East Timor Atrocities Reported - The atrocities in East Timor are too horrible to contemplate. The Indonesian military is now openly supporting the marauding militia who are killing suspected pro-independence supporters. Decapitated heads stuck on sticks line the road into Dili. Thousands of refugees have been forced onto trucks and taken away. The news director of 2UE, a radio station in Sydney, says East Timorese evacuated to Darwin tell of horrendous atrocities. One woman who arrived in Darwin last night outlined how she saw a person have a child ripped from his arms, shot in front of him, then he witnessed the baby’s neck twisted in front of him. Although Australian troops are on standby Indonesia’s president Habibi has warned they will be viewed as an invading force if they go in East Timor.

Egyptian President Wounded - Egyptian officials are playing down today’s incident in which the Egyptian president was slightly wounded. The president has survived a series of assassination attempts, and today it appears there was another bid to take his life. It occurred when the president’s motorcade drove through a part near the Suez Canal, the president was waving through his car window at the crowds. They Police say a man with a knife plunged toward the president wounding him. The attacker was shot dead on the spot.

ACT Eyes Fight With National - Indications today that ACT intends to do National no favours in the run up to the election. A leaked memo from ACT chief of staff Christopher Milne says that with his party and New Zealand First level pegging in some opinion polls, ACT needs to change its strategy with regards to National, to “see you at the finish line”. Political commentators say this shows ACT intends to fight tooth and claw inspite of any pre-election coalition deals.

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