China Crisis – Prince Charles Vs Nelson Mandela – Japanese PM Resigns – Waterfront Racism - Teagle Not Cruel To Chicks – Porirua Fire – Cow Sale – Ataris Tour

CHINA CRISIS: American officials are continuing negotiations with Chinese officials over the US spy plane. US President George Bush says he “regrets” the accident. More information is emerging about the pilot who died. He is said to have been a “maverick” who buzzed US planes before. US crew are being aggressively questioned by the Chinese according to officials. Some details are emerging on how the accident might have happened. Meanwhile all the codes from the spyplane have been changed.

PRINCE CHARLES VS NELSON MANDELA: Commonwealth head Don McKinnon says that Prince Charles will not “automatically” become the new head of the Commonwealth following the Queen. NZ PM Helen Clark says she might have a good look at whether Nelson Mandela might be an alternative. The Republican Movement think that not having Prince Charles, or King Charles, as head of the Commonwealth is a great idea. McKinnon says the issue is not on the agenda for the Commonwealth summit in Brisbane.

JAPANESE PM RESIGNS: The Japanese PM has finally formally announced his resignation.

WATERFRONT RACISM: The new Race Relations Conciliator is being asked to investigate racist remarks allegedly made by the Waterfront Workers Union boss on the Nelson Waterfront. Mainland Stevedores have been involved in a dispute on the waterfront for some time.

TEAGEL NOT CRUEL TO CHICKS: A joint MAF and SPCA investigation has found that Teagle’s use of masceration to kill unwanted male chicks is okay. Masceration involves being ground to death, and it is okay because it kills in less than a 10th of a second. There is an issue for staff training however, the organisations say in their report, as staff are not very happy with the practice. Teagle say they are pleased they have been cleared. Male chicks are killed because they don’t lay eggs.

PORIRUA FIRE: High winds fanned a scrub fire in Porirua today.

COW SALE: 800 dairy cows were sold today in the countries biggest ever dairy auction. Dairy Farmer Rob Hall has been selling off two generations of hard work. The herd of high production cows was bred using pioneering artificial insemination techniques. The cow vendor says he is pleased to be sending the gene-pool around the country.

ATARIS TOUR: A hot punk band called the Ataris has been visiting Kiwi kids on tour through the country. The band like it here and say George Bush is a warmonger.

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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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