1Blogger Cameron Slater , who broke the story of Auckland Mayor Len Brown's affair, says he was tipped off by a member of John Palino's Mayoral campaign team. However, defeated Mayoral candidate John Palino is denying explosive allegations from Bevan Chuang, Brown's former lover, that he was behind the affair becoming public knowledge.

2Almost 200 homes have been lost to bush fires in New South Wales, with 100 more damaged by fire.

3Over 100 sawmill workers in Rotorua could lose their jobs after their employer, Tachikawa Forest Products, went into receivership.

4Police believe an elderly Chinese couple who were found dead in a Napier motel room on Wednesday probably died of natural causes.

5A legal fight over whether prisoners should have the right to vote has suffered a setback with the Crown Law Office saying the case brought by convicted drug dealer Arthur Taylor should be thrown out.

6The Mayor of New York is taking a hard line against British street artist Banksy. He considers his work to be vandalism and the NYPD has warned the artist could be arrested if he is found.

7The All Blacks will kick off their Bledisloe Cup campaign against Australia in Dunedin in just over an hour.

8State Highway 6 between Haast and Makarora has been closed and reopened dozens of times since a massive slip five weeks ago. The lack of predictiblity is hurting both tourists and businesses.

9Dick Cheney has spoken frankly about his heart problems during his time as United States Vice President. He has revealed that the defibulator implanted inside his chest had to be altered because it left him at risk of a terrorist attack.

10A group of Boy Scout leaders in Utah may face charges for destroying a rock formation that was 170 million years old.

11People are travelling from as far away as Timaru to visit the open homes featured on TV3's "The Block".

12The Opua Basin in the Bay of Islands was visited by a fleet of tall ships this afternoon.

13A group of Dunedin supermarket workers have given up their day off to make thousands of cheese rolls for the Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal.

14The violin belonging to the Titanic's Band Master is up for auction in London. The violin was found at sea, along with its owner's body, a week after the Titanic sank in April 1912. It is expected to sell for over $380,000.