Coin minted by NZ to mark end of Vietnam War

A collectible coin to commemorate the end of the Vietnam War 35 years ago today has been issued by New Zealand's only precious metal mint. The coins will be sold around the world along with another collectors' item - an original "safe conduct pass" similar to those airdropped over North Vietnam to entice Viet Cong soldiers to surrender. "We feel privileged to be able to use the passes with our new coin to commemorate the ending of hostilities on April 30, 1975," he says. The coin depicts a gold gilded and coloured South Vietnamese flag, the central image of the safe conduct pass.
NZPA

France set to return Maori heads

France's National Assembly has supported the return of up to 20 Maori heads to New Zealand and is due to vote next week to give them back. Between 15 and 20 mummified heads of Maori are stored in several French museums. A museum in Rouen offered to return its Maori heads to New Zealand in 2007, but the French government stepped in and put the decision on hold. Now all the political parties in France have said they would back a bill ordering the return of certain artefacts. Museums around the world have held up to 500 Maori heads, but about 300 have been returned at New Zealand's request.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Hearing screening widens

Health officials say hearing screening for newborns is becoming more widely available. Only two districts are yet to begin offering it. In today's issue of the New Zealand Medical Journal, cochlear implant surgeons stress the importance of early detection of hearing loss, to help children learn to speak. The Ministry of Health is introducing a universal screening programme to cut the average age of detection from three to four years, to three months. Jane McEntee of the National Screening Unit says 15 DHBs now offer screening throughout their regions. Others in Auckland and Palmerston North are introducing it in their main hospitals first. Southland and Otago are yet to offer screening.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Support strong for non-nuclear US warship visits

Over three-quarters of adult New Zealanders are supportive of visits here by American warships that are not nuclear armed or powered, a poll shows. The Research New Zealand poll follows comments this month by former prime minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer , who said the ships should be allowed to return here as long as they did not breach New Zealand's nuclear-free legislation. Under that legislation, the prime minister has to approve that any visiting warship is not carrying any nuclear explosive device, and is not nuclear-powered. Prime Minister John Key, who met recently with United States Vice-President Joe Biden, said afterwards that Zealand and the United States were on strong terms and the warship issue was relatively minor. Such vessels were not likely to be visiting here any time soon anyway, he said.
NZPA

More time to comment on mining

The Government is extending its consultation period on the proposed mining of conservation land. The deadline for public feedback on proposals to remove schedule four protection on around 7,000 hectares of conservation land was due to expire next Tuesday. However Minister of Energy Gerry Brownlee and Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson have decided to extend the period by three weeks until May 26.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

NZ showcased on America's Next Top Model

An Auckland tourism leader says the city's starring role in America's Next Top Model is the sort of exposure money just cannot buy. An episode featuring the six finalists and host Tyra Banks in New Zealand went to air last night in the United States, to an audience of more than three million people. It was filmed late last year and is part of three episodes. Tourism New Zealand says the show is one of the first major results to come out of a new US marketing partnership between Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand, which aims to more than double US arrivals from just under 200,000 to around 320,000 by 2014. A website www.gonewzealand.com has been launched as part of the partnership, where America's Next Top Model content and travel deals will be rolled out as each episode goes to air.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Rugby-World Cup ticket applications reached 325,000

Rugby fans worldwide have applied for 325,000 tickets worth over $55 million for next year's World Cup in New Zealand. The figure includes 190,000 tickets applied for since applications to the general public opened on Tuesday. The figure does not include 85,000 tickets already sold as part of the official travel and hospitality packages.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Five little kiwi off on their OE

Five North Island brown kiwi are tonight boarding a flight to the US to provide valuable new blood to breeding programmes in America and Europe. The birds, from Auckland Zoo, were checked by a vet before being boxed in preparation for the big trip. One pair is bound for San Diego Wild Animal Park, another to Frankfurt Zoo in Germany and a lone female will go to the Smithsonian Conservation Institute in Virginia to join a breeding group there. The birds, hatched and reared at Auckland Zoo, are expected to contribute valuable new bloodlines to the 16 kiwi in the United States and 22 in Europe. "This is the first international kiwi transfer from New Zealand in almost 20 years
Source: ONE News/NZPA

Flooding expected in a few hours in Queenstown

Flood water from Lake Wakatipu is expected to spill into Queenstown by about 9am on Friday. Queenstown Lakes District mayor Clive Geddes says heavy rain has been reported in the town of Glenorchy at the northern tip of the lake and its water level is slowly rising. Mr Geddes says ankle deep water is predicted to cover the Queenstown foreshore and parts of Beach and Rees streets by morning. He says the water levels are tipped to increase slowly until Saturday. Thirty-five businesses judged to be most at risk in downtown Queenstown spent Thursday moving stock out of harm's way. The council also warned residents in low-lying areas of Glenorchy and Kingston to prepare their homes for flooding.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Bennett denies offering money to beneficiary

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has denied she offered money to a beneficiary who laid a privacy complaint against her. It was reported tonight that Ms Bennett yesterday met Natasha Fuller, the solo mother who was at the centre of a controversy last year after she talked about her inadequate study grant, then saw details of her benefits released by Ms Bennett. TV3 News said it had emails which showed the meeting had taken place. It reported a monetary settlement was discussed and the idea of Fuller dropping the complaint was floated. Ms Bennett denied she had offered Ms Fuller money to make the complaint go away. Ms Fuller went to privacy commissioner Marie Shroff after Ms Bennett revealed details of her benefit, which the minister said she was entitled to do because Ms Fuller had complained about how little she was receiving.
NZPA

Space balloon crash lands in Outback

A multi-million dollar scientific space balloon has crashed on take-off in the Australian Outback, destroying its payload, tipping over a car and sending observers running for their lives. The balloon was scheduled to be launched about 8am on Thursday morning, but the ABC reports despite calm conditions something went wrong at Alice Springs airport. A witness has described seeing the balloon, which was carrying a heavy payload of scientific equipment, smash into a fence before hitting a stationary car. Balloon Launching Centre director Professor Ravi Sood says no-one was hurt but scientists involved in the NASA-sponsored project are "crushed".
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Defence minister meets top US general

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp has met the United States' second highest ranking military officer in Wellington. The Vice-Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General James Cartwright, is in the country for consultations with the New Zealand Defence Force. Dr Mapp says the pair discussed the situation in Afghanistan and security in the Asia Pacific Region, and how the interaction between the US and New Zealand defence forces can be improved.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Men improved by fatherhood

A New Zealand researchers have concluded that fatherhood can turn an anti-social young man into a responsible citizen. The Victoria University study focused on a large group of fathers in the Wairarapa. Dr Gareth Rouch, says the men had all grown up in working-class families during the 1980s and 90s, in families affected by widespread unemployment. He says many of the men saw no economic future for themselves and made little effort to get job skills or integrate with mainstream society. Once they became fathers though, their attitude to the world changed. They saw value in getting work and improving their lifestyles and were committed to doing the best for their children.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Severe weather watch issued

By LAWRENCE HAKIWAI - NewstalkZB
Strong winds and heavy rain are on the way for Wellington. MetService has issued a severe weather watch for Marlborough, Wellington and the Wairarapa, from this evening until tomorrow afternoon. Northwest gales are likely in exposed areas, with the possibility of severe gales about hill top locations and rainfall rates in the Tararua Range are also expected to increase over the next 24 hours.

Super-regulator to oversee troubled financial markets

The Government has unveiled major changes to the financial sector, including a new super-regulator for financial markets and changes to the Kiwisaver scheme. The changes were announced on Wednesday evening by the Commerce Minister, Simon Power, who said it would help restore the confidence of mum and dad investors. The regulator, to be known as the Financial Markets Authority, will consolidate functions currently spread across the Securities Commission, the Ministry of Economic Development and the New Zealand Stock Exchange. The authority will be responsible for regulating and overseeing trustees, auditors, financial service providers and financial advisers.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

NZ upgrades travel warning for Thailand

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is advising New Zealanders not to travel to any parts of Thailand due to increased civil unrest in the country. The Ministry had been advising against non-essential travel to Bangkok, but on Wednesday night upgraded the security risk to high for the whole country. The Ministry knows of about 1000 New Zealanders in Thailand, but a spokesperson says the real figure is likely to be closer to 2000.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Tobacco price hike pushed through Parliament

Smokers will have to pay more for cigarettes from today, after Parliament pushed through legislation that raised the price of cigarettes and tobacco from midnight Wednesday. The House sat under extraordinary urgency on Wednesday afternoon - in part to avoid people stockpiling cigarettes. The legislation raising the excise tax was passed by 118 votes to four, with four of the five ACT MPs opposing it. The price of a packet of 25 cigarettes went up from $13.30 to $14.10 at midnight, assuming that all retailers will pass on the 10% tax increase.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

NZ movie industry earns 3% more

The New Zealand movie industry recorded gross revenues of $2.8 billion last year, a 3% increase from the previous year. Growth in the industry was driven by a 51% increase in post-production revenue, which reached $483 million. Digital graphics, animation or effects accounted for 75% of total post-production revenue in 2009, or $362 million. The number of businesses grew by 20% to 2673.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Companies to fight Australia tobacco plan

Australia's biggest tobacco companies are preparing to fight the Government's decision to introduce compulstory plain packaging for cigarettes. Australia would be the first country in the world to force cigarette companies to use plain packaging. From 2012, the companies will only be allowed to print their brand name in a standard style and there will still be graphic health warnings on the packaging.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Netball-Silver Ferns to play off test against Samoa

The Silver Ferns will play Samoa in a one-off test in Porirua in August, Netball New Zealand has announced. Samoa's currently ranked eighth in the world and is coached by former Silver Ferns Linda Vagana. New Zealand's ranked second. The test will be a lead up to two tests against Jamaica and three against Australia, before the side goes to India for the Commonwealth Games in October.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Tween idol Bieber takes NZ harbour jump

Tween idol Justin Biebers whirlwind New Zealand visit got off to a flying leap when he bungy-jumped off the Auckland Harbour Bridge this morning. The 16-year-old Canadian pop star and "Twitter Prince", who has 2.1 million fans on Twitter - was greeted by 500 screaming young Kiwi fans when he arrived at Auckland Airport late last night. Bieber spent the night at a central Auckland hotel before waking up early for his once-in-a-lifetime experience with AJ Hackett Bungy - the global pioneers of the adventure sport. After making his way out to the bungy "pod", perched underneath the iconic Auckland Harbour Bridge, Bieber screamed all the way down as he plunged 40m towards the blue waters of the Waitemata Harbour on nothing but a slim bungy cord. The adventurous teen was then hauled up and almost immediately tweeted "BUNGY!!! I love New Zealand!!" In fact, Bieber loved his bungy jump so much that he did it twice, the second time backwards. (It is ok tweenies..he didn't like hurt himself or anything, and his mom was just so there with him)
Copyright 1999-2010 Tourism New Zealand

Survey slams children's food ads

Advertisers who directly market unhealthy food to children need harsher penalties, according to Otago University public health researchers. They have just published a study critical of the New Zealand Advertising Standards Authority's regulation of food advertising to children. Lead researcher Louise Thornley, says they believe some of the authority's decisions are unjustified, inconsistent and too lenient. "It's really just a slap on the wrist. They voluntarily withdraw the ad, but there are no sanctions or fines for the companies that breach the codes." Ms Thornley says more regulation is needed to stop the advertisements going to air in the first place.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Big lottery funding windfalls

Major windfalls are being handed out around the country, with the latest round of Lotteries Funding. Auckland Zoo has been awarded $2.5 million for its new Te Wao Nui Visitor project. Other major beneficiaries are Dargaville, gaining $2.2 million for a new community pool complex and the Methven Heritage Association, receiving almost $2 million. Wellington is also on the list, with almost $700,000 allocated to refurbishment work at the Carter Observatory.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Farmers market falls foul of Commerce Act

The Gisborne Farmers Market has been forced to remove a rule, that governs the price that produce can be sold for, after the Commerce Commission deemed it a breach of the Commerce Act. The market's committee passed a resolution late last year which required stall holders to sell their produce above the level of wholesale prices. An investigation by the Commerce Commission found it was an attempt to fix and control prices which is illegal under the Commerce Act. A Commission spokesperson says a settlement has been reached with the Gisborne Farmers Market, which will ensure that prices will now be set by the individual stallholders.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Price of cigarettes, tobacco about to shoot up

Parliament moved into extraordinary urgency on Wednesday afternoon in order to pass legislation that will immediately increase the excise on cigarettes by 10%. If the legislation is passed as planned on Wednesday night, the rise will be followed by two other 10% increases - in January next year and January 2012. The price of loose tobacco will immediately increase by 24% and then, as with cigarettes, in two 10% rises over the next two years. Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia told Parliament that the increase in the tobacco excise was a clear signal that the Government is serious about reducing the death toll from smoking.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Rock art tourism venture gets lottery grant

A Ngai Tahu tourism venture showcasing pre-European rock art should be open by the end of the year, thanks to a $650,000 Lottery Board grant. Maori Rock Art Centre curator Amanda Symon says the grant completes fund-raising for the $2.7 million venture in Timaru. She says it's taken eight years to raise enough money to fit out the virtual display centre and identify and protect the 500 pre-European rock art sites in the Ngai Tahu rohe.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Death of veteran broadcaster Elma Maua

The veteran Cook Islands-born broadcaster Elma Maua has died in Wellington at the age of 62. She died after a long illness that forced her to retire as sports editor of Radio New Zealand International earlier this year. One of New Zealand's first Pacific Island journalists, Ms Maua also worked for Radio New Zealand and Niu FM. In 1999, she briefly returned to her native island of Rarotonga to work in the Prime Minister's Office.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Samoa PM says Forum secretariat should move to NZ or Australia

A year on from Fiji’s suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum, Samoa’s Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, says the agency’s Suva headquarters should be moved out, possibly to New Zealand or Australia. Fiji was suspended after Fiji’s interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, refused to back down on plans to delay elections until 2014. Tuilaepa, who has frequently been critical of the interim regime, says it’s ridiculous for an agency committed to democracy to remain in Fiji. Last week, Commodore Bainimarama accused Tuilaepa of trying to whip up a regional outcry so that the Forum secretariat can be moved to Apia.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International

Tween idol Bieber takes NZ harbour jump

Tween idol Justin Bieber’s whirlwind New Zealand visit got off to a flying leap when he bungy-jumped off the Auckland Harbour Bridge this morning. The 16-year-old Canadian pop star and "Twitter Prince", who has 2.1 million fans on Twitter - was greeted by 500 screaming young Kiwi fans when he arrived at Auckland Airport late last night. Bieber spent the night at a central Auckland hotel before waking up early for his once-in-a-lifetime experience with AJ Hackett Bungy - the global pioneers of the adventure sport. After making his way out to the bungy "pod", perched underneath the iconic Auckland Harbour Bridge, Bieber screamed all the way down as he plunged 40m towards the blue waters of the Waitemata Harbour on nothing but a slim bungy cord. The adventurous teen was then hauled up and almost immediately tweeted "BUNGY!!! I love New Zealand!!" In fact, Bieber loved his bungy jump so much that he did it twice, the second time backwards. (It is ok tweenies..he didn't, like hurt himself or anything, and his mom was there)
Copyright 1999-2010 Tourism New Zealand

Peter Jackson receives knighthood

Film maker Sir Peter Jackson says receiving his a knighthood was an extremely humbling experience. Sir Peter and 13 others were honoured by Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand at a ceremony in Wellington on Wednesday. The Lord of the Rings director is one of about 80 people receiving investitures at Premier House this week. Sir Peter said his success involves thousands of people, so he felt he was accepting the honour on behalf of a huge industry. He was made Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to film.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

New plans to support immigrant doctors

Overseas doctors will receive improved on the job support to help them settle into the New Zealand health care system, under plans announced by the Medical Council. The council said it will recognise services that have quality systems in place to ensure doctors are well supported and supervised when they begin medical practice in New Zealand. Council chairman John Adams said such services would be recognised as approved practice settings (APS).
NZPA

Peach almost certainly killed by London police: Report

A previously secret police report into the death of a Kiwi protestor in London 31 years ago has been released tonight. New Zealander Blair Peach was almost certainly killed by police at a demonstration in London in 1979, the previously secret reports revealed. Metropolitan police had resisted releasing the documents for decades, but put them up on their website tonight, saying there will be no further investigation into Peach's death. Peach, a 33-year-old teacher and peace campaigner, died from a blow to the head while marching against the National Front movement in Southall, west London. His partner, Celia Stubbs, and members of his family in New Zealand, have campaigned for the release of the police inquiries into his death for nearly 30 years. The reports, written in 1979 and 1980 by Commander John Cass, who led the probe into Peach's death, said it could "reasonably be concluded that a police officer struck the fatal blow".
Source: ONE News/NZPA

Cricket tour still on despite security fears

A team of young cricketers is to go ahead with a planned tour of India, despite security concerns sparked by a bombing. An explosion outside a Bangalore cricket ground injured up to 15 people on 17 April, just hours before an Indian Premier League match. After consulting with a number of sources, Cricket Wellington has decided the Wellington under-16 team's 18 day tour of Hyderabad and Bangalore will go ahead. Chief executive Gavin Larsen says a number of safety measures will be put in place for the touring party. The 14 players, two management and seven parents leave for Hyderabad on Friday morning.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Forest & Bird appeals against dam

By Lesley Deverall - NewstalkZB
Forest & Bird has lodged an appeal against Meridian Energy's plans to build a dam on the Mokihinui River. The organisation says it will be a significant financial undertaking against a well-funded state-owned enterprise, but the appeal is essential to preserve the pristine West Coast river. The Mokihinui is home to rare native ducks, longfin eels, giant land snails and other animals that could be endangered.

All Blacks favoured to win Rugby World Cup

By MARC HINTON - Stuff
Not since 1987 have the All Blacks lifted the prized Rugby World Cup, but that hasn't stopped the New Zealand TAB installing them as hot favourites for next year's tournament. Ignoring the tournament's history since and even recent form – Henry's men were swept 3-0 by the Springboks in last year's Tri-Nations – the TAB has opened the All Blacks at $2.20 to lift The Webb Ellis Cup. Surprisingly they've installed Robbie Deans' Wallabies as second favourites ahead of the defending champion Springboks, which is sure to raise a few eyebrows in South Africa. Six Nations champions France, who won one of two tests against the All Blacks in New Zealand last year, are at $9 while 2003 champions England are alongside Ireland on $15. Warren Gatland's Wales are paying a tantalising $20 in the opening market. The shortest priced of the Pacific Island nations is Fiji which is paying $250.

Bieber fever to hit New Zealand

By GREER McDONALD - Stuff
Bieber-mania is expected to greet tween singing sensation Justin Bieber when he "secretly" touches down in New Zealand tonight. Auckland Airport staff are anticipating that the young Canadian singer's arrival will be met by masses of lasses – known as Beliebers – when he arrives in Auckland for a one-day-only whirlwind pit stop. Bieber's New Zealand schedule has been kept quiet by record label Universal Music New Zealand because of security fears. Discovered through YouTube, the tween sensation had his last planned concert - in Sydney’s Circular Quay - called off by police on Monday after several children were hurt in the crowd crush. There were 4000 people waiting, and many more expected to turn up, and about 10 girls required medical treatment.

Aust scrapping emissions trading scheme

Fear of a voter backlash has seen the Australian government dump plans for an emissions trading scheme. Federal Cabinet has deferred the ETS until at least 2013 amid concern that Liberal leader Tony Abbott will attack Prime Minister Kevin Rudd over what he calls a "great big new tax" in the lead-up to this year's election. Greens leader Bob Brown says that is a big mistake because climate change is real.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Sydney may lose Aust's biggest city status

Melbourne is on track to pass Sydney as Australia's biggest city. The report, Going Nowhere, which was prepared by economic forecaster BIS Shrapnel, has found the New South Wales Government is failing when it comes to planning. Aaron Gadiel from The Urban Taskforce says the report paints a picture of a global city in decline with poor development making housing no longer affordable in Sydney. As a result, he says home ownership levels fall and Sydney now has the lowest level of any capital city in Australia except for Darwin. "Melbourne with its long-term population growth of 1.3 percent a year, will displace Sydney as Australia's largest city in 2037." Mr Gadiel says Victoria is currently building new homes at twice the rate of NSW and Melbourne's population is projected to increase to 5.7 million by 2036.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Food testing company looks to Asia

A New Zealand food testing and biosecurity services company is expanding its horizons as it identifies a growing demand for its services, especially in Asia. AsureQuality, a state-owned enterprise, has been operating in Australia for some time. With dairy cooperative Fonterra, it has a 50% shareholding in that country's biggest food testing laboratory. AsureQuality has also opened a new laboratory in Singapore. Chief executive Tony Egan, who was part of a recent trade mission to China, says it sees great potential to do business there also.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

NZ tech company snapped up by Canadians

One of New Zealand's fastest growing technology companies has been snapped up by a Canadian company for an undisclosed amount. Auckland-based Nextwindow, which makes optical touch computer screens, has been bought by the Calgary-based Smart Technologies, one of the biggest makers of electronic whiteboards. Nextwindow chief executive Al Munro says the company's revenue topped $48 million last year and it is on track to increase that by 50% this year.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Australia to ban commisssion fees for advisers

Australia is to ban financial advisers from accepting commission payments on products they sell from mid-2011 to help protect investors from conflicts of interest. The lobby group for the industry in New Zealand, the Investment Savings and Insurance Association, says its members will follow suit voluntarily. The association says it proposes ending commissions on any investment product promoted by its members, which includes banks and investment houses. Under the proposed changes, consumers will directly negotiate a fee with their financial adviser, which the association says ensures that they are fully aware of the cost and how that advice will be paid for.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Braille included on Wellington transport card for blind

Blind residents living in Wellington who rely on taxis for transport will soon be issued with a new smart card that has a unique braille feature. The cards are being issued to about 415 people to replace a paper voucher system, which will be phased out in July. Users of the Wellington Regional Council's subsidised taxi service Total Mobility will need the cards when they use taxis. The chairman of the council's disability reference group, Thomas Bryan, says having braille on the cards will make it easier to find them in their wallets. The system will also eliminate the time-consuming processing of vouchers and reduce the potential for fraud, Mr Bryan says.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Gulf education has 'huge' earning potential

BusinessDay.co.nz
More than 7000 Saudi Arabian students are studying in New Zealand, contributing at least $300 million a year, and there are opportunities to expand education services to the Gulf region, according to Trade Minister Tim Groser. New Zealand companies need to look to countries such as Saudi Arabia, which has the largest economy and the biggest population among the Gulf Co-operation Council states, Mr Groser said. "New Zealand needs to be closely aligned with this region, economically, politically and culturally," he said on the first leg of a trade mission to the Middle East. New Zealand is "progressing" a free trade agreement with the GCC states, the first trade deal outside the Asia Pacific region, he said. It would be a catalyst for expanding economic engagement and New Zealand's profile through the Gulf states and the wider Middle East, Mr Groser said.

Online maps show danger zones for cycle riders

By Mathew Dearnaley
Cyclists nervous about riding in Auckland traffic can consult new online maps to take extra care at high-frequency bike crash sites - or bypass them where possible. The maps have been listed in a collaboration between Google and the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, drawing on information from the Ministry of Transport's crash analysis system. Other less daunting maps hosted by the authority's website - maxx.co.nz - list facilities such as cycle lockers, repair shops and "cycle-friendly" cafes. But the authority says it included the crash maps to give cyclists fair warning of some of the region's more difficult sites. Planning and strategy chief Peter Clark said the suite of maps depict useful information to help Aucklanders to plan effective cycle routes around the region.
ON THE WEB www.maxx.co.nz/cycling-walking/cycling/google-maps.html

Farmland flooded and phones down in Southland

Flood levels on the Oreti River in Southland are predicted to reach the maximum that the river's flood protection scheme is designed to cope with. Heavy rain has pushed all the rivers in the district to near record levels, prompting fears of the worst flooding in more than a decade. Some areas are already bearing the brunt of 24 hours of heavy rain, with phone lines down and water spilling into paddocks. Heavy rain is forecast to continue until Tuesday afternoon.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Rugby pre-registrations hit 50,000

More than 50,000 fans have already signed up for tickets to the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The first phase of ticketing starts at 9am on Tuesday but eager fans from around the world have pre-registered their intention online. Rugby World Cup general manager for marketing and communications Shane Harmon says 30,000 of the pre-registrations came from New Zealand. The rest are from more than 100 different countries, with the majority coming from Britain, Australia, Ireland, France, the United States, South Africa and Canada.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Avatar director signals sequels

James Cameron's Avatar could be returning to Mirimar before too long. Cameron seems intent on returning to New Zealand to film not only a second, but also a third installment of the blockbuster movie. Mayor Kerry Prendergast says the film would be hugely beneficial to the local economy. She says taxis and hotel accommodation alone accounted for tens of thousands of dollars a week when Avatar was in full production, while the direct benefit to Wellington was over $100 million.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Whitcoulls to launch e-books next month

By CLAIRE McENTEE - The Dominion Post
Book lovers will be able to snap up any of two million electronic books from next month through the website of retailer Whitcoulls. New Zealanders will also be able to buy a matching e-reader, but can download and read the e-books on personal computers, smartphones and tablet devices such as the Apple iPad. The service will be the first mainstream digital books offering in New Zealand, despite e-books being widely available overseas for years. Megan English, spokeswoman for Whitcoulls owner REDgroup, says details of the costs of e-books and the e-reader and which titles will be available will be released when the service is launched.

Study sheds light on what makes NZ wine unique

New research has found that ultra-violet light plays a major part in what makes New Zealand wine unique. Lincoln University is leading a study looking at the effects of UV radiation on sauvignon blanc grapes and vines. This is due to New Zealand receiving 50% higher levels of UV than some wine-growing regions in the northern hemisphere. Professor Brian Jordan, who heads the study, says results show that the radiation alters the biochemistry of the grape vine cultivars, leading to changes in the aroma and taste of the wine.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

National still holds big lead

The gap is closing between the two main political parties, but National still has a commanding lead over Labour, a 3 News poll shows. National's support is down 4.2 per cent to 52.1 per cent, and Labour is up 4.2 per cent to 33.8 per cent. The Greens are at 8.2 per cent, the Maori Party at 1.9 per cent, Act at 1.6 per cent and NZ First at 1.5 per cent. John Key is still the preferred Prime Minister at 49 per cent to Labour leader Phil Goff's 7.5 per cent.
Copyright 2010, APN Holdings NZ Limited

120 trampers evacuated from Milford, Routeburn tracks

By MICHAEL FOX - Stuff
One hundred and twenty trampers are this morning being evacuated from the Milford and Routeburn tracks by helicopter. Heavy rain in the South Island has caused flooding in a number of major rivers, with forecasters saying there is more to come. A Conservation Department spokeswoman said water levels had risen significantly, causing major flooding in the Milford area, with at least one bridge being swept away. There were 40 walkers at each of the track’s three huts and they would be taken to the top of Lake Te Anau by helicopter.

Documents on NZ man's death at protest to be issued

Hundreds of documents related to the death of New Zealander Blair Peach are to be made public this week. Mr Peach was knocked unconscious during an anti-racism demonstration in London on 23 April 1979 and died the following day. An inquest jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure in 1980. However, numerous witnesses reported seeing Mr Peach being struck by one or more members of the Metropolitan Police Special Patrol Group. Six officers were suspected of assaulting Mr Peach, but no-one was charged over the assault. It is understood a decision has been made that no charges will be laid, clearing the way for the documents to be released.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Enforcement of mandatory sodium levels wanted

The Stroke Foundation wants mandatory sodium levels to be enforced for processed foods. A report by the United States Institute of Medicine says current levels of sodium, or salt, are far too high and a legal limit should be set. The Stroke Foundation says such a limit in New Zealand would save lives, as strokes can be related to salt intake. Chief executive Mark Vivian says people need to reduce their salt intake by 50%, on average, to meet World Health Organisation recommendations.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Cat Stevens to tour NZ for first time

Cat Stevens is set tour New Zealand this year for the first time. Yusuf Islam, famous under the name of Cat Stevens for songs including Peace Train, Where Do The Children Play?, and Father and Son, will touch down in New Zealand for two shows following a tour of Australia in June. The 61-year-old will appear at Auckland's Vector Arena on June 29 and Christchurch's Westpac Arena on July 2.
NZPA

Flood warning for Southland rivers

Heavy rain is causing flooding on all major Southland rivers. The Southland regional council says there has been significant rain in headwaters throughout the region overnight on Sunday and rivers are rising rapidly. However, no evacuations have been advised at this stage. At 8am on Monday, the Mataura and the Oreti rivers were nearly two metres above normal in one area. Waiau River at Sunnyside was three-and-a-half metres above normal and rising about 130 millimetres an hour. The Aparima River at Thornbury was rising at 269 millimetres per hour.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Thousands attend Anzac dawn services around Australia

Thousands of people have gathered at dawn services around Australia to mark the 95th anniversary of Australian and New Zealand troops landing at Gallipoli. Undeterred by heavy overnight rain, around 20,000 people turned out at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra to honour the 8000 Australians who died during the Gallipoli campaign in 1915. Veterans and serving members of the Australian Defence Force were joined by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and thousands of civilians for the poignant service. The ABC reports that two wreathes were laid at the Stone of Remembrance as a symbol of Anzac unity by Commander Geoff Hazel from the ACT RSL and Air Commodore Peter Port from the New Zealand High Commission.
A lone bugler played the Last Post, symbolising the duty of the dead is over and they can rest in peace.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

ANZAC Day 25th April 2010

Dawn services for Anzac Day

Dawn services have taken place around New Zealand at the start of Anzac Day. It's 95 years since the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed at Gallipoli, in Turkey, on 25 April, 1915. More than 2700 New Zealand troops died during the eight-month campaign. Thousands of people of all ages are expected at services around New Zealand during the day. Prime Minister John Key is in Gallipoli for the commemorations there. Auckland commemorations began with a dawn service at the Cenotaph Court of Honour in front of the War Memorial Museum. Police estimated up to 15,000 people were gathered. Further details on all Anzac services nationwide are available at www.rsa.org.nz.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Australian wine-growing conditions lamented

Current conditions in the Australian wine grape industry have been described as the worst for 50 years. Wine grape harvesting is underway in South Australia and Victoria, but Wine Grape Growers Australia says it will be done at a loss despite the removal of about 8000 hectares of vines in the Riverland and Murray Valley. The organisation says the situation has been aggravated by a crash in prices over the past two years and an oversupply of wine grapes. The ABC reports that it says prices in major inland regions are as low as a quarter of their cash production costs and almost as low in premium districts as well.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Group of Pacific nations agree to close high seas access to purse seine fishers

Officials from the eight member nations of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement have declared plans to close off four and a half million square kilometres of ocean area to fishing to save rapidly depleting tuna stocks. The decision, made at a PNA ministerial meeting in the Marshall Islands’ capital Majuro, extends a tuna fishing ban to high seas areas stretching from Palau and Papua New Guinea in the West to Kiribati in the East, Marshall Islands in the North to Tuvalu in the South. The ban on purse seine fishing in these high seas areas will take effect on January the first of next year. The PNA members are PNG, Palau, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Solomon Islands.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International

White bengal tigers roar in to Pouakai Zoo

By KIRSTY JOHNSTON - Taranaki Daily News
A trio of white tigers have arrived in Taranaki and are ready to roar for the public. The rare white bengals come from Zion Wildlife Gardens in Northland and will live at New Plymouth's Pouakai Zoo for the next year. Azra, Anila and Kahli, all young females, are three of only 120 white tigers in the world. They were bred at the wildlife park for their pale fur and light blue eyes, using parents who also had the recessive white gene. The three tigers can be viewed at Pouakai from today.

Could a volcano burst through Auckland?

There's a "good possibility" than a volcano will burst through the streets of Auckland in the next few hundred years. New Zealand's most populous city is already studded with at least 50 volcanoes - the last, Rangitoto Island, emerged in the Hauraki Gulf about 700 years ago. Auckland University geologist Phil Shane says "a new little one pops up" in Auckland every 1000 years, "so you could have an eruption in our lifetime". Auckland is built on a volcanic field, Shane said. "Rather than a new (volcano) bursting through the old eroded remains of an ancient one, often they pop up in a new place." Auckland's bustling main strip, Queen Street, would be a candidate, he said.
Source: AAP

Harvest season continues

The apple season is nearing its end in Hawke's Bay. Pink Lady, Fuji and Pacific Rose are being picked. Country Life reports it's been an untidy harvest with damage from hail and the sun, as well as russet. In the Nelson/Motueka region, the Braeburn harvest is continuing. Grape picking is already finished for some vineyards in Marlborough. Country Life reports the dry conditions created a dream harvest. Grape harvesting in Central Otago is halfway through with the late Indian summer being perfect for grape ripening at the region's 75 vineyards.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

NZ freediver sets new world record

New Zealand free diver William Trubridge battled the effects of narcosis to set a new world record in the Bahamas, diving to 116m without fins. Diving in the Vertical Blue competition at Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island, the 29-year-old dived next to a vertical line using a form of breaststroke and spent 4 minutes 9 seconds under water, surfacing with a tag from the 116m mark. The free-diving event runs until April 27.
NZPA

Action wanted to cut stroke rates

An international expert is calling for radical action to cut the number of heart attacks and strokes. Philip James, chairman of the Global Obesity Taskforce says the key is healthier eating and New Zealand needs to take bold steps such as those taken in Finland, where fast food outlets and other caterers now provide free salad bars. He says everyone thought it would be economic suicide, but that has not been the case. Finland has cut its heart attack and stroke rates to one tenth of what they were 25 years ago.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Home after 20 years in a refugee camp

By REBECCA TODD - The Press
Five families of Bhutanese refugees arrived amid tears and laughter to start their new lives in Christchurch yesterday. The Press has followed three of these families from their huts in refugee camps in Nepal, to an orientation centre in Auckland and finally through to their resettlement in Christchurch. Christchurch received its first group of Bhutanese refugees in January 2008 and now has about 50 families. At Christchurch Airport yesterday, Suk-Maya Magar along with her mother, Chiniawati, son Anil Dip, 13, and niece Sofiea, 11, hugged relatives for the first time in at least a year. The two women have lived in Nepalese refugee camps for 20 years with the two children being born there.

Ash bonanza for salmon exporter

A salmon company this week cleared in excess of $1 million in extra sales to the Middle East and Asia because of the volcanic ash cloud over Europe. The New Zealand King Salmon Company in Nelson says this is because Norway was unable to get its product to these areas because of the Icelandic ash cloud and subsequent cancellation of flights. The company says sales volumes reached Christmas levels. Financially, it says April has been like to a "second Christmas" for the company. Because of the disruption, the company was also able to make inroads into emerging markets such as Dubai and Thailand.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

NZ children suffer serious reactions to flu vaccine

Some New Zealand children have suffered serious adverse reactions after being given a seasonal flu vaccine. The government of Western Australia on Thursday night temporarily suspended its free influenza vaccination programme for children under the age of five after similar reactions. Febrile convulsions - fits caused by a high fever - have been reported in about 24 children in the state after they were given the vaccine. The Ministry of Health says it has received reports that three children in New Zealand have suffered serious adverse reactions linked to the vaccine Fluvax. The ministry's chief adviser for child and youth health, Pat Tuohy, told Checkpoint on Friday that, though the convulsions are scary, they do not cause long-term harm.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

NZ says whaling proposal unacceptable and offensive

The New Zealand Government says a new proposal on whaling by the International Whaling Commission is unacceptable, offensive and a major step backwards. The IWC has issued a compromise proposal that will cut Japan's annual Antarctic quota by three-quarters in five years. But the New Zealand Government believes the cuts don't go far enough, saying the numbers of whales actually caught already fall short of the quota, meaning there will be no real reduction in whales killed. The proposal, to be voted on at an IWC meeting in Morocco in June, is a 10-year plan to bring all whaling under the control of the divided organisation. It sanctions whaling by Iceland and Norway, and allows Japanese whaling in the Antarctic to continue but reduces Japan's quota.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

More Aussie visitors touching down

The number of visitors to New Zealand rose more than seven percent last month compared with the same month last month, mostly due to an increase in the number of Australian tourists. Short term visitor arrival figures were up 1.1 percent compared with March 2009 and up 7.4 percent on a year-on-year basis. Economic uncertainty prompted many Australians to take advantage of cheaper holidays closer to home and the low New Zealand dollar compared to the Australian dollar make New Zealand dollars comparatively cheap. There has also been a firm recovery in visitor numbers from China and Korea.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Veterans view Anzac battlegrounds

By Claire Trevett
GALLIPOLI - The veterans who have travelled to Gallipoli for the 95th Anniversary of the landings on Anzac Day had their first look at the sites of the battlegrounds on the Turkish peninsula yesterday. Twenty-two veterans and 23 secondary school students arrived in Turkey late on Thursday night and were taken to Gallipoli Peninsula yesterday. All the veterans had relatives who fought in the five month long battle in a scrubby, hilly area of the Gallipoli Peninsula as part of the Allied Forces attempts to win control of the Dardanelle Straits. In all, 2721 New Zealanders died over the campaign - and the visit gave veterans a chance to mark their service. PM John Key is expected to arrive tonight (NZT) and will meet the veterans and students before attending a series of commemorative services. As Anzac Day draws near the towns nearest the battlegrounds - Cannakale and Echeabat - have begun to fill with New Zealanders and Australians. Up to 10,000 people are expected to make what has become a pilgrimage for people from the two countries. Out at Anzac Cove preparations for the Dawn Service on Sunday were well under way.

Rare gecko discovery

New Zealand's largest gecko (lizard) had been thought extinct on the mainland until a dead specimen was discovered in a mouse trap at Maungatautari in Waikato last month. The find was the first time the Duvaucel's gecko had been seen on the mainland in almost 100 years, Maungatautari ecologist Chris Smuts-Kennedy said. Before the discovery, the gecko was thought to only live on pest-free offshore islands, he said. The discovery meant that the gecko could be living in other areas where there was thick native bush.
Copyright 2010, APN Holdings NZ Limited

Rain forecast for Anzac services

Wind and rain may disrupt Sunday's Anzac dawn services in southern and central parts of the country, the MetService says. Ambassador Bob McDavitt said the outlook around New Zealand was for mainly cloudy mild weather, though umbrellas were likely to be needed for Anzac services in Westland, Southland and Otago. "People between Kaitaia and Wanganui may well see much the same dull low cloud that has been around for the past few days. "Northwest winds are forecast to strengthen during Sunday about the eastern South Island and around Wellington and Wairarapa." Mr McDavitt said rain would be heaviest over Fiordland and Westland on Saturday morning, and would stall over the Southern Alps on Sunday and Monday.
NZPA

Super rugby franchise boss resigns in wake of Storm scandal

The Melbourne Rebels Super rugby league franchise has confirmed chief executive Brian Waldron, the man at the centre of the Melbourne Storm salary cap rort, has resigned. The former Storm chief executive offered his resignation to the club on Friday morning and it was accepted. NRL boss David Gallop has stripped the Storm of two premiership titles and all its competition points for this season, after it was revealed the club breached the salary cap over the last five years. Two of the club's senior management personnel have been stood down. The club has also been fined $A1.6 million. The ABC reports an audit found the Storm had been operating two sets of books. Additional payments amounted to $A1.7 million over five years and $A700,000 in 2010. It's possible that Victorian police could hold a fraud inquiry.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Meeting to be held over rules for market food

A public meeting is being held on Friday afternoon over a ruling by Kapiti Coast District Council that food vendors at markets must prepare their wares in registered kitchens. The meeting will discuss the concerns of food stall holders at the Otaki women's community club craft market, which is held twice a month. The district council wants vendors to be more accountable for the jams and cakes they sell to ensure the public's safety. It has ruled that they have to prepare their foods in registered kitchens, except where all the proceeds go to charity. However, Otaki market co-ordinator Sherryl Gray says the cost of setting up a commercial kitchen is costly.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Regular NZ environment reports intended

The Government plans to legislate next year for regular reports on the national state of the environment. A report from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment says New Zealand is the only country in the developed world not to have done so. Only two reports on the state of the environment have been issued, one in 1997 and another three years ago. They were both ad hoc, their findings were not directly comparable and they were criticised for a lack of independence from the Government.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Child flu shots suspended in West Australia

Western Australia has suspended free flu vaccinations for children under five, after at least one became seriously ill and dozens suffered serious adverse reactions. The ABC reports the state health department has suspended the programme for children under five after a rise in admissions to Princess Margaret Hospital. Health minister Kim Hames says that 45 otherwise healthy children had fever, vomiting and febrile convulsions after receiving the vaccination in the past month. Dr Hames says the programme will be suspended until the department finishes an investigation.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

International student spending forecast to reach $3b

Education New Zealand says annual spending by foreign students is on track to exceed $3 billion by the end of next year. Government figures issued on Thursday show international student numbers rose by 6% last year. Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce says there were 93,505 fee-paying international students in New Zealand and further growth is expected this year. Education New Zealand says spending by international students provides an estimated $2.3 billion in foreign exchange each year. The figures show 60% of last year's international students came from Asia, with Europe and the Middle East increasing in importance.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Leaked report advises tough liquor laws

There are claims the Law Commission will recommend much tougher liquor laws when it reports to Parliament next week. Blogger David Farrar says leaks of the report, show it proposes a massive 50 percent rise in alcohol excise tax. It is also said to recommend a ban on the sale of liquor at off licences like supermarkets, at 10pm, refusing to allow people into bars and nightclubs at 2am and raising the alcohol purchase age to 20.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Australian to skipper Team NZ in round-the-world yacht race

Team New Zealand has named Australian Chris Nicholson as the skipper of its round-the-world yachting campaign. The Camper-sponsored campaign will be Nicholson's fourth Volvo Ocean Race, having been co-skipper of the second-placed Puma last year. The team has also named New Zealand's world match racing champion Adam Miniprio as one of the three under-30 sailors required by the race rules. Nicholson says the rest of the crew still to be named could also be younger than usual. The Volvo Ocean Race sets off from Spain late next year and stops in Auckland early in 2012.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Fastest growing population in NZ is Asian

New Zealand's Asian population is expected to almost mirror the number of Maori within 16 years. Asians are the fastest growing ethnic group in the country and Statistics New Zealand projects it will increase by around 3.4 percent a year to reach 790,000 by 2026. The Maori population is predicted to grow at a much lower rate, reaching 810,000 by the same period. Pacific peoples' projected population growth of 2.4 percent a year, falls in the middle of the two and is expected to take the total number to almost half a million by 2026. The European population is growing the slowest at just 0.4 percent and is expected to rise to 3.2 million by that year.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Wellington Zoo gibbon makes second escape

A cheeky gibbon has left zookeepers at Wellington Zoo scratching their heads after he escaped his enclosure for the second time in just over a week. Vilson, a male gibbon who arrived at the zoo in 1991, "went on a little adventure" for around 15 minutes this afternoon, sparking a "code green" alert, Wellington Zoo spokesman Matt Kennard says. Another code green, which means an animal escape, was sparked last Monday - again by Vilson. But luckily for Vilson, he will not be punished for sneaking out. "They won't be off the bananas. These things happen."
NZPA

New electricity retailer in Buller

An independent electricity retailer, Pulse Energy, will begin supplying power in the Buller district, after an official launch in Westport on Thursday. Pulse Energy is part-owned by Buller Electricity
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

$1.8 billion cuts foreshadowed by English

The Government has identified $1.8 billion worth of what it calls low quality spending that it will cut and redirect into priority areas over the next four years. Mr English said the $1.8 billion was in addition to $2 billion worth of low quality spending that was redirected in last year's Budget. He said that is a significant sum of money that can now be spent on better healthcare, education and keeping New Zealanders safe. Mr English said there is considerable scope to provide better services by improving processes, removing duplication and reallocating spending to frontline services. The Budget will be delivered on 20 May.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Refloated coal ship approaches port

A Chinese bulk carrier that ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef on Easter Saturday, is preparing to dock at Gladstone in central Queensland. Marine pilots are boarding the Shen Neng 1 and authorities say the ship is estimated to dock at the Port of Gladstone at about noon (AEST) on Thursday. The ABC reports the ship is being towed from Barren Island where it has been at safe anchor since it was refloated and moved from Douglas Shoal, east of Rockhampton, last week. Maritime Safety Queensland says the bulk carrier is no longer leaking oil.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Computers hit by botched security update

Companies in New Zealand are among those affected globally by a botched computer security update. Computers running McAfee anti-virus software and the Windows XP operating system, got stuck rebooting after the vendor issued an update for its programme overnight. The update caused the security software to identify a harmless file as a virus. Television New Zealand says nearly a third of its computers were affected, but only a handful of computers are still offline. APN, which publishes The New Zealand Herald, was also affected.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Rare blue whale spotted off Canterbury coast

Whale watchers were in for a treat when a rare blue whale was spotted of the Canterbury coast on Wednesday. The sighting of the world's largest animal is very rare but Wednesday highlights the most active period of whale sightings for many years according to local cruise operator Black Cat Cruises. Sightings have also included a Fin Whale, Orca, Curviars beaked, Humpback, Pilot and Southern Right Whales as well as good numbers of Hector dolphins. The blue whale population has been severely depleted to commercial whaling.
Source: ONE News

International thumbs up for World Rowing Champs

2010 Rowing World Championships chief executive Tom Mayo is buoyed by competitor feedback of the Lake Karapiro venue. A number of countries including Poland, Germany, the United States and Korea have visited the venue recently. Mayo says the facilities have been met with strong approval and the countries like what they will be coming to. General ticket sales for the championships go on sale on May the 3rd. The World Championships get underway on October 31st.
© 2010 NZCity, NewsTalkZB

Deadline looming for school trustee nominations

The clock is ticking for school trustee nominations with the deadline being midday tomorrow. More than 15,000 people are needed to form boards at almost 2,500 state and integrated schools across the country. Trustees do not have to be parents or have children at the school. National Election Project Manager Elaine Hines says strong leaders are needed to build strong schools.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Call to target fat, unfit children for better results

By JO GILBERT - The Press
Getting unfit and overweight children healthy requires more targeted Government policies, researchers say. A study by Lincoln University sport and exercise scientists, Mike Hamlin and Jenny Ross, and student Haeleigh Albon showed that overweight and unfit children were becoming heavier and more unfit, while their fit and healthy counterparts remained stable. The study, which was published in this month's British Journal of Sports Medicine, tracked more than 3300 children from one Canterbury school between 1991 and 2003. The school was not named in the journal. The children aged 10 to 14 were tested twice a year for two years. Testing included height, weight, agility runs and a 550-metre run. Mirroring international research, results showed trends of declining fitness and increasing weight and body mass index (BMI) levels. Over the 12 years, boys became 4.5 kilograms heavier, while girls were 3.9kg heavier. The time the children took to run 550m increased 25 seconds per decade for boys and 30 seconds for girls.

Myanmar trio funded by taxpayer

By TOM HUNT - The Dominion Post
Three government officials from Myanmar's repressive military regime are studying English in New Zealand, funded by the taxpayer. Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully, who once called Myanmar's rulers the "Butchers of Burma", confirmed he had agreed that the three officials could study here. More are likely to arrive. The decision was condemned by an Otago academic, who said the officials were likely to be complicit in the internationally condemned junta. "They [the regime] are not going to be sending dissidents," Otago University professor Kevin Clements, from the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, said. Myanmar, formerly Burma, is governed by a military regime under which opponents are persecuted.

Anzac identity theft revealed 95 years later

A decades-old case of Anzac identity theft has been uncovered 95 years after the landings at Gallipoli. Research into the only known film footage of the Anzacs at Gallipoli has revealed that soldiers previously identified as Australians were in fact New Zealanders and Irishmen. New Zealand military historian Chris Pugsley, a lecturer at Britain's Sandhurst Military Academy, said the discovery highlighted New Zealanders' contributions to the dangerous frontline campaign and restored their rightful place in the Anzac story. "It forces us to totally reevaluate what we're looking at in this one very important historic film," Dr Pugsley told NZPA. The footage was originally shot by British war correspondent Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett in 1915 and edited by Australian War Memorial historian Charles Bean in 1919.
NZPA

Green monarchy referendum bill voted down

Parliament has voted against a bill which would have triggered a referendum on the future of the monarchy. But the bill's author, Green MP Keith Locke says he remains confident New Zealand will one day become a republic. Mr Locke says New Zealand is an independent nation and it makes no sense to have a head of state living on the other side of the world. The bill would have given the public the chance to decide whether to retain the Queen as head of state, or move to a directly elected president, or one picked by Parliament. The bill was defeated by 67 votes to 53. National, ACT, the Maori Party and the Progressives voted against.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Many unaware MMR-autism theory debunked, MPs told

MPs have heard that the suggested link between autism and immunisations has been discredited - though many parents are unaware that's the case. The Health Select Committee is holding an inquiry into improving completion rates of childhood immunisation. Victoria University health researcher Hilary Stace says the notion that the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine caused autism was suggested by Dr Andrew Wakefield in the medical journal The Lancet. But she told the committee Britain's General Medical Council found his work unethical and unscientific, and the article has since been retracted. Hilary Stace says a campaign needs to be launched to improve immunisation rates and to rebuild trust in the MMR vaccine.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Church ministers charged with disobeying Fiji leader

Prosecutors in Fiji have charged seven Methodist Church ministers with conspiring to disobey military commander and interim prime minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama in July last year. The Fijilive website reports they are among 27 church ministers charged with violating the Public Emergency Regulation by organising and/or participating in a Methodist Church standing committee meeting. The case has been adjourned until 25 May. The interim regime has meanwhile banned the Methodists' annual conference until 2014.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

NZ Ambassador to France named

New Zealand's next Ambassador to France will be career diplomat Rosemary Banks. Foreign Minister Murray McCully has confirmed the appointment today, saying Ms Banks will also be accredited as the New Zealand Ambassador to Portugal and the OECD. Ms Banks is currently an acting deputy secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and has previously served as New Zealand's representative to the United Nations in New York. She takes up her new post in Paris in September.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Air NZ set to resume Europe flights

Air New Zealand plans seven flights to and from London in the next 24 hours as it begins to clear the backlog of passengers following the Icelandic ash cloud. Air New Zealand has published its revised schedule due to Britain's airspace opening. The airline says its flights to Europe will resume on Wednesday night with two flights from Auckland to London, one at 9.30pm via Los Angeles and one at 11.15pm via Hong Kong. It first arrival in Auckland from London will be on Friday morning. The airline says says normal scheduled services will recommence from Thursday providing there's no further closure of airspace because of the volcano. Passengers still have the option of deferring their travel to another Air New Zealand flight of their same departure and arrival points without penalty. Those who no longer wish to travel can apply for a full refund. Passengers should continue to check the Air New Zealand website for regular updates, call 0800 737 000 or check with their travel agent.
Source: ONE News

"Text to win" trivia fined

By laura heathcote - NewstalkZB
An overseas company which ran a series of "text to win" trivia competitions has been fined $125,000 for breaching the Fair Trading Act. TMG Asia Pacific has pleaded guilty to the charge, after it promoted a series of text trivia competitions on television. What the ads did not disclose was that by signing up, participants were also entering into a premium subscription service, at a minimum cost of $15 a month. The Commerce Commission received more than 500 complaints about the competition.

Northland Maori urged to get flu jab early

Northland Maori are being advised to get immunised against flu early, because vaccine supplies could be affected by the disruption of air travel caused by the eruption of a volcano in Iceland. Medical officer of health Jonathan Jarman says in last year's Northland influenza pandemic, more than 85% of the 56 people admitted to hospital with flu were Maori. Of the 20 children who needed intensive care, 19 were Maori, he told Waatea News. Jonathan Jarman expects the flu to strike within the next week and says vaccination is the best protection.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

New liquor sale legislation likely before next year's election

By JOHN HARTEVELT
The Government is poised to repeal and replace the Sale of Liquor Act before the 2011 election. The Law Commission will issue a significantly changed final report on liquor laws next Tuesday. A discussion document, issued in July last year, suggested reducing the hours that alcohol could be sold, tightening liquor licences and introducing a split alcohol-purchase age of 18 for bars and 20 for off-licences. It also said the Sale of Liquor Act should be replaced. Since then, the commission has begun a nationwide tour canvassing its proposals, attracting an unprecedented 2939 submissions.

Volcanic ash affecting food and water on Vanuatu’s Gaua

Vanuatu’s Red Cross says ashfall from a volcano on Gaua Island in the north is affecting food and water sources of villagers waiting to be evacuated. Preparations are being made to evacuate nearly 3,000 people from Gaua should the volcano’s activity increase. There’s been an increase in mud flow, ash fall and more explosions from the Gaua volcano in recent weeks. The water level in the crater lake has also been rising and there are fears that mud could flow from the lake to populated areas. The local Red Cross disaster management officer, Augustin Garae, says fumes and ash showering the island have been a hazard for people’s health.
© Radio New Zealand International

What's bugging the nation's children

By Elizabeth Binning
Today's children are worried about more than just their homework and peer pressure - they are also worried about terrorism and climate change and whether there will be a future for their own children. These are just some of the serious issues a group of more than 170 New Zealand children have cited as major stresses in their lives. Auckland University Researcher Fiona Pienaar interviewed children aged 8-12 for her PhD to find out what stressed them out and how they coped. The study, which only involved children with no obvious stress, identified 29 common issues that caused stress, the majority of which were clustered around school and family. There were others based on interpersonal issues, such as not being able to trust friends, being left out of things, fear of punishment and being confused by what adults did or said. The fourth category was intrapersonal problems, such as worries about the future and what's happening in the world.

Drought extends grip on New Zealand

The Government has extended the official drought zone for the second time in a month. Bay of Plenty, South Taranaki and parts of South Canterbury and Otago join the growing list of areas suffering the effects of months without significant rainfall. The officially-recognised drought zone started with Northland in January, and was extended to include Waikato, and South Auckland earlier this month.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

NZ expresses privacy concerns to Google

New Zealand's Privacy Commissioner has joined her counterparts from around the world in expressing concerns to web giant Google over its data and privacy protection. Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff, along with representatives from Germany, Canada, France, Britain, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Spain and the Netherlands, signed a letter to Google chief executive Eric Schmidt, raising concerns over Google's new application, Google Buzz. The social networking service connected to Google's email service, Gmail, raising concerns from users over how their personal information was being disclosed. Shroff says New Zealanders had been experimented on by Google with the rollout of Google Buzz. It had "violated the fundamental, globally accepted principle that people should be able to control the use of their personal information".
NZPA

Bainaimarama lashes out at Samoa PM over Fiji decree comments

Fiji’s interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, has hit back at Samoa’s prime minister for his comments about Fiji’s immunity decree and proposed media decree. Tuilaepa Sailele said the Fiji regime’s decree to give itself immunity from prosecution was an admission of guilt for its coups and was straight out of an aspiring dictator’s rulebook. But Commodore Bainimarama has told the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation that he can only conclude that Samoa’s prime minister had lost his mind. He described Tuilaepa as desperate and trying to whip up a regional outcry so that the Pacific Forum secretariat can be moved from Suva to Apia. Tuilaepa is the only leader in the Pacific to have criticised the recent Fiji decrees.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International

Reopening of refugee centre draws flak

The United Nations Refugee Agency says it is deeply troubled by the Australian government's decision to open an immigration detention centre in remote Western Australia. The government is upgrading the former Curtain air base to house 300 Afghan and Sri Lankan asylum-seekers who have had their refugee applications suspended. The agency's regional spokesperson, Richard Tull, says the health of the detainees is likely to suffer.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

NZ to benefit from predicted yuan move

New Zealand exporters appear to be in line for another windfall in their booming trade with China. The country's leaders have apparently bowed to pressure to allow a gradual rise in its currency, the yuan. Financial research and credit rating company Moodys says commodity exporters such as New Zealand and Australia will be the big beneficiaries of such a move. Forestry company Rayonier says a stronger yuan will boost log exports to China, which have already doubled over the past year. The yuan has been kept at artificially low levels to boost Chinese exports.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Otara to get 'freedom fruit' garden

An Auckland artist is planning to turn an under-used reserve in Otara into an fruit orchard for locals to use. A D Schierning says she came up with the idea of freedom fruit gardens after learning by first-hand experience how difficult it is to feed a child on a tight budget. Ms Schierning says the Preston Road Reserve in Otara, next to Rongomai Primary School, was chosen because it is large and has soil that drains well. She says 200 students will help plant almost 60 fruit trees in June, including feijoa, peach, plum, and orange. After finishing the project in Otara, Ms Schierning hopes to establish another fruit garden in Lower Hutt.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Fiji faces shortage of 500 nurses

About 500 extra nurses are needed to fix Fiji's nursing shortage. The Fiji Times newspaper reports the additional nurses will be needed to fill the vacuum left by experienced and skilled nurses who retired last year. The general-secretary of the Fiji Nursing Association, Kuini Lutua, says it lost about 200 nurses last year alone, leaving only 1,200 to take on the workload in hospitals and health centres nationwide.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Salmon exporter benefits from ash cloud

A New Zealand firm has found a silver lining to the volcanic cloud shrouding Europe. Marlborough's NZ King Salmon, is seeing a huge increase in orders from customers in Asia, whose usual suppliers in Europe are not able to fly their fish to export markets. CEO Grant Rosewarne, says customers in Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, Osaka and Tokyo, have all upped their orders substantially. Dubai's order is 100 times bigger than normal, while those from Bangkok have jumped tenfold. Export New Zealand executive director Catherine Beard says many New Zealand exporters are relatively unaffected, as many products including dairy products, chilled and frozen meat, and kiwifruit, can be transported by ship.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

NZ farmer wins major event at ploughing champs

A Canterbury farmer has become the first New Zealander to win a World Ploughing Championships title since 1982. Bruce Redmond won the conventional stubble section at the championships in Methven at the weekend, edging out Scotland's Andrew Mitchell Junior. Palmerston North farmer Paul Henson finished third in the reversible plouging event. Organisers say the win is also the first time a competitor has won a world event on home soil. More than 50 competitors, from 28 countries took part in the championships, held over the weekend.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Fish fallout from ash chaos

New Zealand snapper bound for Italy has ended up on the local market because of the volcanic disruption to European air travel. Leigh Fisheries in Warkworth flies five species of fresh fish to Germany, Switzerland and Italy. Chief executive Gregory Bishop says 11 tonnes of fish, worth about $NZ130,000, have been affected so far. He says the fish has been sold to Dubai and Hawaii, and the rest returned to New Zealand for sale at its distribution centre in Auckland.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Increase in job ads seen as a positive sign

The Social Development Minister is talking up a rise in the number of advertised job vacancies. Paula Bennett has released figures showing the number of advertised jobs rose 9.5 percent between January and March. She says it is a positive sign for the labour market. Ms Bennett says the trend was evident across all regions with growth particularly strong in the North Island. She says the education, construction and engineering sectors are showing a significant turnaround from previous months.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Indycars-Dixon fourth at Long Beach

New Zealand's Scott Dixon has finished fourth in the latest round of the IndyCars championship, the Grand Prix of Long Beach in California. Dixon started ninth and trailed the American winner Ryan Hunter-Reay with the Englishman Justin Wilson second and the Australia series leader Will Power third and Tony Kanaan fifth. Dixon finished second last week in Alabama, where he started from fifth.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Air NZ flights to Europe remain suspended

Updated at 11:27am on 19 April 2010
Air New Zealand says it will not resume flights to Europe until at least Tuesday morning, as ash from a volcano in Iceland continues to disrupt flights. The latest message to passengers on the airline's website, updated at 10.40am on Monday, says airspace restrictions across Britain will remain until at least 6am on Tuesday. The two Air New Zealand flights to Europe due to depart on Monday evening will terminate in Los Angeles and Hong Kong respectively.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Internal Affairs to open databases to tackle ID fraud

By TOM PULLAR-STRECKER - BusinessDay.co.nz
The Government will help financial institutions combat identity fraud by letting them check whether customers' credentials tally with information held by Internal Affairs in its citizenship, passports, and births, deaths and marriages databases. Last year the Government instructed the department to consider a partnership with the private sector to secure the future of its iGovt online identity verification service, which could allow people to prove their identity when accessing government and private sector websites using a single username and password. Mr Guy says the separate data validation service will help financial institutions comply with anti-money laundering legislation that was enacted last year. "The records do not include sensitive information such as income, travel details or criminal records and [companies] using this tool will first need their customers' permission to make the checks."

National still dominant in latest opinion poll

The National Party continues to enjoy a commanding lead over Labour, according to the latest political opinion poll. The One News - Colmar Brunton poll has National steady on 54%, 21-points clear of Labour on 33%. No other party broke the five-percent threshold needed to make it into Parliament without winning an electorate. The Greens attracted 4.7% support, with the Maori Party on 2.1% and ACT 1.8%. In the preferred Prime Minister stakes, John Key remains completely dominant at 48% to the Labour leader, Phil Goff's 8%.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

40,000 snap up insulation

By Natasha Burling - NewstalkZB
Nearly 40,000 homes have taken advantage of the Government's insulation scheme. The scheme was launched in July last year and is open to all New Zealanders with houses built before the year 2000. Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee says there could be greater demand in the winter months ahead.

Seagoing vaka leave Auckland on conservation mission

A flotilla of traditional double-hulled voyaging vaka or canoes has left Auckland to sail to five Pacific island countries to draw attention to conservation issues in the region. The vaka sailed after a blessing and will visit French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. The journey to the first destination, French Polynesia, is expected to take up to a month. The captain of the New Zealand vaka Magnus Danbolt says the fleet will head east past Coromandel for as long as the winds hold then veer north.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

6.3 earthquake hits Papua New Guinea

An earthquake of magnitude 6.3 has hit the east coast of Papua New Guinea. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The quake hit about 23:15 GMT and was centered about 29km east of the city of Lae. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii has not issued a tsunami alert.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Big crowd expected for V8 finale

A large crowd is expected for the final day of racing at the super V8s in Hamilton. A total of 66 thousand people attended the first two days of the event. The final of two 200km races on the 3.4km city circuit starts just after 3pm. It will be raced over 59 laps. Weather conditions are looking good for both drivers and spectators.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Passengers flown home amid airport chaos

Passengers stranded in transit points en route to London are being flown back to New Zealand, as volcanic ash continues to keep most of Europe's major airports closed. Air New Zealand says the airspace around Britain and Europe is likely to stay closed until at least midnight Sunday New Zealand time. The airline has already cancelled some legs of its international flights and says it has been flying passengers back from transit points in Los Angeles and Hong Kong without charge since the closures began on Thursday. However passengers who take up that option will have to pay to later return to that point in their journey. Air New Zealand says it is currently paying for the accommodation of up to 500 passengers stuck in Los Angeles and Hong Kong and there will be more covering their own costs.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Rugby-Understrength Crusaders still too strong for Cheetahs

An understrength Crusaders have moved to the top of the Super 14 rugby table after crushing the Cheetahs of South Africa 45-6 in Christchurch. The Crusaders, without injured All Black first-five Daniel Carter and with several other internationals on the bench or rested by coach Todd Blackadder, moved to 34 points, level with the Bulls, who could only snare a bonus point as they lost 19-12 to the Queensland Reds in Brisbane. The Crusaders scored seven tries to the Cheetahs' two penalties. The Sharks also narrowly beat the Lions 32-28 in Johnannesburg.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Pedal-power helps amp up beer festival

By Celeste Gorrell Anstiss
Forget relaxing with a beer, visitors to Nelson's Marchfest beer festival yesterday were busy generating electricity for the music stage. Stationary bikes were connected to a modified washing machine engine and the energy was pushed into a battery powering up the sound desk. That allowed acts such as Don McGlashan to be heard in what organisers believe was a New Zealand first. The designer, Glenn Harvey, says a person pedalling vigourously was producing about 12 amps of power an hour. It would take more than 20 bikes to power the entire stage, but the four on hand were able to make a small difference to the carbon footprint.

Competition attracts 650 teams

Budding film-makers are working furiously to finish off short film projects by the end of today. Director Ant Timpson says 650 teams have entered this year's 48HOURS competition. All up, around 10,000 thousand people are involved. He says usually the projects include the three given elements of a character, a line and a prop. Ant Timpson says this year a fourth element has been added...a camera move called a dolly zoom made famous in the Alfred Hitchcock film Vertigo. He says the special camera move should make the competition especially challenging this year. Competitors have until seven o'clock tonight to submit their entries.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Mountain radio service goes national

A new national mountain radio service has been established to cover most of New Zealand, combining existing operators in Canterbury, Wellington, the central North Island and Hawke's Bay. The Mountain Safety Council says it supports the venture and applauds the dedication of the volunteers involved in running it. The integrated national service provides communication to people entering the back country, from Stewart Island in the south to the centre of the North Island. It maintains daily updates on the weather, the location of users and other relevant information and is available via radio telephone.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Cricket bomb attack boosts security fears

A bomb attack on an Indian Premier League cricket match in Bangalore has again called into question the security of foreign players. New Zealander Ross Taylor took part in the match, which was delayed by a small explosion outside the stadium. Up to 15 people were injured. The blast happened as the captains of the Bangalore Royal Challengers and the Mumbai Indians were walking onto the pitch and caused panic among thousands of specators the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull commentated on the match from the stadium and has praised the security staff. Three other New Zealanders - Black Caps captain Dan Vettori, Shane Bond and Brendon McCullum - play in the Indian Premier League and former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming coaches the Chennai side.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Sir Anand stranded

The Governor-General has abandoned his trip to Poland, where he planned to attend the funeral of the late President Lech Kaczynski. Sir Anand Satyanand set off on Thursday night, but has been able to make it only as far as New York. Sir Anand was hoping to fly to Warsaw today but can not do so, because Polish airspace has been closed by the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland now hanging over Europe.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Trade Minister to visit Uruguay

Trade Minister Tim Groser is to visit Uruguay later this month to discuss business and investment links with Latin America. He will also discuss international trade and climate change issues and attend a meeting of the Cairns Group of agricultural-exporting countries. Mr Groser says New Zealand has a lot in common with Uruguay, as both are small agriculturally-focused nations.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Flights to depart as scheduled - Air NZ

Air New Zealand says two international flights will leave as scheduled on Saturday, but any passengers who are flying to Europe should not start their journey. Twenty countries have announced full or partial aviation restrictions, as ash from a volcano in Iceland continues to blanket much of Europe. Air New Zealand says NZ2 to Los Angeles and NZ39 to Hong Kong will leave Auckland on Saturday as planned. But if any passengers then try to fly to Europe and become stranded, "they are on their own". Three hundred passengers in Los Angeles and another 300 in Hong Kong, who started their journey before the eruption, are being accommodated by the airline.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Saudi man granted refugee status

A Saudi Arabian man whose father had him prosecuted and sentenced to death for abandoning Islam, has been granted refugee status in New Zealand. The man's father, a senior official in a state organisation that monitors the observance of Islam, found Jehovah's Witness brochures in his home and ordered his arrest and prosecution. The Refugee Appeals Authority heard he was beaten unconscious, and tortured in custody for three months. His father seized his assets, but he managed to flee Saudi Arabia last year before the court's verdict was announced. The man now lives in Hawke's Bay and attends a Jehovah's Witness church there twice a week, while his wife and children remain in Saudi Arabia.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Maori Koran translator had help

A Pakistani teacher who's translated the Koran into Maori, credits two prominent Tainui Kaumatua for their help. Shakil Monir says when he started working on the Islamic holy book 20 years ago, there was no one able to translate from Arabic to Maori, so he took lessons in te reo from Maurice Wilson and Tom Roa. He told Waatea News the pair noted similarities between the languages. Shakil Monir's translation of the Koran will be launched in Auckland on Saturday morning.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Virtual high school being developed

Maori immersion secondary schools are developing a virtual high school so they can share specialist teachers. Co-ordinator Tony Waho says Te Kura Ataata involves video-conferencing, internet, off site wananga and teacher visits to individual students. Kura have been sharing senior maths classes since 2000. Waatea News reports they are now extending the service to offer New Zealand history at NCEA levels one and two, and level one science, spread over years 10 and 11.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand

Air NZ warns passengers to UK

Air New Zealand is warning passengers, it will not pay for hotels if they ignore its advice and fly out to the UK tonight. Planes across Europe remain grounded because of an ash cloud from Iceland's erupting volcano. Air New Zealand's two flights to the UK tonight via Hong Kong and LA are leaving as usual, but Air New Zealand General Manager Ed Sims is advising passengers travelling on to London not to fly, as they may be stranded at the stopovers. He says accommodation in those cities is tight as airlines around the world have been affected. Air New Zealand is picking up the hotel tab for around 1500 passengers who flew last night and are now stranded in transit. Passengers not flying can rebook or get a refund.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Schizophrenia conference in NZ

International experts on the treatment of schizophrenia are heading to Southland next month. A major conference in Invercargill is being organised by the Indo-Australasian Psychiatry Association and spokesman Dr Divijay Goel says the event has attracted highly regarded speakers from USA, UK, India, Australia and New Zealand. Dr Goel says as well as focusing on de-stigmatising and improving the treatment of schizophrenia, the conference is an exciting opportunity to highlight that fact the Southland DHB provides world class services, in what is often regarded as a rural town at the bottom of the world.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Lotto win inspired from beyond the grave

A North Shore lottery winner says she rushed out to buy a Lotto ticket on the advice of her late mother in a dream. The woman told NZ Lotteries her mother came to her in a dream with a message of luck and new fortune, and told her to buy a ticket. She rushed to Valentines Stationers in Takapuna the next day to buy a $6 Lucky Dip, and went on to win $500,000 in the March 20 draw. "I didn't even have breakfast, I just got up out of bed, went straight to the Lotto store and asked for the cheapest Lotto ticket," the woman said. When her husband checked the Lotto numbers the following day, they realised they had won half a million dollars.
NZPA

Labour against PPP schools

Labour is promising to reverse any public-private partnerships undertaken by the Government in the education sector. The Government is considering allowing private companies to build and own schools, but not operate them, but Labour's Education spokesman Trevor Mallard, says while PPPs might have their place, it does not include state schools. "With schools, I don't think we should be locked into 30 year contracts." Mr Mallard believes the Government is considering the idea, because it is a good way of disguising the books and avoiding carrying infrastructure debt.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

Rugby-Reshuffle of AB coaching staff

By Tim Evans - NewstalkZB
The All Blacks coaching staff have once again changed their roles within the side. Head coach Graham Henry has confirmed another reshuffle in the coaching ranks following a review of the end-of-year tour. Having coached the forwards, Henry will now coach the attack. Steve Hansen will revert to his old role with the forwards and Wayne Smith will be in charge of defence.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd

ADB tsunami loan for Samoa

Samoa has been given a loan of up to $US27 million from the Asian Development Bank. It's to help the nation revive its economy following the global financial crisis and last year's tsunami. Up to $16 million will be extended for the first phase of the Economic Recovery Support Programme, with an additional $US11 million earmarked for the second phase. The disaster six months ago brought losses which are put at 17% of annual gross domestic product. Rebuilding the tourism sector is seen as the key to growth. Roading improvements and new seawalls are required. Power and water supplies to resorts also need to be readily available.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand