After days of denial, John Bank's campaign director, Brian Nicolle, has admitted he was indeed responsible for orchestrating the maildrop of circulars reprinting a National Business Review article critical of Mayoral candidate Dick Hubbard. He resigned this morning. Bob McNeil (3 News - live); John Banks (Mayor of Auckland); Dick Hubbard (Auckland Mayoral candidate); Titewhai Harawira (meeting mediator); Christine Fletcher (Auckland Mayoral candidate).
Report on the start of the trial of two Auckland men accused of running a massive passport and travel document forgery operation out of a Mt. Albert flat.
Further update on the trial of seven Pitcairn Islanders accused of sexual abuse.
The discovery of some old Maori bones is holding up a property development near Opotoki. Robert Edwards (Whakatohea); Steve Carter (developer); Toopi Kokere Wikotu (protester).
At a Coroner's Inquest today, an aviation expert and veteran pilot, Keith Mitchell, has criticised the actions and experience of the pilot of a plane that crashed last year near Christchurch Airport, killing 8 people, including 7 senior staff of Crop and Field Research. Keith Mitchell (aviation expert and pilot); Jonathan Eaton (legal counsel for victims' families); Det. Ashley Millen (Christchurch Police).
A Greek Olympic Airways plane has had to be diverted to Stansted Airport in London after a bomb threat.
Update on the British hostage crisis in Iraq.
A car bomb in Damascus, Syria, has killed a senior Hamas leader. The Israeli military has claimed responsibility.
Further report on the fall-out from the maildrop and resignation of John Bank's campaign director, Brian Nicolle. John Banks (Mayor of Auckland - live).