Nauru standoff near end

Sydney - The Australian government is hoping to end a near three-week stand-off involving a group of 230 Iraqi and Palestinian refugees today, Conor Lally reports. Most of the refugees have refused to leave an Australian naval vessel docked off the tiny South Pacific island nation of Nauru. The Australian Immigration Minister, Mr Philip Ruddock, said last night he hoped the remaining estimated 200 of the group could all land on Nauru as early as today.