HEADLINES & NEWS
The woman who's case led to the Gisborne Cervical Screening Inquiry has been refused the chance to go back to court to seek exemplary damages from the doctor responsible. The woman known as Patient A lost an earlier court case against the retired Gisborne pathologist Michael Bottrill, but the High Court then granted her another trial after further evidence came to light about the problems in Gisborne. Dr Bottrill's lawyers then went to the Court of Appeal, which has overruled the High Court. Joining me now is our Health Correspondent Rae Lamb. LIVE
There's been a breakthrough in Middle East peace efforts, with the Palestinians [illegible] an American plan for a lasting ceasefire with Israel. Hundreds of [illegible], the majority of them Palestinians have died in escalating tit-for-tat violence that began last September. The Palestinian decision came during a meeting between their leader Yassir Arafat and American CIA director George Tennet. Israel had earlier accepted Mr Tenet's plan to cement a ceasefire, but the Palestinians had said they couldn't agree to some elements of the proposal. Joining us now is the CBS News correspondent in Israel, Robert Berger. LIVE
The stock exchange is intervening in the battle for the control of winemaker Montana, requesting a news blackout till further discussions have taken place. Montana's independent directors were expected to detail today the progress they had made in determining what penalty Lion Nathan should pay for its botched takeover bid. The directors need to decide how much of Lions's 62 per cent of Montana should be forfeit - shares that could go to rival bidder Allied Domecq. At the request of the stock exchange's market surveillance panel, the Montana directors declined comment -but joining us now is our business editor John Draper. LIVE
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Child Youth and Family has given an assurance that more specialist staff will be employed to meet the front-line pressures of protecting children at risk from abuse and neglect. The department has launched a new programme which, coupled with a major funding boost, promises to reduce the long list of unallocated cases and attract social workers back to the service. Here's our social issues correspondent Shona Geary. PKGE
The controversial chief executive of the Department of Work and Income, Christine Rankin, has appeared before a parliamentary select committee for the last time. Ms Rankin's contract ends next month - days after she begins legal action against the Crown in the Employment Court, claiming that political interference stopped her reappointment. Clare Sziranyi reports. PKGE
In South Korea, thousands of workers are on strike for the second day to demand pay rises and protest against Government-led economic restructuring. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions estimates that 50 thousand people are on strike - the Government puts the figure at only 15 thousand. Hospitals and airlines have both been hurt by the strike - I asked the BBC's Seoul correspondent Caroline Gluck how badly airlines have been affected. IV
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The Finance Minister Michael Cullen and the New Zealand First leader Winston Peters have just finished meeting in an attempt to reach agreement over the Government's superannuation legislation. With the Greens oppossed to the setting up of a super fund, the Government needs New Zealand First's votes to guarantee the passage of its legislation in Parliament. Our political editor Al Morrison joins me now. LIVE IV w DROPINS
In Australia, a report has been released clearing Victorian police of using excessive force to break up an anti-globalisation demonstration in Melbourne last September. The New Zealand Green Party MPs Sue Bradford and Nandor Tanczos were part of the S11 group which formed a blockade at last year's World Economic Forum. Antony Byers has been following the story. PKGE
[illegible] Bay of Plenty District Health Board has reached a confidential settlement with the mother of a thirteen year old boy who died in a Tauranga Hospital operating room in 1996.
Ben Thorne was having a routine operation to remove ponga spike debris from his knee. An anaesthetist, Dr Margaret Hugel was charged with manslaughter but found not guilty. An inquest later found Ben died after developing a spasm that prevented him from breathing, and that although there was a drug ready to use which would have saved his life, Dr Hugel didn't use it. The hospital does not admit liability and Jacquie Thorne's lawyer Patricia Jones says her client dropped plans to sue because she couldn't afford the legal costs. There are other costs as well. PREREC
To the Pacific - and the American-based self-proclaimed lawyer, who flew to Fiji to represent the coup leader George Speight, has been detained by police. Navin Naidu was detained in the west of Fiji last night, soon after the media highlighted that Mr Naidu had not completed a law degree and was not a member of the American Bar Association. Our correspondent in Fiji Shalen Shandil joins us now. LIVE
[illegible] Ministry of Health wants more local bodies to put fluoride in their [illegible] water, saying it could save millions of dollars in dental costs. At the moment just over half of the country's water supply is fluoridated, which the ministry says equates to annual dental treatment savings of 16 million dollars. Today in Wellington, health officials and dental workers discussed strategies to encourage more local authorities to put fluoride in drinking water. Our reporter Andrew Greenwood was at today's forum, which was addressed by the Minister of Health. PKGE
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