Solomon Islands Coup – Fiji Coup – Burnt And Naked – Drug Bust – Olympic Flame – Wainuiomata Robbery – Jim Anderton On
Confidence – Political Headlines – Editorial: Fiji
SOLOMON ISLANDS COUP: The Dominion leads today with a report on the Solomon Islands coup. A report says that New Zealand
diplomatic troubleshooter John Hayes arrived in the Solomon Islands just before yesterday’s coup in which armed rebels
seized control of the capital Honiara and held PM Bartholomew Ulufa’alu at gunpoint. The front page photo carries
pictures of the Malaita Eagles militia occupying the Telekom offices in Honiara after they cut communications. A
location map shows where the Solomon Islands are.
Also on the front page:
- FIJI COUP: a report that the Fiji Crisis lurched toward confrontation yesterday as the army vetoed George Speight’s
demands and ordered him to free the 31 hostages immediately.
- BURNT AND NAKED: a report that a naked man was found wandering the streets of Rotorua in shock after falling into a
hot pool early yesterday;
- DRUG BUST: a report that police seized cannabis, methamphetamine, ammunition and $46,000 yesterday after they spotted
a drug deal taking place on the side of a road in South Auckland;
- OLYMPIC FLAME: a report that the Olympic Flame, lit in Queenstown yesterday by veteran athlete Peter Snell arrives in
Wellington this morning;
- WAINUIOMATA ROBBERY: a report that a publican, whose hands were tied during a robbery in Wainuiomata, freed himself of
a gag and called police by punching out 111 with a pen held between his teeth;
- JIM ANDERTON ON CONFIDENCE: a report that deputy PM Jim Anderton is putting a new spin on the slump in business
confidence, saying the “fragility” of the business community underscores the need for the government’s approach.
Inside Political Headlines:
- POLITICAL WEEK: Alliance puzzle how to avoid suffocation by Labour;
- Quit-smoking funds approved, say greens;
- Police in sympathy with rebels says Goff;
- Shipley: youth confused on cannabis laws;
- Iti missed real reason behind coup – Tamihere;
- Anderton spurns Greens.
EDITORIAL – FIJI: In the fallout from the coup in Fiji the concern that comes closest to the bone is that some NZ
activists approve of the armed overthrow of the Government.