People’s Bank Leaks – Tasman Pacific Creditors Meeting – Macedonia – Southern Chill – Logging Truck Accidents - Speeding Doctors – Human Rights Merger – Domestic Violence – Afghanistan – Ballooning Around The World

PEOPLE’S BANK LEAKS: The Deputy PM is accusing some public servants of waging a campaign against the Government’s People’s Bank proposal. Jim Anderton says David Oughton has traced leaks back to 11 people. Meanwhile Rodney Hide says he is refusing to name the leakers. He says he is still getting more info.

TASMAN PACIFIC CREDITORS MEETING: The Engineers Union says people owed money by Tasman Pacific Airlines want explanations from the former directors of the failed company. Andrew Little says there are no great expectations that money will be forthcoming.

MACEDONIA: A peace agreement in Macedonia has been endorsed by both sides to the dispute. NATO is asking the Macedonian Parliament to ensure the peace agreement is secured.

SOUTHERN CHILL: A mid-winter blast has reached the central North Island bringing snow to the Rimutaka Hill Road. Police are asking cars to slow down.

LOGGING TRUCK ACCIDENTS: Log truckies say they want to learn the causes of several recent log truck accidents so they can avoid them in the future. There have been at least four accidents in just four days.

DOCTORS RIGHTS TO SPEED: The Government is looking at changing the law to allow doctors attending emergency incidents the right to speed. The announcement follows a $510 ticket issued to a doctor on his way to an emergency call out.

HUMAN RIGHTS MERGER: The Government has introduced legislation to merge the offices of the Human Rights Commission and the Race Relations Conciliator.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: A three year study of domestic abuse is dismissing the notion of a “cycle of violence” in relationships. Typically the model is more a spiral, researchers say.

AFGHANISTAN: Aid workers in Afghanistan will stand trial for trying to convert Afghanis to Christianity, Taleban leaders say.

BALLOONING AROUND THE WORLD: American Adventurer and balloonist Steve Fosset is approaching Chile and the half-way mark in is quest to balloon around the world.

© 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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