1A new report on the sale of alcohol in New Zealand paints a picture of heavy drinking and drunkenness and proposes sweeping changes to the way liquor is sold.

2A councillor who represents the South Auckland community of Randwick Park where liquor store owner Navtej Singh was killed in a robbery, says leaving the drinking age at 18 is a missed opportunity.

3The ACT MP who repeatedly criticises government spending has turned out to be one of the highest spending MPs in Parliament. Figures released today revealed that Sir Roger Douglas spent over $44-thousand on air travel alone in the first six months of this year.

4Rowdy protesters today disrupted the High Court trial of Taito Phillip Field, as the Judge was in the process of summing up. The former MP is accused with 35 charges including bribery, corruption and obstruction of justice.

5Business News

6Financial markets have marked down the dollar and interest rates despite the Reserve Bank's decision to leave the Official Cash Rate unchanged at 2.5% earlier today.

7Opposition MPs have pursued the Minister of Social Development Paula Bennett in the House for a third straight day, over her release of beneficiary information.

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9The South African president Jacob Zuma has warned striking workers who break the law that they'll be arrested even for dropping litter.

10The Government has unveiled plans to double the number of prisoners able to get drug and alcohol treatment. Announcing the strategy today, Judith Collins has said three new drug treatment units will be build before the end of 2011.

11A battle's brewing over plans to set up a ninth liquor outlet on one of Auckland's most colourful and controversial city streets. MK Trading hopes to open another outlet on Auckland's Karangahape Road.

12Waatea News

13New information out today indicates pressure on health services from Influenza A H1N1 'swine flu' and seasonal flu is easing - but the number of people seeing their doctor for flu is at epidemic levels in two areas.

14The widow of Christchurch man Jim Takamore, Denise Clark says she is ecstatic to have won a legal battle to take possession of her partner's body, but says the emotional journey of the past two years is far from over.

15Retailers say new research which claims there are no significant health benefits from eating organic produce won't affect people's shopping habits.

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17A new report on the sale of alcohol in New Zealand paints a picture of heavy drinking and drunkenness and proposes sweeping changes to the way liquor is sold. However, some groups are saying the report should have called for the drinking age to be raised back to 20.

18The first disclosure of expenses claimed by MPs shows that Labour leader Phil Goff ran up the most expenses outside of Cabinet, with bills totalling more than $124-thousand. The long-time ACT MP who repeatedly criticises government spending has turned out to be one of the highest spending MPs, spending over $44-thousand on air travel alone in the first six months of this year.

19The Jury has retired to consider its verdict in the case of a Wairarapa woman charged over the death of her son in a car crash. Wendy-May Connon is accused of manslaughter.

20Business News

21Financial markets have marked down the dollar and interest rates despite the Reserve Bank's decision to leave the Official Cash Rate unchanged at 2.5% earlier today.

22New Zealanders have become healthier and richer over the last 20 years, but the extent to which lives have improved depends on gender and ethnicity. Statistics New Zealand has made measurements over the past two decades and released a report on sustainable development.

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24Officials in Indonesia say they are investigating the origin of an internet message that claims responsibility for this month's suicide bomb attacks on two luxury hotels in Jakarta. The attacks killed nine people.

25Military officials in Nigeria say they've gained the upper hand after another day of fighting with the militant Islamists blamed for fomenting violence across several northern states. The fighting has been responsible for more than 200 deaths.

26Four men with Dutch passports have been arrested in Kenya. It has been claimed by police that they were heading for the Somali border and are being used as an example for a rising Somali insurgence.