1Prime Minister David Lange and Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke have agreed to speed up the expansion of Closer Economic Relations Agreement (CER) between the two countries, both agreeing that free trade across the Tasman will "come sooner than expected".

2The centre of the historic Northland township of Rawene has been extensively damaged by fire.

3Two men died today when their light plane crashed on Lochinvar Station in the central North Island.

4A helicopter has crashed in Westland, killing the pilot and severely injuring his passenger.

5Hamilton police are still trying to piece together what happened to a 23 year old man who died in Waikato Hospital on Friday night after being severely beaten.

6A 21 year old Southland man was today given a new heart and lungs at London's Harefield Hospital.

7A fundraising appeal to send two year old Hamilton boy Regan Chibnall to Brisbane for a liver transplant has passed $200,000.

8The investigation into the fire at the King's Cross underground station has found that it smoldered for at least two hours before it exploded into a fireball, killing 30 people.

9Humphrey, the Coromandel sea elephant who has won hearts all over New Zealand and internationally, has returned to the sea.