Morning Report for Thursday 15 December 2011

8:57 AM.Britain's police chief in charge of domestic extremism has warned there's a battle brewing that his force may not be able to cope with. Audio

8:55 AM.The four-man crew aiming to be the first New Zealand team to row across the Tasman have reached the halfway point. Audio

8:49 AM.Carmen, the drag artist who played a leading role in bringing transgender issues to public prominence in New Zealand, has died in Sydney aged 75. Audio

8:46 AM.An iwi and Greenpeace have been awarded a judicial review of the Government's granting of a permit to explore for oil off the East Cape; The Ngapuhi leader, Sonny Tau, says his board had no option but… Read more Audio

8:42 AM.The Farmy Army is about to disband - but they've got one last hurrah planned. Audio

8:39 AM.Confusion reigns in Papua New Guinea, where there are now effectively two prime ministers, two governments, two police commissioners and two governors-general. Audio

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

8:29 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:26 AM.The number of farms in Bay of Plenty that are failing to comply with the consents they have for getting rid of dairy effluent is rising, bucking the national trend. Audio

8:22 AM.The United States president, Barack Obama, has marked the end of the Iraq war by thanking the troops for their service with a speech at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Audio

8:17 AM.People have been laying wreaths and observing a minute's silence, in memory of the victims of yesterday's gun and grenade attack in the Belgian city of Liege. Audio

8:14 AM.Nelson reporter on the flood emergency. Audio

8:09 AM.A state of emergency in Nelson and Tasman is likely to remain in place for some time, as the big clean up begins. Audio

7:57 AM.A group representing Japanese whalers says countries opposed to whaling are supporting the violent protests of the animal rights group Sea Shepherd. Audio

7:54 AM.The Maori Party has reconfirmed its leadership, but says it's likely to change before the 2014 election. Audio

7:50 AM.The euro has slipped to its lowest level against the US dollar since January, despite the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, mounting a strong defence of the deal struck last week to protect the… Read more Audio

7:47 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:42 AM.In the first sign of normality for Christchurch's quake-hit justice system, the Court House in the central city will reopen today. Audio

7:38 AM.Opposition parties are presenting a united front on asset sales, by calling on Peter Dunne to pull his support for the Government's plan for partial privatisations. Audio

7:29 AM.It wasn't so much as a jump to the left or a jump to the right, more a very subdued appearance last night from New Zealand's newest citizen. Audio

7:25 AM.The police are appealing for more information that could help in the investigation into the death of the Radio New Zealand journalist, Phillip Cottrell. Audio

7:20 AM.Resignations from the Health Ministry have sparked a critical independent review of its oversight of the country's breast-screening services. Audio

7:18 AM.Our reporter Geoff Moffett is in Richmond. Audio

7:14 AM.The Metservice meteorologist, Dan Corbett, says improvement is on the way. Audio

7:10 AM.A state of emergency remains in place in the Nelson Tasman region as rain continues to fall. Audio

6:48 AM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

6:42 AM.Opposition parties are pressuring the United Future leader, Peter Dunne, to deny the Government a majority for its partial asset sales programme. Audio

6:40 AM.The police are appealing to the public for more information that could help in the investigation into the death of the Radio New Zealand journalist, Phillip Cottrell. Audio

6:36 AM.A state of emergency remains in place in the Nelson Tasman region this morning but river levels are receding. Audio

6:27 AM.The Ngapuhi leader, Sonny Tau, says his Board had no option but to suspend the Ngati Hine iwi from attending Board meetings, until further notice; But Ngati Hine's Chairman, Waihoroi Shortland… Read more Audio

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

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

6:00 AM.State of emergency in Nelson Tasman after heavy rain; Metservice says there will be gradual easing of rain; Nelson reporter on the flood emergency; Oversight of breast cancer screening services under… Read more Audio