School Sport – National Reshuffle – Indian Earthquake – Fiji – Lockerbie Trial – Body Part Stash – Lisa Blakie – Kirsty Bentley – Children’s Rights

SCHOOL SPORT: School Trustees say that a report recommending an extension in the school day may be asking too much of teachers. Trevor Mallard says there will be lots of discussion before anything is done.

NATIONAL RESHUFFLE: A reshuffle in the National Party will likely see a new deputy leader to replace Wyatt Creech who says he wants to step down. John Luxton will also be moving off the National front bench.

INDIAN EARTHQUAKE: The world’s largest disaster relief network has begun a massive airlift to India. The Red Cross says that three cargo planes have landed in the affected area. The Indian Defence Minister now says the death toll may rise to 100,000.

FIJI: The police in Fiji have asked for assistance from NZ to help them with the trial of 13 accused coup plotters charged with treason.

LOCKERBIE TRIAL: Three Scottish judges in the Netherlands will announce their verdict today in the Lockerbie 747 bombing trial. Two Libyans have been charged with the bombing.

BODY PART STASH: Britain’s Minister of Health has described as shocking the extent of removal of child’s body parts in a Liverpool Hospital. The report says the doctor responsible falsified reports to cover up his organ hoarding.

LISA BLAKIE: A 31-year-old man will appear in a Christchurch Court this morning charged with the murder of Timaru woman Lisa Blakie. Police are still working on the case.

KIRSTY BENTLEY: Police based in Ashburton say that a lot more information is needed on the movements of Sid Bentley the mother of murdered teenager Kirsty Bentley.

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS: The Human Rights Commission is concerned that there are no laws against discrimination against children on the basis of age. Youth Minister Laila Harre says a policy is being developed to work on the problem.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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