National Radio Midday Report

GE Babies – Maori Option – Sounds Murder – Biggs Goes Home – Police Protection – Pope’s Pilgrimage – Israel Report – Tertiary Funding – Cookbook Fraud – Mother On Trial – Dunedin Auckland Flight – Macedonia – Rape Trial – Heroin Room – SH1 Delays

- GE BABIES: The Government is speeding up work on legislation governing the use of gene technology and reproductive technology, following the news that up to 30 babies had been born in the US using gene technology.

- MAORI OPTION: There will be at least one more seat for Maori voters following the Maori Option exercise because nearly 6000 Maori voters want to change from the general roll to the Maori roll.

- SOUNDS MURDER: Police are announced they won’t be conducting a deep sea search in the Marlborough Sounds for the bodies of Olivia Hope and Ben Smart because of the prohibitive cost.

- BIGGS GOES HOME: A plane carrying Ronald Biggs, the notorious Great Train Robber, took off from Rio De Janeiro to Britain, where the frail and sick man faces almost certain arrest.

- POLICE PROTECTION: National MP for Port Waikato Dr Paul Hutchison says he will seek leave to introduce a bill to protect police officers involved in fatal shootings from public exposure following a web site publishing a picture of the Constable who killed Steven Wallace.

- POPE’S PILGRIMAGE: Pope John Paul is next set to take his crusade for Middle East Peace to the Golan Heights as part of his pilgrimage to Syria to retrace the steps of St Paul, who converted to Christianity on the road to Damascus.

- ISRAEL REPORT: Israeli PM Ariel Sharon has rejected criticism in an international report of Israel’s settlement policy and its use of lethal force against demonstrators. However, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Perez has called the report fair and balanced and Palestinians have welcomed the report.

- TERTIARY FUNDING: University heads will meet with the Government this afternoon at the beginning of a week-long round of meetings with tertiary educators aimed at getting a funding deal.

- COOKBOOK FRAUD: The man accused of fraud involving the sale of cookbooks has gone on trial today.

- MOTHER ON TRIAL: The trial in Northland has begun for a woman who almost killed her 9-month-old daughter in a failed double suicide attempt.

- DUNEDIN/AUCKLAND FLIGHT: Air NZ is planing a new direct flight between Dunedin and Auckland, the first for 10 years.

- MACEDONIA: As fighting escalates in Macedonia, the Nato Secretary General will fly there today for critical talks with Government leaders.

- RAPE TRIAL: Former police officer Tyler Stevens, on trial for rape and assault, is being cross-examined in the High Court in Auckland.

- HEROIN ROOM: Australia’s fist legal heroin injecting room has opened in Sydney after months of delay.

- SH1 DELAYS: Traffic delays are continuing on SHI north of Wellington after an accident involving dangerous chemicals.

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