National Radio Midday Bulletin

TIMOR FORCE: Australia says it has agreed to a request from the UN to lead a force into East Timor. Indonesia say they do not have a problem with an Aussie led force but insist it must be genuinely multi national. They expect troops to be there by the end of the week.

RECALLED: Parliament is being asked to turn up in the House for a debate on New Zealand’s involvement on Friday afternoon.

UN WORKER: A UN worker who has just been air lifted out of East Timor, Andrew Ladley, says starvation is a real problem and air drops are needed immediately. He says people will start dying in the next couple of days. Air drops will be difficult as people are scattered all over the place – including in the mountains.

CLINTON: President Clinton is in Christchurch where 5,000 people are waiting to hear his only public speech in New Zealand on the environment.

LIBERTIES: The Council of Civil Liberties are concerned at the treatment of protestors by police last night. Tibetan protestors were removed after the police consulted the Prime Minister’s office and sirens were sounded to block out protestors’ noise which was directed at Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

NZ/KOREA: Kiwi and Korean law enforcement agencies will work more closely together following formal meetings between the leaders of the two countries today to assist and cooperate with prosecutions and assistance in criminal matters.

RESERVE BANK: The Reserve Bank has outlined a new commemorative $10 note to celebrate the new millennium. Two million will be printed. It is the first commemorative note issued since 1990.

HURRICANE: The Bahamas have been battered by Hurricane Floyd and two million people have been evacuated from America’s South Coast.

K2000: The cut price airline is threatening to sue Air New Zealand over delays and “mischevious” allegations.

ONE TREE HILL: Auckland City Council will issue a report this afternoon detailing the tree’s life span.

BATALLION: 150 members of the Maori Batallion are set to fly out to Italy to visit the towns in which they fought during the Second World War and to meet with the Pope.

ENDS

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