Morning Report for Thursday 20 September 2012

8:55 AM.Today in the United States is the 30th birthday of the emoticon - the emotional icons created by typing keyboard characters to make sad, confused or happy faces in a message. Audio

8:51 AM.Companies which operate and design pilot-less aircraft have joined calls for the devices to be better regulated before someone gets hurt. Audio

8:48 AM.One of the largest iwi says it expects to attend the Crown's final hui on water rights and the partial sale of hydro power generators; Whanganui Iwi say their unique relationship with the Whanganui… Read more Audio

8:42 AM.An international specialist in natural disaster fraud, Peter Dent, says Christchurch must remain vigilant with the potential for fraud and corruption high as the city rebuilds. Audio

8:37 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

8:32 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:28 AM.Pakistan has announced a public holiday on Friday to allow protests against the American-made amateur film on Islam that has caused outrage in Muslim countries. Audio

8:23 AM.Australian MPs have voted against a bill to legalise same-sex marriage. Audio

8:20 AM.A members' bill to raise the minimum wage to 15-dollars an hour has been voted down in Parliament. Audio

8:16 AM.Crown lawyers have dismissed as "wholly unrealistic" the demands of a small Far North iwi for a 2-hundred million dollar treaty settlement. Audio

8:10 AM.The first in a series of meetings between Canterbury schools and the Education Ministry about a proposed shake up of the region's schools has left some principals feeling more positive - but others… Read more Audio

7:56 AM.The Manawatu Gorge has reopened to all traffic, after being closed for most of the past year. Audio

7:52 AM.Auckland Transport is hoping to relieve some of the pressure on the public transport system during a planned strike on Monday by adding extra bus and ferry services. Audio

7:48 AM.With less than seven weeks before the U.S. Presidential election, a new poll shows that President Obama has strengthened his lead in a number of important swing states. Audio

7:44 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:39 AM.The family of the murdered Christchurch woman, Rebecca Somerville, say they'd like the property where she lived to be turned into a public park or playground. Audio

7:36 AM.Two more government- sponsored hui on water rights took place yesterday, but iwi attending say the scope of the discussion was too narrow. Audio

7:27 AM.The Olympian, Valerie Adams, says she could have never imagined that her gold-medal ceremony in Auckland could be so perfect. Audio

7:22 AM.France says it will temporarily close its embassies and schools in twenty countries after a French magazine published cartoons which poke fun at recent violent anti-American protests sparked by a… Read more Audio

7:18 AM.The internet millionaire Kim Dotcom has revealed his motives for outing John Banks, over donations he made to the Act MP's 2010 Auckland mayoral campaign. Audio

7:12 AM.Listening to that report was the Education Minister, Hekia Parata. Audio

7:09 AM.The first meeting between Christchurch secondary school principals and the Education Ministry about a proposed shake up of the city's schools has left some more positive - but others daunted by the… Read more Audio

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

6:40 AM.People around the country joined in the celebrations last night as Valerie Adams was given her shot put gold medal from the London Olympics. Audio

6:38 AM.The Kim Dotcom case goes to the Court of Appeal today, with the Crown seeking to overturn a High Court ruling that the FBI must disclose the evidence it wants to use in its bid to extradite him to the… Read more Audio

6:35 AM.Protesters in Christchurch are promising to continue their campaign for a return of democracy to the city. Audio

6:27 AM.One of the largest iwi says it expects to attend the Crown's final hui on water rights and the partial sale of hydro power generators; Whanganui Iwi say their unique relationship with the Whanganui… Read more Audio

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

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

6:14 AM.NATO has defended a decision to scale back joint operations in Afghanistan, involving NATO-led forces and the Afghan army as a 'prudent and temporary step'. Audio

6:00 AM.Secondary school principals meet with Ministry of Edu in CHCH, Education Minister on Christchurch school proposals, Dotcom reveals motives for outing Banks during surprise visit to Parliament, Charlie… Read more Audio