A man's arm was amputated on a Sydney road after he was hit by a drunk driver.

An announcement on changes to alcohol legislation is likely in the next few weeks, Prime Minister John Key says.

Amy-Rose Allen, 22, was a beauty show contestant and an alcoholic who fell victim to what her parents described as NZ's "widely accepted" binge-drinking culture.

Kiwi parents' biggest fear is that their children will spiral into drug and alcohol addiction, a survey has found.

John Armstrong writes that the working group's prescription for change may be blinkered by ideology such as time limits.

Controversial broadcaster and Whanganui Mayor Michael Laws has gone on radio revealing an "unwise" relationship he was having with a woman from "an unusual background".

Customers of fast food restaurants could be offered a free statin to mitigate the meal's damaging effects on the heart, a doctor suggests.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark is calling for a major rethink about leading multilateral institutions including UN where she is No 3 in command.

Victim advocates are relieved to see a reversal by ACC on its decision to cut funding for sexual abuse counselling, but the Greens say independent reviews should also follow other changes the Crown organisation has made.

Wellington coroner Ian Smith has called for a review of the Privacy Act in his findings on the suicide of a young university student two years ago.

The gems come from the Marange fields where miners were massacred by soldiers and villagers have been beaten, raped and forced to work as virtual slaves.

Living life to a tight deadline, juggling appointments and rushing from place to place may harm a woman's chances of becoming pregnant.