1A nationwide monitoring programme, The Children's Health Monitor', has found the rates of hospitalisation for infectious and respiratory illnesses has skyrocketed in the past three years - 4800-extra admissions per year. They also found that child assaults were also much higher for the poorer households.

2On of the professionals working with victims of sexual assault is Dr. Linda Beckett - co-ordinator for Wellington's Sexual Assault Assessment and Treatment Service - who has also carried out extensive research on prevention and intervention. The role of alcohol and NZ's binge drinking culture on sexual assault are part of this research, and, especially with the Rugby World Cup event on the horizon, she has studied the SAPHIRE programme in London which is aimed at preventing sexual assaults.

3News from the Middle East, including: Libya, and the actions of the leaving Gadaffi forces; who has power on Tripoli and the rebels are not in full control as there is no interim government and the military venture is not over; Tension in Egypt/Israel relations following the militant attacks from Sinai, which is a lawless place since the conflict, so egyptian tanks have returned after 3-decades away, .

4Political commentary, including: announcements on policies on children living in poverty are needed as this is a 'sleeper' effect of the recession; Labour's impending announcement on industry training; Labour's leadership and alcohol law reform.

5Off the beaten track, including; A big weekend for marine conservation: five marine reserves were announced for the West Coast - the first ever for the entire South Island coast. What the future protection results will be for these reserves is hard to quantify as the are so remote and it is hard to dive there; the Tawharanui Marine Reserve north of Auckland was opened by the Minister of Conservation recently. This has been a reserve in the Auckland region for 30-years and has now become a Department of Conservation area. Here the results of 30-years of protection can be quantified. There are 1000-legal sized crayfish per hectare within the reserve and zero outside the area; resource consent has been granted to investigate coal mining again on the Dennison Plateau

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