DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. WAS POLITICAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE A FACTOR IN THE RESCUE OPERATION AT THE COLLAPSED CTV BUILDING? SWEEPING CHANGES ARE EXPECTED OUT OF A SOBERING REPORT INTO THE PIKE RIVER MINING DISASTER. AMERICA'S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ARE DEADLOCKED AS THEY MAKE A FINAL PUSH FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. JUST HOW MUCH POLITICAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE WAS PUT ON EMERGENCY SERVICE WORKERS AT THE CTV BUILDING ON THE DAY OF THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE LAST YEAR? 115 PEOPLE DIED WHEN THE BUILDING COLLAPSED, INCLUDING EIGHT WHO SURVIVED THE ORIGINAL COLLAPSE BUT DIED BEFORE THEY COULD BE RESCUED FROM THE RUBBLE. EMERGENCY WORKERS ARE FACING NEW QUESTIONS TODAY. ONE NEWS REPORTER LACEY WILSON JOINS US NOW, LIVE FROM CHRISTCHURCH. THIS MORNING WE'VE HEARD FROM THE USAR NATIONAL MANAGER SPECIAL OPERATIONS JIM STUART-BLACK. MR STUART-BLACK HAS FACED QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS MANAGEMENT OF THE USAR TEAMS AT THE CTV SITE, INCLUDING WHY HE INSTRUCTED TASK FORCES TO RETURN TO THE SITE JUST TWO HOURS AFTER TELLING THEM TO LEAVE. A LAWYER FOR THE FAMILIES READ OUT A STATEMENT FROM BRYCE CONEYBEER, A TASKFORCE LEADER WHO SAYS HE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE FIRE SERVICE EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTRE IN WELLINGTON, THAT THEY WERE RETURNING BECAUSE OF INTERNATION PRESSURE AFTER THERE WAS INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE FROM FOREIGN EMBASSIES BUT MR STUART-BLACK DENIES THAT'S THE REASON THEY RETURNED. I CAN SAY CATEGORICALLY THAT, IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, WERE MY DECISIONS TO RETURN PEOPLE BACK TO THAT SITE INFORMED COERCED OR PRESSED UPON ME BY ANY OTHER PERSON, WHETHER THEY BE HIGHER UP, WHETHER THEY BE A MINISTER, WHETHER THEY BE A SENIOR OFFICIAL. THE DECISION THAT I TOOK WAS BASED ON INFORMATION PASSED TO ME WITH RESPECT TO NOISE. MR STUART-BLACK SAYS THE DECISION TO RETURN WAS BASED ON THE FACT THAT THEY'D HEARD NOISE AT THE SITE. HE WILL CONTINUE GIVING EVIDENCE TODAY. MR CONEYBEER IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE THE STAND TOMORROW. THANKS LACEY WILSON, LIVE FROM CHRISTCHURCH. TIGHTER MINING REGULATIONS ARE EXPECTED FOLLOWING TODAY'S RELEASE OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION REPORT ON THE PIKE RIVER MINE DISASTER. 29 MINERS WERE KILLED IN A METHANE GAS EXPLOSION AT THE WEST COAST COAL MINE IN NOVEMBER 2010. A ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY HELD HEARINGS OVER SEVERAL MONTHS IN GREYMOUTH TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO PREVENT SIMILAR TRAGEDIES IN THE FUTURE. THE REPORT HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY THE CABINET THIS MORNING. PRIME MINISTER JOHN KEY SAYS THERE ARE AROUND 16 RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT AND MOST OF THEM WILL BE ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE REPORT IS SOBERING, TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK, AND SO I THINK YOU WILL SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL ADOPT AND MOVE TO IMPLEMENT QUITE QUICKLY. THE AIM HAS GOT TO BE TO SAY, OK, HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN, AND THERE ARE SOME REAL LEARNINGS TO COME OUT OF THIS. ONE NEWS REPORTER ALI PUGH JOINS US NOW BY PHONE FROM THE WEST COAST, WHERE THE FAMILIES OF THE DEAD MINERS WILL SHORTLY BE GIVEN DETAILS OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION'S FINDINGS. ALI. THE FAMILIES ARE MEETING AT 2PM THIS AFTERNOON THIS WILL BE THEIR FIRST CHANCE TO READ THE REPORT BU THE ROYAL COMMISSION GERRY BROWNLEE WILL BE THERE. THEY WILL THEN HAVE A CHANCE TO DIGEST THE REPORT WITH THEIR LAWYERS. THEY ARE STILL TRING HARD TO RECOVER THE BODIES SOLID EBERGY SAY THEY WON'T STAND INTHE WAY OF THE RECOVERY BUT IT'LL NEED GOVERNMENT PERMISSION THANKS, ALI PUGH ON THE SOUTH ISLAND WEST COAST. THE ROYAL COMMISSION REPORT WILL BE MADE PUBLIC AT FOUR O'CLOCK. FIRST DETAILS WILL BE ON OUR WEBSITE AT ONENEWS.CO.NZ, AND ONE NEWS AT 4.30, WITH MORE ANALYSIS AND REACTION ON ONE NEWS AT 6. POLICE ARE DROPPING THEIR PROSECUTION OF ONE OF THE MEN ACCUSED OF VANDALISING A JEWISH CEMETERY IN AUCKLAND. NATHAN SYMINGTON (23) WAS CHARGED WITH INTENTIONAL DAMAGE AFTER ABOUT 20 GRAVES WERE SPRAY-PAINTED WITH SWASTIKAS AND ANTI-SEMITIC GRAFFITI LAST MONTH. POLICE NOW SAY THERE IS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO PROSECUTE HIM. TWO OTHER MEN ARRESTED FOLLOWING THE ATTACK STILL FACE PROSECUTION. WITH LESS THAN 48 HOURS UNTIL THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, THE OUTCOME IS STILL TOO CLOSE TO CALL. ONE OF THE LATEST POLLS SUGGESTS THE CANDIDATES ARE LEVEL, WITH 48% EACH. BETWEEN THEM, MITT ROMNEY AND BARACK OBAMA ARE HOLDING A LAST-MINUTE MARATHON OF RALLIES IN SWING STATES. BUT FOR MANY STILL STRUGGLING TO CLEAN UP AFTER SUPERSTORM SANDY, ELECTIONEERING IS THE LAST OF THEIR CONCERNS. BRIDGET KENDALL FROM THE BBC HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE FINAL FRENETIC CAMPAIGNING. SUNDAY MORNING IN A DINER IN DOWNTOWN MADISON, WISCONSIN ` ONE OF THE SWING STATES THAT'S BEEN DELUGED WITH POLITICAL ADVERTS AND CAMPAIGN VISITS. IT'S JUST A CONSTANT BARRAGE, AND A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL SEE THE SAME AD MULTIPLE TIMES IN A COMMERCIAL BREAK. IT'S JUST GETTING HARD TO WATCH TV. YOU CAN ASK MY DAUGHTER HERE IF I'M A FAN OF THE ADS. I CAN'T WAIT TILL TUESDAY, WHEN THEY GO AWAY. ALL CLAP, CHANT: TWO MORE DAYS! IN THESE FINAL DAYS, THE MESSAGE ON EACH SIDE IS GETTING STARKER. MITT ROMNEY'S PITCH IN IOWA TODAY WAS THAT HE'S A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN AND FORMER GOVERNOR WITH A FIVE-POINT PLAN FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY. I HAVE TURNED MY STATE FROM DEFICIT TO SURPLUS, FROM JOB LOSSES TO JOB GROWTH, AND FORM HIGHER TAXES TO HIGHER TAKE HOME PAY. THAT'S WHY I'M RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. I WANT TO HELP THE COUNTRY DO THOSE SAME THINGS. I LIVE AS BARACK OBAMA AS DECIDER AND CHIEF BETTER. FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, A REMINDER OF DAYS WHEN AMERICANS ENJOYED PROSPERITY. AND BARACK OBAMA'S OWN MESSAGE ` THAT HE LOOKS AFTER ALL AMERICANS, NOT JUST THE WEALTHY. I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES, EVERY SINGLE DAY, AS HARD AS I KNOW HOW, AS LONG AS I'VE GOT THE PRIVILEGE TO BE YOUR PRESIDENT. IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY, TENS OF THOUSANDS ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO COPE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK THIS MORNING WARNED THAT A SUDDEN COLD SNAP COULD MAKE EVEN MORE PEOPLE HOMELESS. PEOPLE ARE IN HOMES THAT ARE UNINHABITABLE. IT'S GOING TO BECOME INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT THEY AREN'T INHABITABLE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS AND THE HEAT DOESN'T GO ON. THE FREEZING WEATHER IS INCREASING DEMANDS FOR FUEL TOO. IN HOBOKEN, WHICH WAS BADLY FLOODED, THE CUES FOR GAS STRETCH ROUND THE CORNER. IN SOME PLACES, EVEN GETTING FOOD IS A PROBLEM. BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ARE PREDICTING VICTORY FOR THEMSELVES ON TUESDAY, BUT FOR THE HURRICANE VICTIMS STILL STRUGGLING TO PUT THEIR LIVES TOGETHER, THIS ELECTION IS HARDLY TOP PRIORITY. THE PRIME MINISTER'S DOING HIS BEST TO AVOID QUESTIONS OVER HIS CUTTING REMARKS ABOUT FOOTBALL STAR DAVID BECKHAM'S INTELLECT. JOHN KEY REPORTEDLY TOLD DUNEDIN STUDENTS ON FRIDAY THAT BECKHAM WAS A NICE GUY BUT, QUOTE, 'THICK AS BAT SHIT'. BRITISH TABLOIDS HAVE DESCRIBED THE PRIME MINISTER'S REPORTED COMMENTS AS CRUEL, STINGING, AND INSULTING. BUT ON BREAKFAST THIS MORNING, JOHN KEY DEFLECTED A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER HE THOUGHT A SLIGHT DIP IN HIS POPULARITY COULD BE PUT DOWN TO THE REPORTS BY LAUNCHING INTO AN ANALYSIS OF HIS PARTY'S CONTINUED LEAD IN THE POLLS. AND WHEN HE WAS ASKED FOR A CLARIFICATION, HE REFUSED TO DENY HE'D MADE THE REMARKS. SOMEBODY HAD OVERHEARD A PERSONAL CONVERSATION, AND THAT'S THEIR RECOLLECTION OF IT. I'M JUST NOT GONNA ENGAGE IN` IN DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. A SOURCE CLOSE TO BECKHAM IS QUOTED AS SAYING THE INSULT WAS PATHETIC AND THAT FOR SOMEONE WHO IS SUPPOSEDLY THICK, THE FOOTBALLER HAS DONE PRETTY WELL FOR HIMSELF. A POLICE SIEGE IS UNDERWAY AT AN AUSTRALIAN SHOPPING CENTRE. TWO PEOPLE ARMED WITH GUNS WALKED INTO A CINEMA COMPLEX IN WOLLONGONG THIS MORNING. POLICE HAVE CLOSED THE SHOPPING CENTRE AND BLOCKED OFF SURROUNDING STREETS. ARMED UNITS AND DOG TEAMS ARE NOW SEARCHING THE BUILDING. THE PAIR INSIDE AREN'T BELIEVED TO BE HOLDING ANY HOSTAGES. PARTS OF ENGLAND HAVE BEEN CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY AN UNEXPECTEDLY HEAVY SNOWFALL. WEATHER EXPERTS ARE BLAMING A COMBINATION OF INTENSE RAIN AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES. IT'S CLOSED MANY ROADS AND RAILWAY LINES AND LEFT HUNDREDS GRAPPLING TO CLEAR WATER FROM THEIR BASEMENTS. THE COLD SNAP IS APPARENTLY JUST THAT, A ONE OFF, AND NOT AN EARLY START TO THE BRITISH WINTER. AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES HAVE SWEPT ACROSS NORTHERN CHINA, SETTING OFF BLIZZARDS AND WHITING OUT VAST AREAS. THREE JAPANESE TOURISTS DIED AFTER BECOMING TRAPPED ON A MOUNTAIN, AND SNOW LEVELS OVER THE WEEKEND REACHED KNEE HEIGHT. THE SITUATION IS SO BAD THE HIGHEST WARNING ` A RED ALERT ` HAS BEEN ISSUED. PEOPLE ARE BEING URGED TO THINK SAFE DURING GUY FAWKES CELEBRATIONS TONIGHT. A NUMBER OF PUBLIC FIREWORKS DISPLAYS WILL BE HELD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, BUT AS USUAL THERE'LL ALSO BE LOTS OF BACKYARD FIREWORKS. THE FIRE SERVICE SAYS PEOPLE SHOULD MAKE SURE THEY KEEP THEIR PETS INSIDE, KEEP A BUCKET OF WATER OR HOSE HANDY, AND ALWAYS CONSIDER THE SAFETY OF OTHERS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE SHAREMARKET AND BUSINESS NEWS. THEN IN SPORT ` RYAN NELSEN'S TEAM STILL CAN'T WIN IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE. AND AN ACTION-PACKED ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX, BUT VETTEL STILL LEADS THE CHAMPIONSHIP. 1 WITH ME NOW IS ROGER COULTER FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. WESTPAC AND WESTPAC NZ WITH A FULL-YEAR RESULT ` IN LINE WITH EXPECTATIONS? YES, PRETTY MUCH. THEY DIDN'T DISAPPOINT. THERE WAS SOME NERVOUSNESS, BUT THEIR REVENUES AND CASH EARNINGS WERE UP. COSTS GREW SLOWER, LENDING MONEYIS DOWN A TAD AUCKLAND AIRPORT WITH A NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE, AND THEY'VE RECRUITED INTERNALLY? YES, THEY HAVE THEY LOOKED EXTERNALLY AND APPOINTED ADRIAN LITTLEWOOD HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR NAUTICAL REVENUES HE HAD CONSUMER EXPERIENCE THEY WILL MAKE MONEY FROM THOSE MOVING THROUGH THE AIRPORT IT'S A SAFE OPTION FIRST-QUARTER SALES REPORT FROM THE WAREHOUSE. HOW ARE THE NUMBERS LOOKING? THE RED SHEDS WERE A SLIGHT DISAPPOINTMENT IT WAS A BIT FLAT. MANAGEMENT BLAMES THE RUGBY WORLD CUP AFTER EFFECTS THE BLUE SHEDS ARE GOING PRETTY WELL NO COMMENTS ON PROFITABILITY BUT SHARE PRICE UNCHANGED IN MIDDAY SPORT ` SEBASTIAN VETTEL STILL LEADS THE FORMULA 1 CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER AN AMAZING ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX. THE WORLD CHAMPION HAD TO START FROM THE PIT LANE, BUT FOUGHT HIS WAY UP TO THIRD, STEERING CLEAR OF NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS. LEWIS HAMILTON'S HOPES OF VICTORY WERE DASHED WHEN HIS MCLAREN BROKE DOWN, AND THAT HANDED VICTORY TO KIMI RAIKKONEN. THIS FROM THE BBC'S NICK PARROTT. IF FORMULA 1 BOSS, BERNIE ECCLESTONE, WANTS TO MAKE THE SPORT MORE EXCITING, HE SHOULD MAKE SEBASTIAN VETTEL START EVERY RACE FROM THE PIT LANE. THE GERMAN WAS THERE AFTER BEING DISQUALIFIED FROM QUALIFYING. HIS RIVAL, FERNANDO ALONSO, TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAOS AT THE START TO MOVE UP TO 4TH ON THE FIRST LAP AND THREATENING TO OVERTAKE VETTEL IN THE DRIVER'S CHAMPIONSHIP. VETTEL'S CAUSE WAS HELPED, THOUGH, BY NICO ROSBERG CRASHING INTO NARAIN KARTHIKEYAN. HE WAS 27S BEHIND RACE LEADER LEWIS HAMILTON UNTIL THAT POINT. BUT WITH THE SAFETY CAR OUT, IT CLOSED TO JUST 9S. IF THAT RAISED HIS SPIRITS, THEY WERE SOON DASHED. WHAT IS HE DOING?! HE'S SWERVING ALL THE TIME! AFTER STOPPING FOR A NEW FRONT WING, HE SET ABOUT PROVING WRONG THOSE WHO SAY HE CAN'T OVERTAKE. THE WORLD CHAMPION CUT THROUGH THE FIELD, PASSING CAR AFTER CAR. THE ODD BIT OF LUCK SWUNG BACK IN HIS FAVOUR, WITH HAMILTON RETIRING AND OTHERS DECIDING TO TAKE PART IN A DEMOLITION DERBY. THE SAFETY CAR BUNCHED UP THE FIELD AGAIN, ALLOWING VETTEL TO CATCH JENSEN BUTTON TO SECURE THIRD PLACE. KIMI RAIKKONEN CLAIMED HIS FIRST WIN SINCE 2009 AND LOTUS' FIRST SINCE 1987. BUT VETTEL WAS THE REAL WINNER. NO MATTER WHAT THEY THROW AT YOU, YOU HAVE TO KEEP FIGHTING. AND, UM, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. SO, UH, I THINK AS LONG AS YOU MAKE SURE YOU DO THAT, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FAIL. THIS THIRD PLACE IN ABU DHABI COULD TURN OUT TO BE PRICELESS IN HIS QUEST FOR A HAT-TRICK IN WORLD TITLES. A QUARTER OF THE WAY THROUGH FOOTBALL'S PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON AND QUEENS PARK RANGERS AND READING ARE STILL WAITING FOR THEIR FIRST WIN. THAT'S AFTER A 1-1 DRAW AT LOFTUS ROAD. TWO TEAMS, NO WINS AND RATHER RESTLESS FANS ` NOT A GREAT COMBINATION FOR EITHER QPR OR READING. BOTH MANAGERS WERE UNCOMFORTABLE IN THEIR POSITIONS, AND MARK HUGHES EVEN MORE SO AFTER JUST 16 MINUTES, AS KASPERS GORKSS SCORED AGAINST HIS FORMER EMPLOYERS. THAT LEAD WAS KEPT BY A WONDERFUL BIT OF GOAL-KEEPING FROM ALEX MCCARTHY. ESTEBAN GRANERO MUST HAVE THOUGHT HE GOT THE EQUALISER, ONLY FOR THE FLYING MCCARTHY TO SOMEHOW KEEP IT OUT. WITH THE PRESSURE BUILDING ON MARK HUGHES, THANKFULLY FOR HIM, SO WAS THE PRESSURE ON THE READING GOAL. DJIBRIL CISSE LIFTING THE MOOD INSIDE LOFTUS ROAD AND GIVING HIS MANAGER A LITTLE MORE TIME, JUDGING BY THE REACTION OF HIS CHAIRMAN. SENSING A CHANCE TO TAKE ALL THREE POINTS, QPR PUSHED FOR THE WINNER. AND IF IT WASN'T FOR THE EXCELLENCE OF MCCARTHY, THEY WOULD HAVE GOT IT. THE FRUSTRATION GOES ON FOR MARK HUGHES AND BRIAN MCDERMOTT, WHOSE SIDES REMAIN WINLESS. AND LIVERPOOL AND NEWCASTLE UNITED ALSO DREW 1-1 AT ANFIELD THIS MORNING. YOHAN CABAYE OPENED THE SCORING JUST BEFORE HALF-TIME TO GIVE NEWCASTLE THE LEAD. BUT SOME PURE CLASS FROM LUIS SUAREZ DREW LIVERPOOL LEVEL MIDWAY THROUGH THE SECOND HALF. NEWCASTLE WERE THEN REDUCED TO 10 MEN FOR THE FINAL 10 MINUTES, WHEN COLOCCINI WAS MARCHED FOR A RECKLESS CHALLENGE ON SUAREZ. BUT THE REDS COULDN'T BREAK THE DEADLOCK. FINAL SCORE 1-1. RAIN CONTINUES TO PLAGUE THE BLACKCAPS TOUR OF SRI LANKA. WITHOUT AN INJURED BRENDAN MCCULLUM, THEY'VE LOST THE SECOND ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL IN PALLEKELE THIS MORNING, AFTER RAIN AGAIN STOPPED THE GAME. BATTING FIRST, NZ POSTED 250/6. CAPTAIN ROSS TAYLOR LED THE WAY WITH 72. HE'S CLOBBERED THAT OVER EXTRA COVER FOR FOUR. WOW, THAT BALL WENT LIKE A ROCKET. SRI LANKA WERE 118/3 AFTER 22 OVERS WHEN THE RAIN CAME. THE HOME SIDE WON BY 14 RUNS ON THE DUCKWORTH-LEWIS METHOD. SRI LANKA LEAD THE SERIES 1-0. GAME THREE IS ON WEDNESDAY. WORLD TENNIS NUMBER FIVE DAVID FERRER HAS WON HIS 18TH CAREER TITLE WITH A STRAIGHT-SETS VICTORY OVER POLAND'S JERZY JANOWICZ THE SPANIARD NEVER LOOKED IN TROUBLE AGAINST 69TH RANKED JANOWICZ. APPLAUSE, CHEERING AND THE SPANIARD STARTING TO PLAY WITH RUTHLESS EFFICIENCY. THE FINAL SCORE 6-4, 6-3 TO FERRER, WHO WILL BE RETURNING TO NZ IN JANUARY TO DEFEND HIS HEINEKEN OPEN TITLE. IT'S BEEN HAILED AS THE BEST MELBOURNE CUP FIELD EVER. FIRST NZ'S LYDIA KO ` NOW THERE'S ANOTHER TEENAGE GOLF PRODIGY. HE'S 14 YEARS OLD AND HE'S QUALIFIED FOR THE MASTERS AT AUGUSTA NEXT APRIL. GUAN TIANLANG OF CHINA WON THE ASIA PACIFIC AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP IT'S BEEN HAILED AS THE BEST MELBOURNE CUP FIELD EVER. AND TWO THIRDS OF THE 24-STRONG FIELD ARE EITHER FROM EUROPE OR THE UNITED STATES. JEAN EDWARDS FROM THE ABC REPORTS. WE'RE LONG USED TO TRANS-TASMAN RIVALRY IN AUSTRALIA'S RICHEST HORSE RACE, BUT TUESDAY'S MELBOURNE CUP COULD WELL BE A CROSS-CHANNEL CONTEST. HIGHLY-FANCIED FRENCH TOP WEIGHT DUNADEN WILL HAVE TO CONTEND WITH A WIDE BARRIER DRAW AND A CHALLENGE FROM AN ENGLISH HORSE WITH A GALLIC-INSPIRED NAME. RED CADEAUX RAN SECOND LAST YEAR, BUT THE GELDING IS POISED TO TURN THE TABLES. I THINK THAT DUNLOP'S BEST PLACED TO GET HIS REVENGE THIS YEAR. WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GIVING AN AWFUL LOT OF WEIGHT TO RED CADEAUX. THE HORSE COMES HERE FRESH AND WELL. RED CADEAUX'S CONNECTIONS HOPE TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE WEIGHT ADVANTAGE, DESPITE DRAWING BARRIER 18. WE ARE BETTER THAN DUNADEN, BUT EQUALLY WE ARE NOUGHT FOR THREE WITH DUNADEN. HE'S BEATEN US THREE TIMES, AND HE'LL PROBABLY BEAT US AGAIN. BUT, UM, WE HAVE A BETTER CHANCE. EIGHT OVERSEAS-TRAINED HORSES AND 10 IMPORTS ARE HAVING A CRACK AT THIS YEAR'S CUP. ENGLISH ENTRANT MT ATHOS IS AMONG THE FAVOURITES. THREE YEARS AGO, WHEN WE WERE HERE, INTERNATIONAL HORSES HAD NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER. AND NOW YOU LOOK AT THE FIELD AND YOU THINK LOCAL HORSES MIGHT NOT HAVE AS GOOD, YOU KNOW, A CHANCE AS THE INTERNATIONALS. IT REALLY IS THE BEST FIELD FROM AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ` AND, REALLY, DOMESTIC ` WE'VE HAD SINCE THE INTERNATIONALS HAVE BEEN COMING OUT SINCE 1993. THERE ARE FOUR NZ-BRED HORSES IN THE CUP ` MALUCKYDAY, LIGHTS OF HEAVEN, ZABEELIONAIRE AND PRECEDENCE. THE NORTHERN MYSTICS NETBALL TEAM HAVE NAMED TWO TEENAGE RECRUITS FOR NEXT SEASON, INCLUDING THE SISTER OF FORMER ALL BLACK ISAIA TOEAVA. MID-COURTER ELISAPETA TOEAVA (18) WAS NAMED IN THE NZ UNDER-21 SIDE AND TRAINED WITH THE MYSTICS THIS YEAR. IT TAUGHT ME TO DEVELOP MY SKILLS AND WHAT THE LEVEL IS LIKE UP THERE. THE MYSTICS HAVE ALSO SIGNED SHOOTER MALIA PASEKA (18). STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH DETAILS OF YOUR AFTERNOON WEATHER. NOW TO THE WEATHER. THERE'S A LARGE BUBBLE OF HIGH PRESSURE IN THE TASMAN SEA, WHICH WILL SERVE A LOT OF US WELL IN TERMS OF OUR WEATHER TODAY. A COLD FRONT IS BRUSHING UP THE EASTERN COASTLINE, MEANING SHOWERS THERE, BUT THERE WON'T BE MUCH WIND, OR MUCH RAIN EITHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ NINE RARE TAKAHE HAVE BEEN RELEASED ON MOTUTAPU ISLAND IN AUCKLAND'S HAURAKI GULF. THE SPECIES IS CRITICALLY ENDANGERED, WITH ONLY 260 LEFT. THE RELEASE REPRESENTS A MAJOR MILESTONE IN A DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION EFFORT TO SAVE THE FLIGHTLESS NATIVE BIRDS. ONCE WIDESPREAD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, TAKAHE WERE BROUGHT TO THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION BY PREDATORS ` SUCH AS THE STOAT ` AND THROUGH THE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR HABITAT. TO THE TOP STORIES ON OUR WEBSITE. TRIBUTES CONTINUE TO FLOW FOR HIGH-PROFILE DEFENCE LAWYER GREG KING AFTER HIS SUDDEN DEATH. POLICE SAY A CHARGE AGAINST A MAN WHO WAS ACCUSED OF BEING INVOLVED IN THE DESECRATION OF JEWISH GRAVES AT AN AUCKLAND CEMETERY WILL BE WITHDRAWN. AND PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER MITT ROMNEY ARE SPRINTING TO AN UNPREDICTABLE FINISH IN THE LAST 48 HOURS OF A VERY CLOSE RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. THANKS FOR JOINING US. OUR NEXT NEWS IS AT 4.30PM, AND THE ONE NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY LAUREN STRAIN AND JESSICA BOELL. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2012