Morning Report for Wednesday 21 January 2015

8:56 AM.Tennis correpondent David Luddy is with us to talk about what we can expect today at the Australian Open. Audio

8:51 AM.Aucklanders opposed to the chopping down of six 80-year-old pohutukawa to make way for a road extension say they've been ignored in the decision-making process. Audio

8:48 AM.Te Arawa is celebrating doubling its income, thanks to its first full year of dairy farming; A new asthma inhaler is being hailed by researchers as an effective tool in reducing rates of asthma in… Read more Audio

8:44 AM.Young people lack life skills but are technically savvy. Audio

8:40 AM.The world's second biggest economy, China, has experienced its slowest expansion in almost quarter of a century. Audio

8:35 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:29 AM.The Taxi Federation is welcoming a review of the laws regulating its industry, as the increasing popularity of ride-sharing app Uber encourages what it calls a "cut throat" environment. Audio

8:24 AM.New figures out today are expected to show inflation slowed even further at the end of last year - or that consumer prices even fell. Audio

8:21 AM.The US President, Barack Obama, will head into this afternoon's State of the Union address riding the first rise in his approval ratings in years. Audio

8:17 AM.Several hundred asylum seekers are continuing their hunger strike on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Audio

8:14 AM.Joining us is a weather forecaster with National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, Chris Brandolino. Audio

8:10 AM.Farmers in Canterbury and Wairarapa say their regions are already in the grip of a drought and the government needs to make an official declaration now. Audio

8:07 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:56 AM.The World Health Organisation says the global response to the Ebola virus was inadequate mishandled. Audio

7:51 AM.The Labour Party says the Inland Revenue should consider an amnesty for the more than 5 billion dollars it says is owed in unpaid taxes. Audio

7:47 AM.Students wanting a job with a fat paycheck and good prospects should consider a career in civil engineering, software development or accountancy and steer clear of acting and hospitality. Audio

7:44 AM.The Taxi Federation says a review of the law that regulates taxis and private hire vehicles such as the online taxi-sharing Uber is not before time. Audio

7:38 AM.Property developers are warning that tinkering with the Resource Management Act won't make much difference if the Government doesn't also invest in infrastructure. Audio

7:35 AM.Despite the dry conditions in some parts of the country there has been some good news overnight for New Zealand dairy farmers. Audio

7:23 AM.The Japanese prime minister has described a video released by Islamic state -- demanding a ransom for the release of two Japanese hostages -- as unforgivable. Audio

7:19 AM.Meridian Energy has been involved in investigating a potential irrigation scheme in South Canterbury since 2005. Audio

7:14 AM.Farmers are urging the government to declare a drought and to find a way in Canterbury to get more water to their farms. Audio

7:11 AM.Police are still refusing to coment on the cause of death of a toddler in the grounds of Whanganui Hospital, amid speculation that the child was left in a car in the summer heat. Audio

7:07 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:58 AM.The Dow Jones Index is down 111 points to 17,400. Audio

6:55 AM.Westpac's wealth general manager, Simon Power, says he took a conservative view of potential conflicts of interest with his role at the bank, when he decided to leave the NZX board in May. Audio

6:53 AM.Refining NZ is expecting a better year this year after achieving a solid turn-around in the second-half of last year. Audio

6:51 AM.HSBC's economists say they don't believe the halving of dairy prices last year will hurt New Zealand's economy as much as some expect. Audio

6:50 AM.The global dairy price index has risen 1 percent in the latest overnight auction. Audio

6:48 AM.Firms have continued to express confidence in the country's economic prospects, while inflation remains in check. Audio

6:39 AM.Farmers in Canterbury and Wairarapa want the Minister for Primary Industries to declare a drought so they can receive extra financial support. Audio

6:28 AM.A new smart asthma inhaler is being hailed by researchers as an effective tool in reducing rates of asthma in Maori children; Te Arawa is celebrating doubling its income, thanks to its first full year… Read more Audio

6:24 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

6:18 AM.The latest from the Pacific region. Audio

6:06 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:00 AM.Whanganui Hospital staff and family members are being spoken to by police after a toddler is found dead on the hospital's grounds. The Government's won't declare a drought in Canterbury - we'll look… Read more Audio