DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. CALLS FOR HEKIA PARATA TO FOLLOW THE EDUCATION SECRETARY IN STEPPING DOWN. PRESIDENT OBAMA GIVES A ONE-MONTH DEADLINE FOR SOLUTIONS TO AMERICA'S GUN CRISIS. AND 'BUNKERING DOWN' FOR THE END OF THE WORLD. IT'S THE 'DOOMSDAY PREPPERS'. CALLS ARE GROWING FOR EDUCATION MINISTER HEKIA PARATA TO STEP DOWN FOLLOWING THE LATEST CRISIS TO HIT THE MINISTRY. THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SECRETARY LESLEY LONGSTONE HAS STEPPED DOWN BARELY A YEAR INTO THE JOB. AND, AS BRIAR WELLS REPORTS, SOME BELIEVE THE PROBLEMS WON'T END HERE. IT'S BEEN A DISASTROUS YEAR FOR THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION ` A SERIES OF CONTROVERSIAL PROBLEMS SNOWBALLING. NOW EXPERTS ARE PREDICTING NEXT YEAR WILL BE JUST AS TROUBLED. THE AGENDA'S STILL THERE. THEY'RE ALSO STILL TALKING ABOUT PUTTING CLASSROOM SIZE BACK ON` ON THE TABLE. WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WILL THINK, 'WE'VE HAD ENOUGH, AND LET'S BACK AWAY FOR A WHILE,' I'M NOT TOO SURE. FROM CLASS SIZES TO NOVOPAY AND THE MERGING OF CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOLS, LESLEY LONGSTONE IS WALKING AWAY FROM A LITANY OF ISSUES. NOW LABOUR'S CALLING ON THE MINISTER TO FOLLOW IN HER LEAD. LESLEY LONGSTONE HAS KIND OF BEEN TH-THE FALL GUY. SHE'S` SHE'S FALLEN ON HER SWORD, BUT ACTUALLY, HEKIA PARATA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. SHE'S THE MINISTER. THE BUCK STOPS WITH HER. NATIONAL ADMITTING THINGS COULD BE BETTER. WE NEED TO GET MORE KIDS INTO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. WE NEED TO GET MORE KIDS, UH, COMING OUT THE OTHER END WITH NCEA LEVEL TWO. THE NUMBERS ARE INCREASING, BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE. THAT'S WHAT HEKIA PARATA IS FOCUSED ON. THE PRIME MINISTER STILL HASN'T FRONTED OVER THE RESIGNATION, BUT HAS GIVEN AN ASSURANCE HE'S BACKING HIS MINISTER. OTHERS BELIEVE HER CREDIBILITY IS SHOT, AND A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP IS NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR THE MINISTRY TO WIN BACK THE TRUST OF THE SECTOR. THEY JUST DON'T SEEM TO HAVE GOT ANYTHING RIGHT ALL YEAR, AND SO YOU WONDER HOW LONG... HOW MUCH LONGER CAN SOMEONE LIKE HEKIA PARATA SURVIVE. NOBODY WHO WORKS IN EDUCATION TRUSTS HEKIA PARATA AS THEIR MINISTER, SO JOHN KEY'S GOTTA ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. QUESTIONS THAT MANY HOPE WILL BE ANSWERED BY THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR. BRIAR WELLS, ONE NEWS. A SHORT TIME AGO, US PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAID HE WANTS TO SEE CONCRETE PROPOSALS TO STOP GUN VIOLENCE. HE'S SETTING UP A PANEL HEADED BY VICE-PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN TO REPORT BACK TO HIM NEXT MONTH. THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE'S ALREADY A GROWING CONSENSUS FOR US TO BUILD FROM. A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SUPPORT BANNING THE SALE OF MILITARY-STYLE ASSAULT WEAPONS. A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SUPPORT BANNING THE SALE OF HIGH-CAPACITY AMMUNITION CLIPS. A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SUPPORT LAWS REQUIRING BACKGROUND CHECKS BEFORE ALL GUN PURCHASES SO THAT CRI-CRIMINALS CAN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LEGAL LOOPHOLES TO BUY A GUN FROM SOMEBODY WHO WON'T TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DOING A BACKGROUND CHECK AT ALL. PRESIDENT OBAMA SAYS THE PANEL WILL PROVIDE HIM WITH PROPOSALS HE WILL TALK ABOUT IN HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS. THE SANDY HOOK SCHOOL SHOOTING'S BEING DESCRIBED AS A TIPPING POINT IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH EVEN GUN ADVOCATES CALLING FOR TALK ON THE ISSUE OF GUN CONTROL. THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION HAS STAYED SILENT ON THE MATTER, BUT NOW SAYS IT'LL HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE IN TWO DAYS' TIME. HERE'S THE ABC'S PIERRE THOMAS. THIS MORNING, AFTER DAYS OF SILENCE, THE NRA, THE NATION'S MOST POWERFUL GUN LOBBY, ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE ON FRIDAY, AND THEY SAY THEY'RE PREPARED TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS SO TRAGEDIES LIKE SANDY HOOK NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. ARE WE AT A PRECIPICE OF A SEA CHANGE ABOUT HOW THIS NATION DEALS WITH GUNS? WHY THE HELL CAN YOU BUY A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION? THAT'S WHAT IT IS. THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT SHOULD BE GONE. THERE'VE BEEN 70 ` 70 ` EPISODES OF SCHOOL SHOOTINGS IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1994. GOOD LORD. REALLY? I MEAN, SHOULD THERE BE THAT MANY? BIG-CITY MAYORS AND ONE OF THE NATION'S BIGGEST POLICE UNIONS HAVE CALLED FOR A BAN ON ASSAULT RIFLES AND HIGH-CAPACITY CLIPS. AND FOR SOME LONG-TIME ALLIES OF THE GUN LOBBY, THIS WEEK WAS A TIPPING POINT. NEVER IN MY` I-IN MY LIFE DID I EVER THINK THAT WE WOULD HAVE 20 CHILDREN SLAUGHTERED. SO IT CHANGED EVERYTHING. THERE ARE SIGNS THIS MORNING THAT EVERYONE, INCLUDING THOSE WHO SELL GUNS, ARE REASSESSING, AT LEAST FOR NOW. WAL-MART HAS STOPPED ONLINE SALES OF THE BUSHMASTER RIFLE USED IN NEWTOWN. DICK'S SPORTING GOODS HAS SUSPENDED SALES OF CERTAIN ASSAULT RIFLES. AND A MAJOR INVESTOR IN BUSHMASTER SAID IT'S PULLING MONEY OUT. BUT CHANGE ON SUCH A DIVISIVE ISSUE NEVER COMES EASY. THE SECOND AMENDMENT MEANS WHAT IT SAYS. YOU'RE REALLY BLIND TO THE ROLE THAT THAT PLAYS IN ENABLING MURDERERS TO OPERATE WITH IMPUNITY. YEAH, I-I KNOW` I KNOW WHY SALES OF THESE WEAPONS HAVE BEEN SOARING IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. IT'S DOWN TO IDIOTS LIKE YOU. BACK HERE NOW ` A BREAKTHROUGH IN THE CASE OF SLAIN ASHBURTON WOMAN SINA SOLOMONA. POLICE HAVE ARRESTED AND CHARGED A YOUTH WITH HER MURDER. THE 22-YEAR-OLD MOTHER OF ONE WAS FOUND IN THE DOORWAY OF HER HOME ON SATURDAY MORNING, HAVING SUFFERED EXTENSIVE HEAD INJURIES. POLICE INTERVIEWED THE YOUTH LAST NIGHT BEFORE MAKING THE ARREST. POLICE HAVE CONFIRMED A MAN WHO DIED AFTER AN INCIDENT AT A RANUI PROPERTY WEST OF AUCKLAND WAS SHOT IN THE CHEST. DANIEL TURNER (29) DIED IN WAITAKERE HOSPITAL. POLICE SAY THEY'RE FOLLOWING A NUMBER OF LEADS. A BOY (13) IS BEING SENTENCED IN THE HIGH COURT AT NEW PLYMOUTH TODAY FOR THE MURDER OF HIS CAREGIVER IN APRIL. JORDAN NELSON EARLIER PLEADED GUILTY TO SHOOTING 50-YEAR-OLD ROSEMAREE KURTH IN HER HOME NEAR NEW PLYMOUTH. AT 13, NELSON IS ONE OF NZ'S YOUNGEST KILLERS. AND AN ARMED ROBBER GOT AN UNEXPECTED RESULT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO HOLD UP AN AUCKLAND PETROL STATION. CONFRONTED BY A MAN IN A BALACLAVA AND HOLDING A GUN, OWNER ZAHID CHAUDRY SHOVED HIM, THEN BEGAN BEATING THE WOULD-BE ROBBER. ALTHOUGH HE'S BEEN CRITICISED FOR TAKING THE ARMED MAN ON, MR CHAUDRY SAID INSTINCT TOOK OVER, AND HE JUST WANTED TO GET THE MAN OUT OF HIS STORE. THE STRUGGLE CONTINUED OUTSIDE BEFORE THE MAN EVENTUALLY RAN OFF. OVERSEAS, A TRIAL IS FINALLY UNDERWAY IN THE ARAB GULF STATE OF QATAR TO DETERMINE CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DOHA MALL FIRE WHICH KILLED THREE KIWI CHILDREN IN MAY. 2-YEAR-OLD TRIPLETS LILLIE, JACKSON AND WILLSHER WEEKES WERE AMONG 19 PEOPLE KILLED IN THE VILLAGGIO MALL FIRE. THE HEARING HAD BEEN POSTPONED FOUR TIMES BECAUSE DEFENDANTS FAILED TO SHOW UP. DOHA NEWS REPORTS THREE WITNESSES WERE QUESTIONED THIS MORNING, ALL CIVIL DEFENCE OFFICIALS. THE COURT HEARD HOW THE MALL HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY FINED FOR USING HIGHLY FLAMMABLE PAINT ON DECORATIONS WHICH, WHEN IGNITED, CAUSED FIRE TO SPREAD QUICKLY. ONE OFFICER SAID SPRINKLERS WOULD HAVE STOPPED THE FIRE, BUT THEY DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE FUNCTIONING. THE TRIAL WILL RESUME IN THE NEW YEAR. AFTER NEARLY A QUARTER OF A CENTURY A BRITISH COURT HAS QUASHED THE FINDINGS OF THE INQUESTS INTO THE DEATHS OF THE 96 VICTIMS OF THE HILLSBOROUGH FOOTBALL STADIUM TRAGEDY. THE FAMILIES OF VICTIMS HAVE BEEN CAMPAIGNING FOR NEW INQUESTS AFTER INITIAL VERDICTS OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH. FRESH INQUESTS HAVE NOW BEEN ORDERED. HERE'S THE BBC'S JUDITH MORITZ. THESE FAMILIES AND THEIR SUPPORTERS HAVE WAITED NEARLY A QUARTER OF A CENTURY FOR THIS MOMENT. WHEN THEY LEARNED THAT THEIR RELATIVES WHO DIED AT HILLSBOROUGH WOULD GET A NEW INQUEST, THE RELIEF AND EMOTION WERE OBVIOUS. THE ACTUAL DEPTH AND THE LENGTH OF THE JUDGEMENT, UH, WE COULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN IT BETTER IF WE'D WRITTEN IT OURSELVES. SO WHEN YOU GET THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE... AND I THINK HE USED THE TERM 'VINDICATED' YET AGAIN. SO I THINK IT IS CLEAR NOW JUSTICE IS ON ITS WAY. WE COULD COME OUT WITH SOMETHING LIKE 'A SMALL STEP FOR MANKIND', BUT IT'S A HUGE STEP FOR THE FAMILIES. THIS WAS A PARTICULARLY BIG DAY FOR ANNE WILLIAMS. SHE'S BEEN AS FAR AS THE EUROPEAN COURT BEFORE, TRYING TO GET A NEW INQUEST FOR HER SON KEVIN (15). SHE'S BEEN TURNED DOWN AT EVERY STAGE UNTIL TODAY. WHY DIDN'T THEY JUST GIVE US THE TRUTH FROM THE OUTSET? AND WE WOULD'VE STILL MOURNED OUR CHILDREN, BUT WE WOULDN'T HAVE 23 YEARS OF HILLSBOROUGH AND FIGHTING THE SYSTEM. 96 LIVERPOOL FANS WERE FATALLY CRUSHED IN THE STADIUM DISASTER IN APRIL 1989. AT THE ORIGINAL INQUESTS, CONTROVERSIAL VERDICTS OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH WERE RETURNED, AND THE CORONER SUGGESTED THAT ALL OF THE DEATHS WERE INEVITABLE BY 3.15 ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE DISASTER. TODAY THE HIGH COURT HEARD THAT WAS WRONG, AND AS A RESULT THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE HAD NEVER BEEN EXAMINED. THE CATALYST FOR TODAY'S DECISION WAS THE RECENT PUBLICATION OF THE HILLSBOROUGH INDEPENDENT PANEL'S REPORT. IT FOUND NEW MEDICAL EVIDENCE THAT MANY FANS MIGHT HAVE BEEN SAVED. THE YOUNGEST OF THE 96 TO DIE AT HILLSBOROUGH WAS JUST 10 YEARS OLD; THE OLDEST WAS 67. MORE THAN A THIRD WERE TEENAGERS. IT'S LIKELY TO BE MANY MONTHS BEFORE THEIR NEW INQUEST GETS UNDERWAY. BUT WHEN IT DOES, THEIR FAMILIES SAY THEY'LL FINALLY FEEL THAT JUSTICE IS BEING DONE. A REPORT INTO THE BBC'S HANDLING OF THE JIMMY SAVILE SCANDAL AND ITS AFTERMATH SAYS THE BBC DID NOT DELIBERATELY ATTEMPT A COVER-UP, BUT SAYS IT WAS OPERATING IN, QUOTE, 'CHAOS AND CONFUSION'. THIS FROM THE BBC'S MARK EASTON. CHAOS AND CONFUSION, DISARRAY AND DISTRUST, LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATION IN SHORT SUPPLY. THE INQUIRY INTO THE BBC'S HANDLING OF THE JIMMY SAVILE SCANDAL HAS REVEALED A CORPORATION IN TOTAL CRISIS. THE LEVEL OF CHAOS AND CONFUSION WAS EVEN GREATER THAN WAS APPARENT AT THE TIME. GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. WELCOME TO TOP OF THE POPS. BOOM! AT THE HEART OF TODAY'S REPORT IS THE QUESTION WHY THE BBC ABANDONED AN INVESTIGATION THAT HAD EVIDENCE JIMMY SAVILE WAS A PREDATORY PAEDOPHILE JUST BEFORE BROADCASTING FOUR TRIBUTE PROGRAMMES TO HIM IN ITS CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE LAST YEAR. EMAILS REVEAL HOW THE FUTURE DIRECTOR GENERAL, GEORGE ENTWISTLE, WAS WARNED ABOUT JIMMY SAVILE'S DARK SIDE BEFORE HIS DEATH, AND MONTHS BEFORE THE NEWSNIGHT INVESTIGATION. ...WROTE ONE SENIOR EXECUTIVE. BUT AT THE LAUNCH OF TODAY'S REPORT, ITS AUTHOR SAID HE'D FOUND NO EVIDENCE THAT BBC NEWSNIGHT'S INVESTIGATION HAD BEEN PULLED TO PROTECT THE CORPORATION OR ITS CHRISTMAS SCHEDULES. THE DECISION BY THEIR EDITOR TO DROP THE ORIGINAL INVESTIGATION WAS CLEARLY FLAWED, AND THE WAY IT WAS TAKEN WAS WRONG, THOUGH I BELIEVE IT WAS DONE IN GOOD FAITH. AFTER THE TRUTH ABOUT JIMMY SAVILE FINALLY EMERGED IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR, THE REPORT SAYS THE BBC WAS THROWN INTO DISARRAY. A SEPARATE BBC INVESTIGATION FOCUSING ON THE VICTIMS ABUSED BY JIMMY SAVILE WILL REPORT NEXT YEAR. THE FALLOUT FROM THIS SCANDAL IS NOT YET OVER. IN PAKISTAN, TWO MORE HEALTH WORKERS HAVE BEEN KILLED JUST A DAY AFTER SIMILAR ATTACKS KILLED FIVE OF THEIR COLLEAGUES. THE VICTIMS WERE HELPING IN A UN-BACKED POLIO VACCINATION PROGRAMME. THE KILLINGS HAVE PROMPTED THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION AND UNICEF TO SUSPEND THEIR POLIO CAMPAIGNS IN PARTS OF PAKISTAN. POLIO IS ENDEMIC IN PAKISTAN, BUT MILITANTS HAVE ACCUSED HEALTH WORKERS OF ACTING AS SPIES FOR THE US. ONE AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS OFFICER AND THREE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF NARCOTIC IMPORTATION THROUGH AUSTRALIAN AIRPORTS. FEDERAL POLICE MADE THE ARRESTS AFTER INVESTIGATING CLAIMS THAT CUSTOMS STAFF WERE HELPING DRUG SMUGGLERS IN RETURN FOR BRIBES. AUSTRALIAN POLICE SAY THEY EXPECT TO MAKE FURTHER ARRESTS FOR CORRUPTION AND DRUG IMPORTATION. 71 YEARS ON, HUNDREDS OF CARDS AND LETTERS WRITTEN BY GERMAN SOLDIERS WHO OCCUPIED THE CHANNEL ISLANDS DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR HAVE BEEN DELIVERED. THE RESISTANCE STOLE THE CHRISTMAS MAIL FROM THE GERMANS IN 1941 AND SWORE SECRECY FOR DECADES. THIS FROM THE BBC'S ROBERT HALL. ON A LANE IN THE FRANKFURT SUBURBS, A LATE DELIVERY NEARS THE END OF ITS JOURNEY. FESTIVE GREETINGS FROM A WARTIME PAST. MAN: 'DEAR HANS, DEAR MARY. I WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS, 'BUT WHAT I HOPE MOST IS THAT THE WAR WILL COME TO AN END AND SOON.' THOUSANDS OF GERMAN SOLDIERS WERE POSTED TO THE CHANNEL ISLANDS DURING THE FIVE-YEAR OCCUPATION. AROUND THEM, COMMUNITIES LOOKED FOR WAYS OF FIGHTING BACK. DURING THE YEARS OF OCCUPATION, AND IN THE RUN-UP TO CHRISTMAS IN 1941, A GROUP OF YOUNG JERSEYMEN HATCHED A PLAN WHICH BEGAN THIS STORY, BUT WHICH REMAINED A SECRET FOR 70 YEARS. THESE LETTERS AND CARDS WERE PART OF THE HAUL THEY STOLE FROM THE GERMAN ARMY POST OFFICE. HE LIVED THROUGH THE OCCUPATION IF THE OFFENCE WAS SEEN AS SERIOUS, THEY WOULD BE SENT TO PRISON RUN BY SS SOME PEOPLE DID NOT COME BACK MAN: 'MY DEAREST KATE. I HOPE YOU HAVEN'T...' THE CONSPIRATORS SWORE SECRECY, BUT SEVEN DECADES LATER, THE 90 LETTERS WERE DELIVERED TO JERSEY'S ARCHIVE. WEEKS OF POSTAL DETECTIVE WORK IN JERSEY AND IN A MUCH-CHANGED GERMANY FINALLY LED TO THE FIRST SPECIAL DELIVERY. ENGELBERT BERGMAN WAS DELIGHTED TO RECEIVE A CARD ORIGINALLY INTENDED FOR HIS GRANDFATHER, AND MORE LETTERS ARE NOW ON THE MOVE. NOW TO SOME AMAZING PICTURES FROM THE AMERICAN STATE OF WASHINGTON, AND A MUDSLIDE WHICH WAS SO POWERFUL IT DERAILED A MOVING FREIGHT TRAIN. THE LANDSLIP WAS CAUGHT ON AMATEUR VIDEO, SMASHING DOWN THE HILL AND KNOCKING SEVEN CARRIAGES OFF THE RAILS. THE CONTAINERS WERE HOLDING CHEMICALS USED IN CLEANING SUPPLIES AND FERTILISER. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS INJURED. AUTHORITIES IN ECUADOR ARE KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON AN ERUPTING VOLCANO. LAVA IS FLOWING DOWN THE SLOPES OF THE TUNGURAHUA VOLCANO, AND ROCKS AND ASH ARE SHOOTING A KILOMETRE INTO THE AIR. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE LIVING NEARBY HAVE LEFT THEIR HOMES AS EXPLOSIONS RATTLE WINDOWS 10KM AWAY. AN EARLIER ERUPTION IN 2006 KILLED SIX PEOPLE. WELL, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE EXPECTING THE WORLD TO END TOMORROW NIGHT. AND SOME ARE PLANNING ON SURVIVING THE APOCALYPSE WITH SO-CALLED 'DOOMSDAY PREPPING'. WITH MORE, HERE'S THE ABC'S DAVID WRIGHT. DRAMATIC MUSIC IN A WAREHOUSE EAST OF LA, THEY'RE BUSY BUILDING FOR DOOMSDAY. SO, THIS IS IT, HUH? THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE ATLAS SURVIVAL SHELTER, THE ULTIMATE MAN CAVE. ONLY IT DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE ` IT'S BUILT TO BE BURIED DEEP UNDERGROUND. HOW MANY OF THESE THINGS ARE YOU SELLING? LAST YEAR IT WAS, LIKE, ONE A MONTH. IT WENT TO ONE A WEEK. AND THEN SINCE DECEMBER IT WENT TO ONE A DAY. THIS IS ONE OF A GROWING NUMBER OF COMPANIES NOW CATERING TO CATASTROPHE, SELLING REAL ESTATE FROM 100,000 TO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THIS IS GONNA PROTECT US AGAINST NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL ATTACKS, TORNADOES. IT'S DEFINITELY HELPED BUSINESS THAT AN ANCIENT MAYAN PROPHESY PREDICTS THIS FRIDAY MAY MARK SOME SORT OF GLOBAL EXPIRATION DATE. THE DEITY BOLON YOKTE KU APPEARS ON DECEMBER 21ST OF 2012. AND HE DESCENDS, AND HE PERFORMS A RITUAL. LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE NOW PROJECTING MODERN ANXIETIES ON TO THAT ANCIENT MAYAN DATE. DOOMSDAY PREPPING IS NOW SUCH A FAD THERE ARE POPULAR REALITY SHOWS BASED ON IT. OF COURSE, PLENTY OF 2012ERS ARE NOT SO NEGATIVE ABOUT THE MAYAN PROPHECY. IN MEXICO WE MET ASTROLOGER STAR MOSER, WHO PLANS TO BE AT THE MAYAN RUINS ON FRIDAY, PRAYING TO HER CRYSTAL SKULL. (SPEAKS ANCIENT LANGUAGE) SHE BELIEVES THIS WILL MARK THE DAWN OF A NEW, MORE ENLIGHTENED AGE. OTHERS NOT SO MUCH. I'LL BE IN MY SHELTER IN TEXAS, JUST IN CASE. AND THE EXACT TIME FRAME FOR THE SUPPOSED MAYAN APOCALYPSE, OR END OF WORLD AS WE KNOW IT, AT 11 MINUTES PAST MIDNIGHT NZ TIME TOMORROW NIGHT. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, WE'LL CHECK IN ON THE SHAREMARKET AND BUSINESS NEWS. ============= LAST AD/PROMO .." THE ECONOMY GREW BY JUST 0.2% PERCENT IN THE SEPTEMBER QUARTER, A WEAKER RESULT THAN EXPECTED. STATISTICS NZ SAYS THE GROWTH IN GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT WAS DRIVEN BY A 4.5% INCREASE IN CONSTRUCTION BOOSTED BY THE CANTERBURY REBUILD. BUT AGRICULTURE FELL BY NEARLY 3% AFTER SIX MONTHS OF HIGHER THAN USUAL GROWTH, AND MANUFACTURING ALSO FELL BY JUST OVER 1%. 1 WITH ME NOW IS MARTIN ALLISON FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. GOOD AFTERNOON. INTERESTING TIME FOR GAMING COMPANIES? THIS ITEM WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. FOR MORE, GO TO ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND CLICK ON 'BUSINESS'. QUITE A LOT GOING ON IN AUSSIE AND NZ SKY CITY HAS SOLD CHRISTCHURCH HOLDINGS AND INVESTING IN QUEENSTOWN SKY CITY HASN'T DONE A LOT IN SHARE PRICE BUT POSSIBILITY OF ADDITION TO CONVENTION CENTRE ADDITIONS TO DARWIN AND ADELAIDE AS WELL QUEENSTOWN, THOUGH, IS A GROWTH AREA. WHAT DO INVESTORS NEED TO BE BE AWARE OF WHEN COMPANIES CHANGE? GOOD EXAMPLES RECENTLY TRADE ME SOLD BY FAIRFAX FAIRFAX IS A COMPANY TORN TO BITS BY WINDS OF CHANGE A MEDIA COMPANY PRINTING NEWSPAPERS BUT PEOPLE READ ON THE COMPUTER NOW NEWSPAPERS ARE AT THE BACK END INVESTORS MUST BE AWARE OF TRADE ME IS DIGITAL AND DOING WELL INVESTORS MUST BE AWARE OF ALL THIS STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. WHAT'S BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST EVER RECORDING OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS HAS BEEN DISCOVERED BY THE LONDON MUSEUM. THE WAX CYLINDER RECORDINGS BELONGED TO THE WALL FAMILY, WHO RECORDED SINGING AT CHRISTMAS TIME MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO. HERE'S THE BBC'S PALLAB GHOSH. THIS WAX CYLINDER CONTAINS EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO. WHEN IT WAS PLAYED BY CURATORS AT THE MUSEUM OF LONDON, THIS IS WHAT THEY HEARD. LOUD CRACKLING, CHILD SINGS HYMN THE RECORDING IS FROM 1904 OF A 7-YEAR-OLD BOY SINGING TO HIS FAMILY; THE SCENE HERE RECREATED BY HIS GREAT-GRANDSON LESLEY. THE RECORDINGS ARE OF THE WALL FAMILY WHO LIVED IN NORTH LONDON. CROMWELL, IN THE MIDDLE, WAS THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY. HE ALONG WITH HIS WIFE, MINNIE, ON THE RIGHT, AND THEIR NINE CHILDREN, LOVED TO SING, ESPECIALLY AT CHRISTMAS. (RECORDING) MAN: ANOTHER CHRISTMAS, 1904. IT WAS ONLY RECENTLY THAT THE DESCENDANTS OF THE WALL FAMILY HEARD THE RECORDINGS. SOME OF THEM REMEMBER THAT THE GRAND PARTIES WENT ON FOR YEARS TO COME. MAN SPEAKS ON RECORDING THE RECORDINGS ARE A TALE OF CHRISTMAS PAST, OF WARM GATHERINGS, A TRADITION THAT CROMWELL WALL'S FAMILY HAS CONTINUED TO THIS DAY. NOW TO YOUR WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ FINALLY, STUDENTS HAVE COME FORWARD IN MONTREAL TO CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR A VIRAL VIDEO THAT APPEARS TO SHOW AN EAGLE SNATCHING A TODDLER IN A PARK. THE BIRD IS SHOWN APPARENTLY SWOOPING DOWN IN A PARK AND GRABBING THE CHILD, BUT THEN DROPPING HIM UNINJURED. STUDENTS AT MONTREAL'S 3D TECHNOLOGY SCHOOL SAYS THEY CREATED THE VIDEO AS A PROJECT FOR THEIR ANIMATION AND DIGITAL DESIGN CLASS. CBS NEWS SAYS THE PRODUCTION SIMULATION WORKSHOP HAS CREATED OTHER HOAX VIDEOS IN THE PAST. 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 JOHN LING AND TRACEY DAWSON. WWW.TVNZ.CO.NZ/ACCESS-SERVICES