1National MP John Banks is unrepentant about using leaked Wanganui computer information concerning a man's criminal history on talkback radio, prompting a police investigation. Banks says he has declared war on recidivist violent offenders.

2The Security Intelligence Service (SIS) was accused today of trying to recruit a leading member of the Public Service Association (PSA) to spy on an unnamed left-wing group.

3The building of a high dam at Luggate in Central Otago is a little less certain tonight after Cabinet decided today to establish a committee to see if it was really necessary.

4The Government is being urged to act quickly to save Lake Rotorua as a tourism resource.

5State-owned oil company Petrocorp is branching out into oil exploration overseas in a joint venture with Australia.

6A bottleneck in the Customs area of Auckland Airport has officers there concerned that people wanted by the authorities are slipping into New Zealand unnoticed.

7Thanks to negotiations by the Archbishop of Canterbury's Special Envoy Terry Waite, American hostage David Jacobsen, held in Lebanon for the past seventeen months, has been freed by Islamic Jihad and more kidnap victims may be released in the coming days.

8Soviet Foreign MInister Eduard Shevardnadze will meet United States Secretary of State George Shultz later this week in Vienna.

9The Sinn Fein has decided to abandon its long-standing boycott of the Irish Parliament, and the Irish Republican Army (IRA) has said it will support any Sinn Fein candidates standing for the Irish Parliament.

10A dying Englishman has been given an artificial heart - the first such operation in British medical history.

11A nationwide campaign has begun to convince cyclists to wear helmets. Studies have shown that wearing helmets on bikes can drastically reduce the number of head injuries cyclists suffer.

12Television New Zealand (TVNZ) has revamped the main evening news bulletin to make use of the most modern equipment available. Technical staff have worked long hours over recent weeks to get that equipment installed.