1A report has cleared Cabinet Minister David Parker of any wrongdoing over the hiring of a Labour Party activist to the Ministry of the Environment. But the head of the Ministry - Hugh Logan - has resigned.

2The MP Jim Anderton is calling for the police to end their hands-off approach to body snatching.

3Business News.

45:30 News.

5Japan could be on the verge of abandoning plans to kill up to 50 humpback whales in the Southern Ocean this summer.

6A Whangarei drug addict, whose baby drowned after she left it in the bush overnight, has been jail for two and a half years.

7Much to the delight of farmers, there have been steady down-pours in most of the driest places, from Otago to Hawkes Bay.

8A Christchurch man has pleaded guilty to using the identities of 10 dead infants to commit more than 60 acts of fraud.

9Waatea News: The Latest in Maori News.

10There are claims the approval of a genetically modified corn for animal feed is putting human health at risk.

11The Government has decided to cut through red tape in getting approval for the construction of two new renewable energy projects.

126pm News.

13The men accused of plotting to kill Fiji's interim Prime Minister and key Cabinet Ministers have been released on bail.

14There's trouble brewing in the Sydney suburb of Camden over plans to build an Islamic school for 1200 students.

15A review of the so-called Anti-Smacking Bill - which lead to claims that police would be arresting hundreds of parents for lightly slapping their children on the hand - has found no change in the number of callouts for police in the months following the law change.

16The government is being called on to regulate sunscreen products following a report that found that some made misleading claims.

17The man accused of attacking triple RSA murderer William Bell has appeared in court today.

18Business News.

19Thousands of supporters of Lee Myung-bak have been celebrating his victory in South Korea's Presidential election.

206:30 News.

213 British residents who were prisoners at Guantanamo Bay have been flown to Britain, where they were taken into custody.

22Europe's car makers have been told to produce more environmentally friendly cars or risk paying hefty fines.

23Time Magazine has named Russian President Vladimir Putin their "Man Of The Year", saying that he has given Russia stability and has shown Russia is still a leading world power.

24Waatea News: The Latest in Maori News.

25In Germany holocaust denial is a serious crime but that's not stopping some groups from posting hateful content on the Internet.

26The BBC'S world service is celebrating it's 75th anniversary and it's more popular today than ever reaching 183 million people.

27The authorities in Canada have laid theft and fraud charges against a former lottery ticket seller in Toronto.

28There's been a call for the so-called 'ladies of tennis' to put an end to what some of them are calling...The Grunt.

29Research by an recruitment company has found more people leave their jobs in December than in any other month.