Morning Report for Thursday 6 October 2011

8:56 AM.Placido Domingo, giving an impromptu performance while rehearsing with the National Youth Orchestra in Christchurch last night. Audio

8:53 AM.The retiring Cabinet Minister, Simon Power, has given his final speech in Parliament - delivering a rallying cry for MPs to provide real leadership and tackle the tough issues. Audio

8:51 AM.The Samoan Rugby Union is considering banning players from using social networking sites after one of its players used Twitter to label rugby officials racist and biased. Audio

8:48 AM.The prominent Maori lawyer, Donna Hall, has lost her bid to stop being named over charges laid by the Law Society; The Associate Minister of Maori Affairs, says she's been impressed since entering… Read more Audio

8:45 AM.How do fungi tell what time of the year it is? How native are New Zealand's native species? And what route did Moriori take to the Chatham Islands? Audio

8:40 AM.Ireland will meet Wales in the first of this weekend's Rugby World Cup quarter-finals, in Wellington on Saturday. Audio

8:36 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

8:30 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:28 AM.The New Zealand superannuation fund has made record gains in the year to June, and is now worth more than 19 billion dollars. Audio

8:23 AM.The anti-whaling organisation, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, says it's worried increased security for the Japanese whaling fleet will lead to escalating violence in the Southern Ocean. Audio

8:16 AM.New Zealand will today rush help drought-stricken Tokelau, just days before the island's water supplies would have run out. Audio

8:13 AM.A law change is underway to make sure child witnesses are no longer subject to stressful cross-examination or lengthy delays before they give evidence. Audio

8:09 AM.Maritime New Zealand says more oil has leaked overnight from the grounded container ship near Tauranga. Audio

7:58 AM.The revenue minister is trying to rein in child support dodgers by reducing penalties for late payments, and changing the rules so some parents will pay less. Audio

7:55 AM.With just two days until England and France meet in a Rugby World Cup quarterfinal, 12,000 tickets remain unsold. Audio

7:48 AM.It's unlikely charges will be laid against a man who attempted to jump into Parliament's debating chamber yesterday. Audio

7:45 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:40 AM.MPs are to lose their right to set their own perks and allowances when new law comes into force, probably next year. Audio

7:36 AM.Law changes aimed at improving the treatment of child witnesses in court hearings have been given the go ahead by Cabinet. Audio

7:28 AM.A New Zealander who survived a helicopter crash in New York is still in hospital, along with the other survivors. Audio

7:25 AM.An anti-whaling group is predicting increased tension on the high seas following Japan's pledge to resume whaling in the Southern Ocean this summer with increased military support. Audio

7:18 AM.A Northland school principal who accused the Education Ministry of appointing unqualified people as school advisers wants an apology fron the Education Minister who says his claims are untrue. Audio

7:13 AM.The Rena, is carrying 1700 tonnes of fuel oil that wild life experts, tourism companies and iwi say poses a great risk to the environment. Audio

7:09 AM.Diving teams will set out this morning to assess the damage done to the 236 metre cargo ship the "Rena" which ran aground off Tauranga yesterday. Audio

6:47 AM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

6:41 AM.Not everyone in Samoa is enamoured by rugby player Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu's tweets. Audio

6:36 AM.A 24-hour general strike in Greece has caused severe disruption, with thousands of people joining protests in central Athens. Audio

6:27 AM.The prominent Maori lawyer, Donna Hall, has lost her bid to stop her being named over charges laid by the Law Society; The Associate Minister of Maori Affairs, says a highlight of her 15 years in… Read more Audio

6:22 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

6:17 AM.The latest from the Pacific region. Audio

6:11 AM.In Afghanistan, details have emerged of a plot to kill President Hamid Karzai. Audio

6:00 AM.Dive team to inspect ship stuck on Tauranga reef, Stricken vessel carrying hazardous metal, Principal seeks apology from Minister for saying he lied, Fears of increased violence as whaling continues… Read more Audio