Wellington  - The Maritime Union of New Zealand slated Friday a free trade agreement negotiated between New Zealand, Australia and the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), saying it was bad for workers because it included Myanmar.

Union general secretary Trevor Hanson said it would boost the "violently anti-worker regime in Myanmar and threatened workers rights."

He said the union had many concerns about the treatment of Myanmarese maritime workers, some of whom worked in New Zealand waters and had been mistreated and abused in the past.

Wellington - New

Wellington  - New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters was reportedly facing the sack Friday after the Serious Fraud Office announced an investigation into donations by wealthy entrepreneurs to his political party.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said she would talk to Peters during the day to discuss allegations that the donations "did not reach their intended destination" and involved "serious and complex fraud."

Wellington, Aug 28 : When it comes to driving, women are better than men, according to a new survey.

The latest survey AA Insurance found that while men were more confident in their driving, it didn''t make them better than the opposite sex.

In the poll of 2573 drivers, aged between 18 and 75, a quarter of men described themselves as impatient drivers, compared with 19 per cent of women.

"Men are more inclined than women to exhibit a range of risk taking behaviours while on the road," the NZPA quoted AA Insurance chief executive Chris Curtin, as saying.

"Men are more inclined to speed, show aggression, fall asleep behind the wheel and to identify themselves as impatient,” he added.

Wellington - New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters Thursday challenged the country's Serious Fraud Office to prosecute him as a political row over a donation he received from a wealthy businessman continued to rage.

Peters issued a statement challenging the office to charge him, saying it had been "creeping around back doors dropping hints and providing media speculation but not finding any evidence of wrongdoing or illegality" on his part.

Wellington - New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark rejected demands on Wednesday to sack Foreign Minister Winston Peters over a cash donation from a billionaire businessman.

Clark faced persistent questioning in parliament after the release of a letter from billionaire Owen Glenn saying that Peters had asked him for money towards a legal bill in 
2005 and later thanked him personally for his 100,000 New Zealand dollars (about 70,000 US dollars) donation.