Police officer Keith Abbott has been found not guilty of murdering Waitara man Steven Wallace. Mr Wallace was shot dead by Abbott during an early morning confrontation in the main street of the Taranaki town - Mr Wallace's parents brought a private prosecution against the officer after authorities declined to lay charges. The jury retired to conder its verdict early this afternoon - three hours later they delivered their verdict. CUT
Our court reporter Merle Nowland has been at the High Court in Wellington and joins me now. LIVE WITH DROPINS
Outside the court, there were angry scenes after the verdict was delivered. Our reporter Jill Galloway was there and joins me now. LIVE WITH DROPINS
Meanwhile, in another high profile murder trial, the jury has retured to consider whether Masterton man Bruce Howse is guilty of murdering his two stepdaughters. Bruce Howse has denied fatally stabbing 12-year-old Saliel Aplin and her half sister, 11-year-old Olympia Jetson at their home a year ago. Our reporter Jane Patterson has been at the High Court in Wellington today and she [illegible] us now. LIVE WITH DROPINS
The government has given the Race Relations Commissioner, Joris de Bres a ticking off for his speech this morning criticising New Zealand's colonial past. The speech sparked a political storm after Mr de Bres compared the Taliban's destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan with New Zealand's colonial past. National and New Zealand First say Mr de Bres is unfit for his job - here's our political reporter, Mark Torley. PKGE
I asked the Race Relations Commissioner if he now accepts that his choice of words was unwise. PREREC
BUSINESS NEWS WITH JOHN DRAPER
The Land Transport Safety Authority is warning the troubled railways company Tranzrail that it has the power to revoke its operating licence if it doesn't fix ongoing safety problems. An urgent meeting is presently underway between Tranzrail and the Transport Minister Paul Swain over the safety of tracks that keep buckling in the summer heat. Taryn Schubert reports. PKGE
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SPORT with STEPHEN HEWSON
Overseas - and the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is contradicting American President George Bush on the Iraqi weapons inspection mission, saying despite the president's criticism, the team's making good progress. Meanwhile the US continues to lobby its strategic allies in the region in an effort to shore up support for war. Our Washington correspondent Nina Maria Potts reports. PKGE
The Court of Appeal has ordered that convictions be quashed for three Napier teenagers convicted and jailed for sexual violation and attempted sexual violation. In April a jury in the High Court in Gisborne found six former Taradale High School students guilty of indecent assault and sexual violation of a fellow male student at a party. Justice Gendall sentenced the six to jail terms of up to two and a half years. But the lawyers for three of the teenagers went to the Court of Appeal which has allowed the appeals and ordered a new trial. Our Reporter Heugh Chappell is with me. LIVE WITH DROPINS
New Zealanders are spending more of their own money on health care. An official update shows private households spent just over one-point-six billion dollars on such things as medicines, dental care, gp visits and seeing medical specialists in the year 2000 to 2001. This compares with one-point-three billion dollars in the previous year. Joining me now is our Health Correspondent, Rae Lamb. LIVE
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare is warning that AIDS poses a national emergency for his country, and that the disease could reach epidemic proportions as it has in Africa. Sir Michael says those with HIV or AIDS face major discrimination, with workers being sacked if they test positive, infected babies abandoned and people thrown out of their homes or banished from their villages. I asked the Port Moresby correspondent for Australia Associated Press Jim Baynes just how accurate are the Prime Minister's statements. PREREC
Medical authorities are continuing to question claims that a whitetail spider bite cost a Whangarei man his finger, urging GPs to consider all possibilities when a patient's wounds wont heal. Arthur Bodle had to have his index finger amputated after it became gangrenous - but the National Poisons Centre says that it's highly unlikley a whitetail was the culprit. Lois Williams reports. [illegible]
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