1Soviet leader MIkhail Gorbachev today announced a dramatic new initiative in arms control. He is willing to enter into discussions on missile reductions with United States President Ronald Reagan with no preconditions regarding the Star Wars programme.

2Following the Iran-Contra affair, polls indicate that public support for United States President Ronald Reagan is at its lowest since he took office.

3Violent thunderstorms in the Gulf of Mexico today formed a series of killer tornadoes in the American State of Mississippi, which claimed at least eight lives.

4France has reportedly called in the army to reinforce its borders tonight, after a special court jailed Lebanese terrorist Georges Ibrahim Abdallah for life. However, there are fears that the sentence may spark off another wave of terrorist attacks in France.

5The New Zealand born Premier of Queensland, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, has driven a wedge into the Federal Coalition between the National Party and the Liberals in his bid to become Australian Prime MInister.

6The National patry's Acting Defence spokesman Don McKinnon has accused the Government of misleading the public over the amount of money being spent on defence. Meanwhile, National MP John Banks is calling for Parliament to consider minimum prison sentences for violent crimes, instead of just setting maximum sentences.

7Unofficial results from a Local Government Commission survey held in Dunedin shows that opponents to the proposed amalgamation of Green island, St Kilda and Port Chalmers with the city of Dunedin, have failed in their bid to prevent the proposal going ahead.

8A second group of West Coast coal miners are cutting links to the Labour Party, following the announcement that more than 800 mining jobs are to be lost when the new Coal Corporation takes over the State mines.

9The bombed Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior was back on the water today, making its first sea voyage since being sunk in 1985. It was towed around the Waitemata Harbour to mark the 33rd anniversary of the American nuclear test at Bikini Atoll.

10A series of earthquakes is continuing to rock the Bay of Plenty. Short, sharp jolts began five days ago but so far there are no reports of any damage.

11Controversial Anglican Church Canon Paul Oestreicher has arrived in New Zealand for a speaking tour.

12Auckland Police are delighted at the behaviour of a huge crowd attending an outdoor concert in the city. A show featuring country singers Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers drew a crowd of around 50,000 people to Mount Smart Stadium.

13A quadraplegic Queenstown man is using a Welsh electronic wizard to get back on his feet once again.