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The Wairarapa town of Masterton is in shock after two children were killed in an apparent home invasion. The bodies of the 11 and 12 year old girls were found by police early this morning when they arrived at the children's home to investigate an attack on their step-father. The step-father told officers that four intruders burst into the house, dragged him outside and beat him up before fleeing. The girls' mother called the police, who found the two bodies in a sleepout. Three younger children in the house were unharmed - they are now being cared for by relatives.
A neighbour of the family, Heather, says she cant believe what's happened. CUT Counsellors have been called in to the girls' schools - the eldest attended Hiona (he-orna) Intermediate School, where Peter Debney is the principal. CUT
A [illegible] of 30 police is investigating the crime - I asked Detective Inspector Stewart Wildon, who is heading the investigation, where the man was when he was attacked. PREREC
To the Middle East now and the crisis there is deepening, with Israel launching a fresh series of attacks on Palestinian targets in the Gaza Strip and West Bank using aircraft and ground troops. Helicopters belonging to the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat have been destroyed and Israeli armoured bulldozers have begun ripping up the runway at Gaza Airport. A short time ago, the Israeli cabinet has declared the Palestinian Authority a terror supporting entity, opening the way for harsher retaliation following the recent wave of suicide attacks. I asked the BBC's Jerusalem correspondent Richard Engel about the significance of the Cabinet statement. PREREC
The Government has backed down on its controversial plans to reintroduce criminal libel to protect politicians.
The last-minute addition to legislation made it a criminal offence to knowingly or recklessly publicise anything a month before an election that defames a candidate and is intended to influence votes. Media organisations criticised the [illegible] as spelling the end of live political debate. But under questioning from National Party leader Bill English in parliament this afternoon, the prime minister revealed that the measure wont go ahead. PARLIAMENT CUT
Gavin Ellis is the Editor in Chief of the New Zealand Herald and the New Zealand chair of the Commonwealth Press Union. He joins me now. LIVE
BUSINESS NEWS WITH JOHN DRAPER
Hundreds of cancer patients look set to face months of disrupted treatment as the dispute over radiation therapists pay escalates. Therapists in Auckland, Waikato, and Palmerston North are into the second day of a 48-hour strike, which has already led to 300 people missing treatment. The therapists want a pay rise of between 20 and 25 per cent, but have been offered between 14 and 21 per cent. Earlier today Neil Woodhams from the Auckland District Health Board said a new offer was being put on the table today. A short time ago Deborah Powell from the Radiation Therapists Union told me the offer had been rejected. PREREC
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Returning to our lead story, a team of 30 police is investigating the killing of two children in what appeared to be a home invasion in the Wairarapa town of Masterton. Police found the bodies of the 11 and 12 year old girls early this morning when they arrived at the children's home to investigate an attack on their step-father. The step-father told officers that four intruders burst into the house, dragged him outside and beat him up before fleeing. The neighbourhood is now cordonned off while police investigate - our reporter Nathan Mills is there and joins us now. LIVE
To the war in Afghanistan now, where anti-Taliban fighters say they are tightening the noose around the besieged city of Kandahar, the Taliban's last remaining stronghold. Giant American B52 bombers have been seen roaring over Kandahar - US warplanes have also blasted a suspected hide-out of Osama bin Laden.
Meanwhile, agreement has been reached between the rival Afghan factions meeting in Germany. Our Washington correspondet Steve Mort has the latest. PKGE
Solomon Islanders go to the polls tomorrow in the country's first election since Parliament was seized by a militia group in June last year. The country has been riven by ethnic violence and some areas are so lawless that unarmed international peace monitors refuse to go there. The violence was highlighted over the weekend with the killing of a woman in one region - Our reporter Barbara Dreaver is in the area and describes it to me. PREREC
Child Youth and Family say it has stopped hiring a Wellington psychologist who has been fined and censured for her handling of a child abuse case. The Department says while it used to use Prue Vincent, it has stopped doing so until it has investigated the case further. The case arose after Prue Vincent was found guilty by the Psychologists Board on two counts of conduct unbecoming. Eric Frykberg reports. PKGE
The final witnesses have given their evidence at an inquest in Invercargill into the death of Queenstown woman Paddy Burton. Mrs Burton was stabbed to death by her son Mark, the day after he was discharged from Southland Hospitals [illegible] health unit.
Our reporter Maureen Lloyd has been at the inquest, she told me about today's evidence from a psychiatrist who saw Mark Burton two days after he killed his mother. PREREC WITH DROPINS
The Government is throwing Wanganui's cash-strapped community polytechnic a 48 million dollar life line. The Minister in Charge of Tertiary Education, Steve Maharey, has announced the institution will merge with the larger Manawatu Polytechic, UCOL. Jill Galloway reports. PKGE
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