Defence Changes – Fiji - Internet Safety – Web Pharmacist Fined – Santana High School Shootings – Auckland Motorway Delays – Derailment – Death In A Hot Car

DEFENCE CHANGES: The Airforce and Navy are getting new instructions from the Government. The Navy and Air Force are being told to concentrate on their civilian duties. Fighting wars is no longer a priority for the two areas of the armed forces. Customs and fishing enforcement operations will become priorities. The frigate Canterbury is to be replaced with a Coastguard type vessel. The Greens are very happy and say it is very positive shift for our forces. A military exercise - TASMANEX with Australia and French forces - began today in NZ waters. Australia is likely to be unhappy with the NZ government’s latest plans.

FIJI: The Fiji Interim Government resigned last night and then agreed to hang on today. Qarase’s government was asked to hang on for a few more days. The second bombshell of the day was the sacking of Colonel Rabuka as the chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs. Rabuka is now a wild-card.

INTERNET SAFETY: The Internet Safety Group says that education is the best way to keep teenagers safe when online. A survey of teenage women has found that many of them met up with complete strangers who they met while online in chat rooms. Surveyers say the results from the survey were disturbing. At Northcote College students have to promise only to use approved websites for school approved projects.

WEB PHARMACIST FINED: A pharmacist who sold prescription drugs over the Internet to foreigners has been censured by his peers. He has been fined and suspended from being a pharmacist for three years. Kerry Bell who was running a website called Pharmacycare took advantage of a loophole to sell prescription drugs out of NZ. The website has now been sold.

SANTANA HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTINGS: The court appearance of a 15-year-old charged with the murder of two people at Santana High School took place today. Meanwhile school students returned to school. Teams of teachers and counsellors greeted the children.

MOTORWAY DELAYS: A van has exploded on the Southbound lane of the Auckland motorway.

DERAILMENT: A derailment south of Hawera is being investigated by Tranz Rail.

DEATH IN A HOT CAR: A Melbourne mother has been convicted for manlaughter over the death of her 19-month-old son left in a car while she played the pokies. The woman’s defence argued she was a gambling addict. The jury was quick to produce its verdict.

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Alastair Thompson

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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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