HEADLINES & NEWS
One of the two men who kidnapped a six year old child in West Auckland earlier this year has been jailed for 16 years, and his partner in crime has been sentenced to 14 years behind bars. The Taiwanese boy was snatched from his home at knifepoint in April, and held captive for 40-hours. Anna-Louise Taylor has been at the High Court in Auckland for the sentencing and she joins us now. LIVE WITH DROPINS
There have been scenes of defiance in the Kaikohe district court this afternoon as objectors to a prison at Ngawha arrived to face trespass charges. 37 people including four kaumatua were arrested when police were called in to end an occupation at the prison site earlier today.
A large crowd of Ngapui people surged into the court as the doors opened and as the first prisoner was brought in the crowds launched into a powerful and prolonged haka of support for the arrested man who joined in aiming at his gestures at the bench. Our reporter Lois Williams is there and we'll be joining her as soon as we can. The Corrections Department's John Hamilton is in charge of the Ngawha Prison site - I asked him what security plans are being made. PREREC
The Canterbury District Health Board is under pressure as the number of people waiting for surgery around the region grows. Board management are meeting late today to discuss strategies for coping with the problem which clinicans say is partly related to a shortage of anaesthetists. Katy Gosset reports. PKGE
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There's been a breakthrough in the conflict over the disputed territory of Kashmir with the Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee agreeing to talk to Pakistan over the issue. For the first time in six months, the leaders of the [illegible] countries who are attending an Asian security summit in Kazakhstan sat at the same table. Mr Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf have come under increasing international pressure to enter talks to prevent the Kashmir conflict from escalating into full scale war. Joining me now is the BBC's New Delhi correspondent Adam Mynott. LIVE
Secondary teachers have been voting this afternoon on whether to accept the Government's latest pay offer. The teachers union, the PPTA, hopes changes to the proposed settlement, including increasing the number of teachers who qualify for an allowance for the new national qualification, will persuade members to accept the deal. But some teachers say there's been little change in the general mood, which in the last fortnight has prompted wildcat strikes and other protests. Meetings have been held from Auckland to Invercargill - the PPTA's acting chairperson for the Hutt Valley is Brendan Smith - he joins me now. LIVE
Farmers in the snow-bound high country of Otago are continuing efforts to rescue their stock, helped along by fine weather. But the thaw is also causing problems, leaving farmers in the Upper Taieri River catchment keeping a close eye on rising rivers, swollen by the rapidly melting snow. This from Maureen Lloyd. PKGE
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SPORT with STEPHEN HEWSON
CUT That's the Prime Minister Helen Clark formally apologising to Samoans for injustices when their country was under New Zealand rule. Ms Clark made the apology at a state luncheon in Apia before hundreds of dignitaries including representatives from other South Pacific countries and the Australian deputy prime minster. Samoa is celebrating 40 years of independence - Our political reporter Mark Torley is there and joins us now. LIVE WITH DROPINS
Residents on the outskirts of New Plymouth are angry at plans to site the biggest LPG storage tanks ever built in this country in their midst. The tanks are part of plans to develop the massive Pohukura Gas Field off the Taranaki coast and Shell Todd Oil Services wants to build them in an existing tank farm used for storing chemicals. But residents are worried about the tanks' safety and what they will look like as Nathan Mills reports. PKGE
In Britain, a fireworks display from the roof of Buckingham Palace has ended the third day of celebrations marking the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Earlier some of the biggest names of the pop world entertained an audience of 12 thousand in the palace gardens. A million more people gathered outside the palace gates - the BBC's Matt Prodger reports. PKGE
Returning to our earlier story, there have been scenes of defiance in the Kaikohe district court this afternoon as objectors to a prison at Ngawha arrived to face trespass chgarges. 37 people including four kaumatua were arrested when police were called in to end an occupation at the prison site earlier today. A large crowd of Ngapui people surged into the court as the doors opened and as the first prisoner was brought in the crowds launched into a powerful and prolonged haka of support for the arrested man who joined in aiming at his gestures at the bench. Our reporter Lois Williams is there and she's with us now. LIVE
The first long term study of land movement under this country's biggest volcano shows Lake Taupo is rising and falling all the time, but that there's no sign [illegible] of an imminent eruption. The huge volcano last erupted in 181 AD, spewing out a 50 kilometre high cloud of ash which affected the atmosphere in Europe and China. It devastated an area now occupied by more than 200-thousand people. The study by the Institute of Geologoical and Nuclear Sciences reviewed data collected between 1979 and 1999 from measuring stations around the lake, finding land movement of up to seven milimetres a year. One of the authors, volcanologist Brad Scott says it's the movement of a sleeping giant. PREREC
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