1. EAST TIMOR - New Zealand is to come to the aid of East Timorese by taking up to 300 refugees. Up to 100 may be here by the end of the week. The PM says a decision could be made within two days, but has indicated they will say yes. East Timorese are returning home, but finding home devastated. Just months ago NZ

2. EAST TIMOR - NZ troops are aiming to make East Timor safe for those left behind. The first troops are to fly out of Darwin for Dili. Defence Minister Max Bradford is to see them off. Meanwhile the airforce are securing their helicopters in Dili. SAS troops continue to operate in the hills. Soon they will all be backed up by troops in the field. The first few days will be taken up by acclimatising. Journalist says Dili is "overwhelming" and compares it to Dresden after World War II. He says he feels secure and safe, though no one is. Back in New Zealand a Dutch freighter is being loaded up with army equipment to take to East Timor

4. STUDENT LOANS - Student debt is now high on the election agenda with Labour releasing its policy. Labour says students will not pay interest while studying. It is a big spending item for Labour, but students want more like scrapping fees. Political reaction to the policy was mainly negative.

4. STUDENT FEES - Students at Canterbury University are outraged at large fee rises which would make the university one of the most expensive in the country. The chancellor blames cuts to funding, some disagree.

5. NETBALL - The English netball team has spawned its own version of the 'barmy army' with vocal fans in NZ for the world cup

© 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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