1The goverment has already dismissed one of the key recommendations in a major report on alcohol, ruling out an increase in excise tax on liquor. The Law Commission today released its 500-page review on alcohol laws saying the country has a pervasive culture of getting drunk and binge-drinking and legislation must be completely rewritten. It wants the price of alcohol to go up on average by 10-percent, the drinking age to return to 20, and an end to alcohol being sold around the clock.

2Dairy farmers are to receive a windfall of $500-million, with Fonterra increasing its forecast milk price for the season by 40-cents.

3A nationwide chain of indoor gardening shops has been shut down after a massive two-year undercover operation that police say has broken the cornerstone of the commerical cannabis industry.

4Business News

5Parliament has paid tribute to the three airmen who died in the Iroquois helicopter crash at Pukerua Bay on ANZAC Day morning.

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7Southland farmers are counting the cost and beginning the clean up after the worst flood in more than decade. More than 500-milimetres of rain swamped farm paddocks, washing away bridges and cutting off phones and the Internet.

8The Government has been quick to dismiss a recommendation from the Law Commission to increase the price of liquor as a way of reducing alcohol abuse. An increase of the tax on alcohol is one of the key recommendations in the Commission's report on alcohol law reform. It also wants the drinking age raised from 18 to 20, and tighter restrictions on opening hours for outlets selling alcohol.

9The Commerce Commission is reconsidering plans to let phone companies govern themselves, after a request from the Government. The Commission recommended in February that call and text charges be regulated by the industry but is now going to reconsider following a Vodafone New Zealand offer to customers critics say is anti-competitive.

10The former leader of Panama, Manuel Noriega, is being extradited to France, where he has been convicted in absentia of money laundering. He has already served a 17-year sentence in the United States for drug trafficking.

11Waatea News

12In Australia, Kevin Rudd's Labor government is being accused of climate change collapse over its decision to shelve the emissions trading scheme for at least three years.

13A bill to overhaul the United States banking system has been blocked by Republicans.

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15The Law Commission's proposals for sweeping changes to alcohol laws including raising the drinking age to 20 have already hit a snag. An increase of the tax on alcohol is one of the key recommendations in the Commission's report on alcohol law reform. It also wants the drinking age raised from 18 to 20, and tighter restrictions on opening hours for outlets selling alcohol.

16Dairy farmers are to receive a windfall of $500-million, with Fonterra increasing its forecast milk price for the season by 40-cents.

17Applications for 25-thousand tickets to the Rugby World Cup have been made since sales opened at 9:00 this morning.

18United States officials say a second oil platform near the site of a sunken rig in the Gulf of Mexico has been evacuated as the oil from the damaged facility comes dangerously close.

19Business News

20University of Otago researchers say the inflammatory bowel condition Crohn's disease is costing the country at least one hundred million dollars a year.

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22The Australian Government is postponing the introduction of its Emissions Trading Scheme until at least 2012, igniting debate about whether New Zealand should continue with its version.

23Aucklanders are being warned they need to save more water if the region is to reach a 4-percent savings goal and avoid mandatory restrictions later in the year.

24Waatea News

25Al Qaeda's been blamed for a failed attack on the British ambassador to Yemen.