1Staple Diet Ten months ago Debbie Wilson Heti was on heart pills, cholesterol pills, pills for blood pressure and pills for her liver. She was depressed, morbidly obese and living in the fat capital of New Zealand. The prognosis was grim. Then she received stomach stapling surgery - courtesy of the public health system. She effectively lost 80% of her stomach and her hunger drive. Today she is 70 kilograms lighter and with a will to live. This is an intimate and courageous story of how the health system is helping the obese help themselves and saving us - the taxpayer - millions of dollars a year.

2Built on Sand Dubai is home to the world's tallest building, a glittering celebration of wealth and an oasis for the well-heeled. Then the unthinkable happens - billions of dollars sink into the sands of a recession and the fun stops dead. Dubai was built on oil and natural gas and flourished on tourism, property and financial services. But what's left? Are there just nightmares ahead for the City of Dreams?

3Update on an item from last week about teenage boy Peter McGimpsey who desperately needs a kidney transplant.