0600 NEWS/WEATHER
0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 NEWS STORY CHECHNYA - COUNCIL OF EUROPE delegation meets acting Russian president Vladimir Putin after warning Moscow it could be suspended from Council's parliamentary body over treatment of civilians in Grozny. Seems that Russia taking little notice. Live i/v with correspondent Owen Faye. INDONESIA - LOMBOK RAMPAGE - Muslim rioters go on anti-Christian rampage on resort island, churches torched after rally calling for peace turned violent; COUP RUMOURS - President Wahid, increasingly at odds with armed force, dismisses suggestions military may attempt coup. Military under increased public attack for failure to calm violence around country. (BBC)
0620 RURAL NEWS ALLIANCE - more than 1700 Southland meatworkers decide today whether to accept new conditions that company proposing for Lorneville plant. Workers opposed plan for 3-chain, 3-shift system because it included overnight and weekend work. Company now proposing 4-chain, 2-shift proposals. (Kevin Ikin) MEGA MERGER - dairy farmers should learn next month how much they stand to gain from merger of Dairy Board and most processing companies. Dairy Farmers chair Charlie Pedersen says farmers accept that business plan completion is priority but points out his orgn has been calling fo rit since exercise began and farmers expect it to deliver some answers. (Kevin Ikin) NIWA WEATHER PREDICTIONS - in quarterly climate outlook, NIWA predicts above average temperatures and rainfall in some regions between now and March but below average rainfall in parts of Canty, Otagoand Southland. Climate scientist Jim Salinger says farmers recovering from drought now well set up to cope with drier period. (Kevin Ikin) FACIAL ECZEMA less of risk to North Island stock now than at this time last year although Ruakura Animal Health Laboratory warns this may change as conditions get warmer. (Kevin Ikin) illegible NEWS STORY: EAST TIMOR - AUSTRALIAN HARASSMENT - Australian commanders trying to identify 5-7 soldiers at centre of allegations of sexual harassment in incident which apparently occurred month ago. They're accused of entering house and terrorising 6 girls on 2 separate occasions. (ABC)
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0635 NEWS STORY: MALAYSIA - OPPOSITION ARRESTS - Malaysia tells US to mind its own business over crackdown on 3 opposition leaders who've been arrested and charged with sedition. One is Karpal Singh, well-known lawyer and vice president of opposition party. I/v with correspondent Simon Ingram. INTERNATIONAL PAPERS SCIENCE REPORT: MOSQUITOS - why do they like biting human beings? Researcher Laura Harrington, as Univ of California's Davis campus, trying to find out, says it seems human blood full of goodies which give mosquitos energy and makes them make eggs. (BBC) TRAFFIC REPORT
0648 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS TRANSALTA - NATURAL GAS CORPN in talks to buy TransAlta Canada's 76% stake in TransAlta NZ. NGC, 71% controlled by Australian Gas Light Co, has ambitions to be major energy company and chief exec Richard Bentley says deal would go long way to achieving that; TransAlta shareholder Hutt Mana Energy Trust says NGC's pending bid vindicates its own refusal to accept TransAlta Canada's offer of $2.50 a share last year. Chair Chris Kirk-Burnand says merger between NGC and TransAlta would see Trust in pivotal role; TransAlta Canada says plans to sell stake is part of asset sales which also include jettisoning Alberta power distribution plant. (Gyles Beckford) FINANCE/MARKETS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT - Commerce ministry briefing papers say uncertainty over policy changes or poor co-ordination of policies could hurt business developments, also says compliance costs for businesses too high. Industry and Regional Development minister Jim Anderton signals end of era of non-intervention by govt but says govt working quickly to establish better partnership between govt and business.(q) (Clare Sziranyi) BODY LANGUAGE - author and "body language guru" Alan Peas says when meeting people, body language makes up 60-80% of impact on other person and this is importants where business increasingly reliant on relationships. INTERNET FEVER - growth in investment for Internet stocks in Europe now surpassing that in US. Analyst George O'Connor, of London fund manager Granville, says "American disease" has crossed Atlantic. BUSINESS RATES - northern region businesses concerned they could be hit with higher local body rates to fund councils that have gone into deficit. Alisdair Thompson, chief exec of northern region Employers and Manufacturers Assn, concern is that businesses will end by carrying more of load for extra funding for councils. (Gyles Beckford) BUSINESS BRIEFS
0700 INTRO/NEWS DEFENCE REVIEW - former Defence minister Max Bradford says apparent relaxation by Australia over NZ's defence direction belies deep concern among top Canberra officials. Australian Foreign minister Alexander Downer has been at pains to point out Canberra comfortable with NZ's defence commitment and doesn't expect to be consulted over defence review. Comment also from Foreign Affairs minister Phil Goff. (Clare Sziranyi); Mr Downer says question for NZ is age of combat aircraft and timing of replacement - i/ved. (Mng Rpt) VICE-CHANCELLOR'S PAYOUT - State Services minister Trevor Mallard demands Victoria Univ reveal amount paid to former Vice-Chancellor Michael Irving as golden handshake. Prof Irving resigned in December with 2 years of contract left to run and Mr Mallard says he understands Professor Irving received payout of more than full year's salary or quarter-million dollars. Tertiary Education minister Steve Maharey also asking to be briefed on circumstances surrounding the resignation. Live i/v with Trevor Mallard. SAMOA - TRIAL opens this morning of 2 former cabinet ministers charged with murder of Public Works minister Luagalau Levaula Kamu. Leafa Vitale and Toi Aukuso pleading not guilty. Toi also facing charges of incitement to murder both Luagalau and PM Tuila'eoa Sailele. Leafa's son Elitise Vitale has already pleaded guilty to shooting minister. Live i/v with RNZ reporter Karlum Lattimore, who's in Apia. MALAYSIA - OPPOSITION ARRESTS - Karpal Singh, lawyer representing jailed former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim and vice president of opposition Parti Keadilan Nasional, Marina Yusoff, among those arrested. I/v with Karpal Singh. (Mng Rpt)
0730 NEWS/WEATHER NZ PAPERS FINANCE UPDATE: WAITANGI DAY - SPEAKING RIGHTS - PM Helen Clark being asked to attend Nga Puhi women's forum at Waitangi. Jan Dobson, long-time member of activist group Te Kawariki, to issue invitation, says Nga Puhi women trying to get marae speaking rights for years and it would be insulting if Helen Clark speaks at Waitangi powhiri when they can't - i/ved live. AUCKLAND - WATER ROW - AK mayor Christine Fletcher against moves by Metrowater to turn off water supplies to small group of residents refusing to pay water bills. Lobby group Water Presssure has reconnected pipes. (Stephanie Baird) CAPTAIN COOK - LETTER signed by James Cook, in NZ for 50 years, sold at auction to Australian bidder. Letter written in 1768 is request to Admiralty for supplies for first voyage to South Pacific. (Julian Robins) BRITAIN - TYSON VISIT - women's rights group loses legal battle to send former world boxing champion and convicted rapist Mike Tyson back to US. High Court rules there's no cause to review Home Secretary Jack Straw's decision to allow Tyson into Britain. Live i/v with correspondent Paul Chapman and with Julie Bridle of Justice for Women. N.Z. SETTLEMENT - POLLEN - NIWA scientist Dr Mike Elliot says fossilised pollen supples taken from sea bed off Hawkes Bay shows evidence of human settlement around 600 AD, clashing with beliefs of other scientists and historians that Māori didn't settle in NZ until around 1300 AD. Comment also from palaeoecologist Dr Richard Holdaway and historian Dr Michael King. (Catherine Walbridge) INTERNATIONAL PAPERS
0800 NEWS/WEATHER DEFENCE REVIEW - Australian Foreign minister Alexander Downer says main issue of NZ dence spending is overall size and efficiency of NZ defence force, rather than whether NZ purchases F-16 jets, says Australian govt concerned about gradual decline in NZ defence spending; live i/v with Bob Lowry, Defence Studies Centre in Canberra and VUW defence analyst Jim Rolfe. VICE-CHANCELLOR'S PAYOUT - WN president of Assn of Univ Staff, Reece Walters, says payout to Professor Michael Irving, who resigned last December as VUW VIce-Chancellor, is inappropriate when univ management has repeatedly stated it has no money for staff salary increase - i/ved live. MIDDLE EAST - PEACE TALKS scheduled between Israel and Syria won't now take place after reports Syrian govt is angry about Israeli reluctance to commit itself to full return of Golan Heights. Live i/v with Washington correspondent illegible Drew. CAPTAIN COOK - LETTER auctioned in AK and sold for about $57,000 bought by Australian rare book dealership Hordern House. Live i/v with manager Derek McDonald. TRAFFIC REPORT
0830 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS TENNIS - AUSTRALIAN OPEN - opening day sees some big names fall, including Australia's women's number one Jelena Dokic. Live i/v with correspondent Dave Worsley. INDONESIA - WEST TIMOR - most up-to-date UN figures confirm at least 150,000 East Timorese remain in refugee camps across border in Indonesian controlled territory. ABC correspondent Mark Bowling reports on the plight of the missing thousands.(ABC) ROAD SAFETY - govt announces select committee inquiry. Transport minister Mark Gosche says it will cover such issues as speed limits, road construction, driver attitudes and vehicle standards - i/ved live. OSTEOPOROSIS DRUG - health group Osteoporosis NZ welcomes news key drug for sufferers is to be subsidised. Pharmac agrees to subsidise alendronate, better known as Fosamax, for some patients with severe osteoporosis from February 1. Clinician says move only small step in fight against crippling condition. (Blair McLaren) BLACK STILTS - 27 hand-reared stilts released near Lake Tekapo, only 3 months old, 6 months ounger than when they'd normally leave parents in wild. Live i/v with Emily Sancha, DoC. SOUTH AFRICA - ECONOMY - President Thabo Mbeki begins crucial cabinet meeting to reshape economic policy and heal strained relations in ruling alliance. I/v with correspondent Greg Barrow. (also talks about strife surrounding new police head)