1The Reserve Bank Governor is warning that interest rates could rise even higher than 8% within the next two years if the new lending restrictions do not cool the housing market.

2The Government, Auckland Council and community groups are uniting to build nearly 300 affordable homes as part of a community housing project in Weymouth.

3Two people were injured this afternoon when a helicopter crashed in Swannanoa, North Canterbury.

4French food giant Danone says it is seeking full compensation from Fonterra following the false botulism scare in August.

5Two New Zealand activists are expected to be charged with piracy in the next few hours following their arrest by Russian authorities over a protest near an Arctic oil platform.

6Police dog Gus is recovering after being stabbed in the lung by an offender.

7The SPCA has welcomed the sentence handed down to a Katikati man who intentionally ran down a Black Swan with a jet boat.

8The Government's seizure of commercial land for the Christchurch rebuild has been labelled as 'disappointing and totally unnecessary' by disgruntled property owners.

9Sixteen year old songstress Lorde has knocked Miley Cyrus off the top of the American charts with her song "Royals". She has become the first New Zealand solo artist to reach number one on the prized Billboard Top 100.

10The family of late pop star Michael Jackson have lost their legal battle against his concert promoter. They argued that he was culpable in Jackson's death but their claim was dismissed by a jury.

11Gambia has announced it is to leave the Commonwealth, but has not yet explained why it has chosen to do so.

12Best-selling American author Tom Clancy has died aged 66.