0600 NEWS/WEATHER
0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 NEWS STORY PAKISTAN - SHARIF SENTENCED - deposed PM Nawaz Sharif sentenced to 25 years in jail on charges of terrorism and hijacking. Owen Bennett-Jones backgrounds his career. (BBC) U.S. - CUBAN BOY - father of 6-year old Elian Gonzales arrives in US, says he wants to take his son home immediately and end custody battle. Juan Miguel Gonzales lashes out at Miami relatives refusing to give up custody of Elian. (CNN)
0620 RURAL NEWS ORGANIC PRODUCTION interests hope Parliamentary inquiry into organic production will gain industry greater recognition in govt and official circles. Primary Production committee chair Damien O'Connor says inquiry aimed at helping development of organic production. Comment also from Seager Mason of organic certification agency Biogrow. (Kevin Ikin) MODIFIED SHEEP - Fed Farmers supporting AgResearch proposal to modify sheep to knock out gene that controls muscle growth. Meat and Fibre Producer chair Chris Lester comments. (Diana Leufkens) WOOL RESIDUES - Wool Board says some NZ wool doesn't comply with proposed European Union environmental standards because of extra chemicals applied by farmers to cope with bad flystrike season. (Diana Leufkens) EFFLUENT STOP - Otago Regional Council officially opens South Island's first effluent truck stop. Stock truck effluent identified as significant road safety issue in Otago and truck stop sites will give trucks chance to unload effluent so it's not spilled on highways. (Graham McKerracher) IRELAND - SNAILS - environmentalists win protection for 10 milion or so snails in holiday complex site in County Clare. Snails belong to endangered species Vertigo Angustior, one of few creatures in Ireland to survive Ice Age. (AAP) JAPAN - NEW PM - ruling party veteran Yoshiro Mori takes over from Keizo Obuchi, likely to come under pressure over way party handled news of Mr Obuchi's decline. (Toni Hassan)
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0635 NEWS STORY BRITAIN - MANDELA VISIT - former South African president Nelson Mandela visits Britain for first time since standing down, tells diplomats, politicians and public not to write off Africa. (Paul Chapman, Feature Story) INTERNATIONAL PAPERS MANA NEWS MāORI TV/RADIO PROGRAMMES - 2 audience surveys reveal apparent dislike for the programmes.
0650 BUSINESS NEWS FLETCHER ENERGY considering drilling another well to establish size of gas find from phokura number one well, off Taranaki coast. It says latest test results show well producing as much as 27 million cubic feet of gas a day and amost 1200 barrels of condensate oil. Communications director Stephen Jones outlines future plans for developing well. (Catherine Walbridge) CERAMCO SALE - shareholders in for windfall following planned sale of NZ China Clays business which will be sold to Paris-based minerals group Imerys for $41 million subject to approval. Divestment leaves Ceramco with underwear maker Bendon and chair Ian Parton says further details about future of that business will be announced at next shareholder meeting. (Catherine Walbridge) JOB GROWTH in March continues to dip slightly indicating pace of economic growth may be slackening off. Latest ANZ Bank survey showed drop of
0.5% and chief economist Bernard Hodgetts says figures suggest economy moving little more slowly cf 6 months ago. (Catherine Walbridge) FINANCE/MARKETS TELECOMMUNICATIONS INQUIRY - Ministerial inquiry into sector releases 40-page paper outlining issues it plans to address, extends deadline for submissions to May 12 to give industry and consumers more time to contribute. (Catherine Walbridge) PROPERTY INVESTORS should consider putting money into listed property companies, according to valuation and property group TelferYoung. Director Evan Gamby says outlook for property market in next 12-18 months is steady with no great increase expected in residential property values. (Catherine Walbridge) BUSINESS BRIEFS
0700 INTRO/NEWS PAKISTAN - SHARIF SENTENCED - COMMONWEALTH Secretary-General Don McKinnon dismayed at severity of sentence handed down to deposed PM Nawaz Sharif, urges full amnesty; Gen Musharraf's advisor on National Affairs, Javat Javar used sentencing to warn politicians against abuse of power; Sharif's son Hasan says they will fight on for justice; i/v with Don McKinnon. (Mng Rpt);i/v with BBC correspondent Owen Bennett-Jones re Mr McKinnon's comments and likely impact on regime. (Mng Rpt) SUSAN BURDETT CASE - Teina Pora again convicted of rape and murder of Susan Burdett 8 years ago. Brother Jim Burdett says family now considers case closed, says he's more angry about conditions which produce people such as those who committed crimes against his sister - i/ved. (Mng Rpt) DROWNINGS - Water Safety NZ says it's underfunded and struggling to reduce number of drownings. New figures show 55 people drowned in first 3 months of year, highest in 10 yeats and equal to half road toll for same period. Live i/v with exec director Alan Muir. HEALTH BOARDS - Health minister Annette King releases set of cabinet papers showing she will have power to sack elected board members if she thinks their performance is not good enough. Opposition Health spokesman Wyatt Creech says Mrs King setting herself up at all-powerful ruler of health system and says it raises serious constitutional issues. Live i/v with him and Annette King.
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS NZ PAPERS FINANCE UPDATE U.S. - CUBAN BOY - Justice Dept says it expects 6-year old Elian Gonzalez to be reunited with father in coming days. Juan Miguel Gonzalez criticises US justice system for taking so long to resolve the custody case over his son. Live i/v with correspondent Malcolm Brown. AUSTRALIA - STOLEN GENERATION - PM John Howard gives in to pressure and apologises to Abiorigines hurt by govt's denial that stolen generation existed. (Alexandra Kirk, ABC) FIJI - TAUKEI MOVEMENT threatens to topple Chaudry govt. newly revived ultra-nationalist movement's interim president says it will mount demonstrations and civil disobedience campaign similar to one that overthrew Bavadra govt in 1987 in military coup. Govt says it won't tolerate any attempts at sedition or activities designed to bring down popularly elected govt. Live i/v with correspondent Shiu Singh.
0800 NEWS/WEATHER PAKISTAN - SHARIF SENTENCED - live i/v with Dr David Taylro, Univ of London School of Oriental and African Studies. INTERNET ROW - another row breaks out between Telecom and free service provider i4Free just days after High Court granted 3 internet companies a temporary injunction against Telecom which disconnected their
0867 lines. Telecom now saying it had to limit calls yesterday because of overloading, which affected i4free. Live i/v with i4Free's Annette Presley and Telecom's Bruce Parkes. REGIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT - about 30 mayors gather in CH to look for ways of cutting unemployment. Mayors' Taskforce for Jobs formed in February. Live i/v with Hurnui mayor John Chaffery, one of 7 mayors making up core group of Taskforce, and Derek Fox, mayor of Wairoa where there's 45% unemployment.
0830 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS GOLF - U.S. MASTERS gets off to interesting start in wild and windy conditions at Augusta. Live i/v with "Sports Illustrated" reporter Rick Lipsey. CLIMATE CHANGE - PACIFIC ISLAND nations say they can't deal with problems on their own. Over 300 leaders and scientists meeting in Rarotonga to look at impact of global warming on region. (Bryan Crump) SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION - education groups praise govt for undertaking review or polcy. Special Education 2000 policy introduced in 1997 for children with special needs but many teachers and parents claim it doesn't work well. Associate Education minister Lianne Dalziel says review will focus on issues such as staffing special education units and extent to which Special Education Grant meets needs of students. (q). I/v with John Minto, spokesperson for Quslity Public Education Coalition. (Mng Rpt) INTERNATIONAL PAPERS INDIA - GENETIC MODIFICATION - can modified crops feed the hungry?Monsanto biotechnololgy company spreading introduction of GM crops into India but is facing fierce resistance. (Sue Ingram) AKAROA - FRENCH LINKS - historical links to be discussed at weekend seminar on "French in Canterbury". French language enthusiasts will join French people living in NZ to discuss hisotry of French 19th century colonialism. (John MacDonald) OZ SPOT - i/v with Phil Kafcaloudes. (Ol;ympics problems - unions threaten ban; tickets won't fit into turnstiles)