HEADLINES & NEWS
A massive international relief effort is underway at the scene of Friday's earthquake in western India. The quake, which measured 7.9 on the richter scale, is now believed to have killed more than 20-thousand people in the state of Gujarat.
11-thousand are confirmed dead, and hopes of finding anyone still alive under the rubble are fading. Claire Silvester has this report: PKGE
The Ministry of Health has announced it's stopping all sales of the controversial new party-drug One 4 B after three people overdosed in Auckland at the weekend. One-4-B is a varient of the illegal drug Fantasy, and is sold as [illegible] A dietary supplement. It has only been available for a matter of weeks, but the Ministry of Health has decided to take immediate action. I asked the manager of food at the Ministry Jim Sim why there's concern about this drug.
PREREC
Police are making no apologies for their tactics in escorting Mainland Stevedoring workers onto the wharf this morning, despite union claims they were overly aggressive. Up to a hundred people protested as the workers from Mainland crossed their picket to load logs onto the Century Forest, which arrived in Bluff last night. A 38-year-old woman was arrested at the picket and charged with disorderly behaviour.
We'll hear from police regional commander Nick Perry in a moment, but first I asked the Waterfront Workers Union's secretary in Bluff, Ray Fife why he thought the police were being heavy handed. PREREC
I then asked the district commander for the southern district, Superintendant Nick Perry, whether he thought the police action was overly aggressive. PREREC
BUSINESS NEWS with CATHERINE WALBRIDGE
The parents of 23 year old Nicholas Clarkson who died after an attack in central Auckland were at a press conference today appealing for help to find the person or persons who murdered their son. Nicholas Clarkson was found in the early hours of Friday morning on a central city street, lying in a pool of blood, after he had been out drinking with friends - He died in hospital yesterday from serious head injuries. His father Fred Clarkson says they never really wanted their son to move to Auckland from their home in Canterbury two years ago. AUDIO CUT
Lyn Clarkson says her son was capable of defending himself as he had a black belt in martial arts. AUDIO CUT
The opposition is asking the auditor general and electoral officials for fresh investigations into the out of town allowances paid to government ministers Marion Hobbs and Philida Bunkle. A Parliamentary Service report made public 10 days ago cleared the two MPs of any wrongdoing for claiming the allowances, even though they'd declared Wellington to be their place of residence by signing onto the Wellington electoral role. But National MP Roger Sowry is not satisfied with the report and has now written to the Chief Electoral Officer, Wellington's Registrar of Electors and the Auditor General asking for further investigations. He joins me now. LIVE
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with STEPHEN HEWSON
The safety of genetically modified foods came under scrutiny today, with calls for a ban on new GM foods and significant improvements in the testing and risk assessments of existing ones. The Royal Commission on Genetic Modification continues its inquiry into the use of gene technology, and was hearing submissions by the Pesticide Action Network and the Safe Food Campaign. Both groups criticised current safety tests, saying they are inadequate and cannot assess any potential risks to human health. Our science reporter, Veronika Meduna, was at the hearing and joins us now. LIVE WITH DROP INS
Returning to our lead story - and the earthquake disaster in the Indian state of Gujarat. The death toll from the force seven point nine tremor is officially [illegible] to be 20 thousand but some estimates say it could be as high as 40 thousand. New Zealand is giving half a million dollars towards relief efforts, and the Prime Minister has sent a message of sympathy and condolences to her Indian counterpart, Atal Behari Vajpayee. Joining me now is our correspondent in India, Ranjan Gupta. LIVE
The New Zealand rugby sevens team has won the world cup in Mar Del Plata in Argentina beating Australia 31-12 in the final. New Zealand led 12-7 and looked in control throughout the match thanks to a hatrick of tries to Jonah Lomu. New Zealand convincingly beat the home side Argentina 31-7 in the semi finals, while Australia beat the defending champions Fiji 22-14 to make the final. It's proving difficult to get through to the team in Argentina but joining me now is former sevens captain Dallas Seymour. LIVE
And a short time ago sports reporter Stephen Hewson spoke to the Sevens Coach Gordon Titchens. PREREC
Millions of people around the world have tuned in to watch one of the biggest sporting events on the planet - America's Superbowl. The United States has been shut down as the nation watched the game, which saw the Baltimore Ravens crush the New York Giants 34-7. Our Washington correspondent Steve Mort reports. PKGE
The consumer rewards scheme, Flybuys, has announced a substantial increase in the number of points required to qualify for a free flight. The increase take effect from the First of March and Flybuys blames the rise in the cost of Air New Zealand domestic airfares. Andrew Greenwood has the details. PKGE
Organisers say this year's Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta has been a major success with good weather and thousands of people out on the water. Chairperson of the regatta, John Smart joins us now. LIVE
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