Checkpoint FOR FRIDAY 19 MARCH 2010
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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The police investigating the killing of a man who disappeared in December 2006 have found a skeleton down a steep bank in Upper Hutt. Harold Skudder's mother reported him missing in 2008. A man appeared in the Lower Hutt District Court today charged with his murder, following a two-year missing person investigation. He has been granted name suppression and remanded in custody until March the 25th. Detective Inspector Shane Cotter is heading the investigation. PREREC
An investor lobby group says the Securities Commission has been far too slow in deciding to lay charges against the directors of the failed finance company Capital and Merchant Finance. The commission believes company documents and advertisements misled investors. Capital and Merchant - which is already being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office - was put into receivership in 2007, owing some 7-thousand investors about 190 million dollars. Receivers say it is unlikely the money will be recovered. Gray Eatwell is a spokesman for the investor lobby group Exposing Unacceptable Financial Advice. PREREC
The New Zealand Defence force is on its way back to New Zealand having delivered the last relief supplies to Fiji's northern islands. And the Fiji Disaster Management Office has confirmed a second person has died as a result of Cyclone Tomas. Leilani Momoisea reports: PKG
Authorities in Queensland are preparing for the worst as tropical Cyclone Ului closes in. Wild seas and damaging winds are expected to develope along the coast as the cyclone moves towards the mainland. Several ships have been diverted to Cairns to avoid the storm, and the residents of some low lying coral islands south of the Whitsundays have decided to evacuate. Emergency Management Queensland's Central Region director, Robbie Medlin, joins us now: LIVE
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BUSINESS NEWS
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President Obama is waging a last-ditch political battle over his healthcare reforms. The Democrats have come up with a final version of the health care plan which will provide insurance to some 30 million Americans who don't have it.The House of Representatives will vote in a couple of days and analysts say Mr Obama's postponement of his Australia trip is no surprise as his presidency is hanging in the balance. He scrapped next week's trip to Australia and Indonesia so he can campaign up to the last minute. The ABC's Kim Landers is in Washington. PREREC
A doctor has spoken out about why he decided to forge a practising certificate after being suspended by the Medical Council. Dr Ratilal Ranchhod was found guilty of professional misconduct by the Council last year.The Health Minister, Tony Ryall, has now ordered it to look at the way it dealt with the doctor, who was the subject of sixteen patient complaints. Dr Ranchhod ran a business called Housecall visiting prisons and resthomes. PREREC
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17.30 HEADLINES
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Pregnant women are being urged to get flu vaccinations this winter as a study shows those who get swine flu are 13 times more likely to become critically ill. Researchers from New Zealand and Australia looked at last year's figures for both countries from the swine flu epidemic. 209 women of child bearing age were admitted to intensive care between June and the end of August.One of the researchers, Dr Colin McArthur from Auckland Hospital, says pregnant women were significantly more at risk than those of a similar age who weren't having a baby. PREREC
Hundreds of people have turned out in Christchurch's Latimer square to protest against the closure of a free youth health centre. The 198 (one nine eight) centre will close at the end of next month because of a funding shortfall. Many of those who spoke at the rally say the health centre saved their lives. Matthew Peddie reports. PKG
Sixteen jewelled geckos stolen from Dunedin in an attempt to smuggle them out of the country, have today been returned home.A German tourist, Manfred Bachman is serving a 15 week prison term after he was caught with the geckos at Christchurch Airport.Our reporter Emma Lancaster was there as the reptiles were released today at a secret location. PKG
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WAATEA NEWS
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In Melbourne, a Filipino tourist has been released from jail after authorities discovered that what they thought was more than two kilos of amphetamine in her suitcase was actually ice tea. Maria Silva protested her innocence when she was picked up at Melbourne Airport last Saturday - she was finally let go yesterday.Steve Butcher from the Melbourne Age has been covering the story. PREREC
The Labour Party's Justice Spokesperson has launched a members bill which would allow the Commerce Commison to take action against financial companies even when those companies have settled with investors.The ACT party is supporting the bill.Heugh Chappell reports. PKG
It sounds like a trick out of a Harry Potter book but German scientists say they have created a three-dimensional invisibility cloak. The researchers have been able to hide a bump on a gold plate using metamaterials that make the plate appear flat in infrared light. It's the first experiment to successfully hide an object in three-D. The ABC's Jennifer Macey reports.