National Radio Midday Report

Canterbury Health – Cricketer Safety – G8 Protests – Beech Logging – Kyoto Protocol – Middle East – Bluebird Strike – Fire Dispute – Flight Safety – Counterfeit Drugs – Geoffrey Archer – Southern Roads

CANTERBURY HEALTH: The Canterbury District health Board says it may have to cut elective surgery as well as cut the amount of middle managers at Christchurch Hospital.

CRICKETER SAFETY: NZ Cricket says it will contact team management later today to make sure the national team is not at risk from political violence in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo.

G8 PROTESTS: Authorities in the Italian city Genoa are gearing up for another round of anti-globalisation demonstrations surrounding the G8 meeting.

BEECH LOGGING: Forest & Bird has dismissed a claim that Government money loaned to a private timber company to log private beech forests on the West Coast will undermine conservation efforts in the area.

KYOTO PROTOCOL: The chairman of the world summit on climate change in Bonn, the Dutch environment minister, has warned that there should be no delay in ratifying the Kyoto Protocol.

MIDDLE EAST: The United States is now backing the deployment of outside monitors to stop the violence in the Middle East, Secretary of State Colin Powell said at the G8 meeting. The United States has now urged Israel to withdraw the troops its has moved into the West Bank and also called on Palestinians to cease attacks in areas under their control.

BLUEBIRD STRIKE: Bluebird food workers who have been striking for a week are meeting behind closed doors to consider a pay offer made by Bluebird. The Union is advising members to accept the offer.

FIRE DISPUTE: The management of the Fire Service is trying to sort out a row between union and non-union members.

FLIGHT SAFETY: The minister responsible for civil aviation Mark Gosche says the country’s flight safety record must be improved.

COUNTERFEIT DRUGS: Travellers heading the Africa and South East Asia are being warned to take medication with them to avoid being stung by counterfeit drugs alleged to be antibiotics and antiviral medications being pedalled in the areas.

GEOFFREY ARCHER: As novelist Geoffrey Archer begins his 4-year jail sentence for perjury, legal work to reclaim damages awarded against a newspaper is underway.

SOUTHERN ROADS: Rain and snow is affecting some roads in the South.

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