1The holiday road toll still stands at one, the lowest so far for many years. However, medial experts are warning that there is no cause for complacency.

2An injured Taiwanese seaman has been transferred from Kaitaia to Whangarei Hospital after a helicopter airlift from a freighter this morning.

3Former Energy Minister Bill Birch says TReasury is being made to look like a political stooge by releasing a report condemning the Think Big projects.

4An inquiry is under way to try to establish why a twin engine aircraft plunged into a shopping mall while trying to land in thick fog in the California city of Concord.

5The reported hijacking of a Soviet airliner en route to China last week remains shrouded in mystery.

6One White man and three Black men have died in more racial violence in South Africa, following the death of five White people in a bomb attack yesterday. The ongoing violence is causing some White South Africans to emigrate from South Africa.

7Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem were slightly muted this year following a recent spate of terrorist activity in the Middle East.

8Pope John Paul II has celebrated his eighth Midnight Mass as Pontiff at Saint Peter's Basilica in front of a crowd of around 15,000 worshippers.

9Circus members from fifteen different countries celebrated Christmas together under the big top in Queen Elizabeth II Park in Christchurch.

10A Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Britain believes it may have the solution to the problem of birds interfering with airport operations. It is humane, inexpensive and effective and involves the use of falcons.

11This year there may be more Chatham Island Black Robins than there have been for the past century.

12In a small Pennsylvanian town, one man has spent the past 25 years hand-making violins.

13In the Florida Everglades, efforts to save the endangered cougar (aka puma, panther or mountain lion) are being hindered by the animal's scarcity and its ability to elude humans.