TONIGHT ` 'DEEPLY EMBARRASSED', SAYS ALL BLACK AARON CRUDEN, AFTER A BOOZY NIGHT SEES HIM DROPPED FROM THE SQUAD. AND HE'S NOT THE ONLY ALL BLACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT AFTER TWEETS WERE SENT OUT ON ELECTION DAY, BREAKING THE RULES. BUT'S WHO'S REALLY TO BLAME? HIP HOP MUSIC PLAYS AND FROM HIPPY WAIHEKE TO THE HIP HOP WORLD CHAMPS. JUST A SPOT OF SINGING, AND THESE SENIOR CITIZENS WILL BE THE TRUE TRIPLE THREAT. HOW THEY'VE BECOME DANCERS/ ACTORS! DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF TONIGHT, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. 'I HAVE NO EXCUSES'. AARON CRUDEN APOLOGISES AFTER BEING DROPPED FROM THE ALL BLACKS SQUAD FOLLOWING A NIGHT OF BOOZING. AS KRISTIN HALL REPORTS, THE FIRST-FIVE SAYS HE'S NEVER BEEN MORE DISAPPOINTED IN HIMSELF. IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG HANGOVER FOR AARON CRUDEN. IT'S OBVIOUSLY DISAPPOINTING. IT'S OUT OF CHARACTER FOR CRUDES. HE'S EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN HIMSELF. THE FIRST-FIVE HAS BEEN DUMPED FOR AT LEAST TWO TESTS AFTER FAILING TO SHOW UP AT THE AIRPORT WHEN HIS TEAMMATES HEADED OFF TO ARGENTINA, FOLLOWING A BOOZY NIGHT OUT. I GUESS WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES, AND LIKE OUR CHILDREN ` WE LOVE OUR CHILDREN, BUT SOMETIMES WE DON'T LIKE THEIR BEHAVIOUR. THE 25-YEAR-OLD SPENT THE DAY AT HOME IN HAMILTON WITH HIS AGENT, WHERE THEY PREPARED THIS STATEMENT. IT'S NOT YET CLEAR HOW CRUDEN GOT SEPARATED FROM HIS TEAMMATES, WHO ENJOYED A DRINK TOGETHER AT THIS AUCKLAND BAR ON SATURDAY NIGHT. THEY HAD DINNER, THEY ENJOYED THEMSELVES, THEY HAD A FEW BEERS, PLAYED POOL, TOOK PHOTOS WITH STAFF. 'THE ZOOKEEPERS SON' PUB TWEETING: BUT CRUDEN KICKED ON. I'M NOT GOING TO SPECULATE ON WHY HE WAS LATE, COS WE DON'T KNOW. BUT HE DID GO OUT WITH THE GROUP. THE REST GOT HOME AT A REASONABLE TIME; HE DIDN'T. FANS IN THE NUMBER 10'S HOMETOWN OF PALMERSTON NORTH SEEMED UNIMPRESSED BUT SYMPATHETIC. IT'S NOT SOMETHING I'D EVER DO IF I HAD A FLIGHT. I'D BE PRETTY MUCH WAITING AROUND TO GET THE CALL. I'M A FAN OF HIS, SO, HEY, GIVE HIM A CHANCE. IT IS A MISTAKE THAT ANYONE CAN MAKE, AND IT'S JUST HAD REALLY BAD CONSEQUENCES. COACH STEVE HANSEN'S KEEN TO GET THE NO TOLERANCE MESSAGE ACROSS. THE TEAM'S WELL AWARE THAT WHEN WE DON'T GET IT RIGHT, THERE IS A CONSEQUENCE. AND HE'S PAID THE PRICE FOR THAT. CRUDEN'S GOT FOUR WEEKS OF SOUL-SEARCHING TO DO BEFORE HE'S CONSIDERED FOR THE FINAL BLEDISLOE CUP TEST IN BRISBANE. KRISTIN HALL, ONE NEWS AND AARON CRUDEN CERTAINLY ISN'T THE FIRST ALL BLACK TO BLOW OUT AS A RESULT OF DRINKING TOO MUCH. HERE'S MELISSA STOKES WITH SOME OF OUR RUGBY STARS' WORST OFF-FIELD PERFORMANCES. THERE'S BEEN A ROLL CALL OF BAD ALL BLACK BEHAVIOUR THAT'S BLACKENED THE TEAM NAME. (SNIFFLES) I AM TRULY SORRY. NORM HEWITT IN 1999, AFTER BASHING HIS WAY INTO THE WRONG HOTEL IN QUEENSTOWN. I AM SO ASHAMED. SINCE THEN, A NUMBER HAVE BEEN FORCED TO MAKE THE WALK OF SHAME. YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM THE FACT THIS IS NOT A GOOD LOOK, SIMPLE AS THAT, ZAC GUILDFORD... I'D JUST LIKE TO APOLOGISE FOR MYSELF. ...ADMITTING HE WAS AN ALCOHOLIC AFTER HE WAS FOUND NAKED, BLEEDING AND THROWING PUNCHES AT PUB PATRONS IN RAROTONGA. I'M SORRY FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED. DOUG HOWLETT HIT TROUBLE OVERSEAS TOO, FILMING THIS CONFESSION... THERE WAS DRINK INVOLVED. ...IN THE LONDON HOTEL WHERE HE JUMPED ON PARKED CARS AFTER THE ALL BLACKS' EARLY EXIT FROM THE WORLD CUP IN 2007. JIMMY COWAN WAS CHARGED THREE TIMES IN THREE MONTHS FOR DRINKING. THIS IS MY PROBLEM, NOBODY ELSE'S. ALI WILLIAMS WAS BANISHED FROM SOUTH AFRICA BY THE BLUES FOR BAD BEHAVIOUR. THE PLAYER ADMITTED ALCOHOL HAD BEEN INVOLVED. MILS MULIAINA WAS CAUGHT SHORT URINATING IN A BAR. CORY JANE. JANE'S AWAY. CORY JANE HAD A BLINDER ON THE FIELD AT THE LAST WORLD CUP AND A BENDER OFF IT, WITH TEAMMATE ISRAEL DAGG. YEAH, I MADE A STUPID CHOICE THE OTHER NIGHT. CHOICES THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE REPEATED. WHETHER WE CAN COMPLETELY ERADICATE THE ODD INCIDENT ` WELL, I WOULDN'T LIKE TO PUT MONEY ON IT. AND PERHAPS THE MOST BIZARRE LATE NIGHT ESCAPADE ` TANA UMAGA HITTING HIS TEAMMATE CHRIS MASOE WITH A HANDBAG, REPORTEDLY TELLING HIM OFF FOR HIS BEHAVIOUR. MELISSA STOKES, ONE NEWS THE WORST OF THE WEATHER MAY HAVE PASSED, BUT DRIVERS ARE BEING URGED TO TAKE EXTRA CARE ON OUR ROADS TONIGHT. EARLIER, AROUND A DOZEN HEAVY HAULAGE TRUCKS GOT TRAPPED ON THE DESERT ROAD AFTER BECOMING STUCK IN SNOW. THOSE WHO HELPED CLEAR THE ROAD SAY IT HASN'T BEEN EASY. THE MAIN TROUBLE WE'RE SEEING WITH GETTING TRUCKS OUT IS TOW EYES. THEY WON'T HAVE ANY TOW CONNECTION ON THE FRONT OF THEIR VEHICLES, AND THEREFORE ONCE THEY LOSE TRACTION, WE CAN'T TOW THEM. AND THAT ACTUALLY HOLDS UP A LOT OF VEHICLES BEHIND THEM. WHEN TRUCKS ARE FORCED TO DETOUR, IT COSTS THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY AN ESTIMATED EXTRA $20,000 AN HOUR. ROADING CREWS WILL BE ON STANDBY OVERNIGHT IN CASE MORE BAD WEATHER HITS. AND WILD WINDS MEANT IT WASN'T THE BEST DAY TO BE IN THE AIR AROUND THE CAPITAL. MOST FLIGHTS IN AND OUT OF WELLINGTON WERE EITHER DELAYED OR CANCELLED. WE HAD SWELLS, WAVES UP TO 9M IN COOK STRAIT. WE'VE HAD WINDS AROUND COOK STRAIT GUSTING UP TO NEARLY 150KM/H. AND EVEN FOR WELLINGTONIANS, IT'S BEEN A PRETTY NASTY DAY. THE ROUGH SEAS ALSO FORCED THE CANCELLATION OR DELAY OF SOME INTERISLANDER FERRY SAILINGS. WHILE SERVICES ON THE WAIRARAPA, HUTT VALLEY AND MELLING TRAIN LINES GOT SUSPENDED. MEANWHILE, WINDS OF UP TO 90KM/H BROUGHT DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES IN AUCKLAND, CUTTING ELECTRICITY TO ABOUT 10,000 HOMES. VECTOR SAYS IT'S GOT CREWS WORKING TO GET POWER RESTORED TO ALL HOUSES TONIGHT. AND THE WINTRY BLAST ALSO LEFT ITS CALLING CARD IN THE SOUTH. SCHOOLS IN DUNEDIN'S HILL SUBURBS STARTED LATE, WHILE SNOW PLOUGHS ON THE CITY'S NORTHERN MOTORWAY KEPT TRAFFIC MOVING, ALBEIT SLOWLY. YEAH, THE TRUCKS HAVE BEEN SKIDDING AND JUST GOING NOWHERE. SO WE'VE BEEN HELPING OUT, PUTTING GRIT UNDER THEIR WHEELS, KEEP THEM GOING. FURTHER NORTH, STRONG WINDS BROUGHT A DUSTING OF SNOW TO BANKS PENINSULA, AS ACROSS THE SOUTH ISLAND, EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE LIVESTOCK, COPED WITH THE CHILLY DAY. A PRE-TRIAL HEARING FOR DOUBLE MURDER ACCUSED MARK LUNDY HAS BEGUN IN THE HIGH COURT IN WELLINGTON. SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE IS BEING EXAMINED AHEAD OF LUNDY'S TRIAL NEXT YEAR. ALL ARGUMENTS AND EVIDENCE HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED BY THE JUDGE ON THE GROUNDS IT COULD PREJUDICE A FAIR TRIAL. THE PRIVY COUNCIL THREW OUT LUNDY'S CONVICTIONS FOR KILLING HIS WIFE, CHRISTINE, AND DAUGHTER, AMBER, IN THEIR PALMERSTON NORTH HOME BACK IN 2000. THE MAN ACCUSED OF MURDERING CONNOR MORRIS CAN NOW BE NAMED. HE'S MICHAEL MURRAY. CONNOR MORRIS, WHO HAD ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE HEAD HUNTERS GANG, DIED LAST MONTH AFTER A FIGHT IN WEST AUCKLAND. MICHAEL MURRAY (33) HAD GONE TO THE COURT OF APPEAL TO KEEP HIS NAME A SECRET, BUT TODAY THAT BID WAS ABANDONED. DAVID CUNLIFFE WILL FACE HIS LABOUR CAUCUS FOR THE FIRST TIME TOMORROW WHEN IT MEETS TO DISCUSS WHAT WENT WRONG AFTER THAT DISMAL ELECTION RESULT. MEANWHILE, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A CASUALTY FROM THE ELECTION. JOHN KEY'S CONTROVERSIAL FORMER MEDIA MAN HAS QUIT AFTER 11 YEARS IN THE JOB. DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR MICHAEL PARKIN HAS ALL THE FALLOUT. DAVID CUNLIFFE IS HOLED UP AT HOME, REFUSING TO TALK TO MEDIA. HIS STAFF INITIALLY TOLD ONE NEWS HIS FLIGHT FROM AUCKLAND TO WELLINGTON WAS CANCELLED, THEN CLAIMING THAT WAS A MISCOMMUNICATION, AND IN FACT, THE LABOUR LEADER HAD SCRAPPED PLANS TO RETURN TO PARLIAMENT TODAY, LEAVING A POTENTIAL RIVAL IN THE LOOMING LEADERSHIP CONTEST TO DO THE TALKING. LOOK, I'VE PUT MY NAME UP BEFORE FOR THE LEADERSHIP, SO IT'S A JOB THAT I'VE PREVIOUSLY EXPRESSED INTEREST IN, SO I WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME NOW TO LISTEN. THE FORMER DEPUTY LEADER JOINED HIS FORMER LEADER DAVID SHEARER IN A STILL UNOFFICIAL RACE. DO YOU REGRET STANDING DOWN? > I DIDN'T WANT TO. I CERTAINLY WAS PUSHED INTO IT. MR CUNLIFFE WILL TOMORROW FACE A CAUCUS REDUCED IN NUMBERS AND REELING FROM LABOUR'S DEFEAT. BUT THERE WILL BE NO CONFIDENCE VOTE UNTIL THE SPECIAL VOTE RESULTS ARE OUT IN A FORTNIGHT, AS THE FUTURE OF SENIOR LABOUR MP ANDREW LITTLE STILL HANGS IN THE BALANCE. LABOUR'S NOT THE ONLY PARTY LOOKING FOR A FRESH START, THOUGH. JOHN KEY'S FORMER STAFFER JASON EDE, A CENTRAL FIGURE IN THE DIRTY POLITICS SAGA, HAS QUIT HIS JOB WITH THE NATIONAL PARTY. WE DIDN'T FORCE HIM OUT OF THE ORGANISATION. HE GENUINELY WANTED TO MOVE ON, BUT I THINK HE'S PROBABLY MADE THE RIGHT CALL. STRUGGLING TO MOVE AT ALL IS PETER DUNNE. UNITED FUTURE'S NOT ACTUALLY VITAL FOR NATIONAL ANY MORE, AS IT IS SET TO HAVE A ONE-SEAT MAJORITY AND COULD GOVERN ALONE. BUT MR DUNNE WILL BE A MINISTER AND ADMITS, LIKE HIS ANKLE, HIS BARGAINING POSITION IS WEAK. YOU'D BE QUITE HOPEFUL NATIONAL THAT ONE SEAT > THAT'S GIVING THEM THIS MAJORITY, THEN? > WELL, THAT WOULD MAKE THINGS MORE INTERESTING. THE SAME GOES FOR ACT'S NEW SOLO MP. < WILL YOU MAKE THAT REQUEST TO THE PRIME MINISTER TO BE A MINISTER? OH, SURE, WE'LL ASK. BUT THE REAL QUESTION IS ` IF THE FRESHLY MINTED MP FOR EPSOM COULD MAKE IT TO PARLIAMENT TODAY, WHY COULDN'T DAVID CUNLIFFE? MICHAEL PARKIN, ONE NEWS. NOW AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD SOME ALL BLACKS GOT IN TROUBLE FOR PUBLICALLY BACKING JOHN KEY'S NATIONAL PARTY ON ELECTION DAY. BUT IN THESE DAYS OF SO MUCH SOCIAL MEDIA AND ADVANCE VOTING, ARE THE RULES OUTDATED? DAMIAN CHRISTIE REPORTS. WHEN BEN GRANT WOKE UP ON SATURDAY MORNING, HE WENT TO READ THE HERALD ON HIS PHONE. HE WAS SO SURPRISED TO SEE A POLITICAL AD ON ELECTION DAY, HE TOOK THIS VIDEO. AND I REFRESHED, AND THE NEWS CONTENT WAS ALL TODAY'S NEWS, BUT THE AD STAYED, UM, AND I THOUGHT, 'THAT'S NOT RIGHT. THAT'S AGAINST THE LAW, ISN'T IT?' IT'S ILLEGAL TO RUN AN AD LIKE THIS ON ELECTION DAY BUT COMPLETELY LEGAL TO WALLPAPER TWO MAJOR NEWS WEBSITES THE DAY BEFORE ` THE DAY 160,000 PEOPLE CAST ADVANCED VOTES. SO WERE THOSE ADVANCE VOTERS UNFAIRLY SWAYED? I DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC'S SO STUPID THAT THEY CAN'T ACTUALLY SORT OUT WHAT THEY'RE SEEING WHEN THE MEDIA REPORT OR THAT SOMEONE CAMPAIGNS OR WHEN THEY SEND A TWEET. IT'S A BIT PATRONISING TO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE VOTERS FROM EVERYONE ELSE. THE RULES REQUIRE NO ELECTIONEERING ON ELECTION DAY. SO HOARDINGS MUST COME DOWN. NO CAMPAIGNING. NO ADS. THAT ALSO MEANS NO SOCIAL MEDIA, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE AN AUDIENCE OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FOLLOWERS. SOCIAL MEDIA IS A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME. THE ELECTORAL ACT WAS WRITTEN FOR SOMETHING MANY DECADES AGO. IT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED. IT NEEDS TO BE REFORMED. THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION SAYS IT CAN'T COMMENT ON WHETHER THE CURRENT RULES WORK OR NOT, BECAUSE IT'S UP TO PARLIAMENT TO CHANGE THEM. HOWEVER, THE COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND THAT PARLIAMENT LOOK CLOSELY AT THOSE RULES IN 2011. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS HE HOPES THE TWO RUGBY PLAYERS DON'T GET INTO TROUBLE FOR THEIR TWEETS, SUGGESTING EVEN IF THE GOVERNMENT HASN'T CHANGED, MAYBE THE RULES WILL. DAMIAN CHRISTIE, ONE NEWS. MEANWHILE IN FIJI, FRANK BAINIMARAMA HAS BEEN SWORN IN AS FIJI'S PRIME MINISTER AFTER HIS PARTY WON JUST OVER 59% OF THE VOTE IN LAST WEEK'S ELECTION. THE ELECTION WAS THE FIRST IN FIJI SINCE THE 60-YEAR-OLD SEIZED CONTROL IN A 2006 COUP. MR BAINIMARAMA SAYS HE PLANS TO TRAVEL TO THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN NEW YORK WHERE HE'LL DESCRIBE HIS NATION'S MOVE TO DEMOCRACY. OK, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I COULDN'T THINK OF ANYTHING WORSE THAN CAMPING OUT FOR DAYS TO BUY A NEW GADGET. FORTUNATELY, THERE'S NOW A WAY TO AVOID ALL THAT QUEUING BUSINESS AND STILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST IN LINE FOR NEW PRODUCTS. WILL HINE EXPLAINS. DOWN ON AUCKLAND'S QUEEN STREET, A WAITING GAME'S TAKING PLACE. THESE CUT-OUTS ARE QUEUING FOR THE LATEST APPLE PHONE. YOU USED TO HAVE TO LINE UP FROM MIDNIGHT AND BRAVE ALL THE NZ ELEMENTS THAT WE THROW AT YOU. BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, YOU CAN PICK YOUR EMOJI; IT WILL LINE UP FOR YOU. AN EMOJI BEING A CARTOON ICON. YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN THEM IN TEXT MESSAGES OR ON SOCIAL MEDIA. YOU CAN CHOOSE THE ICON THAT YOU THINK BEST REPRESENTS YOU. BUT THEY'RE NOT ALL DOPPELGANGERS OR, FOR THAT MATTER, HUMAN. EACH CARTOON CHARACTER WILL STAY IN PLACE UNTIL FRIDAY, WHEN THEIR OWNER WILL COME AND COLLECT NOT JUST THEM BUT ALSO A NEW PHONE INSIDE. THIS ONE HERE, 14TH IN LINE, IS ALBERT CHAN. MEANWHILE, THE REAL ALBERT IS WORKING AWAY IN HIS OFFICE ACROSS TOWN. YOU KNOW, I WOULD MUCH PREFER SITTING IN AN OFFICE, ALL WARM AND DRY, THAN OFF STANDING IN THE RAIN. SO WHILE FANS OVERSEAS WAIT THEIR TURN TO BUY A PHONE IN PERSON, KIWIS IN THE FIVE MAIN CENTRES HAVE THE CHOICE OF A VIRTUAL QUEUE INSTEAD. < IT'S NOT JUST, WHAT, A GIMMICKY MARKETING CONCEPT, THIS ONE, < TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THEY NEED A NEW IPHONE? I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST IPHONE LAUNCHES IN NZ DESERVES ONE OF THE BIGGEST MARKETING PLOYS, ABSOLUTELY. BUT JUST AS APPLE IS OFTEN ACCUSED OF COPYING COMPETITORS' PHONE FEATURES, THIS VIRTUAL QUEUING PROMOTION BY SPARK FOLLOWS ONE RUN BY APPLE'S ARCH-RIVAL SAMSUNG LAST YEAR. < WE WOULDN'T FIND YOU IN A SAMSUNG QUEUE? NO, I'M A DIEHARD IPHONE FAN. THIS IS THE NEW FACE OF THE APPLE FANATIC. WILL HINE, ONE NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` IF THERE'S ELEVATOR MUSIC ON THE WAY UP, IT MIGHT JUST TAKE THE SHINE OFF THIS IDEA ` FROM LIFT-OFF TO JUST... A LIFT. JAPAN'S PLAN TO GET YOU INTO SPACE. AND THE LATEST IN PET PAMPERING ` A DOGGY DIP-AND-DRY TAKING DEUTSCHLAND BY STORM. UPBEAT MUSIC Back, back. If it's time to transform your bathroom... And left hand down. ...or your outdoors,... Keep coming, keep coming. Keep coming. Stop. ...everything you need is at Mitre 10 Mega. TURKEY HAS STARTED CLOSING MOST OF ITS BORDER CROSSINGS WITH SYRIA AFTER THE ENTRY OF MORE THAN 130,000 REFUGEES OVER THE PAST TWO DAYS. MOST OF THE REFUGEES ARE FROM KOBANE, A TOWN THAT'S UNDER THREAT FROM ADVANCING ISLAMIC STATE MILITANTS. TONIGHT ONLY TWO OUT OF TURKEY'S NINE BORDER POSTS WITH SYRIA ARE STILL OPEN. BEFORE THIS LATEST INFLUX, THERE WERE ALREADY MORE THAN ONE MILLION SYRIANS REFUGEES IN TURKEY. THE WIFE OF A BRITISH MAN BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY ISLAMIC STATE MILITANTS IN SYRIA HAS MADE A PUBLIC APPEAL TO HIS CAPTORS. IN A STATEMENT, BARBARA HENNING'S PLEADED WITH THEM TO RELEASE HER HUSBAND, ALAN, SAYING HE'S A PEACEFUL AND SELFLESS MAN. THE TAXI DRIVER (47) AND FATHER-OF-TWO WAS VOLUNTEERING AS AN AID WORKER WHEN HE WAS TAKEN PRISONER LAST DECEMBER. AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF TURMOIL IN MUCH OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD, POPE FRANCIS HAS EXTENDED AN OLIVE BRANCH. HE'S ARRIVED IN ALBANIA ON HIS FIRST VISIT TO A MUSLIM MAJORITY COUNTRY. THE PONTIFF WARNED THAT RELIGION CAN NEVER BE USED TO JUSTIFY VIOLENCE, AND HE PRAISED THE MUTUAL TRUST BETWEEN CATHOLICS, ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS IN ALBANIA. SECURITY WAS TIGHT FOR THE VISIT, AMID RUMOURS OF A JIHADIST PLOT AGAINST THE 77-YEAR OLD. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO FLEE THEIR HOMES AS WILDFIRES BURN ACROSS FIVE STATES ON AMERICA'S WEST COAST. A HUGE BLAZE IN THE ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA IS THOUGHT TO HAVE RIPPED THROUGH MORE THAN 300,000HA. THERE'S NO WORD ON WHEN RESIDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES. AUTHORITIES ARE NOW WORRIED THUNDERSTORMS FORECAST FOR SOME AREAS COULD SPARK NEW FIRES. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS DEMANDING ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE. THE PROTESTS, AHEAD OF A UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE SUMMIT IN NEW YORK TOMORROW, ARE A BID TO PUT PRESSURE ON WORLD LEADERS TO CUT CARBON EMISSIONS. UN SECRETARY GENERAL BAN KI MOON, A CAMERA-SHY LEONARDO DICAPRIO AND FORMER US VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE JOINED THE MARCH IN MANHATTAN. AND IN LONDON, 40,000 PROTESTERS, INCLUDING ACTRESS EMMA THOMPSON, MARCHED PAST THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. THEY'VE CALLED FOR A BOYCOTT OF COMPANIES THAT PROFIT FROM FOSSIL FUELS. AFTER A 10-MONTH JOURNEY, A NASA SATELLITE HAS BEGUN ORBITING MARS. THE MARS ATMOSPHERE AND VOLATILE EVOLUTION SPACECRAFT, OR MAVEN FOR SHORT, TRAVELLED MORE THAN 700 MILLION KILOMETRES TO REACH THE RED PLANET. MAVEN WON'T BE TOUCHING DOWN ON THE SURFACE, THOUGH, INSTEAD STUDYING THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE TO SHED MORE LIGHT ON HOW MARS LOST ITS WATER. IN A GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND, A JAPANESE COMPANY'S WORKING TO BUILD AN ELEVATOR TO CARRY PEOPLE INTO SPACE BY 2050. ABC'S MATTHEW CARNEY EXPLAINS. THE JAPANESE CONSTRUCTION GIANT OBAYASHI SAYS THE ELEVATOR WILL REACH 96,000KM INTO SPACE. ROBOTIC CARS WILL CARRY PEOPLE AND CARGO AT A FRACTION OF THE COST OF ROCKETS TO A NEWLY BUILT SPACE STATION. THE COMPANY SAYS THE FANTASY CAN BECOME A REALITY BECAUSE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARBON NANOTECHNOLOGY. BUT TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGHS ARE NEEDED. CURRENTLY THEY CAN ONLY BUILD SMALL LENGTHS OF THE CABLE. UNIVERSITIES ALL OVER JAPAN ARE TRYING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. (EXCLAIMS IN JAPANESE) AT KANAGAWA UNIVERSITY, THIS TEAM IS INVESTIGATING THE ROBOTIC CARS OR CLIMBERS. TRANSLATOR: WE'RE STUDYING WHAT MECHANISMS ARE NEEDED IN ORDER TO ASCEND AT DIFFERING ALTITUDES AND THE BEST BRAKE SYSTEM. (SPEAKS JAPANESE) A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL STUDY IN 2012 CONCLUDED THAT THE SPACE ELEVATOR IS FEASIBLE. I DON'T THINK THAT ONLY ONE COMPANY CAN MAKE OR EVEN THE ONE COUNTRY CAN MAKE. I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF ORGANISATION ` INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION ` TO MAKE THIS BIG PROJECT. EXPERTS SAY IT COULD END THE ROCKET ERA AND OPEN THE WAY FOR WIDESPREAD SOLAR ENERGY USE. AND IT MAY NOT BE TOO LONG BEFORE THE MOON COULD BE THE NEXT MUST-SEE TOURIST DESTINATION. YOU MAY THINK IT'S BARKING MAD, BUT A NEW INDOOR POOL IN GERMANY THAT'S EXCLUSIVELY FOR DOGS HAS PROVEN TO BE A HUGE HIT. THE POOL, IN THE TOWN OF HANAU, HAS ONLY BEEN OPEN A MONTH, BUT LOVING DOG OWNERS BRING THEIR PETS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FOR A DIP. ONCE THEY'VE HAD A SPLASH, AND LATHERING AND RINSING IS COMPLETE, THEY ARE DRIED AND STYLED IN LITTLE CABINS THAT HAVE HAIRDRYERS INSTALLED. DON'T GO AWAY. I'VE GOT ALL YOUR WEATHER, AND IT'S A REFRESHING PICTURE, ON THE WHOLE, AFTER A WILD DAY OUT. WE MAY BE OLD, BUT WE'RE WILLING TO RISK A LOT. FRESH FROM THE D'FLOOR, NZ'S HIP OP-ERATION CREW ARE MAKING THEIR BIG-SCREEN DEBUT. A GROUP OF SENIOR CITIZENS ON AUCKLAND'S WAIHEKE ISLAND HAVE PROVED GETTING OLDER DOESN'T HAVE TO MEAN LIFE GETS DULLER. THEY'RE PART OF THE DANCE CREW HIP OP-ERATION, AND AFTER TAKING THEIR MOVES GLOBAL, THEY'RE NOW STARS OF THEIR OWN FILM. DANIELLE STANBURY WAS AT TONIGHT'S PREMIERE. WAHHHHHHH! AS IF BEING THE WORLD'S OLDEST DANCE TROUPE WASN'T ENOUGH, NOW THESE SENIOR HIP HOPPERS ARE MOVIE STARS AS WELL. WE'LL STILL DO OUR OWN SHOPPING. (LAUGHS) THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING! AFTER TAKING THE KIWI DANCE SCENE BY STORM, THE OLDIES FROM WAIHEKE TRAVELLED TO LAS VEGAS TO PERFORM IN LAST YEAR'S HIP-HOP WORLD CHAMPS. THEY'VE CERTAINLY TAKEN OFF IN THEIR OWN RIGHT AND BECOME SOME KIND OF PHENOMENON. THE 90-MINUTE DOCUMENTARY SHOWS THEM TACKLING ALL THE USUAL CHALLENGES FACING A NEW CREW; LIKE REMEMBERING CHOREOGRAPHY... PUT YOUR HAND ON YOUR CRUTCH. I DON'T HAVE A CRUTCH. I HAVE A CROTCH. ...AND CHOOSING MUSIC. I MUST ADMIT IM NOT A FAN OF THE MUSIC. BUT IT ALSO REVEALS SOME OF THE MORE UNUSUAL ISSUES THAT HAD TO BE OVERCOME. I'M JUST WORRIED ABOUT GETTING MY SHOES ON, THAT'S ALL. BEING THE AGE THAT THEY ARE, THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTOR, THE CAMERA, THE SOUND, MANY OF THE HIP OP-ERATION MEMBERS, AGED BETWEEN 67 AND 95, CAN'T WALK PROPERLY. SEVERAL ARE DEAF AND ONE IS BLIND. STILL, THEY MANAGED TO WOW BOTH ON THE STAGE IN VEGAS AND AT THEIR VERY OWN MOVIE PREMIERE. IT'LL CERTAINLY CHANGE THE VIEWS OF A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF OLD PEOPLE. WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN, AND MAYBE CONNECT WITH YOUNG PEOPLE SO YOUNG PEOPLE CAN SEE BEING OLD IS NOT QUITE AS BAD. AND LAS VEGAS ISN'T THE PENSIONERS LAST PERFORMANCE. IN NOVEMBER THEY'RE ON STAGE IN TAIWAN. BUT THEY'RE NOT LETTING THE FAME GO TO THEIR HEADS. YOU CAN'T SAY WE'RE MOVIE STARS. WE'RE JUST A BUNCH OF OLD GERIATRICS, AREN'T WE? AND THE FILM HIP HOPERATION WILL BE IN CINEMAS AND THE FILM HIP HOPERATION WILL BE IN CINEMAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THIS THURSDAY. AND TO HONOUR THEM, HERE'S SOME OLD-SCHOOL FUNK WITH YOUR WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ THAT'S IT FOR US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR JOINING US. POMARIE. CAPTIONS BY JUNE YEOW AND ANNE LANGFORD