Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
TV3 News
Cuban Boy x 2 - Bee Mites - Assassination - Alexandra -Tarlton Theft - WestpacTrust Bank In Teachers Sights
CUBAN BOY: The world is watching a suburban street in Miami. Elian Gonzalez was due to be handed over to his father today. A huge crowd has gathered outside the house the Cuban boy is being held by relatives. Gloria Estefan turns up to the protest. Family have released a video of the boy saying "papa I do not want to go to Cuba". Relatives have been accused of coaching. The US Attorney General says she will send in Federal Marshalls if necessary to get the boy. Janet Reno says she will do so fairly and reasonably. An emergency court order has temporarily stopped the boy leaving.
CUBAN BOY: Live cross to Miami. For the moment the family appear to have won. More than 100 protestors are gathered here. There is a celebratory atmosphere. The Justice Dept lawyers will respond tomorrow morning at 9.30am. The court will then have to decide whether Elian can appeal for asylum.
BEE MITES: Test results in Otago for Bee Mite contamination come back negative to the delight of an apiarist. Other bee keepers say they plan to manage their way through the new problem. In Opotiki another bee keeper also gets a negative response. MAF has organised a test to try to find the extent of the infestation. If it is not too widespread bee hives near the contaminated sites may be bee eliminated. Compensation is being asked for.
ASSASSINATION: In Samoa two former Cabinet Ministers have been sentenced to hang for murder. The former Ministers are maintaining their innocence. The family of the victim says the verdict is a great relief for the family and the country. The Prime Minister says it is an important lesson to the ordinary Samoan that you do not have to actually carry out a murder to be held responsible. The Head of State of Samoa has the power to commute the sentence.
ALEXANDRA: Wellington consultants have come up with a plan to demolish half of Alexandra at a cost of $23 million to fix its flooding problem. A delegation was told on Wednesday that the government didn't know want to do.
TARLTON THEFT: A staff-member from the Kelly Tarlton museum has been charged with the theft of $500,000 of jewelry.
BANK IN TEACHERS SIGHTS: WestpacTrust's latest ad campaign has angered teachers for portraying them as authoritarian. WestpacTrust declined an interview on bank charges. $3 Billion of teacher salaries go through WestpacTrust. Jim Anderton sympathises for the teachers. Teachers may be the first customers of his new Kiwi Bank.
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.
Gordon Campbell: On The Coalition’s Awful, Not Good, Very Bad Poll Results
Ian Powell: Policy Vacuum Enables For-profit Corporate General Practice Ownership By Stealth
Gordon Campbell: On Iran Killing Its Rappers, And Searching For The Invisible Dr. Reti
Peter Dunne: MPs Unusually Quiet On Pay Rise
Ian Powell: Cuba And New Zealand: A Relationship Worthy Of Strengthening
Gordon Campbell: On bird flu, AUKUS entry fees and Cindy Lee