Fiji Coup: Commonwealth - McKinnon - Speight - Solomon Islands: CMAG - Agreement - Middle East Peace - Helen Clark On
Parental Leave - Vets Strike - False Alarm Fees - Auckland Murder
FIJI COUP - COMMONWEALTH: Fiji Has been suspended from the Commonwealth's decision making councils. The move is similar
to that taken against Pakistan last year. Following a meeting of the Ministerial Advisory Group in London a delegation
of ministers will travel to Fiji immediately.
FIJI COUP - MCKINNON: Don McKinnon says Fiji may face full suspension from the Commonwealth if democracy is not
restored.
FIJI COUP - SPEIGHT: Rebel leader George Speight says while his supporters are willing to die for the cause there will
be no attack by the military. The number of supporters of the coup in the Parliamentary compound has fallen to around
150 from 1500 last week.
SOLOMON ISLANDS - CMAG: The special meeting of the Commonwealth Action Group also condemned the coup in the Solomon
Islands. CMAG called for an immediate return to the rule of law.
SOLOMON ISLANDS - AGREEMENT: An agreement has been reached in the Solomon Islands which will lead to the withdrawal of
the letter asking for the PM's resignation. The normal constitutional process will now be followed. The High
Commissioner says he hopes commercial flights will be restored soon.
MIDDLE EAST PEACE: Middle East peace talks have made progress. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have agreed to meet
in Washington next week to make concrete progress on a peace deal by September.
HELEN CLARK ON PARENTAL LEAVE: The PM Helen Clark has said it has never been suggested that employer funded parental
leave was Government policy.
VETS STRIKE: A meat industry spokesman has warned that up to 20,000 workers may need to be suspended if MAF vets
continue to disrupt meat processing. Brian Lynch says that any further disruptions might lead to suspensions.
FALSE ALARM FEES: The fire service is considering doubling the penalty on building owners for false alarms. The fine
could be doubled to $1000. The Fire Service doesn't want to make money a spokesman says, if the building owners won't
upgrade their alarm systems then they will just have to pay.
AUCKLAND MURDER: Police in Auckland have launched a homicide inquiry after finding a woman's body in the Glen Innes
reserve last night. The reserve has been cordoned off.