1The Department of Conservation is cutting 102-jobs, mostly at head office and in the regional conservancy offices, triggering accusations the Government is jeopardising the conservation estate. This is 6% of its 1800-staff. The Public Service Association has been told there is more cost cutting coming.

2The Green Party MP Kevin Hague is accusing the Department of Conservation's head Al Morrison of misleading a select committee just yesterday about the job cuts, specifically in research and science. The reply was that there would be no cut in the budget in this area, avoiding the question.

3The embattled business leader Alasdair Thompson has this afternoon issued a second and "unqualified" apology over his women's periods comment. He apologises for his bad choice of words and poor judgement. His future is expected to come up in the next few days. There are calls for him to resign.

4Business News

5The mass resignation on a government-appointed trade board in China follows a show down with officials over a new trade commissioner. The private sector board is chaired by expatriate New Zealander and highly respected banker David Mahon who has worked in China for 26 years, and the other seven members are either high-flying local business people or other ex-pat Kiwis. A personality clash between Mahon and the advisory board's NZTE Asia representative Rod McKenzie, was at the bottom of the deteriorating relationship.

6Kapiti's emperor penguin has been rushed in a big chilly bin to Wellington zoo after taking a turn for the worse. They are removing sand from the bird's intestinal tract.

75:30pm News

8Shopkeepers and other small business owners in the new red zones of Christchurch are today trying to figure out what the zones mean for them as some of the regulations apply only to home owners. This is bars, dairies, and fish and chip shops wondering where to go.

9The Canterbury quake community forum that will advise Gerry Brownlee will be announced tomorrow. This is a forum for local people to be involved. The details of how it will work is still to be worked out.

10President Obama's announcement that he intends to withdraw 33,000 of the 100,000 US troops deployed in Afghanistan by the end of next year has brought out conflicting views. Champions of the war are now protesting that the president is wimping out, while opponents are complaining that the drawdown is too slow to bring US involvement in the war to an end

11Waatea News

12Homeowners in Christchurch have told earthquake authorities they face heavy losses under the Government's property payout scheme. A neighbourhood meeting at Lynwood North School said there were cracks in the scheme.

13As contestants in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election wind up their campaigning, party leaders are hanging tough about the chance their candidates will win. Hone Harawera is hoping he will win with his new Mana Party.

14The New Zealand Cycle Trail will expand to add a number of back country roads to the 18 predominantly off-road trails being built as they have been identified as good cycling roads.

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16More than a dozen schools in Christchurch's eastern suburbs now face an uncertain future with yesterday's news that thousands of people will have to abandon their homes. As people leave the areas this has an effect on school staffing and funding.

17Alasdair Thompson's ( head of the country's biggest employers' group) has made a new apology but there are still calls for his resignation.

18With the polls opening for the by-election in Te Tai Tokerau at nine o'clock tomorrow morning there's been a last minute rush of enrolments as our reporter Lois Williams explains

19Business News Including; The mobile phone firm, 2degrees, has reported a loss of nearly 77 million dollars, as it continues to spend heavily on expanding its network to catch up with its larger rivals, Vodafone and Telecom

20A vocal critic of New Zealand's trade strategy in China (David Mahon) has led a mass walkout of a Government-appointed board.

21Northland's Kaipara Harbour is in such a bad state it's heading for an ecological meltdown with overfishing, development and sediment build-up from farming. It is important as a fish nursery but 90% of the rivers are polluted. But too many councils are involved so nothing is done.

226:30pm News

23Focus on Politics: Is the Government's handling of tragedies in Christchurch and at Pike River Mine starting to falter?

24Waatea News

25The risks to New Zealand from its high debt levels and reliance on Australian-owned banks have been outlined at a conference of financial experts. It commented on how high debt could leave New Zealand vulnerable.