1The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii is dropping the word 'warning' from the alerts it sends out to countries including New Zealand because it's too alarmist and confusing. The region's Civil Defence got its first 'real' test of the new new Zealand Tsunami warning system.

2The Centre's assistant director Dr Stuart Weinstein says the wording of the bulletins is designed for scientists and civil defence officials who then decide what if any threat there is. They are dropping the word "warning' from their bulletins to avoid confusing the recipients.

3Contractors in Christchurch are due to file legal action against the Earthquake Commission tomorrow, because of thousands of dollars worth of unpaid invoices. The commission says it is worried by double billing, inflated invoices and invoices for work which hasn't been done.

4Business News

5The Auckland District Health Board may have averted a legal showdown after a frustrated father threatened to take it to court for failing to stop people lighting up outside its hospitals. Under the Smoke free Environments Act smoking is banned inside buildings but doesn't extent to hospital grounds.

6The 7.6-quake which triggered today's tsunami alert was centred near the Kermadec Islands, and includes Raoul Island where the earthquake was felt and it was longer than normal.

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8NIWA is predicting New Zealand could be facing looming disaster if it does not start looking after its ocean waters as the competing pressures on the system are damaging to the oceans' health. A national policy is urgently needed.

9Christchurch has taken another employment hit, with 27 bakers losing their jobs at Quality Bakers damaged plant, which may need to be demolished.

10The Labour Party is seeking to make political capital out of the sacking of Alasdair Thompson by turning its fire on the Government over pay equity.

11The New York Times is reporting that in the US that airlines are being warned about a new threat - suicide bombers with explosives surgically implanted inside them.

12Manu Korihi News, including; The Ng?puhi r?nanga chair, Sonny Tau, says claimant groups in a stand-off over the tribe's Treaty settlement, need to get real; Wai 262 report, says iwi and hap? could take a commercial stake in any deal to create pharmaceuticals using indigenous flora and fauna; Two M?ori broadcasters are trying to secure a peace pact between the M?ori and Mana parties; Te Ururoa Flavell, says there's no harm in talking to the Mana Party about working together ahead of the election, but cautions there can be no guarantees.

13A new energy efficiency rating system for houses, the Homestar programme, has been introduced, but to get a 10-star rank, you literally need a windfarm in your backyard, but the rating agency says it is time New Zealand caught up with Australia.

14Are New Zealanders falling out of love with the credit card. Fewer young people have credit cards, and are debt averse.

15The major banks have agreed to a Government-led deal to help out leaky home owners facing hundreds of millions of dollars of repair bills. The bill would see the government paying 50%, the homeowner 25% and local government 25%.

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17The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii is dropping the word "warning" from the alerts it sends out to countries including New Zealand because it's too alarmist and confusing.

18The families of dead soldiers have been added to the list of people whose phones may have been hacked by a private detective working for the British tabloid newspaper, News of the World. There is a move to have the editor of news of the World, Rebecca Brooks, should be removed from her post.

19Business News including; the luxury car maker, Rolls Royce, has appointed a New Zealand dealer for the first time in nearly two decades

20The Maori Party whip, Te Ururoa Flavell, says there's no harm in talking to the Mana Party about working together ahead of the election, but stopped short of making any commitment about the future

21A record number of great white sharks have been tagged by scientists at one of New Zealand's hotspots for the giant predators, off Stuart Island. They tagged 27 out of the 41 they saw.

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23The Green Party is using a photo of a 55-metre high escape ladder from the Pike River Mine to press the Government over New Zealand's mining safety standards

24Manu Korihi News, including; M?ori Party whip says there's no harm talking to the Mana Party about working together, but promises no guarantees; WAI 262 reports allows M?ori to have a commercial stake; Hannah T?maki takes Court action regarding her bid for leadership of the M?ori Women's Welfare League; New Art Gallery opens in Moerewa tonight

25Australia has lifted the temporary ban on live cattle shipments to Indonesia imposed after revelations of widespread cruelty at that country's abattoirs