IT'S MIDDAY THURSDAY THE 15TH OF DECEMBER. THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES IT'LL FOOT THE $2B BILL TO REPAIR QUAKE-DAMAGED STATE HIGHWAY 1 AND WILL ALSO INJECT $5M INTO RESTORING KAIKOURA'S HARBOUR. CONFUSION AND PANIC IN ALEPPO AS THE BOMBS RAIN DOWN ONCE AGAIN. THE CEASEFIRE MAY HAVE CRUMBLED WITHIN HOURS, BUT NOW SYRIAN REBELS SAY THE EVACUATION DEAL IS BACK ON. PLUS ` NEW FUNDING FOR OUR OLYMPIC SPORTS HAS BEEN RELEASED, SWIMMING AND CYCLING TAKING A MASSIVE BLOW, BUT WHO ARE THE BIG WINNERS? AHI AHI MARIE. THE CEASEFIRE AGREED YESTERDAY IN ALEPPO HAS COLLAPSED AS THE EAST OF THE SYRIAN CITY COMES UNDER RENEWED BOMBARDMENT. THE EVACUATION OF THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS HAS BEEN DELAYED YET AGAIN, AND THE U.N. SAYS THE VIOLENCE IS PROBABLY A WAR CRIME. THERE ARE NOW REPORTS THAT A NEW ATTEMPT WILL BE MADE TO GET PEOPLE OUT IN THE COMING HOURS. THE BBC'S LYSE DOUCET REPORTS. A RARE QUIET... EXPLOSION ECHOES ...BECAME ANOTHER DAY OF WAR, SHATTERING A CEASEFIRE ONLY HOURS AFTER IT STARTED... AND A CRUSHING A BIT OF HOPE THAT THE AGONY OF ALEPPO WAS OVER. BOOM! ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE STILL TRAPPED IN WHAT'S LEFT OF THEIR HOMES IN THE EAST OF THE CITY. AIRPLANE ZOOMS, EXPLOSION BOOMS EXPLOSION ECHOES SOFTLY: OH MY GOD. ALL THE PEOPLE WERE, LET'S SAY, EXCITED AND HAPPY WITH THE AGREEMENT ABOUT SAVING AND EVACUATING THE CITY FINALLY. EXPLOSIONS BOOM AND THEY WERE JUST PREPARING. THEY THINK THE REGIME IS GOING TO TAKE OUR GROUND FORCE` GUNFIRE, EXPLOSIONS CUT OUT AUDIO TODAY 47 ORPHANS SENT A MESSAGE TO THE WORLD. TRANSLATOR: PLEASE LET US EVACUATE ALEPPO. WE CAN'T GO OUTSIDE, BECAUSE OF THE AIRSTRIKES AND THE SHELLING. WE ARE AFRAID. WE WOULD REALLY LIKE YOU TO HELP US LEAVE ALEPPO. WE WANT TO LIVE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. THE UN IS NOW RAISING CONCERN ABOUT ALLEGED MASSACRES OF CIVILIANS. A GRAVE ACCUSATION DISMISSED TODAY BY PRESIDENT ASSAD. THE WESTERN OFFICIALS AND THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA, THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORRY ABOUT THE CIVILIANS; THEY'RE NOT WORRY WHEN THE OPPOSITE HAPPENS, WHEN THE TERRORISTS KILLING THOSE CIVILIANS. STATE TV SHOWS WHAT THEY SAY IS THE EVIDENCE ` A WEAPONS FACTORY CAPTURED DURING THE ARMY'S OFFENSIVE. THE ROCKETS REBELS HAVE BEEN FIRING INTO WEST ALEPPO. IT'S WHY IT'S BEEN SO HARD TO REACH A DEAL. SO THE FIGHT GOES ON. BUT THERE ARE REPORTS A NEW DEAL IS DONE ` THAT REBELS WILL LEAVE, THAN AN EVACUATION OF CIVILIANS WILL AT LAST HAPPEN AND THAT THIS BRUTAL BATTLE FOR ALEPPO MAY ` JUST MAY ` BE OVER. SURVIVORS OF THE SARAJEVO CONFLICT HAVE CALLED ON ALL WORLD CAPITALS TO SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH THE CITIZENS OF ALEPPO AND URGED WORLD POWERS TO STOP SYRIA'S WAR. THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL SURVIVED EUROPE'S LONGEST SIEGE IN MODERN HISTORY IN THE '90S. 11,000 PEOPLE WERE KILLED DURING THE 1400-DAY ONSLAUGHT. HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS GATHERED IN DOWNTOWN SARAJEVO, JOINING THE "STAND WITH ALEPPO" GLOBAL CAMPAIGN. MANY SURVIVORS SAY THE SCENES FROM ALEPPO BRING ALL THE MEMORIES OF THE WAR BACK. AND PARIS HAS TURNED OFF THE FAMED LIGHTS OF THE EIFFEL TOWER AS A GESTURE OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE CITIZENS OF ALEPPO. THE CITY'S MAYOR SAYS THE SYMBOLIC MEASURE ON A BUILDING KNOWN WORLDWIDE AIMS TO ALERT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ABOUT THE URGENT NEED FOR ACTION IN SYRIA. WITH $2B COMMITTED BY THE GOVERNMENT, THE EARTHQUAKE RAVAGED KAIKOURA COASTAL ROUTE SHOULD BE PARTIALLY UP AND RUNNING IN 12 MONTHS. TRANSPORT MINISTER SIMON BRIDGES SAYS THE REPAIR WORK WILL COVER THE ROAD AND RAIL CORRIDOR BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF KAIKOURA. HE SAYS IT WILL BE REBUILT WITH IMPROVEMENTS TO BOOST SAFETY AND RESILIENCE. IT COMES AS NEW PRIME MINISTER BILL ENGLISH HAS MADE HIS FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE REGION TODAY. THE GOVERNMENT'S ALSO ANNOUNCED IT'LL INJECT $5M INTO RESTORING KAIKOURA'S HARBOUR, ENSURING WORK TO DREDGE IT CAN BEGIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THIS IS THE HUB, SO WE HAVE FISHING. AND EMPHASISING THE CRUCIAL ROLE IT PLAYS FOR THE REGION'S ECONOMIC WELL-BEING. AFTER FACING SEVERAL DELAYS, A CORDON AROUND A DEMOLITION SITE IN WELLINGTON'S CBD HAS BEEN REDUCED. THE CORDON ON MOLESWORTH STREET'S BEEN IN PLACE SINCE A MULTI-STOREY BUILDING WAS IN DANGER OF COLLAPSING FOLLOWING THE KAIKOURA EARTHQUAKE. MOLESWORTH STREET WAS OPENED UP TO TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIANS THIS MORNING, ALLOWING ACCESS TO THE NZ RUGBY HEADQUARTERS, THAI EMBASSY AND PART OF WELLINGTON'S CATHEDRAL. FURTHER REDUCTIONS WILL BE MADE AS DEMOLITION WORK PROGRESSES. SO, OPTIMALLY, WE LIKE TO THINK THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO GET THE RED CROSS AND THE PROPERTIES AT THE REAR BACK IN BEFORE CHRISTMAS. BUT I CAN'T PROMISE THAT. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO, OBVIOUSLY, STILL MANAGE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY AND MAKE SURE WE CAN GO THROUGH THAT. CONTRACTORS ARE EXPECTED TO WORK THROUGH THE HOLIDAY PERIOD TO COMPLETE DEMOLITION. TWO PROMINENT GREEN PARTY MPS HAVE ANNOUNCED THEY WON'T BE SEEKING RE-ELECTION NEXT YEAR. CATHERINE DELAHUNTY HAS BEEN IN PARLIAMENT FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND STEFFAN BROWNING HAS BEEN THERE FOR FIVE. THEY SAY IT'S BEEN AN HONOUR TO REPRESENT THE GREEN PARTY. NEITHER MP HAS SAID WHAT THEY PLAN ON DOING NEXT. A SOUTH AUCKLAND DAD HAS BEEN DISCHARGED WITHOUT CONVICTION TWO YEARS AFTER HIS 18-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER DROWNED IN A PADDLING POOL AT HER HOME. EMERGENCY SERVICES WERE CALLED TO THE HOUSE IN MANUREWA ON CHRISTMAS DAY IN 2014, WHERE THEY FOUND IMOGEN MAATAFI HAD DIED. HER DAD, JAMES MAATAFI, SPOKE OF THE TRAGIC INCIDENT FOR THE FIRST TIME FOLLOWING HIS SENTENCING TODAY, SAYING HE HATES THE FACT HE LET HIS LITTLE GIRL DOWN AND WASN'T THERE FOR HER WHEN SHE NEEDED HIM. POLICE ISSUED A STATEMENT THIS MORNING SAYING IMOGEN'S DEATH WAS A TRAGEDY AND IT'S A TIMELY REMINDER THAT SWIMMING POOLS AND CHILDREN ARE A DANGEROUS MIX. FIRE CREWS ARE CONTINUING TO DAMPEN DOWN HOTSPOTS FOLLOWING A MASSIVE FOREST FIRE AT DOME VALLEY IN MATAKANA. FLAMES TORE THROUGH AROUND 3 HECTARES OF BUSH YESTERDAY. TOO DANGEROUS FOR CREWS TO APPROACH, HELICOPTERS WITH MONSOON BUCKETS BATTLED THE BLAZE FROM THE SKY. THERE ARE UNCONFIRMED REPORTS THE FIRE WAS CAUSED DURING A CONTROLLED BURN-OFF, BUT FIRE INVESTIGATORS SAY IT'S TOO EARLY TO KNOW FOR SURE. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH ` THAT'S THE MESSAGE FROM AMBULANCE OFFICERS IN A NEW CAMPAIGN ADDRESSING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ABUSE THEM ON THE JOB. ST JOHN SAYS ALMOST 3000 INCIDENTS OF ABUSE HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE PAST YEAR, MOST OF IT VERBAL. AS PART OF THE CAMPAIGN, THEY'VE RELEASED A VIDEO WHERE STAFF SHARE PERSONAL STORIES OF BEING ASSAULTED. I CAN'T SAVE YOU. I CAN'T SAVE YOU IF I'M HAVING TO SAVE MYSELF. AMBULANCE STAFF HAVE BEEN THREATENED. STAFF HAVE HAD TO BARRICADE THEMSELVES INTO ROOMS. ST JOHN SAYS ALMOST HALF OF THE ABUSIVE BEHAVIOUR INVOLVES DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, AND TYPICALLY WEEKENDS ARE THE WORST. ARANUI HIGH SCHOOL IN CHRISTCHURCH HAS BID FAREWELL TO THEIR SCHOOL IN A CLOSING CEREMONY THIS MORNING. THE 56-YEAR-OLD SCHOOL IS CLOSING, ALONG WITH ARANUI PRIMARY SCHOOL, AVONDALE SCHOOL AND WAINONI SCHOOL UNDER THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION'S CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOL RESTRUCTURE. THEY WILL BE REPLACED BY HAEATA COMMUNITY CAMPUS. I WAS A FIRST-DAY PUPIL HERE IN 1960, AND SO THAT WAS LIKE THE BIRTH OF THE SCHOOL, AND TODAY'S LIKE THE FUNERAL, THE DEATH OF THE SCHOOL, REALLY. SAD. THE NEW YEAR-1 TO YEAR-13 CLUSTER SCHOOL WILL OPEN IN TIME FOR TERM ONE NEXT YEAR. A STEP BY TWO MAJOR FISHING COMPANIES TO TRY AND SAVE MAUI'S DOLPHIN HAS BEEN HAILED AS GROUNDBREAKING. COMMERCIAL FISHING COMPANIES SANFORD AND MOANA HAVE ANNOUNCED THEY WILL WITHDRAW ANNUAL CATCH FOR SET NETS OFF THE COAST OF NEW PLYMOUTH BY NEXT YEAR AND WILL INVEST IN DOLPHIN-SAFE FISHING METHODS TO TRY AND REPLACE TRAWLING BY THE END OF 2022. CONSERVATION GROUP WWF SAYS IT'S A BOLD MOVE. THESE DOLPHINS LIVE NOWHERE ELSE ON THE PLANET APART FROM THE WEST COAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND OF NZ. THEY'RE ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION, ONLY 63 LEFT ACCORDING TO THE LATEST ESTIMATE, SO IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT ACTION IS TAKEN. THE GOVERNMENT HAS WELCOMED THE MOVE, BUT THE GREEN PARTY SAYS THE GOVERNMENT STILL NEEDS TO DO MORE TO PROTECT THE SPECIES. CHINA IS SET TO BECOME THE BIGGEST CONSUMER OF CENTRAL OTAGO CHERRIES, OVERTAKING TRADITIONAL FAVOURITE, TAIWAN. AND WITH THE BIG SHOW OF INTEREST FROM THE CHINESE MARKET, ORCHARDISTS HERE ARE TRYING NEW WAYS OF SPREADING THEIR MESSAGE TO THE WORLD. MARK HATHAWAY REPORTS. A MAYORAL WELCOME FOR A CHINESE DELEGATION... NI HAO. NI HAO. ...HERE TO SEE, TOUCH AND TASTE THE PRIZED CENTRAL OTAGO CHERRY. MMM. CENTRALLY, OTAGO CHERRIES HAVE A VERY GOOD REPUTATION IN CHINA, AND THE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY ABOUT WHY THE CENTRAL OTAGO CAN PRODUCE SUCH GOOD-QUALITY FRUIT. THESE GUESTS INCLUDE HEAVYWEIGHTS OF CHINESE SOCIAL MEDIA, DOCUMENTING THE FRUIT FROM THE ORCHARD TO THE PACK HOUSE, AND FINALLY TO THE PLATE. SO, THESE BLOGGERS, OR KEY OPINION LEADERS, HAVE FOLLOWERS NUMBERING INTO THE TENS OF MILLIONS. THEY OFFER A DIRECT LINK TO SPECIFIC CONSUMER GROUPS, SUCH AS CHINESE HOUSEWIVES, IN A MUCH MORE COST-EFFECTIVE WAY THAN TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING. AND THE WORD-OF-MOUTH APPROACH IS CHANGING THE WAY KIWI GROWERS DO BUSINESS. BUT I THINK IT IS THE WAY OF THE FUTURE. SO TRADITIONAL SELLING METHODS OF SENDING FRUIT TO AN IMPORTER, THROUGH A WHOLESALE MARKET, AND THEN NOT ACTUALLY KNOWING WHERE IT ENDS UP, I THINK THOSE DAYS ARE NUMBERED. EIGHT LOCAL GROWERS HAVE FORMED A COLLECTIVE BRAND TO MAKE CENTRAL OTAGO FRUIT THE STAR OF THE SHOW. THE GROWERS ARE GETTING EXTRA VALUE FOR THEIR FRUIT. THEIR MARKET PENETRATION IS GREATER. THE DIRECT-TO-MARKET MODEL IS REALLY BRILLIANT ` YOU KNOW, IT LEAVES HERE, AND IT'S ON A CHINESE HOUSEWIFE'S KITCHEN BENCH TWO OR THREE DAYS LATER. SPEED IS OF THE ESSENCE IN THE FRUIT GAME ` ANY SIGNIFICANT RAIN NOW CAN WIPE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OFF A BUMPER CROP'S VALUE. WE JUST NEED MOTHER NATURE TO TURN THE SUN ON FOR US, ACTUALLY, AND THEN WE'LL BE PRETTY HAPPY. WITH THESE VISITORS SENDING HAPPY STORIES BACK TO CHINA, AROUND 1000 TONS OF THESE CHERRIES ARE EXPECTED TO HEAD THERE TOO IN COMING WEEKS. MARK HATHAWAY, 1 NEWS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` A WORLD FIRST IN WOMEN'S FERTILITY, NEW HOPE FOR THOUSANDS OF GIRLS WHO ARE TOLD THEY'LL NEVER BE A MOTHER. AND THE WHEELS FALL OFF FOR SOME, WHILE THE VAULTS UNLOCK FOR OTHERS ` WE REVEAL WHICH OLYMPIC ATHLETES GET A BOOST IN FUNDING. Hello, Mr Teasell. Come on through. Let's do the hearing test. Alright. (BEEP!) WOMAN: Hi, baba. It's your daughter. (LAUGHS) You're my best friend. You know that. Yes. You told me recently how isolated a lack of hearing makes you feel. Mmm. And that's not fair. I want you to be able to recognise my voice when I call. (SOFTLY) Yes. Something as little as a free hearing check can make a big difference. IT IS A RARE SCIENTIFIC ADVANCE AND A BREAKTHROUGH IN WOMEN'S FERTILITY. FOR THE FIRST TIME DOCTORS HAVE FROZEN OVARIAN CELLS FROM A GIRL WHO HAD NOT YET REACHED PUBERTY AND THEN, MORE THAN 15 YEARS LATER, USED THE TISSUE TO GET HER PREGNANT. THE BBC'S FERGUS WALSH REPORTS. EVERY BABY IS SPECIAL, BUT THIS LITTLE BOY REALLY IS ASTONISHING, BECAUSE HE IS THE RESULT OF FROZEN OVARIAN TISSUE TAKEN FROM HIS MUM WHEN SHE WAS JUST 9. AGAINST THE ODDS, MOAZA HAS BECOME A MOTHER. IT'S A MIRACLE THAT I HAVE MY BABY NOW, BECAUSE IT WAS SO LONG, GENERALLY THAT WE ARE WAITING FOR THIS NICE RESULT. AS A CHILD, MOAZA, WHO'S FROM DUBAI, HAD A SERIOUS BLOOD DISORDER. SHE NEEDED A BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT WHICH WOULD MAKE HER INFERTILE. SO PRIOR TO CHEMOTHERAPY, SHE HAD RIGHT OVARY REMOVED. SLICES OF OVARIAN TISSUE WERE TAKEN, EACH CONTAINING FOLLICLES WITH IMMATURE EGGS, WHICH WERE FROZEN. TWO YEARS AGO, FOUR WERE STITCHED ON TO HER FAILED LEFT OVARY IN TRANSPLANT SURGERY IN DENMARK. WITHIN MONTHS, SHE BEGAN OVULATING, AND HER PREMATURE MENOPAUSE WAS REVERSED. EGGS WERE RETRIEVED AND USED IN IVF TREATMENT. HER DOCTOR AT THE PRIVATE PORTLAND HOSPITAL IN LONDON SAYS THIS IS A MAJOR ADVANCE IN SAFEGUARDING WOMEN'S FERTILITY. IT OFFERS FANTASTIC HELP FOR A LOT OF CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD WHO NEED LIFE-THREATENING TREATMENTS FOR CANCER OR OTHER MAJOR ILLNESSES. WHEN MOAZA HAD HER OVARIAN TISSUE FROZEN IN A TANK OF LIQUID NITROGEN LIKE THIS 15 YEARS AGO, WHEN SHE WAS JUST 9 YEARS OLD, IT WAS A RARE AND PIONEERING PROCEDURE. BACK THEN, SOME SCIENTISTS THOUGHT THE TISSUE WOULD PERISH LONG BEFORE SHE'D WANT TO START A FAMILY. WELL, NOW SHE'S SHOWN WHAT'S POSSIBLE AND GIVEN HOPE TO THOUSANDS. MY HOPE WAS TO HAVE A NICE CHILD LIKE THIS BABY. MOAZA SAYS SHE HOPES TO HAVE ANOTHER CHILD AND IS LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING HOME TO DUBAI AS SOON AS HER SON IS OLD ENOUGH TO FLY. YAHOO'S JUST ANNOUNCED THAT MORE THAN ONE BILLION USER ACCOUNTS MAY HAVE BEEN AFFECTED IN A HACKING ATTACK DATING BACK TO 2013. THE INTERNET GIANT SAID THE HACK APPEARS SEPARATE FROM A BREACH DISCLOSED IN SEPTEMBER, WHEN SOME 500 MILLION ACCOUNTS WERE ACCESSED IN 2014. NAMES, PHONE NUMBERS, PASSWORDS AND EMAIL ADDRESSES WERE STOLEN, BUT NOT BANK AND PAYMENT DATA. PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE HAS ADMITTED HE PERSONALLY KILLED CRIMINAL SUSPECTS WHEN HE WAS A MAYOR. IT'S THE FIRST SUCH ADMISSION HE'S MADE SINCE BECOMING PRESIDENT IN JUNE, BUT ECHOES COMMENTS HE'S MADE PREVIOUSLY. HE RAN THE SOUTHERN CITY OF DAVAO FOR TWO DECADES, EARNING CRITICISM FOR ALLEGEDLY SUPPORTING DEATH SQUADS. SPEAKING AT HIS PRESIDENTIAL PALACE, DUTERTE SAID HE USED TO PATROL THE STREETS ON A MOTORBIKE, LOOKING FOR TROUBLE SO HE COULD KILL. THE WIDOW OF AN INDONESIA POLICEMAN HAS REJECTED A "DONATION" FROM HIS ACCUSED AUSTRALIAN KILLER. WAYAN SUDARSA'S BODY WAS FOUND ON BALI'S KUTA BEACH IN AUGUST WITH HEAD AND NECK WOUNDS. AUSTRALIAN SARA CONNOR AND HER BRITISH BOYFRIEND, DAVID TAYLOR, ARE BOTH ON TRIAL FOR HIS MURDER. HIS WIDOW SAID SHE WOULDN'T ACCEPT A CENT FROM SARA CONNOR, WHO OFFERED HER JUST OVER $2500 IN COURT. A COURT HAS RULED THAT ANCIENT TREASURES ON LOAN TO A DUTCH MUSEUM SHOULD BE HANDED TO UKRAINE AND NOT CRIMEA, WHERE THEY CAME FROM. RUSSIA ANNEXED CRIMEA IN 2014, WHILE THE COLLECTION WAS ON DISPLAY AT A MUSEUM IN AMSTERDAM. FOUR MUSEUMS IN CRIMEA ASKED FOR THE COLLECTION TO BE RETURNED, BUT UKRAINE HAS ARGUED IT WAS STATE PROPERTY. THE COURT DECIDED THE TREASURES SHOULD BE HANDED BACK TO THE SOVEREIGN STATE, WHICH CRIMEA IS NOT. CYCLING HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CASUALTY IN THE LATEST ROUND OF HIGH PERFORMANCE SPORT FUNDING. JUST ONE SILVER MEDAL IN RIO HAS SEEN THE SPORT'S BUDGET SLASHED BY $500,000 A YEAR ` THE LARGEST INVESTMENT CUT TO AN OLYMPIC DISCIPLINE. ATHLETICS IS ONE OF THE BIG WINNERS ON THE BACK OF FOUR MEDALS IN BRAZIL. THE SPORT'S BEEN GIVEN TIER-1 STATUS AND AN EXTRA $375,000 A YEAR. THE PARA-ATHLETICS PROGRAMME'S YEARLY FUNDING BOOSTED BY OVER 400%. OF THE MINOR SPORTS, CANOE RACING GETS THE BIGGEST BOOST ` AN EXTRA $325,000 NEXT YEAR AS THEY MOVE TOWARDS A CENTRALISED PROGRAMME IN KARAPRIO. IT'LL BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST SPORTS EVENTS FOR 2017 AND WILL NET THE WINNER IN EXCESS OF �10M POUNDS ` PLANS FOR THE HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT BETWEEN ANTHONY JOSHUA AND WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO WERE ANNOUNCED TODAY, AND SUPPORTERS WILL BE HOPING THE BOUT WILL PUT BOXING BACK ON TRACK AFTER A DIFFICULT 2016. BBC'S JO WILSON REPORTS. ANTHONY JOSHUA IS ABOUT TO BECOME ONE OF THE RICHEST SPORTSMEN IN THE WORLD. TODAY HE'S JUST TALKING AND PATIENTLY POSING ` NEXT YEAR HE'LL EARN A FORTUNE FOR A NIGHT'S WORK WHEN HE FIGHTS WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO. AS AN AMATEUR, JOSHUA QUICKLY REACHED THE SUMMIT, GOLD MEDALLIST AT THE LONDON OLYMPICS. SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION IN THE BLUE CORNER! AS A PROFESSIONAL, HE'S WON ALL HIS BOUTS. 6'6", LOOK AT HIS PHYSIQUE AND IMAGINE BEING WALLOPED BY IT. JOSHUA'S BIGGEST ASSET MAY ACTUALLY BE HIS PERSONALITY. IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE A REALLY VICIOUS BOXER > AND A NICE GUY AT THE SAME TIME? > YEAH. TRUST ME. I KNOW WE'RE ON CAMERA NOW, BUT I DON'T MIND DAMAGING PEOPLE IN THE RING. COS THEIR JOB IS TO DO THE SAME TO ME. MONEY DOESN'T MAKE A MAN ` MAN MAKES MONEY, SO I'D NEVER LET THAT BE THE RULER OF ME. WALKING OUT INTO WEMBLEY STADIUM, ANTHONY JOSHUA KNOWS HE'S NOT JUST A FIGHTER ` HE'S ALSO A SALESMAN. THE MORE INTEREST HE AND KLITSCHKO CAN GENERATE IN THIS FIGHT, THE MORE INCOME THEY'LL GET WHEN THEY ACTUALLY BOX TOWARDS THE END OF APRIL. BUT AT THE END OF 2016 IN BRITAIN, HOW DO YOU SELL BOXING? THE YEAR TRULY STRETCHED THE SPORT PHYSICALLY, ETHICALLY. BELFAST'S CARL FRAMPTON EXCELLED AS A WORLD CHAMPION, BUT INSPIRING YOUNG SCOTTISH BOXER MIKE TOWELL LOST HIS LIFE, AND NICK BLACKWELL ALMOST DIED AFTER A FIGHT. TYSON FURY IS ADDRESSING HIS MENTAL HEALTH. MEANWHILE AT WEMBLEY, WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO, AT 40, SAYS HE'S OBSESSED ABOUT BEATING ANTHONY JOSHUA, BUT RATHER LIKES HIM. 27, AND HE'S A WORLD CHAMPION, OLYMPIC CHAMPION UNDEFEATED. HE CAN FIGHT, HE CAN KNOCK OUT ` I MEAN, HOW COULD I NOT BE IMPRESSED WITH THAT? AND WE ARE FRIENDS. WORLD RUGBY HAS ANNOUNCED A ZERO-TOLERANCE APPROACH TO RECKLESS AND ACCIDENTAL HEAD CONTACT IN THE SPORT. IN A LAW CHANGE, THE GOVERNING BODY HAS INCREASED PUNISHMENT FOR A HIGH TACKLE AND EFFECTIVELY LOWERED THE ACCEPTABLE HEIGHT OF A TACKLE. THE NEW LAW WILL APPLY AT ALL LEVELS OF THE GAME FROM EARLY JANUARY, IN LINE WITH A GLOBAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME. AND FARAH PALMER SAYS SHE'S RELIEVED THE NZ RUGBY UNION IS STARTING TO REFLECT THE SOCIETY WE LIVE IN AFTER BECOMING THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE APPOINTED TO THE BOARD. THE THREE-TIME WORLD CUP-WINNING BLACK FERNS CAPTAIN AND WORLD RUGBY HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE HAS BEEN UNANIMOUSLY ELECTED. IT'S QUITE AN INTIMIDATING ENVIRONMENT TO GO INTO, BEING AN ALL-MALE ENVIRONMENT ` BUT THERE ARE WOMEN WHO ARE UP FOR THAT CHALLENGE, AND THE TIMING WAS RIGHT FOR ME, AND I JUST FELT THAT I WAS READY FOR THIS. WOMEN CAN CONTRIBUTE IN THE GOVERNING SPACE, AND I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO BE A PART OF. IT'S NOT ABOUT ME; IT'S ABOUT HOW CAN WE IMPROVE NZ RUGBY AND HOW CAN WE INCREASE THE DIVERSITY IN ALL ASPECTS OF OUR GAME. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE SOME THINGS WITHIN THE CULTURE OF RUGBY, SO I THOUGHT, 'RATHER THAN STANDING ON THE SIDELINES AND LOOKING AT IT 'FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, HOW ABOUT I GET IN THERE AND SEE WHAT I CAN DO?' KIWI CRICKETER SUZIE BATES HAS BEEN NAMED INTERNATIONAL CRICKET'S WOMEN'S ODI AND Twenty20 PLAYER OF THE YEAR. SHE IS THE FIRST WOMAN TO WIN BOTH GONGS IN THE SAME YEAR AFTER AN OUTSTANDING YEAR FOR THE WHITE FERNS. AND FINALLY, IT DOESN'T GET MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THIS ` LEGENDARY SURFER MICK FANNING HAS GONE FOR A MIDNIGHT SURF UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS. FANNING HAD TO WEAR A PRETTY THICK WETSUIT FOR THE SURF IN NORWAY. HE SAID IT'S ONE OF THE PRETTIEST SURFS HE'S EVER HAD IN HIS LIFE. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. PLUS, THE FORCE REAWAKENS IN THE GARDEN CITY ` WE'RE AT THE MIDNIGHT PREMIERE OF 'ROGUE ONE' IN CHRISTCHURCH. YOUR WEATHER'S NEXT, BUT FIRST LET'S LOOK AT OUR TOP STORIES. IN 12 MONTHS, THE EARTHQUAKE-RAVAGED KAIKOURA COASTAL ROUTE SHOULD BE PARTIALLY UP AND RUNNING, WITH THE GOVERNMENT TODAY COMMITTING $2B TO THE PROJECT. THERE ARE REPORTS A NEW ATTEMPT WILL BE MADE IN THE COMING HOURS TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF ALEPPO AFTER THE CEASEFIRE AGREED UPON YESTERDAY COLLAPSED WITHIN HOURS. PLUS, GREEN PARTY MPs CATHERINE DELAHUNTY AND STEFFAN BROWNING HAVE ANNOUNCED THEY WON'T BE SEEKING RE-ELECTION NEXT YEAR. NOW TO THE WEATHER. RAIN AND GALE NOR'WESTERS TOP OF THE SOUTH ISLAND AND LOWER NORTH ISLAND. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ FINALLY, DEDICATED STAR WARS FANS HAVE TURNED OUT IN FORCE FOR THE MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS OF 'ROGUE ONE'. MORE THAN 600 PEOPLE PACKED OUT THE RICCARTON HOYTS IN CHRISTCHURCH FOR MULTIPLE SCREENINGS WHEN THE CLOCK STRUCK 12, EVEN DARTH MAUL MADE AN APPEARANCE. 'ROGUE ONE ` A STAR WARS STORY' IS THE FIRST STAND-ALONE FILM SET SHORTLY BEFORE THE EVENTS OF THE ORIGINAL SAGA. THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE 1 NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY FAITH HAMBLYN AND GLENNA CASALME. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2016.