0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 MāORI NEWS
0616 NEWS STORY: PETROL MARKET in NZ looks even more crowded than it did with announcements of new chains of gas stations from Fletcher Energy and Australian company Liberty. Announcement today expected to add another player. (Gull Oil) (Eric Frykberg)
0620 RURAL NEWS
0626 SPORTS STORY: EUROPEAN SPORTS - live i/v with correspondent John Daniell.
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0636 NEWS STORY: GRAPEFRUIT JUICE - dangers of mixing it with some medicines highlighted by some health academics. Pharmaceutical Society and Preferred Medicines Centre join forces to warn of potential for harm and plan to put yellow warning labels on medicines. Comment from CH Medical School associate professor of Clinical Pharmacology Dr Evan Begg and Dr Colin Feek, Health ministry. (Rae Lamb)
0639 INTERNATIONAL PAPERS
0642 MANA NEWS
0651 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS: TELECOM RESULT reported later this week. Analysts say Telecom will be taking special care to present something reassuring to market in wake of recent volatility in share price. (Rodney Joyce) AIR NEW ZEALAND - Asian financial crisis expected to show effect on profits. Analysts predicting tax paid profit of $80-100 million, up from $77 million result in December 1966 half year but down from same period 2 years ago. (Rodney Joyce) FINANCE/MARKETS INDONESIA jitters push NZ dollar back below US58 cents while 90 day bank bill again over 9% mark. (Bronwen Evans) RECOUNTANCY MERGER - cancellation of discussions between KPMG and Ernst and Young comes just in time for NZ branches. NZ chair of KPMG, Alan Isaac, says halt came just before substantive talks were to start with Ernst and Young's MZ leadership. (Rodney Joyce) COMPANY RECEIVERSHIPS - calls for some alternative which would limit flow-on effects on unsecured creditors. I/v with leading insolvency expert Mike Whale, of Phillips Fox, re whether something like US Chapter 11 bankruptcy provisions are needed. (Gyles Beckford) TREASURY SOLICITOR Ivan Kwok, criticised in Equiticorp High Court judgement, will keep his job. Treasury Secretary Alan Bollard says commercial community asked if it still had confidence in Mr Kwok and he was given overwhelming support. (Rodney Joyce) BUSINESS BRIEFS
0700 INTRO/NEWS TAIWAN - AIR CRASH - China Airlines plane with 196 people on board crashes and explodes into flames at Taipei airport. All 196 bpresumed dead, along with 7 killed when wrecjage fell into residential area near airport. I/v with Taipei reporter Shiu-shi Young. (Mng Rpt) IRAQ - CRISIS - NZ - Iraqi immigrants, political analysts, peace groups and politicians critical of govt's decision to support possible military strike against Iraq. Comment from Terrence O'Brien, VUW Strategic Studies Centre, Iraqi community spokesman, vox pops, and David Wakim, spokesperson for the Gulf Crisis Committee. (Clare Sziranyi); live i/v with PM Jenny Shipley; live i/v with defence analyst Jim Rolfe re extent of NZ's involvement in any possible strike; live i/v with Political editor Al Morrison. NZ PAPERS
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS FINANCE UPDATE PETROL MARKET - sources believe Western Australia's Gull Oil ready to open petrol stations in NZ, would be 3rd new entrant into market. Live i/v with oil industry analyst Alan Jenkins. INDONESIA - RIOTS break out in 2 more cities over soaring prices of basic goods. IMF also at odds with govt over plan to prop up currency. I/v with John McBeth, "Far Eastern Economic Review". (Mng Rpt) TV3 NEWS - re-launch of news bulletin with Carol Hirschfeld and without John Hawkesby. Live i/v with managing director Graeme Hunter. GRAPEFRUIT JUICE - clincial pharmacologist and Pharmaceutical Society spokesperson Dr Evan Begg says authorities finally convinced of cause for concern over mixing juice with some pharmaceuticals - he's i/ved live.
0800 NEWS/WEATHER TAIWAN - AIR CRASH - Taipei reporter Shiu-shi Young says poor visibility may be factor in crash; i/v with David Learmont, "Flight International", about recent spate of air accidents in region. (Mng Rpt) IRAQ - CRISIS - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and 5 permanent Security Council members to meet today to seek agreement on proposals he could take to Iraq to defuse showdown between Iraq and US. Live i/v with UN correspondent Judy Lessing. INTERNATIONAL PAPERS PETROL MARKET - live discussion about the competitive environment with Liberty oil chief exec Mark Kevin, and BP spokesperson Beppie Holm. NUCLEAR WEAPONS - MURUROA - French Polynesian anti-nuclear activists bringing former worker from atoll's test site to NZ for medical treatment, as french publication reveals formerly classified information about effects of testing on people living on islands near test zone. (Bruce Hill, RNZI) EL NINO - US - weather forecasters say there could be another 2 months of El Nino-relates storms and floods. Live i/v with correspondent Richard Arnold.
0830 NEWS/SPORTS NORTHERN IRELAND - Britain formally calls for Sinn Fein to be expelled from peace talks after police link IRA allies to 2 kilings in Belfast. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams says party not connected with killings, is committed to peace, and IRA ceasefire is intact; i/v with correspondent Eamonn Malley. (Mng Rpt) JUDGE SEXUAL ABUSE CASE - heated exchanges on first day of retrial of District illegible judge Ross Elliott, charged with sexually abusing 10 year old boy in 1970s. Live i/v with Court reporter Merle Nowland. STATE OWNED ENTERPRISES - minister Tony Ryall raises possibility of share floats as way of govt selling off SOEs, says govt reviewing ownership options for Solid Energy, Govt Property Services, Auckland and Wellington airports, and TVNZ. Live i/v with Economics correspondent Bronwen Evans. ANTARCTIC - SKIERS - 2 Belgian skiers, Dansercoer Dixie and Alain Hubert, complete longest unassisted trek across Antarctica, spend 98 days skiing almost 4,000 kms. Not everyone pleased about their achievement. (Jo Palmer) DROUGHT - rain falls on Marlborough but not enough to end crisis. Farmers continue to plead for more water and feed. Live i/v with drought-co-ordinator Peter Kinder. JAPAN - BANK SCANDALS - several leading banks embroiled in bribery scandals which have widened to include Finance ministry. I/v with correspondent Tanya Katterns re how PM Ryotaro Hashimoto plans to lift economy and restore confidence. (Mng Rpt)