TV1 News Headlines (First Segment)

Biosecurity Alert - Varroa Mite - Cervical Inquiry - Cricket Scandal

BISOSECURITY ALERT: A huge area in and around Auckland is under a biosecurity alert as the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries investigates a mite that threatens to devastate New Zealand''s bee industry. MAF has placed an area under control spanning from Rodney, north of Auckland, to Waikato and Hauraki, including Great Barrier Island, after the discovery of the Varroa bee mite in hives on four South Auckland properties.

VARROA MITE: The mite sits on the individual bees, killing them and decimating hive populations. All exports of New Zealand bee honey, a one million dollar industry, have been halted. Fruit and vegetable farmers who use the bees for pollenation say their businesses are also threatened by the discovery. Biosecutrity Minister Marian Hobbs says she believes New Zealand's borders are safe, in spite of this recent outbreak, and the finding of three snakes stowaways in the past month.

CERVICAL INQUIRY: The health system, and the way in which it responded to the claims of eight Gisborne women, is under the spotlight at the inquiry into the Gisborne cervical screening botch-up. The inquiry has moved into a closed session so the panel can closely examine details of the way individual women were treated. Media reports of the session have been repressed so the panel can discuss details of the different women's medical cases. Dr Bottrill the physiciain held responsible for the misdiagnoses is to make a public statement to the inquiry tomorrow.

CRICKET SCANDAL: Sacked South African captain Hansie Cronje had deceived his nation's cricket board and government, South African United Cricket Board managing director Ali Bacher said. Bacher said Cronje, who was sacked earlier today, had admitted receiving money after being contacted by a local South African and an Indian bookmaker based in London. First Cronje had claimed there was no match fixing.

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