1. PAYOUTS ROW: Government is again embroiled in a payouts row. Helen Clark claims the government is at odds over Tourism Board payouts. PM apologises to John Hawkesby but wants details of any payout publicly disclosed.

2. PAYOUTS ROW: Political Editor Alastair Morrison: Several apparent contradictions in different circumstances around different payments. The government will have to be strong and swift to rescue itself from embarassment.

3. KOSOVO: President Clinton has been given a hero's welcome in Macedonia. The President urged refugees not to rush back to Kosovo until land mines have been cleared. "I want to make sure it is a happy return".

4. HIP SLIP-UP: Ascot Hospital will tighten procedures after a patient had the wrong hip replaced. Staff should look for a mark on affected limbs before operating says reviewer of the accident.

5. EAST TIMOR: UN has decided to delay a ballot on East Timor till later in August than originally expected. The UN Secretary General says a brief delay is appropriate.

6. COPTER CRASH: Police have been asked to investigate the crash of a Helicopter in May. The Civil Aviation Authority believes the helicopter was deliberately brought down. Pilot is very upset.

7. IRA BOMBER: IRA bomber jailed for plotting to kill Margaret Thatcher in Brighton. Five were killed in the bombing. Patrick McGee was the 277th IRA soldier released early under the Northern Ireland peace settlement.

8. HOME INVASION: Law and order back on the agenda in Parliament as government pushes ahead with Home Invasion Bill. Last night in Parliament Sir Douglas Graham accepted several criticisms of the bill.

9. YACHT SEARCH: Yacht expected in Antipodes Islands shortly to begin a search for a missing yacht.

10. ANSETT STOPWORK: Flight attendants for Ansett NZ are planning a 4 hour stopwork meeting on 5th of July.

© 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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