Checkpoint for Thursday 20 May 2010

6:56 PM.Investors in the failed property investment company Blue Chip are angry its founder Mark Bryers has escaped a prison sentence. Audio

6:55 PM.Pacific leaders are questioning today's budget announcement - that 4.8 million dollars is going to the Pacific Economic Development Agency over the next four years. Audio

6:51 PM.The U.S. President is becoming embroiled in a divisive debate about illegal immigration. Audio

6:46 PM.The highest ever number of children under the age of two are now fully immunised. Audio

6:42 PM.More than 200 protesters have marched through Hokitika today in protest against the continued use of 1080 for possum control. Audio

6:40 PM.Some of the oil from the leaking rig in the Gulf of Mexico has entered a powerful sea current and is moving closer towards Florida and Cuba. Audio

6:37 PM.European leaders are laying some of the blame for the Greek financial crisis on international currency speculators who they say put pressure on Greece by betting it would default on its borrowings. Audio

6:34 PM.An update from the RNZ sports team. Audio

6:23 PM.With us is our Business Editor Patrick O'Meara, our Health Correspondent Chris Bramwell and our Education Correspondent John Gerritsen. Audio

6:20 PM.News from the business sector. Audio

6:18 PM.A South Auckland mother who the police say left her children alone while she got drunk at a party has appeared in court on charges of abandonment. Audio

6:15 PM.An international report has found that it was a North Korean submarine's torpedo that sank a South Korean navy ship in March killing 46 sailors. Audio

6:11 PM.But Hone Harawira has spoken out against the GST hike - despite the Maori Party being bound by its Confidence and supply agreement to support the Budget. Audio

6:08 PM.The Government says today's announced tax cuts are aimed at getting us saving and creating more jobs. Audio

5:55 PM.As you've heard changes to income tax rates and a rise in GST are at the heart of this year's budget. Audio

5:53 PM.The first findings from an investigation into the cause of the plane crash which killed the Polish president Lech Kaczynski, his wife and dozens of other top officials have been released. Audio

5:50 PM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

5:48 PM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

5:46 PM.Fires are still burning in central Bangkok a day after riots and arson by anti-government protesters in which at least 14 people were killed. Audio

5:42 PM.Our Economics Correspondent Nigel Stirling is with us. Audio

5:38 PM.Labour says today's budget is a series of broken promises, that delivers to the few not the many. Audio

5:35 PM.An update from the RNZ sports team. Audio

5:30 PM.Linda Britton was among a group of investors who travelled up from Tauranga for today's sentencing. She joins us. Audio

5:28 PM.The founder of the failed property investment company Blue Chip has been ordered to pay a fine of 37-and-a-half-thousand dollars and serve 75 hours community service - a sentence one investor… Read more Audio

5:26 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:22 PM.Joining us to discuss this further is our Political Editor Brent Edwards. Audio

5:18 PM.Geof Nightingale, a is a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers and is a member of the tax working group. Audio

5:15 PM.Tax cuts and the rise in GST have been the main points of interest for shoppers at the Westfield Mall in Hamilton. Audio

5:10 PM.The Government will have to borrow around 400 million dollars to afford the tax cuts - Bill English says that's affordable. Audio

5:08 PM.A surprise tax cut for middle income earners and an unexpected cut in the company rate are part of what the Government is calling the most significant tax reform package in 25 years. Audio

5:00 PM.Business and personal taxes come down as GST goes up to 15 percent. Angry Bluechip investors at court for the sentencing of the company's founder. Audio

2:00 PM.Sean Plunket and RNZ correspondents review the Budget. Audio