1The Government has given approval for private television to be established. The Broadcasting Tribunal will call for applications within a week from four regions - Auckland/Northland, Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Wellington/Manawatu/Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa, and Christchurch/Dunedin.

2Housing Minister Phil Goff has spelled out radical changes to the tenancy laws. The proposed Tenancy Bill will abolish rent control and establish tenancy tribunals as well as make bond money payable to an independent authority, rather than landlords themselves.

3Prime Minister David Lange has stated that New Zealand will not permit test firing of unarmed trident missiles in New Zealand's waters. His announcement comes after unconfirmed reports that the United States was planning to test unarmed missiles in the Chatham Rise.

4A full-scale search and rescue operation was mounted in Cook Strait today after a hoax distress call claimed a 65 foot schooner had struck a whale and was sinking.

5The Engineers' Union has lodged a wage claim of 20%. The Drivers' Federation is calling for $30 a week, which amounts to about a 15% rise.

6Unions at Marsden Point are threatening further industrial strife unless the Government scraps controversial legislation covering the refinery's expansion project introduced by the National Government.

7Two Soviet army deserters who fled to Britain from Afghanistan have returned home, apparently of their own free will.

8Fears that the Irish Republican Army (IRA) may be planning a prestige assassination led to the tightest security ever recorded in Queen Elizabeth's 32-year reign. Armed police and elite troops crouched on rooftops went the Royal Family went to Whitehall Cenotaph to honour Britain's war dead.

9India's Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi has ordered the start of an inquiry into the assassination of his mother. Indira Gandhi's ashes have been scattered over the Himalayas, from where the melting snow in spring will carry them down to the River Ganges.

10Four week old Baby Fae is doing well after fighting off a mild attempt by her body to reject the transplanted baboon heart she received two weeks ago.

11The Government is being accused of reneging on a campaign promise not to tamper with National Superannuation, because last week's Budget changed some of the rules surrounding eligibility.

12A new accord between the breweries and the Government's Alcoholic Liquor Advisory Council (ALAC) was hailed as a breakthrough in the fight to promote moderation in drinking to New Zealanders. However, ALAC claims that a new beer competition encourages excessive drinking.