National Radio Midday Report

Telecom Profit Drop – Vodaphone Addresses Inquiry – Murderer Sentenced – Jury Deliberates – Trapped Submarine – Democratic Party Convention – Guardianship Paper – Tainui Confusion – Dr Love Leaves Ministry – Hillary Opposes Lodge – Olympic Committee Discusses Todd – Team NZ

- TELECOM PROFIT DROP: Telecom has reported a 6% drop in Profit in Year to June, as it steps up its investments in Australia. Chairman Roderick Deane says the drop takes account of the costs of consolidating its operations in Australia.

- VODAPHONE ADDRESSES INQUIRY: Vodaphone has told a ministerial inquiry into the telecommunications industry that competition is fierce in Mobile market. Vodaphone said the were concerned that regulation proposals would slow investment in the mobile market and diminish benefits to consumers.

- MURDERER SENTENCED: The Napier High Court has sentenced a 37 year old man to 12 years inprisonment for the murder of a Hastings security guard. The security guard was murdered at the Splash Planet fun park.

- JURY DELIBERATES: Jury has resumed deliberations in Joanne McCarthy murder trial this morning, but there is no sign of a verdict. It began deliberating at 3:45 yesterday.

- TRAPPED SUBMARINE: Russian Navy working to save 107 men trapped in a crippled nuclear nuclear submarine 100m below the surface of the freezing Arctic Sea. The Russians have not made public requests to other nations for assistance. The head of the Russian Navy said the outlook for a successful rescue is very dim indeed.

- DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENTION: US President Bill Clinton is preparing to officially open the Democratic Party Convention in Los Angeles this afternoon. His address will be part farewell speech and part rallying call for the party faithful.

- GUARDIANSHIP PAPER: The Government is asking the public for their views on the rights of children and responsibilities of parents in the event of a separation as a paper on guardianship and custody laws is released. Social Services Minister Steve Mahary says the present law does not account for needs of the diversity of family types today.

TAINUI CONFUSION: There is confusion over who is in charge of the finances of the Waikato Tainui tribe after a weekend meeting in which the democratically elected executive was dumped and Sir Robert Mahuta was put in charge.

- DR LOVE LEAVES MINISTRY: The outgoing head of the Ministry of Maori Development Dr Ngatata Love says education and the devolution of resources to Maori are two of the keys to closing the gaps. Dr Love will not renew his contract and will leave the position in December

- HILLARY OPPOSES LODGE: Sir Edmund Hillary is unhappy with the Hermitage hotel’s idea to build a lodge near the top of Mt Oliver, one of the first mountains he climbed.

- OLYMPIC COMMITTEE DISCUSSES TODD: The New Zealand Olympic committee will meet tonight, with Mark Todd likely to be discussed again. The committee has voiced its concerns about the effect allegations of drug taking by Mr Todd may have on other NZ athletes.

- TEAM NZ: Team NZ is about to unveil plans for their next Americas Cup Campaign.

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