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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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The jury in the High Court in Auckland has found Taito Phillip Field guilty of 11 of 12 corruption and bribery charges. It has just delivered its verdicts. The former Mangere MP was accused of giving immigration favours to Thai people in return for work on his properties, and creating elaborate falsehoods to cover his actions.
He has also been found guilty of 15 of 23 charges of obstructing justice. Our reporter Kim Baker-Wilson is at court. LIVE
Australia has become the latest western country to intercept what police are calling a major attack by Islamic militants, following a massive counter-terrorism operation in Melbourne. Four Australian citizens of Somali and Lebanese descent were arrested in
pre-dawn raids by 400 police. The men are accused of planning suicidal gun battles at military bases. One of them has been charged with terrorist-related offences. Police are also interviewing a fifth man who is already in custody for other reasons. In a joint media conference the acting Federal Police Commissioner Tony Negus said the suspected terrorist attack could have been devastating
CLIP Police won't say if the attack was imminent but the Chief Commissioner of the Victoria Police, Simon Overland, says they reached a point when it was time to act CLIP The Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has confirmed the arrests were not connected to the recent attacks in Indonesia that killed New Zealander, Tim MacKay. CLIP Our correspondent in Melbourne is Donna Demaio - she was at the police cordon this morning after the dawn raids. LIVE
Public health officials are warning people not to swim in Auckland's east coast beaches because of a mystery illness that has killed some dogs. At least two dogs have died and several more have become sick after walking on beaches on the North Shore and Orewa, and there have also been reports of dead birds and fish.
It's now also emerged there have been cases further south, and on Waiheke Island. Rowan Quinn reports: PKG
The Government is looking increasingly rattled over the issue of MPs expenses, as more and more details emerge about the housing arrangements of ministers. At the heart of the row is the Finance Minister, Bill English - who received almost 24-thousand dollars in the first six months of the year towards the cost of his family home in Wellington. But Labour argues that's almost twice as much as any minister living in their own home in Wellington when it was in power - and claim the Government must have changed the rules. Our political reporter Julian Robins has been covering the story, and he joins us now...LIVE
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS WITH Amy Williams
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17.30 HEADLINES
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For the latest on today's verdict in the Taito Phillip Field trial we're joined again by our reporter Kim Baker Wilson who is at the court. LIVE
New Zealand soldiers in Afghanistan have been involved in the capture of a key local Taliban leader in the Bamyan province.
Mullah Borhan (bor-harn) - who had a public reward of 10-thousand US dollars out for his arrest - was seized by Afghan security forces yesterday. They say he had weapons and bomb-making equipment in his possession. New Zealand Joint Forces commander Air Vice-Marshal Peter Stockwell says the operation was sparked by an attack on the home of a district government official. PREREC
The Prime Minister John Key has flagged a change to overseas investment rules, to encourage more investment from Australia.
Mr Key is on his way to the Pacific Islands Forum in Cairns.
Earlier today he spoke at a business leaders' forum at Queensland University about the importance of strong trans-Tasman relations.
Our parliamentary reporter Jane Patterson is travelling with the Prime Minister. PREREC
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17.45 TRAILS
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WAATEA
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Phillip Field's lawyer Paul Davison is with us now LIVE
A rowdy group of protesters fighting against funding cuts to adult community education have made themselves heard on the steps of Parliament. The Education Minister, Anne Tolley, has been flooded with complaints since subsidies were slashed from 16 million to three million dollars in May's budget. Tim Graham filed this report: PKG
New Caledonia is in the grip of violent industrial unrest with the territory's second biggest union - the radical Union of Kanaky and Exploited Workers - demanding the release of its leader from prison. As Walter Zweifel from Radio New Zealand International explains Gerard Jodar was jailed two months ago after a strike at an airport. PREREC
The mother of a man killed in an avalanche on Sunday says she could have lost both her sons on the mountain that day. 30 year old Ryan Campbell was pronounced dead at a hospital in Queenstown about an hour after he was dug from snow, west of the main ski field at Coronet Peak. He was snowboarding on the mountain with his brother Fraser, who watched Ryan get swept away. Ryan's parents Wendy and Joe Campbell spoke at a news conference in Queenstown earlier today and said he was an adventurer with a zest for life CLIP It's the second death from an avalanche in as many weeks and one rescuer has said its locals who are ignoring the risks of back country skiing. Ryan's parents said they believed it was an impossible situation and they will get through it as a family CLIP