Taiwan Quake – East Timor Peacekeepers – East Timor Jakarta – Fisheries Commissioners – Alliance Tertiary Policy - Murder Loophole – Netball Champs

(TAIWAN QUAKE: Breaking News. An earthquake at 1.47am (7am NZT) local time has hit Taiwan. The quake measured 7.6 on richter scale – bigger than the quake in Turkey. Buildings have damaged and tsunami warnings have been issued.)

EAST TIMOR – PEACEKEEPERS: The Australian commander of the peacekeeping force says his troops have met no resistance. In the only encounter reported was when a group of NZ soldiers confiscated a home-made rifle off a man on a motorbike.

EAST TIMOR – JAKARTA: General Wiranto has been justifying the decision to the Indonesian parliament to allow in peacekeepers. He told deputies the decision was unavoidable because Indonesia would have found itself isolated had it refused. It is significant that it is Wiranto that is justifying this decision.

TAIWAN QUAKE: Emergency services in Taiwan say five are dead and four injured in an earthquake in Taiwan. Most of the island is without power.

FISHERIES COMMISSIONERS: A fisheries commissioner Shane Jones says Maori Affairs Minister Tau Henare was on the right track in his decision to get rid of six of the eight fisheries commissioners. Cabinet has decided against Henare’s proposal.

ALLIANCE TERTIARY POLICY: Max Bradford says that a land tax to pay for free tertiary education as promised by the Alliance would cost jobs.

MURDER LOOPHOLE: A legal loophole which allowed a gang-member to keep is acquittal on a murder charge after he convinced someone to perjure themselves should be plugged.

NETBALL CHAMPS: A record 28 teams and thousands of supporters are in Christchurch preparing for the World Netball championships. The official opening is tomorrow.

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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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