Morning Report for Wednesday 25 January 2012

8:57 AM.The Earth is being bombarded with radiation from the biggest solar storm in more than six years. Audio

8:53 AM.Research in Australia has found that drivers who fly national flags on the sides of their cars are likely to be more racist than those who don't. Audio

8:50 AM.A quarter of a million dollar eradication campaign is underway in Central Otago to tackle the region's out of control wild pines. Audio

8:46 AM.The US President, Barack Obama, will give his third State of the Union address later today, with analysts expecting him to use the annual speech to boost his popularity. Audio

8:42 AM.A spokesperson for the Ratana Church says the movement and the Labour party need to work together if they want to strengthen their relationship; A senior Ratana Church Minister says he feels for the… Read more Audio

8:38 AM.Witnesses before the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission have been questioned about why a building known to be earthquake prone was allowed to reopen, despite several red flags. Audio

8:35 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

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

8:25 AM.Roger Federer and his great rival Rafael Nadal have set up a tantalising semi final at the Australian Tennis Open, after both won through to the final four last night. Audio

8:20 AM.The acting chairwoman of the new Otago Museum Trust Board Kate Wilson joins us. Audio

8:15 AM.Revelations that Otago Museum's Chief Executive is paid over 310 thousand dollars, is prompting calls for Dunedin City Council to have greater say in how it spends its own money. Audio

8:12 AM.Auckland councillors are defending this week's crackdown on Occupy Auckland protestors, despite numbers in Aotea Square jumping in the aftermath. Audio

8:08 AM.Sir Michael Fay and a group of farmers are trying to force the the government to release official advice about a rival bid for the Crafar farms from China. Audio

7:57 AM.The lavish lifestyle and highly publicised arrest of the German multi-millionaire, Kim Dotcom, has stunned residents in the small semi-rural town north of Auckland where he's been living. Audio

7:55 AM.Four more of the pilot whales stranded on Farewell Spit died overnight. Audio

7:52 AM.The International Monetary Fund has sharply cut its outlook for global growth, saying the euro zone debt crisis is continuing to escalate, dragging the world economy down with it. Audio

7:49 AM.Organisers of Wairarapa's annual four-day balloon festival have decided the event will go ahead in March, despite the balloon tragedy in Carterton that claimed eleven lives just weeks ago. Audio

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

7:40 AM.The Primary Industries Minister David Carter's been listening to that and joins us. Audio

7:35 AM.Fonterra's called it nonsense, its shareholders say it's a backward step and Federated Farmers says it's death by a thousand cuts. Audio

7:28 AM.The song Man or Muppet, penned by the New Zealand performer Bret McKenzie, and this morning announced as an Academy Award nominee. Audio

7:24 AM.Police in Fiji 's Western division have asked the government to declare a state of disaster in the district. Audio

7:20 AM.A Ministry of Defence review has found soldiers are going into combat zones without sufficient training on vital communications systems. Audio

7:16 AM.Joining us now is the Labour MP Rino Tirikatene, whose grandfather Sir Eruera Tirikatene became the first member of the Ratana Church to enter Parliament when he won the Southern Maori seat for Labour… Read more Audio

7:12 AM.The leadership of the Ratana Church says it is unsure what kind of relationship it will have with the Labour party, after its first meeting with Labour's new leader, David Shearer. Audio

7:07 AM.Two Norwegian adventurers whose ill-considered journey to Antarctica last year ended in the death of the three of their team members are believed to be trying to reach the South Pole again. Audio

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

6:37 AM.The Republican Party presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, has revealed he will pay just under six-million-US-dollars in taxes on a total income of 43-million for 2010 and 2011. Audio

6:35 AM.The Labour party says proposed changes to Fonterra's regulations will hurt farmers and consumers. Audio

6:27 AM.A spokesperson for the Ratana Church says the movement and the Labour party need to work together if they want to strengthen their relationship; A senior minister in the Ratana Church says he feels… Read more Audio

6:21 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

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

6:11 AM.Divers searching for bodies on the wrecked cruise ship, Costa Concordia, are struggling as the water in and around the ship turns toxic. Audio

6:08 AM.The leadership of the Ratana Church says it is unsure whether it will take up the offer to hold further talks at Parliament with the new Labour party leader, David Shearer. Audio

6:00 AM.Foolhardy Norwegian adventurers may be trying for Pole again, Ratana mulling invitation for talks with Labour at Parliament, Labour MP Tirikatene says Ratana links remain solid, Defence review… Read more Audio