DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. A SUCCESS OR A FLOP? POLITICAL LINES ARE DRAWN OVER THE MERIDIAN SHARE FLOAT. BRITAIN'S MOST FAMOUS BABY FROCKS UP FOR HIS SECOND PUBLIC OUTING. AND SONNY BILL'S ALL FIRED UP AHEAD OF THE KIWI'S WORLD CUP DEBUT. NATIONAL AND OPPOSITION PARTIES ARE SQUARING OFF OVER THE MERIDIAN SHARE FLOAT, AS THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO RAISE AT LEAST $5B FROM ASSET SALES SEEMS INCREASINGLY UNLIKELY. GOVERNMENT MINISTERS ARE HAILING THE MERIDIAN SALE A SUCCESS, BUT LABOUR AND THE GREENS SAY IT'S ANYTHING BUT. DANIELLE STANBURY HAS MORE. IT'S NOT THE PRICE THE GOVERNMENT WAS HOPING FOR, BUT NATIONAL'S STILL CALLING THE MERIDIAN ENERGY FLOAT A SUCCESS. THE GOVERNMENT'S GETTING $1.9B OF CASH WHICH WE CAN USE TO PUT IN THE FUTURE INVESTMENT FUND AND THEN INVEST THAT INTO OTHER IMPORTANT SOCIAL PROJECTS. THE OFFER HAS ATTRACTED 62,000 INVESTORS, JUST HALF THE NUMBER THAT OPTED FOR MIGHTY RIVER POWER SHARES A FEW MONTHS AGO. FOR 1.4% OF THE POPULATION ` IT'S A DISASTER. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THE LOW RESPONSE IS THE OPPOSITION'S FAULT FOR THEIR PLANS TO REFORM AND NATIONALISE THE ELECTRICITY SECTOR. WE HAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT QUITE A LOT OF MUM-AND-DAD INVESTORS WERE SCARED OFF BY THE LABOUR-GREENS POLICY. FOR THEIR PART, LABOUR AND THE GREENS ARE ACCUSING NATIONAL OF BEING OUT OF TOUCH. BILL ENGLISH MOVES IN A CIRCLE OF PEOPLE, THE TOP 1%, WHO'VE ALL GOT MONEY AND GO, 'WELL, WE CAN AFFORD TO BUY SHARES IN THESE COMPANIES.' BUT THE OTHER 99%, OUT IN THE REAL WORLD, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY SHARES IN THESE COMPANIES. THAT'S WHY THIS ASSET-SHARES PROGRAMME IS A COMPLETE FLOP. ANALYSTS SAY THE FUTURE SHARE PRICE WILL BE STRONGLY INFLUENCED BY NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS. IF IT LOOKS LIKE THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT WILL GET IN POWER, THEN MIGHTY RIVER POWER WILL LIKELY TRADE DOWN. AND THE OPPOSITE ` IF IT LOOKS LIKE NATIONAL WILL GET BACK INTO POWER ` THEN THE SHARES WILL PROBABLY TREND UP. THE GOVERNMENT HAD HOPED TO RAISE $5B FROM THE SALE OF ASSETS, BUT THAT'S LOOKING INCREASINGLY UNLIKELY. THERE'S NO WAY THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THE $5B AT ALL, PARTICULARLY ONCE WE GET OUR REFERENDUM. WHEN WE OUTLINED THAT RANGE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ONE ADDITIONAL COMPANY WHICH WAS VALUED AT SEVERAL BILLION DOLLARS AT THE TIME ` THAT WAS SOLID ENERGY. MERIDIAN WILL BE FLOATED NEXT TUESDAY. THE BIG QUESTION IS WHETHER ITS SHARES WILL HOLD THEIR VALUE OR FALL LIKE THOSE FOR MIGHTY RIVER POWER. DANIELLE STANBURY, ONE NEWS. FIREFIGHTERS IN NEW SOUTH WALES ARE GETTING SOME WELCOME RELIEF FROM THE WEATHER AS COOLER TEMPERATURES AND OVERNIGHT SHOWERS HELP BRING BLAZES UNDER CONTROL. A MASSIVE FIRE THREATENING HOMES NEAR NEWCASTLE HAS BEEN CONTAINED, AND THE MAIN HIGHWAY HAS NOW BEEN REOPENED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. SOME EVACUATED RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO RETURN HOME, BUT AUTHORITIES ARE WARNING PEOPLE TO REMAIN ON HIGH ALERT. MEANWHILE, THE ARMY HAS LAUNCHED ITS OWN INVESTIGATION INTO AN EXPLOSIVES TRAINING EXERCISE WHICH THE RURAL FIRE SERVICE CLAIMS CAUSED THE BLAZE WHICH DESTROYED SEVERAL HOMES AND BUSINESSES AS WELL AS THOUSANDS OF HECTARES OF BUSH IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS. MEANWHILE, AUSTRALIA'S PRIME MINISTER TONY ABBOTT IS DISPUTING CLAIMS THERE'S A LINK BETWEEN BUSHFIRES AND CLIMATE CHANGE. HIS COMMENTS COME AFTER A TOP UN OFFICIAL TOLD REPORTERS GLOBAL WARMING IS ABSOLUTELY LINKED TO WILDFIRES AND HEATWAVES AND SAID THE WORLD IS ALREADY PAYING THE PRICE OF CARBON. MR ABBOTT SAYS WHILE HE AGREES THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL, THE FIRES ARE JUST PART OF THE AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE. THE QUEEN AND THREE FUTURE KINGS WERE ALL GATHERED IN LONDON THIS MORNING FOR THE CHRISTENING OF BABY PRINCE GEORGE. THE SMALL, PRIVATE SERVICE WAS HELD AT ST JAMES' CHAPEL IN LONDON, WHERE PRINCE WILLIAM'S MOTHER, PRINCESS DIANA'S, BODY ONCE LAY. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT GARTH BRAY WAS OUTSIDE THE CHAPEL. PRINCE WILLIAM JIGGLED GEORGE IN HIS HANDS AS THE TINY PRINCE, DRESSED IN A REPLICA VICTORIAN LACE CHRISTENING GOWN, MET HIS GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, THE QUEEN. THE CEREMONY MARKS HIS ENTRY INTO THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. HE'LL ONE DAY BE ITS SUPREME GOVERNOR. THESE PICTURES ARE THE FIRST SINCE BABY GEORGE MADE HIS PUBLIC DEBUT. OFFICIAL PORTRAITS WON'T BE RELEASED FOR ANOTHER DAY. EVIDENTLY, THE PRINCE WANTED THE CEREMONY LOW-KEY. CAMERAS HAD BEEN ALLOWED INSIDE AT HIS OWN BAPTISM. HERE, JUST ONE WAS GIVEN A FIXED POSITION IN THE COURTYARD. THE REST CRUSHED AROUND THE ENTRANCE OF ST JAMES' PALACE. IN SOME CONTRAST TO WILLIAM'S OWN CHRISTENING 31 YEARS AGO, THIS IS AS CLOSE AS THE MEDIA ARE ALLOWED TO BE FOR HIS SON GEORGE'S. IT'S AN ICONIC OCCASION, TO BE SURE, BUT ALSO A VERY PRIVATE ONE, SAYS THE FAMILY ` ALTHOUGH ONE LOOK AT THE CROWDS TELLS YOU IT'S ANYTHING BUT. WE WANT TO SHARE IT WITH THEM. WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT WE'RE HAPPY FOR THEM, AND WE ARE HAPPY FOR THEM, AREN'T WE? THE COUPLE HAS CHOSEN SEVEN GODPARENTS, MOST OF THEM FRIENDS FROM CHILDHOOD AND UNIVERSITY DAYS, A BREAK WITH TRADITION AND A FURTHER NOD TO RELATIVE INFORMALITY. ONLY ONE IS A ROYAL ` COUSIN ZARA TINDALL, WIFE OF FORMER ENGLAND RUGBY PLAYER MIKE. ANOTHER, JAMIE LOWTHER-PINKERTON, IS A FORMER SAS OFFICER WHO SERVED AS THE PRINCE'S PRIVATE SECRETARY FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS AND AS A MENTOR. JULIA SAMUEL WAS A CLOSE FRIEND OF PRINCESS DIANA AND RUNS A CHARITY OF WHICH WILLIAM IS THE PATRON. THERE WAS MORE RECOGNITION OF HIS DEPARTED MOTHER AT THE SERVICE. ST JAMES' CHAPEL WAS ALSO WHERE HER BODY LAY BEFORE BURIAL. NOW IT WILL BE A PLACE WITH HAPPIER MEMORIES FOR THE FAMILY. GARTH BRAY, ONE NEWS, LONDON. THE INDEPENDENT POLICE CONDUCT AUTHORITY SAYS OFFICERS WERE JUSTIFIED IN FATALLY SHOOTING A TEENAGER AFTER A PURSUIT NEAR HASTINGS. THE AUTHORITY SAYS LACHAN KELLY-TUMARAE POINTED A SHOTGUN AT AN OFFICER IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF A PATROL CAR IN MARCH 2011. THE OFFICER DISCHARGED 14 ROUNDS OF HIS GLOCK PISTOL. THE AUTHORITY SAYS THE OFFICER GENUINELY BELIEVED HIS LIFE WAS IN IMMINENT DANGER. RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE DROPPED PIRACY CHARGES AGAINST GREENPEACE ACTIVISTS INVOLVED IN AN ARCTIC PROTEST AGAINST OIL DRILLING. 30 ACTIVISTS, INCLUDING TWO NZ MEN, WERE ARRESTED LAST MONTH AND HAVE BEEN DETAINED IN RUSSIA EVER SINCE. THE PIRACY CHARGES HAVE NOW BEEN REPLACED WITH A LESSER CHARGE OF HOOLIGANISM, WHICH STILL CARRIES UP TO SEVEN YEARS IN JAIL. GREENPEACE SAYS IT'LL CONTINUE TO STRONGLY CONTEST THE CHARGES. THE UNION REPRESENTING POSTAL WORKERS SAYS IT'S SHOCKED AND DISAPPOINTED AT THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO ALLOW NZ POST TO CUT URBAN MAIL DELIVERY DOWN TO JUST THREE DAYS A WEEK, WITH THE LOSS OF HUNDREDS OF JOBS. THE DECREASE WILL START IN 2015, BUT EXCLUDES RURAL AREAS, WHICH WILL STILL RECEIVE MAIL FIVE TIMES A WEEK. THE EMPU HAS ACCUSED THE GOVERNMENT OF FOCUSING ON PROFIT RATHER THAN PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO KIWIS. THE LABOUR PARTY SAYS IT COULD OFFER FINANCIAL INCENTIVES TO HELP KEEP BUSINESSES OPEN IN SMALL TOWNS. LEADER DAVID CUNLIFFE SAYS MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES TO THE REGIONS. HE ISN'T RULING OUT OFFERING TAX BREAKS AND SAYS WHERE MAJOR EMPLOYERS DO LEAVE A TOWN, LABOUR WOULD ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE TO KEEP SKILLED WORKERS IN THE REGION. BUT THE GOVERNMENT SAYS JOBS ARE CREATED AND LOST IN THE REGIONS ALL THE TIME. A 25-YEAR-OLD MAN HAS BEEN JAILED FOR NEARLY SIX YEARS AFTER ADMITTING TO A MANSLAUGHTER IN KAPITI LAST YEAR. TRISTIM LEE EASTHAM STABBED SEAN STRONGMAN-LINTERN TO DEATH IN A KAPITI COAST CAR PARK DURING A FIGHT IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR. EASTHAM'S JUST BEEN SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS, 11 MONTHS IN PRISON. THE KILLING WAS JUST WEEKS AFTER ANOTHER MAN WAS STABBED TO DEATH IN THE SAME AREA, PROMPTING TIGHTER LIQUOR CONTROLS AND AN INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE IN THE AREA. TRANSPORT INVESTIGATORS HAVE ORDERED KIWIRAIL TO IMPROVE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS AFTER A COMMUTER TRAIN DERAILED, INJURING FOUR WELLINGTON COMMUTERS IN MAY. AN OBJECT CAME THROUGH THE FLOOR OF THIS CARRIAGE, FORCING KIWIRAIL TO STOP ALL TRAIN SERVICES. 3000 COMMUTERS WERE EVACUATED, MOST FORCED TO TRAVEL BY FOOT. THE INVESTIGATION IS LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY THAT TWO SPLIT PINS WERE LEFT OFF DURING MAINTENANCE, ALLOWING A PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY TO WORK LOOSE. IN AN AWKWARD DIPLOMATIC INCIDENT, GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL HAS CALLED US PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TO DISCUSS CLAIMS AMERICA HAS BEEN MONITORING HER PERSONAL CELL PHONE CALLS. THIS FROM THE ABC'S MARTHA RADDATZ. LIKE ALMOST EVERYONE ELSE IN THE MODERN WORLD, CHANCELLOR MERKEL SPENDS A LOT OF TIME ON HER CELL PHONE. AND WHETHER IT'S WRITING EUROPE'S ECONOMY OR CHATTING WITH FAMILY, SHE ASSUMES IT'S PRIVATE ` WHICH IS WHY TODAY'S ACCUSATION IS SPARKING OUTRAGE. GERMAN OFFICIALS TODAY SAY THEY HAVE... PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS IN TOUCH WITH MERKEL ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE PRESIDENT ASSURED THE CHANCELLOR THAT THE UNITED STATES IS NOT MONITORING, AND WILL NOT MONITOR, THE COMMUNICATIONS OF THE CHANCELLOR. BUT LISTEN CAREFULLY. HE SAID 'IS NOT MONITORING' AND 'WILL NOT MONITOR'. THAT LEAVES OUT WHETHER SHE HAS BEEN MONITORED IN THE PAST. THIS UPROAR FOLLOWS REPORTS OF NSA SPYING IN FRANCE, MEXICO AND BRAZIL, ALMOST ALL BASED ON LEAKS FROM FORMER NSA CONTRACTOR EDWARD SNOWDEN. TONIGHT PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS SUPPOSED TO HOST BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT. THAT WAS BEFORE SHE CANCELLED OVER THOSE ACCUSATIONS THE NSA WAS SPYING ON HER. RIGHT NOW THESE REVELATIONS ARE CLEARLY EMBARRASSING THE US AND LEAVING OUR GREATEST ALLIES A LOT LESS FRIENDLY. INVESTIGATORS ARE COMPARING DNA SAMPLES FROM EIGHT MISSING CHILDREN WITH THOSE TAKEN FROM THE LITTLE GIRL JUST KNOWN AS 'MARIA' WHO WAS TAKEN FROM A ROMA GYPSY CAMP IN GREECE. IT COMES AS AUTHORITIES REMOVED A SECOND CHILD FROM A SIMILAR COMMUNITY IN IRELAND. CHANNEL 9'S AMELIA BALLINGER REPORTS. IT WAS A TIP-OFF FROM THE PUBLIC THAT LED POLICE IN DUBLIN TO THE COUPLE. THE BLONDE-HAIRED, BLUE-EYED GIRL THEY WERE RAISING IN A IRISH ROMA GYPSY COMMUNITY ALL OF A SUDDEN SEEMED OUT OF PLACE. A WEEK AFTER YOUNG MARIA WAS DISCOVERED IN A SIMILAR CAMP IN GREECE, THE WHOLE WORLD IS ON ALERT. THE PARENTS OF LISA IRWIN ARE AMONG THE HOPEFUL FAMILIES WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO AUTHORITIES. THEIR DAUGHTER VANISHED FROM THEIR KANSAS CITY HOME TWO YEARS AGO. PLEASE BRING HER HOME. OUR TWO OTHER BOYS ARE WAITING FOR HER. PLEASE JUST DROP HER OFF ANYWHERE. WE DON'T CARE. JUST SOMEWHERE SAFE WHERE SHE CAN COME HOME, PLEASE. THIS IS WHAT LISA IRWIN WOULD MOST LIKELY LOOK LIKE NOW. HER PARENTS HAVE SAID... BELIEVED TO BE 5 OR 6 YEARS OLD, MARIA IS STILL IN HOSPITAL AND HAS BEEN UPSET AND CONFUSED, WHILE THE COUPLE WHO CLAIM TO BE HER PARENTS HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH CHILD ABDUCTION. WHAT STARTED AS A RAID FOR DRUGS AND WEAPONS HAS TURNED INTO AN ENORMOUS INTERNATIONAL MYSTERY WITH ONE VERY VULNERABLE LITTLE GIRL IN THE MIDDLE. AT LEAST SEVEN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED DURING CLASHES BETWEEN POLICE AND PROTESTORS ON THE STREETS OF TUNISIA. THOUSANDS OF PROTESTORS TOOK TO THE STREETS, CALLING FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP DOWN IMMEDIATELY. THE COUNTRY'S POLITICAL SITUATION HAS BEEN IN CRISIS SINCE THE ARAB SPRING RIOTS IN 2011. THE SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT'S REJECTED CALLS TO COOPERATE WITH AN INTERNATIONAL ENQUIRY INTO HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AHEAD OF A COMMONWEALTH CONFERENCE THERE. SRI LANKA'S ACCUSED OF WAR CRIMES DURING THE FINAL MONTHS OF ITS CIVIL WAR THAT ENDED FOUR YEARS AGO. ACCORDING TO THE UN, 40,000 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND TENS OF THOUSANDS MORE SIMPLY DISAPPEARED. THE BBC'S FEARGAL KEANE REPORTS. IN THE TAMIL NORTH, THE YOUNG ARE MARCHING TO WELCOME THE COMMONWEALTH. A LOCAL TV STATION ORGANISED THE RALLY. THEY PASS THE GIANT MEMORIAL CELEBRATING THE ARMY'S VICTORY OVER THE TAMIL TIGERS. IN THIS TRIUMPHANT VISION OF SRI LANKA'S PRESENT, PEACE REIGNS. THE STATE PROJECTS ITSELF AS FIRM BUT BENIGN. THESE ARE CIVIL DEFENCE MEMBERS, TAMILS EMPLOYED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE LOCAL SECURITY. INFRASTRUCTURE IS BEING REPAIRED; THERE HAVE BEEN THE FIRST PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS IN DECADES; AS PART OF WHAT THE GOVERNMENT CALLS ITS RECONCILIATION AGENDA, SOME 12,000 FORMER TAMIL TIGER DETAINEES HAVE BEEN RELEASED. BUT CHALLENGING THAT OFFICIAL NARRATIVE IS THE EVIDENCE OF UN INVESTIGATORS AND MAJOR HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS. THEY DESCRIBE A COUNTRY WHERE REPRESSION IS WIDESPREAD, AND THE SECURITY FORCES CAN ACT WITH IMPUNITY. GROUP HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH SAYS RAPE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE ARE WIDELY USED AGAINST DETAINEES, SOMETHING THE GOVERNMENT DENIES. THE GRAVEST ABUSES ARE SAID TO HAVE HAPPENED AT THE WAR'S END. IN THIS REGION, WHERE PEOPLE'S BELONGINGS ARE STILL SCATTERED, A UN PANEL OF EXPERTS SAYS UP TO 40,000 MAY HAVE DIED AMID FIERCE SHELLING OF WHAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE ZONES. THE GOVERNMENT FEELS IT SHOULD BE CONGRATULATED FOR DEFEATING THE TAMIL TIGERS, AN ORGANISATION ACCUSED BY THE UN OF USING CIVILIANS AS HUMAN SHIELDS AND OF SHOOTING PEOPLE TRYING TO FLEE AT THE WAR'S END. THE POPE HAS ORDERED A GERMAN BISHOP KNOWN AS THE LUXURY BISHOP TO LEAVE HIS DIOCESE AND HIS $62M HOME. THE BISHOP'S HOUSE INCLUDES A $6M PRIVATE CHAPEL AND A $50,000 CONFERENCE TABLE. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN AN EMBARRASSMENT FOR THE POPE, WHO HAS STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMILITY AND SERVING THE POOR. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` IN MARKET NEWS, THE KIWI DOLLAR PLUNGES FROM A FIVE-MONTH HIGH. AND IN SPORT, CAN SONNY BILL WILLIAMS JUSTIFY HIS LATE ADDITION TO THE KIWIS' WORLD CUP SQUAD? S WITH ME NOW IS JEREMY TWISS FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. GOOD AFTERNOON, JEREMY. THIS ITEM WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. FOR MORE, GO TO ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND CLICK ON 'BUSINESS'. THE NZ DOLLAR PLUMMETED THIS MORNING. WHAT'S THAT ABOUT? Currency markets were in turmoil yesterday after reports of bad debts. The Australian dollar fell as well. We saw a one cent move against the US dollar. Things have stabilised today. MERIDIAN PRICED LATE LAST NIGHT. WHAT DO THE RESULTS OF THIS OFFER TELL US ABOUT DEMAND? Less people participated this time around, but Kiwis will get 90% of the shares they applied for. Around this level, the dividend looks like a round 8%. The price earnings ratio for Meridian was low. The shares begin trading on Tuesday. THANK YOU, JEREMY TWISS FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. CODE HOPPER SONNY BILL WILLIAMS CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE FIELD FOR THE KIWIS FIRST WORLD CUP GAME AGAINST SAMOA ON MONDAY. WILLIAMS WAS KEEN TO PLAY IN THE TEAM'S WARM-UP MATCH AGAINST THE COOK ISLANDS, BUT SAYS HE NEEDED A FEW WEEKS TO GET USED TO THE KIWIS' GAME PLAN. HE SAYS COMPARED TO THE RUGBY WORLD CUP, THINGS ARE A LITTLE MORE RELAXED, AT LEAST OFF THE FIELD. COMPETITIVELY, I BELIEVE RUGBY LEAGUE IS A LOT TOUGHER, JUST BECAUSE IN RUGBY, I PLAYED IN THE BACKS WITH THE PRETTY BOYS, KICKING STONES OUT WIDE, DOING OUR HAIR, AND IN RUGBY LEAGUE, I'M IN THE MIDDLE DOING THE HARD YARDS. THE 28-YEAR-OLD HASN'T SPOKEN TO COACHES ABOUT WHAT POSITION HE'LL PLAY, BUT SAYS HE'LL DO WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR THE TEAM. WHAT IS CLEAR, THOUGH, IS THAT BOXING IS DEFINITELY OFF THE CARDS FOR NOW. THE NEXT THREE YEARS, IN MY HEAD, IS MAPPED OUT, AND I GUESS THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY TIME IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS FOR BOXING. SO MAYBE AFTER THAT WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. WILLIAMS SAYS HE'S FITTING INTO THE TEAM WELL DESPITE BEING A LATE ADDITION. IN FOOTBALL, THE NZ UNDER-17 SIDE HAS BEEN KNOCKED OUT OF THE WORLD CUP IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AFTER A LOSS TO THE IVORY COAST. THE AFRICANS SCORED FIRST AFTER 25 MINUTES, AND THINGS ONLY GOT WORSE FOR THE KIWIS AFTER THAT. NICK FORRESTER EARNED HIS SECOND YELLOW CARD AND WAS PROMPTLY GIVEN HIS MARCHING ORDERS. IT WILL BE ANOTHER CARD. AND THAT, FOR FORRESTER, IS THE WORST POSSIBLE NEWS. A MAN DOWN, THE NZ SIDE CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE IN THE SECOND HALF, FINISHING THE GAME 3-0 DOWN. AND IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, MANCHESTER CITY HAVE MADE AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT TO UEFA FOLLOWING THEIR GAME IN MOSCOW. THE ENGLISH TEAM WON THE MATCH, BUT WERE UNHAPPY WITH RACIST CHANTING FROM THE RUSSIAN CROWDS. THE BBC'S JOE WILSON REPORTS. BEFORE KICK-OFF IN MOSCOW, A GESTURE AGAINST RACISM CARRIED, DUTIFULLY, BY THE PLAYERS. DOES IT MEAN ANYTHING? MANCHESTER CITY RESCUED THEIR HOPES OF PROGRESSING IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WITH A GUTSY VICTORY, COMING FROM A GOAL BEHIND TO BEAT CSKA MOSCOW 2-1 WITH SERGIO AGUERO'S WINNING HEADER. THEN THE LOWEST POINT. YAYA TOURE WAS FOULED HERE, BUT HIS APPEAL TO THE REFEREE WAS ABOUT THE MONKEY CHANTS HE SAYS HE HEARD FROM A SECTION OF THE HOME SUPPORTERS. AFTER THE MATCH, HE ASKED UEFA TO FINALLY TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION AGAINST RACISM. AS HE PUT IT, 'EVERY TIME WE SAY SOMETHING, IT CONTINUES. 'SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE TO STOP IT.' A VERY DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE IN MANCHESTER. SIR ALEX FERGUSON HAS BEEN SETTLING SOME SCORES VIA A BOOK THIS WEEK. THERE'S A PRESSING NEED TO PROGRESS WITHOUT HIM FOR MANCHESTER UNITED. MAGICAL WORK BY WAYNE ROONEY IN THE BUILD-UP. DEFENDER MARTINEZ SEEMED BEWITCHED ` SOME OWN GOAL. IT STAYED NERVY UNTIL THE END BECAUSE UNITED COULDN'T MANAGE ANOTHER GOAL, HARD AS THEY TRIED, 1-0 IS A STEP FORWARD IN DAVID MOYES' BOOK. IN CRICKET, NZ HAS DOMINATED DAY THREE OF THE SECOND TEST AGAINST BANGLADESH IN DHAKA. COREY ANDERSON SCORED HIS MAIDEN TEST CENTURY WITH A CALCULATED DOMINANCE OF THE BANGLADESH ATTACK. IS THAT ENOUGH? I RECKON THAT THAT MIGHT BE IT. IT IS. BEAUTIFUL SHOT TO PICK UP HIS FIRST TEST-MATCH 100. WELL DONE, YOUNG MAN. THEY ARE REALLY HAPPY, ON THEIR FEET. EXCELLENT EFFORT. ANDERSON'S 116 LED THE WAY FOR THE KIWIS AS THEY ENDED THE DAY ON 419/8, A LEAD OF 137. BREAKERS CENTRE JEREMIAH TRUMAN IS RELISHING THE PROSPECT OF COMING UP AGAINST HIS FORMER CLUB AND FIERCE RIVALS PERTH IN AUCKLAND TONIGHT. TRUMAN WAS WITH THE WILDCATS WHEN THEY LOST THE LAST TWO GRAND FINALS TO THE NZ CLUB. DESPITE A NEW COACH AND SEVERAL NEW PLAYERS, HE SAYS PERTH WILL STILL BE AFTER REVENGE. THE CORE GROUP'S STILL THERE AND ` AS I DO ` STILL FEEL THE PAIN FROM THE LAST FEW YEARS. SO WHENEVER THEY PLAY THE BREAKERS, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS THERE. IF PERTH DO WIN, IT'LL SNAP A 16-MATCH WINNING STREAK FOR THE BREAKERS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. AND THE BIGGEST HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN YOU'VE EVER SEEN. NOW TO THE WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ THE WORLD'S LARGEST PUMPKIN HAS GONE ON DISPLAY AT THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDENS. WEIGHING NEARLY 1000KG, THE PUMPKIN WAS GROWN BY A CALIFORNIA COUPLE IN JUST UNDER FOUR MONTHS BEFORE BEING USED AS THE BASE FOR THIS SCULPTURE. THE MASSIVE GOURD IS THE CENTREPIECE IN A 500-PUMPKIN DISPLAY PUT TOGETHER FOR HALLOWEEN. THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE ONE NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY FAITH HAMBLYN AND TRACEY DAWSON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2013