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HEADLINES & NEWS
Israel and the Palestinians have agreed at a summit in Egypt to halt nearly three weeks of bloodshed, but many on both sides don't believe the deal will end the violence. Israel has agreed to withdraw its security forces if there was no violence for 48 hours after the agreement was announced. I asked the BBC's Jerusalem correspondent Duncan Kennedy whether there has been any sign of troop withdrawal yet. PREREC
Police have recovered a suitcase which matches the description of one being carried by murdered Timaru woman Lisa Blakie before her death. The 21-year-old disappeared while hitchhiking from Christchurch to Greymouth. Her body was [illegible] near a layby on the main road between Canterbury and the West Coast on Waitangi Day this year. But the suitcase has only just been retrieved from a water race near Christchurch. I asked Detective Inspector Rob Pope how confident they are that this was Lisa Blakie's suitcase. PREREC
BUSINESS NEWS with CATHERINE WALBRIDGE
The head of cardiology at Waikato Hospital says there is an urgent need for better planning so hospitals can meet future demand rather than lurching from year to year with growing waiting list crisis. Auckland's Greenlane Hospital has just been given an extra three-and-half million dollars to clear its waiting list of 137 people - Dr Clyde Wade from Waikato says he has 183 people who/ve been waiting for more than six months. Of those, 80 patients are urgent cases who should have their surgery as soon as possible. Dr Wade says while his hospital wouldn't say no to some extra money as well it doesn't solve the underlying problems of not enough operating theatres, intensive-care beds, staff and equipment. PREREC
Crown Research Institutes were challenged to justify their investment in [illegible] engineering during the third day of formal hearings by the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification. The Commission hearing, which took place in Wellington, heard submissions from three CRIs, Crop and Food Research, Forest Research and Hort Research. All supported gene technology, but groups opposed to genetic engineering asked why they were not researching into organic farming. Our reporter Bryan Crump was at the hearing, and joins us now. LIVE WITH DROP INS
Al Gore and George W Bush have sparred face to face for the final time in the US Presidential election campaign. The two men answered questions from undecided voters for ninety minutes in the most captivating of the three televised debates. Vice president Al Gore took on the role of under-dog and he seems to have emerged as the victor. Joining us now is our Washington correspondent Robin Brandt. LIVE WITH DROP INS
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with STEPHEN HEWSON
Speakers at the Venereological Conference being held in Palmerston North say they are staggered by New Zealand's growing rates of sexually transmitted diseases. Speakers pulled no punches as they talked about rates of chlamydia, an infection that can cause sterility in women, which have increased to make New Zealand the chlamydia capital of the world. Jill Galloway has been at the conference on its first day. PKGE
The TAB has lifted its ban on taking bets on boxing - a one-off exception for next months World heavyweight fight between David Tua and reigning world champion Lennox Lewis.
Professional fights overseas have often been dogged by controversy over judges decisions, and the TAB hasn't wanted to get involved in betting on a sport where punters may feel they've been ripped off. The New Zealand Boxing Association has also never approved of the idea until now. Neil Sorensen from the TAB joins us now. LIVE
The police have withdrawn a charge of murder against a Christchurch rest home resident who died last week. The elderly person was charged with murdering a fellow dementia sufferer who was killed in early September. A disability [illegible] was to have continued today. Shona Geary was at the Christchurch District court this afternoon. LIVE
An Auckland bus company is trying to get more commuters to hop on board via colourful means. This coincides with the governments promise that it will financially reimburse public transport companies according to how many more bums they can get on their seats. So Stagecoach has just painted seven of its buses bright purple and called them Remuera Riders.. Sally Wenley flagged one down. PKGE
Ruapehu Alpine Lifts, which runs Whakapapa Ski Field, has resumed its quest to take over its neighbour on the mountain, Turoa Ski Resorts Ltd, which is in receivership. Its renewed campaign started today at a two day conference organised by the Commerce Commission. Eric Frykberg was there and he joins us now. LIVE WITH DROP INS
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