EAST TIMOR: Martial Law Having No Effect – Refugees – Human Rights --- OTHER NEWS: APEC Fair Flop – Athens Quake – Labour Policy – Ansett – Rural GPs – Y2k Dry Run

MARTIAL LAW HAVING NO EFFECT: With no sign of marrtial law having any effect in East Timor Bishop Carlos Belo has joined the calls for urgent international action.

REFUGEES: The UN says more than 40,000 East Timorese have already left their homes. Many East Timorese are crowded into the UN compound in Dili where there is no room and they are under siege.

HUMAN RIGHTS: Refugees and Human Rights groups are criticising the government for not putting East Timor on the APEC agenda. The groups – at a protest meeting in Auckland last night - say that it is a fallacy to say that trade issues and human rights are not connected.

APEC FAIR FLOP: A trade fair associated with APEC has turned into a major flop. The exhibitors say the fair is a disaster as there are not enough exhibitors.

ATHENS QUAKE: Earthquake strikes Athens in Greece killing dozens of people. At least 90 people are believed to be trapped in rubble of houses and factories. People remain in a state of shock.

LABOUR POLICY: The Employers Federation says Labour’s Industrial Relations policy is unbalanced. Unions say it is a step in the right direction. Fed Farmers say they would be disappointed .if the ECA were rolled back.

ANSETT: Ansett has cancelled 150 flights in anticipation of a planned strike.

RURAL GPS: Drs are welcoming a new system for paying rural GPs. A GP from Reefton says he is very pleased with the new formula.

Y2K DRY RUN: Tomorrow 9/9/99 may be a dry run for assessing the Y2k problem.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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