East Timor - Climbing Accident - Carrot Heist - Rugby - Inside Headlines - Cathartic Gridlock

EAST TIMOR: The New Zealand Herald leads today with a report that East Timor's pro-independence guerillas and pro-Indonesian militias yesterday reached a weapons ban pact aimed at allowing today's independence vote to go ahead peacefully. An accompanying report says five New Zealand MPs will begin duty this morning at Anera voting centre, five hours south of the East Timor capital, Dili.

CLIMBING ACCIDENT: The front-page photo shows ski rescue guides carrying a banana-boat down Whakapapa carrying a climber who with two others fell off the Pinnacles yesterday.

Also on the front page:

- CARROT HEIST: a report that a truckload of carrots was found crammed into Taihape's public toilets yesterday, leading police to wonder if a "reformed vegetarian" was on the loose;

- RUGBY: a report that after the All Blacks loss by a record 28-7 margin at Stadium Australia on Saturday night, New Zealand sports fans sought solace. Many found it when single sculler Rob Wadell successfully defended his world title on the water in Canada;

Inside Headlines:

- NZ a "grasping" little neighbour - "phobia" consumes Australian Opposition leader;

- Some APEC hotels not up to scratch says Fire Service

- Fletcher vows to cross floor on tax cuts;

- Stalemate on pay of lotteries CEO;

- GE Food activists placed well up on Greens' list;

- Survey shows Labour in front among Maori;

GRIDLOCK: The editorial comments on last week's Auckland gridlock describing the city snarl as "cathartic".

© 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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