1700 to 1707 NEWS
Health experts are calling for advertising restrictions, healthier manufactured products and targeted tax breaks in the wake of a new report showing almost a third of young adolescents are overweight or obese. The Ministry of Health survey of children aged between five and 14, has identified fatty and sugary food and drink as the main culprits, along with declining exercise levels. However it also shows younger children, who are more supervised eaters, are generally healthier. Robyn Cubie reports: PKGE
The survey's nutritional director, Winsome Parnell, joins now now. LIVE
The son of murdered gang leader Kevin Weavers is being sought by the police in connection with a stabbing outside a South Auckland store earlier this week. [illegible] Sergeant Neil Grimstone says it's imperative the police find Steven Weavers for their investigation into Wednesday's stabbing of a 29-year-old man outside a liquor store in Manurewa. Mr Grimstone is also urging people to stay away from Weavers who they describe as a dangerous methamphetimine addict - possibly armed. He says the attack was carried out in broad daylight in front of witnesses. PREREC
B/ANNOUNCE: Detective Sergeant Neil Grimstone from the South Auckland police. Steven Weavers is 19-years old, of medium build with closely cropped hair.
The Ministry of Education says it is unable to comment on the quality of the Pipi Foundation's reading programme for children despite criticism detailed in the Auditor General's report out yesterday. The Pipi Foundation was set up the suspended ACT MP, Donna Awatere Huata and her husband Wi and received almost 800 thousand dollars from the Ministry of Education over three years to run the reading programme.
The Auditor General's report highlights a lack of any government scrunity and says with that much money at stake it is surprising there was not at least an independent consultant to oversee the programme. Our education correspondent, [illegible] Woods, has been reading the report and joins us now. LIVE
In Britain the office of The Prince of Wales has issued an unprecedented statement denying allegations made by a former member of the royal household. Prince Charles' private secretary Sir Michael Peat said allegations that the prince was involved in an unspecified incident some years ago were completely untrue. The former employee claimed to have witnessed an incident, but its details can't be revealed due to a court injunction. The BBC's June Kelly reports. PKGE
1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH TODD NIALL
Across the Tasman - One Nation founder Pauline Hanson has spent her first day of freedom at her home on the Gold Coast doing a bit of cleaning, and mowing the lawn all under the watchful eye of media contingent parked outside. Ms Hanson and party co-founder David Ettridge were released from prison late yesterday in dramatic developments after the Queensland Court of Appeal overturned their August convictions for electoral fraud. They had each served 11 weeks in jail - and the question now is whether Ms Hanson will re-renter politics.
ABC reporter Alex Graham has been at the Hanson household and she joins us now. LIVE
The Rugby World Cup gets serious this weekend with the quarter finals and the All Blacks clash tomorrow night with one of their oldest rivals, the Springboks. While New Zealand has won its last six clashes with the South Africans, the Springboks have improved dramatically in recent weeks. And history is not on our side - New Zealand has never beaten South Africa at a World Cup. Fans in Wellington say they're nervous but confident the All Blacks will make it through to the semi finals. VOX POPS
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SPORTS NEWS WITH MURRAY WILLIAMS
The Australian federal government says it's shown the world that Australia is a compassionate nation after granting a visa to an asylum seeker whose wife was [illegible] in the Bali bombings.
In a surprise move Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone has granted a humanitarian visa to Ebrahim Sammaki, an Iranian who as been in the Baxter Detention Centre for more than a year. Mr Sammaki's two children have been in the care of friends in Bali following the death of his wife last year outside the Sari Club. Former immigration minister Philip Ruddock had refused to get directly involved in the case, but pressure increased after Prime Minister John Howard was pictured with the Sammaki children during last month's Bali memorials. Our Canberra correspondent Kerry Anne Walsh joins us now. LIVE
The Manawatu A and P show opened to the public today - with the usual traditional competitions between the region's Country Womens Institutes and some more adventurous delights. Our Palmerston North reporter, Jill Galloway went along. PKGE
Community Boards in the Far North are gearing up for a fight for survival. The Far North District Council is one of four around the country, proposing to abolish their elected boards. Its six community boards represent the local face of the council from Cape Reinga to Kaikohe. But after a lengthy review - [illegible] Far North District Council decided last month - to ignore public opinion and do without them. Lois Williams reports: PKGE
The Employment Court has heard that while police advised then Wanganui police chief Alec Waugh to resign amid fraud charges in 1998, they did not pressure him to plead guilty. Mr Waugh claims police pressured him to resign over a weekend by telling him, incorrectly, that the Commissioner of Police could hold back most of his superannuation unless he resigned and pleaded guilty. However, police witnesses have indicated that while a resignation was sought, Mr Waugh was not told to change his plea. Here's our court reporter, David Venables. PKGE
Fiji police are warning people to remain calm amid reports that a group of body parts traffickers are abducting people to steal their organs. Police have investigated five allegations that young people have been abducted, but say there is no evidence that any of the claims are true. Police say two of the allegations were subsequently retracted. Despite this, school attendance in Fiji's west has fallen with many schools keeping their gates locked and checking the roll after every break. I asked police spokesman Mesake Koroi what further investigations are underway. PREREC
They're small, live under rocks and may soon become extinct in Otago if they continue to be the cuisine for many pests. Two native types of skinks in the lower South Island are under threat and efforts are being made to protect them on tussock farmland. Sally Wenley reports. PKGE
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