DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF TONIGHT, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. TONIGHT ` FIJI IS BATTERED BY WINDS OF MORE THAN 200KM/H. OUR REPORTER TELLS US THE LATEST. AN EMOTIONAL PRESIDENT OBAMA PLEDGES TO PROTECT AMERICA'S CHILDREN AT A VIGIL FOR THE VICTIMS OF LAST WEEK'S SCHOOL MASSACRE. DISBELIEF FROM SOME AFTER A NOT-GUILTY VERDICT IS HANDED DOWN AT THE MURDER TRIAL OF PHILLIP COTTRELL. KIA ORA. GOOD EVENING. THOUSAND OF FIJIANS ARE TAKING SHELTER AT REFUGE CENTRES AS CYCLONE EVAN CUTS A DESTRUCTIVE SWATHE THROUGH FIJI. WINDS OF MORE THAN 200KM/H HAVE CAUSED WIDESPREAD POWER AND WATER SHORTAGES. IN A MOMENT WE'LL GO LIVE TO FIJI FOR THE LATEST, BUT FIRST, THIS REPORT BY THE ABC'S MATT WORDSWORTH. CYCLONE EVAN UNLEASHES ITS POWER. IT DEVASTATED SAMOA LAST WEEK, BUT HAS ONLY BECOME MORE MENACING, INTENSIFYING INTO A CATEGORY-FOUR SYSTEM. AS IT DESCENDED, RESIDENTS FLED THEIR HOMES TO SEEK SHELTER IN EVACUATION CENTRES. AUTHORITIES DROVE THE STREETS, TELLING PEOPLE TO GET TO SAFETY. MAN: SO, PLEASE. WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY` ANYONE IN TOWN BY 1 O'CLOCK. TREES HAD THEIR BRANCHES SNAPPED AND FOLIAGE SHREDDED AS THE GUSTS SURGED TO 1590KM/H. IN THE EYE OF THE STORM, WHICH IS BEARING DOWN ON NEARBY YASAWA ISLANDS, IT'S PACKING WIND GUSTS OF 270KM/H. HOMES WERE SIMPLY BLOWN TO PIECES, AND POSSESSIONS LAY SCATTERED IN THE RAIN. THE HOMELESS MAY HAVE TO STAY IN EVACUATION CENTRES FOR DAYS. TODAY THERE ARE UP TO 30 IN A CLASSROOM. THE WIND, THE RAIN, AND BECAUSE OF THEM. THEY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES ` THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM SAFE, AWAY FROM THE CYCLONE. I JUST CLEANED THE DRUM, SO THE WATER CAN BE USED FOR THE BATHROOM AND THE TOILET. IS THERE A SHORTAGE OF WATER? YEP. THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF WATER. THE WATER GIVEN FOR COOKING FOOD, AND DRINKS. AND ONE NEWS REPORTER PAUL HOBBS JOINS US NOW BY PHONE FROM NADI WITH THE LATEST. WHEN IS THE WORST OF THIS LIKELY TO BE OVER? THE WINDS HAVEN'T LET UP FOR SIX, SEVEN HOURS. WE'VE BEEN OUT IN FADING LIGHT AND SEEN THE DEVESTATION. ROOFS BLOWN OFF. WE WENT TO AN EVACUATION CENTRE AND HEARD SAD STORIES. WHEN IS IT LIKELY TO BE OVER? POWER'S GONE OUT. PHONE LINES ARE DOWN. THE BEST WE'VE HEARD IS MANYBE THE WORST WILL BE OVER BY TOMORROW. THEN THE CLEAN UP. THE CONFIRMED DEATH TOLL IN SAMOA FROM CYCLONE EVAN IS FOUR, BUT WITH 12 PEOPLE STILL MISSING, IT'S FEARED THAT'LL RISE. FISHERMEN ARE AMONG THOSE STILL TO BE FOUND. ONE SURVIVOR TOLD HIS STORY TO OUR PACIFIC CORRESPONDENT BARBARA DREAVER. FISHERMAN ROMA VAELOALOA FINDS IT HARD TO LOOK AT THE SEA. HIS FISHING BOAT SANK AFTER BEING POUNDED BY CYCLONE EVAN. TRANSLATOR: I HEARD MY TWO FISHING BUDDIES CALL OUT, 'ROMA, PLEASE. I WANT TO LIVE'. THAT'S ALL I HEARD. BUT THE SEA TORE THEM APART. ROMA SAYS THAT HIS LIFE WAS SAVED BY FLOATING DEBRIS LIKE THIS. HE SAID HE GRABBED A PIECE OF WOOD, AND HE FLOATED SEVERAL KILOMETRES TO SHORE. BUT IT TOOK 24 HOURS BEFORE HE DRIFTED TO MANONO ISLAND, BATTERED BY WIND, HIGH SEAS AND FINALLY THE CORAL REEF. ROMA WEEPS AS HE THINKS OF THE TWO MEN HE CALLS HIS BROTHERS. TRANSLATOR: I COULDN'T HELP THEM. IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY. RIGHT NOW I AM THANKFUL TO THE LORD FOR THIS MIRACLE FOR SPARING THIS LIFE, AS I AM ABLE TO STAND ON LAND AND SEE MY FAMILY. BUT THERE'S NO MIRACLE FOR THIS FAMILY. THEIR LOVED ONE IS ONE OF THE FISHERMEN WHO HASN'T COME HOME. TRANSLATOR: I AM FEELING VERY SAD AND UNHAPPY BECAUSE I AM MISSING ONE OF MY SONS. THIS GRIEVING MOTHER WAITS HERE EVERY DAY, SILENTLY WATCHING THE SEA. WHILE THE HUMAN COST OF CYCLONE EVAN IS MOUNTING, SO ARE THE DOLLARS. IT WOULD NOT BE LESS THAN $300M AS A ROUGH ESTIMATE AT THIS STAGE. SAMOA'S PRIME MINISTER GAVE HIS CABINET AND AID DONORS A TOUR OF THE WORST-HIT AREAS TODAY SO THEY CAN SEE THE DEVASTATION FOR THEMSELVES. IT CONFIRMS ALL OUR WORST FEARS. I HAVE SEEN PEOPLES REPORTS ABOUT THE DAMAGE, BUT SEEING IT YOURSELF, IT REALLY REINFORCES THE AMAZING EFFECT OF, REALLY, AN INLAND TSUNAMI HERE. THE SAMOAN GOVERNMENT IS ALREADY LOOKING AT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF DISASTER. WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS KIND OF ENGINEERING PLANS ` TOTALLY UNSUITABLE FOR SAMOA. YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, PRIME MINISTER? > THAT'S RIGHT. IT IS BASED ON PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE. AN EXPERIENCE NO ONE WANTS TO RELIVE. THE FAMILY OF RADIO NZ JOURNALIST PHILLIP COTTRELL HAS EXPRESSED ITS DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE OUTCOME OF THE TRIAL OF THE TWO MEN ACCUSED OF MURDERING HIM. NICHO WAIPUKA AND MANUEL ROBINSON WERE FOUND NOT GUILTY OF MURDER AT THE HIGH COURT IN WELLINGTON. GEORGINA BALL REPORTS. MANUEL ROBINSON (18) MAY BE A FREE MAN, BUT HE WASN'T PREPARED TO FRONT UP TO MEDIA; HIS SUPPORTERS RACING HIM FROM COURT. HIS CO-ACCUSED NICHO WAIPUKA'S CONVICTION FOR MANSLAUGHTER WAS COLD COMFORT FOR PHILLIP COTTRELL'S FAMILY. WE'RE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE OUTCOME, HAVING HEARD EVERY SHRED OF EVIDENCE BEFORE THE COURT. PHIL WAS TAKEN FROM US IN THE MOST TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES ` AN UNNECESSARY AND UNPROVOKED ATTACK. THAT ATTACK SHATTERING THE 43-YEAR-OLD'S SKULL INTO 20 PIECES. NICHO WAIPUKA (20) WAS FOUND GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER AFTER ADMITTING PUNCHING HIS VICTIM IN THE HEAD. BUT MANUEL ROBINSON CLAIMED HE WAS OVER THE ROAD WHEN THE FATAL BLOW WAS DEALT. WE'RE JUST DISAPPOINTED THAT THE WELLINGTON STREETS AREN'T ANY SAFER THAN THEY WERE A YEAR AGO. POLICE DESCRIBED THE CASE AS DIFFICULT, AND THEY ARE NOT RULING OUT AN APPEAL. WE HAD TO GO AND ARREST FIVE OR SIX WITNESSES WHO DID NOT WISH TO COME TO COURT, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CHANGING OF THE EVIDENCE OF THOSE WITNESSES, SO IT DID MAKE IT QUITE COMPLEX. NICHO WAIPUKA'S MOTHER WOULDN'T TALK ABOUT THE COURT CASE THAT SHOWED SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE OF HER SON NEAR THE CRIME SCENE AND LATER TRYING TO USE THE DEAD MAN'S BANK CARDS. NO COMMENT. NO COMMENT. NO COMMENT. MANUEL ROBINSON'S SUPPORTERS VERBALLY ABUSED WAITING MEDIA. MEANWHILE, PHILLIP COTTRELL'S FAMILY IS LEFT TO PICK UP THE PIECES. GEORGINA BALL, ONE NEWS BARACK OBAMA IS VOWING TO DO ALL HE CAN TO PREVENT ANOTHER MASS KILLING IN AMERICA. BUT HE'S STOPPED SHORT OF SAYING HE'LL TAKE ON THE POWERFUL GUN LOBBY. THE PRESIDENT WAS SPEAKING AT A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR VICTIMS OF FRIDAY'S SCHOOL MASSACRE IN NEWTOWN IN CONNECTICUT. OUR US CORRESPONDENT, JACK TAME, IS THERE. CHARLOTTE,... DANIEL,... OLIVIA,... ARE THESE THE FACES... ...ANNA,... ARE THESE THE NAMES... ...DYLAN,... MADELEINE... ...IS THIS THE SLAUGHTER THAT WILL FINALLY MARK A CHANGE? SINCE I'VE BEEN PRESIDENT, THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME WE HAVE COME TOGETHER TO COMFORT A GRIEVING COMMUNITY TORN APART BY MASS SHOOTINGS. THE FOURTH TIME THIS PRESIDENT'S HAD TO COMFORT A GRIEF-STRICKEN COMMUNITY, PEOPLE LEFT WITH THE PAIN OF ADAM LANZA'S MASSACRE. CAN WE HONESTLY SAY THAT WE'RE DOING ENOUGH TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN, ALL OF THEM, SAFE FROM HARM? I'VE BEEN REFLECTING ON THIS THE LAST FEW DAYS, AND IF WE'RE HONEST WITH OURSELVES, THE ANSWER IS NO. BARACK OBAMA'S VOWING TO DO ALL WITHIN HIS POWER TO STOP TRAGEDIES LIKE THIS HAPPENING AGAIN. RIGHT NOW, THE PEOPLE OF NEWTOWN ARE TURNING TO EACH OTHER FOR STRENGTH AS MORE DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT THOSE WHO DIED, LIKE OLIVIA ENGLE (6) WHO WAS GOING TO BE THE ANGEL IN A CHRISTMAS NATIVITY PLAY. READY... AND GO. # COME THE ALMIGHTY KING. # THIS IS ANNA MARQUEZ GREEN PERFORMING A HYMN FOR HER MUM AND DAD. MORE IS ALSO BEING LEARNED ABOUT THE HEROES, LIKE VICTORIA SOTO, A TEACHER WHO DIED SHIELDING HER STUDENTS. AND THERE'S KIDS NOW THAT WILL BE ABLE TO SAY THAT THEY'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE SHE SACRIFICED HER LIFE SO THEY COULD LIVE ANOTHER DAY. THE SCHOOL IS STILL A CENTRAL FOCUS, BOTH FOR THE POLICE INVESTIGATION AND FOR GRIEVING FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. THIS IS STILL AS CLOSE AS ANYONE'S ALLOWED TO GO TO THE SCHOOL. RESIDENTS HAVE SET UP AN ENORMOUS MEMORIAL HERE WITH FLOWERS AND CANDLES, MESSAGES OF SUPPORT. OF COURSE, TOMORROW WAS TO HAVE BEEN THE START OF A NEW SCHOOL WEEK, AND OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS THE SURVIVING STUDENTS FROM SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY WILL BE MOVED TO ANOTHER SCHOOL A FEW KILOMETRES AWAY. IN THE COMING WEEKS I'LL USE WHATEVER POWER THIS OFFICE HOLDS IN AN EFFORT AIMED AT PREVENTING MORE TRAGEDIES LIKE THIS. BECAUSE WHAT CHOICE DO WE HAVE? FOUR MASSACRES IN FOUR YEARS, BUT MAYBE THE HORRORS OF SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY ARE DIFFERENT. PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CERTAINLY PROMISING CHANGE. SUCH PROMISES HAVE BEEN MADE BEFORE. JACK TAME, ONE NEWS, NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT. CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER AND FORMER CATHOLIC BROTHER BERNARD KEVIN MCGRATH PLANS TO FIGHT HIS EXTRADITION TO FACE MORE THAN 250 SEX CHARGES IN AUSTRALIA. MCGRATH APPEARED IN THE CHRISTCHURCH DISTRICT COURT, WHERE HIS LAWYER REACTED TO WAITING MEDIA... DO NOT BLOCK THE ENTRANCE, PLEASE. THE 65-YEAR OLD HAS BEEN JAILED TWICE IN NZ FOR SEX OFFENDING HERE. MCGRATH REMAINS ON BAIL AND IS DUE BACK IN COURT NEXT MONTH FOR AN EXTRADITION HEARING DATE TO BE SET. POLICE ARE NOW TREATING THE SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF A YOUNG MOTHER IN ASHBURTON AS A MURDER INQUIRY AND HAVE RECOVERED A WEAPON FROM THE SCENE. SINA SOLOMONA (22) WAS FOUND INSIDE HER HOME IN THE EARLY HOURS OF SATURDAY MORNING WITH TRAUMATIC HEAD INJURIES. RELATIVES VISITED THE HOUSE TODAY TO LEAVE FLOWERS, WHILE POLICE CARRIED OUT A SCENE EXAMINATION OF THE PROPERTY. A POST-MORTEM WAS CONDUCTED THIS AFTERNOON. THEY CAN BE AS SMALL AS A DRAGONFLY... OR AS BIG AS A 7-3-7. UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES, ALSO KNOWN AS DRONES, ARE TAKING TO OUR SKIES. BUT AVIATION REGULATORS SAY THEIR INCREASING CIVILIAN USE RAISES SAFETY CONCERNS. JEHAN CASINADER REPORTS. WHEN A DRONE WAS PUT INTO THE SKY ABOVE AUCKLAND, THIS CAN'T HAVE BEEN PART OF THE FLIGHT PLAN. IF IT HAD BEEN A, PERHAPS, DIFFERENT TIME OF THE DAY, PEOPLE COULD'VE BEEN INJURED. UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES WERE DEVELOPED FOR THE MILITARY. NOW CIVILIANS ARE USING THE SAME TECHNOLOGY FOR MAPPING, SURVEYING AND FILMING. THERE'S A LOT TO KNOW ABOUT WIND, AND THERE'S A LOT TO KNOW ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY. AND YOU CAN'T JUST PICK ONE OF THESE THINGS UP AND EXPECT TO BE A PRO. WHEN THIS COMPANY OPERATES, IT NOTIFIES CAA, POLICE AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. BUT HOBBYISTS CAN BUY THIS EQUIPMENT ONLINE AND USE IT WITHOUT AUTHORISATION. IF THERE'S NOT SOME GOOD STRUCTURE THERE, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME ACCIDENTS, AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE LIABLE FOR THAT. DRONES CAN ENTER COMMERCIAL AIRSPACE. THAT CONCERNS AIRLINE PILOTS. THEY DON'T MEET CIVIL STANDARDS OF DESIGN AIRWORTHINESS. PILOTS, IN FACT, ARE NOT REQUIRED, NECESSARILY, TO BE IN CONTROL TO OPERATE THESE. AT THE MOMENT WE'RE USING TRADITIONAL PILOTING QUALIFICATIONS, AND IN SOME CASES THEY AREN'T TOTALLY APPROPRIATE CAA IS UPDATING THE RULES AROUND DRONES, AND THE INDUSTRY IS CREATING A NEW QUALIFICATION TO TRAIN THOSE WHO USE THEM. WE'RE LOOKING FOR A QUALIFICATION THAT WE CAN REALLY MAKE PEOPLE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE SKILLS, THE KNOWLEDGE AROUND AIRSPACE AND AIR SENSE. IT'S A SIGN THAT DRONES HAVE COMMERCIAL VALUE. POLICE ARE INTERESTED IN THIS TECHNOLOGY. THEY'VE ALREADY USED COMMERCIAL OPERATORS TO SURVEY HARD-TO-REACH CRIME SCENES. ONE NEWS UNDERSTANDS POLICE ARE NOW CONSIDERING LEASING OR EVEN BUYING THIS TECHNOLOGY FOR SEARCH AND SURVEILLANCE USE. AS DRONES BECOME MORE AVAILABLE, THE CHALLENGE IS TO MAKE SURE THEY FLY SAFELY IN OUR SKIES. JEHAN CASINADER, ONE NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` SPEAKING OUT AGAINST CORRUPTION. THE BRAVE MAYOR CHALLENGING THE ANC IN SOUTH AFRICA. AND FORMER ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI HITS THE HEADLINES AGAIN, THIS TIME OVER HIS NEW FIANCEE. 1 SOUTH AFRICA'S PRESIDENT, JACOB ZUMA, HAS DEFENDED HIS RECORD AT THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS CONFERENCE. HE'S ALSO FENDING OFF A CHALLENGE TO HIS LEADERSHIP, WITH SOME FORMER SUPPORTERS SPEAKING OUT AGAINST WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION. THE BBC'S ANDREW HARDING REPORTS FROM THE TOWN OF BITOU. LUXURIOUS BEACHES AND STUBBORN POVERTY ` SOUTH AFRICA'S CONTRADICTIONS ARE ALL ON DISPLAY HERE IN BITOU. BUT COULD THIS TOWN ALSO SHOW A STRUGGLING NATION THE WAY FORWARD? MEMORY BOOYSEN IS HOPING SO. HE'S THE NEW MAYOR OF BITOU, AND HE NEEDS AN ARMED GUARD. I HAD DEATH THREATS. I WAS VERY SCARED. HERE'S WHY ` FOR YEARS, THE TOWN WAS CONTROLLED BY SOUTH AFRICA'S RULING ANC, THE PARTY OF NELSON MANDELA. BUT MEMORY JUMPED SHIP, DISGUSTED, HE SAYS, BY THE CORRUPTION THAT WAS BANKRUPTING THE MUNICIPALITY. HE JOINED THE OPPOSITION AND WON THE NEXT ELECTION. IT WAS CORRUPTION TOP TO BOTTOM. IT WAS PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE WAY HOW THE ANC AT THE TIME WAS RUNNING THIS TOWN. AND DO YOU BELIEVE THAT'S A SNAPSHOT OF SOUTH AFRICA IN GENERAL? > YEAH, THAT IS WHAT THE ANC IS ALL ABOUT. THE ANC HAS NOT TAKEN DEFEAT OR MEMORY'S DEFECTION TOO WELL. HE'S A TRAITOR. HE'S NOT A REVOLUTIONIST LIKE MANY OF US HAVE BEEN. HE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A POLITICAL PROSTITUTE. MEMORY'S TASK NOW IS TO CONVINCE THE POOREST COMMUNITIES HERE THAT HE CAN DELIVER ON MANDELA'S PROMISE OF A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL. THE WHOLE VALUES OF NELSON MANDELA ARE ACTUALLY LOVED WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE. AND NOT WITHIN THE ANC? > THE ANC IS JUST LIP SERVICE. PEOPLE SEEM READY TO LISTEN. I WAS IN ANC BEFORE. I DIDN'T SEE ANY CHANGE FOR ANC. SO FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS, WE DIDN'T HAVE ELECTRICITY. < SO THE ANC MADE YOU LOTS OF PROMISES... ...BUT IT DIDN'T ACTUALLY PRODUCE. FOR YEARS, SOUTH AFRICA VOTED ALMOST INSTINCTIVELY FOR THE ANC ` THE PARTY THAT LIBERATED THEM. BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE SHOWS THAT THAT LOYALTY CAN NO LONGER BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED. SLOWLY, SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY, MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRACY IS STARTING TO TAKE ROOT HERE. I WANT TO SHAKE YOUR HAND. AND SO MEMORY KEEPS ON REACHING OUT, CONVINCED THAT MANDELA'S DREAM OF A RAINBOW NATION IS NOT DEAD AND IF ONE SMALL TOWN CAN COPE WITH CHANGE, WHY NOT OTHERS? JAPAN'S RIGHT-WING LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS SET TO FORM A GOVERNMENT, WITH ITS LEADER PROMISING TO GET THE ECONOMY BACK ON TRACK AFTER TWO DECADES OF SLUMP. BUT HIS VICTORY COULD RAISE TENSIONS WITH CHINA. THE BBC'S RUPERT WINGFIELD-HAYES REPORTS. ALL CHEER CHEER AS WELL THEY MIGHT. THE OLD BOYS OF THE LDP ARE BACK. THE PARTY THE RULED JAPAN FOR HALF A CENTURY IS TONIGHT ONCE MORE IN CONTROL. JAPAN TODAY TURNED DRAMATICALLY AGAINST A GOVERNMENT WHICH HAD SWEPT THE OLD LDP FROM POWER JUST THREE YEARS AGO. SPEAKS JAPANESE IN 2009, YURIKO TONODA VOTED FOR THE DEMOCRATS, BUT NOT TODAY. THE BIGGEST THING I WISH IS A STABLE GOVERNMENT. AND MAKE THE ECONOMY IMPROVE A LITTLE BIT FOR OUR CHILDREN. IN THREE YEARS, JAPAN HAS HAD THREE DIFFERENT PRIME MINISTERS. THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN RAVAGED BY NATURAL DISASTER, A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT HAS EXPLODED, AND THE ECONOMY IS BACK IN RECESSION. EVEN SHINZO ABE ADMITS IT'S WHY HIS PARTY WON. IT'S NOT THAT TRUST HAS RETURNED TO LDP. I FEEL THAT THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN HAVE SAID NO TO THREE YEARS OF CONFUSION FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR JAPAN'S NEW PRIME MINISTER WILL BE CHINA. TOKYO AND BEIJING ARE LOCKED IN A BITTER DISPUTE OVER THIS GROUP OF ISLANDS IN THE EAST CHINA SEA. IT'S SPAWNED ANTI-JAPANESE VIOLENCE ACROSS CHINA. MR ABE BELIEVES IT'S NOW TIME TO GET TOUGH WITH BEIJING. TONIGHT, JAPAN STANDS AT A CROSSROADS. OR HE COULD CHOSE TO TAKE THE PATH OF CONFRONTATION. WHICH WAY HE DECIDES TO GO WILL HAVE PROFOUND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SECURITY AND THE STABILITY OF THIS WHOLE REGION. ITALY'S BILLIONAIRE POLITICIAN SILVIO BERLUSCONI HAS ANNOUNCED HIS ENGAGEMENT TO A WOMAN 50 YEARS HIS JUNIOR. BERLUSCONI, WHO'S AIMING TO BE PRIME MINISTER FOR THE FOURTH TIME, TOLD ITALIAN TV FRANCESCA PASCALE MAKES HIM FEEL LESS LONELY. THE 27-YEAR-OLD WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF A BERLUSCONI SUPPORT GROUP CALLED 'SILVIO, WE LOVE YOU.' ONE OF FRANCE'S BEST-KNOWN ACTORS HAS COME UNDER ATTACK FOR MOVING ACROSS THE BORDER TO BELGIUM IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID TAXES. GERARD DEPARDIEU HAS BEEN LABELLED AS PATHETIC AND UNPATRIOTIC BY THE FRENCH PRIME MINISTER. BUT THE 63-YEAR-OLD DENIES MONEY HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIS MOVE TO THE VILLAGE OF NEHIN, WHICH IS KNOWN AS A POPULAR TAX HAVEN FOR HIGH-EARNING FRENCH RESIDENTS. JUST AHEAD ` YOUR WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR TOMORROW. AND IN SPORT ` ACCUSATIONS OF RACISM FROM A PHOENIX STRIKER PROMPTS AN INVESTIGATION. SPORT NOW, AND THE UGLY SIDE OF THE SO-CALLED BEAUTIFUL GAME HAS BEEN EXPOSED AGAIN. WELLINGTON PHOENIX STRIKER PAUL IFILL HAS ACCUSED AN ADELAIDE FAN OF RACIALLY ABUSING HIM IN LAST NIGHT'S 3-1 LOSS IN AUSTRALIA. THE A-LEAGUE IS NOW INVESTIGATING. MARK HATHAWAY REPORTS. PAUL IFILL MAY NOT HAVE ENDEARED HIMSELF TO THE ADELAIDE CROWD. THERE'S A HIGH FOOT, SURELY, FROM IFILL. HIS TUSSLES EARNED HIM A YELLOW CARD IN THE FIRST HALF AGAINST ADELAIDE UNITED. BUT IFILL'S ALLEGATIONS OF RACISM FROM SPECTATORS HAVE TARNISHED THE A-LEAGUE'S IMAGE, THE BARBADOS-BORN VETERAN NOT WANTING TO ELABORATE ON WHAT WAS SAID. FOOTBALL WANTS TO CELEBRATE ITS MULTICULTURALISM, ITS DIVERSITY, AND THAT KIND OF TAUNT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S ON. IFILL'S CLAIMS COULDN'T HAVE COME AT A WORSE TIME FOR THE LEAGUE. THE DERBY BETWEEN THE WESTERN WANDERERS AND SYDNEY FC REVEALED CROWD BEHAVIOUR MORE AKIN TO BELGRADE THAN BONDI. YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE WIN MEANT TO THE WANDERERS, BUT WHAT WILL SCENES LIKE THIS MEAN FOR THE A-LEAGUE? POLICE WON'T TOLERATE THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOUR. WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE HERE WHAT WE SEE, UNFORTUNATELY, THROUGHOUT PARTS OF EUROPE. THE POLICE HAVE BEEN ALERTED TO THE IFILL SITUATION. THE PHOENIX ARE NOW TIGHT-LIPPED, LEAVING THE FFA AND ADELAIDE OFFICIALS TO DEAL WITH THE CULPRITS. AT THIS STAGE, IT'S DEALT WITH AS A BAN, AND THOSE BANS MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. IFILL'S ABUSE-RIDDLED DAY AT THE OFFICE WAS ONE HE'LL WANT TO FORGET. IFILL. THAT'S BETTER BY PAUL IFILL. HE'S BLUDGEONED HIS WAY THOUGH, AND HE SCORES, 2-1. OR HAS HE? OH, HANG ON A MINUTE. THE FLAG'S UP. HE'S ONSIDE. IT SHOULD BE 2-1. A FIRST-HALF ONSLAUGHT FROM ADELAIDE COUPLED WITH WEAK DEFENCE PUT THE PHOENIX TWO DOWN WITHIN 25 MINUTES. THINGS GOT WORSE ON THE STROKE OF HALFTIME. HERE'S FABIO FERREIRA TO MAKE IT 3-0, AND HE DOES. A GREAT FINAL PASS FROM YOUNGSTER TYLER BOYD GAVE DANNY SANCHEZ THE CHANCE TO PUT THE PHOENIX ON THE BOARD, BUT BOYD'S PENALTY ATTEMPT IN THE LAST ACT OF THE GAME HIGHLIGHTS THE RISK RICKI HERBERT FACES PLAYING HIS INEXPERIENCED YOUNG BLOOD INSTEAD OF-OUT-OF FORM OLDIES. AND IFILL'S BEEN CALLED WORSE THINGS THAN AN OLDIE. MARK HATHAWAY, ONE NEWS. NOW TO THE WEATHER. AND THERE'S A FEW HEAVY RAIN WARNINGS IN PLACE FOR THE TOP OF THE SOUTH ISLAND. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOOD NIGHT. CAPTIONS BY ANNA BRACEWELL-WORRALL AND JUNE YEOW. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR.