1French paramilitary troops have stormed the caves on the New Caledonian island of Ouvea and rescued the 23 gendarmes who have been held hostage by Kanak separatists for fourteen days. While French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac is taking credit for the rescue, there is wide speculation that he did a deal with the hostage takers.

2A Ruatoria family who have been hit twice by arsonists still do not believe the attacks are personal.

3The Government has reported a Budget surplus of $467 million for the past financial year, and Finance Minister Roger Douglas says New Zealand is almost in a position to begin repaying its debts.

4The Government is facing legal action over a decision to grant itself permission to exploit a Taranaki oil field.

5The big oil companies say they will have to raise petrol prices again after deregulation of the oil industry next week.

6Opposition Police spokesman John Banks claims that New Zealand is heading towards "a banana republic . . .overrun with State-funded gangsters, thieves, rapists and bludgers". He blames the welfare state for this "mayhem".

7The freezing companies have lost their Privy Council appeal against huge increases in levies to the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).

8At least 200 people were injured when three powerful explosions destroyed a rocket fuel plant near Las Vegas. The death toll is uncertain.

9Up to 2000 Israeli troops have returned home after storming and blowing up the village of Meidoun in south Lebanon, which they say had been taken over by Palestinian guerrillas to use as a base for raids inside Israel.