National Radio Midday Report

Wild Weather – Radio NZ Strike – Mill Fire – Gisborne/Napier Rail – Middle East – Parliamentary Privilege – Omar Bombing – Face Peel – Organised Hooliganism

WILD WEATHER: Most of the roads remain closed in the central North Island, and blackouts still affect some households because of bad weather. Cook Strait Ferry travellers have been able to make the crossing today however, after all journeys were cancelled yesterday, with 9 metre swells whipped up at the entrance to Wellington Harbour.

RADIO NZ STRIKE: Radio NZ staff who are members of the Public Service Association are on strike. The walkout began a short while ago and is expected to end at 6pm tomorrow evening.

MILL FIRE: The cause of today’s fire at a pulp and paper mill in the South Waikato is being investigated.

GISBORNE/NAPER RAIL: There has been a breakthrough between Tranz Rail management and the union in Gisborne over staffing levels and the future of the Gisborne Napier rail line. TranzRail has guaranteed the future of the rail link.

MIDDLE EAST: Palestinians have accused Israel of assassinating a militia leader on the West Bank and are once again calling for internatinal protection.

PARLIAMENTARY PRIVELEGE: The Christchurch hotel manager suing labour MP Janet Mackie for defamation over comments she made about his testimony on police handling of protests against China’s President Jiang Zemin has been warned his case may be a breach of Parliamentary Privilege.

OMAR BOMBING: Three years to the day after the worst terrorist attack in Northern Ireland police are renewing their appeal for information. 29 people died when the real IRA detonated a device in the market town of Omar.

FACE PEEL: A Christchurch doctor who admitted failing to provide the necessaries of life when a patient died during a face peel procedure has been fined $30,000.

ORGANISED HOOLIGANISM: British police say organised crime is increasingly becoming involved in soccer hooliganism, bringing with it drug running and money laundering.

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