HIV and Immigration - HIV Risk in ChCh - Alliance Spending Plans - Tauranga Accommodation - Americas Cup - Indian Cyclone - Berlin Wall Anniversary - Commercial Driving Crackdown - Wellington Water - Court Appearance For "Hit" Accused - Phone Gridlock In Wgtn

HIV AND IMMIGRATION: Public Health professionals are condemning a government decision to test and ban immigrants with HIV. They also say it is wrong because it creates an unreal expectation that people will be safer. Others describe it as "irrational xenophobia" and says it is not constructive. Minister says the professionals and officials are wrong.

HIV RISK: A Christchurch HIV support group claims two HIV positive men in Christchurch are having unsafe sex. Police say there are no complaints.

ALLIANCE SPENDING PLANS: Alliance says it wants to spend an extra $2 billion more than Labour wants to spend. It says it will bring back tariffs and raise taxes to pay for the extra expenditure. Jim Anderton says his policy is fiscally conservative but Michael Cullen says Labour will only. Cullen says that Alliance policy is based on "heroic assumptions".

TAURANGA ACCOMMODATION: Helen Clark says the Labour Party has rejected a request from Katherine O'Regan for Margaret Wilson to stand aside in Tauranga.

AMERICAS CUP: Americas Cup syndicates are checking the hulls on their boats today after Young America cracked in two yesterday. America One says they are double checking their boat. Today's racing has been postponed with gale force winds forecast. This is good news for Young America who say they are going to repair USA 53. Auckland Harbour Master is warning spectators to wear life-jackets.

INDIAN CYCLONE: The army is struggling to contain disease in the cyclone ravaged Indian province of Orissa. Starvation and disease epidemics are killing lots of people.

BERLIN WALL ANNIVERSARY: George Bush, Helmut Kohl and Mikhail Gorbachev recall their parts in the fall of the Berlin wall 10 years ago. A bitter sweet memory for many Germans.

COMMERCIAL DRIVING CRACKDOWN: The LTSA says the crackdown on substandard commercial vehicles will continue. So far 31 vehicles have been ordered off the road. The LTSA says the campaign's have had a strong response.

WELLINGTON WATER: Wellington, Porirua, Lower and Upper Hutt councils are considering the water supply structure in Wellington. Chairman of Regional Council Stuart McCaskill says he is concerned about corporatisation of the water supply company.

COURT APPEARANCE FOR "HIT" ACCUSED: Women to appear in court on aggravated burglary charge in relation to what is said to be a "hit". The woman is 52 and has been charged with a 30-year-old man. Police are offering a cash reward for the whereabouts of a third suspect.

PHONE GRIDLOCK: 40,000 phone subscribers had phones jammed this morning in Central Wellington with a Telecom exchange problem.

© 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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