PETROL PRICES: Price of petrol rising for the third time in a month. Mobil and Shell are raising prices tonight. AA says it would like more competition. Consumers not happy - especially commercial drivers. Cost of filling an average size car has risen $4. Oil companies say that the fact the move in concert is evidence of a competitive market. AA disagrees.

DEFENCE PUNISHMENT: Minister of Defence is punishing the Defence Force for sending 60 staff on an expensive "Masters of Business" seminar. Defence Minister Max Bradford is furious at the expense - $657 each for the 60. In all 84 public servants went to the seminar. Auckland political scientist says most speakers at the conference were boring and some were charlatans. Steven Parker Live: Defence embarrassed about this. Their own minister has slapped them hard. Government has decided enough is enough. Public Servants playing fast and loose with taxpayers money.

TORNADO: Major American city struck by a rogue tornado. One died and 40 injured as the tornado hits Salt Lake City. Injured woman says she didn't have time to get inside and the roof fell on her head. There has never been a tornado death in Salt Lake City before.

GREAT BARRIER MYSTERY: Police back on Great Barrier Island after revealing that a body of a solitary hermit found on the island had a hand missing. Police came back to look for the missing hand. Police say it is improbable the mans dog has anything to do with the missing hand.

ALLIANCE RESTRUCTURING: 30 salaried staff are to lose jobs in Alliance restructuring.

TELECOM CEO: 37-year-old Theresa Gattung appointed CEO of Telecom.

MILLENNIUM CONCERTS: Embarrassing climb-down for Christchurch City Councillor who complained that too much money was being spent on Gisborne. Christchurch concert organisers complain that they haven't received any money. In the afternoon councillor Graham Condon changes his tune after it was revealed that Christchurch has received $600,000 from the millennium office.

© 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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