1The beginning of the new financial year has brought changes in costs in many areas. Electricity and telephone charges are dearer, but changes in wholesale taxes has reduced the cost of many consumer items.

2The live sheep carrier Mawashi Tabuk berthed in Timaru today, ready to begin berthing of 75,000 sheep bound for Saudi Arabia.

3Around 2000 Bay of Plenty farmers protested in Rotorua today against the Government's handling of the economy.

4All 166 people aboard are believed to have died when a Mexicana Airlines Boeing 727 crashed into a mountainside soon after takeoff from Mexico City.

5Fire has gutted part of Hampton Court Palace near London. One person was killed and millions of dollars worth of damage has been caused.

6Another sharp earthquake has rocked the San Francisco region. Each new tremor revives memories of the huge 1906 earthquake that levelled the city.

7There have been violent clashes between police and demonstrators in Northern Ireland, at the conclusion of the traditional Protestant march in Portadown.

8United States President Ronald Reagan has decided to supply anti aircraft missiles to guerrillas fighting communist-backed Government sin Angola and Afghanistan.

9Former Cabinet Minister Dr Ian Shearer has resigned from the National Party.

10Deputy leader of the New Zealand Party, Janie Pearce says a new party could emerge from the remnants of the New Zealand Party after its merger with National.

11Vegetable growers south of Timaru have begun selling their produce directly to the public in protest at an increase in commission being charged by the companies that usually sell their produce for them.

12A public awareness campaign has been launched today to combat the rising rate of cot deaths (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome [SIDS]) in New Zealand.

13Halley's Comet is appearing in the night sky earlier, and is gradually increasing in size.