EAST TIMOR - The Murdered Messenger - Steven Parker IV - Dare. OTHER NEWS: Wellington Central - Quake - Ansett Truce - London Fashion Week

EAST TIMOR - THE MURDERED MESSENGER: The first casualty wasn't truth. But today a Dutch reporter for the London Financial Times was found murdered. The body was found in a suburb of Dili. A witness says they saw the journalist being shot by militia. The UN peace-keepers say that the killing is a warning for journalists. Earlier, at 1.30am UN troops saved a journalist and photographer in a high power operation.

EAST TIMOR: Steven Parker I/V: The body is being guarded by the TNI. He has had an ear cut off and is holding his notebook The body is in a militia area. Many journalists here are reassessing their sense of safety. Many here expect the militia to test the UN peace-keepers over the next 24 to 48 hours and numbers of militia are on the rise.

EAST TIMOR - DARE: UN troops are now moving into surrounding towns. Ecstatic welcome for reporters in Dare. 30,000 refugees have been trapped there for more than a week. Death has come to Dare several times. Village priest has done best to keep up spirits with the comforting ritual of mass. When troops arrived at noon today there were cheers and applause. UN official says they think the refugees will return to Dili soon.

WELLINGTON CENTRAL: Government's game plan moved up a gear with a decision not to stand a candidate against ACT's Richard Prebble in Wellington Central. Prebble - "I can't think of a higher complement". Labour says that this means National and ACT are terrified that ACT won't get. Jane Young: The issue now is should there be an accommodation on the centre left. Labour's Hobbs says she won't stand aside - and Phillida Bunkle says the Alliance still wants a presence but appears to be considering the idea.

TAIWAN QUAKE: More than 1700 are now confirmed dead and an estimated 3000 are still buried. Rescuers are continuing the search. The search is frantic as the first 72 hours are critical. The quake has ripped huge cracks in roads. More medical personnel are needed in the hospitals. More than 100,000 are homeless and there is shortage of freezers for the corpses.

ANSETT STRIKE: Pilots have offered a truce and to return to work till after the school holidays on no pay. Ansett says it will consider the offer over night.

LONDON FASHION WEEK: Stainless steel and netball bibs (Karen Walker) feature in Kiwi fashion designers show at London Fashion Week. More than $600,000 in sales have been made in first six months of the year. Spice Girls are buying World designer fashion.

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Alastair Thompson

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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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