S11 – Cancer Inquiry – Train Manslaughter – Bombs – European Oil Protests Expand – Tokyo Poison – Lambs Die
S11: One battle may have ended but the war is far from over. In the past hour thousands of protestors have given up
their siege of the Crown Casino in Melbourne, allowing delegates at the World Economic Forum to leave. Most of the time
today police were boxed in trying to protect gateways. The protest was supposed to be non-violent but with 10,000
protestors and 2000 police some violence was inevitable. Horses colide with protestors. Policemen are crushed behind a
fence. An S11 protest spokesman says he is declaring victory at the end of the day. The delegates in the conference
arrived by helicopter and by boat. The WA Premiere was stranded in his vandalised car for 40 minutes before police
charged. 1000s of unionists are expected to join in tomorrow when the protests resume.
CANCER INQUIRY: Gisborne cancer inquiry re-convened today to discuss asking the High Court to force the Ministry of
Health to give up cervical smear records to the inquiry.
TRAIN MANSLAUGHTER: A train-driver has gone on trial for manslaughter over a crane crash. At issue in the trial is
TranzRail’s method of controlling trains. The driver is accused of failing to read his instructions. His lawyer says the
system is the problem. TranzRail has now added a second line of defence to the system.
BOMBS: Two men have been arrested over home-made bomb explosions in Palmerston North.
OIL PROTESTS EXPAND: OPEC has now agreed to pump out extra oil, but plans are underway in Denmark to widen French
protests against high oil prices throughout Europe.
TOKYO POISON: A poison gas alert in Tokyo has led to evacuations. A parcel sent to a medicine company in blamed.
LAMBS DIE: Sun returns to the South Island today but too late for thousands of lambs killed in wintry weather. Lots of
slink lambs at the lamb slinker. More cheerful scene on a Geraldine farm where the sun has come out. He has had 300mm of
rain in three weeks. A house at Shag Point near Dunedin has lost its front lawn to the sea.