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A gunbattle continued through the afternoon in the army barracks in Suva in what is believed to be an attempt to seize control of Fiji's military forces. The fighting began early this afternoon at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks - at least three officers are reported to have been shot. The fighting is believed to involve regular army units and members of Fiji's special forces, the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit, who backed George Speight's coup in May.
I asked the Ministry of Information's permanent secretary Vuetasau Buatoka what information he has about the shooting. PREREC
Dennis Rounds from the Australian High Commission has been at the barracks - I asked him what he could see. PREREC
Joining me now is the Minister of Foregin Affairs Phil Goff. LIVE
Unemployment has dropped to a 12 year low and the result is being welcomed by the Government and businesses alike as a much-needed sign of health in the economy, after months of pessimism in many sectors. Unemployment is 5-point-9 percent for the three months to the end of September - down from 6-point-1 percent.
That's the lowest official jobless rate since mid-1988, and coincides with an all-time high in the workforce. To discuss the latest figures, I'm joined by our Economics Correspondent, Stephen Harris. LIVE WITH DROP INS
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The Whangarei gynaecologist Graham Parry has been found guilty of disgraceful conduct for his treatment of a Bay of Islands woman, Colleen Poutsma. The [illegible] Disciplinary Practitioners Tribunal released its findings today to Mr Parry and to the Poutsma family, after a three-day hearing in Waitangi last month. Mr Parry admitted he had let Mrs Poutsma down by failing to examine her properly and diagnose her cervical cancer, which is now terminal, but defended the charge, saying he had not intended to harm her. However the Tribunal has found the charge proved. Mrs Poutsma's husband, Jack says he has mixed emotions about the decision. PREREC
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Returning to our lead story - and the gunbattle which has broken out in the army barracks in Suva. The fighting began early this afternoon at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks - at least three officers are reported to have been shot and there are unconfirmed reports that the military commander, Frank Bainimarama, has been taken hostage. The fighting is believed to involve regular army units and members of Fiji's special forces, the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit, who backed George Speight's coup in May. Joining me now is our correspondent in Suva, Shalen Shandil. LIVE
The government is to radically overhaul the way the courts hear preliminary or deposition cases in a move it says will save thousands of hours in court time each year. A Law Commission report into Criminal Prosecution was this afternoon tabled in parliament urging the government to take on board recommendations it first made 10 years ago. Our justice reporter Tony Reid has that story. PKGE
Back to Fiji now where a gunbattle has broken out in the army barracks in Suva. The fighting began early this afternoon at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks - at least eight officers are reported to have been shot. The fighting is believed to involve regular army units and members of Fiji's special forces, the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit, who backed George Speight's coup in May. Joining us now is New Zealand's deputy high commissioner in Fiji, Roger Ball. LIVE
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by the Crown to lengthen the six year jail sentence handed down to the sex offender Morgan Fahey in June. The prominent Christchurch GP and former deputy mayor was imprisoned on 13 charges [illegible] crimes against patients, including one of rape. The Crown argued that the jail term did not adequately reflect the true seriousness and extent of the offending which occurred over 35 years. However in dismissing the appeal Justice Gault said six years was perhaps lenient, but not such as the Court of Appeal should intervene. Shona Geary joins us now. LIVE
With just five days to go until Americans choose their next president the prospect is emerging of an extremely rare result - a split vote. The race between George W Bush and Al Gore is so close that one man could win the popular vote - but the other takes the most votes in the Electoral College. Our Washington correspondent Robin Brant reports. PKGE
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