Morning Report for Thursday 12 February 2015

8:56 AM.For better and for worse brewers, bottlestore owners and publicans are starting to feel the effect of the new lower alcohol driving limits that became law last December. Audio

8:54 AM.Residents in an inner-city Nelson suburb worry a proposed highway for the city will rip out the heart of their community. Audio

8:50 AM.The mining sector says New Zealand has effectively shut the book on seabed mining and will miss out on significant royalties. Audio

8:47 AM.The late Ngati Porou leader, Apirana Mahuika, will be laid to rest on the East Coast later this morning; A Northland kaumatua is threatening to close a local forestry route if the council fails to fix… Read more Audio

8:41 AM.Talks are about to begin in Minsk over the future of Ukraine. Audio

8:37 AM.Cricketing history beckons for the Black Caps as they seek to become the first New Zealand side to reach the World Cup final when the tournament begins in Christchurch on Saturday. Audio

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

8:29 AM.A construction cost specialist says the projected cost of SkyCity's convention centre jumping by a third, would prompt him to consider putting parts of it back out to tender. Audio

8:22 AM.The United Nations' Refugee Agency has labelled the drowning of more than 300 illegal migrants a 'horrible and enormous' tragedy. Audio

8:19 AM.Staying with security and the New Zealand Cricket World Cup Organisation has committed to boosting its security measures at its sites, after the theft of five laptops. Audio

8:11 AM.The formal invitation the Government's been waiting for before commiting to the fight against Islamic State is expected to be offered tomorrow. Audio

8:07 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:56 AM.The double world champion rowers, Eric Murray and Hamish Bond, have won the country's most prestigious sporting prize, taking out the supreme award at last night's Halberg Awards in Auckland. Audio

7:53 AM.Huge numbers of mourners are expected at Rahui Marae on the east coast today to say their final goodbyes to the Ngati Porou leader, Apirana Mahuika. Audio

7:49 AM.The Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy is expected to declare a state of drought when he visits the parched South Canterbury region today. Audio

7:43 AM.Mark Lundy's retrial has been told he tried to increase his family's life insurance, just hours before his wife and daughter were hacked to death. Audio

7:38 AM.More reports of synthetic cannabis being sold from private houses is coming in from all parts of New Zealand. Audio

7:36 AM.The New Zealand judge appointed to lead a major inquiry in child sex abuse allegations in the UK, has been questioned by a group of British MPs ahead of the start of the inquiry. Audio

7:29 AM.Three independent commissioners will decide whether the public will get to have a say on the planned SkyCity convention centre. SkyCity has lodged a 17-hundred page application for consent to build… Read more Audio

7:22 AM.A flash of blue light and a sonic boom were reported in the skies over New Zealand about ten o'clock last night. Audio

7:18 AM.President Barack Obama has asked Congress to formally authorise the use of military force against Islamic State militants. Audio

7:13 AM.A leading Australian security analyst says it's only a matter of time before an Islamic extremist attempts a headline-seeking attack in New Zealand. Audio

7:11 AM.New Zealand is expected to receive a formal request tomorrow to contribute to the military campaign against the Islamic State jihadist group Audio

7:07 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:58 AM.Wall Street is mixed. The Dow Jones Index is down 29 points to 17 839. Audio

6:57 AM.The general insurer, Tower, is keen to expand its presense in the Pacific. Audio

6:55 AM.Retail spending with debit, credit and charge cards declined a seasonally adjusted zero-point-4 percent in January, the third successive monthly fall. Audio

6:53 AM.ASB Bank expects continued solid profit growth in line with growth in the economy. Audio

6:51 AM.Chatham Rock Phosphate's managing director, Chris Castle, says he isn't giving up on his project to mine phosphate from the Chatham Rise. Audio

6:49 AM.House prices fell 1 percent in January as activity showed the typical summer slowdown. Audio

6:46 AM.The casino operator, SkyCity, says its first half financial report is better than it looks on first glance, despite a 10-and-a-half-percent fall in net profit to 54.6 million dollars. Audio

6:38 AM.The Foreign Minister says his meeting with his Iraqi counterpart tomorrow will be focused on the coalition efforts to combat Islamic State, and the possible role New Zealand may play. Audio

6:26 AM.The late Ngati Porou leader, Apirana Mahuika, will be laid to rest on the East Coast later this morning; The Waitangi Tribunal has directed the Crown to release more documents, in the Ngapuhi Mandate… Read more Audio

6:19 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

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

6:10 AM.The Government's showing no sign of backing away from the Sky City Convention Centre deal. Audio

6:06 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:00 AM.Murray McCully tells us about what will come out of tomorrow's meeting with Iraq's Foreign Minister. A leading Australian security analyst says it's only a matter of time before there is an extremist… Read more Audio