1The global downturn has tightened its grip on New Zealand with the economy moving deeper in to recession with businesses and consumers cutting back on spending. NZ Exports were down 2.6 percent, manufacturing dropped by about the same.

2Police investigating the death of Mallory Manning have reveiled she was strangled, beaten and stabbed before being dumped in the Avon River on Friday morning.

3A victim of property scam says the penalty for those who ripped him off is little more than a slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket. Philip Cavanagh, Raghu Aryasomayajula and Philip Niall have had their real-estate licenses revoked after the trio inflated sales prices to get massive mortgages.

4Business News

5The traditional school day could be on its way out if some in the education sector have their way. The School Trustees Association has called for a debate on more flexible hours and that's being welcomed by the new Minister of Education.

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7New Zealand's economy continues moving in a downward direction with a third recorded quarter of negative growth. Economists are not expecting a turnaround any time soon.

8The police in South Auckland have launched an investigation over the dissapearence of 24-year-old Manurewa man Carlos Edwards, who hasn't been seen since 4 December.

9250 Taranaki families received letters from police in the mail. It's part of a nationwide attempt to prevent holiday domestic violence.

10Waatea News

11The Government staying silent over the interim Fiji administration dropping its threats to expel high commissioner Caroline McDonald unless a travel ban on a student was lifted.

12The deputy governor of the Bank of England, Sir John Gieve, admits the bank underestimated the severity of the economic problems before the financial crisis erupted in Britain.

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14Economists say 'I told you so" as general household spending is down and businesses are investing less forcing New Zealand's GDP down further.

15Police have reviled that Christchurch prostitute Mellory Manning, who was found dead in the Avon River on Friday morning was strangled, beaten and stabbed.

16The Commerce Commission is questioning whether New Zealand should jail cartel ring leaders after finding an international price fixing syndicate had targeted New Zealand. Schneider Electric has been fined more than a million dollars after admitting it was part of the cartel.

17The three Real Estate agents who inflated prices of property to gain massive mortgages could face further charges.

18Business News

19As Zimbabwe sinks deeper into political crisis the suffering of the people is also growing. The United States is now pushing for tougher sanctions against the African country.

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21The acting High Commissioner to Fiji has been ordered to leave the country by its interim government. The regime has been threatening to expel Caroline McDonald during a diplomatic stand-off over a travel ban on members of Fiji's military, government and their families.

22An ACC law expert says the way is now open for women to sue their doctor if they become pregnant after sterilisation surgery. The court of appeal has decided a woman who became pregnant after the surgery is not entitled because the unwanted pregnancy does not fall under the ACC's legal definition of personal injury.

23As mentioned earlier in the programme, Caroline McDonald, the acting High Commissioner to Fiji has been ordered to leave the country by its interim government. The Minister of Foreign Affairs speaks on Checkpoint.