Wellington New Zealand

What have movie stars like Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett been doing in this windy little city at the bottom of New Zealand's North Island? Did they take a wrong turn on the way to Cannes or New York? Don't they know it's no place to have their pictures snapped? Still, they and other movie people from around the globe have been converging on Wellington since late last year to make a trilogy of fantasy films based on J. R. R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings."

THE BEST WAY TO WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND From LAX, Air New Zealand offers connecting service (change of planes) and direct flights (stopover, no change of plane). Qantas and Virgin Australia offer connecting flights. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $1,328. TELEPHONES To call the numbers below from the U.S., dial 011 (the international dialing code) 64 (the country code for New Zealand) and the local number. WHAT TO DO For a quick introduction to Wellington's gourmet scene, take a Zest Food Tour ( http://www.

THE BEST WAY TO WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND From LAX, Air New Zealand offers connecting service (change of planes) and direct flights (stopover, no change of plane). Qantas and Virgin Australia offer connecting flights. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $1,328. TELEPHONES To call the numbers below from the U.S., dial 011 (the international dialing code) 64 (the country code for New Zealand) and the local number. WHAT TO DO For a quick introduction to Wellington's gourmet scene, take a Zest Food Tour ( http://www.

What have movie stars like Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett been doing in this windy little city at the bottom of New Zealand's North Island? Did they take a wrong turn on the way to Cannes or New York? Don't they know it's no place to have their pictures snapped? Still, they and other movie people from around the globe have been converging on Wellington since late last year to make a trilogy of fantasy films based on J. R. R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings."

South Africa's return from decades of international sports isolation continued when the International Rugby Board, meeting in Wellington, New Zealand, voted unanimously to let the republic play host to the 1995 rugby union World Cup.

Top-seeded Alexander Volkov of Russia beat Gilad Bloom of Israel, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, to advance to the quarterfinals of a tournament at Wellington, New Zealand.

Australian junior Kristin Godridge defeated Belinda Cordwell of New Zealand, 7-5, 6-4, continuing her run in the Fernleaf tournament at Wellington, New Zealand. Godridge, who turns 18 today, meets Barbara Rittner of Germany in the quarterfinals.

A "Lord of the Rings" exhibition is scheduled to open Dec. 19 at Wellington, New Zealand's, Te Papa Museum. After February, it will tour for two years at several international science museums, including one in Boston, showcasing an array of movie props, costumes, jewelry, designs and accessories and featuring interactive and high-tech components.

Chinese Communist Party leader Hu Yaobang said in Wellington, New Zealand that China will cut the strength of its armed forces by one million men this year. He told reporters that the reduction in conventional forces will not diminish China's ability to defend itself. The London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies estimates China's total regular armed forces at 4 million. Hu said the troop cut will be consistent with China's foreign policy of "peace and stability in the world."