1Seven men were rescued off the West Coast today after spending more than 36 hours drifting in a life raft in heavy seas. They were off the 33 metre fishing trawler Hawea, which sank in stormy weather on Friday night.

2Prime Minister Sir Robert Muldoon says the Government plans to borrow about $3.6 billion from overseas in this financial year, two-thirds of which will be used to repay existing overseas debt at a lower rate of interest.

3The latest Gallup poll in the United States shows President Ronald Reagan enjoys a commanding nineteen point lead over his probable Democratic rival Walter Mondale. Meanwhile Mondale says he is considering several women as potential Vice Presidential candidates.

4President Hernan Siles Zuazo of Bolivia was abducted and held for nine hours today by a small group of police and Army officers in what authorities described as a coup attempt against Bolivia's 21-month-old democratic government.

5Canada's new Prime Minister John Turner has been sworn in and has named his Cabinet, but he still does not have a seat in Parliament.

6Labour Leader David Lange and Prime Minister Sir Robert Muldoon are at loggerheads over the state of the New Zealand economy.

7Japan has overtaken Iceland to become the nation with the world's longest life expectancy.