Taupo Rescue – Olympics – Roumanian Gymnast – Thunder Storms – Forecourt Fury – Greek Ferry Disaster – S26 – Yugoslavia – East Timor – School Guinea Pigs
TAUPO RESCUE: Brian Pikering is the hero of a rescue in the Kaimanawa ranges today. John Painting describes being caught in a blizzard. Experienced tramper Brian Pikering stumbled across John and his son by chance. The long ordeal ended with a helicopter ride back to base. Pickering is a reluctant hero and does not want to make the matter into a big deal. TV3 has learned that police told the Paintings that they should not go into the hills that day. John Painting says he didn’t know the storm was coming.
OLYMPICS: Dutch beat Spain keeping the NZ Hockey Team’s hopes alive today but a moment ago the Women’s Hockey Team was down 5 to 1 to Argentina. The NZ Soling crew is in a playoff for semi-finals. Toni Hodgkinson has failed to qualify for the final in the 1500 metres.
ROUMANIAN GYMNAST: Gold medal winning gymnast Raducan has been stripped of a medal for taking a headache pill. Several of Raducan’s team mates have returned their medals in disgust. She is attempting to get her medal back and has lots of sympathy. Meanwhile a positive dope test for a hammer thrower is continuing to cause problems for officials . Olympic officials maintain that they are winning the war on drugs.
THUNDER STORMS: Driving rain and thunder struck towards the end of Day 10 at the Olympics.
FORECOURT FURY: A motorist angered by petrol prices today drove through a petrol station shop front in Auckland. BP says it is concerned about angry motorists every where. They think motorists are being unreasonable.
GREEK FERRY DISASTER: 28 bodies have been found and 52 bodies are missing from a ferry accident in the Agean Sea.
S26: Police clash with protestors and smash McDonalds in Prague. All day Prague resembled a battle ground. Protestors used the paving stones of the ancient city to attack the IMF and World Bank who they accuse of hurting the poor. The police would not say how many protestors they have arrested. Delegates at the conference say they understand the concerns of the protestors. Meetings of the IMF and World Bank will resume in the morning – evening NZT.
YUGOSLAVIA: The opposition candidate is claiming victory in the Yugoslavian elections.
EAST TIMOR: The UN is adopting a get tough approach to militia in East Timor. NZ and Portuguese troops have been involved in fire fights with militia. It is not known whether militia were injured in the clash with Portuguese troops. NZ troops shot one militia member yesterday. The UN has now adopted an active policy against the militia.
SCHOOL GUINEA PIGS: A small demonstration
and a furry one. Guinea pigs used to criticise a new
qualification programme about to be introduced into
secondary schools. The Minister of Education says it is an
amusing break away group that is involved in the protests,
with amusing tactics. The PPTA says there has been lots of
consultation with teachers on the NCEA, the replacement for
School
Cert.