The Air New Zealand-Ansett crisis continues. In Australia, thousands of Ansett workers have been meeting in Melbourne to discuss their next move - we'll cross live to our reporter there shortly. On this side of the Tasman, Air New Zealand's nine thousand workers are calling for urgent support for a recovery plan to save the airline. Unions representing the workers met with the airline's chief executive, Gary Toomey, in Auckland to express their concern about the company's financial state.
Emerging from the meeting, Mr Toomey said the talks were confidential. He says the airline is working to try and put together a recapitalisation package, but that it is not up to him to comment on the viability of Air New Zealand. CUT
All Air New Zealand executives and its board members are refusing to be interviewed on Checkpoint. But a short time ago, Air New Zealand's acting chairman Jim Farmer called a media conference - our reporter Julian Robins is there and joins me now. LIVE
Joining us now is the Council of Trade Unions President, Ross Wilson. LIVE
In Australia, thousands of Ansett workers packed into a meeting in Melbourne to discuss their futures. As they met, Qantas announced it would employ some of them - Qantas spokesperson Michael Sharp says Ansett's collapse has increased demand for Qantas flights which means more jobs are on offer. As they filed into the meeting, Ansett workers told our reporter Eric Frykberg what they hoped to get out of it. VOX POPS Eric Frykberg has been following today's events - he joins me now from Melbourne. LIVE WITH DROP IN
Overseas - and as rescue teams continue to search the rubble of the World Trade Centre and Pentagon, the United States president George Bush is declaring his [illegible] will hunt down fugitive guerrilla leader Osama bin Laden and take him [illegible] or alive." Mr Bush says America has embarked on a new and dangerous road as it confronts those responsible for the attacks, which have left more than five thousand people dead or missing.
And he is warning that his anti-terrorism campaign will come at a cost. Earlier, Afghanistan's supreme leader was warned by Pakistani officials to either turn over Osama bin Laden or face a US attack. Our Washington correspondent Vicki Ford compiled this report. PKGE
I asked our correspondent in New York Shona Geary how President Bush's war talk is being recieved on the city's streets. PREREC
In the latest developments, further meetings are being held between Pakistan's mission to Afghanistan and the country's Taliban rulers. In the last hour, Pakistan's intelligence chief is reported to have left the embassy in the Afghan capital Kabul for a meeting. No other details are avilable at this stage. READER
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The terror attacks on the United States have been the subject of a special snap debate in the New Zealand parliament this afternoon, with the Opposition accusing the government of being tardy and mean spirited in its reponse to the terrorism. The debate saw parties on both sides of the house trading insults, ending the unity they first displayed immediately after the attacks. Here's our political reporter, Mark Torley. PKGE
While New Zealand politicians were arguing, in the United States, the financial markets have begun trading again for the first time since the attacks as Steve Mort reports. PKGE
As Air New Zealand's future remains unclear, it needs more than ever to retain the confidence of travellers whose bookings ultimately keep it in business. David Stewart, who is the director of Victoria University's MBA and post-graduate diploma in marketing programmes, believes the airline needs to [illegible] presenting itself as being in business as usual. I asked him how it should deal with the anti-Kiwi sentiments being aired in the important Australian market. PREREC
Australia's refugee crisis continues, with some asylum seekers refusing to disembark from the Australian navyship the Manoora now that it has arrived at Nauru. Australian army personnel are now on the small Pacific island, preparing to move up to 520 boat people off the ship following a court decision overturning an earlier ruling to return them to Australia. The army is building makeshift accommodation for the refugees, some of whom will be coming to New Zealand. I asked the chief secretary for Nauru's Government Mathew Batsuia what preparations the island is making. PREREC
A conference has begun in Auckland in an effort to come up with an action plan which will improve the city's long-term sustainability.
Its 300 delegates will also put together a strategy to monitor the city's overall environmental health. Our reporter Brad Markham is at the conference and filed this report. PKGE
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