DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF TONIGHT, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. TONIGHT ` A POLICE HUNT FOR A MAN ON THE RUN. A WOMAN AND CHILDREN ARE INVOLVED. ARE ALL BETS OFF FOR THE POLITICAL FUTURE OF BRENDAN HORAN? NEW ALLEGATIONS EMERGE ABOUT THE FORMER NZ FIRST MP. AND THE MOST UNLIKELY OF MOVIE FRIENDSHIPS. WE LOOK AT THE INTOUCHABLES. THE FAMILY WHICH WAS THE FOCUS OF A MASSIVE POLICE SEARCH IN THE WAIKATO AND BAY OF PLENTY HAS BEEN FOUND SAFE AND WELL IN THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS. CONCERNS WERE RAISED FOR A WOMAN AND TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN A CAR DRIVEN BY A MALE AFTER A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SAW THEM IN A DISTRESSED STATE IN CAMBRIDGE AND CONTACTED POLICE THIS AFTERNOON. THE 26-YEAR-OLD DRIVER WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS AND POSSIBILY ARMED. UNCONFIRMED SIGHTINGS OF THE CAR NEAR WAIHI SPARKED A DISTRICT-WIDE HUNT BEFORE IT WAS EVENTUALLY STOPPED BY POLICE IN NAPIER SHORTLY BEFORE 7 THIS EVENING. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE ARE SPEAKING TO POLICE. IT'S UNCLEAR IF ANY CHARGES WILL BE LAID. 11 YEARS AFTER SHE WAS BASHED BY WILLIAM BELL AS HE ROBBED THE MT WELLINGTON RSA, SUSAN COUCH HAS ALMOST REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT FOR COMPENSATION. SHE WAS LEFT WITH BRAIN DAMAGE AND PARTIAL PARALYSIS BY WILLIAM BELL WHO WAS ON PROBATION AT THE TIME OF THE ATTACK. PAUL HOBBS SPOKE TO SUSAN COUCH. SUSAN COUCH STILL BEARS THE PHYSICAL SCARS OF WILLIAM BELL'S MURDEROUS RAMPAGE; SCARS SHE WILL LIVE WITH FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE. BUT NOW SHE'S ABOUT TO GET A CHEQUE FROM THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT THAT ALLOWED BELL, WHO WAS ON PROBATION, TO GET A JOB AT THE PANMURE RSA, THE PLACE WHERE HE KILLED THREE WORKERS AND LEFT SUE COUCH FOR DEAD. FOR YEARS, SUSAN COUCH FOUGHT TO BRING A $500,000 NEGLIGENCE CASE AGAINST THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, HER LAWYER ARGUING THAT AN INEXPERIENCED PROBATION OFFICER ENCOURAGED BELL TO WORK AT THE RSA IN A JOB THAT INVOLVED EXPOSURE TO ALCOHOL AND MONEY, DESPITE RECORDS OF BELL'S ALCOHOL PROBLEMS AND A PROPENSITY FOR VIOLENCE AND THEFT BEING KNOWN TO THE PROBATION SERVICE. MS COUCH'S CASE WAS THE PROBATION SERVICE KNEW THE OFFICER WAS INEXPERIENCED AND FAILED TO PROVIDE SUPERVISION AND THEIR FAILURES TO MONITOR BELL LED TO THE RSA ATTACKS AND MS COUCH'S INJURIES. IT WAS REALLY SUPERVISORS AND THEIR SUPERVISORS, AND IT'S A WHOLE HIERARCHY OF PEOPLE JUST NOT DOING THEIR JOB. BUT CORRECTIONS CEO RAY SMITH HAS SHORT-CIRCUITED THE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, VISITING SUSAN COUCH IN THE PAST FORTNIGHT TO TRY AND REACH A SETTLEMENT. IN A STATEMENT, MR SMITH SAYS... WE UNDERSTAND THAT DESPITE A SETTLEMENT, CORRECTIONS WILL NOT ADMIT ANY LIABILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO SUSAN COUCH IN THERE, BUT WE BELIEVE THE DEPARTMENT FEELS THAT CONTINUING WITH A LENGTHY LEGAL BATTLE WOULD BE A WASTE OF TAXPAYERS' MONEY. SATURDAY MARKS THE 11TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRIPLE KILLINGS. MURDERER WILLIAM BELL REMAINS IN PRISON. HE'S NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE UNTIL AUGUST 2032. THE GETAWAY DRIVER, DARNELL TUPE, WAS RELEASED ON PAROLE IN APRIL. PAUL HOBBS, ONE NEWS. POLICE ARE HUNTING A GANG OF ARMED ROBBERS THEY BELIEVE ARE BEHIND A SERIES OF HOLD-UPS AT RESTAURANTS AND BARS. THIS SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE SHOWS THE MEN DEMANDING CASH FROM STAFF AND CUSTOMERS AT O'RYANS AND O'HAGEN'S IN SOUTH-EAST AUCKLAND. POLICE SAY THE THIEVES APPEAR TO BE POLYNESIAN OR MAORI AND THANKED THEIR VICTIMS FOR COOPERATING BEFORE MAKING OFF WITH THEIR CASH. AND THE WORRYING THING FOR US IS, UM, UH, WEAPONS COMBINED WITH, UH, POTENTIALLY PATRONS WHO ARE AFFECTED BY ALCOHOL. UM, WE HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS AROUND, UH, UH, WHAT COULD HAPPEN. AT VALENTINES RESTAURANT LAST MONTH, THE GUNMEN FORCED CUSTOMERS, INCLUDING CHILDREN, TO LIE DOWN WHILE DEMANDING CASH. DUMPED MP BRENDAN HORAN IS NOW FACING FRESH ALLEGATIONS HE'S USED HIS TAXPAYER FUNDED CELL PHONE TO MAKE MULTIPLE CALLS TO THE TAB. HE'S REFUSING TO LET THESE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AND GROWING OPPOSITION STAND IN HIS WAY OF REMAINING IN PARLIAMENT AS AN INDEPENDENT MP. GEORGINA BALL'S BEEN FOLLOWING THE STORY. BRENDAN HORAN'S A MAN STICKING TO HIS GUNS, DENYING ALLEGATIONS HE STOLE FROM HIS LATE MOTHER AND INSISTING HE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO KEEP HIS JOB. I'VE DONE NOTHING WRONG, AND I'M HERE, AND THAT'S IT. ALSO STAYING MUM WHEN ONE NEWS ASKED HIM ABOUT NEW CLAIMS HE USED HIS PARLIAMENTARY CELL PHONE TO CALL THE TAB. AS I'VE SAID, I CAN'T MAKE ANY COMMENT. IT'S WITH THE LAWYERS. BUT IN AN INTERVIEW ON AN INDUSTRY WEBSITE LAST YEAR, HE MADE NO SECRET OF HIS PASSION FOR RACING, SAYING... ...AND EVEN WANTED TO BE MINISTER OF RACING. WHATEVER THE EVENTUAL OUTCOME, HIS REFUSAL TO QUIT HAS SPARKED DEBATE ON WHETHER HE HAS A MANDATE TO STAY ON AS AN INDEPENDENT MP. I DON'T THINK HE WOULD DO IF WINSTON PETERS CAN REALLY PUT UP THE ARGUMENTS THAT WHATEVER HE HAS DONE IS SO BAD THAT HE DESERVES TO BE EXPELLED FROM THE PARTY AND HAS REALLY BROUGHT PARLIAMENT INTO DISREPUTE. MR HORAN DOES HAVE SYMPATHY FROM OTHER QUARTERS, THOUGH. MAORI PARTY CO-LEADER TARIANA TURIA FAMOUSLY JUMPED FROM LABOUR'S WAKA. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE HERE ON YOUR OWN, TO BE ISOLATED, AND I WOULDN'T LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN TO HIM. BUT HIS FORMER BOSS HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION. WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE LAME DUCKS ON BOARD WHEN WE'VE WORKED SO HARD TO BUILD THIS PARTY UP. WITH TWO SEPARATE INVESTIGATIONS UNDERWAY INTO OUR PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM, THERE IS PLENTY OF SCOPE FOR CHANGE. IN THE MEANTIME, THOUGH, BRENDAN HORAN IS STAYING PUT. GEORGINA BALL, ONE NEWS. A HIGH-PROFILE HORSE TRAINER HAS DENIED TRYING TO SMUGGLE A BANNED HORSE DOPING DRUG INTO THE COUNTRY. NICOLA CHILCOTT, A HARNESS RACING TRAINER, APPEARED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HAMILTON DISTRICT COURT. SHE PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO TRYING TO IMPORT FROM UKRAINE AN ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE KNOWN AS ITPP. I THINK IT'S JUST BEEN A REALLY BIG MISUNDERSTANDING, TO BE HONEST. I HAVE NEVER AND WOULD NEVER USE ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES ON MY HORSES. ITPP IS SIMILAR TO ANABOLIC STERIODS, INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN IN A HORSE'S BLOOD. CHILCOTT WILL REAPPEAR IN COURT IN FEBRUARY. THE INQUEST INTO THE COLLAPSE OF THE CTV BUILDING IN THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE HAS BEEN TOLD ONE OF THE VICTIMS DIED OF MAJOR CRUSH INJURIES AFTER MANAGING TO SURVIVE IN THE RUBBLE FOR MORE THAN 12 HOURS. FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST MARTIN SAGE TOLD THE CORONER HE'S ALMOST CERTAIN SMOKE INHALATION WASN'T INVOLVED IN TAMARA CVETANOVA'S DEATH. HER HUSBAND ALEC CVETANOV THINKS IT'S POSSIBLE SHE WAS KILLED WHEN A BEAM WAS DROPPED FROM A DIGGER ON THE SITE WHERE SHE WAS TRAPPED. AT SOME STAGE, THEN, THE CAVITY THEY WERE IN HAS CLOSED UPON THEM AND CAUSED DAMAGE. THE ISSUE THAT I'M DEALING WITH NOW IS DETERMINING WHETHER IT IS THAT CLOSING OF THE CAVITY WHICH HAS CRUSHED THEM AND CAUSED THEIR DEATH O OR WHETHER IT IS THE EFFECT AND EFFECTS OF FIRE. FULL POST-MORTEMS WEREN'T CARRIED OUT BY THE DISASTER INDENTIFICATION TEAM BECAUSE OF THE SCALE OF THE DISASTER. FAMILIES IN LOW-INCOME AREAS SAY THEY'RE COMING UNDER HUGE PRESSURE FROM MOBILE TRUCK SHOPS. IN THE BUILD-UP TO CHRISTMAS. ONE IS CLOSE TO BANKRUPTCY AFTER THEIR BRAIN-INJURED DAUGHTER WAS SIGNED UP BY A NUMBER OF COMPANIES. PACIFIC CORRESPONDENT BARBARA DREAVER REPORTS. HOME-SHOPPING HAS BURIED THE LEAPAI FAMILY IN DEBT. TENS OF THOUSANDS NOW. UM, THE FAMILY ON THE BENEFIT IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY THOSE DEBTS. DEBTS TO MOBILE TRUCK SHOPS AND CATALOGUE SALESPEOPLE WHO STOP IN AT THEIR OTARA HOME AROUND FIVE TIMES A WEEK. THE HARD SELL IS INCESSANT. THEY'RE JUST DISGUSTING. EVEN WHILE ONE NEWS IS FILMING,... < KNOCK ON DOOR ...YET ANOTHER ONE IS AT THE DOOR HOPING FOR THEIR BUSINESS. I AM JUST TELLING WE DON'T WANT YOU GUYS TO COME AROUND ANY MORE. MARYANNE LEAPAI HAS EVERY RIGHT TO BE ANGRY. HER DAUGHTER CONNIE HAS A BRAIN INJURY AND IS UNABLE TO READ, BUT IT HASN'T STOPPED MOBILE TRUCKS FROM SIGNING HER UP. SHE OWES MONEY TO SEVEN DIFFERENT HOME SHOPPING COMPANIES. MY HEART IS COLD, BECAUSE WHEN I ALWAYS CHECK MY BANK AND THERE IS NOTHING IN THERE, AND I ALWAYS CRY. WHEN HER FATHER DIED OWING MONEY TO A MOBILE TRUCK SHOP, THE LEAPAIS SENT THE COMPANY A DEATH CERTIFICATE. BUT THE COMPANY THEN PERSUADED ONE OF THE TEENAGE CHILDREN TO PAY IT. THEY PREYED ON THIS FAMILY AT A` AT A TIME WHEN THEY WERE GRIEVING, THE TEMPTATION TO SIGN UP IS EASY TO SEE. WE SPOTTED A MOBILE TRUCK ON THE LEAPAIS' STREET AS WELL AS CATALOGUE COMPANY UBUY GOING DOOR TO DOOR. UBUY HAS HAD NO DEALINGS WITH THE LEAPAIS, BUT WE WANTED TO KNOW WHY THEY APPROACH THEM. THEY OWE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. WE DO DO CREDIT CHECKS. WE DO CREDIT CHECKS. AND, UH, THAT IS BASED ON THE CUSTOMER'S, UH` IT SAYS NO CREDIT CHECKS. YEP, WE'VE GOT DIFFERENT CRITERIA IN THERE AS WELL. UBUY SAYS IT HAS STRICT RULES ABOUT WHO IT SIGNS UP AS A CUSTOMER, BUT OTHERS DON'T. SO THE LEAPAIS ARE WONDERING WHO'LL BE NEXT TO KNOCK ON THEIR DOOR. BARBARA DREAVER, ONE NEWS. THE NEWLY PREGNANT DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE APPEARS TO BE RESPONDING WELL TO TREATMENT FOR HER EXTREME MORNING SICKNESS. KATE REMAINS IN HOSPITAL, WHERE PRINCE WILLIAM VISITED FOR A GOOD PART OF THE DAY, AND HE WAS LOOKING RELAXED AND HAPPY WHEN HE LEFT THE HOSPITAL, AS OUR EUROPE CORRESPONDENT, GARTH BRAY, REPORTS. DOZENS OF FLASH BULBS LIT UP THE WINTER NIGHT, CATCHING A SMILE FROM PRINCE WILLIAM AS HE LEFT HOSPITAL. ST JAMES'S PALACE WAS JUST THEN PUTTING OUT A STATEMENT SAYING... ...BUT WILL REMAIN HERE FOR SOME DAYS YET. WILLIAM VISITED FOR SIX HOURS, WHILE BROADCASTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS CONTINUED THEIR VIGIL OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL, SHOOTING THE ROYAL GYNAECOLOGISTS AS THEY CALLED ON THEIR PATIENT. BRITAIN'S MONARCHY IS OFTEN USED AS A KIND OF A TOUCHSTONE OF THE TIMES. AND CONSIDER THAT WHEN THE QUEEN FELL PREGNANT WITH PRINCE CHARLES AT THE AGE OF 22, 65 YEARS AGO, THE ONLY CLUE WAS A RATHER OPAQUE STATEMENT THAT SHE WOULD BE UNAVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC DUTIES UNTIL THE END OF JUNE. MY, HAVEN'T TIMES CHANGED? THE QUEEN WILL LIKELY BE ASKED EARLY NEXT YEAR TO PUT HER SEAL AND SIGNATURE ON A NEW UK LAW ENDING MALE PRIVILEGE IN THE SUCCESSION. ALL 16 COUNTRIES WHERE THE QUEEN IS HEAD OF STATE HAD TO AGREE, AND IT WAS NZ'S CABINET OFFICE THAT TOOK ON THE JOB OF COORDINATING THE EFFORT. SOMEONE HAD TO LEAD THE CHARGE, UM, OUTSIDE OF, UM, THE UK ` ONE OF THE REALM COUNTRIES ` AND BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THAT PROUD HISTORY AND TRADITION, WE WERE SEEN AS A GOOD COUNTRY. I'D DISCUSSED IT WITH DAVID CAMERON, AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO WORK ON IT. NZ LAW WOULD NEED TO CHANGE TOO, AND A ROYAL SUCCESSION BILL IS EXPECTED WHEN PARLIAMENT RESUMES NEXT YEAR. WITH SO MUCH WORLD INTEREST IN KATE'S PREGNANCY, PLENTY ARE RUSHING TO CASH IN. BRITISH BOOKIES ARE TAKING BETS ON BABY NAMES, SHORTENING THE ODDS ON TWINS AND, YES, EVEN RUNNING A BOOK ON SURGICAL INTERVENTION. WE THINK SHE'S MORE THE PEOPLE'S PRINCESS. WE THINK SHE'S GONNA TRY AND DO WHAT EVERYONE ELSE DOES. AND SO WE ARE ODDS-ON AT 8:11 THAT SHE HAS A NATURAL BIRTH RATHER THAN A C-SECTION, WHICH IS EVEN MONEY. IN NAPLES, MODEL MAKERS ARE HASTILY MAKING NATIVITY FIGURES FULLER. 'AUGURI' ` GOOD LUCK ` READS THE MESSAGE, AS THE WORLD AWAITS ANY SIGN OF AN ACTUAL ROYAL BABY BELLY. GARTH BRAY, ONE NEWS, LONDON. JUST AHEAD ` SOME WEATHER. THE EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT IS EVACUATED FROM HIS PALACE AS THE TIDE OF ANGER AGAINST HIM RISES. A FOOD REVOLUTION COULD BE UNDERWAY, THANKS TO SOMETHING MORE SUITED TO OLD HORROR MOVIES. AND TONIGHT AT THE MOVIES, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I THOUGHT OF THE FRENCH COMEDY 'THE INTOUCHABLES'. THE FAMILY OF EMILY LONGLEY ADMITS IT'S A BLOW HER MURDERER IS APPEALING AGAINST HIS CONVICTION. ELLIOT TURNER (21) WAS JAILED FOR LIFE FOR MURDERING NZ-BORN EMILY IN HIS HOME IN THE ENGLISH TOWN OF BOURNEMOUTH IN MAY LAST YEAR. MARK LONGLEY SAYS WHILE THE FAMILY WAS EXPECTING TURNER TO USE HIS RIGHT TO APPEAL, IT'S DISAPPOINTED. NO DATE HAS BEEN SET, BUT IT'S LIKELY TURNER'S APPEAL AGAINST HIS CONVICTION AND SENTENCE WILL BE HEARD IN LONDON'S ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE NEXT MARCH. THE TIDE OF ANGER AGAINST EGYPT'S PRESIDENT IS RISING.. WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS CLASHING WITH POLICE OUTSIDE HIS RESIDENCE. THE VIOLENCE WAS SO BAD.. MOHAMMED MORSI HAD TO BE EVACUATED FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE. BBC CORRESPONDENT JOHN LEYNE SENT THIS REPORT FROM THE EGYPTIAN CAPITAL. CLASHES RIGHT OUTSIDE THE GATES OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE IN CAIRO. POLICE FIRED TEAR GAS ON PROTESTERS, AFTER THEY BREACHED THE POLICE LINE IN FRONT OF THE OFFICIAL RESIDENCE. AT TIMES, THE POLICE SEEMED CLOSE TO LOSING CONTROL. EGYPT HASN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS, EVEN AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PROTESTS AGAINST HOSNI MUBARAK LAST YEAR. CROWD CHANTS OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS CONVERGED ON THE PALACE THROUGH THE DAY. THEY'RE FURIOUS AT PRESIDENT MORSI'S EDICT TAKING SWEEPING NEW POWERS AND HIS ATTEMPT TO RUSH THROUGH A NEW CONSTITUTION THE OPPOSITION FEAR COULD BE USED TO IMPOSE ISLAMIC VALUES ON THE COUNTRY. THIS IS ONE OF A SERIES OF MARCHES CONVERGING ON THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE. LOOK AT THEM. TWO WEEKS INTO THEIR PROTEST AGAINST PRESIDENT MORSI, AND THEY HAVEN'T LOST ANY OF THEIR FURY AND THEIR ANGER ABOUT WHAT HE'S DONE. WE DIDN'T BRING MUBARAK DOWN TO HAVE A NEW MUBARAK, SO I AM HERE TO SUPPORT THOSE PEOPLE. WE HAVE TO, UM, MAKE MORSI UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS NOT GOING TO BE, UM, THE NEW KING FOR EGYPT. MORSI IS NOW DIVIDING THE COUNTRY IN TWO, AND WE HOPE HE IS WISE ENOUGH TO REALISE THAT TODAY IS THE FIRST OF MANY MARCHES AGAINST HIM IF HE DOES NOT STOP THIS. PRESIDENT MORSI ` SEEN HERE RECEIVING THE NEW DRAFT CONSTITUTION ON SATURDAY ` HAD TO BE HUSTLED OUT OF THE PALACE FOR HIS OWN SAFETY. EGYPTIANS HAVE LOST THEIR FEAR. WE'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN EGYPT. I USED TO COVER THE, UH, FORMER PRESIDENT FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS AND, UM, I MEAN, I COULDN'T EVEN DARE SOMETIMES WALK IN FRONT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE WITHOUT, UH, EVEN HAVING THE SENSE OF FEAR INSIDE ME. TONIGHT THE PRESIDENT'S OPPONENTS ARE STILL OUTSIDE THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE. HIS SUPPORTERS STAGED THEIR OWN SHOW OF FORCE AT THE WEEKEND. EGYPT IS DEEPLY ` AND PROBABLY EVENLY ` DIVIDED, AS THE COUNTRY APPROACHES A REFERENDUM ON THE NEW CONSTITUTION LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY. NATO IS SENDING GROUND-TO-AIR MISSILES TO TURKEY'S BORDER AMID GROWING FEARS NEIGHBOURING SYRIA COULD USE CHEMICAL WEAPONS. IN THE LATEST VIOLENCE IN SYRIA, GOVERNMENT FORCES BOMBED REBEL DISTRICTS NEAR DAMASCUS. AMATEUR VIDEO SHOWS SEVERAL BUILDINGS ON FIRE. STATE MEDIA REPORTED A REBEL MORTAR ATTACK ON A SCHOOL ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CAPITAL KILLED 28 STUDENTS AND TEACHER. THE DEATH TOLL'S EXPECTED TO RISE FROM A MASSIVE STORM THAT'S SO FAR KILLED AT LEAST 230 PEOPLE IN THE PHILIPPINES. TYPHOON BOPHA, PACKING WINDS OF UP TO 200KM/H, TORE ROOVES OFF HOUSES AND UPROOTED TREES. DESPERATE RESIDENTS CARRYING YOUNG CHILDREN SCRAMBLED TO FIND SHELTER AS THE STORM MADE LANDFALL. TENS OF THOUSANDS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED FROM HIGH-RISK AREAS ALONG RIVERS AND COASTAL AREAS. THE TYPHOON'S NOW SWEEPING ACROSS OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, WHERE FLIGHTS ARE CANCELLED AND SCHOOLS CLOSED. WHILE IN THE DEPTHS OF PANAMA, A FOOD REVOLUTION COULD BE UNDERWAY ALL THANKS TO SOMETHING MORE SUITED TO OLD HORROR MOVIES. SCIENTISTS HAVE GENETICALLY MODIFIED AN ATLANTIC SALMON, TURNING IT INTO WHAT SOME CRITICS ARB CALLING A FRANKEN-FISH. THE ABC'S JIM AVILA WENT TO SEE THIS NEW AQUATIC HYBRID. ABC NEWS IS THE FIRST TO SEE UP CLOSE AND ACTUALLY TASTE THIS MYSTERIOUS FISH, WHICH FDA SCIENTISTS HAVE RULED... THIS IS WHAT THEY CALL FRANKEN-FISH? THESE ARE VERY HEALTHY, BEAUTIFUL ATLANTIC SALMON. THE BIG DIFFERENCE ` SIZE. THIS IS AN ATLANTIC SALMON (1), DWARFED BY THE NEW GENETICALLY ALTERED SALMON OF THE SAME AGE. HOW DO THEY DO IT? BY MERGING THE DNA OF THREE FISH INTO ONE. TAKING DNA FROM A CHINOOK SALMON AND FROM A SEA EEL TO PRODUCE AN ATLANTIC SALMON THAT GROWS FAST FROM BIRTH. YOU GET TO MARKET SIZE AT LEAST 12 MONTHS BEFORE ANY OTHER TYPE OF SALMON THAT'S OUT THERE. AQUA BOUNTY SAYS THE FISH ARE READY FOR MARKET AND THE COMPANY NOW AWAITS FINAL FDA APPROVAL. BUT HAVE WE GONE TOO FAR? IT OPENS UP A WHOLE OTHER SECTION OF THE GROCERY STORE TO THIS TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WE THINK IS STILL NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD. THERE IS NO PROVEN LINK BETWEEN GENETICALLY ALTERED FOOD AND HEALTH PROBLEMS, BUT CRITICS ARE SCEPTICAL ABOUT AQUA BOUNTY'S STUDIES AND COMPLAIN GOVERNMENT SCIENTISTS HAVE NOT DONE ENOUGH INDEPENDENT WORK AND IGNORE THE UNKNOWN. THEY WORRY, BUT HAVE NO PROOF, THAT THIS NEW FISH WILL INCREASE ALLERGIES AND THEORISE ITS ALTERED HORMONE SYSTEM COULD SOMEHOW CAUSE CANCER. THE FDA'S REVIEW OF COMPANY DATA FOUND THOSE CONCERNS UNFOUNDED. IS THIS SOMETHING I SHOULD BE AFRAID OF? MAN HAS BEEN ALTERING THE NATURE OF ANIMALS SINCE MAN WALKED UPRIGHT AND BEGAN DOMESTICATING ANIMALS. A NEW LAB-CREATED MEAT IN THE PIPELINE FOR FDA APPROVAL AND JUST THE SAME AS AMERICA'S FAVOURITE FISH DINNER. SAME TEXTURE. EATING FRANKEN-FISH. (CHUCKLES) PLEASE DON'T USE THAT TERM. NOW FOR SOME CHRISTMAS CHEER FOR THOSE WITH A SWEET TOOTH. CHECK OUT THIS GIANT GINGERBREAD HOUSE ON DISPLAY AT WELLINGTON'S TE PAPA MUSEUM. STANDING NEARLY 2M TALL, IT TOOK 180 HOURS JUST TO BAKE THE GINGERBREAD. WE HAVE AROUND 20KG OF CANDY. WE HAVE SMARTIES` WE HAVE AROUND 10KG OF SMARTIES, CANDY CANES. WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF THINGS. MARSHMALLOWS. 40KG TO 50KG OF ICING IS HOLDING EVERYTHING TOGETHER. THE HOUSE WILL BE ON DISPLAY UNTIL EARLY JANUARY. THAT'S IF NO ONE EATS IT BEFORE THEN. JUST AHEAD ` AN UNLIKELY DUO TEAM UP FOR FRENCH COMEDY. OUR MOVIE REVIEW THIS WEEK IS THE INTOUCHABLES. AND I'LL BE BACK WITH A WET OL' THURSDAY FOR MOST. ============== LAST AD/PROMO .." 1 HI, EVERYONE. THE BIG RAIN-BEARING FRONT MOVES UP THE COUNTRY, DROPPING PLENTY OF RAIN AS IT GOES. NEXT, A LOW COMES DOWN FROM THE TASMAN SEA, DRAGGING MORE FRONTAL RAINBANDS WITH IT ON THURSDAY. A WET THURSDAY COMING UP. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND THAT'S YOUR WEATHER. I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. THE 'FISH OUT OF WATER' SCENARIO IS ALWAYS A GOOD BET FOR A FUNNY FILM PLOT. PUT SOMEONE ` RICH, POOR, BLACK, WHITE, SMART OR STUPID ` IN THE OPPOSITE SITUATION, AND COMEDY FOLLOWS. FRENCH COMEDY THE INTOUCHABLES USES THAT AND THE UNLIKELY-DUO COMBINATION TO THE HILT. I WENT TO SEE THE UNTOUCHABLES FOR TONIGHT AT THE MOVIES. THE INTOUCHABLES IS, AT TIMES, UNCOMFORTABLE VIEWING, NOT BECAUSE OF SEX OR VIOLENCE, BUT BECAUSE YOU WORRY THE OBVIOUS-PLOT POLICE ARE ABOUT TO STORM THE THEATRE AND TAKE YOUR POPCORN. THE TWO LEADS, DRISS AND PHILLIPE, ARE OPPOSITES. DRISS IS A GOOD-TIME GUY WHO HAS A HARD-TIME LIFE OF PETTY CRIME AND POVERTY. PHILLIPE SEEMS TO HAVE IT ALL, EXCEPT ANY MOVEMENT BELOW HIS NECK. PATHS CROSS WHEN DRISS TRIES A CON AS PHILLIPE IS LOOKING FOR AN AIDE. AND IF YOU'RE GUESSING THE TWO THEN FORM THE OTHER FILM STAPLE, AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP, YOU'RE RIGHT. BUT TAKE OFF YOUR CYNICAL SLIPPERS FOR A MINUTE. THE INTOUCHABLES IS BASED ON THE TRUE STORY OF CRIPPLED MILLIONAIRE PHILLIPE POZZO DI BORGO AND HIS CARETAKER, ABDEL SELLOU. THE HEART OF THE FILM, THOUGH, IS ITS LACK OF SENTIMENTALITY TO PHILLIPE'S SITUATION. REMEMBER, HE CAN ONLY MOVE HIS HEAD. BUT INSTEAD OF DRISS TURNING INTO A GOOEY-EYED, SENSITIVE CAREGIVER, HE INSTEAD INTRODUCES PHILIPPE TO THE DELIGHTS OF SMOKING DOPE, RACES AROUND IN HIS MASERATI AROUND LIKE HE'S JUST STOLEN IT AND USES SHAVING AS AN EXERCISE PURELY FOR HIS OWN AMUSEMENT. HAPPILY, DRISS ALSO DOESN'T UNDERGO ANY 'MY FAIR LADY-TYPE' REVELATION AT THE WONDER OF THE HIGH LIFE EITHER. PHILIPPE'S BACH BORES HIM. CUE THE DANCING BIT. UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYS IF I SOUND LIKE I DIDN'T ENJOY THE INTOUCHABLES, FORGIVE ME. IT'S VERY FUNNY. BOTH LAUGH BOTH THE LEADS ARE CHARMING, AND IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SEEING IT, STOP THINKING. GO SEE IT. 8 OUT OF 10 FROM ME. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. REMEMBER TO JOIN US FOR ONE NEWS BULLETINS DURING BREAKFAST FROM 6 TOMORROW MORNING. YOU CAN STAY UP TO DATE BY LOGGING ON TO OUR WEBSITE AT ONE NEWS.CO.NZ THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY JOHN LING AND HUGO SNELL. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2012