Checkpoint FOR TUESDAY 25 JANUARY 2011
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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The police in New Zealand are meeting tonight to discuss what steps can next be taken now that the husband of a woman burned alive last week has been tracked down in Fiji. The remains of 28 year old Ranjeeta Sharma were found on Hangapipi Road in Huntly on Thursday night and the police say her husband flew out to Fiji the next day with the couple's four year old son. Both have been found in Fiji. Our reporter Leilani Momoisea has been speaking with police, what is the latest? Q&A
The Labour Party has fired its opening election year shot with a proposal to make the first five-thousand dollars of personal income tax free. The tax-free threshold would be phased in, and would cost one-point-three-billion dollars once fully up and running. The policy was unveiled by the Labour leader, Phil Goff, in front of an audience of about 400 in Auckland, and would be paid for by cracking down on tax dodgers, and higher taxes for people earning well over 100-thousand dollars. The Prime Minister, John Key, says Mr Goff's tax plan is fiscally irresponsible, and shows a lack of understanding of the state of the government's books. CUT The Labour leader, Phil Goff joins us now. LIVE
The Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is vowing to track down those responsible for a bomb attack that's ripped through Russia's busiest airport killing at least 35 people and injuring nearly 200 more. It exploded in the international arrivals lounge of Domodedovo airport and investigators say it had the power of about five kilograms of TNT and was probably loaded with metal shrapnel. Eyewitnesses described the area as packed with people and one told CNN that a man was spotted carrying a suitcase. CUT Dr Yo-han Ham-ra was waiting for his luggage when the bomb went off. CUT No-one's claiming responsibility, but a suicide bomber is believed to be behind the attack and suspicion is already falling on militants in the North Caucusus region. The US Secretary of State has also condemned the attack. Speaking at a news conference in Mexico Hillary Clinton offered support to bring the perpetrators to justice :CUT Hillary Clinton. Karen Percy is in Moscow and she's with us now. LIVE
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS WITH
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Cyclone Wilma hit the the outer islands of Tonga today, damaging buildings and wiping out crops. The Category Three storm passed by the eastern side of Vava'u, before directly hitting the Haapai islands group this morning. Boris Stavenow [PRON: shtah-ve-nor] owns the Sandy Beach Resort there and says the while the winds were strong, it was the waves that did the most damage. PRE-REC Tonga's met service says Cyclone Wilma is now heading towards Tonga's main island, Tongatapu.
Secondary principals and obesity campaigners want the law changed to protect children from the glut of junk food shops operating near schools. A study of five cities has found fast-food and convenience stores are five and a half times more likely to be nearer to schools than other areas. Tim Graham reports. PKG
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17.30 HEADLINES
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More now on Labour's promise to give low income earners more tax relief. In his State of the Nation address in Auckland today, Labour's leader, Phil Goff, says the party would make the first few thousand dollars of earnings tax-free. Here's our political editor Brent Edwards.Q&A
Republicans and Democrats will sit together in a gesture of unity during President Obama's State of the Union address to Congress tomorrow. But this won't obscure major party differences, particularly on spending. The President will lay out the case for more investments to help spur the US economy and to take time to introduce cuts. While Republicans are hoping for more radical and speedy action. From the US Capital, Daniel Ryntjes reports. PKG
The Department of Conservation is laying charges against two men accused of attacking a baby fur seal in Henderson Creek in West Auckland last night. Police caught the men after witnesses saw two fisherman beating the one-metre seal with boat oars at about half-past-eight last night. The seal is currently receiving medical treatment at Auckland Zoo. Phil Brown is from DOC. LIVE
More now on Russia's hunt for those behind a suspected suicide bombing that's killed at least 35 people at Moscow's busiest airport. Over 100 people were injured in the explosion at the international arrivals terminal of dom-oh-DAY-dih-voh Domodedovo airport. Russian investigators say the device was detonated by a suicide bomber and had the power of about five kilograms of TNT. The attack drew swift international condemnation. The ABC's Timothy McDonald reports : PKG
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17.45 WAATEA
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To Melbourne now where our tennis correspondent Dave Luddy is watching the first day of quarter-final action at the Australian Open. LIVE
In the famously unreconstructed world of association football or soccer, it's a charge often levelled against women that they don't understand the offside rule. This, despite the fact that many men don't understand it either. In Britain, a pair of football pundits have been forced to apologise and taken off air for a day after they made disparaging comments about a female referee's assistant who'd been involved in a controversial offside decision. The conversation, between the Sky TV presenter Richard Keys and the studio expert and former player Andy Gray, was off-air, but their microphones had not been switched off. Here's the BBC's Alex Capstick. PKG
An 81-year-old Christchurch woman who saved her neighbour from being attacked with an imitation samurai sword is being praised for her bravery Lois Kennedy went to the aid of her 61-year-old neighbour in the early hours of Friday morning, when she heard the woman calling her name. Ms Kennedy says she didn't think, and just raced out of bed. PKG Lois Kennedy says her neighbour is now out of hospital and staying with her daughter.