Chinese/US Spy Plane Impasse – Goff In Washington D.C. – Phillida Bunkle – Marie Jamieson Murder – South Island Rain – Teacher Pleads Guilty – Cancer Advert

CHINESE U.S. SPY PLANE IMPASSE: US President George Bush was choosing his words very carefully when asking for his spy plane and crew back from the Chinese. The U.S. EP3 spy plane landed at a Chinese airfield after crashing into a Chinese fighter plane. The story is being reported in a straight-forward manner inside China. There has been nothing said about the fate of the US air crew. The airplane is most probably being closely looked at by the Chinese military. Hardliners in China may wish to hold onto the plane and crew for quite a while.

GOFF IN WASHINGTON: NZ Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff has been calling on senior US officials in Washington D.C.

PHILLIDA BUNKLE: Helen Clark and Jim Anderton took a tough line on Phillida Bunkle today and told her she would remain on the back benches due to public perceptions about accountability. Jim Anderton said he made the decision himself and was under no pressure from the PM. Dumped Minister’s can be fractious beasts and Bunkle gave an evasive answer when asked whether she would stay with the Alliance. The PM says her advice to Bunkle is head down bottom up.

MARIE JAMIESON MURDER: Police have discovered video footage of murder victim Marie Jamieson a km away from where they thought she was last seen on the night of her disappearance. The new sighting suggests she walked to Kingsland from the city. Police have frustrating evidence in the form of an anonymous letter from someone who knows what happened.

SOUTH ISLAND RAIN: 14mm of rain in Marlborough and North Canterbury has made farmers a little bit happy in the South Island, but they want more. Nelson received nearly 40mm but Blenheim only half that.

TEACHER PLEADS GUILTY: A former teacher has pleaded guilty to 14 charges of indecent assault.

CANCER ADVERT: An advertising image of Kiwi Rugby League player John Hopoate sticking his finger up a Cowboy’s bottom for prostrate cancer awareness has sparked mixed reactions in Wellington.

© 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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