Midday Report for Thursday 1 April 2021

12:54 PM.Syria has entered its second decade of war. A pro-democracy uprising has led to 10 years of brutal conflict, killing an estimated 465,000 people and leaving more than 13 million people displaced, yet… Read more Audio

12:52 PM.The former New Zealand businessman Sir Ron Brierley has pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing child pornography. Sir Ron was stopped from boarding a flight at Sydney airport in 2019 and border… Read more Audio

12:45 PM.In the year since the first national lockdown, there's been a massive spike in people needing help for serious eating disorders - particularly adolescents. At Auckland's Starship Children's hospital… Read more Audio

12:42 PM.Surgeries are being postponed or cancelled due to shortages of specialist medical staff at hospitals throughout the country. This morning, RNZ reported Waitematā D-H-B is now operating on people on… Read more Audio

12:35 PM.The group in charge of getting the farming sector to reduce emissions says it's on track to meet its targets. He Waka Eke Noa is the Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership that's tasked with… Read more Audio

12:28 PM.Auckland's Eden Park will host the opening game of the 2023 women's football World Cup - but Christchurch has missed out on hosting any games at all. Audio

12:19 PM.The combination of consumer confidence and business sentiment indicates the economic rebound has levelled off for now, with inflationary pressures on the rise. Audio

12:17 PM.There are calls to delay the deportation of a group of Chinese workers until a thorough investigation is carried out. Immigration officials detained them last week, saying they were working illegally… Read more Audio

12:15 PM.Christchurch's mayor is telling young female footballers not to be disheartened the city won't have any FIFA World Cup games in 2023. 

Christchurch's mayor Lianne Dalziel told Max Towle she's… Read more Audio

12:13 PM.Auckland, Hamilton, Wellingon and Dunedin will host FIFA World Cup games in 2023 - but Christchurch will not. It's a crushing blow for women's football in the city - which had bid to host games - but… Read more Audio

12:11 PM.It'll soon be easier to get an emergency place in managed isolation. The government is increasing the number of spaces available and widening the criteria. Max Towle speaks to RNZ's immigration… Read more Audio