IT'S MIDDAY, FRIDAY 25TH OF NOVEMBER. ON THE ROAD AGAIN ` WE'RE IN KAIKOURA WITH THE LATEST ON THE PATH OUT OF TOWN. ONE MONTH TO GO. IT'S BEGINNING TO FEEL A LOT LIKE... WELL, YOU KNOW THE REST. IT'S ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND BEGUILING PLACES ON THE PLANET ` AND NOW SOME GOOD NEWS FOR THE COLD CONTINENT. DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. AHIAHI MARIE. GOOD AFTERNOON. AUTHORITIES IN KAIKOURA SAY OPENING THE INLAND ROUTE TO THE ROAD IS IMMINENT AND LIGHT VEHICLES WILL BE ABLE TO USE THE ROAD IN THE NEXT HOUR. LISA DAVIES IS RIGHT THERE WITH THE VERY LATEST. LISA, DO YOU FINALLY HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR KAIKOURA RESIDENTS? The news that a lot of people have been waiting for. This road closed sign will come down in one hour's time. A lot of people have preregistered and are keen to get out. We have met a lot of frustrated people. One person told us the Army can come and go ` Why can't we? Hey have been given petrol chits. They have been told the journey will take approximately 4 hours. They will travel in convoy for safety. At those points, smaller groups of cars will be let through. It will take a long time. Once they are on this road, they are on the way to Waiau. Let's hope it goes according to plan. THE CIVIL DEFENCE DIRECTOR HAS APOLOGISED FOR AN URGENT WARNING ISSUED YESTERDAY ALERTING SOUTH ISLANDERS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A LARGE AFTERSHOCK. THE GNS HAZARDS DIRECTOR SAYS ALTHOUGH A BIG QUAKE COULD HAPPEN, CHANCES OF A MAJOR AFTERSHOCK ARE IN FACT REDUCING BY THE DAY. THE MOST LIKELY SCENARIO OVER THEN NEXT 30 DAYS IS WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THIS DOWNWARD DECREASE IN THE NUMBER AND SIZE OF AFTERSHOCKS. BUT THERE IS STILL THAT POSSIBILITY OF HAVING LARGER AFTERSHOCKS. CIVIL DEFENCE SAYS THEIR RELEASE WAS FACTUALLY INCORRECT. SHOPPERS WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO WELLINGTON'S BIGGEST MALL TODAY, BUT IT WASN'T QUITE BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR ALL PARTS OF THE COMPLEX. ONE CAR PARK AND THE MOVIE THEATRES ARE FACING DEMOLITION BECAUSE OF QUAKE DAMAGE. KAITLIN RUDDOCK IS AT QUEENSGATE MALL IN LOWER HUTT. KAITLIN, WHAT'S THE FEELING LIKE AMONG SHOPPERS RETURNING TODAY? For the most part, people are happy that they can kind of get back to normal. Visiting some of the 80 shops out of 150 that have been able to open. Others are feeling a little uneasy, seeing the cordons and the fact the more hadn't opened. Oing to the local cinema might not be an option. I WAS PRETTY SHOCKED. I LIKED TO GO TO EVENT, BUT, YEAH, IT'S PRETTY CRAZY. WELL, IT'S GONNA CUT OFF FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DO GO TO THE CINEMA AND THAT PART OF THE MALL. JUST, WHERE YOU MEANT TO GO NOW? While the council has come out and said that demolition is a likely option, there are alternatives that they are considering. The council has been advised that the best course of action to minimise the risk of the car park coming down is to remove it. THANKS, KAITLIN. THERE'S BEEN A 7.2 MAGNITUDE QUAKE OFF THE COAST OF CENTRAL AMERICA. THE QUAKE STRUCK AT A DEPTH OF 33KM, SOUTH OF EL SALVADOR. THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE SO FAR, BUT TSUNAMI WAVES ARE POSSIBLE AROUND THE EPICENTRE. NO TSUNAMI ALERT HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NZ. THE ISSUE OF MANDATORY LABELLING OF PALM OIL ON PRODUCTS IS GOING TO A TRANS-TASMAN VOTE TODAY. THE VEGETABLE OIL, LINKED TO MASS DEFORESTATION, CURRENTLY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SHOWN ON THE INGREDIENTS LIST OF PRODUCTS SOLD IN NZ OR AUSTRALIA. FOOD SAFETY MINISTER JO GOODHEW IS MEETING WITH AUSTRALIAN MINISTERS IN BRISBANE, WHERE THEY'LL VOTE ON WHETHER TO PUT THE ISSUE UP FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION. THE EUROPEAN UNION, AMERICA AND CANADA HAVE ALL DONE THIS BEFORE, SO THIS IS ACTUALLY JUST ABOUT BRINGING OUR LABELLING INTO LINE WITH THE REST OF THE WESTERN WORLD. SO TODAY'S MAKE OR BREAK FOR LABELLING. IF IT DOESN'T THROUGH TODAY, THEN IT'S GONNA BE REALLY REALLY DIFFICULT TO HAVE LABELLING IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AN INDEPENDENT STUDY'S FOUND 92% OF KIWIS SUPPORT THE BID FOR CHANGE. ONE PERSON IS IN A SERIOUS CONDITION AFTER A FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE ROLLED NEAR A WEST AUCKLAND BEACH THIS MORNING. EMERGENCY SERVICES WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE ON MOTUTARA ROAD IN MURIWAI JUST BEFORE 8.30 BECAUSE A PERSON WAS TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE. THEY'VE BEEN TAKEN BY HELICOPTER TO AUCKLAND HOSPITAL. A FULL TIMELINE'S BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR THE STAGED ROLLOUT OF THE COUNTRY'S FLEDGLING BOWEL CANCER SCREENING PROGRAMME. COUNTIES MANUKAU AND SOUTHERN DHBS WILL BOTH OFFER SCREENING IN THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR, FOLLOWING ON FROM WAITEMATA, HUTT VALLEY AND WAIRARAPA. HEALTH MINISTER JONATHAN COLEMAN SAYS SOUTHERN DHB HAS THE HIGHEST INCIDENCE OF BOWEL CANCER IN THE COUNTRY, WHILE COUNTIES MANUKAU'S HIGH MAORI AND PACIFIC POPULATION HAVE POORER SURVIVAL OUTCOMES. 3000 NZERS DIAGNOSED EACH YEAR. AS A RESULT OF THIS, WE'RE GONNA DETECT 700 EXTRA CANCERS PER YEAR, AND IT'S GOING TO SAVE A LOT OF LIVES. THE MINISTER IS PROMISING THE SCREENING PROGRAMME WILL BE NATIONWIDE, FULLY FUNDED AND AVAILABLE TO ALL ADULTS AGED 60 TO 74 BY THE 2020 FINANCIAL YEAR. AN ISIS SUICIDE TRUCK BOMB SOUTH OF THE IRAQI CAPITAL HAS KILLED 100 PEOPLE AND INJURED DOZENS MORE. MANY OF THE DEAD WERE SHIA PILGRIMS FROM IRAN, RETURNING FROM A HOLY CITY. THE BLAST STRUCK A ROAD STOP NEAR A PETROL STATION. RESIDENTS OF BESIEGED EASTERN ALEPPO IN SYRIA HAVE LESS THAN 10 DAYS TO RECEIVE AID OR FACE DEATH FROM A LACK OF SUPPLIES, A CHARITY HAS WARNED. VOLUNTEER GROUP THE WHITE HELMETS SAYS IT'S FAST RUNNING OUT OF BASIC EQUIPMENT AFTER DEALING WITH BOMBING AND SUSPECTED CHEMICAL ATTACKS IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. REBELS HAVE AGREED TO A UN PLAN FOR AID DELIVERY AND MEDICAL EVACUATIONS, BUT THEY'RE STILL AWAITING A GREEN LIGHT FROM RUSSIA AND THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT. THE LAST FOOD RATIONS WERE DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN A WEEK AGO. NEARLY 70 PEOPLE WERE KILLED WHEN A PLATFORM COLLAPSED AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE IN CHINA. ONLY TWO WORKERS WERE RESCUED ALIVE, AND A THIRD IS STILL MISSING. THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE AT A POWER PLANT WHERE A COOLING TOWER WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. HUNDREDS OF SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED FOR THE RESCUE EFFORTS. A BRITISH CHILDREN'S CHARITY SAYS A NEW HOTLINE TO REPORT CONCERNS ABOUT SEXUAL ABUSE IN FOOTBALL HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN 50 CALLS WITHIN ITS FIRST TWO HOURS TODAY. IT WAS SET UP AFTER SEVERAL FORMER PLAYERS HAVE COME FORWARD TO SAY THEY WERE ABUSED BY COACHES WHEN THEY WERE BOYS. THE BBC'S DAN ROAN REPORTS. THEY'RE THE FORMER FOOTBALLERS WHOSE REVELATIONS HAVE SENT SHOCKWAVES THROUGH THE GAME. ALL FOUR HAVE NOW GONE PUBLIC WITH CLAIMS THEY WERE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE WHILE PLAYING FOR YOUTH TEAMS IN THE NORTH-WEST OF ENGLAND. THIS IS THE PAEDOPHILE THAT THREE OF THEM SAY THEY WERE VICTIMS OF ` BARRY BENNELL, A FORMER COACH AT CREWE, WHO WAS IMPRISONED IN 1998 AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO SEX OFFENCES AGAINST BOYS. FORMER ENGLAND PLAYER PAUL STEWART SAYS HE WAS ABUSED BY A DIFFERENT COACH WHILE PLAYING FOR A JUNIOR CLUB IN MANCHESTER IN THE MID-'70S. TODAY, HE TOLD ME ABOUT HIS ORDEAL. HOW SEVERE WAS THE ABUSE THAT YOU SUFFERED THEN? HORRIFIC FOR ME. HORRIFIC. HOW LONG DID IT GO ON FOR? > FOUR YEARS. ALMOST EVERY DAY. HE WAS THREATENING THAT HE'D KILL MY PARENTS AND MY TWO BROTHERS IF I EVER SPOKE OUT ABOUT THIS. HE MADE TWO OF US PERFORM... A SEXUAL ACT ON HIM, AND HE ALSO, UM,... ABUSED ANOTHER PLAYER THAT WAS... IN A TEAM YOUNGER THAN` YOUNGER THAN MINE. STEWART, WHO HAD A SUCCESSFUL CAREER AT CLUBS LIKE SPURS AND LIVERPOOL, SAYS THE MAN WHO ABUSED HIM REPEATEDLY REFERRED TO BENNELL'S ASSAULTS AND FEARS THEY COULD HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT. THIS HAS NOT BEEN EASY FOR ME TO DO. BUT I` I FELT THAT I NEEDED TO DO THIS SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE WILL COME OUT. NEW DETAILS ARE EMERGING ABOUT HOW DETECTIVES MISSED OPPORTUNITIES TO STOP BRITISH SERIAL KILLER STEPHEN PORT. HE WAS CONVICTED YESTERDAY OF MURDERING FOUR YOUNG MEN HE MET ON DATING APPS USING THE DATE RAPE DRUG GHB. POLICE HAVE BEEN SHARPLY CRITICISED FOR THE WAY OFFICERS HANDLED THE CASE. THE BBC'S DANIEL SANDFORD HAS MORE. STEPHEN PORT FOUND GUILTY YESTERDAY OF MURDERING FOUR YOUNG MEN. WE REVEALED LAST NIGHT HOW AS THE MEN DIED ONE BY ONE ` THREE IN THIS GRAVEYARD ` DETECTIVES MISSED MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO CATCH ONE OF THE WORST SERIAL KILLERS OF RECENT YEARS. TONIGHT WE CAN REVEAL HOW EVEN A PATHOLOGIST AND A CORONER WERE VOICING CONCERNS. THE THIRD MAN TO DIE WAS DANIEL WHITWORTH. HIS BODY FOUND IN THE GRAVEYARD WRAPPED IN A BLUE BED SHEET, PROMPTING THE CORONER TO ASK AT HIS INQUEST IN JUNE LAST YEAR... THE POLICE OFFICER IN CHARGE SAID... AND BECAUSE THE BED SHEET HADN'T BEEN CHECKED, THE CORONER RETURNED AN OPEN VERDICT, SAYING THAT HER CONCERNS THAT A THIRD PARTY MIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN HIS DEATH HADN'T BEEN ALLAYED, BUT STILL THE POLICE DIDN'T TEST THE BED SHEET. THEY APPEAR TO HAVE CLOSED THEIR MINDS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF MURDER. IF THEY'D TESTED THE SHEET, THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND STEPHEN PORT'S DNA ALL OVER IT. BUT THEY DIDN'T. AND THREE MONTHS LATER, STEPHEN PORT KILLED JACK TAYLOR. IT'S JUST NOT FAIR. IT'S NOT FAIR. AND I DON'T THINK THAT AT ANY POINT, IT WAS TAKEN SERIOUS. I REALLY DON'T, AND IT'S A LIFE AT THE END OF THE DAY. WITH FOUR YOUNG MEN DEAD, THE INDEPENDENT POLICE COMPLAINTS COMMISSION IS INVESTIGATING 17 OFFICERS, AND CONFIRMED THAT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE INQUESTS IS A KEY PART OF THEIR INQUIRY. CAMBODIA IS SET TO FOLLOW THAILAND IN ENDING COMMERCIAL SURROGACY FOR AUSTRALIAN COUPLES. THE GOVERNMENT THERE CALLS THE PRACTICE A FORM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, BUT SOME WOMEN SAY IT'S THE ONLY WAY OUT OF CRIPPLING POVERTY. THE ABC'S LIAM COCHRANE REPORTS. CHANARET IS POOR, EVEN BY CAMBODIAN STANDARDS. WITH RISING DEBT AND FOUR DAUGHTERS TO SUPPORT, SHE DECIDED TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE'S BABY. SHE SAYS AN AUSTRALIAN WOMAN HELPED ORGANISE IT. TRANSLATOR: THEY CHECKED TO SEE IF I COULD GET PREGNANT, AND TAMMY TOOK CARE OF ME. THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THE PAYMENT PROCESS. I'D RECEIVE $13,000. AUSTRALIAN TAMMY DAVIS CHARLES WAS ARRESTED IN CAMBODIA ON FRIDAY, ALONG WITH TWO CAMBODIAN COLLEAGUES, ACCUSED OF RUNNING AN ILLEGAL SURROGACY AGENCY AND FALSIFYING DOCUMENTS. TRANSLATOR: THE COMPANY REQUIRED ME TO BE A WIDOW, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY NEEDED THIS. IT'S THOUGHT AROUND 70 SURROGACIES ARE ALREADY UNDER WAY, BUT SINCE THE ARRESTS, THOSE ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED ARE RUNNING FOR COVER. SIR, CAN I ASK YOU ABOUT SURROGACY IN CAMBODIA? NO. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. DID YOU HELP AUSTRALIAN PARENTS WITH SURROGACY? CAMBODIA DOESN'T HAVE A LAW AGAINST COMMERCIAL SURROGACY, BUT THE GOVERNMENT HERE WANTS IT SHUT DOWN ANYWAY. THAT MEANS A LEGAL LIMBO FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CLIENTS AND THE CAMBODIAN SURROGATES. THE STAKES ARE HIGH. FOR SOME AUSTRALIANS, THEY'RE JUST MONTHS AWAY FROM REALISING THE DREAM OF PARENTHOOD. AND FOR THE CAMBODIAN WOMEN INVOLVED, IT'S A GOLDEN TICKET OUT OF THIS CRUSHING POVERTY. THE BABY GAMMY CASE IN THAILAND, WHERE A WOMAN WAS LEFT TO CARE FOR A BABY WITH DISABILITIES, REVEALED THE RISKS INVOLVED FOR SURROGATE MOTHERS. BUT THESE WOMEN STILL WANT TO GO THROUGH WITH IT. TRANSLATOR: I THINK THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ALLOW SURROGACY. OUT OF POVERTY, WE VOLUNTEERED TO DO THIS. NOBODY FORCED US. OFFICIALS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY ARE HOLDING TALKS WITH THE CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT TO WORK OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BABIES THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE WAY. A NEW YORK MAN WAS LEFT SMOKING AFTER AN E-CIGARETTE EXPLODED IN HIS PANTS. THE DEVICE STARTED SHOOTING SPARKS AND SIZZLING HIS OUTFIT BEFORE ERUPTING INTO A FIREBALL. HE'LL NEED SURGERY FOR BURNS TO HIS HAND AND LEG. US PRESIDENT ELECT DONALD TRUMP'S TWEETED THAT HE'S BEEN WORKING OVER THE THANKSGIVING BREAK. THE BILLIONAIRE TWEETED HE WAS TRYING TO GET AN AIR CONDITION COMPANY TO CHANGE ITS MIND ON SENDING THOUSANDS OF JOBS TO MEXICO. IT COMES AFTER HE POSTED A VIDEO ONLINE WISHING AMERICANS A HAPPY HOLIDAY. IN DECLARING THIS NATIONAL HOLIDAY, PRESIDENT LINCOLN CALLED UPON AMERICANS TO SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE AND ONE HEART. THAT'S JUST WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. AND OUTGOING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS GIVEN HIS LAST THANKSGIVING ADDRESS WHILE IN OFFICE, URGING AMERICANS TO STAY UNITED IN THE WAKE OF THE ELECTION. AS A COUNTRY, WE'VE JUST EMERGED FROM A NOISY, PASSIONATE AND SOMETIMES DIVISIVE CAMPAIGN SEASON. BUT A FEW SHORT WEEKS LATER, THANKSGIVING REMINDS US THAT, NO MATTER OUR DIFFERENCES, WE'RE STILL ONE PEOPLE. HE'S SPENT THE DAY SERVING FOOD TO VETERANS AT A WASHINGTON RETIREMENT HOME WITH WIFE MICHELLE AND DAUGHTERS SACHA AND MALIA. GIGANTIC BALLOONS HAVE FLOATED DOWN NEW YORK STREETS FOR THE 90TH MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE, DRAWING HUGE CROWDS. TV VIEWERSHIP FOR THE ANNUAL EVENT IS MASSIVE, WITH ORGANISERS EXPECTING 50 MILLION VIEWERS TO TUNE IN. CHARLIE BROWN, HELLO KITTY AND PADDINGTON BEAR WERE THERE. WELL, BALLOON VERSION OF THE CHARACTERS, AS WELL AS THOUSANDS OF DANCERS AND CLOWNS. THE STAR OF THE SHOW ` THIS GUY DRESSED IN RED ` CLOSED THE PARADE IN A BURST OF CONFETTI. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` A FRAGILE ECO-SYSTEM THOUGHT TO BE AT THE MERCY OF A CHANGING CLIMATE, BUT THERE'S GOOD NEWS FOR ANTARCTICA. SCIENTISTS ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF GLOBAL WARMING HAVE BASED MUCH OF THEIR RESEARCH ON SATELLITE PICTURES. BUT NOW A TEAM HAS DISCOVERED NEW INSIGHTS FROM AN OLDER SOURCE ` THE LOGBOOKS OF ANTARCTIC EXPLORERS MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS OLD. THE BBC'S PALLAB GHOSH HAS THE STORY. VICTORY WENT BEFORE THEM TO ANOTHER, YET THEY FOUND GLORY. THEY WERE THE BRAVEST EXPLORERS OF THEIR AGE. A CENTURY AGO, CAPTAIN SCOTT AND SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON WERE AMONG THOSE WHO VENTURED INTO COMPLETELY UNCHARTED TERRITORY. THEN THEIR VOYAGES BROUGHT A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF THE ANTARCTIC LANDSCAPE. NOW, THEIR RECORDS ARE GIVING SCIENTISTS NEW DATA ON THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THESE ARE THE ACTUAL LOGBOOKS CAPTAIN SCOTT KEPT OF HIS EPIC VOYAGE TO THE ANTARCTIC ON THE SHIP DISCOVERY. IN THEM, HE'S RECORDED HIS JOURNEY IN INCREDIBLE DETAIL. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ENTRY FROM BOXING DAY 1903. HE'S RECORDED HIS EXACT POSITION IN LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE. AND HE WRITES HERE, 'STEAMING THROUGH PACK ICE.' THE LOGBOOKS SHOW THAT 100 YEARS AGO, THE EXTENT OF THE SEA ICE WAS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SEE NOW. THE ANTARCTIC SEA ICE IS ACTUALLY FAIRLY STABLE, OR FAIRLY SIMILAR TO TODAY. IF YOU CONTRAST THIS WITH THE ARCTIC, WHICH HAS LOST ABOUT 26% OF ITS EXTENT. THIS SUGGESTS THAT THE ANTARCTIC IN THE SOUTH IS MUCH LESS SENSITIVE TO THE RISING GLOBAL TEMPERATURES DUE TO HUMAN ACTIVITIES THAN THE ARCTIC IN THE NORTH, AND THAT MAY BE BECAUSE THERE ARE FEWER PEOPLE IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE. SCOTT AND SHACKLETON WENT TO THE ANTARCTIC IN SEARCH OF GLORY, BUT A CENTURY ON, THEIR LEGACY WILL ALSO BE TO HAVE HELPED SCIENTISTS LEARN MORE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. TO SPORT. PLAY IS UNDER WAY IN THE SECOND TEST BETWEEN THE BLACKCAPS AND PAKISTAN IN HAMILTON. PAKISTAN WINNING THE TOSS AND IMMEDIATLY CHOOSING TO BOWL ON A VERY GREEN WICKET, AND DESPITE DROPPING JEET RAVEL ON JUST THE THIRD BALL OF THE INNINGS, PAKISTAN WOULDN'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE WITH TOM LATHAM JUST TWO BALLS LATER. AND SECOND GO AT IT. NO PROBLEMS THERE. LATHAM GOES FIRST BALL. LATHAM WILL BE DISAPPOINTED COS HE HAD TIME TO SEE IT, BUT AMIR DESERVED THAT WICKET. THE BLACKCAPS DID RESPOND, BUT HAVE JUST LOST CAPTAIN KANE WILLIAMSON MOMENTS AGO TO CURRENTLY BE 45 FOR 2. TJ PERENARA'S ALL BLACK SEASON HAS COME FULL CIRCLE WITH HIS PROMOTION TO THE RUN ON 15 AGAINST FRANCE ON SUNDAY. AT THE START OF THE INTERNATIONAL CYCLE, PERENARA WAS OUT OF FAVOUR SLIPPING TO NO.3 IN THE HALFBACK RANKINGS, BUT NOW HE'S THE TOP DOG AND ITCHING FOR HIS 29TH TEST. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT EMMA KEELING HAS THE LATEST FROM THE ALL BLACKS CAMP IN PARIS. TJ PERENARA HAS A LOT OF RESPECT FOR FELLOW HALFBACK AARON SMITH. EVEN THOUGH SMITH MISSED OUT ON THE STARTING SPOT, HE'S MADE SURE HIS MATE IS READY. THIS WEEKS, HE'S BEEN VERY VERY GOOD FOR ME. HE'S PLAYED THE FRENCH A FEW TIMES. I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY PLAYED AGAINST THEM, SO HE LET ME KNOW THAT THEY ARE COMING AND THEY'RE A VERY GOOD TEAM AND THEY ENJOY PLAYING WITH THE BALL. THAT'S WHY IT'S GOOD TO SEE A FRIENDLY FACE AT TRAINING. FRANCE-BASED FORMER ALL BLACK CONRAD SMITH POPPED IN, AND COLIN SLADE'S ALSO BEEN IN CONTACT. BEEN TEXTING SLADE. HE'S OBVIOUSLY PLAYED AGAINST A FEW OF THEM IN THE COMPETITION OVER THERE, AND JUST LITTLE TIPS ON WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR. COACH STEVE HANSEN SAYS NORTHERN TEAMS HAVE IMPROVED SINCE THEIR POOR SHOWING AT THE WORLD CUP. EVEN THE SOMETIMES ERRATIC FRENCH HAVE BECOME A MORE SETTLED SIDE. STARTED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WANT TO PLAY, AND THEY'RE STARTING TO GET BETTER AND BETTER AT IT. STEVE HANSEN SAYS SELECTORS, COACHES AND PLAYERS HAVE LEARNT A LOT ON THIS NORTHERN TOUR. THIS STYLE OF RUGBY IS VERY DIFFERENT. AND THE FRENCH POSE ANOTHER FORMIDABLE CHALLENGE THIS WEEKEND WITH THREATS ACROSS THE PARK. THE FRESH LEGS OF JEROME KAINO AND MATT TODD WILL HELP ENERGISE THE TEAM. FRANCE HASN'T PICKED A SPECIALIST NUMBER SEVEN, SO THE ALL BLACKS ARE EXPECTING MORE RUNNING RUGBY. THEIR SIX AND SEVEN AND PICAMOLES, THEY DEFINITELY LOVE TO GET THE BALL IN HAND AND CARRY IT A LOT OUT IN THE WIDER CHANNELS, BUT, YEAH, THEY'RE DEVASTATING. THEY ARE ALREADY TIRED AFTER A LONG SEASON, AND THE ALL BLACKS WILL ALSO HAVE TO CONTEND WITH A LATER KICK-OFF TIME OF 9PM. EMMA KEELING, 1 NEWS, PARIS. WAYNE ROONEY'S SILENCED HIS KNOCKERS WITH A CRACKING DISPLAY FOR MANCHESTER UNITED IN THEIR LATEST EUROPA LEAGUE FOOTBALL MATCH. UNITED NEEDED TO BEAT FEYENOORD AT OLD TRAFFORD TODAY TO MOVE AHEAD OF THE DUTCH CLUB IN THEIR GROUP, AND ROONEY LED THE WAY WITH A RECORD 39TH EUROPEAN GOAL FOR HIS SIDE. MANCHESTER UNITED TAKE THE LEAD COURTESY OF THEIR CAPTAIN, AND WAYNE ROONEY MADE SURE ON THAT OCCASION. THE 31 YEAR OLD THEN SET UP THE SECOND GOAL, AND UNITED WENT ON TO WIN 4-0 AND MOVE TO SECOND IN THE GROUP. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. PLUS ` HOW TO GET IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT HIPSTER STYLE. NOW TO THE WEATHER, AND MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES UP AND DOWN THE COUNTRY. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ WITH JUST ONE MONTH UNTIL CHRISTMAS, THE FESTIVE SEASON IS WELL UNDER WAY. THREE AND A HALF TON OF LEGO WERE USED TO BUILD THIS 10M-TALL KIWIANA-THEMED LEGO CHRISTMAS TREE IN AUCKLAND'S AOTEA SQUARE. THAT'S AROUND HALF A MILLION LEGO BRICKS. AND HERE'S A NATIVITY SCENE FOR HIPSTERS. THE WISE MEN ARE ON SEGWAYS BEARING GIFTS FROM ONLINE SHOPS. MARY'S SIPPING A LATTE, JOSEPH HAS A MAN-BUN, AND THEY'RE TAKING A SELFIE WITH BABY JESUS. THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE 1 NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. HAVE A RELAXING YET SAFE WEEKEND. FROM THE MIDDAY NEWS TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY ALEX WALKER AND ANTONY VLUG. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2016