**** CKPT FOR WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 6 *******
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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FIJI COUP: TO Fiji where the military has now declared a state of emergency as it tightens its grip on the country, closing parliament, and arresting senior police and civil servants. In a dramatic confrontation today, police chief Moses Driver and his deputy surrendered to armed soldiers who had threatened to storm the headquarters of the police tactical response group near Suva. The military's clean-up campaign continued when troops surrounded Parliament's upper house and Senators were forced to leave the debating chamber. One of the senators was Tupeni Baba a former deputy prime minister who was taken hostage at Parliament in the 2000 coup. Dr Baba told me he was condemning the military's actions when the soldiers arrived. pre-rec I/V
Earlier today our correspondent Vijay Narayan was outside the headquarters of the police tactical response group in Suva when the police chief Moses Driver and his deputy surrendered to armed soldiers pre-rec I/V
This afternoon the Prime Minister Helen Clark announced a raft of further sanctions against Fiji. She's with us now LIVE I/V
GUN SHOP TRIAL: An Auckland gun shop worker's chosen trial by jury, as he fights a firearms charge for shooting a man who was allegedly threatening him with a machete. Greg Carvell appeared in the Auckland District Court today, over what happened at the Penrose gun shop in July. Our reporter Joy McArthur was also there. PKGE
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1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH BADEN CAMPBELL
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DRESS RECORD: It's the ultimate black cocktail gown and it's just sold at auction for a world record price. Audrey Hepburn wore it in the 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and today it sold for a cool one point two million dollars - 7 times more than expected. Here's Emily Gibbs PKGE
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1730 HEADLINES
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POPULATION: The population's becoming older, more ethnically diverse and increasing rapidly in size - partly pushed up by a 50 per cent increase in the Asian community. Statistics New Zealand today released the first of the results from the latest 5-yearly Census. The figures also confirm the population's passed the 4 million mark. Rachel Graham went along to the presentation PKGE
TARANAKI SHREDDER: He lost both legs and half an arm in a tree shredder - and now he's in danger of losing his faith in the legal system to properly punish the culprits. New Plymouth man Chris Fromont climbed into the shredder at the city's transfer station in February to clear a stump jamming the blades. He says his bosses at Manawatu Waste had told him to unblock the machine that way - and that the 40-thousand dollar penalty handed down in court today won't stop similar unsafe practices by others. The Department of Labour agrees - and is considering an appeal. Our Taranaki reporter Craig Ashworth filed this. PKGE
JAYDEN KIDNAP: The woman accused of leading Jayden Headley away from the Hamilton Public Library has today won an appeal to the Supreme Court to overturn earlier orders made against her in the High Court. The Supreme Court also granted the woman, known as "T", name suppression until 9 o'clock tomorrow morning. However Jayden's mother, Kay Skelton lost her appeal.
Our Court reporter, Ann Marie May was at today's hearing. PKGE
SPORTS NEWS WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
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WAATEA NEWS WITH ERU REREKURA
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IMMIGRANTS ILLEGAL: Police and immigration officials have swooped on a major company which hires seasonal workers for orchards and vineyards, and charged a supervisor for employing illegal immigrants. Investigators won't reveal the name of the company but says it operates in Hawkes Bay and Marlborough, and more arrests are likely. The Labour Departments National Manager for Investigations, Carl Manning, says they've spent the last two days searching 12 sites. PRE-REC I/V
US GATES: The man who will head the Pentagon had admitted what outgoing US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld would never acknowledge. America is not winning in Iraq. That's the verdict of Robert Gates, President George W Bush's choice to take over. He also warns that the Middle East could explode into violence. Priscilla Huff reports from Washington.. PKGE
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