Macedonia – Hobbs – Auckland Rail – Foot and Mouth – Meat – Mt Horrible Fire – Fire Fighters – School Zoning – Bluff Oysters

MACEDONIA: The Macedonian Government says it has taken key points on the hills above Tetevo previously occupied by Kosovar Albanian rebels.

HOBBS: National has said Marian Hobbs will come under intense scrutiny if she returns to Cabinet this week. PM Helen Clark is expected to ask the Labour caucus to reinstate Hobbs tomorrow.

AUCKLAND RAIL: Cabinet will decide today what support it should offer Auckland local bodies in relation to Auckland Labour. Helen Clark says she thinks the price is too high. Transfund has already put $22 million towards the deal.

FOOT AND MOUTH: The UK Government is stepping up its killing and burning programme in the wake of a continuing spread of Foot and Mouth disease.

MEAT: Meat processors suppliers and retailers are meeting in Wellington today to discuss meat retailing in the wake of the Foot and Mouth crisis in the UK and misinformation about NZ producers published in Europe and internationally.

MT HORRIBLE FIRE: A fleet of helicopters is back in the air today fighting a large scrub fire on Mt Horrible near Arthur’s Pass.

FIRE FIGHTERS: A deal which could bring the long-running Fire Fighters industrial dispute to an end is being put to fire fighters around the country.

SCHOOL ZONING: The Headmaster of Auckland Grammar says a plan to get tough on parents providing inaccurate information to enrol their children in schools under pressure will not work.

BLUFF OYSTERS: Oyster catches this year at Bluff could be badly affected by the bonamia parasite which is believed to have destroyed 70% of the oyster beds.

© 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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