1.EAST TIMOR - The UN Children's fund say the opening of a road between East and West Timor is making it easier it distribute aid to East Timor.

2. EAST TIMOR - The frigate Canterbury is now in Darwin readying to go to East Timor to serve as a communications base. Supplies are still being ferried to Darwin.

3. EAST TIMOR - The UN says it will need help to investigate war crimes in East Timor.

4. ELECTION DATE - National party MPs will begin arriving in Auckland shortly for a caucus meeting to set the election date.

5. TAIWAN - The president of Taiwan has instated a six month state of emergency to cope with the earthquake aftermath as efforts move to help those who have survived not the search for those trapped in buildings.

6. YOUTH CRIME - The police say a campaign in Whangarei to get youths off the streets has been working.

7. CHRIST IN CHRISTCHURCH - A senior Christchurch city council officer says he is not preparing the city for the second coming of Christ. It had been reported he was doing so in a letter he wrote to a fundamental Christian group. He says he is a professional doing a job.

8. JFK - The majority of JFK juniors belonging and estate will go to his sister Caroline's children.

9. NEW LABOUR - Tony Blair has arrived for his party's annual conference as some activists become angry at the lack of progress on some issues.

© 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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