HEADLINES & NEWS
In Fiji - the country's president has asked the military-backed regime installed after last year's coup, to continue in office until he decides what should happen next. The Prime Minster Laisenia Qarase and his ministers offered to resign, following last week's court of appeal ruling which said their interim government was illegal. But the President Ratu Josefa Iloilo has turned down the resignation offer. In the meantime the Great of Council of Chiefs is continuing its meeting to decide who the country's president should be and what administration it will back. Joining us now is our Fiji correspondent Shalen Shandil. LIVE
[illegible] Minister of Foreign Affairs Phil Goff says that the President could now choose to appoint a caretaker government to hold the fort until elections later this year. But Mr Goff says he sees some advantages in parliament being reconvened to try and establish a government of national unity. PREREC
The government's position on paid parental leave has been under scrutiny again today, at a series of events to mark International Women's Day. At a Beehive breakfast, the Prime Minister reiterated the pledge to deliver some form of paid parental leave before the next election, although the length of the leave and the level of payment has still to be settled. Around the country, unions and women's groups upped the ante, at rallies demanding a minimum of 14 weeks leave. Our political reporter Kathryn Ryan has been looking at today's developments. PKGE
BUSINESS NEWS WITH PATRICK O'MEARA
In the first case of its kind, an Auckland pharmacist has been given the maximum penalty after selling medicine over the internet to people overseas without prescriptions. The Council of the Pharmaceutical Society has found [illegible] Donald Bell guilty of professional misconduct, suspending him from practising for three years, fining him 10-thousand dollars, and ordering him to pay 50 thousand dollars in costs. A loophole in the law meant at the time of Mr Bell's activities, it was not illegal to export medicines without a presciption - the law was changed late last year.
I asked the Pharmaceutical Society President Bernie McKone why the penalites imposed on Mr Bell were so harsh. PREREC
The pressure is going on the promoters trying to bring world golfing number one Tiger Woods to New Zealand, who have until the end of the month to come up with the necessary money to clinch the deal. The Wellington based partnership, PlusFore, hopes that Woods will play at the Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club in the second week of January next year. Leigh-Anne Wiig reports. PKGE
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with STEPHEN HEWSON
Indonesian police are investigating a government official who they suspect sparked the ethnic violence between the Dayaks and Madurese immigrants on the island of Borneo. Nearly five hundred people have been killed in three weeks of violence, which forced a mass evacuation of Madurese refugees - Police suspect that the official now under investigation paid one of the Dayak gangs to start murdering Madurese. The last of the refugees have now left the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan - I asked our correspondent in Jakarta Mark Bowling how many have fled. PREREC
The organisation which looks after food safety on both sides of the Tasman is asking for public comment on its view that four GM food commodities are safe. The Australia New Zealand Food Authority says the GM strains of corn, sugar beet, cotton and canola pose no safety threats to either consumers or the environment. Michele Hollis reports that reaction today has been swift, strong and divided. PKGE
A sleep research expert is calling for hospitals to implement a shift work code of practice to prevent doctors from getting too tired to do their job properly. Professor Phillipa Gander, Director of the Sleep/Wake Research Centre at the [illegible] School of Medicine, says there is now enough evidence to show that shift work and long hours impair judgment especially in emergencies. Professor Gander says although no-one has studied exactly how many mistakes doctors make because they're tired, a survey of anaesthetists several years ago showed more than 80 percent could recall a fatigue related error. She says more than 30 percent could recall making such a mistake in the previous six months, and many said they were working longer hours than they thought was safe. PREREC
The American President George Bush says the United States still sees North Korea as a major threat and has no immediate plans to resume negotiations with the communist state. South Korean president Kim Dae Jung is in Washington, talking to Mr Bush and top officials and lawmakers. But as our Washington correspondent Steve Mort reports there are signs that the two presidents wont agree on how to deal with North Korea. PKGE
In Colombia, cocaine production has increased, fueled by strong demand from America, and increasingly from Europe. A US government report says that's despite the US spending more money and providing military resources to reduce cocaine production in Colombia. The report says that Colombian coca plantations [illegible] by 11 percent producing enough leaf to produce 580 tonnes of cocaine - double Colombia's potential just five years ago. I asked our correspondent in Colombia Jeremy McDermott why more cocaine is being produced despite the amount on trying to combat drugs.
Retailers in central Auckland are battling the City Council over the controversial ban on displaying advertising sandwhich boards on the pavements outside their shops. The Council banned the boards in January, claiming they clutter up the footpath and are a danger to pedestrians. As Brad Markham reports, retailers today rebelled, with a sandwhich board day. PKGE
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