1The Air New Zealand cabin crew strike is over.Domestic flights resumed this afternoon with international flights expected to resume within two hours of cabin crews reporting for duty.

2Australia's Acting Prime Minister Lionel Bowen has confirmed that special circumstances surround the premature release from prison of New Zealander Peter Fulcher.

3Minister for the Environment, Russell Marshall has called for an urgent report on Auckland's Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) factory in Mount Wellington which spilled tonnes of poisonous chemicals into the Tamaki River.

4A pod of rare Southern Bottlenose Whales have had to be destroyed after they beached themselves on Mahia Beach and could not be returned to sea.

5The Committee of Inquiry into the Queen Street Riots has found that the public fully supported Police actions that night.

6Next year's Waitangi Day ceremonies are going to be different to the past. Following talks between the Government and Maori, a hui will be held at Waitangi to discuss how future commemorations will be shaped.

7At least thirty people have been killed in Italy after two bombs exploded on a train as it passed through a tunnel between Florence and Bologna. Both right-wing and left-wing extremists have claimed responsibility for the blasts.

8Fire has driven back rescue workers from a Utah coal mine before they were able to reach the 27 men trapped inside. Authorities have confirmed that all 27 workers have died.

9The Mexican state-owned oil company Pemex responsible for the explosion that killed nearly 500 people last month.

10Indian voters go to the polls today in the world's biggest election. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and his Congress Party are expected to win by a landslide.

11A squad of Police and Police dogs arrived at Dunedin Hospital's children's ward today for a Christmas Eve visit.

12Latest reports show that Santa Claus has departed the North Pole for his annual round-the-world trip.