Morning Report

Thousands of people have gathered for a vigil in the Thai city of Nakhon Ratchasima to remember the 29 people shot dead by a soldier.

Officials say the gunman killed his commanding officer, then stole weapons and ammunitions.

He opened fire in a Buddhist temple and then drove to a shopping mall in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima and fired at shoppers.

Inside the mall people ran and hid wherever they could as news of the attack spread.

In the early hours of the attack, the gunman posted messages on Facebook, saying "death is inevitable for everyone".

They were quickly taken down but not before they were seen by people living in the area.

Security forces used the shopping mall's CCTV cameras and drones to find the trained marksman.

Fifteen hours after the standoff started, Jakraphanth Thomma was shot dead by security forces after being cornered in the building.

Richard Ehrlich is the Bangkok-based correspondent for The Washington Times.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson.

New research is beginning into why so many work-related fatalities involve vehicles.

Safety advocates say it's about time road crash investigations stopped ignoring the part that bad working conditions play.

Phil Pennington reports.

A public health expert says the Wuhan outbreak now has all of the characteristics of a pandemic.

The virus has now killed more than 800 people, surpassing the death toll from the SARS epidemic in 2003.

New Zealand now has a number to call for information about the virus, 0800 358 5453.

Professor Michael Baker from Otago University speaks to Corin Dann.

The 11-time world champion Kelly Slater will bring a touch of surfing magic to the Piha Pro next month - event director Chris Simpson says.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

Cashless parking meters will start springing up around the capital from today in an effort to combat theft and vandalism.

The Wellington City Council is installing a handful of the meters as part of a five month trial.

From July, people will no longer be able to pay for parking via text, leaving just one app that commuters can use to find spaces and pay with a credit card.

Rachel Thomas has more.

An Opotiki midwife says families should be able to focus on their baby's arrival into the world, rather than worrying about things like whether they have enough petrol to get to hospital.

Opotiki's maternity unit has reopened earlier than planned - with limitations - after its temporary closure sparked protests last year. It is not staffed overnight and women can not stay overnight so have to either go home or travel to Whakatane Hospital after birth.

But midwives can let themselves in at night if a woman is in labour.

Midwife Connie Mikosch told our Health Correspondent Rowan Quinn early bonding is crucial and birth should be as stress free as possible.

The Bay of Plenty DHB says the current plan is temporary and its working with midwives on a long term solution.

The sodden clean up in Southland gets underway in earnest this week, as the remnants of floodwater slowly disappears and the full extent of the damage is revealed.

Jordan Bond reports.

News from the rural and farming sector.

A brief update from the business sector.