1A state of emergency is in force throughout Taranaki tonight as torrential rain causes havoc across the region. Rivers have burst their banks, roadways and farmland has been flooded and telecommunications disrupted. New Plymouth suffered flooding but the town of Oakura was worst hit with families having to be evacuated. A Search and Rescue operation has been underway in the Tararua Ranges for two men missing since Wednesday. However, they have since been found.

2A man's body with a bullet wound to the head was found in a central Auckland hotel room today. Police are treating it as a possible homicide.

3The Voluntary Euthanasia Society claims that some New Zealand doctors are assisting their terminally ill patients to die.

4East Germany's first democratic election will be held in just over a week with reunification of Germany the central issue. Leaders from East and West Germany have met for the first formal talks on uniting Germany as one country.

5A midair collision between two small planes has claimed three lives in Florida.

6The ship Goddess of Democracy has been launched in France, from where she will sail to the Chinese coast and broadcast pro-democracy messages to the Chinese mainland.

7British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's leadership is under mounting pressure as public outrage grows over her poll tax. Rumours of a challenge from within the Conservative Party sent the British pound tumbling and pushed the Party's popularity to new lows.

8The Justice Department has applied to the Labour Court to stop prison officers taking industrial action on Monday over Government plans to change their superannuation scheme.

9New Zealand winemakers are taking the Government to task over tax levels under the CER Pact that comes into effect in July.

10The first New Zealand Beer and Brewing Competition has been held in Christchurch, but home brewers are worried they will be hit by a special sales tax on beer kits.

11The National Pipe Band Championships are currently underway in Auckland.

12Coromandel residents put on their first ever Coromandel Festival today as a celebration of 1990.

13When a three year old Christchurch boy spent his pocket money on a painting in a secondhand shop, he had no idea it was a Cedric Savage water colour worth $3000.