1The Labour party has unveiled a 50 million dollar package to enable people hit by the recession to get the dole earlier.

2Clark Not Happy to Talk About Equitcorp Story. Radio New Zealand's Political editor Brent Edward gives his reaction to the Equitcorp story.

3The jury in the Liam Reid murder trial is deliberating after hearing four weeks of evidence in the High Court at Christchurch.

4Business News

5John Key got ambushed, and Helen Clark fell flat on her face - literally.

6Obama Commercial May Have Cost Five Million US. The Republican presidential candidate, John McCain has been quick to condemn it.

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8The National Bank's confidence survey shows 42 percent of businesses now expect conditions to deteriorate in the coming year.

9From today, the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee, known as PTAC, will publish more about its deliberations.

10David Bain's Lawyer Michael Reed QC says the Privy Council will be petitioned in an attempt to have Bain acquitted.

11Waatea News

12UN Urges End to Conflict in Congo. UN's Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the rebels' offensive was"creating a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic dimensions".

13NZer's Still With Their Heads in the Sand Over Spending. Research conducted by M and C Saatchi put people into categories such as scrimpers, treaters, ostriches and vultures.

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15At least 160 people were killed in the 6.4-magnitude quake, which hit the impoverished province of Baluchistan on Wednesday.

16The Greens say they would find it difficult to work with Mr Peters, as investigations continue into donations to his party.

17Economists are cautioning that an upswing isn't on the horizon for some time yet.

18The US Federal Reserve this morning slashed the rate to a 50-year low in an attempt to cushion the economy

19Business News

20It has long been speculated that China's greenhouse gas emissions rival, and may even surpass those of America.

21The Colombian government says it has sacked the officials, following investigations into extra-judicial executions.

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23Auckland International Airport is expecting slower growth in passenger numbers because of the global financial crisis.

24Wellington RSA members say more clubs will close if young people don't change their perception of the RSA.

25It's not fire from the skies the 100-thousand people living in the shadow of Mt Taranaki need to worry about - it's mud.

26In Australia, the long awaited treasury estimates on the cost of a carbon emissions trading scheme are being launched today.

27Unions and conservationists are joining forces to pressure Canberra to create more of what they are calling"green collar jobs".