News, sport and weather.
Less than a day after naming the election date as September 17th, Labour announced a $300 million promise to students to stop charging interest on student loans from April 1st next year. National announced their tertiary plan last week and it has been completely overshadowed by Labour's announced today. National claims that the policy is simply an election year bribe for students. Helen Clark (Prime Minister); Bill English (National, Tertiary Education); Andrew Kirton (University Students' Association Co-President); Guyon Espiner (Reporting from Parliament); Mark Sainsbury (Political Editor).
National is still refusing to announce it's tax policy, causing some to say the party is teasing voters. Don Brash (National Leader); Helen Clark (Prime Minister); Fran Mold (Reporting from Auckland); Michael Cullen (Finance Minister).
A One News investigation has found that an Israeli security force have offered to assist the Fijian Government in the event of a coup by the military if an amnesty is offered to those behind the previous uprising. Commander Voreqe Bainmarama (Fiji Military); Vilikesa Raqio (Security Broker); Voice of Israeli Security Group Leader; Laisenia Qarase (Fiji Prime Minister); Barbara Dreaver (Pacific Correspondent, Suva).
An inquiry in Britain has found that the young Brazilian shot by police suspecting he was a terrorist bomber was shot eight times, seven times in the head. The family are furious and are expected to seek compensation. Plus two of the four men suspected of trying to set off the bombs last week have been named. Tony Blair (British Prime Minister); Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke (Anti-Terrorist Branch, British Metropolitan Police); Jim Jayes (Owner, JJ Canoeing & Rafting).
Assistant Police Commissioner Clint Richards has appeared in court on 20 year old sex charges against Louise Nicholas along with two other men. John Stewart (Reporting from Rotorua District Court).
Six Pakistani nationals are the subject of a huge manhunt in connection to the Sharm el-Sheikh bombings in Egypt. Jonathan Karl (ABC News, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt).
India's Prime Minister has ordered an independent inquiry after hundreds of car workers were severely beaten by police during a protest.
Parliament has passed a motion calling for the Black Caps to abandon their controversial tour of Zimbabwe, saying the Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is corrupt. Only ACT and the Maori Party refused to support the motion. Helen Clark (Prime Minister).
Myanmar's regional junta is being pressured to skip it's turn at heading the chairmanship of the ASEAN meeting in order to sidestep criticism of it's human rights record. Yong Chanthalangsy (Laos Foreign Ministry Spokesman, ASEAN); Charlotte Glennie (Asia Correspondent, Vientiane).
Farmers meeting in Hamilton have delivered a strong warning to Government officials to beef up on bio-security, claiming the farming industry has too little say on subjects like the Foot and Mouth scare on Waiheke Island in May. Barry O'Neill (MAF Biosecurity); Tom Fraser (Reporting from Hamilton); Charlie Pedersen (Federated Farmers President); Tom Lambie (Former President Federated Farmers).