National Radio Midday Bulletin

Bee Mite Scare - Fruit And Veges Threatened - Chatham Cattle Deaths - Samoan Murders - Peru Elections - Bank Charges - Washington Meeting - Cervicial Inquiry - Cricket Smeared - Kosovo Albanians Return - IV Drug Users - Northland Kidnapper Sought - Rotorua Stabbing - Vessel Okay - Grannie Punchup

BEE MITE SCARE: Auckland bee keepers are meeting with Ministry of Agriculture And Forestry officials after a Varroa mite discovery in Auckland. The mite has stopped the 1 million dollar international bee trade and could decimate bee populations here.

FRUIT AND VEGES THREATENED: A Fruit and Vegetable industry spokesperson says growers are concerned about the impact on their industry of the bee mites. Bees are used to naturally pollinate many fruits and vegetables.

CHATHAM CATTLE DEATHS: An investigation is underway to the deaths of cattle on ship on a maiden voyage to the Chatham Islands. About 20 cow and sheep carcasses were found around the Chathams beach front. MAF is investigating.

SAMOAN MURDERS: The judge in the Samoan Cabinet Minister’s Murder trial has finished his summing up and is now explaining points of evidence to the jury. The jury will be sent out to consider its verdict later this afternoon.

PERU ELECTIONS: Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori may not hold onto his reign, in a close contest between the president and a democratic rival. The rival has criticised the polling system, where irregularities have been observed, and is threatening protest action if the vote count does not go his way.

BANK CHARGES: Three banks say they have no plans to follow the ANZ to charge 50 cents for users to use other banks. WestpacTrust lead the way, imposing the fees last month.

WASHINGTON MEETING: The US President Bill Clinton and the Israeli President are meeting Washington to narrow the gap between Israel and Palestinian positions on a peace deal for the area.

CERVICIAL INQUIRY: The health system and the way which it responded to eight Gisborne woman will be examined in a closed meeting of the cervical smear inquiry team today.

CRICKET SMEARED: The chief executive of New Zealand cricket says the incident of players taking money from bookmakers in the New Zealand-Zimbabwe international tests is a huge blow for the credibility of the game.

KOSOVO ALBANIANS RETURN: All outstanding Albanian refugees from Kosovo are returning from Australia today after assurance from the Australian Government it would help the refugees in their resettlement.

IV DRUG USERS: A two year study of IV drug users showed they still became contaminated by Hepatitis C even though they had access to a clean needles in a needle exchange programme. Those involved with the disease prevention are calling for more education in safe needle use.

NORTHLAND KIDNAPPER SOUGHT: Northland police investigating the abduction of a small boy in the weekend are going door to door to hunt for the perpetrator. The man who abducted a three year old boy asked the boy to take his clothes off.

ROTORUA STABBING: A post mortem has been carried out on a Rotoroa woman who was fatally stabbed in her home last night. Her husband is in hospital with stab wounds.

VESSEL OKAY: A crew member of 20 metre vessel, the Te Arare, has contacted the Maritime Safety Authority to say all on board are well okay. The Authority was earlier worried the boat was in trouble when nothing was heard from the crew.

GRANNIE PUNCHUP: A 60 year old grandmother has been jailed five times for attacking an airhostess after getting rotten drunk on an airplane in the United States. The woman described as of “impeccable character” by her lawyer inhaled amyl nitrate with a transvestite and drunk half a bottle of rum before assaulting the hostess who had asked her to return to her seat as the plane landed.

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