1. KIWI HOSTAGE FREED: Russian security forces have freed a NZ Aid worker Geraldo Cruise, 58, held hostage in Chechnya for several months. He has now arrived back in Geneva.

2. WTO: Jobshare compromise solution looks likely to be approved in the WTO dispute over who will be the next Director General. Moore would take the job first. A "least worst" solution say WTO members.

3. WINZ: WINZ CEO Christine Rankin is defending her expenditure on conferences and training. She says she was misled by a staff-member over the cost of the conference and plane chartering.

4. UPPER HUTT YOUTH OFFENDERS: Group of Upper Hutt residents are unhappy about the placement of four young offenders in a community facility in their neighbourhood - they want an assurance the offenders are not sex offenders.

5. JFK JUNIOR: Bad weather off Martha's vineyard has cleared and searchers have 15 sites to inspect in their hunt for JFK Junior's plane.

6. GANG FENCES: Police are planning to knock down more gang HQ fences after dozing Highway 61's fence in Christchurch yesterday. Meanwhile the gang has started building a new fence.

7. NORTHERN IRELAND: US peace negotiator George Mitchell is to review the Northern Ireland peace process.

8. HILLARY BIRTHDAY: Hillary celebrates 80th birthday at Government House - "I believe I epitomise the average NZer" - says Hillary.

9. RUGBY: Springbok coach Nick Mallett accuses All Blacks of cheating and says his boys aren't good enough at it while Jeff Wilson and Josh Kronfeld and very good.

© 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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