1There is fresh hope that a resolution to the Firefighters dispute may be in sight, and the planned strike scheduled for Thursday may yet be avoided.

2The Pilots' Association has accused Air New Zealand of "union bashing" with its latest move in the 747-400 jumbo jet crewing dispute.

3A Kaikoura man has been reunited with his family after spending two nights trapped on Mount Rolleston in atrocious conditions.

4The New Labour Party's (NLP) selection meeting in Wellington this evening descended into chaos when it was disturbed by members of the Permanent Revolution Group.

5The Labour Party has closed ranks on the Te Atatu selection scandal, promising the fiasco will be settled within a fortnight.

6There is a note of subdued panic preceding a series of talks about trade this year. Politicians and business leaders are coming under increasing pressure to adopt freer trade practices.

7Lithuania is appealing for an urgent meeting with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev to talk compromise. A deadline for Lithuania to abandon moves towards independence has expired, but there is so far no sign of the threatened sanctions from the Soviet Union.

8South African anti apartheid leader Nelson Mandela has appealed to the rest of the world to keep up with sanctions against South Africa.

9Confusion reigns in Nepal in the wake of a further release of power by King Birendra. He has lifted a ban on political parties, dissolved the National Assembly and asked the Opposition Coalition to form a Government. But it remains unclear whether he will allow full democracy.

10Groups from East and West Germany celebrated Easter in a church that stood in No Man's Land for 40 years and therefore went unused.