**** CKPT FOR MON 26 JAN 2009
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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The man accused of sparking a police pursuit which ended in the fatal shooting of a teenager by the police has appeared in the Auckland District Court. 50 year-old Stephen Hohepa McDonald faces 29 charges, including using a firearm against law enforcement officers.
Halatau Naitoko, a 17-year-old father of one, was hit by a police bullet when he was caught up in the confrontation between the armed offenders squad and a gunman. Our reporter Leilani Momoisea was at court for Mr McDonald's appearance. PRE-REC
A 10-week-old baby is being treated in Wellington Hospital's intensive care unit after being admitted following an alleged assault.The police say the child was taken to the Hospital by ambulance in the early hours of Sunday morning, because family members thought he seemed unwell. A 28 year old man is to appear in court later this week charged with assault. I spoke to Detective Sergeant Scott Cooper about the nature of the baby's injuries. PRE-REC
The Prime Minister, John Key, says the traffic congestion on the country's newest road is predictable and unsatisfactory.The 365-million dollar Northern Gateway toll road opened yesterday morning, with queues of traffic later in the day turning the seven kilometre stretch into an hour-long journey. CUT
The Transport Minister Steven Joyce says it is a good road apart from at the Northern end, where the three new lanes effectively become one. PRE-REC
Our reporter Ben Brown is at the new Northern Gateway Motorway, and joins us now: LIVE
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BUSINESS NEWS
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Pacific Islands Forum leaders are meeting in Papua New Guinea tomorrow to consider whether or not to suspend Fiji because of its lack of progress towards holding democratic elections. NZ's prime minister John Key says there are different levels of suspension that the Forum could look at. CUT
Fiji's interim Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, has said he will not attend the forum meeting as he needs to stay in Fiji to deal with the aftermath of this month's floods. With more on the meeting in Port Moresby, here's Radio New Zealand International's Walter Zweifel : PKG
Henry, the centogenarian tuatara from Invercargill, has finally become a father.Eleven eggs laid by his mate Mildred hatched at the Southland Museum at the weekend.The museum's curator, Lindsay Hazley, says Henry had been uninterested in breeding for the entire time he had been in captivity. Henry who's estimated to be at least 109 years old was well known for his aggression and for 15 years was kept in solitary confinement.But Mr Hazley says after a cancerous growth was removed from his bottom, Henry had a new lease on life. PRE-REC
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17.30 HEADLINES
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A Unicef report into the health of the world's children shows New Zealand is lagging behind in its infant immunisation rates. Although immunisation rates are improving, health authorities say there is still work to be done. Matthew Peddie reports. PKG
Taranaki taxi driver Tony Brosnan remains in a critical but stable condition in intensive care tonight, while police continue to hunt for his attacker.The 49 year old was found locked in the boot of his cab with severe head injuries on Friday morning. Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Coward is heading the investigation, he joins us now. LIVE
After 25 years of fighting and some 70,000 deaths there are claims that the Tamil Tiger insurgency in Sri Lanka could almost be over. The Sri Lankan government says it's taken the Tigers' last remaining stronghold in the north of the country. There's been no word yet from the rebels who want a separate ethnic Tamil homeland. Here's the BBC's correspondent in Colombo, Anbarasan Ethirajan. LIVE
Sri Lankans living in Auckland are staging a two day vigil to draw attention to what they claim is genocide in their country. The Auckland protestors say Sri Lankan forces have indiscriminately killed hundreds of Tamil supporters. Geoff Moffett has more. PKG
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WAATEA NEWS
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Hamas is considering its reaction to what it says is an Israeli proposal for an 18 month ceasefire in Gaza. Meanwhile in Gaza some militant factions say they're prepared to keep fighting despite the current ceasefire as CNN's Carl Penhall reports :PKG
To the Australian Open now. Joining us from Melbourne Park is our correspondent Dave Luddy. LIVE