HEADLINES & NEWS
The political turmoil rocking Argentina is contuining, despite the resignation of the President, Fernando de la Rua. The president resigned this morning following widespread rioting and looting sparked by massive opposition to his government's austerity measures. At least 20 people have died in the violence, described as the worst social unrest seen in Argentina in more than a decade. The BBC's Robin Denslow filed this report. PKGE
I asked Dan Krishock from the Buenos Aires Herald, if the president's resignation will end the trouble. PREREC
[illegible] Labour Minister Tariana Turia is under renewed attack after the release of official papers showing that two government department heads had raised serious concerns about her involvement in several cases. Ms Turia is Associate Minister of Social Services and Associate Corrections Minister and last month came under attack from the National Party, which accused her of interfering in prison operations. The latest documents reveal that the General Manager of Public Prisons Phil Mccarthy questioned Ms Turia's involvement in individual inmates' complaints. Other papers reveal a terse exchange between Ms Turia and the head of Child Youth and Family Jackie Brown over the Minister's wish to be involved in a case over a mother's access to her children. National spokesperson Tony Ryall is calling for the Minster's resignation - he joins me now. LIVE
To the Pacific now - and Fiji's suspension from the Commonwealth has been lifted, prompting New Zealand to remove sanctions imposed after last year's coup. Nathan Mills reports that the moves are in recognition of Fiji's moves to restore democracy following the coup. PKGE
BUSINESS NEWS WITH PATRICK O'MEARA
In Afghanistan, the British Royal Marines are beginning their peacekeeping mission in the capital Kabul. Our Washington correspondent Steve Mort reports. PKGE
The holiday exodus from the cities has begun. There has been heavy traffic out of both Auckland and Wellington, while in the South Island there have already been more than 30 crashes. One in Blenheim was fatal. Well in Auckland, reporter Brad Markham is on the motorway near Spaghetti Junction and he joins us now........ LIVE
Traffic out of Wellington is also heavy - our reporter Antony Byers is at the notorious State Highway One bottleneck at Paremata Bridge. LIVE
Hollywood film journalists are picking a Best Picture Oscar nomination for the New Zealand-made Fellowship of the Ring movie. Eric Frykberg reports. PKGE
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with JOHNNIE BLADES
Time now for a review of the year's major news stories, and of course the date September 11 eclipses all others. In the worst terrorist attack ever seen - hijackers seized four airliners, crashing two of them into the twin towers of New York's World Trade Centre. Another was flown into the Pentagon in Washington - the fourth crashed in Pennsylvania, killing all aboard. Several hours later, while emergency workers struggled to save trapped survivors, the damaged World Trade Centre collapsed. The total number of dead and missing stands at three thousand two hundred and twenty-five. MONTAGE
Back in this country, major stories which have dominated the news include the killing of yachting legend Sir Peter Blake, the decision to allow GE trials, the government bailout of the financially troubled Air New Zealand and the health sector funding crisis. One story which pre-occupied New Zealand was the Employment Court case involving the Department of Work and Income's controversial chief executive Christine Rankin - and her dress style. MONTAGE
To sport now - the essence here being winners and losers. On the winning side, the [illegible] of golfing star Tiger Woods to play the New Zealand Golf Open is rated as the biggest sport story of 2001 by a poll of this country's sports journalists. On the losing side, the dumping of All Black coach Wayne Smith shook rugby fans, while the decision not to reappoint Yvonne Willering as Silver Ferns coach shocked the netball world. MONTAGE
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