National Radio Midday Report

Brian Curtis – Body In Lake – Ambulances – Labplus – Epuni Care – Police Tools – Auckland Water – Microsoft – Kashmir Summit – UN Video – Law Review – Foreign Students – Mill Closing - Hong Kong

BRIAN CURTIS: Brian Curtis, who escaped from Paremoremo Prison eight years ago and was re-captured in the Philippines, entered no plea in the North Shore District Court today.

BODY IN LAKE: Police have revealed that Jason Johnson, the man whose body was found in a Waikato hydro lake, had refused a police offer to help him find accommodation on the night he died after being arrested for a minor offence.

AMBULANCES: Rural doctors have voiced concerns about a planned revamp and centralisation of ambulance control centres saying they must have staff with more local knowledge.

LABPLUS: New Zealand’s biggest public health laboratory, Auckland’s Labplus, has had regained its international accreditation restored, after it had been removed when problems were identified with its procedures in January.

EPUNI CARE: Another 20 beds for at-risk youth will be available from next month with the opening of the Epuni Care and Protection Unit in lower Hutt.

POLICE TOOLS: New Zealand police may have more tools in their armoury, including stun guns and better formulated pepper spray, if plans for new weapons are approved.

AUCKLAND WATER: The Auckland City Council and Metrowater have announced a plan to produce a blueprint for Auckland water services over the next 100 years.

MICROSOFT: Microsoft has agreed to relax its stranglehold on computer operating systems, after being found guilty of anti-competitive practices in two American courts. Microsoft will remove a key feature of its new Windows XP OS so makers and users can remove the web browser Explorer.

KASHMIR SUMMIT: Members of India’s ruling coalition have decided to boycott a party of the Pakistani High Commission on the eve of an Indo-Pakistani summit on Kashmir.

UN VIDEO: The UN Secretary General has ordered an internal inquiry over the handling of a dispute between the UN and Israel over a video tape recorded by a UN peacekeeper in Lebanon.

LAW REVIEW: The Law Commission is in its first stages of a two-year review of the court system ordered by the Government. Meanwhile, a separate government study is looking at New Zealand’s use of the Court of Appeal and the London based Privy Council.

FOREIGN STUDENTS: Asia 2000 has welcomed Government moves to provide better monitoring of the welfare of foreign paying students.

MILL CLOSING: The manager of the South Island West Coast second biggest timber mill which is closing says the downturn in America’s economy has affected its profitability.

HONG KONG: The Hong Kong Government has won initial approval from the Territory’s Parliament for a bill which opponents say fatally undermines Hong Kong’s autonomy.

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