DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. THE BIG AMERICAN SHUTDOWN CONTINUES. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF WORKERS ARE TOLD TO STAY HOME. GRANT DALTON WARNS THE AMERICA'S CUP HEADHUNTERS ARE ON THE JOB. AND THE BIG STARS ARE OUT FOR THE RUGBY LEAGUE AWARDS IN SYDNEY. PARTS OF THE US GOVERNMENT ARE STILL SHUT DOWN TODAY AFTER CONGRESS FAILED TO AGREE ON A NEW BUDGET. PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS ACCUSED THE REPUBLICANS OF HOLDING THE GOVERNMENT TO RANSOM. 800,000 STATE EMPLOYEES ARE FACING UNPAID LEAVE, BUT ESSENTIAL STAFF, INCLUDING 1.4 MILLION MILITARY PERSONNEL, ARE AT WORK. THE BBC'S MARK MARDELL REPORTS. AMERICA HASN'T DESCENDED INTO ANARCHY. THERE IS POLICE ON THE STREETS, AND NORMAL LIFE GOES ON. BUT THE GOVERNMENT IS ONLY SPENDING WHAT IT MUST. ABOVE EARTH ON THE SPACE STATION, ASTRONAUTS ARE WORKING. BUT MOST AT NASA ARE NOT. AT THE ZOO, ANIMALS WILL BE FED, BUT THE PANDA CAM HAS GONE DARK. HE'S NOT DEALING WITH A DISASTER, SO MUCH AS A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT. THE PRESIDENT SURROUNDED BY THOSE WHO LIKE HIS HEALTH CARE LAW SAID HE WOULDN'T BE BULLIED INTO ABANDONING IT. CONGRESS DOESN'T JUST HAVE TO END THIS SHUTDOWN AND REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT. CONGRESS GENERALLY HAS TO STOP GOVERNING BY CRISIS. THEY HAVE TO BREAK THIS HABIT. FOR WASHINGTON, THIS IS ALMOST PERSONAL. THE NATION'S CAPITAL IS VERY MUCH A GOVERNMENT TOWN, AND THE SHUTDOWN OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS LIKE THESE REALLY HURTS. MANY FEDERAL WORKERS TURNED UP THIS MORNING AND A FEW HOURS LATER WERE SENT HOME. THE TRICKLE-DOWN EFFECT IS SCARY, YOU KNOW. EVERYBODY'S HURTING ALREADY, AND THIS JUST ADDS TO IT. I HAVE TO COME IN AND SHUT MYSELF DOWN AND THEN GO HOME AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I'LL BE NOT WORKING. THE MALL IS LINED WITH SOME OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE MUSEUMS IN THE WORLD ` ALL SHUT. THE PRESIDENT SIGNED A LAW MAKING SURE THE MILITARY WERE PAID, BUT HIS WIFE'S TWITTER ACCOUNT FELL VICTIM TO THE SHUTDOWN. IN CONGRESS, IT'S THE MORNING AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE. THE ARGUMENTS CONTINUE WITH ALL THE SAME BITTERNESS, LITTLE OF THE URGENCY. THE REPUBLICANS BLAME THE PRESIDENT'S PARTY FOR REFUSING TO TALK ABOUT DELAYING HIS HEALTH CARE LAW. THERE'S NO SAYING WHEN THE NATION'S MONUMENTS WILL BE OPEN AGAIN, BUT THIS LATEST CRISIS CAN ONLY INCREASE A NATION'S CONTEMPT FOR CONGRESS AND ITS FAILURE TO FUNCTION. THE LAST SHUTDOWN ` 17 YEARS AGO, UNDER BILL CLINTON ` LASTED FOR TWO WEEKS. POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR DAN ZIRKER SAYS IT'S QUITE EARLY, BUT HE DOESN'T EXPECT THE SHUTDOWN TO GO ON FOR LONG. THE LAST, TWO-WEEK SHUTDOWN TOOK PLACE OVER CHRISTMAS. SO MY GUESS IS THAT THIS WILL NOT LAST MUCH LONGER THAN A WEEK. BUT I'M WILLING TO BE SURPRISED ` WITH THE BREAKDOWN OF CIVILITY IN CONGRESS, WITH THE TEA PARTY REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY. PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT WAIKATO UNIVERSITY, DAN ZIRKER. THE PRIME MINISTER IS MAKING A FLYING VISIT TO AUSTRALIA TODAY. JOHN KEY WILL BE THE FIRST FOREIGN LEADER TO MEET TONY ABBOTT ON AUSTRALIAN SOIL. MR ABBOTT'S JUST BACK FROM INDONESIA, WHERE HIS FIRST OVERSEAS TRIP AS PRIME MINISTER WAS OVERSHADOWED BY HIS ASYLUM-SEEKER POLICY. CHANNEL NINE'S ANDREW LUND REPORTS. TONY ABBOTT WAS UP EARLY TO HOST A HIGH-LEVEL BUSINESS BREAKFAST. JAKARTA'S MORNING PAPERS MAY HAVE MISSPELT HIS NAME, BUT THERE WAS NO MISTAKING HE'D RECEIVED THE MESSAGE. THE CLEAR AGREEMENT IS THAT OPERATIONAL DETAILS WILL BE DEALT WITH ON A NO-SURPRISES BASIS. THE PRIME MINISTER WAS GIVEN A FULL CEREMONIAL WELCOME AS HE AND WIFE MARGIE ARRIVED AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE, WHERE TALKS WERE DOMINATED BY THE PEOPLE-SMUGGLING PROBLEM. (SPEAKS INDONESIAN) TRANSLATOR: WE BOTH ARE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE BECOME VICTIMS. INDONESIA HAD EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT THE COALITION'S PLAN TO TURN BOATS AROUND AND PAY LOCALS FOR INFORMATION ON PEOPLE SMUGGLERS. AND WHILE THE GOVERNMENT SAYS ITS POLICIES HAVEN'T CHANGED, THE LANGUAGE APPEARS TO HAVE SOFTENED, WITH A FOCUS NOW ON COOPERATION. TONY ABBOTT WRAPPED UP HIS FIRST OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRIP WITH A REFLECTION ON POLITICS. ONE PERSON'S SUCCESS, BY DEFINITION, IS ANOTHER PERSON'S FAILURE. THE GOVERNMENT'S REVEALED NEW PRIORITIES FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. MINISTER STEVEN JOYCE HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO BOOST RELATIONSHIPS WITH OVERSEAS ORGANISATIONS, IMPROVE ADULT NUMERACY AND LITERACY AND INCREASE MAORI AND PASIFIKA ACHIEVEMENT. HE SAYS THEY ALSO WANT TO DECREASE THE SIZE OF UNIVERSITY AND WANANGA COUNCILS. I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHANGE. AND ALSO ALLOWING THE UNIVERSITIES TO HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER WHO THEY HAVE ON THE UNIVERSITY COUNCILS. THE GOVERNMENT WILL STILL HAVE ITS FOUR, BUT THEY HAVE MORE CHOICE AS TO WHAT THEY CAN` CURRENTLY IT'S VERY PRESCRIBED IN LAW. THE FINAL STRATEGY'S EXPECTED TO BE PUBLISHED EARLY NEXT NEAR. TEAM NZ'S BOSS SAYS THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN ANY FUTURE AMERICA'S CUP CHALLENGE IS SECURING THE CREW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. GRANT DALTON ARRIVED BACK IN THE COUNTRY THIS MORNING AFTER A DISAPPOINTING END TO THE TEAM'S AMERICA'S CUP CAMPAIGN. HE SAYS HE'S ALREADY CONCERNED ABOUT HEADHUNTERS. I MEAN, IT'S JUST THE CYCLE OF THE AMERICA'S CUP. THE POACHERS ARE OUT HARD ` PROBABLY HARDER THAN NORMAL, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS DESIGN TEAM PARTICULARLY ` AND A SAILING TEAM, BUT A DESIGN TEAM THAT'S... YOU KNOW, IT'S '0800 DESIGN TEAM' FOR FAST MULTIHULLS. SO THAT'S A PRIORITY, AND THEN... WELL, ONCE THAT'S DONE, THEN YOU KIND OF THINK ABOUT THE NEXT STEP. THE TEAM IS ITS PEOPLE AND ITS CULTURE, AND IT'S BEEN BRED NOW OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS. SO IF IT GETS STRIPPED, AND OF COURSE THERE'S PLENTY OF GUYS OUT THERE ` BILLIONAIRES ` THAT LIKE TO STRIP US BARE QUICKLY. ALL OF US CAN PLAN OUR OWN FUTURES, BUT YOU GOTTA HOLD THE GUYS IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE OF KEEPING THE TEAM TOGETHER. TEAM NZ MANAGER GRANT DALTON. DAYS AFTER MASTERMINDING ORACLE'S REMARKABLE COMEBACK TO WIN THE AMERICA'S CUP, SIR BEN AINSLIE HAS ANNOUNCED HE WOULD LIKE TO LEAD A BRITISH TEAM IN THE COMPETITION. THE BBC'S JOE WILSON REPORTS. BACK ON DRY LAND IN LONDON, THE MAN WHO TURNS TIDES. BEN AINSLIE MASTERMINDED VICTORY IN THE AMERICA'S CUP FOR AN AMERICAN TEAM BANKROLLED BY ONE OF THE WORLD'S RICHEST MEN. SO COULD HE DO THE SAME FOR BRITAIN? ARCHIVE: AT NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, THE ENGLISH CHALLENGER, 'SOVEREIGN'. THE LAST TIME A BRITISH BOAT COMPETED FOR THE AMERICA'S CUP: 1964. THIS WAS SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS COMPARED TO TODAY'S SPACE-AGE MARITIME TECHNOLOGY. IT MAY TAKE �100M TO FUND A NEW BRITISH TEAM. AINSLIE SAYS IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT NEEDS TO BE SORTED IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. WE HAVE A GREAT MARITIME HERITAGE, AND IT'S SOMETHING WHICH IS MISSING FROM OUR... OUR SAILING CV, IF YOU LIKE. SO, YEAH, I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT. BUT IT HAS TO BE A TEAM THAT'S CREDIBLE AND HAS A CHANCE TO WIN. OTHERWISE... YOU KNOW, I'M CERTAINLY NOT THE SORT OF PERSON WHO'S UP FOR WASTING THEIR TIME. WOW. THIS IS A MOMENT. BEN AINSLIE IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OLYMPIC SAILOR EVER; A NOTORIOUSLY FEROCIOUS COMPETITOR. HE WON'T EVEN BE 40 WHEN THE NEXT GAMES TAKE PLACE IN RIO, BUT HE TOLD ME TODAY FOR CERTAIN HE'S NOT GOING TO COME OUT OF OLYMPIC RETIREMENT. THE ATTRACTION, FOR ME, FOR THE FUTURE, WITH THE AMERICA'S CUP IS BEING PART OF A TEAM. AND WHILST I'VE HAD SUCCESS INDIVIDUALLY IN THE OLYMPICS, THAT IS VERY REWARDING, BUT IT CERTAINLY WASN'T AS REWARDING AS THIS LAST EXPERIENCE. DOING SOMETHING SPECIAL LIKE THAT ` SUCH A HUGE COMEBACK ` WITH A GREAT GROUP OF GUYS, AND THE BOND THAT YOU FORM DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WAS REALLY AN EXCEPTIONAL FEELING, AND I WOULD LOVE TO EXPERIENCE THAT AGAIN. BRITAIN HAS THE WORLD'S BEST SAILOR. ALL HE NEEDS IS A NEW TEAM AND MAYBE �100M. THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER HAS TOLD THE UNITED NATIONS THAT HIS COUNTRY WILL NEVER ALLOW IRAN TO DEVELOP NUCLEAR WEAPONS, EVEN IF IT HAS TO ACT ALONE. BENJAMIN NETANYAHU DISMISSED WHAT HE CALLED THE RECENT CHARM OFFENSIVE OF IRAN'S NEW PRESIDENT. THE BBC'S JEREMY BOWEN REPORTS. THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER'S MOTORCADE WAS RELATIVELY LOW-KEY; HIS MESSAGE WAS NOT. MR NETANYAHU ONCE AGAIN COMPARED THE RULERS OF IRAN TO THE NAZIS, CLAIMING THAT THE IRANIANS ARE DEVELOPING NUCLEAR WEAPONS TO GIVE THEM THE POWER TO ANNIHILATE ISRAEL. HIS MISSION WAS ALSO TO COUNTERACT LAST WEEK'S CHARM OFFENSIVE BY IRAN'S NEW PRESIDENT, HASSAN ROUHANI. SMILING ALL THE WAY, HE SAID HE WAS HERE TO OFFER A FAST, NEGOTIATED DEAL ON THE FUTURE OF IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME, WHICH HE INSISTED WAS FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES. APPLAUSE ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER USED TO FIND IT EASIER AT THE UN TO TAKE AIM AT THE PREVIOUS IRANIAN PRESIDENT, WHO DELIGHTED IN BEING THE WEST'S BOGEYMAN. MR NETANYAHU WARNED THAT IRANIAN PRESIDENTS DON'T CHANGE. MR NETANYAHU SAID, 'DON'T LIFT SANCTIONS, TRY DIPLOMACY,' BUT HE RENEWED HIS THREAT TO ATTACK IRAN. ISRAEL WILL NEVER ACQUIESCE TO NUCLEAR ARMS IN THE HANDS OF A ROGUE REGIME THAT REPEATEDLY PROMISES TO WIPE US OFF THE MAP. THE IRANIANS BOYCOTTED HIS SPEECH. AFTERWARDS, THEY CAME BACK TO WARN THAT IRAN WOULD DEFEND ITSELF IF ATTACKED. THIS NEXT STAGE IN THE DIPLOMATIC PROCESS STARTED HERE AT THE UN IN NEW YORK IS A MEETING IN GENEVA LATER THIS MONTH, AT WHICH IRAN IS DUE TO COME UP WITH ITS PLAN FOR DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM OF ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAMME. THE THREATS TRADED BY ISRAEL AND IRAN IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ARE A REMINDER OF WHY THIS THING NEEDS TO BE SETTLED PEACEFULLY. IF IT ISN'T, THERE IS A REAL RISK OF ANOTHER MIDDLE EAST WAR. BRITISH LABOUR LEADER ED MILIBAND IS LOCKED IN A BITTER AND PERSONAL ROW WITH A NEWSPAPER AFTER IT CLAIMED HIS LATE FATHER HATED BRITAIN. THE NEWSPAPER IS REFUSING TO APOLOGISE. THE BBC'S ROSS HAWKINS REPORTS. A MARXIST WHO CAME TO BRITAIN TO FLEE THE NAZIS ` ED MILIBAND'S DAD. ACCORDING TO THE DAILY MAIL, RALPH MILIBAND WAS A MAN WHO HATED BRITAIN, AND HIS SON IS CLEARLY FURIOUS. BRITAIN SAVED HIS LIFE ` IT SAVED HIS LIFE ` AND THIS PAPER IS SAYING THAT HE HATED BRITAIN. AND THAT IS A LIE ` THAT IS A LIE ` AND I'M NOT WILLING TO LET IT STAND. THE MAIL'S VIEW IS ED MILIBAND'S WRITTEN RESPONSE PRINTED IN ITS PAGES WAS TETCHY AND MENACING, AND IT STUCK BY ITS STORY EVEN AS OTHER POLITICIANS SYMPATHISED. IF SOMEONE ATTACKED MY DAD ` WHO I THINK ABOUT A LOT, AND I MISS HIM EVERY DAY ` I WOULD DEFINITELY RUSH INTO PRINT AND DEFEND HIM THE BEST I COULD, AND ED SEEMS TO BE DOING EXACTLY THE SAME THING. THIS GOVERNMENT CANNOT BE AN HONEST BROKER SO LONG AS IT DOES NOT DISSOCIATE ITSELF FROM AMERICA'S ACTIONS IN VIETNAM. THE DAILY MAIL INSISTS THE FATHER'S POLITICS MATTER WHEN THE SON PLANS TO FIX ENERGY PRICES AND HAS TOLD VOTERS THAT HE'S BRINGING BACK SOCIALISM. IN A STATEMENT, THE PAPER SAID... WHICH ALMOST 20 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH, PUTS THIS MAN AT THE HEART OF A DEEPLY PERSONAL ROW BETWEEN A PAPER THAT SAYS PRESS FREEDOM IS AT STAKE AND ED MILIBAND, WHO SAYS THIS IS A SIMPLE MATTER OF RIGHT AND WRONG. HOBBIT FANS ARE GETTING ANOTHER PREVIEW OF THE FRANCHISE'S NEXT FILM. WARNER BROTHERS HAS RELEASED ANOTHER TRAILER. 'THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG' IS THE SECOND FILM IN SIR PETER JACKSON'S HOBBIT TRILOGY. THE MOVIE CONTINUES THE JOURNEY OF BILBO BAGGINS AND HIS FRIENDS AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY TO DO BATTLE WITH THE DRAGON SMAUG. SMAUG: WELL, THIEF, WHERE ARE YOU? COME NOW. DON'T BE SHY. STEP INTO THE LIGHT. (ROARS) FANS OF THE FANTASY EPIC WERE GIVEN THEIR FIRST LOOK IN JUNE. THE MOVIE'S DUE TO CINEMAS ON DECEMBER 12, BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST FILM, IT WON'T PREMIERE IN NZ. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE SHAREMARKET AND BUSINESS NEWS. THEN, IN SPORT, RUGBY LEAGUE'S BIG NIGHT. AND OTAGO'S RUN IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE COMES TO AN END. MAN: Now, tell me what you see in this image. MAN: Now, tell me what you see in this image. WOMAN: Um,... my new shoes? OK. And this? My... tickets to Fiji. Right, OK. This? This? My phone bill. This? My phone bill. Hmm. If your credit card balance is playing on your mind, switch it to an ANZ low-rate MasterCard and enjoy 2.99% per annum for a whole year. Call us today. 1 WITH ME NOW IS MICHAEL MILNE FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. THIS ITEM WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. FOR MORE, GO TO ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND CLICK ON 'BUSINESS'. ALLIED WORKFORCE WITH ANOTHER ACQUISTION. WHAT'S THE STORY THIS TIME? AWF group has said it will acquire 100% of Madison group. It will further diversify revenue streams. The market has reacted positively. THE BIG STORY AROUD THE WORLD IS STILL THE SHUTDOWN OF MANY PARTS OF THE US GOVERNMENT. IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE AFFECTING MARKETS TOO MUCH? It has occurred 17 times across the past 40 years. The important factor will be the duration of the shutdown. Many markets were buoyant overnight, but the longer it drags out, the longer it will undermine consumer confidence. The jobs report will likely be delayed. Should incentivise to resolve things quickly. There is also the looming debt ceiling. THANK YOU, MICHAEL MILNE, FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. DESPITE A DEAL TO HELP CLEAR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DEBT, FINANCIAL EXPERTS ARE WARNING SOLID ENERGY ISN'T OUT OF THE WOODS JUST YET. THE GOVERNMENT'S THROWN THE STRUGGLING STATE-OWNED MINING COMPANY A $255M LIFELINE. DAVID LEWIS SAYS IT MAY PROVIDE SOLID ENERGY WITH SHORT-TERM STABILITY, BUT IT REMAINS EXPOSED TO OUTSIDE FACTORS. IF THOSE FACTORS ` THE COAL PRICE AND THE NZ DOLLAR ` WERE TO GO AGAINST THE COMPANY OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT TWO OR THREE YEARS, THEN POTENTIALLY IT DOES STILL HAVE A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF DEBT, AND POTENTIALLY THERE COULD BE FURTHER ISSUES DOWN THE TRACK. BUT, NO, CERTAINLY, FOR THE SHORT TERM, FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, THIS BUYS THE COMPANY A LOT OF TIME. SOLID ENERGY IS EXPECTED TO UNVEIL ITS FULL-YEAR FINANCES IN A FEW DAYS' TIME. TO SPORT NOW. THE OTAGO VOLTS' WINNING STREAK HAS COME TO AN END AT CRICKET'S T20 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IN INDIA. DESPITE THE LOSS, THE VOLTS SHOULD STILL MAKE THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE LUCRATIVE TOURNAMENT. MARK HATHAWAY REPORTS. 16 GAMES ON THE TROT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR THE VOLTS, UP AGAINST THE TOP-OF-THE-TABLE RAJASTHAN ROYALS. BOWLED HIM! STRAIGHT THROUGH HIM WITH A BIT OF EXTRA PACE AND SWING. INDIAN RAHUL SHUKLA RIPPED THROUGH THE TOP ORDER ` VOLTS CAPTAIN BRENDON MCCULLUM WITH HIS SECOND DUCK IN THREE INNINGS. GONE! DEREK DE BOORDER'S WEIRD SHOT PLAYED STRAIGHT INTO SHUKLA'S HANDS, GIVING HIM THREE WICKETS IN THE SPACE OF SIX BALLS. SHUKLA'S GOT THREE! AND WHEN NEIL BROOM HOLED OUT FOR 11, THE VOLTS WERE REELING AT 21/4. JIMMY NEESHAM'S FINE FORM WASN'T ABOUT TO STOP, HOWEVER. THE ALL-ROUNDER TOP-SCORED FOR THE VOLTS WITH 32 OFF 25 BALLS AS THEY RECOVERED TO FINISH ON 139/7. THERE WAS NO TOP-ORDER COLLAPSE FROM THE ROYALS ` OPENER AJINKYA RAHANE WITH A CLASSY HALF-CENTURY... OH, THAT'S EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST. ...BEFORE BRENDON MCCULLUM SNARED A STUNNER OFF NEIL WAGNER. OH, HE'S GONE! SLIP. THAT IS A FABULOUS CATCH. AFTER A STRONG START, THE ROYALS FOUND THEMSELVES WAVERING ` 72/4 ` WHILE NEESHAM PROVED HE CAN STAR IN ALL FACETS OF THE GAME. WHAT A FANTASTIC PIECE OF FIELDING. EVERY RUN WAS VITAL AS THE EQUATION STARTED SWINGING TOWARDS THE VOLTS, ONLY FOR AUSTRALIAN BRAD HODGE TO SMACK THE ROYALS HOME. WELL, A FEW MORE LIKE THAT AND IT WILL BE. THIS GOES THROUGH NEESHAM. HE BROUGHT UP 52 OFF 23 DELIVERIES. THE ROYALS WON WITH FIVE BALLS TO SPARE. THE VOLTS CAN STILL MAKE THE SEMIS, HOWEVER, UNLESS THE MUMBAI INDIANS THRASH THE PERTH SCORCHERS TOMORROW. MARK HATHAWAY, ONE NEWS. THERE WERE CONVINCING WINS FOR BOTH ARSENAL AND CHELSEA IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE THIS MORNING. BUT NOT SO LUCKY FOR CELTIC, WHO NARROWLY LOST TO BARCELONA AFTER HAVING A PLAYER SENT OFF. THE BBC'S JOE WILSON REPORTS ON THE MATCHES. A YEAR AFTER THEY VISITED CELTIC AND LOST, BACK TO GLASGOW CAME BARCELONA WITHOUT INJURED LIONEL MESSI. WORRIED? WELL, THEY HAD TO FALL BACK ON NEYMAR, SIGNED FOR A MERE �50M. HE WAS CLOSE HERE. NEYMAR! SCOTT BROWN GOT NEAR TO NEYMAR IN THE SECOND HALF. CONTACT AS THE BRAZILIAN FELL AND A LITTLE WHEN HE WAS ON THE GROUND TOO. NEYMAR'S REACTION ` NOT SUBTLE. THE REFEREE SAW ENOUGH FOR A STRAIGHT RED CARD. STILL, CELTIC WAS 15 MINUTES FROM HOLDING OUT WHEN FABREGAS HEADED THE BALL EXACTLY WHERE THE GOALKEEPER WASN'T. AND 1-0 IT FINISHED. WHERE OTHER TEAMS TOIL ON THE TURF, ARSENAL RIGHT NOW ARE PLAYING ON SILK. IT'S THE CONFIDENCE WHICH COMES WHEN YOU'VE GOT MESUT OZIL IN THE CENTRE OF THINGS. HIS FIRST ARSENAL GOAL. AND THEY WERE 2-0 UP AGAINST NAPOLI AFTER 50 MINUTES. THE VISITORS BARELY HAD A KICK. OZIL TO GIROUD THIS TIME. NOTHING MORE NEEDED. CHELSEA'S SEASON HAD ALREADY REACHED THE STAGE WHEN A SCRAPPY GOAL AT STEAUA BUCHAREST WAS SIGNIFICANT. HAVING LOST AT HOME ALREADY IN EUROPE, CHELSEA REALLY NEEDED SOMETHING HERE. STILL, MOURINHO PLAYED IT COOL. AND HE WAS RIGHT TO. STAND BY FOR A CRACKING FINISH FROM DANIEL GEORGIEVSKI, A DEFENDER FOR THE ROMANIAN SIDE, PAST HIS OWN KEEPER. AND IN THE END, HE GETS AN OWN GOAL. AFTER THAT, YOU'D HAPPILY DISAPPEAR. INSTEAD, HE FOUND HIMSELF ENTANGLED IN THE WEB OF HIS OWN MISFORTUNE ` EVER MORE EMBARRASSING. WHEN LAMPARD BROUGHT THE NET INTO PLAY AGAIN IN THE 90TH MINUTE, IT WAS 4-0 TO CHELSEA. THE BIG STARS CAME OUT IN SYDNEY LAST NIGHT FOR THE DALLY M RUGBY LEAGUE AWARDS. THE RABBITOH'S OWNER RUSSELL CROWE PRESENTING THE BIG ONE ` A SHOWDOWN BETWEEN DALY CHERRY-EVANS FROM MANLY, JOHNATHAN THURSTON FROM NORTH QUEENSLAND, TODD CARNEY OF THE ROOSTERS, AND THE MELBOURNE STORM'S COOPER CRONK. SO THE WINNER OF THE 2013 DALLY M AWARD IS... COOPER CRONK. THE STORM HALFBACK USING HIS ACCEPTANCE SPEECH TO PAY TRIBUTE TO HIS TEAMMATES IN MELBOURNE. IT'S AN ABSOLUTE PRIVILEGE TO PLAY AT MELBOURNE STORM. I HAVE SOME VERY GOOD FRIENDS HERE, AND I THINK WE INSPIRE EACH OTHER TO BE BETTER EACH AND EVERY DAY AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN PASS THAT ON TO THE NEW RECRUITS IN THE MELBOURNE STORM TO COME. ORIGINALLY FROM BRISBANE, CRONK HAS BEEN WITH THE MELBOURNE TEAM SINCE 2003. THE ALL BLACKS HAVE COMPLETED THEIR FIRST SERIOUS TRAINING RUN IN JOHANNESBURG AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND'S CLASH WITH SOUTH AFRICA. THE TEAM WAS PUT THROUGH A SOLID TWO-HOUR SESSION IN WARM CONDITIONS, WITH ASSISTANT COACH IAN FOSTER PUTTING THE MATCH AGAINST THE SPRINGBOKS AT ELLIS PARK IN PERSPECTIVE. QUITE FRANKLY, IT IS A BIG GAME, AND THERE'S A TITLE ON THE LINE, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS ON THE LINE. SO IT'S A SIGNIFICANT GAME FOR BOTH TEAMS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A FEW OF THOSE, AND WE JUST NEED TO KEEP CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN. INJURED ALL BLACKS CAPTAIN RICHIE MCAW CAME THROUGH THE SESSION WELL AND LOOKS SET TO BE NAMED IN THE STARTING LINE UP. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE ONE NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY DESNEY SHAW AND RICHARD EDMUNDS. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR.