TV3 NATIONAL NEWS. 16/01/1991

The army’s medical support team flew out to Bahrain today. Speaker; Jim Bolger (Prime Minister)

Betty Duffield, an 80 year old peace campaigner, returns from 3 weeks of protesting in the Gulf. 4 other New Zealanders remain at the peace camp on the Saudi Iraq border. 400 other new Zealanders remain in the region. Speakers: Jim Bolger, (Prime Minister) Denis Lairds (From Qatar)

A number of air lines have rerouted flights to avoid the Persian Gulf. Among them Singapore Airlines. Security has been stepped up at airports around the world. Locally, the police anti terrorist unit has been placed on alert for possible trouble.

Don Mckinnon and Warren Cooper left Fiji for Niue today, having healed a diplomatic rift between Wellington and Suva. Opposition leader Queenie Bavandra, has lost an important ally in her fight against the Military Regime.

In Cristchurch, family and friends of a man found floating in the Heathcote river yesterday, are disputing a police claim he fell in to the river after trying to steal a car. They believe he was beaten and then thrown into the river where he drowned.

People who brought some Shiseido skin care products before a cancer alert went out will be able to get their money back. The company says it is reformulating the products. In the mean time they are off the shelves along with 5 Clarins products.

New Zealand witnessed an annular eclipse at mid day today. Speaker: Jean Maucherat, (French Astronomer)