1. GOLDEN HANDSHAKES:New rules to end golden handshakes. Boards of 100 government agencies will have to reveal whether they have built golden handshakes into employment contracts. In the future a minister will have to approve any agreement outside guidelines.

2. DUBAI: Family of Aaron Hopa are pleased the Dubai Authorities are investigating his sons death in Dubai.

3. NORTHERN IRELAND: The British PM has vowed to persevere after a set-back to the Northern Ireland peace process. Negotiations have been exhaustive. Northern Ireland's first minister has resigned after Unionists withdrew from the process.

4. EAST TIMOR: NZ's UN police officers in East Timor will move on to voter registration sites today.

5. WINE-BOX: High Court in Auckland will today hear final argument in Winston Peters wine-box appeal against the Commissioner Sir Ronald Davison.

6. DOCTORS STRESSED: Two studies showing doctors are likely to be stressed more than their patients have led to calls to changes to how GPs are funded.

7. CHINA AND TAIWAN: China has threatened to use force against Taiwan if Taiwan claims independence. Taiwan now has neutron-bomb technology. The US has warned China not to use violence.

8. CRICKET: The Black Caps have dismissed Kent for 201 and then replied with 103 for one.

9. RUGBY: Concerns that kids aren't getting to the rugby as the cost of test rugby tickets rises.

© 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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