1Hundreds of rioting convicts remain in control of Britain's Strangeways Prison this evening. It is feared up to a dozen people may have been killed and parts of the medieval building have been gutted by fire.

2Prison wardens went on strike for six hours today. They have now returned to work but are refusing to transport or admit prisoners.

3The Opposition is accusing the Government of running a political witch hunt over the Clyde Dam fiasco.

4The Australian and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) and National Mutual Insurance are to merge.

5A huge fireball lit up Sydney's night sky last night after a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) plant went up in flames. A faulty valve is being blamed.

6The British Government is blaming fringe elements and anarchists for the violent anti poll tax riots in London over the weekend. However, they numbered only 3000 out of the 50,000 demonstrators.

7Black Nationalist leader Nelson Mandela is trying to reconcile rival Black factions embroiled in a vicious war in the Natal Province.

8Incumbent President Robert Mugabe has been officially declared the President of Zimbabwe after a landslide election victory.

9Four New Zealanders have been ordered to leave Tonga after they warned the Tongan King a coup was about to be launched.

10A Wellington gang headquarters was visited today by a District Court Judge who wanted to check out their fortifications.

11The Auckland Regional Council (ARC) bus strike that has disrupted Auckland commuters has entered its second day with no sign of an early resolution.