DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. A SOBBING OSCAR PRETORIUS TELLS A COURT HE THOUGHT HIS GIRLFRIEND IN THE BATHROOM WAS AN INTRUDER. A DARING DIAMOND ROBBERY AT A BELGIAN AIRPORT WITH NOT A SINGLE SHOT FIRED. AND THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE IS CALLED A 'PLASTIC PRINCESS' BY A TOP BRITISH AUTHOR. OLYMPIC BLADE RUNNER RUNNER OSCAR PISTORIUS HAS BEEN TOLD HE HAS ONLY A SLIM CHANCE OF GETTING BAIL ON THE MURDER CHARGE HE FACES DESPITE HIS CLAIM IT WAS ALL A TRAGIC MISTAKE. PISTORIUS SOBBED AS A PRETORIA COURT HEARD HIS STATEMENT ABOUT THE DEATH OF HIS GIRLFRIEND REEVA STEENKAMP, AND HOW HE'D MISTAKEN HER FOR AN INTRUDER. HERE'S THE BBC'S ANDREW HARDING. HE'S SPENT FIVE NIGHTS BEHIND BARS NOW. OSCAR PISTORIUS BACK IN COURT THIS MORNING FOR A CRUCIAL BAIL HEARING. HIS FAMILY GATHERING AGAIN TO SUPPORT THE MAN THEY BELIEVE KILLED HIS GIRLFRIEND REEVA STEENKAMP IN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. BUT IN THE COURTROOM, A DISTRAUGHT PISTORIUS WAS TOLD THE CHANCES OF BAIL WERE SLIM, AFTER THE MAGISTRATE RULED HE WAS TREATING THE CASE AS ONE OF PREMEDITATED MURDER WITH A POSSIBLE LIFE SENTENCE. HIS FATHER, HENKE, TOOK THE NEWS HARD TOO. THEN FROM THE DEFENCE TEAM CAME THE FIRST DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF WHAT OSCAR PISTORIUS SAYS HAPPENED BETWEEN HIM AND REEVA STEENKAMP IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THURSDAY MORNING. THE COUPLE WERE IN BED ASLEEP AT PISTORIUS' HOME, THE ATHLETE SAID IN A STATEMENT. HE WOKE UP, GOT A FAN FROM THE FROM THE BALCONY, THEN HEARD A NOISE IN THE BATHROOM. IT WAS PITCH-DARK, HE SAYS. HE WAS NOT WEARING HIS PROSTHETIC LEGS. HE FELT VULNERABLE, AFRAID. HE SHOUTED, THEN MOVED TO THE BATHROOM DOOR AND FIRED FOUR SHOTS THROUGH IT. IT WAS ONLY WHEN HE RETURNED AND FOUND THE BED WAS EMPTY THAT OSCAR PISTORIUS SAYS HE REALISED HE MIGHT HAVE MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE. REEVA'S FAMILY GATHERED IN THE COASTAL CITY OF PORT ELIZABETH FOR A PRIVATE MEMORIAL SERVICE. SHE WAS 30 YEARS OLD, A WELL KNOWN CELEBRITY, MODEL AND LAW STUDENT, WHO HAD BEEN DATING OSCAR PISTORIUS SINCE NOVEMBER. THERE'S BEEN MUCH TALK HERE OF PISTORIUS' VIOLENT TEMPER. OSCAR PISTORIUS' BAIL HEARING WILL RESUME TOMORROW, WITH THE PROSECUTION SEEKING TO CHALLENGE HIS VERSION OF EVENTS. AND LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A MOVIE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST DIAMOND HEISTS IN HISTORY HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT ON THE TARMAC OF BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. HEAVILY ARMED ROBBERS POSING AS POLICE TOOK NEARLY $60M CARGO HOLD OF A SWISS-BOUND PLANE. THIS FROM THE BBC'S CHRISTIAN FRASER. THE TARMAC AT AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST SECURE ENVIRONMENTS. BUT LAST NIGHT, A GANG OF ARMED WITH SUSPICIOUSLY GOOD INFORMATION SWOOPED ON A SWISS AIR PASSENGER PLANE AND PULLED OFF ONE OF THE BIGGEST DIAMOND HEISTS IN HISTORY. THIS WAS A VERY QUICK HIT-AND-RUN, VERY WELL ORGANISED. THERE HAS BEEN NO SHOOTING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DIAMONDS WERE TRANSFERRED FROM A BRINKS' WAREHOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE AIR FIELD, TO THE CARGO DOORS OF A ZURICH-BOUND AIRCRAFT. AT THAT MOMENT TWO VEHICLES CARRYING UP TO EIGHT MEN, ONE MARKED AS A POLICE VAN CRASHED THROUGH THE PERIMETER FENCE. THE MEN WERE HEAVILY ARMED. WITHIN MINUTES, THEY'D CHERRY-PICKED A HOLE AND WERE LEAVING THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE FENCE, WITH OVER �30M OF DIAMONDS. POLICE LATER FOUND A BURNT OUT VAN CLOSE TO THE AIRPORT, WHERE THE TRAIL GOES COLD. BUT NOT FAR FROM BRUSSELS IS ANTWERP, WHERE THEY PROCESS AND EXPORT 80% OF THE WORLD'S ROUGH DIAMONDS. THEY GO TO EXTRAORDINARY LENGTHS HERE TO KEEP THEIR LIFEBLOOD SAFE. A THEFT, AND AS EASY AS THIS ONE, IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE INDUSTRY'S HIGHLY POLISHED IMAGE. SOMEONE SURELY KNEW OF THE IMPENDING TRANSFER. THE EXPERTS THINK THE GANG WOULD HAVE A BUYER IN MIND, AND THE STONES WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE RECUT. IN ALL PROBABILITY, THEY'VE ALREADY CROSSED THE BORDER. BACK HOME, AND THERE WERE THREE ROAD DEATHS IN THE NORTH ISLAND OVERNIGHT. TWO MEN WERE KILLED IN EDGECUMBE NEAR WHAKATANE, AND A WOMAN DIED IN A CRASH IN NAPIER. POLICE SAY THE 19-YEAR-OLD DERIVER IN THE EDGECUMBE CRASH IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN SPEEDING AND HE HELD THE WRONG KIND OF LICENCE. AND NEITHER THE DRIVER NOR HIS PASSENGER (25) WERE WEARING A SEAT BELT. BOTH DIED AT THE SCENE AFTER THEIR CAR HIT A TREE AT AROUND 11PM. POLICE WILL RELEASE THEIR NAMES LATER TODAY. MEANWHILE, AN 18-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WAS KILLED IN NAPIER WHEN A CAR VEERED OFF THE ROAD. POLICE BELIEVE THE CAR HAD BEEN STREET RACING. THE 18-YEAR-OLD DRIVER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. A TRAFFIC LAWYER SAYS A CORONER'S RECOMMENDATION ON DISQUALIFIED DRIVERS IS A GOOD IDEA BUT ISN'T REALISTIC. A CORONER SAYS THERE SHOULD BE A LAW CHANGE SO PRISONERS WHO ARE SENT TO JAIL AND DISQUALIFIED FROM DRIVING AT THE SAME TIME SHOULD SERVE THE DISQUALIFICATION AFTER THEY'RE RELEASED. TRAFFIC LAWYER STEVE CULLEN SAYS IT'S LOGISTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY FOR PRISONERS WITH MULTIPLE CHARGES. THERE'S GOING TO BE LOGISTICAL DIFFICULTIES IN DETERMINING WHEN THE SENTENCE WILL COMMENCE. THAT'S WHAT I COULD SEE IS GOING TO BE A REAL PROBLEM. WE'VE GOT A PRISON SYSTEM THAT'S SWOLLEN AND CREAKING. WE HAVE A PROBATION SERVICE WHO ARE STRUGGLING AS IT IS TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING RELEASED FROM PRISON. WHO'S GOING TO TELL THE AUTHORITIES THAT SOMEBODY HAS NOW COMPLETED THEIR SENTENCE AND THE TERM OF DISQUALIFICATION COMMENCES? TRAFFIC LAWYER STEVE CULLEN. THE NOVOPAY DEBACLE'S SHOWING NO SIGNS OF BEING CLEARED UP, WITH SCHOOLS AROUND THE COUNTRY AGAIN FINDING MISTAKES IN THE LATEST PAY CYCLE. PRINCIPALS ARE REPORTING THAT SOME TEACHERS HAVE BEEN UNDERPAID, OTHERS OVERPAID AND SOME NOT GETTING PAY SLIPS TO CHECK THEIR PAY. THE NOVOPAY SYSTEM HAS LEFT SCHOOLS AROUND THE COUNTRY OWED AROUND $16M IN EXTRA ADMINISTRATION COSTS AND ANOTHER $5M OF TAXPAYER MONEY HAS BEEN SET ASIDE BY THE GOVERNMENT TO FIX THE SYSTEM. THE DRY CONDITIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY AFTER WEEKS OF SUNSHINE ARE CONTINUING TO CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR FIREFIGHTERS. IN THE LATEST INCIDENT, AN 11-HECTARE SCRUBFIRE IS STILL BURNING NEAR WELLSFORD NORTH OF AUCKLAND. FIRE CREWS AND THREE HELICOPTERS WITH MONSOON BUCKETS ARE FIGHTING THE BLAZE ON DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION LAND. IT'S BEEN BURNING SINCE LATE LAST NIGHT. MEANWHILE, AROUND 30 WORKERS AT A TIMBER YARD WERE LUCKY TO ESCAPE UNHARMED FROM A FIRE THAT BROKE OUT AT A SAW MILL AT BELL BLOCK, NEW PLYMOUTH. IT'S BELIEVED THE BLAZE STARTED IN A PLANING MACHINE. ALL OF THE WORKERS WERE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING WHEN THE FIRE STARTED. THEY'D JUST GONE FOR A SMOKO ABOUT 10.30, AND THEY HEARD A BANG AND LOOKED OUT AND SAW THE BUILDING WAS ON FIRE. INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT SPARKED THE FIRE. MORE INTERNATIONAL NEWS, AND UP TO 100 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED TODAY IN A MISSILE STRIKE IN SYRIA'S NORTHERN CITY OF ALEPPO. ALEPPO IS A KEY ECONOMIC CENTRE AND HAS BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN FIGHTING IN THE CIVIL WAR. THE BBC'S IAN PANNEL REPORTS. EXPLOSIONS BOOM THE NIGHT SKY OVER ALEPPO TREMBLES WITH THE SOUND OF WAR. EXPLOSIONS CONTINUE AND THE TOLL HAS BEEN TERRIBLE. PARTS OF THIS ONCE GRAND CITY HAVE BEEN EVISCERATED. THOUSANDS HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES. AND AS THE FIGHTING SPREADS, MANY PARTS OF SYRIA NOW LOOK LIKE THIS. IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, REBEL FIGHTERS HAVE MADE KEY GAINS HERE IN THE NORTH. TOWNS, MILITARY BASES, AIRFIELDS. THESE STREETS HAVE THE MISFORTUNE TO LIE BESIDE THEIR NEXT BIGGEST TARGET SO FAR ` ALEPPO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE GROUND BEARS WITNESS TO THE BRUTALITY OF THE FIGHT. GUNFIRE AND THE BLACK FLAG PLANTED IN THE ROUNDABOUT LET'S EVERYONE KNOW WHO'S LEADING THE RESISTANCE ` ARMED JIHADIS ENGAGED IN A HOLY WAR. WE SAW FOREIGN FIGHTERS FROM LIBYA, IRAQ AND SAUDI ARABIA. TOGETHER WITH SYRIAN ISLAMISTS, THEY SEEM TO DOMINATE THE FRONT LINES. THEY HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BEING TOUGH, DISCIPLINED AND BRAVE. SOME FEAR THESE MEN WANT A HARD-LINE ISLAMIC STATE ` FAR REMOVED FROM WHAT BEGAN AS A CALL FOR FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY. BUT WITHOUT HELP FROM ELSEWHERE, MANY SYRIANS ARE SIMPLY GLAD OF THEIR SUPPORT... GUN FIRES ..AND THEIR MOUNTING SUCCESS. BUT THERE'S ANOTHER REASON TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. ONLY A FEW KILOMETRES AWAY IS THE VAST MILITARY COMPLEX OF AL-SAFIRA, BELIEVED BY SOME TO STORE PART OF SYRIA'S SUSPECTED CHEMICAL WEAPONS STOCK. GUN FIRES AND IT'S IN THE REBELS' SIGHTS. IT'S TWO YEARS SINCE THIS BEGAN. HOPE THAT IT WILL OR EVEN CAN END SOON HAS PASSED. ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST CELEBRATED AUTHORS HAS LAUNCHED A WITHERING ATTACK ON THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE, PRINCE WILLIAM'S WIFE, BRANDING HER A 'SHOP-WINDOW MANNEQUIN' WITH A PLASTIC SMILE. PRINCESS KATE HAS STAYED CLOSE LIPPED ABOUT THE COMMENTS BY DOUBLE BOOKER-PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR HILARY MANTEL. THIS FROM THE BBC'S NICHOLAS WITCHELL. CHEERING SHE'S ROUGHLY FOUR MONTHS PREGNANT NOW, AND BEHIND THOSE CLASPED HANDS, THERE'S CERTAINLY EVIDENCE OF A RATHER MORE ROUNDED STOMACH THAN BEFORE. THE PREGNANCY SICKNESS OF EARLY DECEMBER HAS PASSED, YET CATHERINE IS STILL TAKING THINGS CAREFULLY. LAST WEEK SHE AND WILLIAM WERE ON HOLIDAY IN MUSTIQUE. BUT DESPITE THE DUCHESS' LOW PROFILE RECENTLY, SHE'S BECOME THE FOCUS OF UNFLATTERING COMMENTS BY THE PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR HILARY MANTELL. DURING A LECTURE AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM, MS MANTELL DESCRIBED THE TRANSITION OF KATE MIDDLETON INTO A ROYAL DUCHESS. KATE MIDDLETON AS SHE WAS APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN DESIGNED BY A COMMITTEE AND BUILT BY CRAFTSMEN WITH A PERFECT PLASTIC SMILE AND THE SPINDLES OF HER LIMBS HAND TURNED AND GLOSS VARNISHED. MS MANTELL SAID THE PERSON WHO'D EMERGED FROM THE TRANSITION SEEMED MACHINE-LIKE AND WITHOUT THE RISK, AS SHE PUT IT, OF THE EMERGENCE OF CHARACTER. ST JAMES' PALACE DECLINED TO COMMENT, BUT THE PRIME MINISTER ON HIS VISIT TO INDIA DISMISSED MS MANTELL'S REMARKS. WELL, I THINK SHE WRITES GREAT BOOKS, BUT I THINK WHAT SHE SAID ABOUT KATE MIDDLETON IS COMPLETELY MISGUIDED, COMPLETEY WRONG. WHAT I'VE SEEN OF PRINCESS KATE AT PUBLIC EVENTS AND AT THE OLYMPICS AND ELSEWHERE IS THAT THIS IS SOMEONE WHO'S BRIGHT, WHO'S ENGAGING, WHO'S A FANTASTIC AMBASSADOR FOR BRITAIN. AND WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THAT RATHER THAN THESE RATHER MISGUIDED REMARKS. THE DUCHESS, OF COURSE, WILL JUST HAVE TO GET USED TO IT IF SHE HASN'T ALREADY. THAT, AFTER ALL, IS PART OF BEING ROYAL. STILL IN ENGLAND, LONDON FASHION WEEK IS MAKING A BID TO RECLAIM THAT CITY'S STATUS AS A GLAMOUR CENTRE. IT FEATURES THE BIG NAMES OF FASHION, BUT BRITAIN'S GOVERNMENT IS ALSO OFFERING HELP TO THOSE JUST GETTING STARTED. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT GARTH BRAY MEETS A FLEDGLING FASHION DESIGNER FROM AUCKLAND WHO'S GETTING NOTICED IN LONDON. THE UK IS COMING OUT OF ONE OF THE WETTEST YEARS ON RECORD ` INSPIRATION FOR PVC SKIRTS AND EYELINER THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ALREADY RUNNING IN THE RAIN. BUT WHILE BRITISH LABEL TOPSHOP LIKES TO THINK OF IT AS FASHION FOR THE MASSES, FEW GET A FRONT-ROW SEAT. LONDON FASHION WEEK IS AN EXCLUSIVE EVENT USUALLY FOR BUYERS AND PRESS AND INDUSTRY PEOPLE ONLY. SO IT'S QUITE DIFFICULT FOR A HOME AUDIENCE HERE TO GET ACCESS TO THAT WORK AND TO SEE IT. KIRI NATHAN IS PART OF THE ANSWER. THE BRITISH COUNCIL HAS PAID HER WAY HERE TO TAKE PART IN A FRINGE FASHION EVENT ALONG WITH MORE THAN 100 OTHER EMERGING TALENTS. THE AUCKLAND DESIGNER DRAWS ON MAORI WEAVING TECHNIQUES SHE'S INCORPORATED INTO WASHABLE GARMENTS. THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET WILL LOOK AT IT AND JUST SEE IT AS A BEAUTIFUL TECHNIQUE OR A BEAUTIFUL EMBELLISHMENT. AND THEN ONCE THEY HEAR THE STORY, THEY'VE VERY TAKEN. IT'S A STORY THAT NEEDS A LOT OF SELLING, THOUGH. 5000 FASHION WRITERS AND INDUSTRY FIGURES IN TOWN FOR THE WEEK HAVE PLENTY TO LOOK AT. ANYONE TRYING TO MAKE A SPLASH DURING THE HURLY-BURLY OF LONDON FASHION WEEK REALLY NEEDS TO MAKE A NOISE. THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL EVENTS, LIKE THIS ONE IN LONDON'S REGENT STREET, WHERE THEY'RE OFFERING FREE CHAMPAGNE AND ICE CREAM WHILE THEY BROADCAST THEIR CATWALK SHOW LIVE IN A STORE. BACK IN A PENTHOUSE OFF TRAFALGAR SQUARE, KIRI NATHAN'S UNDAUNTED BY THE COMPETITION SHE'S SEEN THIS WEEK. YOU MEET THE RIGHT PEOPLE, YOU'LL SELL CLOTHES. HER PLAN IS TO BE BACK HERE ONE DAY SOON WITH A RUNWAY ALL OF HER OWN. GARTH BRAY, ONE NEWS, LONDON. VETS AT WELLINGTON ZOO ARE FIGHTING TO SAVE A LOST ROYAL PENGUIN FOUND 2000KM AWAY FROM ITS HOME IN THE SUB-ANTARCTIC. THE JUVENILE PENGUIN DUBBED 'HAPPY FEET JR' WAS FOUND CRITICALLY ILL IN TORA BAY ON THE WAIRARAPA'S SOUTHERN COAST. ITS SEVERE DEHYDRATION HAS CAUSED KIDNEY FAILURE. THE BIRD'S MISADVENTURE FOLLOWS THAT OF THE EMPEROR PENGUIN 'HAPPY FEET' WHICH WAS FOUND ON THE KAPITI COAST TWO YEARS AGO. ROYAL PENGUINS RARELY COME THIS FAR NORTH AS THE CLIMATE IS TOO WARM. A NEW ECONOMIC REPORT SHOWS LAST YEAR'S WORLD PREMIERE OF 'THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY' BROUGHT AN ESTIMATED $11.7M TO WELLINGTON. THE REPORT, COMMISSIONED BY THE WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL, SAYS AROUND 60,000 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE RED CARPET EVENT AND THE HOBBIT-INSPIRED ARTISAN MARKET THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. MORE THAN A THIRD OF THOSE CAME FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY OR OVERSEAS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE SHAREMARKET AND BUSINESS NEWS AS TWO OF THE NZX TOP 10 REPORT THEIR HALF-YEAR RESULTS. AND IN SPORT ` ARSENAL COP A BIG BEATING IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. Most people tend to think more about how they brush than what they brush with. They think all brushes are the same. They're not. That's why I recommend the new Pro-Health Clinical brush from Oral-B. Unlike an ordinary toothbrush, it has pro-flex sides that individually adjust to teeth and gums for a better clean. No wonder Oral-B is the number one dentist-recommended toothbrush brand worldwide. The new Pro-Health Clinical toothbrush from Oral-B. Two flexing sides, one superior clean. TO BUSINESS NEWS, AND TWO OF THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST COMPANIES REPORTED HALF-YEARLY RESULTS THIS MORNING. FLETCHER BUILDING'S PROFIT INCHED UP 1% TO $146M AS A PICK UP IN THE CONSTRUCTION HERE OFFSET A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN AUSTRALIA. MEANWHILE, ONLINE AUCTION SITE TRADE ME, WHICH THIS WEEK JOINED THE NZX TOP 10, ALSO REPORTED TODAY. ITS REVENUE ROSE 18%, AND ITS PROFIT WAS UP JUST UNDER 3% TO $37.4M. NOW TODAY'S SHAREMARKET NUMBERS. GRETCHEN WILLIAMSON FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS IS HERE. THIS ITEM WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. FOR MORE, GO TO ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND CLICK ON 'BUSINESS'. SOME ANALYSIS OF THE FLETCHER BUILDING RESULT. WE'RE FORWARD-LOOKING EXPECTING MORE COLOUR DISAPPOINTING RESULTS FROM AUSTRALIA FROM HERE, IT'S ENCOURAGING TO SEE RESIDENTIAL GOING TO PLAN THE MARKET DOESN'T LIKE IT. WHY NOT? TRADE ME WITH PROFIT INCREASES. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS RESULT? GOOD RESULTS, WITH CLASSIFIEDS STRONG GOOD TO SEE THEM SELLING MORE PRODUCTS THANK YOU, GRETCHEN WILLIAMSON FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. MIDDAY SPORT. THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE BLACKCAPS BATTING LINE-UP IS HOPING NZ CAN CARRY ON THEIR RECENT ONE-DAY FORM TO CLAIM A SERIES WIN AGAINST ENGLAND IN NAPIER THIS AFTERNOON. OTAGO LEFT-HANDER HAMISH RUTHERFORD ` BROUGHT IN TO REPLACE THE INJURED MARTIN GUPTILL ` SAYS THE 50-OVER FORMAT IS ONE AREA WHERE THE BLACKCAPS ARE FLOURISHING. FROM SOUTH AFRICA LAST SERIES, EVERYONE CAN TAKE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE FROM WINNING THAT. SO I THINK STARTING WELL ON SUNDAY WAS HUGE FOR US. RUTHERFORD IS EXPECTED TO BE THE ONLY CHANGE IN THE BATTING LINE-UP, WITH THE BOWLERS TO BE CONFIRMED SOON BEFORE PLAYS STARTS AT 2 O'CLOCK. A BAD NIGHT FOR ARSENAL IN THEIR ROUND OF 16 MATCH IN THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS FOOTBALL LEAGUE. THEY WERE PLAYING AT HOME IN LONDON AGAINST GERMANY'S BAYERN MUNICH BUT WERE HAMMERED 3-1. THIS FROM TIM FRANKS. A DEEP PALL HAS SETTLED OVER ARSENAL ` NOT JUST FROM FIRECRACKERS. RECENT RESULTS HAVE PRODUCED A CLOUD OF GLOOM. AND AGAINST THEM TONIGHT WERE BAYERN MUNICH, THE RUNAWAY LEADERS OF THE GERMAN LEAGUE. AND HERE THEY ARE RUNNING AWAY. AFTER SEVEN MINUTES, TONI CROOS HARPOONED THE BALL INTO THE NET. IF THOSE ARSENAL FANS WERE WORRIED NOW, LET'S HOPE THEY WERE LOOKING AWAY FOR THIS ONE ` A FREE HEADER, A SHARP SAVE, AN EASY GOAL. ARSENAL'S PLAYERS WERE LEFT LOOKING DEEP INTO THEIR SOULS. BUT IF THE FIRST HALF HAD BEEN PREDICTABLE, THE SECOND HALF WAS BIZARRE ` AT LEAST TO BEGIN WITH. BAYERN'S NORMALLY SWARMING DEFENCE WAS SUDDENLY STATIC. ARSENAL'S FORMER BAYERN PLAYER, PODOLSKI, WAS THE SCORER. THAT WAS THE FIRST GOAL BAYERN HAD CONCEDED THIS YEAR. AND SO STUNG, THEY HIT BACK. A SWEET RUN; AN UGLY FINISH. 3-1. IN RECENT DAYS ARSENAL'S MANAGER, ARSENE WENGER, HAS RESEMBLED A VOLCANO. TONIGHT HIS HOPES OF HIS CLUB'S FIRST TROPHY IN EIGHT YEARS APPEAR EXTINCT. SONNY BILL WILLIAMS WON'T PLAY THIS WEEKEND'S RUGBY LEAGUE PRESEASON MATCH FOR THE ROOSTERS AGAINST THE TIGERS BECAUSE HE'S NOT QUITE READY AFTER HIS RECENT BOXING ACTIVITY. HIS COACH SAYS HE WILL PLAY THE OPENING ROUND OF THE COMPETITION PROPER NEXT WEEK. THE TIGERS' CO-CAPTAIN, ROBBIE FARAH, COULD SOON BE IN A BIDDING WAR FOR HIS SERVICES, ALTHOUGH HE MAINTAINS HE'S LOYAL TO THE TIGERS. CHANNEL 9'S DANNY WEIDLER REPORTS. ROBBIE FARAH IS OFF CONTRACT AND A HOT PROPERTY. HE'S LEFT THE NEGOTIATIONS TO HIS MANAGER, SAM AYOUB. IS HIS INSTRUCTION, THOUGH, TO WORK TOWARDS FINISHING YOUR CAREER AT THE TIGERS? HIS INSTRUCTION IS TO LOOK AFTER ME. HE'S GOT MY BEST INTERESTS AT HEART, AND I'LL BE GUIDED BY HIS ADVICE AND WHAT HE TELLS ME TO DO. CLEARLY THE TIGERS IS YOUR PRIORITY FIRST. TIGERS WILL GET FIRST AND LAST OPTION THERE. THE ROOSTERS HELD A CONTACT SESSION. SONNY BILL WILLIAMS DIDN'T HOLD BACK. HE TORE INTO DEFENCE, BUT HIS COACH SAYS HE WON'T PLAY ON SATURDAY NIGHT. THE GOOD NEWS IS HE'S IN NO REAL DOUBT FOR ROUND ONE AGAINST THE RABBITS. I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE MEDICAL STAFF. HE'S ON... AND WE'VE PROGRAMMED AROUND ROUND ONE. WE'RE GETTING HIM READY FOR ROUND ONE. THE SIGNING OF SONNY BILL, MICHAEL JENNINGS AND JAMES MALONEY HAS THE ROOSTERS POSITIONED AS FRONT RUNNERS. BUT ROBINSON WON'T HEAR ANY OF THAT. WE NEED TO WORK HARD. WE NEED TO TRAIN FOR EACH OTHER AND PLAY FOR EACH OTHER, AND WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT ENOUGH YET TO BUILD THAT TRUST. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. NOW TO THE WEATHER. THE HIGH KEEPS CRAWLING ACROSS NZ TODAY. THAT SOUTHERN FRONT HARDLY MAKES IMPACT BEFORE AN EVEN BIGGER HIGH MOVES IN. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND FOR MORE ON THE WEATHER IN YOUR AREA, GO TO ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND CLICK ON 'WEATHER'. TO THE TOP STORIES ON OUR WEBSITE. MURDER ACCUSED OSCAR PISTORIUS LOOKED 'TRAUMATISED, BROKEN, SCARED AND HUMILIATED' WHEN HE APPEARED IN A SOUTH AFRICAN COURT FOR A BAIL HEARING. POLICE ARE HUNTING FOR A GROUP OF MEN WHO ARE APPARENTLY POSING AS POLICE OFFICERS AND PULLING OVER OTHER DRIVERS. AND FOUR MEN HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED AFTER 11 SHEEP WERE FOUND CRAMMED IN A HATCHBACK ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF HASTINGS. FINALLY A LITTLE BOY FOUND WANDERING IN THE STREET IN TAKAPUNA ON AUCKLAND'S NORTH SHORE AT 4AM HAS BEEN REUNITED WITH HIS FAMILY. POLICE SAY THE FAMILY HAD FLOWN IN FROM SAMOA AT 2AM. THE 4-YEAR-OLD HAD BEEN PUT TO BED, BUT WAS WIDE AWAKE AND WANDERED OFF. THE FAMILY HAD BEEN SLEEPING IN AFTER THEIR LATE NIGHT, WHICH IS WHY IT TOOK THEM SEVERAL HOURS TO NOTICE HIM MISSING AND NOTIFY POLICE. THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE ONE NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY AMY PARK AND DESNEY SHAW. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2013