National Radio Midday Bulletin

More Kiwis Evacuated - Pm To Resign? - March Shut Down - Jones Accused Appears - Taxi Murderer Accused - Syria’s New Pres - Justice Programme Welcomed - Police Disgusted - Airforce Resignation - Public Transport Initiative - Iranian Fraud

MORE KIWIS EVACUATED: More New Zealanders are being evacuated from Honiara as tension rises in the Solomon Islands. The Australian frigate sent to the islands has been joined by its New Zealand counterpart HMS Te Mana.

PM TO RESIGN?: The Foreign Minister, Phil Goff, believes the Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Barthalomew Ulufa'alu is likely to resign in the next few days.

MARCH SHUT DOWN: The military in Fiji have shut down a planned protest march against coup leader George Speight because the organisers didn't have a permit to go ahead.

JONES ACCUSED APPEARS: The man accused of murdering Auckland woman Kylie Jones has made his first appearance in court today. Appearing disshevelled, the man been remanded for a psychiatric assessment.

TAXI MURDERER ACCUSED: A 20-year-old unemployed Paeroa man has appeared in the Wellington District Court charged with the murder of Lower Hutt taxi driver last Thursday.

SYRIA’S NEW PRES: Bashar al-Assad, expected to become Syria's next president, has told the United States President Bill Clinton he will pursue his father's aims of achieving peace in the Middle East.

JUSTICE PROGRAMME WELCOMED: A justice reform group says the government’s $5 million restorative justice programme is long overdue.

POLICE DISGUSTED: Police in Auckland say they are disgusted by the ghoulish behaviour of some motorists who rubbernecked after a fatal accident involving four vehicles.

AIRFORCE RESIGNATION: The Air Force’s base commander at Ohakea says the resignation of seven senior pilots is a serious blow to the force.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT INITIATIVE: The government wants to get more people on buses and trains by offering 27-million dollars worth of new public transport incentives to local authorities.

IRANIAN FRAUD: An Iranian defector who claims to have evidence that Iran orchestrated the 1998 Lockerbie bombing was reported to be a fraud.

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