HEADLINES & NEWS
In Fiji, the manhunt continues for the army mutineers who waged a deadly gunbattle in Suva yesterday with loyal troops. 15 of the rebels have been captured - another 15 are still on the run. The rebels are members of Fiji's special forces unit, which backed George Speight's May coup. Reports vary on the death toll from yesterday's mutiny at the Queen Elizabeth barracks - the Fiji military says eight died, while the Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, has put the toll at 11. Suva is under curfew as the army continues its manhunt - the army's spokesperson Major Howard Politini told me that the rebels still on the run are likely to be hiding in the bush or seeking refuge with Speight supporters. I/V
[illegible] has resulted in much of central Suva being deserted, as shops and schools close. I asked a local Indo-Fijian businessman who doesn't want to be named what the situation is like in his neighbourhood. I/V
A Melborne laboratory has reviewed the cervical smear slides of a Northland woman Colleen Poutsma and it concludes that the slides were NOT misread. Mrs Poutsma is dying of cervical cancer and the gynaecologist who initially failed to diagnose the disease, Graham Parry, has been found guilty of disgraceful conduct. Mrs Poutsma had a series of normal smear tests and, after a request from the family, the Health Funding Authority sent seven of her slides for rereading by the Victorian Cytology Service headed by Dr Gabrielle Medley. Wyn Bennett from the HFA says Melbourne reviewers found no consistent difference between the Northland laboratory's standard of reporting and their own. I/V
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In the Middle East - the fragile deal to halt the bloodiest Israeli Palestinian violence in years remains intact tonight, despite a car bomb explosion near a [illegible] Jerusalem market which killed two Israelis, and wounded ten others. One of the dead was the daughter of the leader of the right-wing National Religious Party - while demands for retribution for the killings are expected, the Israeli Government has not authorised any official crackdown. Islamic militiants have claimed responsibility for the explosion, which came just hours after Palestinian President Yassar Arafat and Israeli Nobel laureate Shimon Peres, announced a truce. I asked correspondent Barbara Plett whether it was a deliberate attempt to end the agreement. I/V
The future of the Christchurch to Invercargill passenger train is in doubt. Tranzrail's managing director Michael Beard says the Southerner is losing money and could be up for review and closure. Mr Beard's comment comes after Tranzrail announced it wants to move out of passenger trains to concentrate on freight. Mark Torley filed this report. PKGE
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To the United States election campaign now, where it's emerged that George W Bush has been arrested for drink driving. The Republican candidate for president was pulled over by police in 1976, near his family home in Maine - he admitted being over the limit and was fined. Our Washington correspondent Robin Brant reports. PKGE
The owner of a Christchurch rest home where a resident was allegedly killed by another resident rejects the findings of a Health Funding Authority audit which has found it is not fully complying with its HFA contract. The audit of the Santa Maria rest home has found six areas where it is not complying and 31 areas where it is partially complying. It was launched after 93 year old Alicia Doreen Grant was found dead at the home in September. Another resident was charged with murder but they have since died. John MacDonald has more. PKGE
Returning now to our earlier story, the manhunt continues for the Fiji army mutineers believed to be hiding in Suva after a failed army revolt yesterday. 15 of the rebels have been captured - another 15 are still on the run. The [illegible] are members of Fiji's special forces unit, which backed George Speight's May coup. A 24 hour curfew is in place in Suva until tomorrow morning, while the manhunt continues. The prime minister has just finished making a statement to the nation - joining us now is William Parkinson. LIVE I/V
Local authorities are being urged to build more shaded areas in public spaces to slow down the growing incidence of skin cancer. New Zealand has the world's highest rate of skin cancer - and one of the most lethal types of the cancer, melanoma, kills about 200 New Zealanders each year. But today in Wellington, an Australian architect, John Greenwood told a Cancer Society seminar that people need to start doing more than just slapping on sun screen.
Veronika Meduna filed this report. PKGE
There is stiff opposition to an application from the Forest Research Institute to field test genetically-engineered trees.
The Institute wants to test the trees' herbicide resitance and reproductive gene development - this week it's been putting its case to a Enviromental Risk Management Authority hearing in Rotorua. Andrew McRae reports the application has attracted 700 submissions - most opposed to the trial. PKGE
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