Olympics: Partying Too Hard – Roumanian Weightlifters – Knives Out For Jenny – Paula Yates Dies – Travis Burns
Sentenced – Climber Falls –Queenstown
OLYMPICS: NZ Olympic hopes gleam a little brighter tonight. Sarah Ulmer rides tonight. NZ’s riders all rode faultless
cross-country rides today. Other Olympic News:
- PARTYING TOO HARD: Nightly dance parties in Sydney Streets are being closed down. In Martin Place people are watching
the Olympics in a city square. At night Martin Place has become a drunken melee. Martin Place has been partying hard
till 2am. In circular quay 20,000 gathered at night to watch a big TV. Transport trouble has not eventuated. Trains are
running well. Road transport is more of a mess. Ban on dancing and drinking in Martin Place will remain till people no
longer feel intimidated.
- ROUMANIAN WEIGHTLIFTERS: Weightlifters have been allowed back in to the competition after paying a $100,000 fine. So
far at least 30 athletes and coaches have pulled out of been pushed out. The games may be becoming a turning point in
world sport. US anti-doping official hopes the drug agency will be made independent from the IOC.
KNIVES OUT FOR JENNY: Claims from Richard Prebble that Jenny Shipley is about to be rolled are being denied by the
party. Prebble is citing Bill English as a likely replacement. From the PM down the response to the claims are that
Prebble himself is in trouble – both in the polls – and on is leadership. Murray McCully – accused of being the numbers
man – says he is not. Changing leaders at this stage would be bad politics so it seems unlikely.
PAULA YATES DIES: An autopsy is being carried out to find the cause of the death of Paula Yates – the former partner of
Michael Hutchence and Bob Geldof – she was found dead in her bed by her four year old daughter Tigerlilly. There is no
sign of violence and reports say that Yates died of an alcohol/drug cocktail. Michael Hutchence’s father says he is in
no hurry to get custody of
TRAVIS BURNS SENTENCED: Travis Burns mother defends her son following the sentencing of Burns for the murder of Joanne
McCarthy. Burns has been sentenced to a minimum of 15 years jail. The longer sentence was justified under home invasion
laws and because the murder was brutal and took place in the company of McCarthy’s two children. After the murder
McCarthy’s body was put in the bath. Burns will be back in court next week on charges of escaping.
CLIMBER FALLS: A Gisborne climber has died falling off the north face of the Eiger. The death was recorded on camera but
TV3 did not show the footage.
QUEENSTOWN SLIP: Queenstown bound motorists have to avoid a slip and drive via Wanaka or Gore. Amcam footage shows the
slip. The cleanup has not been able to begin yet.