ONE NEWS. 27/02/2006

News, sport and weather.
The PM has been defending Cabinet Minister David Benson-Pope again today as more claims continue to surface about complaints made against him during his time as a teacher at Bayfield High School. Helen Clark (PM - Labour); David Benson-Pope (Social Development Minister - speaking in December 2005); Judith Collins (National MP).

A ban on the sale of chewing tobacco is being openly flouted across the country by dairies supplying the local Indian community. Manan Singh (Tobacco Chewer); Subhash Shetty (Surgeon); Graeme Gillespie (Health Ministry).

Joseph Thomas, the man known as Jihad Jack has become the first person convicted under Australia's new antiterrorism laws. Jack Thomas (Prisoner); Robert Stary (Thomas' Lawyer).

A bird flu expert says NZ is safe from the threat of the spread of H5N1 from migrating birds, and that the country is well prepared. Shigeru Omi (World Health Organisation); Pete Hodgson (Health Minister).

NZ's annual trade deficit has rocketed to just over $7 billion - the worst in 30 years. Phil O'Reilly (Business NZ).

Work has begun again on a stalled Cook Islands hotel development after 15 years of no progress. Pa Tepaeru Ariki (Landowner); Kelly McEwan (NZ Developer); Tim Tepaki (NZ Developer).