1A Government committee has recommended that school leavers who are unable to find employment should not be entitled to the Dole in their first year. Instead, they would claim an allowance in return for attending community education and training centres.

2A decision by the ANZ Bank to increase directors' fees by 40% has been criticised as "totally irresponsible" by Minister of Finance Roger Douglas.

3Two firefighters burned in the Australian bush fires have died, bringing the week's death toll to five.

4The British pound appeared more stable on the world's currency markets today after the British Government moved to stop its slump against the American dollar. New Zealand travellers are finding the American dollar an expensive commodity, so Thomas Cook Travel has offered a large discount on the United States dollar itself.

5Christchurch mother Gillian Pocklington, who had her child abducted and taken to Australia by his father, arrived home in Christchurch with her son today after a four month battle in Australia to have her son returned to her.

6A 25 year old Auckland man has been found shot dead through the head beside a railway line in North Canterbury's Weka Pass.

7The confrontation between Police administrators and frontline officers over the use of long batons is escalating.

8New Zealand authorities have been told by the Australian Attorney General why drug dealer Peter Fulcher was released early from prison. However the information was given confidentially and will not be made public.

9The Wildlife Service says prosecutions are pending for the illegal smuggling of native birds, reptiles and fish by a sophisticated network of smugglers.

10A fire in Auckland has left a schoolboy critically ill in hospital, tens of thousands of dollars of artwork destroyed and one of Auckland's historic homes gutted. A family dog also died in the fire at the Mount Eden home of Auckland sculptor Greer Twiss.

11A row broke out the Inquiry into industrial relations at Marsden Point today over just how far the investigation could go.