*** Checkpoint FOR MON 14 DEC 2009
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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The Māori flag will fly alongside the New Zealand flag on the Auckland Harbour Bridge and government buildings on Waitangi Day.The Government has announced that the black, white and red flag, known as the tino rangatiratanga flag, is the one preferred by Māori.Our parliamentary chief reporter Jane Patterson has just come from the Prime Minister's weekly news conference and she joins us now LIVE
The family of Stephen Bellingham have for the first time heard from the police officer who shot their son and brother as part of an inquest in Christchurch.The 37 year old was killed in Christchurch in 2007.Monique Devereux has been at the inquest, and filed this report :PKG
In the Philippines, journalists who escaped one of the country's worst massacres are still in fear of their lives as accusations mount over the Government's willingness to prosecute those responsible.57 people including 31 journalists were taken to a remote hill region in the south, shot at close range and then dumped in shallow graves.The victims were travelling in a convoy to nominate an opposition candidate for provincial governor in elections next year. The powerful Ampatuan family has been linked to the killings.Mike Dobbie has just returned from the region where he headed a mission from the International Federation of Journalists. PRE-REC
A tropical cyclone warning has been issued in Fiji with Cyclone Mick intensfying as it approaches the main island of Viti Levu.It's currently over the Yasawa (ya-sa-wa) and Mamanucas (mum-a-noo-cas) bringing strong winds and heavy downpours. Flooding is expected in low lying areas with winds gusting up to 125 kilometres an hour. Rajendra Prasad is the director of Fiji's Meteorological Service - he joins us now LIVE
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS WITH Patrick O'Meara
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A tropical cyclone warning has been issued in Fiji with Cyclone Mick intensfying as it approaches the main island of Viti Levu.It's currently over the Yasawa (ya-sa-wa) and Mamanucas (mum-a-noo-cas) bringing strong winds and heavy downpours. Flooding is expected in low lying areas with winds gusting up to 125 kilometres an hour.Rajendra Prasad is the director of Fiji's Meteorological Service - he joins us now LIVE
Between 80 and 90-thousand Telecom XT customers lost mobile phone coverage today after a major fault caused the network to crash early this morning. Telecom says the technical fault affected customers south of Taupo and coverage has now been restored. Kaylene Thompson is the IT manager for the Nelson based freighting company, TNL. CUT Alan Gourdie is the chief executive for Telecom Retail - he joins us now.
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17.30 HEADLINES
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The Mayor of Lower Hutt says he'll continue to fight for something to be done about the appalling NCEA pass rates at some local secondary schools. Last year Taita College, Naenae College and Wainuiomata High School had the worst NCEA level 1 pass rates out of 35 schools in the the Wellington region prompting Mayor David Ogden to ask the government to look at sweeping changes.The call has been rejected by the Education Minister and infuriated the schools' principals. Naenae College principal John Russell says he was furious when the council revealed its plan CUT Hutt City Major David Ogden joins us now LIVE
A man has been charged with manslaughter, after what a court has heard was the accidental shooting of his partner while she took photos of him posing with a firearm. The 21-year-old man, whose name is suppressed, had initially been charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm.In the North Shore Disctrict Court this morning, an additional charge of manslaughter was laid.Our reporter Bridget Mills was there. LIVE
A refrigeration company has been accused of 'creating a bomb' at a coolstore that exploded killing a fireman and injuring seven others. The company, Mobile Refrigeration Specialists, is being sentenced over its role in a fire and explosion at the Icepak coolstore near Hamilton in April last year. The Icepak company and one of its directors are also being sentenced, under the Health and Safety in Employment Act. In its closing submission the Department of Labour said the extent of breaches committed by Mobile Refrigeration Specialists was enormous. The department said it was highly foreseeable that the complex would explode at some stage. The sentencing has now been adjourned until tomorrow morning.Reporter Andrew Mcrae joins us now from Hamilton District court LIVE
A construction company has been fined 65 thousand dollars and ordered to pay almost 150 thousand dollars in reparation after two men were killed working on Christchurch's wastewater ocean outfall.Heron Construction admitted failing to ensure the safety of its employees and operating a boat without a safe ship management certificate.But as Katy Gosset reports, the partner of one of the victims says she doesn't hold the company responsible.PKG
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17.45 TRAILS
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WAATEA
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In Thailand police have charged four Kazakhs and a Belarussian who flew into into Bangkok on a cargo plane bristling with 30 tonnes of sanctions-busting weapons from North Korea.The cache, including missiles and rocket-propelled grenades, were discovered after the plane landed for refuelling at Bangkok's domestic Don Muang airport on Friday.Police say the men have been charged with possession of weapons for war.Our correspondent in Bangkok is Rachel Harvey and she joins us now. LIVE
Police have arrested some two-hundred people following a demonstration in Copenhagen, where world leaders are continuing to debate how to tackle climate change. The authorities said the protest, at the city's port, was unauthorised. Meanwhile, church leaders from across the world held a service dedicated to climate change in Copenhagen -- and many churches in Denmark, as well as in other parts of the world were also taking part in a mass bell-ringing. Fiona Werge has this report: PKG
Two New Zealand pilots are waiting for confirmation they've beaten a world distance gliding record.Terry Delore and John Kokshoorn spent more than 15 and hours up in the air yesterday, covering a distance of 2-and-half thousand kilometres to beat the previous record by nearly 100 kilometres. Terry Delore joins us now from his Christchurch home LIVE