DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. ONE OF THE CLOSEST AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL FIGHTS IN HISTORY IS ALMOST OVER. CAN OBAMA HOLD ON? MORE SENIOR FIRE OFFICERS SPEAK OUT AT THE C-T-V ENQUIRY. AND THE BRITISH MP WHO'S IN HOT WATER FOR ACTING LIKE A CELEBRITY. VOTING IS WELL UNDERWAY IN THE US, AND AFTER AN EXHAUSTING CAMPAIGN, THE OUTCOME SHOULD BE KNOWN THIS AFTERNOON OUR TIME. OHIO MAY WELL BE THE STATE THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE AS TO WHICH OF THE CANDIDATES WILL BE IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. HERE'S THE BBC'S MARK MARDELL. THIS IS AMERICA. DEMOCRACY ` THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, RIGHT? IT'S ALSO ABOUT WHETHER HE STAYS IN POWER FOR ANOTHER FOUR MORE YEARS OR IS EJECTED AFTER ONE TERM. EVERYBODY VOTING? ALL: YES! THE PRESIDENT'S CHECKING THERE'S NO BACKSLIDING FROM SUPPORTERS. WE FEEL CONFIDENT. WE'VE GOT THE VOTES TO WIN, BUT IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ULTIMATELY ON WHETHER THOSE VOTES TURN UP, AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY, ON ALL SIDES, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU EXERCISE THIS PRECIOUS RIGHT THAT WE HAVE, AND THAT PEOPLE FOUGHT SO HARD FOR US TO HAVE. MORE THAN 90 MILLION AMERICANS ARE EXPECTED TO VOTE TODAY, FROM CALIFORNIA IN THE WEST TO MIAMI IN THE EAST. BUT ALL EYES ARE ON OHIO ` ONE OF JUST EIGHT STATES THAT COULD GO EITHER WAY AND WILL DECIDE THE ELECTION. ANOTHER IS VIRGINIA, WHERE THEY QUEUED AND KEPT OUT THE COLD. I'M NOT THRILLED WITH EITHER, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BUT I'LL STICK WITH BARACK. WE VOTED FOR MITT ROMNEY. WE ARE REALLY SICK OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS. WHAT A DIFFERENCE TO THAT NIGHT FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN AMERICA ELECTED IT'S FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT AND MANY WERE FILLED WITH HOPE FOR A DIFFERENT SORT OF POLITICS. GRAND PARK LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT TODAY AS CHICAGO VOTES ALL AROUND ME. THE OBAMA TEAM KNOW THEY CANNOT AGAIN CONJURE THAT WAVE OF POPULAR PASSION. INSTEAD, THEY'RE TRYING TO REBUILD THAT GIANT COALITION USING COLDER, MORE TECHNICAL TACTICS. THEY CALL IT THE GROUND GAME. MASTERMINDED FROM THE DEMOCRATS' CHICAGO HQ, THOUSANDS OF LOCAL OFFICES IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SUPPORTERS, TARGET SPECIFIC GROUPS, URGE THEM TO VOTE EARLY, AND TODAY, LITERALLY DRIVE THEM TO THE POLLS. IT'S DEFINITELY ALL ABOUT THE PERSON-TO-PERSON CONTACT. SHAUNA CAPRIGEN IS ONE OF 180,000 VOLUNTEERS HELPING TO GET OUT THE OBAMA VOTE. SOME SUPPORTERS GOT A SPECIAL CALL. HI, THIS IS BARACK OBAMA. HOW ARE YOU? LAUGHTER THE PRESIDENT IS IN HIS HOME TOWN TO LEARN HIS FATE ` EITHER EJECTED BY A DISILLUSIONED COUNTRY, OR GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE TO FINISH WHAT HE STARTED. OUR US CORRESPONDENT, JACK TAME, IS IN BOSTON. HE SAYS DESPITE THE FACT THAT MASSACHUSETTS IS THE REUPUBLICAN CANDIDATE'S HOME TERRITORY, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AMONG BOSTON VOTERS. HERE AT THE BOSTON CONVENTION CENTRE WE'RE EXPECTING MITT ROMNEY TO ARRIVE LATER THIS EVENING, EITHER TO SPEAK AS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES OR TO SPEAK AS THE DEFEATED REPUBLICAN NOMINEE. HE'S ACTUALLY CONTINUING HIS CAMPAIGN TODAY, DESPITE EFFECTIVELY HAVING LOST HIS VOICE OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS AS HE'S FLOWN BETWEEN THOSE ALL-IMPORTANT SWING STATES. WE WERE EXPECTING HIM TO END HIS CAMPAIGN IN THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE LAST NIGHT. INSTEAD, LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON HE ANNOUNCED HE'D BE CONTINUING FORTH, CAMPAIGNING IN BOTH PENNSYLVANIA AND OHIO TODAY, BEFORE RETURNING TO MASSACHUSETTS TO SPEAK HERE THIS EVENING. IT'S INTERESTING. PASSING THROUGH BOSTON TODAY, PAST THE LINES OF VOTERS, THERE REALLY DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A WHOLE LOT OF EXCITEMENT IN TOWN. THIS MIGHT BE MITT ROMNEY'S HOME STATE, BUT MASSACHUSETTS IS UNLIKELY TO FALL IN THE REPUBLICANS' FAVOUR HERE THIS EVENING. THE VENUE HERE TONIGHT IS ACTUALLY REALLY SMALL. THERE'LL JUST BE A FEW MEMBERS OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, MITT ROMNEY'S FAMILY AND MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA HERE IN ATTENDANCE. AND REALLY, YOU'D HAVE TO ASK IF MITT ROMNEY'S LAST-MINUTE CAMPAIGNING IS LIKELY TO ACHIEVE TOO MUCH. REALLY, AT THIS STAGE THE VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICAN VOTERS HAVE A PREFERRED CANDIDATE IN MIND, AND REALLY, YOU THINK THE PERSON THAT WILL END UP AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS THE CANDIDATE THAT CAN MOBILISE THE VOTE, CAN GET PEOPLE OUT OFF THEIR SEATS. AND WE WAIT HERE IN KEEN ANTICIPATION TO SEE IF THAT MIGHT JUST BE MR WILLARD MITT ROMNEY. IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A WEEK SINCE SUPERSTORM SANDY HIT THE US EAST COAST WITH DEVASTATING FORCE, AND VICTIMS OF THE STORM ARE STILL FIGURING OUT WHERE THEY WILL LIVE, HOW THEY WILL STAY WARM, AND NOW THAT IT'S ELECTION DAY, HOW THEY WILL VOTE. HERE'S THE ABC'S ANNALISA PETRALIA. EIGHT DAYS AFTER HURRICANE SANDY, STILL NO POWER AN NO HEAT. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DEVASTATED BY THE STORM ARE NOW BRACING FOR FREEZING COLD TEMPERATURES. THIS STATEN ISLAND MAN DISPLACED BY SANDY WONDERS HOW HE WILL SURVIVE IN THE BITTER COLD. A LOT OF COLD WEATHER'S COMING, AND WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. SHELTERS ARE SET UP ACROSS THE NEW YORK TRI-STATE AREA. FOOD, BLANKETS AND CLOTHES ARE BEING HANDED OUT TO THOSE IN NEED. SOME WHO'VE LOST EVERYTHING ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE ESCAPED WITH THEIR LIVES. WE'RE ALIVE. MY WHOLE FAMILY'S ALIVE, AND, UM... AND GOD WILL GET US THROUGH THIS. THE US MARINES HAVE STEPPED IN, HELPING OUT WITH THE CLEAN UP. ABC HAS ALSO DONE IT'S PART, RAISING ALMOST $17M AND RISING FOR THE VICTIMS OF SANDY WITH ITS DAY OF GIVING FUNDRAISER. WHILE THE STORM RECOVERY IS IN PROGRESS, SOME STATE OFFICIALS SAY GETTING THE POWER BACK ON IS TAKING TOO LONG. I AM ANGRY TO SAY THAT I AM FRUSTRATED. DISAPPOINTED WOULD BE THE UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE DECADE. LONG LINES OF CARS STILL WRAP AROUND GAS STATIONS, WAITING FOR FUEL. AND ON THIS ELECTION DAY, PEOPLE ARE LINING UP AT MAKESHIFT POLLS TO VOTE. IN NEW JERSEY, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE WITHOUT POWER AND NOW HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO HELP CAST THEIR BALLOT. GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE HAS TRIED TO MAKE THAT EASIER BY ALLOWING THEM TO VOTE BY FAX OR EMAIL. I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GET OUT THERE AND VOTE. I KNOW YOU GOT A LOT OF THINGS ON YOUR PLATE RIGHT NOW, IN YOUR LIFE, BUT IT'S A NATIONAL ELECTION. THE OFFICIAL RESULT IS EXPECTED MID-AFTERNOON. ONE NEWS WILL HAVE A US ELECTION SPECIAL FROM 4.30 THIS AFTERNOON. WE'LL ALSO HAVE LIVE STREAMING ON OUR WEBSITE, ONENEWS.CO.NZ. THE CORONERS INQUEST IN CHRISTCHURCH INTO THE DEATHS OF EIGHT PEOPLE WHO ARE KNOWN TO HAVE SURVIVED THE INITIAL COLLAPSE OF THE CTV BUILDING HAS HEARD THAT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE FOLLOWING THE FAILED RESCUE. THE EVIDENCE CONTRADICTS PREVIOUS TESTIMONIES FROM FIRE SERVICE OFFICERS WHO SAY THE SAME FLAWED PROCEDURES REMAIN. ONE NEWS REPORTER MIKE THORPE JOINS US NOW LIVE FROM CHRISTCHURCH. PETER, IT'S BEEN A TORRID WEEK FOR THE FIRE SERVICE. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CRITICISM. WE'RE A LOT MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE FIRE SERVICE NOW IN TERMS OF A NEW UNIFORM, AND THE WAY WE OPERATE WITHIN THE FIRE SERVICE IS A LOT CLOSER. NOW, THE CORNONER FOUND THIS CONFUSING. HE'S ASKIED FOR FURTHER EVIDENCE. THANKS, MIKE THORPE, LIVE FROM THE INQUEST IN CHRISTCHURCH. FARMERS WITH TOO MUCH DEBT HAVE BEEN SINGLED OUT BY THE NEW RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR. IN A PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM, GRAEME WHEELER'S WARNED THAT FARMERS OWE BANKS A LOT OF MONEY AND COULD BE IN TROUBLE IF THEIR INCOMES FALL. HALF OF THE DEBT IS HELD BY THE 10% MOST INDEBTED FARMERS. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THE BANKS, IN MANAGING THEIR BALANCE SHEETS, NEED TO THINK ABOUT. OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS, DAIRY-SECTOR DEBT HAS BALLOONED FROM AROUND $11B TO AROUND $30B. FRUSTRATED PRIMARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS ARE TO SEND INVOICES TO THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AS PROBLEMS CONTINUE WITH THE TEACHERS' NEW PAY SYSTEM. THE TEACHERS UNION, THE NZEI, SAYS PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW NOVO-PAY SYSTEM HAVE COST EDUCATION STAFF THOUSANDS OF HOURS IN WASTED TIME, WHICH THEY WILL TRY TO CHARGE TO THE MINISTRY. THERE'VE BEEN NEARLY 9000 CASES OF TEACHING STAFF BEING UNDERPAID OR NOT PAID AT ALL, WHILE OTHERS HAVE BEEN OVERPAID SINCE THE SYSTEM WAS INTRODUCED IN AUGUST. THE UNION SAYS THE TOTAL BILL FOR THE INVOICES IS LIKELY TO RUN INTO THE MILLIONS. THE NATIONAL MP FOR ROTORUA SAYS HIS PROPOSAL TO OUTLAW THE WEARING OF GANG INSIGNIA ON GOVERNMENT PROPERTY IS A STEP TOWARDS BANNING GANGS ALTOGETHER. TODD MCCLAY TOLD MPS AT TODAY'S SELECT COMMITTEE HIS BILL WILL FURTHER ALIENATE GANG MEMBERS AND MAKE MEMBERSHIP UNATTRACTIVE. THIS BILL IS NOT A SILVER BULLET; IT WON'T FIX ALL PROBLEMS AROUND GANGS IN NZ. BUT IT WILL BE ONE MORE WAY TO LESSEN THEIR INFLUENCE AND TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THEM THAT THEIR ABUSE OF CITIZENSHIP IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. POLICE SAY THERE ARE AROUND 200 GANG CHAPTERS IN NZ AND OFFICERS SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL. IN SYRIA, HEAVY SHELLING IS CONTINUING IN PARTS OF THE CAPITAL, DAMASCUS, WITH SOME OF THE FIERCEST ATTACKS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS. THE 19-MONTH-LONG UPRISING IN SYRIA IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE CLAIMED 36,000 LIVES. MEANWHILE, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON HAS SAID HE'S WILLING TO HELP ARRANGE SAFE PASSAGE OUT OF SYRIA FOR PRESIDENT BASHAR AL ASSAD, SHOULD HE DECIDE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. ANYTHING TO GET THAT MAN OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND TO HAVE A SAFE TRANSITION IN SYRIA. OF COURSE, I WOULD FAVOUR HIM HAVING THE FULL FORCE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND JUSTICE FOR WHAT HE'S DONE. BUT ANYTHING THAT GETS THAT MAN OUT OF THE COUNTRY. ARE YOU OFFERING HIM NOW AN EXIT PLAN? > I'M CERTAINLY NOT OFFERING HIM AN EXIT PLAN TO BRITAIN. BUT IF HE WANTS TO LEAVE, HE COULD LEAVE. THAT COULD BE ARRANGED. GREECE HAS BEGUN A 48-HOUR GENERAL STRIKE ACROSS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS IN PROTEST AGAINST ANOTHER WAVE OF AUSTERITY MEASURES. THE GREEK GOVERNMENT MUST ENDORSE MAJOR SPENDING CUTS TO RECEIVE A 31 BILLION EURO BAILOUT FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND. THE AUSTERITY PROPOSALS INCLUDE A FIFTH CONSECUTIVE CUT TO PENSIONS, AN INCREASE IN THE RETIREMENT AGE, AND REDUCTIONS TO SALARIES. ORGANISERS OF A SCOTTISH FIREWORKS DISPLAY HAVE APOLOGISED AFTER A BOTCHED GUY FAWKES CELEBRATION. A STRAY ROCKET LANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REST OF THE FIREWORKS, SETTING THEM ALL OFF AT ONCE. THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INJURIES, BUT ONE CHILD SUFFERED A SMALL BURN TO HER FACE. A SAFETY INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY. A STUDENT PILOT IN THE US LEARNT A TOUGH LESSON WHEN A CAR DROVE RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM AS HE LANDED AT AN AIRPORT IN TEXAS. HE CLIPPED THE CAR'S ROOF, BUT AMAZINGLY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A BRITISH MP HAS LANDED HERSELF IN HOT WATER BY DECIDING TO SIGN UP TO APPEAR ON THE TV SHOW 'I'M A CELEBRITY... 'GET ME OUT OF HERE'. NADINE DORRIES HAS FLOWN TO AUSTRALIA TO FILM THE SHOW, BUT DIDN'T TELL HER SUPPORTERS SHE WAS GOING. SHE'S NOW BEEN SUSPENDED FROM THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY. HERE'S THE BBC'S IAN WATSON. NADINE DORRIES' TRIP FROM THE WESTMINSTER JUNGLE TO THE ACTUAL JUNGLE IN AUSTRALIA HAS PLACED HER IN VERY DANGEROUS POLITICAL TERRITORY. SHE'S NO STRANGER TO CONTROVERSY, A CONSERVATIVE BACK-BENCHER WHO SAID THIS ABOUT THE CONSERVATIVE PRIME MINISTER AND THE CHANCELLOR. NOT ONLY ARE CAMERON AND OSBORNE TWO POSH BOYS WHO DON'T KNOW THE PRICE OF MILK, BUT THEY'RE TWO ARROGANT POSH BOYS. THIS TIME SHE DIDN'T GET OFF LIGHTLY. SHE'S BEEN SUSPENDED AS A CONSERVATIVE MP AND HAS EARNED THIS REPRIMAND FROM THE HOME SECRETARY. FRANKLY, I THINK AN MP'S JOB IS IN THEIR CONSTITUENCY AND IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. SHE HOPES THAT BY GOING DOWN UNDER SHE'LL GET A BIGGER AUDIENCE FOR HER POLITICAL VIEWS BACK HOME. BUT SHE DIDN'T SHARE HER TRAVEL PLANS WITH THOSE CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS WHO HELPED GET HER ELECTED HERE IN HER MID-BEDFORDSHIRE CONSTITUENCY. WE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE UNTIL THIS MORNING, UH, THAT OUR MP WAS ANYWHERE BUT WESTMINSTER. SO NADINE DORRIES HAS LEARNED TONIGHT THAT THE POLITICAL JUNGLE CAN BE FAR MORE DEADLY THAN THE CELEBRITY JUNGLE IN AUSTRALIA. ACROSS THE TASMAN, FOUR VERY LUCKY AUSTRALIANS HAVE BECOME MULTI-MILLIONAIRES AFTER EACH CLAIMED A SHARE A RECORD LOTTO JACKPOT. THE JACKPOT REACHED NZ$140M OVERNIGHT. THE WINNERS WILL EACH RECEIVE A COOL $35M. THE RECORD DRAW CRASHED WEBSITES ACROSS AUSTRALIA AS HOPEFUL PUNTERS CHECKED THEIR TICKETS. THE FOUR BIG WINNERS HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, THE SHAREMARKET AND BUSINESS NEWS. AND IN SPORT, MANCHESTER CITY COP A BAD CALL IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. 1 WITH ME NOW IS GRETCHEN WILLIAMSON FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. THIS ITEM WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. FOR MORE, GO TO ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND CLICK ON 'BUSINESS'. FISHER & PAYKEL APPLIANCES HAVE BEEN TAKEN OVER, SO THEY'RE GONE FROM THE STOCK EXCHANGE? THAT'S CORRECT, IT'S IN COMPULSARY ACCQUISITION STEEL AND TUBE WILL REPLACE THEM THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A COUPLE OF RECENT CHANGES. IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE PEOPLE TAKE THIER MONEY. THE US ELECTION ` WHAT IMPACT ON THE MARKETS DO YOU THINK? THE DOW IS WAY UP. IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER OBAMA'S PRESIDENCY. THE MARKET HAS BEEN STRONG. THE WORST CASE SCENARIO FOR MARKETS IS A NARROW WIN FOR OBAMA ANGRY REPUBLICANS COULD STALL THINGS. STAYING IN THE US, APPLE WITH SOME IPAD SALES FIGURES? IT INCLUDES THE NEW MINI IPAD. ANALYSTS BELIEV 2.3M WERE THE MINI THEY WANT TO HAVE PRODUCTS IN STORE FOR CHRISTMAS. THANK YOU, GRETCHEN WILLIAMSON FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. IN MIDDAY SPORT, A DRAW FOR BOTH ENGLISH TEAMS IN THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT. BUT WHERE ARSENAL BLEW A 2-0 LEAD, MANCHESTER CITY HAD TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT COMEBACK AGAINST AJAX OF AMSTERDAM. THIS FROM ANDY SWISS. IT WAS THE MOST NERVOUS OF NIGHTS. FOR MANCHESTER CITY BOSS ROBERTO MANCINI, ONE IN WHICH ONLY VICTORY WOULD DO. SO THIS WAS THE LAST THING HE NEEDED ` AJAX AHEAD THROUGH SIEM DE JONG, AND CITY'S TROUBLES HAD ONLY JUST BEGUN. YET MORE STATUESQUE DEFENDING AND THEY WERE 2-0 DOWN, THEIR EUROPEAN DREAM TURNING INTO THE GRIMMEST OF NIGHTMARES. CITY NEEDED AN INSTANT RESPONSE, AND THEY GOT IT THROUGH YAYA TOURE. STILL HOPE AT HALF TIME. AND AFTER IT THE COMEBACK CONTINUED, SERGIO AGUERO WITH A CLINICAL EQUALISER. IN THE DYING SECONDS, MARIO BALOTELLI FELT THEY SHOULD'VE HAD A PENALTY, BUT THE REFEREE INSTEAD BLEW FOR FULL-TIME. CITY WAS INCENSED, THEIR HOPES OF PROGRESS INCREASINGLY REMOTE. ARSENAL, MEANWHILE, ENJOYED A RATHER BETTER START AGAINST THE GERMAN SIDE SCHALKE, THEO WALCOTT PUTTING THEM AHEAD. AND WHEN OLIVIER GIROUD MADE IT 2-0 THE MATCH SEEMED AS GOOD AS WON. BUT SCHALKE BATTLED BACK FOR A 2-2 DRAW. DELIGHT FOR THEM; FOR ARSENAL, YET MORE FRUSTRATION. THE NZ CRICKET TEAM PLAYED BETTER IN THE THIRD ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL AGAINST SRI LANKA, BUT IT STILL WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH. AS BLAIR NORTON REPORTS, THE BLACKCAPS COULDN'T GET SRI LANKA'S TOP BATSMEN OUT. DRY SURFACES HAVE BEEN A RARITY ON THIS TOUR, THOUGH IT HARDLY HELPED THE BLACKCAPS EARLY ON. EDGE. DID THAT CARRY? DARK SKIES OVERHEAD DID LITTLE TO BRIGHTEN THE BLACKCAPS' MOOD, THOUGH BJ WATLING LIFTED SPIRITS ` MOMENTARILY. BRENDON MCCULLUM WAS QUICKLY OUT AFTER THE RESUMPTION BEFORE THE RAIN RETURNED AGAIN. NZ'S INNINGS ADJUSTED TO 33 OVERS. WITH WICKETS FALLING AROUND HIM, THE RESPONSIBILITY FELL TO THE IN-FORM WATLING. UP AND OVER COVER. NATHAN MCCULLUM CHIMED IN AS WELL, THE PAIR PUTTING ON 71 FROM 36 BALLS. WATLING TOP SCORED WITH 96 AS THE K'S POSTED A COMPETITIVE 188/6. IS THIS GOING ALL THE WAY? YOU BETCHA! THE BLACKCAPS NEEDED EARLY WICKETS. INSTEAD, IT WAS EARLY BOUNDARIES AS SRI LANKA STARTED THEIR CHASE OF A REVISED 197. THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF TIMING. PERSISTENT DEW AND TILLAKARATNE DILSHAN PROVED A CONSTANT MENACE TO THE KS. BOULT DIDN'T WANT A PIECE OF IT. ANGELO MATTHEWS DID, THOUGH, HELPING PUT ON A MATCH-WINNING 127 FROM 99 BALLS FOR THE FOURTH WICKET ALONGSIDE DILSHAN, WHO TOP SCORED WITH A 'MAN OF THE MATCH'-WINNING 102 NOT OUT. SRI LANKA WON WITH 11 BALLS REMAINING. THE BLACKCAPS HAVE NOW LOST THEIR LAST FOUR COMPLETED ODI'S. BLAIR NORTON, ONE NEWS. IN TENNIS, ROGER FEDERER HAS DEFEATED SERBIAN JANKO TIPSAREVIC IN A RECORD-BREAKING WIN IN LONDON. THE 17-TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPION WON THE MATCH IN JUST OVER AN HOUR. THE VICTORY TOOK FEDERER TO A RECORD 40TH WIN IN ATP FINALS EVENTS, BREAKING THE PREVIOUS RECORD HELD BY IVAN LENDL. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE RECORD, TO BE QUITE HONEST, BUT I'M OBVIOUSLY VERY HAPPY, HAVING PLAYED SO WELL TODAY AND THEN GETTING THE RECORD ON TOP OF IT. FINAL SCORE 6-3, 6-1. ALL BLACKS ASSISTANT COACH IAN FOSTER'S DOING HIS BEST TO PLAY DOWN CLAIMS SCOTLAND WILL BE EASY IN MONDAY'S TEST. THE ALL BLACKS HAVE BEEN TRAINING IN EDINBURGH BEFORE THE GAME. IT'S THEIR FIFTH TEST AGAINST SCOTLAND IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. FOSTER SAYS HE HAS MASSIVE RESPECT FOR SCOTTISH RUGBY. WE GOT A WHOLE RANGE OF NEW GUYS IN THIS TEAM THAT ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT OPPORTUNITY TOO, AND, YOU KNOW, SCOTLAND'S A VERY VERY CAPABLE TEAM. WE'RE AWARE OF THAT. THE GAME STARTS AT 3.30 ON MONDAY MORNING, NZ TIME. THE ALL BLACKS HAVE NEVER LOST TO SCOTLAND. AND TICKETS TO THIS YEAR'S WELLINGTON SEVENS SOLD OUT IN 20 MINUTES THIS MORNING. IT'LL BE THE FOURTEENTH TIME WELLINGTON'S HOSTED THE INTERNATIONAL SEVENS TOURNAMENT. THE EVENT ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF FANS TO WELLINGTON EVERY YEAR, SOME MORE FOR THE ATMOSPHERE THAN THE SPORT. SCALPERS ARE ALREADY A PROBLEM. NEARLY FIFTY TICKETS ARE ALREADY LISTED ON TRADE ME, MOST FOR DOUBLE THE ORIGINAL PRICE. K JOCKEY JAMES MCDONALD'S JOY AT FINISHING SECOND IN THE MELBOURNE CUP HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT SOURED AFTER HE WAS SUSPENDED FOR INTERFERING WITH OTHER HORSES THE 20-YEAR-OLD FACES A 14-MEETING BAN FOR SHIFTING GROUND AND INTERFERING WITH OTHER HORSES 600M FROM THE FINISH. AUSTRALIAN JOCKEYS LUKE NOLEN AND RHYS MCLEOD WERE SUSPENDED FOR SIMILAR OFFENCES. THEY EACH FACE A 12-MEETING BAN. MCDONALD'S HORSE FIORENTE FINISHED A LENGTH BEHIND THE WINNER GREEN MOON. NOW TO THE WEATHER. MAINLY CLEAR SKIES OVER THE COUNTRY THANKS TO A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ THANKS FOR JOINING US. A REMINDER THE OFFICIAL RESULT OF THE US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS EXPECTED MID-AFTERNOON. ONE NEWS WILL HAVE A US ELECTION SPECIAL FROM 4.30 THIS AFTERNOON, PLUS REACTION AND ANALYSIS ON THE ONE NEWS HOUR AT 6, AND CLOSE UP. WE'LL ALSO HAVE LIVE STREAMING ON OUR WEBSITE, ONENEWS.CO.NZ. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY LAUREN STRAIN AND TRACEY DAWSON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2012