1Thousands of Christchurch residents have finally found out the fate of their local schools. Seven will close, twelve will merge to become six schools, and twelve more will remain open.

2Twenty-seven New Zealand troops will remain in Afghanistan beyond New Zealand's official withdrawal in April.

3The Auditor-General's report into the Sky City deal will be released tomorrow. Plus, the Government has decided to move towards the plain packaging of cigarettes and tobacco.

4There have been calls for a ban on smoking in vehicles.

5A British newspaper is reporting that steroids were found at the home of Oscar Pistorius and that Police are now investigating the possibility that he could have killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in a fit of 'roid-rage'. A bloodied cricket bat is now also believed to be part of the evidence in the case.

6The owners of the cargo ship Rena want resource consent to keep the bulk of the ship in its watery grave on the Astrolabe Reef.

7Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara, the second person jailed over military-style training camps in the Urewera Ranges has been granted parole.

8A technology expert is warning Telecom's problems with its Yahoo Xtra email service could last much longer than expected and is recommending customers consider changing their email account.

9Police have arrested an Upper Hutt man who has been using Facebook to start sexual relationships with girls as young as ten.

10Traditional Maori healers have rejected New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters' claim that the $2 million taxpayer funding they receive each year is a waste of money.

11Waikato Police have launched a homicide inquiry after a 44 year old's body was found at a rural property outside Ngaruawahia yesterday.

12Police are hunting a gunman who fired several shots during one of three robberies at Auckland tourist hotspots.

13New research shows that Auckland's unusually hot dry summer has taken a toll on the rare native parrot Kakariki (also known as the red-crowned parakeet) which breed on Tiritiri Matangi Island sanctuary in the Hauraki Gulf.

14Legislation will be introduced to Parliament to make Royal succession laws gender-neutral.

15Pope Benedict XVI has asked tens of thousands of followers to keep praying for him and his successor.

16British teenager Sam Woodhead, rescued from the Australian outback, has told how he survived the harsh environment for three days by drinking his contact lens solution as well as h is own urine.

17Five endangered sea turtles who were nursed back to health by staff at Kelly Tarlton's have just been released back into the wild at the Poor Knights Marine Reserve in Northland.