Midday Report for Tuesday 13 September 2011

12:35 PM.News from the rural and farming sectors. Audio

12:26 PM.Foul-mouthed Serena Williams has been fined a mere $NZ2400 dollars for verbally abusing the chair umpire during her loss to Australian Sam Stosur in yesterday's women's final at the US Tennis Open. Audio

12:17 PM.An independent expert says Telecom's split is in the best interests of its shareholders, a bold new blueprint for Britain's banks and the sharemarket edges up. Audio

12:00 PM.Police appointed themselves to take charge of crisis management after the Pike River disaster. Government ministers reject a report that one of them behaved inappropriately at a Rugby World Cup match.