1A hostage drama in Palmerston North ended after more than twenty hours late this afternoon when a 20-year old man surrendered to police.

2The tug Greenpeace has encountered thick pack ice in the Ross sea, which may force the organisation to abandon its planned mission to Antarctica.

3A New Plymouth woman and her two preschool children have died in a collision between their car and a truck.

4Two soldiers are seriously injured after an Army truck hit a bridge south of Ashburton and rolled down a bank into a river.

5The first live shipment of sheep exported from New Zealand for many years has arrived in Mexico. More than 400 sheep died during the journey, which is a 2.4% death toll.

6The South African Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by Black Nationalist leader Winnie mandela against a Government ban on her entering Johannesburg or living in her Soweto home.

7Libyan leader Colonel gaddafi has threatened a Third World War if his country comes under attack by the United States.