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**** CKPT FOR MONDAY JULY 31 *******
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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LEBANON-ISRAEL: Israel has declared a temporary halt to aerial attacks in southern Lebanon after its deadly strike on the village of Qana. The United Nations issued a statement expressing "extreme shock and distress" at the air strike that killed 60 civilians, who were mostly children. Here's the French ambassador to the UN, Jean-Marc de la Sabliere. His words are translated. CUT Less than 24 hours after the attack the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman confirmed Israel's 48 hour suspension of aerial bombardments in southern Lebanon. CUT The Prime Minister Helen Clark has welcomed Israel's suspension of attacks but says Hizbollah must now match it. CUT And Helen Clark says it's difficult to say at this point what kind of contribution the New Zealand defence force could make as there is not yet a truce or a UN mandate for a peacekeeping operation. CUT Miss Clark says a UN meeting on an international peacekeeping force for the area has been postponed until Tuesday New York time.
The BBC's correspondent in Jerusalem Bethany Bell says the Israeli military does have a get-out clause to the temporary ceasefire agreement. PREREC
DEFENCE HELICOPTERS: The final price of the airforce's new helicopter fleet has been described as a defence budget blow-out worthy of the Guiness Book of Records. The Defence Minister signed a purchase deal at Parliament today, worth 771-million-dollars - about 200-million-dollars more than the amount originally approved by Cabinet. Here's our political reporter, Jane Patterson. PKGE
tokoroa killing: The man accused of killing Tokoroa school teacher, Lois Dear has been named. He's Whetu Te Hiko, unemployed from Tokoroa. He made a brief appearance in the town's district court and Andrew McRae was there. PREREC
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1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH BADEN CAMPBELL
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GUNSHOP SHOOTING: A special bedside hearing has taken place at Auckland City Hospital after charges were laid against a man who allegedly attacked a gun shop worker with a machete. Ricky Beckham, a 29-year-old unemployed man from Blockhouse Bay, is charged with assault with intent to rob. Media representatives were barred from attending the hearing but were given a special briefing at the Auckland District Court. Sarah Bristow was there and she joins us now... LIVE
PETERS ILL: The Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in a Brisbane hospital with what is believed to be a tropical illness. Mr Peters has told the Prime Minister that he believes he contracted the illness when in Malaysia last week attending an ASEAN meeting. Our parliamentary chief reporter Clare Pasley joins us now. LIVE WITH DROPINS
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1730 HEADLINES
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SPORTS NEWS WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
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AUSTRALIA LEADERSHIP: Australia's Prime Minister John Howard has just formally announced that he will contest next year's election. After weeks of intense speculation about his future, Mr Howard told a news conference at Innisfail in Queensland that he will remain as Liberal leader, with treasurer Peter Costello as his deputy. Joining us now from Canberra is the ABC's Natasha Simpson. LIVE
CANCER HERCEPTIN: Up to 40 breast cancer patients and their supporters have held a mock funeral march - as part of a protest to have the drug Herceptin funded by the State. Drug-buying agency Pharmac wants more information before it can recommend funding Herceptin for women with early stage breast cancer. Jean Edwards filed this report from Auckland. PKGE
PROSTITUTE MURDER PLEA: A man who has admitted the murder and rape of a Chrischurch sex worker has been warned he may be sentenced to preventive detention. Peter Steven Waihape had already pleaded guilty to the murder of the 24 year old woman, who's body was found with hands bound in the Avon River last December. Monique Devereux was in the High Court this morning. PREREC
GIBSON ABUSE: Hollywood is reeling and the future of film-industry heavyweight Mel Gibson is being debated, after his extraordinary abusive outburst when he was arrested for drink driving. It's been suggested the police tried to cover up the original report, which detailed the superstar launching an expletive-laden barrage of anti-Semitic remarks, trying to escape, and threatening the arresting officers. At one point, it's understood, Gibson accused Jews of being responsible for all the wars in the world. Later the actor said he was out of control, said despicable things which he does not believe to be true, and that he's taking steps to deal with his alcoholism. Mel Gibson was pulled over by police in Malibu in the early hours of Friday morning, local time. Our Los Angeles correspondent, Peter Bowes, takes up the story. PREREC
CURRENCY CHANGE: Excitement, confusion, disgust - the introduction the new 50, 10 and 20 cent coins has got it all. And with some retailers refusing to accept the outgoing 5 cents...the Reserve Bank says that's bad business practice. Kathryn Jones hit the streets of Wellington to find out how the new silver and bronze pieces are going down. PKGE
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WAATEA NEWS with Eru Rerekura
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LEBANON-ISRAEL (2): In the town of Qana itself rescue workers have called off their search of the building attacked by Israel after hours of digging through the rubble looking for survivors. The BBC's Fergal Keane was with them. PKGE
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