John Key angry at $1 billion ACC shortfall; Hercules on its way to Thailand; Air NZ black box on way to US for analysis; climbers trapped on Mt Cook; armed bank robbery in Wellington; Meridian gains access to Waitaki River

Prime Minister John Key says the Labour Government left a $1 billion shortfall in ACC that needs to be filled. He has ordered a ministerial inquiry into the matter, saying that it was "frustrating" not to have been informed of it before the election, reports the Herald. Officials warned in May that there was a shortfall in the non-earners account--the account used to pay accident compensation to those not in the workforce.

An Air Force Hercules is on its way to Thailand to evacuate New Zealanders stranded there by the civil unrest that shut Bangkok's two airports and caused travel chaos. There are an estimated 350,000 travellers stranded in Thailand. Thai judges yesterday ordered Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's ruling People Power Party to be disbanded after it was found guilty of vote fraud, reports the Herald. It is anti-government protesters who blockaded the airports.

The badly damaged cockpit voice recorder from the Air New Zealand Airbus 320 that crashed off the coast of Perpignan is headed to the US for analysis by its manufacturer, Honeywell. A second black box was recovered from the wreckage yesterday along with a third body.

Two Japanese climbers are trapped on Mt Cook at the same spot that cost Kiwi climber Mark Inglis his legs, reports the Press. Inglis and Philip Doole were trapped at the "Middle Peak Hotel" for 14 days in 1982. Inglis' frostbitten legs had to be amputated below the knee. The Japanese climbers, both men in their 40s, have spent at least five days up the mountain and will have to wait another two days for rescue as winds are too strong for a helicopter rescue.

Masked gunmen robbed a Wellington Post Shop and Kiwibank yesterday afternoon. More than a dozen customers were held hostage as the men demanded money and threatened to shoot anyone who tried to leave the shop. After about 60 seconds the men left with an undisclosed sum. Police were still searching for them last night.

Meridian Power has been granted access to Waitaki River water for its $900 million power scheme, leaving members of the group Waitaki First "gobsmacked", reports the Otago Daily Times. The power scheme would divert  water from the lower Waitaki River just above the Waitaki dam into a 34km-long tunnel with one powerhouse and an outfall at Stonewall, near Ikawai, generating enough electricity each year to power all the homes in Christchurch.