National Radio Midday Bulletin

Zimbabwe Elections - Dover Samuels - Commissioner For Children - Tourism Gst Boost – Human Genome Mapped - Student Loans - Nz’s Weak Dollar - Ira Arms - Mining Company - Jury Trip - Defective Gene -Elian Gonzales

ZIMBABWE ELECTIONS: With half the vote counted, Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, is being led by a majority of two seats by Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF government.

DOVER SAMUELS: The future of Maori Affairs Minister Dover Samuels is still in doubt with the Prime Minister questioning whether Mr. Samuels questioning whether he can remain effective as Maori Affairs Minister after the sex allegations made against him

COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN: A survey by the Office for the Commissioner for Children to be released next week will show that GPs and Plunket nurses still find barriers reporting cases of child neglect to social agencies.

TOURISM GST BOOST: The New Zealand Tourism Industry Association says the introduction of a Australian GST will be a boost for its members.

HUMAN GENOME MAPPED: Scientists say they have finished the first big step in assembling the details of the human genome. US President Bill Clinton has welcomed the change.

STUDENT LOANS: The Student Loans Scheme comes into heavy criticism from a report released by the Auditor General this afternoon.

NZ’S WEAK DOLLAR: Official figures just out has shown New Zealand’s weaker dollar has continued to push up national spending on imports.

IRA ARMS: The IRA has for the first time opened its arms dumps to international inspection.

MINING COMPANY: A mining company in the Coromandel, Waihi Gold, is defending its safety worker after two workers died in the last six months.

JURY TRIP: The jury in the trial of the man accused of murdering the Whangaparaora woman Joanne McCarthy has visited the house where the woman was murdered.

DEFECTIVE GENE: Scientists have isolated a defective gene which causes colour blindness and vision problems in Pigalau Islanders.

ELIAN GONZALES: The case of Cuban refugee boy Elian Gonzales is going to the highest court in the US. The Supreme Court, is expected to decide this week whether Gonzales will be allowed to return home with his father.

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