PRISON SUICIDE APOLOGY: The Commissioner of Children has called on the Corrections Department to apologise to the family of a 17-year-old from Palmerston North, Damien Meyer, who hung himself in his cell. Head of prison service says it is not fair to blame Corrections.

BRITOMART: Auckland's Britomart project hangs in the balance after the council refused an extra $15 million requested for it. Council and commercial parties will meet t

FLASH FLOOD: Authorities have now identified three bodies in the flash flood disaster in Switzerland. Victims families complain that the NZ Government is not paying for them to travel to Switzerland.

ELDER DEFENDS KAPAHAKA GRANT: Internal Affairs Minister Jack Elder has given $35,000 to a school Kapahaka group with the children of Tukoroirangi Morgan and Tau Henare. Elder says he had no idea it was the largest travel grant ever given to a school.

TOURISM BOARD: Tourism Board will launch its controversial global marketing campaign today in Queenstown. The industry is optimistic.

COOK ISLANDS: Cook Islands Parliament due to meet about now to swear in new PM - Joe Williams. The meeting coincides with calls from two chiefs to march on Parliament and object to the decision.

© 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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