1Coal miners walked off the job today in protest at the Government's decision to tamper with the voluntary severance pay agreement for the industry.

2Police have established a confidential telephone line, in an effort to solve the Ruatoria arson mystery. It is hoped locals will feel more confident to assist the police without fear of retribution from the arsonist.

3Horrified American tourists yesterday witnessed a crocodile attacking and killing a man in the kakadu National Park in Australia's Northern Territory.

4Headline News 1. An earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter Scale rocked the south of Japan today. One person was killed. 2. Dairy farmers on the Rangitaiki Plains are worried about the future production capacity of their land, following damage to the plains' drainage system in the Bay of Plenty earthquake. 3. Fire fighters south of Taupo have begun limited industrial action today over their pay claim.

5Interview with Minister of Finance Roger Douglas, who has set a target for cutting the budget deficit in the coming financial year. He says the Government has little room to move so he wants either spending cuts or income gains to come from Government activity.

6The Government has moved today to train to contain political damage caused to its image by its controversial corporatisation programme. State Service Minister Stan Rodger admits that public relations regarding changes to the State sector have not been handled as well as they might have been, and has established a special unit consisting of public relations (PR) experts to runa campaign to sell the idea of corporatisation to voters.

7Sir Robert Muldoon has acknowledged tonight that National Party policy over exchange rate management is not official and will not become policy for some time yet.

8New Zealand's first International Food Fiesta opened in Auckland today. It is indicative of an increased interest in dining out among New Zealanders. A look at Auckland restaurant prices at the top end of the market, which are tending to increase. However, at the cheaper end of the market, some prices are actually falling.

9Worldwatch Following the announcement of this year's United Kingdom Budget, speculation is mounting that British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher may call an early election. It has been dubbed a "give-away" Budget. Two reports: 1. Details of the Budget 2. Reaction from the British public to the Budget

10Worldwatch Belfast has been stunned by ten killings in recent weeks as a result of the feud within the ranks of the outlawed Irish National Liberation Army (INLA). The latest victim was Gerard Steenson (also known as Doctor Death), one of the leaders of the Irish People's Liberation Organization (IPLO).

11Worldwatch American Catholics are experiencing a gradually brewing conflict over the Catholic Church's stance on homosexuality, which is alienating gay Catholics, who claim they make up a sizeable chunk of Church membership in the United States. A series of high level meetings will begin tomorrow for Church leaders to discuss the Church's stance on homosexuality and AIDS. If a solution can not be found, this bitter dispute is likely to become even more emotionally charged.

12Worldwatch Congressional investigators have tentatively agreed to grant limited immunity to two former White House aides at the centre of the Iran Contra scandal. The decision will force Oliver North and John Poindexter to publicly discuss their roles in dealing with Iran and financing of the Nicaraguan Contra rebels. However, Poindexter today refused to testify before a House committee investigating his involvement in directives restricting public access to sensitive information in federal computer systems.

13Worldwatch Australia's greatest industrial disaster continues to take its toll. Miners who dug their own graves in Wittenoom, Western Australia in the post World War Two industrial era, in the quest for blue asbestos, are now suing the company for millions.