Morning Report for Wednesday 27 March 2013

8:56 AM.The arrival of people in the Pacific caused a mass extinction of bird life, a new study says. Audio

8:50 AM.Emergency Services in Christchurch are increasing the number of joint training exercises they hold. Audio

8:47 AM.A careers advisor in the Far North says some Maori students are abandoning dreams of taking science and medical degrees - because their whanau can't afford to pay for their children to live away from… Read more Audio

8:42 AM.Regional councils around the country are looking at boosting their insurance cover for shipwrecks in the wake of the sinking of the Rena 18 months ago. Audio

8:39 AM.North Korea says it's readying its artillery and rocket units to attack American bases in the Pacific and the mainland, in its latest threat to the US. 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.The neighbour and friend of a man who died in a quad bike accident has called for the creation of an independent authority to evaluate the safety of farm vehicles. Audio

8:22 AM.An eccentric Taranaki hermit is due to be evicted today from the beach hut where he has lived for at least 16 years. Audio

8:19 AM.Criminologists say an increase in sex convictions doesn't necessarily mean more people are being raped and violated. Audio

8:14 AM.An aviation commentator is questioning the sentence given to a Pacific Blue pilot found guilty of carelessly operating an aircraft. Audio

8:09 AM.The Green Party says job cuts at the Department of Conservation will put New Zealand's biodiversity at risk. Audio

7:57 AM.The United States Supreme Court has signalled that it's unlikely to support the fundamental right to marriage for homosexuals across the country. Audio

7:52 AM.The American student, Amanda Knox, and her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, will be retried for the 2007 murder her of British roommate, Meredith Kercher. Audio

7:48 AM.Police are still on the hunt for the killer of road worker George Taiaroa and say the public hold the key to solving the case. Audio

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

7:40 AM.An investigation into the way the Ministry of Education handles school closures and mergers has been launched but some say it's too little, too late for Christchurch schools. Audio

7:37 AM.Community leaders in South Auckland say there has been a hike in underage prostitution in the area. Audio

7:27 AM.It'll be remembered as one of the most exciting finishes in recent cricket history, but after five days of test match action, the Black Caps fell just one wicket short in the third and deciding test… Read more Audio

7:17 AM.The Federated Farmers president, Bruce Wills, has angered many drought-stricken Hawke's Bay farmers after he cancelled a planned shipment of South Island straw. Audio

7:13 AM.DoC director general Al Morrison says they are not taking away the regional structure, they are streamlining the management system. Audio

7:09 AM.An Audit Office report on the Department of Conservation found the regional structure that is to be axed is one of the organisation's biggest strengths. Audio

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

6:39 AM.It was a tale of two captains after last night's Eden Park cricket thriller, with New Zealand's Brendon McCullum feeling devastated, and England's Alistair Cook relieved. Audio

6:36 AM.The Labour Party says the Conservation Minister's reputation is in tatters, after confirmation that 140 jobs are to be shed from the Department of Conservation. Audio

6:27 AM.A careers advisor in the Far North says some Maori students are abandoning dreams of taking science and medical degrees - because their whanau can't afford to pay for their children to live away from… Read more Audio

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

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

6:00 AM.DoC job cuts see orgs 'biggest strength' go; director general of DoC says cuts won't affect the department's core work; Hawke's Bay farmers outraged by Federated Farmers comments; Black Caps coach… Read more Audio