As you've just heard protesters at Lake Waikaremoana are still deciding whether to accept the governments offer today of an inquiry into their grievances over the management of the Urewera National Park. About 20 protesters have spent part of the day at the local marae talking to local Māori about ending the occupation of part of Waikaremoana's foreshore. LIVE IV WITH Māori Issue correspondent Chris Wikaira
LIVE I WITH political editor Al Morrison
1715 BUSINESS HEADLINE
The port of Whangarei has been given another boost, winning another 30 million dollars worth of work on the ANZAC frigates. The city's Tenix shipyard has won the contract to make the hull modules of four Australian Navy ships. To date, the ANZAC frigate project has produced 600-million dollars worth of work for more than 500 New Zealand companies. LIVE IV WITH mayor, Stan Semenoff.
The Auckland power crisis has turned life for some inner city apartment dwellers into a diesel fueled headache. Not only are they furious at what they see as the incompetence of Mercury Energy, but they're also suffering the stress of a day to day life without power. PACKAGE FROM Eileen Cameron
In the United States, computer tycoon and Microsoft chief executive Bill Gates has appeared before a Senate committee, defiantly defending his company from accusations it's a monopolist predator. The committee is investigating software industry competition - today's hearing saw Mr Gates appear alongside his bitterest rivals. PACKAGE FROM Washington correspondent Catherine Drew.
1730 HEADLINES
To Mexico now, where rioting prisoners have taken over a jail, killing two police officers and holding 50 more hostage. Over 900 of the 1200 inmates at the prison in the southern state of Oaxaca (pron Wahaca) are involved. LIVE IV with Mexico correspondent James Bleares.
To Papua New Guinea - where unofficial estimates put the death toll from the country's drought in the thousands. Aid officials say the true toll will probably never be known. PNG has been ravaged by the drought since August - teh rains did start last month but have brought more problems. LIVE IV WITH Colin Prentice from World Vision
Car prices are continuing to slide - for sellers, it's grim news; for buyers, it's good but with fish hooks. PACKAGE FROM Eric Frykberg
The Junkman of Whangarei is once again between a rock and a hard place. Keith Montreal is a compulsive hoarder but the size of his mound of treasures is once more upsetting authorities. PACKAGE FROM Lois Williams
1745 SPORTS
It's a technophobes' nightmare. The Telecommunication Users Association conference is on in Wellington - on the agenda is technology we'll take for granted tomorrow. But, for cyber-virgins unused to navigating cyberspace, or even using the VCR, the future has a daunting look to it - PACKAGE FROM Karen Gregory-Hunt
1750 MANA NEWS
To Otago now - where the region is celebrating the contribution of Chinese immigrants during last century's glodrushes. China Week has attracted a delegation from Shanghai to mark the celebrations, which opened today. PACKAGE FROM Graham McKerracher
1800 NEWS BULLETIN