National Radio Midday Report

US Criticises Israel – Polish Apology – Deportation Investigation – Body In Lake – Rubbish Collection - Subsidy Cut – Waikato Health Deficit – Cold Snap – Icy Roads – Chechnya Human Rights – Missing Intern – Global Warming – Tiger Tickets

US CRITICISES ISRAEL: The United States has added its voice to criticism of Israel for demolishing a number of Palestinian homes in Jerusalem and Gaza, further evidence that the Bush administration, while publicly supporting Israel on most issues, wants to keep a restraining hand on Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

POLISH APOLOGY: The Polish President has apologised on behalf of the nation for one of the worst massacres of Jews in WWII, that had previously been blamed on the occupying German Nazis.

DEPORTATION INVESTIGATION: Foreign Minister Phil Goff has asked for a report from New Zealand Immigration officials on the deportation of an overstayer to Fiji, who is accused of the killing of John Scott and Gregory Scrivener.

BODY IN LAKE: Police believe the man whose body found in a Waikato hydro lake was attacked on the lake’s foreshore and then dumped in lake Whakamaru.

RUBBISH COLLECTION: The Auckland City Council has been sent a bill for $500 after the Avondale Business Association had to hire a private contractor to take away two weeks worth of rubbish.

SUBSIDY CUT: There are claims that some private hospitals for elderly people may be driven out of business by a proposed subsidy cut by the Health Ministry.

WAIKATO HEALTH DEFICIT: The Waikato District Health Board says its funding for next financial year won’t pay for all the services it offers and the board has budgeted for a $4 million deficit.

COLD SNAP: The cold snap is expected to start easing in the next week or so with a Westerly change, with above average temperatures expected for the most of the rest of the Winter.

ICY ROADS: Transit NZ is pulling out stops to deal with frosting on areas of the highway by spraying a chemical onto roads that stops ice sticking when icy conditions are expected.

CHECHNYA HUMAN RIGHTS: Russia’s human rights record in Chechnya has come under fire from the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture.

MISSING INTERN: Police investigating the disappearance of a Washington intern are preparing to search the home of Congressman Gary Condit, who was having an affair with the woman.

GLOBAL WARMING: Scientists at a conference in Amsterdam have warned that global warming could lead to the world’s poorest countries losing up to a third of their food production.

TIGER TICKETS: Concern is growing in golfing circles at the time it is taking to confirm the cost of tickets for the New Zealand Open, with speculation of sky-high prices to cover Tiger Woods’ price tag.

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