HEADLINES & NEWS
TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE DECLARED IN SOLOMON ISLANDS
In Solomon Islands, warring militias have signed a temporary ceasefire to allow Commonwealth foreign ministers to visit. The mission, which includes New Zealand's foreign affairs minister Phil Goff and his Australian counterpart, is going to the Solomons' capital Honiara in an effort to bring peace following Monday's attempted coup. They are expected to arrive tomorrow. The coup attempt was made by people from the island of Mailaita, who have been locked in a bloody struggle on Guadalcanal with the Isatabu Freedom Movement, who resent the Mailatans' presence there. New Zealand's High Commissioner in Honiara is Nick Hurley - he was involved in today's negotiations with the Malaita Eagle [illegible] and the IFM, and was hoping to get a 14 day ceasefire. PREREC
TOBRUK BOARDS EVACUEES BUT STAYS IN HARBOUR
Meanwhile, the Australian navy transport ship Tobruk is continuing to evacuate stranded Australian and New Zealand tourists from Honiara. Over four hundred evacuees have boarded the Tobruk and there's room for about six hundred more. Commodore Brian Robertson, Australia's deputy maritime commander, says that it has not yet been decided when the Tobruk will leave Honiara harbour, but regardless, he says the evacuees are happy to be aboard. AUDIO CUT
FIJI POLICE EVACUATE SOLOMONS
Among those waiting to be evacuated is the former head of the now disbanded multi national police force for the Solomons, Savanaca Tuivaga. He saw his Vanuatan police colleagues onto the Tobruk earlier today, and will return to Fiji with his men as soon as possible. At the moment, he says Honiara is calm but there has been trouble in other parts of Guadalcanal. AUDIO CUT
FIJI HOSTAGE CRISIS REMAINS UNRESOLVED
Fiji's hostage crisis is now entering its fourth week, with no sign of a [illegible].
The deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and more than 30 members of his government are still being held at gunpoint by coup leader George Speight and his gunmen at parliament. Today, a delegation of 20 Chiefs from Fiji's Western Division met George Speight to discuss a return to civilian Government.
I'm joined now by our reporter in Suva, Shona Geary. LIVE
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JURY OUT IN KARAM DEFAMATION CASE
The jury hearing the defamation case against author Joe Karam has begun its deliberations at the High Court in Auckland. Two former police officers are suing Karam for four hundred thousand dollars over claims he made in his book "David and Goliath". The book is about the conviction of David Blain for the slaying of his family - in it, Karum alleges police deficiencies in their investigation. Our reporter Melita Tull is at the court - she joins me now.
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CAMPAIGN FASTRACKED TO GET SPEED DOWN
The Land Transport Safety Authority and the Police have unveiled a new road safety campaign aimed at discouraging young drivers from speeding. In the past two years more than five-hundred young drivers were involved in serious accidents caused by speeding - 114 died. The TV ad campaign was launched at a secondary school on Auckland's North Shore because of community concern there about the young drivers' behaviour. Julian Robins compiled this report. PKG
PRODUCER GETS ALMOST QUARTER MILLION
A former police video producer has won a large damages payout from his former employer. The High Court has awarded George Brickell, the former head of the police national video unit, just over 243 thousand dollars for pain and suffering as well as loss of earnings because he had to retire 13 years early due to ill health.
Our Court Reporter Merle Nowland has read the judgement and joins us now. LIVE
LAWYER SAYS ENQUIRY HINDERED
The lawyer hired by the family of Waitara man Stephen Wallace shot by police two months ago is accusing the police of hindering his enquiry. John Rowan QC says the police are refusing to give him information because they said they are still interviewing witnesses. And he says delays in getting the information he wants means he won't be able to give informed advice to the Wallace family when police announce if they are going to lay any charges. I spoke to Mr Rowan and to Superintendent Mark Lammas the district police manager, first asking Mr Rowan to explain his complaint. PREREC
SEALS SCORING SALMON GET SHORT SHRIFT
A few months ago, Checkpoint reported that fur seals with a taste for salmon were costing marine farmers in the Marlborough Sounds millions of dollars every year. This week, out of desperation, New Zealand King Salmon, one of the largest salmon producers in the country, is trying a radical move to try and ease the problem. It's applied to DOC to transport up to 100 seals a month to the West Coast and South Otago - Claire Silvester has this report: PKG
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