1A man has died in an avalanche triggered by the heli-skiing group he was part of in the Southern Alps near Methven this afternoon. The victim was buried for six minutes before he was found.

2New research shows Influenza A H1N1 'swine flu' is more easily spread than first thought. Researches from the University of Otago say this means that up to 80% of the population could become infected, with two thirds showing symptoms.

3The Minister of Local Government says all seven of Auckland's mayors should hang up their chains and give the job of running the super city to someone else. Rodney Hide made the comments in Auckland at the same time as the last select committee hearing was closing in Wellington.

4The Retirement Commissioner says the age for collecting superannuation and the amount that is paid out has to change, but no government will face up to the challenge. Diana Crosson is predicting a superannuation crisis, though the government rejected her 2007 report on the issue.

5Business News

6In the United States dozens of New Jersey politicians, officials and prominent rabbis have been arrested in a sweeping federal investigation into corruption, money laundering and human organ sales.

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8A man has died in an avalanche triggered by the heli-skiing group he was part of in the Southern Alps near Methven this afternoon. The victim was buried for six minutes before he was found.

9Queenstown health action group Wakatipu Health Trust says funding for hospital services in the resort is woefully inadequate and falling way behind the national average.

10Waatea News

11Fiji's interim government is being accused of crossing a line in the way it's dealing with the Methodist Church. Two former church presidents have been detained by police for questioning over events at a recent church conference.

12Auckland police say they believe the rapist who struck in a central city park has stalked other women and may strike again.

13The Minister of Fisheries has outlined a plan to set-up fishing areas around New Zealand solely for recreational and customary fishers. Phil Heatley has said he can have commercial 'no go' areas operational in the next two years.

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15A man has died in an avalanche triggered by the heli-skiing group he was part of in the Southern Alps near Methven this afternoon. The victim was buried for six minutes before he was found.

16The former head of prisons says the percentage of inmates kept in segregation is too high and is upsetting the prison balance. However the Department of Corrections says they have an obligation to keep prisoners safe and most of them are there because they fear for their own safety.

17Putting the local back into local government has been one of the major themes in submissions on how Auckland's 'super city' should be run. The Auckland Governance Select Committee which is hearing submissions on the plans for Auckland's councils to be merged in to one has reported back to the house today.

18More details have been emerging about the police raid on the offices of Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray, who was with the pop icon when he collapsed.

19Business News

20Several protests have been organised in Pakistan after severe electricity outages in the past weeks. The government has called for calm, though several towns have experienced blockades while protesters light tyres in the streets.

21Israel's housing minister is so worried about the increasing presence of Arabs that he is suggesting that Orthodox Jews to move to the north to stop the spread of Arabs there. One in five Israeli citizens are Arab.

22A criminologist is attributing skyrocketing convictions for violent crime to the recession.

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24Focus on Politics: The Public Service has been put on notice - the big spending years of large scale growth are over, and reform is coming. The blunt message came from treasury head John Whitehead in a speech on Monday and was soon backed up by Minister of Finance Bill English. Following the speech, former Reserve Bank Governor and leader of the National Party Don Brash was announced as the head of the 2025 Taskforce, which has the brief of closing the wage gap with Australia. This has prompted Labour to respond with claims that the agenda will lead to the same slash and burn policies of the 80s and 90s.

25Waatea News