The race is on in California to ensure enough infrastructure is in place to support expected wave of electric vehicles when all new vehicles sold in the state must meet zero fossil fuel requirements in 2035. At the front of the pack is Matt Petersen. He is the president of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator which aims to help accelerate the commercialisation of clean technologies. Previously he was the first Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Los Angeles, and helped create Climate Mayors, a network of more than 470 US city leaders. Matt is a keynote speaker at the Blue and Green Technology Conference in Auckland starting today.

Yesterday Nine to Noon looked at the impact of redundancies at AUT among academic staff - particularly on post-graduate students who are losing their supervisors. 170 academic positions are being cut by the university, but there are concerns about whether the criteria by which staff were selected to lose their jobs was fair. Legal proceedings have been launched by the Tertiary Education Union, which says the University has truncated the processes for dismissal set out in the collective agreement. It argues staff were selected because they failed to meet teaching and research requirements they didn't know they were subject to. Kathryn speaks to Damon Salesa, who is Vice-Chancellor of AUT.

Airlines are bracing themselves for fuel rationing during the busy Christmas travel period after a bad batch of aviation gas entered the country. Z Energy, which is the owner of the dud shipment, told airlines last night they'd need to conserve fuel in coming weeks. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment says routine fuel testing of a jet fuel shipment has raised some concerns and there is a potential impact to jet fuel supply. Since April this year - the country's only oil refinery based at Marsden Point ceased operations and became an import-only terminal for already-refined products. David Keat worked at Marsden Point Refinery for 27 years - becoming Refining Manager - second in charge under the CEO. He says if Marsden Point had retained the capacity to refine - the aviation fuel could be reprocessed, and he is concerned about the country's fuel security.

With the recent widespread coverage of the Black Ferns' road to victory at the Rugby World Cup, Sam discusses how sport is represented in the media, and how that emphasis compares to covering the arts. Also he casts an eye over contenders for vacant posts in Rugby coaching and looks ahead to the summer sporting calendar, is it a feast or a famine?

Andrew Hubbard from Citizens Advice Bureau joins Susie to talk through some tips for Christmas on a budget, and the support that's available if you're struggling.

Pattrick give his takes on the government's plan to legislate to make Google, Facebook and others pay for news. Also, why Auckland Council is looking to sell its stake in Auckland International Airport and is Christchurch likely to follow suit ? Pattrick Smellie is the editor and co-founder of BusinessDesk and has reported on the New Zealand economy and business since 1983.

Elisabeth Easther reviews The Glass House by Brooke Dunnell, published by Fremantle Press

The latest on historic hut removal in Te Urewera, crime waves in Hawkes Bay and Gisborne and a warning about the treachery of Napier's Marine Parade beach in the city centre.

The FIFA football world cup in Qatar is in the crucial knock-out phases, with the quarter finals on the weekend. Shock exits have come from Germany, and Belgium. But, it could be argued the football itself has taken a corner, overshadowed by the corruption that should have earned governing body FIFA a red card in the lead up to this world cup, also the last one in Russia,and others since the first tournament was first held in Uruguay in 1930. All this according to Netflix expose series FIFA Uncovered which tackles how football, sponsorship, politics, money and power all came to be in the same squad, and asks: how did Qatar get hosting rights (was it the fighter jet or the gas deal?) FIFA Uncovered writer and producer Miles Coleman has exposed FIFA's unseemly moments, having been granted full access by FIFA to its archives and securing a very candid interview with controversial FIFA past president Sepp Blatter. Miles speaks with Susie from London.

Ron Elving is a Senior Editor and Correspondent, Washington Desk for NPR news