1The latest unemployment figures show a big increase in the number of people out of work - fifty percent more than at the same time last year. The provinces are facing record unemployment, while urban areas appear to still have plenty of work. Interview with the Minister of Employment, Kerry Burke.

2United States President Ronald Reagan has held a news conference this afternoon to try to explain to the American public why it was necessary to do an arms deal with Iran to secure the release of American hostages in Lebanon. He has defended his actions, but also given a guarantee that no further arms deals will be undertaken with Iran. Secretary of State George Shultz, who publicly disagreed with the President's actions, has decided against resigning, having won some important concessions from the President.

3The Soviet Parliament has given its official blessing to legislation allowing limited private enterprise in order to meet the demands for consumer goods and services.

4The Wool Board and carpet manufacturers are warning that millions of dollars and around 1500 jobs are at risk in the wool industry. They accuse the Government of breaking a promise to control the introduction of cheaper, synthetic carpets in New Zealand.

5Champion racehorse Bonecrusher is sick and is out of Sunday's Japan Cup.

6The defending syndicate in the America's Cup, Australia 4, is currently fighting to remain in contention.

7ResTech International, a fledgling New Zealand resource company which aims to revolutionise metal mining, is about to reveal its prospectus ahead of its public float of nine million shares.

8United States President Ronald Reagan has held a news conference this afternoon to try to explain to the American public why it was necessary to do an arms deal with Iran to secure the release of American hostages in Lebanon. An inside look at President Reagan's press conference as seen by a group of journalists.

9There has been a call today for sports people to pay part of the cost towards the Accident Compensation scheme (ACC).. The Manufacturers' Federation and the Chiropractors' Association claim sports injuries are draining ACC, resulting in a cash crisis. A growing portion of that bill goes towards supporting people who hurt themselves while working out in gyms, and it has been claimed that some of thee injuries are caused by badly designed programmes and poor supervision.

10The 'Gypsy Children' of Europe are a ragtag bunch of youngsters who haunt many of Europe's major tourist centres - particularly Rome and Paris - picking the pockets of unsuspecting tourists in a modern day version of Oliver Twist. They are stealing on behalf of Gypsy bosses, who are amassing fortunes through the child crime syndicate they control.

11The world's top weather experts are predicting that New Zealand will become hotter by as much as 4 degrees over the next century. They also believe that many low-lying areas will be flooded as sea levels rise. They blame pollution caused by carbon gases from fossil fuels for this climate change.