A FREAK ACCIDENT SPARKS A SEARCH IN MT MAUNGANUI A CANDLELIT VIGIL HAS BEEN HELD AT MT MAUNGANUI TONIGHT AS FEARS GROW FOR A BOY (5) SWEPT OUT TO SEA NEAR THE POPULAR BEACH IN THE BAY OF PLENTY. THE BOY WAS PLAYING WITH HIS TWO OLDER COUSINS WHEN THEY WERE ENGULFED BY A MASSIVE WAVE. HERE'S SHARON FERGUSSON WITH THE LATEST. THE SEARCH IS NOW BEING CALLED OFF FOR THE EVENING, AND POLICE ARE GOING TO REASSESS THE SITUATION IN THE MORNING. THERE ARE STILL A FEW PEOPLE GATHERED HERE. IT'S A VERY SAD SCENE. IT'S A LOCAL FAMILY, A LOCAL BEACH. UM, IT'S A LITTLE BEACH ABOUT FIVE OR 10 MINUTES WALK FROM HERE, JUST AROUND THE BASE OF THE MOUNT. IT'S A, SORT OF, A SHELLY BAR. PEOPLE OFTEN STOP THERE TO TAKE PHOTOS BECAUSE IT'S QUITE A BEAUTIFUL SPOT. IT'S VERY RUGGED, AND IT FACES THE PREVAILING SWELL, AND ON A DAY LIKE TODAY, WHEN THE SWELL HAS BEEN 3M TO 4M, THOSE ROGUE WAVES HAVE COME IN, AND ONE'S OBVIOUSLY CAUGHT THIS FAMILY OUT AND LEFT THE WHOLE TOWN, BASICALLY, IN SHOCK. FROM MT MAUNGANUI, THAT'S SHARON FERGUSSON. A FREAK ACCIDENT WITH NO ONE TO BLAME. THAT'S HOW POLICE ARE DESCRIBING TODAY'S INCIDENT. SO WHAT DID HAPPEN? HERE'S DANIELLE STANBURY WITH HOW EVENTS UNFOLDED. MT MAUNGANUI BY CANDLELIGHT. TONIGHT DOZENS OF PEOPLE GATHERED TO HOLD A VIGIL AFTER THE FREAK ACCIDENT THAT LEFT A BOY (5) LOST AT SEA. WAVES ROAR WAVES ROAR EARLIER TODAY, THE UNUSUALLY HIGH SURF COINCIDED WITH A KING TIDE, CREATING 4M SWELLS AND EXTREMELY CHALLENGING CONDITIONS FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES AS THEY DESPERATELY TRIED TO LOCATE THE MISSING CHILD. WE'VE TOLD THE FAMILY WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO FIND THEIR YOUNG 5-YEAR-OLD SON. THE LOCAL BOY WAS PLAYING AT SHELLY BEACH WITH MEMBERS OF HIS EXTENDED FAMILY WHEN A HUGE WAVE SWAMPED THEM. HE AND TWO OF HIS OLDER COUSINS WERE SWEPT OUT TO SEA. THE TWO YOUNG GIRLS HAVE MANAGED TO MAKE THEIR WAY BACK TO SHORE. THE 12- AND 14-YEAR-OLD WERE TAKEN TO TAURANGA HOSPITAL WITH SCRAPES AND BRUISES BUT HAVE SINCE BEEN DISCHARGED. THE 5-YEAR-OLD, HOWEVER, IS PROVING HARDER TO FIND. HELICOPTERS SEARCHED FROM THE SKY WHILE RESCUE BOATS SCOURED THE WATER, WHILE ON LAND, ALL EYES WERE ON THE HORIZON. WE'VE HAD SEARCH AND RESCUE FROM HERE. LOCALLY, WE HAVE HAD COASTGUARD FROM MAKATU, AND LOCALLY, THE SURF LIFESAVING CLUB HERE, WHICH HAS BEEN FANTASTIC. WEATHER FORECASTERS SAY A WEAKENING LOW HAS WHIPPED UP THE SEA ALONG THE BAY OF PLENTY COASTLINE. THINK OF IT AS A BATHTUB. YOU POUND YOUR FIST, AND THE RIPPLES EMANATE OUT. SO THAT HAS SEEN HIGHER SWELLS TO EASTERN AREAS OF THE NORTH ISLAND. AFTER EIGHT HOURS, THE SEARCH HAS BEEN CALLED OFF. IT'LL RESUME AT FIRST LIGHT TOMORROW DANIELLE STANBURY, ONE NEWS. POLICE HAVE TONIGHT LAUNCHED A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION AFTER A MAN WAS FOUND DEAD IN HUNTLY. THE MAN'S BODY WAS DISCOVERED SHORTLY AFTER 8 IN THE GARDEN OF A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. POLICE ARE NOW SECURING THE SCENE BEFORE BEGINNING A FULL FORENSIC EXAMINATION. DAVID CUNLIFFE JUST CAN'T SEEM TO CATCH A BREAK. FRESH FROM LEADING LABOUR TO ITS WORST ELECTION RESULT IN DECADES. HIS SUPPORT BASE SEEMS TO HAVE ALL BUT DISAPPEARED, AND NOW HIS WIFE'S CONFESSED TO MAKING ANONYMOUS ATTACKS ON HER HUSBANDS'S RIVALS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. POLITICAL EDITOR CORIN DANN HAS THE DETAILS. WHILE OFTEN SEEN BY HIS SIDE, DAVID CUNLIFFE'S WIFE SELDOM SEEKS THE LIMELIGHT, MAKING HER ANONYMOUS SOCIAL MEDIA ATTACK ON HER HUSBAND'S RIVALS THIS WEEK ALL THE MORE SURPRISING. I THINK SHE WAS SEEKING TO PROTECT HER FAMILY. PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. I THINK THIS IS GUTTER STUFF, AND I THINK WE HAVE GOT TO RISE ABOVE IT. AND I THINK IT'S A SHAME DAVID IS USING OTHERS TO DO THIS SORT OF THING. IN THE TWEETS, MS PRICE CLAIMED SENIOR LABOUR MPS CLAYTON COSGROVE AND TREVOR MALLARD WERE JEALOUS AND PAST THEIR USE BY DATES. SHE ALSO CLAIMED THEY WERE PART OF A CAUCUS FACTION KNOWN AS THE 'ANYONE BUT CUNLIFFE', OR ABC. WE WERE EXTREMELY LOYAL TO DAVID, AS I SAID. WHEN HE CALLED US ALL SCABS, WE SAID NOTHING. WHEN HE APOLOGISED FOR BEING A MAN, WHICH WAS BIZARRE IN ITSELF, WE SAID NOTHING. I DON'T DEFEND THE STATEMENTS. WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT SHE BELIEVED SHE WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING BY HER FAMILY. IN A STATEMENT TODAY, MS PRICE APOLOGISED FOR SETTING UP THE ACCOUNT AND STRESSED SHE DEEPLY REGRETTED THE COMMENTS. SHE SAYS HER ACTIONS WERE ILL-JUDGED AND THE RESULT OF EXTREME FRUSTRATION, AND HER HUSBAND DIDN'T KNOW SHE'D SET UP THE ACCOUNT. DAVID CUNLIFFE ALSO INSISTS HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT HIS WIFE'S COMMENTS, BUT ADMITS HIS OWN OFFICE-RUN TWITTER ACCOUNT WAS FOLLOWING HER. THAT ACCOUNT DID FOLLOW US, AND THEN LATER UNFOLLOWED US, AND IT WAS FOLLOWED WHEN IT FIRST FOLLOWED US. MR CUNLIFFE'S EXPLANATION, IF YOU CAN FOLLOW IT, ADDS FURTHER CONFUSION TO AN ALREADY DIVISIVE LEADERSHIP BATTLE. AND IT ADDS PRESSURE, TOO, TO THE NEW STOP-GAP LEADERS TO STOP THINGS SPIRALLING OUT OF CONTROL. WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A SEEMLY MANNER. RIVAL CANDIDATE GRANT ROBERTSON WON'T COMMENT ON KAREN PRICE'S TWEETS, BUT SAYS THE RACE DOES NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL. WE'VE GOT A CODE OF CONDUCT THAT GOVERNS ELECTIONS CONTESTS IN THE PARTY, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL ADHERE TO THAT. THE PARTY'S HIERARCHY WILL SAY TOMORROW WHEN THE LEADERSHIP RACE WILL FORMALLY BEGIN, PUTTING THE PRESSURE ON ANY OTHER CANDIDATES TO PUT UP THEIR HANDS. CORIN DANN, ONE NEWS. THE FIRST CASE OF EBOLA HAS BEEN CONFIRMED IN THE UNITED STATES. A MAN IN A TEXAS HOSPITAL IS TONIGHT DOING HIS BEST TO FIGHT OFF THE DEADLY VIRUS AS AUTHORITIES DESPERATELY TRY TO TRACK DOWN ANYONE ELSE HE MIGHT HAVE INFECTED. THIS FROM CHANNEL 9'S CHRISTINE AHERN. IT'S WHAT HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN FEARING ` TODAY, CONFIRMATION EBOLA HAS REACHED AMERICA. WE RECEIVED IN OUR LABORATORY TODAY SPECIMENS FROM THE INDIVIDUAL, TESTED THEM, AND THEY TESTED POSITIVE FOR EBOLA. A MAN LEFT LIBERIA IN WEST AFRICA, ARRIVING IN TEXAS ON SEPTEMBER 20TH, BUT SHOWED NO SIGNS OF EBOLA ON THE PLANE. HE STARTED TO FEEL ILL FOUR DAYS LATER, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL THE 26TH HE SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION. DESPITE HIS TRAVEL HISTORY, SOMEHOW HIS SYMPTOMS WERE MISSED. ON THE 28TH HE WAS FINALLY ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL. THAT'S A FOUR-DAY PERIOD HE WAS INFECTIOUS AND MINGLING WITH THE COMMUNITY. IT IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE THAT SOMEONE WHO HAD CONTACT WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL ` A FAMILY MEMBER OR OTHER INDIVIDUAL ` COULD DEVELOP EBOLA IN THE COMING WEEKS. HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE NOW RACING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ANYONE COULD DEVELOP EBOLA IN THE COMING WEEKS. WHO MAY HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THIS MAN DURING HIS INFECTIOUS PERIOD AND ARE MONITORING THEM FOR THREE WEEKS. THEY'RE NO REVEALING HIS FLIGHT DETAILS, SAYING THERE'S ZERO RISK OF TRANSMISSION ON THE PLANE. THE MAN IS CURRENTLY IN INTENSIVE CARE IN ISOLATION. SO FAR EBOLA HAS CLAIMED MORE THAN 3000 LIVES IN WEST AFRICA, BUT WITH BETTER HYGIENE STANDARDS HERE, HEALTH OFFICIALS MOVE QUICKLY TO ALLAY FEARS OF AN OUTBREAK. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE'LL STOP THIS IN ITS TRACKS IN THE US, BUT I ALSO HAVE NO DOUBT THAT AS LONG AS THE OUTBREAK CONTINUES IN AFRICA, WE NEED TO BE ON OUR GUARD. THE NUMBER OF PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTESTERS IN HONG KONG IS GROWING RAPIDLY BY THE HOUR. RIGHT NOW IT'S 5.30 IN THE EVENING IN HONG KONG. AS THESE LIVE PICTURES SHOW, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE ONCE AGAIN FILLED UP THE MAIN PROTEST SITE. BUT THE ATMOSPHERE SEEMS TO BE CALMER COMPARED TO EARLIER IN THE WEEK. THE PROTESTERS SET TODAY, CHINA'S NATIONAL DAY, AS THE DEADLINE TO HAVE THEIR DEMANDS MET, BUT SO FAR CHINESE LEADERS HAVE REFUSED. ABC'S SARAH CLARKE IS IN HONG KONG. HE'S THE EMBATTLED LEADER SO MANY PROTESTERS WANT TO TALK TO, BUT ON CHINA'S NATIONAL PUBLIC HOLIDAY, C Y LEUNG KEPT A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE RALLY, ATTENDING THE CEREMONY TO MARK CHINA'S NATIONAL DAY. POLICE WEREN'T TOLERATING ANY OPPOSITION, WITH ONE PROTESTER HAULED AWAY. ANOTHER MADE A SILENT STATEMENT, BRINING WITH HIM AN UMBRELLA, WHICH HAS BECOME THE SYMBOL OF THIS PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT. I THINK WE HAVE DESTROYED THE VALUES OF HONG KONG EARLIER THIS WEEKEND BY SHOOTING TEAR GAS AT CHILDREN. AFTER FOUR DAYS OF DEMONSTRATIONS AND NO TALKS, THEY'RE LOSING PATIENCE. WE NEED REAL DEMOCRACY AND WE NEED UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE. YEAH. BUT HONG KONG'S POLITICAL LEADER HAS CALLED FOR PATIENCE. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT A DESIRABLE REFORM PACKAGE. MORE ROADS WERE CLOSED, AND THE DEMONSTRATIONS SPREAD TO NEIGHBOURING DISTRICTS, WITH PROTESTERS COMING PREPARED IN CASE EVENTS TURNED UGLY. POLICE WERE BUSSED IN AND ON STANDBY, BUT STUDENTS WERE BUSY KEEPING ORDER AND CLEANING UP. I FEEL VERY HAPPY, ACTUALLY, THAT THIS PROTEST HAS BEEN SOME OF THE MOST POLITE, SOME OF THE MOST ORDERLY I'VE EVER SEEN. HONG KONG IS SUCH A CROWDED, BUSY PLACE, AND TO SEE EVERYBODY JUST SITTING DOWN AND` I DON'T KNOW. IT'S JUST QUITE PEACEFUL, AND IT'S SUCH A CHANGE FROM NORMAL LIFE. BUT AS LONG AS THIS BLOCKADE CONTINUES, BUSINESSES LIKE THESE REMAIN CLOSED. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE RETAIL DISTRICT IN HONG KONG, AND JEWELLERY STORES, OUTLETS SELLING LUXURY BRANDS AND BANKS HAVE HAD THEIR SHUTTERS DOWN ALL WEEK. BUT WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT UNLIKELY TO BE SWAYED BY THE PROTEST, THIS HAS TURNED INTO A WAITING GAME. AND THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG SPILT OVER TO NZ TODAY. PROTESTERS GATHERED OUTSIDE CHINA'S EMBASSY IN WELLINGTON WITH BLACK UMBRELLAS AND YELLOW RIBBONS, WHILE ANOTHER GROUP MET IN AUCKLAND, KEEN HAVE THEIR DEMANDS HEARD THAT CHINA RESPECTS HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE FREEDOM TO PROTEST. THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE REALLY HAD SOMETHING TO FIGHT FOR AND ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE WE BELONG. LIKE, WE ARE PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG. PROTESTERS HERE WANT NZ'S GOVERNMENT TO USE ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA TO PUSH FOR CHANGE. ANTI-OIL EXPLORATION PROTESTERS DISRUPTED A SPEECH BY ENERGY MINISTER SIMON BRIDGES AT AN AUCKLAND CONFERENCE TODAY. MR BRIDGES SAYS PROTESTORS SHOULD LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS EXPLORATION BRINGS TO TARANAKI. IT BRINGS IN $2.5B OR THEREABOUTS PER ANNUM; $800M FOR THE GOVERNMENT; IN TERMS OF JOBS, ABOUT 7000 DIRECT JOBS IN THAT AREA. PROTESTORS PLAN TO CONTINUE THEIR FIGHT AGAINST STATOIL, THE NORWEGIAN COMPANY DUE TO START EXPLORATION OFF THE NORTHLAND COAST IN DECEMBER. POLICE ARE PATTING THEMSELVES ON THE BACK AFTER THE LATEST STATISTICS SHOW A DROP IN CRIME. CRIMINAL OFFENDING FELL 4.1% IN PAST YEAR AND 20% IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. MURDER, MANSLAUGHTER AND ATTEMPTED MURDER CRIMES DROPPED BY 16.7% COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR BUT ONLY 42.3 PERCENT OF ALL CRIMES GOT RESOLVED. AND ONE REASON LESS THAN HALF OF REPORTED CRIMES ARE RESOLVED IS THE FACT THAT ONLY 13% OF BURGLARIES ARE SOLVED, AND THAT DRAGS DOWN THE OVERALL STATISTICS. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SUNNY DAYS THAT MAKES YOU IMMEDIATELY PLAN YOUR NEXT BARBEQUE, BUT FOR MANY OF US, IT MIGHT BE A BARBIE SANS BEEF. DROUGHT IN THE US AND AUSTRALIA HAS HELPED DRIVE A GLOBAL SHORTAGE OF STEAK, AND AS SARAH WELLS REPORTS, THAT'S PUSHING PRICES HERE TO RECORD LEVELS. THESE BEEF BULLS AT THE RONGOTEA SALE IN THE MANAWATU ARE IN HOT DEMAND. 11.75! (BANGS GAVEL) FOR FARMERS, PRICES ARE HIGH. VERY BUOYANT. PROBABLY THE STRONGEST THEY'VE EVER BEEN. BEEF PRICES ARE DEFINITELY ON THE MOVE, LIFTING. THE GRASS HAS GOT A BIT TO DO WITH IT; THE DOLLAR'S DROPPING. BEEF'S VERY CONFIDENT. THERE'S SOME VERY CONFIDENT FARMERS OUT THERE. ECONOMISTS SAY THAT'S BECAUSE GLOBALLY THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF MEAT. PRICES FOR EXPORTED BEEF TO THE UNITED STATES ` THE KIND THAT GOES INTO AMERICAN HAMBURGER PATTIES ` IS 65% HIGHER THAN THIS TIME LAST YEAR. THE ONLY UNFORTUNATE THING FOR NZ IS THE BIG RUN-UP IN PRICES IS AT A TIME WHEN OUR PRODUCTION IS AT ITS LOWEST. BUT NOW OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, NZ'S PRODUCTION WILL START TO PICK UP, SO IF THINGS STAY AS THEY ARE, WE ARE IN FOR SOME VERY GOOD RETURNS FOR PROCESSERS AND NZ FARMERS. BUT THAT MEANS SUPERMARKET PRICES ARE LIKELY TO JUMP TOO. WE EXPECT OVER SPRING AND HEADING TOWARDS CHRISTMAS THAT WE WILL SEE THE IMPACT OF OVERSEAS DEMAND, COMBINED WITH INCREASING DEMAND IN THE LOCAL MARKET, ON PRICES. INDUSTRY SOURCES SAY PRICES COULD GO UP AS MUCH AS 20% OVER THE COMING MONTHS. BOTH SUPERMARKET GROUPS SAY THEY WILL TRY AND KEEP PRICES DOWN. EXPERTS SAY LOCAL SHORTAGES MAY MEAN MORE AUSTRALIAN BEEF IS SOLD HERE. WELL THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT'S HAPPENED TRADITIONALLY, BUT WE HAVE A SIMILAR SITUATION IN AUSTRALIA, WHERE THEY'RE RAPIDLY RUNNING OUT OF STOCKS AS WELL. FOR FARMERS HERE, THEY JUST HOPE THE DEMAND FOR BEEF STICKS AROUND. SARAH WELLS, ONE NEWS. MORE COULD STILL BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE WELLBEING OF OLDER PEOPLE IN NZ. THAT'S THE REACTION TO A GLOBAL SURVEY THAT'S RANKED US THE TENTH BEST PLACE TO LIVE IF YOU'RE OVER 60. THE AGEWATCH SURVEY COMPARED 96 COUNTRIES, AND WHILE NZ SCORED EXTRA POINTS FOR THE NUMBER OF OVER 65S IN PAID WORK, PERSONAL SAFETY AND ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT LET US DOWN. WE DO NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT AREAS LIKE TRANSPORTATION, ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION, OLDER PEOPLE FEELING ISOLATED, BEING ISOLATED IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SOCIAL ISOLATION LEADS TO POORER HEALTH OUTCOMES. NORWAY, SWEDEN AND SWITZERLAND ARE THE TOP THREE BEST PLACES TO BE OLD IN, WHILE MOZAMBIQUE AND AFGHANISTAN ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RANKINGS. IF THE WARM WEATHER WASN'T ENOUGH TO CONVINCE YOU SUMMER'S ON ITS WAY, TODAY MARKED THE START OF THE FISHING SEASON. HAPPY ANGLERS FLOCKED TO THE REMOTE POOLBURN RESERVOIR IN CENTRAL OTAGO TO THROW OUT THEIR FIRST LINE OF THE SEASON. WELL, IT COULDN'T BE BETTER. IT'S ABSOLUTELY GLORIOUS. WEE BIT OF RIP ON THE WATER, AND NICE AND WARM, AND SO THE TROUT ARE NICE AND CLOSE TO THE EDGES. WENT OVER, SAW A TROUT, AND YEAH, ABOUT TWO CASTS, AND IT WAS JOB ON, SO, YEAH, QUITE STOKED. AND MORE GOOD NEWS ` NIWA IS PREDICTING FAVOURABLE FISHING WEATHER FOR MOST OF SPRING. JUST AHEAD ` A SPANISH CAVER SPENDS 12 DAYS TRAPPED UNDERGROUND AND LIVES TO TELL THE TALE. A DESPERATE WIFE'S PLEA TO HER HUSBAND'S CAPTORS IN SYRIA. AND IN THE WATER HE WAS FAST AND DECORATED. ON THE LAND ITS NOT WORKED OUT SO WELL FOR MICHAEL PHELPS. IRAQI KURDISH TROOPS SAY THEY'VE DRIVEN MILITANTS FROM A STRATEGIC BORDER CROSSING WITH SYRIA. THEY WERE HELPED BY BRITISH TORNADO JETS, FIRING AT BORDER TARGETS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE ENTERING THE CONFLICT. NEW PICTURES ARE ALSO IN OF A CHRISTIAN TOWN RECLAIMED BY KURDISH FORCES. TALESSKEF WAS ONCE HOME TO 10,000 PEOPLE. IT'S BEEN DESERTED SINCE ISLAMIC STATE FIGHTERS WIRED IT WITH EXPLOSIVES WHILE RETREATING IN MID-AUGUST. AUSTRALIA'S PRIME MINISTER HAS WEIGHED INTO THE DEBATE ABOUT THE WEARING OF BURKAS. PARLIAMENT'S SPEAKER AND THE SENATE PRESIDENT ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING A REQUEST TO BAN PEOPLE WEARING FACIAL COVERINGS INSIDE GOVERNMENT HOUSE. TONY ABBOTT SAYS HE FINDS THE BURKA HOSTILE AND WISHES IT WASN'T WORN IN AUSTRALIA. NOW, I'VE SAID BEFORE THAT I FIND IT A FAIRLY CONFRONTING FORM OF ATTIRE. UM, FRANKLY, I WISH IT WAS NOT WORN. COULD I, UH, CAUTION PEOPLE, UH, ABOUT MAKING, UH, MOUNTAINS OUT OF MOLEHILLS. UH, HAS ANYONE EVER SOUGHT ENTRY TO THIS BUILDING SO ATTIRED? UM, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, NO. A DECISION ON THE ISSUE IS EXPECTED TO BE MADE NEXT WEEK. THE WIFE OF A BRITISH AID WORKER BEING HELD BY ISLAMIC MILITANTS IS BEGGING THEM TO LET HIM LIVE. BARBARA HENNING HAS APPEALED FOR MERCY FOR HER HUSBAND, ALAN, WHO WAS CAPTURED IN SYRIA IN DECEMBER. I HAVE A FURTHER MESSAGE FOR ISLAMIC STATE; WE HAVE NOT ABANDONED ALAN, I HAVE A FURTHER MESSAGE FOR ISLAMIC STATE; WE HAVE NOT ABANDONED ALAN, AND WE CONTINUE IN OUR ATTEMPTS TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU. I HAVE HAD NO CONTACT FROM ISLAMIC STATE HOLDING ALAN OTHER THAN AN AUDIO FILE OF HIM PLEADING FOR HIS LIFE. I ASK AGAIN, SUPPORTED BY THE VOICES ACROSS THE WORLD, FOR ISLAMIC STATE TO SPARE ALAN'S LIFE. EARLIER THIS MONTH, ISIS THREATENED TO KILL MR HENNING IN A VIDEO SHOWING THE BEHEADING OF ANOTHER BRITISH HOSTAGE. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SAYS IT'S DOING ALL IT CAN TO SECURE ALAN HENNING'S RELEASE. A SPANISH CAVER IS NOW RECOVERING IN HOSPITAL AFTER SPENDING 12 DAYS TRAPPED UNDERGROUND IN A DEEP CAVE IN PERU. THE SPELEOLOGIST IS BELIEVED TO HAVE SUFFERED SPINAL INJURIES AFTER FALLING 5M INSIDE THE CAVE, WHICH IS SITUATED IN A REMOTE RAVINE. OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST MICHAEL PHELPS HAS APOLOGISED AFTER BEING CAUGHT DRINK-DRIVING. THE AMERICAN SWIMMER FAILED A BREATH TEST AFTER BEING PULLED OVER FOR SPEEDING AND CROSSING THE LINES INSIDE A BALTIMORE TUNNEL. THE MOST DECORATED OLYMPIAN OF ALL TIME WAS TRAVELLING AT 135KM/H, NEARLY DOUBLE THE SPEED LIMIT. IT'S THE SECOND DRINK-DRIVING CHARGE FOR PHELPSM WHO'S ATTEMPTING TO MAKE AN OLYMPIC COMEBACK TWO YEARS AFTER RETIRING. JUST AHEAD ` TOMORROW'S WEATHER AND... JUST WHEN IT SEEMED REALITY TV PRODUCERS COULDN'T DREAM OF ANYTHING MORE EXTREME THAN THIS... ...TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. TWO STRANGERS TETHERED TOGETHER BY A ROPE AS THEY TRY TO SURVIVE IN THE WILD. SURELY THIS IS THE BOTTOM OF THE REALITY TV BARREL? This is $156,000 in real shredded cash. 156,000 ` that's how much interest BNZ could help you shred off your mortgage with our tailored home loan. And you could pay it off over 11 years faster than a standard mortgage. Bring your home loan to BNZ and see how much you could shred. BNZ ` be good with money. SOME WEEKS AGO, WE BROUGHT YOU THE STORY OF THE NEW WAVE OF REALITY TV PROGRAMMES. SAME GENERAL THEMES, LIKE SURVIVING ON AN ISLAND OR FINDING A LOVE CONNECTION, BUT ALL DONE NUDE. WELL, IF THAT WASN'T BAD ENOUGH THERE'S A NEW TWIST, AND AS ABC'S LINSEY DAVIS REPORTS, IT'S GOT SOME QUESTIONING IF REALITY TV HAS FINALLY GONE TOO FAR. JUST WHEN IT SEEMED REALITY TV PRODUCERS COULDN'T DREAM OF ANYTHING MORE EXTREME THAN THIS... I'M NAKED IN THE LAND OF VENOMOUS SNAKES. ...OR THIS,... I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO BUY YOU A DRINK YET. ...TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. LET'S DO THIS. SO GOODBYE TO FREEDOM. DISCOVERY'S NEW SERIES, TETHERED, FEATURES TWO STRANGERS BOUND TOGETHER BY A 6FT ROPE AS THEY TRY TO SURVIVE IN THE WILD. WE'RE PRETTY CONTRASTING PEOPLE. SEE IF WE CAN MAKE IT WORK. COMPETITION IN THE RATINGS RACE IS NOW HEATING UP TO THE POINT THAT IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO MERELY SURVIVE EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES, LIKE THE FIRST GENERATION OF REALITY TV. LEX, THE TRIBE HAS SPOKEN. THERE'S THE DESIRE TO HAVE SOMETHING NEW; SOMETHING FRESH. CONSIDER THE ANTE UPPED. THE PREMISE? SIX DUOS, COMPLETE OPPOSITES LIKE KEITH, THE NAVY VET, AND WILLOW, THE FREE-SPIRITED YOGI. HAVING THIS TETHER ON IS A PAIN IN THE <BLEEP>. I WOULD EQUATE IT TO BEING MARRIED TO THE WORST WOMAN YOU COULD EVER THINK OF. TETHERED TOGETHER FOR 10 TO 12 DAYS WHILE THEY NAVIGATE CHALLENGING TERRAIN AND NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES. BUT WILL THIS LATEST TACTIC BE ENOUGH TO ROPE IN VIEWERS WHO ARE INCREASINGLY HARDER TO IMPRESS IN THE REALM OF SO-CALLED REALITY TV. WE'VE GOT A 6FT TETHER BETWEEN US, MAN. YOU'RE GONNA GET THROWN TO THE <BLEEP>. YOU'RE GONNA GET <BLEEP> THROWN NEXT TIME! NIELSEN RATINGS SUGGEST TODAY'S YOUNG TV VIEWER CONSUMES LESS REALITY AND MORE SCRIPTED PROGRAMMING, WHICH MEANS THESE DAYS, THE REALITY-SHOW EXECUTIVES ARE THE ONES PLAYING THEIR OWN REAL-LIFE GAME OF SURVIVAL. FINALLY, THAT ALL-BURNING QUESTION ` CAN AN ELEPHANT REALLY PAINT? WELL, 'PETER' IS A WELL-KNOWN ARTIST IN THAILAND, WELL, 'PETER' IS A WELL-KNOWN ARTIST IN THAILAND, WHOSE PERFORMANCES AT THIS ELEPHANT CENTRE ARE ONE OF THE MAIN ATTRACTIONS. BUT BEFORE WE GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES, YOU'VE PROBABLY GUESSED PETER'S PAINTING INSTRUCTIONS ARE ACTUALLY COMING FROM HIS KEEPER. HIS PICTURES OF ELEPHANTS WALKING IN THE GRASS ARE A VALUABLE SOURCE OF INCOME FOR THE CENTRE. NOW TO THE WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND IN CASE YOU FELT THE URGE, YOU CAN CONTACT US HERE. WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. GOODNIGHT. WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY JOHN LING AND IMOGEN STAINES. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR.