Jenna Todd of Time Out Bookstore three of her favourite books from last year: The True True Story of Raja the Gullible by Rabih Alameddine, published by Little Brown Books, Service by John Tottenham, published by Profile Books, and How to End a Story: Collected Diaries 1978-1998 by Helen Garner published by Text Publishing.

Million-year-old fossils have been found in a cave near Waitomo painting a picture of New Zealand wildlife in a period very little was known about.

In 1942 a German U-boat approached the entrance to New York's Lower Bay - surprised to see the lights of Manhattan blazing as usual.

Australia correspondent Chris Niesche details new hate speech laws invoked following a man's arrest at an anti-immigration rally.

Accessing Government services to apply for the likes of a passport or maybe some kind of funding, can often be a frustrating experience.

Time is running out for charities, sports clubs and other incorporated societies if they don't re-register under new legislation.

Joe Schmidt has ruled himself out of the running for the All Blacks' job. In cricket, the Black Caps are beaten in the T20 series with India, while in May, Raglan will play host to one of the biggest surfing events in the world.

As a big year for capital markets kicks off, Hamish discusses a potential Rakon takeover, while there are some big potential IPOs on the way. Retail numbers dropped off in December and as inflation creeps above the Reserve Bank target band, what will that do to interest rates in the coming year?

Two local women lost in the Mt Maunganui landslide, the release of a man convicted of snatching a toddler, local irritation over uncared-for roadside gardens and the worrying items confiscated at Rotorua and Tauranga courts.

Flashlight by Susan Choi, published by Vintage, Mana by Tame Iti, published by Allen & Unwin, Careless People by Sarah Wynn Williams, published by Pan Macmillan.