1The National Party says it will abolish the unemployment benefit (dole) if it is elected to Government later this year. it plans to fight unemployment with a range of options but the dole will not be among them.

2Employers reacted angrily to the Government's deal on State servants' pay agreed upon yesterday. The Employers' Federation says a 7% rise is too high and the taxpayer will suffer because of it.

3A bus plunged off the Manawatu Gorge Road and into a river last night. The driver is unhurt, but the Newman's bus is almost submerged in the swollen river.

4United States President Ronald Reagan has welcomed the new arms control offer made by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, saying it shows " a new seriousness about disarmament".

5The United States State Department says that guards assigned to the American Consulate in the Russian city of Leningrad will be replaced, following the arrest of a marine for spying.

6The United States dollar hit a record low today.

7The death toll in the underground mine explosion in South Africa has risen to 34. Following two earlier disaster at mines owned by the same company, in 16982 and 1985, the Miners' Union is strongly criticising the General Mining Union Corporation for its poor safety record.

8The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) put on a major show in Auckland today to celebrate its 50th birthday.

9A Dunedin couple have spent $4000 in an attempt to find their missing Rottweiler. They have managed to get him back after four months, but allege there is an organised dog fighting ring operating in the region, which is stealing dogs to order.