Morning Report for Thursday 11 September 2014

8:55 AM.A rowing crew from Harvard University has returned to Waikato seeking revenge after being controversially beaten by Waikato University the last time they met in 2007. Audio

8:52 AM.An independent report says extending Wellington Airport's runway would give the economy a boost by allowing direct access to growing Asian and North American markets. Audio

8:48 AM.The Environmental Protection Authority has granted a marine consent to Shell Todd Oil Services to continue its exploratory drilling operation within the South Taranaki Bight. National's corrections… Read more Audio

8:42 AM.The Australian Government is considering raising the nation's terror alert level to high within days - a signal that an attack in Australia is likely. Audio

8:39 AM.A public memorial service will be held today in Ashburton for people to pay their respects to the two women shot dead at Work and Income last week. Audio

8:37 AM.Federated Farmers says Green Party politicians should never be allowed to become ministers of agriculture or science. Audio

8:31 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:28 AM.Owners of liquefaction-prone land in Canterbury have run into problems if they want to take issue with work being done by a geotechnical engineering firm. Audio

8:25 AM.The Auckland Council is poised to approve the sale of a public square near the city's waterfront, to kick start new harbour edge developments over the next decade. Audio

8:21 AM.Charter schools are defying their critics and say their students will have good pass rates this year. Audio

8:19 AM.A fresh legal wrangle over emails and private Facebook chats belonging to the Whale Oil Blogger Cameron Slater will be heard at the High Court next week. Audio

8:11 AM.John Key and David Cunliffe faced off in a lively leaders debate last night. Audio

8:07 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:54 AM.The vote is being keenly watched in New Zealand's Scottish communities. Audio

7:51 AM.Political leaders from both sides of the political spectrum in the United Kingdom are pleading with Scots to vote against independence in the upcoming referendum. Audio

7:43 AM.The National Party is promising to make all prisons working prisons by 2017. Audio

7:39 AM.Kaitaia police have received dozens of emails from all over the world, after they appealed for potential victims of sexual abuse at a local backpackers to come forward yesterday. Audio

7:36 AM.No change in the official cash rate - that's what the Reserve Bank is expected to announce at 9 o'clock this morning. Audio

7:23 AM.The Conservative Party is knocking on the door of parliament as it continues to inch towards the 5 percent threshold. Audio

7:18 AM.Barack Obama will announce his game plan for 'degrading and defeating' Islamic militant group IS in a televised address at 1pm New Zealand time. Audio

7:14 AM.Our political editor Brent Edwards was at the debate and joins us. Audio

7:10 AM.Tax and jobs sparked the most heated exchanges between John Key and David Cunliffe in last night's leaders debate on TV3. Audio

7:07 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:58 AM.The benchmark Standard and Poor's 500 index (S&P 500) has increased 0.32 percent to 1,995 so far in the day. Audio

6:57 AM.A property analyst is taking a neutral view on the property sector as a whole but says property stocks are still a safe bet. Audio

6:55 AM.An Insurance Council study reveals most people don't believe New Zealand businesses are well prepared for hacking and keeping data secure. Audio

6:52 AM.A leading economist says a lack of fixed-interest investment options will significantly hurt the pocketbook of a rapidly aging population of investors. Audio

6:50 AM.Business confidence has spread beyond the major centres, as small and medium-sized New Zealand businesses record their best sales numbers in five-years. Audio

6:47 AM.An Auckland business group says there's no point in developing houses without looking at where people will work, shop and access other services they need. Audio

6:38 AM.The leaders of the National and Labour parties took part in a what turned out to be a fiery debate on TV3 last night. Audio

6:27 AM.National's corrections spokesperson, Anne Tolley, has announced the party's corrections policy, which has nothing specific for Maori prisoners. The Environmental Protection Authority has granted a… Read more Audio

6:23 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

6:19 AM.The latest from the Pacific region. Audio

6:06 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:00 AM.Tax and jobs spark testy exchanges in the latest leaders' debate. America sets the stage for a battle against Islamic State militants and the Conservative Party makes a big jump in the latest poll. Audio