**** CKPT FOR TUESDAY DECEMBER 5 *******
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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FIJI COUP: Fiji's embattled Prime Minister has been placed under house arrest tonight and there's a military blockade outside his Suva residence. Laisenia Qarase is holed up with members of his cabinet, family, and friends and senior members of Fiji's Methodist church. Outside a group of supporters has gathered and is singing hymns. The Prime Minister is refusing calls from the nation's president to submit to military demands or resign, but has conceded he is powerless to prevent a military takeover. The military is not saying how long they intend to keep the Prime Minister under house arrest. New Zealand and Australia have condemned today's developments. Helen Clark has imposed immediate sanctions against Fiji now that the coup is underway - and says more may come. CUT
Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer is also taking action. CUT
Radio Fiji's reporter Matai Akauola (Mat-eye Akka-WOH-la) is outside the Prime MInister's compound in Suva. PREREC
Mr Qarase has not been answering his phone, but earlier this afternoon we got through to Fiji's attorney general Qoriniasi Bale (Go-ra-nasay M-Baa-lay) who was taking refuge at the Prime Minister's compound. He told me they were staying away from where the soldiers are located. We have been unable to contact Mr Qarase. PREREC
The Prime Minister Helen Clark has condemned Fiji's President for telling the country's military commander that he can remove the government. Miss Clark says Fiji's constitution only allows the President to remove the Prime Minister if he has lost the confidence of Parliament and this is clearly not the case. The Prime Minister Helen Clark joins us now. LIVE
BAD BLOOD COMPENSATION: After 14 years of bitter struggle, 550 people, infected with Hepatitis C from contaminated blood products, are to receive 31 million dollars compensation from the government. The Health Minister, Pete Hodgson, says they'll receive one-off payments of up to 70 thousand dollars. And an extra five million dollars a year will be spent on improving hepatitis C treatment services. Two earlier payouts left those with haemophilia out. Steve Waring from the Haemophilia Foundation says it's wonderful to finally have compensation confirmed after waiting for so long for their suffering to be acknowledged. PREREC
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1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH BADEN CAMPBELL
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1730 HEADLINES
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SPORTS NEWS WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
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IMMIGRATION RULES: New strict immigration rules, to crack down on abuse of the system and attract the right kind of immigrants...have been announced by the government. The Immigration Minister today put forward the latest changes to a review of immigration law, following a six month consultation process. They include simplifying the visa system, the legal power to demand biometric information and a single appeals tribunal to replace the four existing bodies. Helen Vaughan reports. PKGE
HEALTH BABY: The health and disability commissioner is to take no further action against a midwife who was found not guilty of the manslaughter of a baby born in her care. Ron Paterson has released his decision on the case involving Dunedin midwife Jennifer Crawshaw. He says the poor relationship between midwives and obstetricians at the Queen Mary Maternity Centre was a significant factor in the case. But generally harmony's improving, according to the Chair of the Committee of the College of Obstetricians and Gynacologists, Dr Alec Ekeroma CUT
And Commissioner Patterson says that women believe if they opt for a natural birth in a public hospital they think there's a safety net in place. He's with us now. LIVE
BUS STUDENTS: One of the five students who suffered serious injuries after being run over by a school bus is disappointed with the sentence handed down to the driver today. The driver has been sentenced in the North Shore District Court on five charges of careless driving causing injury. The 49-year-old has been disqualified from driving and ordered to pay reparation to the victims. Kiri Ennis was in court and filed this report. PKGE
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WAATEA NEWS WITH ERU REREKURA
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WEATHER PREDICT: And now to the Summer we're likely to have - when we're not having a summer! Climate scientists are predicting an el nino weather pattern will bring wind and cooler temperatures to many parts of the country. The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research says the most recent El Nino cycles were over the 1997 / 98 summer and the 2002 / 2003 summer. NIWA spokesperson Jim Renwick is with us now . LIVE
FIJI COUP (2): Back to Fiji now where the Prime Minister has been placed under house arrest with a military blockade outside his Suva residence. Laisenia Qarase is holed up with members of his cabinet, family, and friends and senior members of Fiji's Methodist church are also inside. The military is not saying how long they intend to keep the Prime Minister under house arrest. The manager of the Fiji Daily Post is Mesake Koroi - he's also the Prime Minister's cousin. Mr Koroi visited the Prime Minister at his compound earlier today and told me it's disappointing that Mr Qarase is now under house arrest. PREREC
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