Teresa Cormack – Microlight Crash – Youth Justice Riot – Riwaka Murder Scene Fire – Second Body In Northern Territories – Ballooning Around The World – New Prison – Drop In Centre Closed – Cannabis Petition

TERESA CORMACK: Napier Police investigating the murder of Teresa Cormack want 950 men to provide blood samples for the murder inquiry. The police are more confident than ever that they can now catch the killer of Teresa. A new form of DNA testing has provided a clear picture of who killed Teresa. Police won’t say whether the sample came from a hair or something else found with the body. All 18,000 suspects on the national DNA database have been cleared as has the former self-confessed “prime suspect” for the murder. The lawyer for the alleged “prime suspect” says he deserves an apology from the police. Police have assigned 10 officers to the investigation.

MICROLIGHT CRASH: A Waikato man in his 60s died when his microlight plane crashed in a suburb of Whatawhata today. The pilot was flying solo and is believed to have died on impact. The owner of the house he crashed into is pleaed he was not playing in his garden when the plane crashed.

YOUTH JUSTICE RIOT: Staff at a Palmerston North youth justice facility had to lock themselves in a control room after 27 young people rioted attacking the five staff. The staff were in fear for their safety and called for police backup. Two of the teenagers were injured, one bitten by a police dog.

RIWAKA MURDER SCENE FIRE: A fire has destroyed the home where the bodies of two children were found on Saturday. The fire in the Hingston’s rented cottage at Riwaka has brought the children’s mother some relief say police. The police say the fire has not affected in the investigation into the deaths. Fires at crime scenes such as this are not uncommon. The family are not being treated as suspects in the arson.

SECOND BODY IN NORTHERN TERRITORIES: Police in the Northern Territories have now confirmed they have two murder investigations on their hands after finding a body in the bush. The dead man died from stab wounds to his neck. Police say they have no evidence the two murder inquiries are linked. Police have released a security camera photo taken at a police station of a man who may be a suspect in the kidnapping and probable murder of a British tourist.

BALLOONING AROUND THE WORLD: Billionaire adventurer Steve Fossett is now headed over the Tasman Sea in his quest to balloon around the world.

NEW PRISON: The current Dunedin prison is to be replaced with a prison six times as big.

DROP IN CENTRE CLOSED: A Dunedin drop in centre has been forced to close. Staff shortages and financial problems have been blamed.

CANNABIS PETITION: A 36,000 signature petition opposing the decriminalisation of cannabis has been presented at Parliament today. Drug abuse is the largest single cause of suspension of school students. Deborah Morris says we need a consistent approach across recreational drugs. The petition is being presented to the Health Select Committee.

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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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