death of Christine Clark, has encouraged the jury to work together to come up with a unanimous verdict.

- TRUANCY: In a rare move, 19 parents in Hastings have been taken to court to over their children’s persistent absence from school.

- CIVIL CASE FEES: Fees for many civil court cases are set to rise substantially.

- BOATS OUT: The majority of tuna fishing boats stranded in Napier because of dirty diesel have now gone to sea.

- PALESTINIAN LEADER DIES: Palestinians have begun three days of official mourning for one of their leading officials, Faizel El Husseini, who was closely involved in the peace process, who died of a heart attack at 60.

- POWER PRICE RISE: The head on the Consumer’s Institute says the new Wellington electricity company FreshStart could be breaching the Fair Trading Act by raising prices.

- FAKE RESIDENCY: Two men have been sentenced to six months in prison for engineering fake residency permits.

- SKYCITY: Auckland’s SkyCity casino is upgrading security following attacks on two women who were robed of their winnings in the carpark.

- COLDS & FLUS: Wintry weather has caused a rush on over the counter cough and cold medications. Hospitals report that the flu combined with a cold snap and the ongoing nurse shortage has seen a shortage of hospital beds.

- MAORI MEETING: The Prime Minister and 10 of her ministers are in Christchurch to discuss social and economic development with local Maori.

- DRINK DRIVER: A District Court judge in Oamaru has sent a first time drink driver to prison for 4 months, saying the rural drink drive culture needs to be addressed.

- GUILTY PLEA: One of six Christchurch gang members accused of killing a rival gang member has been given a life sentence after pleading guilty to murder in the High Court.

- MISSING TRAMPER: Hopes of finding tramper Carl Sorenson, missing in rugged bush near Motueka, have been raised with the discovery of his coffee jar.

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