Midday Report for Tuesday 17 August 2021

12:46 PM.An Afghani refugee who has been trying to get his family to New Zealand says it is a matter of life of death - and they are fearing for their lives. Many of those who helped in peacekeeping missions… Read more Audio

12:45 PM.A dead baby was found at a recycling facility in Onehunga yesterday evening. The police say their priority is to identify and locate the mother, and they're extremely concerned for her welfare. Audio

12:42 PM.There's been another case of Covid being transmitted between people with no known connection to each other in MIQ. This time it was at the Jet Park - the country's highest risk MIQ facility… Read more Audio

12:35 PM.Farmers in the Buller District who are still in clean up mode after last month's flood are preparing for another downpour. The Metservice has a heavy rain warning in place for the region - up to a 140… Read more Audio

12:28 PM.Black Caps coach Gary Stead is banking on Shane Bond's involvement in the IPL to help them in the T20 World Cup in the UAE in October. Audio

12:20 PM.Dry weather, plant outages and high wholesale power prices have cut Mercury's full year profit by a third. It made 141-million dollars compared with 207-million last year. Audio

12:17 PM.A slip near Paekakariki, north of Wellington, caused widespread transport disruption this morning. Rocks, mud, water and other debris covered part of State Highway one, and the railway line --… Read more Audio

12:14 PM.The Health Minister Andrew Little has written to District Health Boards and unions to invite them to start pay equity negotiations as soon as possible. Cabinet has approved funding for the agreement -… Read more Audio

12:11 PM.As the Taliban consolidates its rule of Afghanistan, the international community is imploring them to uphold human rights - including those of women and girls; to let people leave in safety; and to… Read more Audio

12:00 PM.Terror in Kabul as the Taliban takeover. Nurses and DHBs begin pay equity negotiations. Audio