1Two Auckland bus drivers who say they have a fear of people with their faces covered will be sacked if they ever again tell Muslim women to remove their veils. NZ Bus is dealing with a complaint by Saudi diplomats about the way the women were treated.

2The head of a bus drivers' union says he's had calls today from members worried about security risk posed by women wearing veils

3The country has been shaken by a large deep 6.5 magnitude earthquake widely felt by both the north and south islands. It was from the tectonic plates so very deep. The epicentre was near Taupo, but not felt much there.

4Several Christchurch City councillors are outraged 2-point-8 million dollars worth of contracts have been signed off behind closed doors - bypassing a proper tender process.

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6Police investigations into the former Act MP David Garrett have cleared him of allegations of fraud. He resigned as an MP over getting a passport in the name of a dead baby.

7The Labour Party is to unveil its tax package next Thuday and already speculation about what it might contain is running rife around Parliament

8After the warmest May on record we've now had the third hottest June.

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10Business confidence is recovering strongly as many firms put the Canterbury quakes' shock behind them, though some sectors are still struggling

11At least one economic forecaster thinks there's good reason for optimism, Infometrics. There are signs that commodities are doing well.

12Venezuela's ever-theatrical President, Hugo Chavez, has thrilled thousands of his supporters with an emotional pledge to win the fight to regain his health. He has been in Cuba having cancer treatment.

13Manu Korihi News, including; Hannah T?maki, the wife of the Destiny Church Leader Brian T?maki, is promising to keep fighting to be elected president of M?ori Women's' Welfare League; The Government says two Muslim women wearing veils shouldn't have been barred from boarding buses in Auckland; A treaty of Waitangi audit of how well Auckland Council is meeting its obligations to M?ori should be completed by November

14The Education Minister is waiting for the Canterbury Earthquake Royal Commission to report back before considering a national survey of all school buildings in the country.

15Hopes are fading that a New Zealand journalist, Glen Johnson, detained in Yemen will be freed anytime soon as he is in a part of the country where the separatist movement is active.

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17The Saudi Arabia Consul-General, Ahmed Al Johani, has written to the Human Rights Commission to complain about two Muslim women being refused a ride on a bus because were wearing veils.

18In Australia the New South Wales police are getting extra powers to get women to remove their Burkas to enable better identification of people.

19Making it to work on time can be hard slog especially if you live in Takapuna or Petone, which have topped a list of the worst commutes by car in morning traffic according to a new report.

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22The Fire Service is recognising fire crews who responded to the February earthquake at an event this evening in Christchurch.

23Claims by the outgoing Federated Farmers dairy chairman that trout are the stoat of waterways, causing a decline in water quality are being scoffed at by scientists and anglers

24Manu Korihi News, including; The wife of the Destiny Church Bishop Brian T?maki, has been left off the voting list for the presidency of the M?ori Women's' Welfare League, but her spokesperson says she'll continue the fight for the top job; The M?ori Party MP, R?hui Katene, says the party has to ensure the National-led Government has a proper conversation with claimants over the Waitangi Tribunal's report on the Wai 262 claim; The big plastic waka shaped venue being built for the Rugby World Cup will be given a test run at a secret location

25Rebel commanders in western Libya say it will not be long before they have control of the capital Tripoli.

26Private schools in Christchurch have asked the government for help as they try to cope in the aftermath of February's earthquake as they think student numbers will drop.