1United States President Ronald Reagan has left for his Californian ranch for the four-day Thanksgiving weekend, leaving behind a mess in Washington over the Iran arms sale and the revelation that some of the funds were given to Nicaraguan Contra rebels.

2Apple and pear exporters have recorded a bumper profit this year thanks to receord sales overseas.

3Industrial action has led to some food shortages in many North Island supermarkets. A range of products are currently out of stock as the strike by warehouse workers begins to take effect.

4A threat to New Zealand's power supply has been averted after staff at the Waitaki scheme ended their week-old industrial action and returned to work.

5New Zealand Democratic Party MP Garry Knapp has reversed his decision to retire from politics and has announced his candidacy for his East Coast Bays electorate in 1987.

6Britain has been rocked by a claim that the life of King George V (Queen Elizabeth II's grandfather) may have ended prematurely in 1936 by a euthanasia injection administered by his doctor, Lord Bertrand Dawson.

7Legal action brought by the British Government in an attempt to stop the publication of memoirs by a former MI5 spycatcher are beginning to have repercussions. In the House of Commons, Labour MPs claimed that two former aides to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher have also leaked secrets to spywriters.

8Mining companies and environmentalists are no closer to resolving their differences in the Coromandel.

9Two companies have revealed plans to establish open air cinemas, in the style of the old drive-in movie theatres.

10Repeated delays and postponements have held up work on the $600 million resort at Walter Peak.

11Emperor Jean-Bédel Bokassa has gone on trial for charges that he committed atrocities during his time as President of the Central African Republic.

12Peter Holden, who is charged with the murder of six year old Louisa Damodran, has made his third appearance in the Christchurch District Court.

13From tomorrow, wind power will be helping to generate New Zealand's electricity and the developer hops more wind turbines will soon be scattered among the foothills of Christchurch

14Popular wine coolers have been cleared by the Department of Health of containing too many preservatives such as sulphur dioxide. The Health Department says the levels are too low to cause concern.

15A two and a half year battle to export New Zealand water has finally been won by local company Kiwi Pure. The brand was launched at the Beehive today.