HELLO. IT TURNED INTO A PRETTY GOOD-LOOKING DAY OVER MOST OF THE COUNTRY ` EVEN SOME SNOW ON THE HILLS DOWN SOUTH TO START WITH ` BUT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILT IN, IT PUSHED OUR FRONT AWAY. A GOOD-LOOKING END TO THE DAY. THAT'S HOW THE WEEKEND STARTS ` HIGH PRESSURE BUT THEN SOME CHANGES BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND. AND WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS CHRISTMAS ` WHAT'S THE WEATHER LIKE? ALL THE DETAILS COMING UP. RIGHT NOW, IT'S 6 O'CLOCK. CUT OFF IN CLARENCE. SEE FOR YOURSELF WHY THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN SO FRUSTRATED. AS THE CEASEFIRE HOLDS, THOUSANDS ARE BUSSED OUT ALEPPO. NO ONE KNOWS HOW MANY THEY'RE LEAVING BEHIND. AND THE SNOWED-UNDER CHARITIES THAT STILL NEED YOUR HELP THIS CHRISTMAS. GOOD EVENING. THE FRUSTRATION OF CLARENCE PEOPLE WAS PLAIN TO SEE IN A VERY PUBLIC SPAT WITH EARTHQUAKE RECOVERY MINISTER GERRY BROWNLEE YESTERDAY. TODAY, 1 NEWS WENT TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. RESIDENTS OF THE SETTLEMENT 40KM NORTH OF KAIKOURA SAY THEY FEEL FORGOTTEN, THEIR TOWN CUT OFF SINCE THE EARTHQUAKE. REPORTER KIM SAVAGE FOUND BLOCKED ROADS AND BROKEN BRIDGES AND SOME USING BOATS TO GET AROUND. NO WAY THROUGH. THE ROAD TO KAIKOURA ONCE AN EASY DRIVE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF CLARENCE ` AROUND 30 MINUTES. BUT THE TRIP NOW TAKES NEAR NINE HOURS ` RESIDENTS FORCED TO DRIVE INLAND AND BACK TOWARDS THE COAST. AT LEAST IF THEY'D STARTED IT, IT WOULD HAVE MADE THE MORALE AROUND HERE A LOT BETTER, COS KAIKOURA WAS OUR MAIN RURAL TOWN. YESTERDAY, FELLOW CLARENCE LOCAL JAMES MURRAY GOT STUCK INTO VISITING GOVERNMENT MINISTERS ABOUT WHAT HE SEES AS A LACK OF PROGRESS. WE'VE SAT DOWN THERE FOR THREE WEEKS, AND NOTHING HAS BLOODY WELL HAPPENED. AND IT'S SHOCKING. IT'S THE ABSOLUTE PITS. FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, IT'S NOT EASY. SORRY YOU'RE FRUSTRATED, BUT I'M PISSED OFF THAT YOU TOOK THAT ATTITUDE, QUITE FRANKLY. I JUST SWORE ON TV. WHAT'S EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING THAN THE BLOCKED HIGHWAY FOR THESE RESIDENTS IS ACCESS TO THEIR VALLEY. WITH THEIR BRIDGE WELL AND TRULY OUT OF ACTION, THEY'RE TAKING MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS TO GET TO THEIR HOMES. DID YOU SEE ALL THAT THAT'S RISEN UP THERE? PROBABLY GONE UP 6M. SOMEONE SUGGESTED MAYBE A DINGY, SO I'VE COME UP TO TRY IT, AND I'M GOING TO ROWING LESSONS LATER. IF THEY HAD TALKED TO US AND LET US KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND TO BE FAIR, THEY PROBABLY DON'T KNOW. YOU KIND OF FEEL A BIT POWERLESS. THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITTED TO FIXING STATE HIGHWAY 1. NZTA SAID TODAY, WORK TO CLEAR THE SLIPS BETWEEN CLARENCE AND KAIKOURA STARTED IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS FOLLOWING THE QUAKE. FOOTAGE TAKEN BY CONTRACTORS SHOWS JUST WHAT THEY'RE UP AGAINST. BETWEEN HERE AND KAIKOURA, NZTA SAY THERE ARE NINE SLIPS. MORE THAN 700,000M3 HAS COME DOWN OFF THE HILLSIDE. THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF AROUND 300 OLYMPIC-SIZED SWIMMING POOLS. LOCALS SAY THEY JUST WANT BETTER COMMUNICATION FROM AUTHORITIES. THE SOONER WE KNOW, THE SOONER WE CAN START PLANNING OUR LIVES, MOVE FORWARD. MAKING DO FOR NOW BUT HOPING FOR BETTER ACCESS SOON. KIM SAVAGE, 1 NEWS. MEANWHILE, THE LIFELINE IN AND OUT OF KAIKOURA IS TO FULLY REOPEN. ROUTE 70, THE KAIKOURA INLAND ROAD, HAS PROVIDED LIMITED VEHICLE ACCESS UNTIL NOW. FROM MONDAY, IT WILL BE UNRESTRICTED. AS SAM CLARKE REPORTS, THE NEWS IS BEING WELCOMED JUST UP THE ROAD IN HANMER SPRINGS. THE DAMAGE MIGHT NOT BE VISIBLE, BUT SINCE THE QUAKE, HANMER SPRINGS HAS HAD SOME REBUILDING TO DO. THE TOWN WAS SPARED ANY DAMAGE OF ANY CONSEQUENCE, BUT CERTAINLY, PEOPLE WERE SWITCHED OFF COMING HERE. LIKE MANY TOWNS IN THE REGION, THIS ONE THRIVES ON TOURISM, WHICH ALMOST DISAPPEARED FOLLOWING THE SHAKES. IT IS THE LIFE BLOOD OF HANMER. THE VILLAGE WAS HERE BEFORE TOURISM, BUT IT IS TOURISM WHICH MAKES HANMER WHAT IT IS TODAY. EVEN THE TOWN'S NAMESAKE AND ITS MAIN ATTRACTION HAD BEEN QUIET JUST WEEKS BEFORE THEIR BUSIEST SEASON. THE TOWN WAS CLOSED, EFFECTIVELY, SO WE HAD A 60% DROP IN OUR CUSTOMERS AT THAT STAGE, AND IT'S SLOWLY STARTING TO COME BACK. WE WERE 30% DOWN THE FOLLOWING WEEK, AND THIS LAST WEEK, WE'RE STILL 20% DOWN, BUT THE TRENDS ARE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THINGS. THEY'VE GOT HELP NOW. THE GOVERNMENT THIS WEEK ANNOUNCED A $350,000 PACKAGE TO HELP RESTORE THE HURUNUI DISTRICT'S TOURISM INDUSTRY. AND MORE GOOD NEWS TODAY, WITH THE INLAND ROUTE OPENING FOR UNRESTRICTED ACCESS FROM NEXT WEEK. THE INLAND ROUTE IS EXCELLENT NEWS, OPENING UP LIKE THAT. IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO OUR RESIDENTS LIVING ON THAT ROAD NOT TO BE UNDER RESTRICTIONS FOR TRAVELLING. IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING. TOURISM MIGHT BE DOWN, BUT THE TOWN'S FESTIVE SPIRIT IS STILL INTACT. THE HANMER SPRINGS CHRISTMAS PARADE IS STILL TAKING PLACE TONIGHT. LIKE THE TOWN, IT'S SMALL ` IN FACT, IT'S SO SMALL, IT'S FAMOUS FOR GOING AROUND TWICE. WITH THE PIECES IN PLACE FOR A KIWI SUMMER, ALL THEY NEED NOW ARE VISITORS. PLEASE COME BACK, AND ALSO SPEND TIME IN THE OTHER PARTS OF THE HURUNUI REGION AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY NEED SUPPORT AS WELL. ABSOLUTELY, WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS. SAM CLARKE, 1 NEWS. IN WELLINGTON, THE FIRST STEPS TO DEMOLISH THE DAMAGED READING CINEMAS CAR PARK WERE TAKEN TODAY AS QUAKE-RELATED PROBLEMS CAUSE FURTHER DISRUPTIONS TO THE CBD. CONTRACTORS HAVE BEEN CLEARING THE WAY FOR HEAVY MACHINERY WITH DEMOLITION EXPECTED TO TAKE AROUND 12 WEEKS TO COMPLETE. JUST DOWN THE ROAD, A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN KEPT SHUT TWO PEOPLE DIED IN A ROAD ACCIDENT AT RAKAHOUKA, NORTH-WEST OF INVERCARGILL, THIS AFTERNOON. TWO OTHERS WERE CRITICALLY INJURED IN THE TWO-CAR COLLISION JUST AFTER 1PM. THEY WERE TAKEN TO SOUTHLAND HOSPITAL IN INVERCARGILL. THE SERIOUS CRASH UNIT IS INVESTIGATING. IN SYRIA, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EVACUATED IN AMBULANCES AND BUSES FROM BESIEGED EAST ALEPPO. PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD SAYS THE CITY HAS BEEN 'LIBERATED' AFTER FOUR YEARS OF WAR. BUT THE JOURNEY FOR THOSE ESCAPING ALEPPO WASN'T WITHOUT INCIDENT AS THE BBC'S QUENTIN SOMMERVILLE REPORTS. IN ALEPPO, HERE WAS A FIGHT THAT TORE A CITY APART AND SPLIT A NATION. TODAY THIS BATTLE ENDED WITH A CONVOY OF WHITE FLAGS, AND CAUTIOUSLY EASTERN ALEPPO BEGAN TO EMPTY. IN THE THOUSANDS, REBEL FIGHTERS, THE SICK AND THE INJURED WERE TRANSPORTED AWAY. CHEERING NEARBY, GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS REJOICED. THEY PRAISED GOD, SYRIA AND BASHAR AL-ASSAD. THE MOST DESPERATE WERE THE FIRST TO LEAVE. THE FEAR AND THE ANXIETY SHOWED. THEIR REBELLION IS OVER, BUT BEFORE THEY REACHED RELATIVE SAFETY, THERE WAS ONE FINAL JOURNEY ACROSS ENEMY LINES. THE AMBULANCES DIDN'T GET FAR. TRANSLATOR: AS THEY PREPARED TO EVACUATE CIVILIANS FROM BESIEGED ALEPPO, THE AMBULANCE CONVOY WAS SHOT BY THE REGIME FORCES. WE'RE HAVING TO MOVE SO THAT WE DON'T GET SHELLED OR BOMBED. AND THEN PANIC AS SYRIAN GOVERNMENT JETS FLEW OVERHEAD. PEOPLE FEARED AN ATTACK. HOPE IS PRECARIOUS HERE. THE CEASEFIRE HAD ALREADY COLLAPSED ONCE. BUT MORE BUSES SET OFF AND MADE IT THROUGH. SHOUTING IN THE REBEL-HELD COUNTRYSIDE, ON ARRIVAL, THEY CHANTED, 'ALEPPO, WE WILL BE BACK.' TRANSLATOR: THE ROAD WAS FULL OF RUSSIANS, IRANIANS AND HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS. THERE WAS NO SYRIAN ARMY AT ALL. WE LEFT WITH HONOUR AND DIGNITY. HERE THERE WAS RELIEF. YOUNG AND OLD, ALMOST 3000 MADE IT OUT. AMONG THEM, REBEL FIGHTERS, THEIR DEFEAT ALL TOO APPARENT. AND THIS IS WHERE THE DISPLACED WILL GO ` TO REBEL-HELD IDLIB, WHERE IN ALREADY OVERSTRETCHED CAMPS, THEY'RE PROMISING TO MAKE ROOM. THE VICTORY BROKE ALEPPO. IT REMAINS A CITY, BUT DIVIDED, MUCH LIKE THE REST OF SYRIA. BEFORE THEY LEFT, THE REBELS SET ALIGHT THEIR HEADQUARTERS AND FUEL SUPPLIES, AND ONCE MORE ALEPPO BURNED. AT LEAST 30,000 PEOPLE ARE THOUGHT TO BE STILL TRAPPED IN WHAT'S LEFT OF THE REBEL-HELD DISTRICT. THE TWO MEN WHO DIED IN A PLANE CRASH NEAR GISBORNE ON MONDAY HAVE BEEN NAMED. THE PILOT WAS GEORGE ANDERSON (37) FROM GISBORNE, AND THE PASSENGER WAS ROBERT SOLOUOTA (49). GEORGE ANDERSON WAS A VERY EXPERIENCED PILOT. HE'D WORKED AT FARMERS AIR FOR FIVE YEARS. THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY IS STILL INVESTIGATING THE CRASH, WHICH CUT POWER TO THE WHOLE OF GISBORNE. THE COUNTRY'S NEWEST MP IS ALSO HIS PARTY'S NEWEST SPOKESPERSON. MICHAEL WOOD HAS SPENT JUST A FEW DAYS IN PARLIAMENT SINCE BECOMING THE LABOUR MP FOR MT ROSKILL. AND NOW HE'S LABOUR'S SPOKESMAN HIS ELEVATION IS PART OF THE LATEST SHAKE-UP IN A WEEK OF MANY CHANGES. PLEASE WELCOME THE MP FOR MT ROSKILL ` MICHAEL WOOD! CHEERING MICHAEL WOOD ISN'T OFFICIALLY AN MP, BUT HE'S ALREADY A SPOKESMAN FOR LABOUR ON A RANGE OF ISSUES. HE WON THE MT ROSKILL BY-ELECTION ONLY TWO WEEKS AGO BUT WON'T BE SWORN IN UNTIL FEBRUARY. RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, HE PICKS UP REVENUE, CONSUMER AND ETHNIC AFFAIRS AS HIS SPECIALIST SUBJECTS. HE IS WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE FULL RANGE OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS WHO ARE IN NZ. THAT'S WHY HE HAD A THUMPING SUCCESS IN BY-ELECTION ` HE IS WELL RESPECTED BY ALL THOSE COMMUNITIES. THERE'S OTHER RESHUFFLING IN LABOUR'S LINE-UP TOO. IT'S PRETTY MODEST, ACTUALLY. IT'S NOT A GROUND-UP REVIEW. BUT IT'S NECESSARY, BECAUSE DAVID SHEARER'S LEAVING PARLIAMENT FOR A UN PEACEKEEPING ROLE IN SOUTH SUDAN, AND DAVID CUNLIFFE'S GOING BACK INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. SO DAVID PARKER GETS FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AND CHRIS HIPKINS ADDS TERTIARY EDUCATION TO HIS OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES. BOTH COULD FACE NEW MINISTERS NEXT WEEK, WITH HEKIA PARATA AND MURRAY MCCULLY RETIRING FROM POLITICS NEXT YEAR. YES, THERE'S BEEN A FLURRY OF NATIONAL PARTY FAREWELLS SINCE THEIR FORMER LEADER WAVED GOODBYE. SEE YA, GUYS. BYE-BYE. ON SUNDAY, HERE IN THE BEEHIVE, PRIME MINISTER BILL ENGLISH WILL ANNOUNCE HIS FIRST CABINET. AND WITH SO MANY RETIREMENTS, THERE'S LOTS OF ROOM FOR PROMOTIONS AS WELL AS POSSIBLY SOME DEMOTIONS. NEW MINISTERS WILL GET SWORN IN ON TUESDAY. AND THEN IT'S THE HOLIDAYS. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU, YOU VIEWERS AND LISTENERS, AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. WITH PLENTY OF HOLIDAY READING IN STORE, THOUGH, FOR NEW MINISTERS AND NEW OPPOSITION SPOKESPEOPLE. KATIE BRADFORD, 1 NEWS. SIR JERRY MATEPARAE WILL BE NZ'S NEXT HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE UK. FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER MURRAY MCCULLY SAYS THE FORMER GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S FIRST PRIORITY WILL BE SHAPING OUR POST-BREXIT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM. SIR JERRY WILL REPLACE SIR LOCKWOOD SMITH WHEN HIS FOUR-YEAR TERM COMES TO AN END NEXT YEAR. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT CONVINCED LIGHT RAIL IS THE RIGHT ANSWER TO AUCKLAND'S CONGESTION PROBLEMS. IT'S AGREED WITH AUCKLAND COUNCIL THERE'S A NEED FOR A MASS TRANSPORT SOLUTION LINKING THE CITY CENTRE AND THE AIRPORT, BUT NOT WHAT FORM IT WILL TAKE. THE GREEN PARTY SAYS LIGHT RAIL IS THE ANSWER ` IT'S NEEDED NOW, AND THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PAY. NATIONAL IS PRIORITISING A FEW MOTORWAY PROJECTS THAT AREN'T GONNA REDUCE CONGESTION. AUCKLANDERS KNOW WHAT WORKS. THEY WANT PUBLIC TRANSPORT NOW. NZTA SAYS IT IS STILL EXPLORING A RANGE OF TRANSPORT AND FUNDING OPTIONS FOR ANY FUTURE AIRPORT LINK. A PLANNED CYCLING AND WALKING TRACK TACKED ON TO THE AUCKLAND HARBOUR BRIDGE HAS BEEN GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT. THE ENVIRONMENT COURT HAS GRANTED A RESOURCE CONSENT FOR THE SKYPATH. A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IS SET TO FUND THE $30M PROJECT, WITH USERS PAYING $2 TO $3 FOR EACH CROSSING. THE TRACK WILL BE 4M WIDE AND FIXED TO THE EASTERN CLIP-ON LANE OF THE BRIDGE. CONSTRUCTION IS DUE TO START IN 2018. TO A CHRISTMAS STORY NOW, AND WHILE THE TILLS ARE RINGING IN THE MALLS, THE FLIP SIDE'S ALSO CLEAR TO SEE. THERE'S SO MUCH NEED FOR HELP FROM CHARITIES, SOME STRUGGLE TO MEET DEMAND, WHILE OTHERS ARE FINDING THE SEASONAL SPIRIT SADLY LACKING. REBECCA WRIGHT EXPLAINS. UNFORTUNATELY, BUSINESS IS BOOMING AT AUCKLAND'S CITY MISSION IN THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS. WE'RE TALKING OVER A THOUSAND A DAY. 350 PROCESSING, BUT OVER A THOUSAND EVERY SINGLE DAY PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS. FAMILIES ARE QUEUING OVERNIGHT FOR A FOOD PARCEL AND SOME HELP FILLING THEIR CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS. WHEN YOU'VE GOT $80 TO LIVE ON FOR A WHOLE WEEK FOR FOOD, YOU CAN'T BUY A PRESENT, YOU CAN'T PUT SOMETHING IN THE FRIDGE EXTRA. BUT NOT EVERYONE SEES IT LIKE THAT. IT'S SURPRISED ME IN THE LAST WEEK ` I'VE BEEN RECEIVING SOME HATE MAIL, FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING WHY ARE WE FEEDING THESE FAT PEOPLE? THEY SHOULD BE GETTING OFF THEIR BUTTS. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO HELP, THEN IT'S FRESH PRODUCE WHICH IS DESPERATELY NEEDED HERE AT AUCKLAND'S CITY MISSION. AND AT WELLINGTON'S SALVATION ARMY OPERATION, IT'S CHRISTMAS PRESENTS WHICH ARE THE PROBLEM. AT THIS STAGE, IT'S LOOKING LIKE WE'RE ABOUT 35,000 GIFTS SHORT TO MEET OUR TARGET. AND IN PARTICULAR, IT'S PRESENTS FOR OLDER BOYS WHICH ARE MISSING. WELL, THE TEENAGE BOYS ARE USUALLY HARD TO BUY FOR. SPORTS GEAR'S ALWAYS GOOD. TEENAGERS LOVE GIFT CARDS AND ITUNES CARDS ` THINGS LIKE THAT. AND IT'S NOT JUST PEOPLE WHO NEED A BIT OF HELP THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. THIS IS OUR CRAZIEST TIME OF THE YEAR ` IT'S LIKE THE WORLD'S GONE MAD. WE HAVE KITTENS COMING OUT OF OUR EARS. SPCAs RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY NEED A HAND IN THE RUN-UP TO CHRISTMAS AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS. IT'S A GREAT TIME TO COME IN AND FOSTER. WHAT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT IS DONATIONS. WE CAN ALWAYS DO SOMETHING WITH THE MONEY. ECHOING THE PLEA FROM ALL THE CHARITIES WE SPOKE TO, THEY SAY CASH IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP CHRISTMAS ALIVE AND EASE THE BURDEN FOR FAMILIES INTO THE NEW YEAR. REBECCA WRIGHT, 1 NEWS. BARACK OBAMA'S VOWING AMERICA WILL TAKE ACTION AFTER CLAIMS RUSSIA'S PRESIDENT ORDERED THE CYBER ATTACK ON HILLARY CLINTON'S ELECTION CAMPAIGN. SO WHAT DID VLADIMIR PUTIN HAVE TO FEAR FROM A CLINTON PRESIDENCY? THE CREATION OF THREE-PARENT BABIES GETS THE GO AHEAD IN BRITAIN, A MOVE GIVING HOPE TO CARRIERS OF GENETIC DISEASES. SEE EXACTLY HOW SCIENTISTS PLAN TO DO IT. AND ANCIENT WORKS OF ART KEPT HIDDEN FROM TOURISTS FOR DECADES IN A BID TO PROTECT THEM ARE SET TO BECOME A MAJOR ATTRACTION ONCE MORE. US INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS HAVE CLAIMED RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN WAS PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN THE HACKING ATTACK DURING THE US ELECTION. MR PUTIN'S DENIED THE CLAIMS THAT HE DIRECTED RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE TO HACK DEMOCRATIC PARTY EMAILS IN A BID TO DAMAGE HILLARY CLINTON'S CAMPAIGN. ABC'S BRIAN ROSS REPORTS. AS VLADIMIR PUTIN ARRIVED TODAY IN JAPAN, HIS SPOKESPERSON LAUGHED OFF REPORTS THAT THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PERSONALLY DIRECTED THE HACKING ATTACK ON THE AMERICAN ELECTION. BUT TONIGHT, US OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE CONVINCED THAT THE MAN WHO CAME TO POWER AS A KGB COLONEL HELPED TO RUN THE BRAZEN CYBER ESPIONAGE CAMPAIGN. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY SAY LIGHTLY. THAT'S SOMETHING THEY SAY WHEN THEY DO HAVE A SMOKING GUN. ALL TRIGGERED BY PUTIN'S BITTER DISLIKE, AUTHORITIES BELIEVE, OF HILLARY CLINTON AND HER THREATS TO IMPOSE NEW SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA. SHE HAD BEEN CRITICAL OF SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT PUTIN HAD TAKEN, AND HE DID NOT HIDE HIS HOSTILITY TOWARD HER. TODAY, FROM HIS SKYSCRAPER OFFICE IN NEW YORK, PRESIDENT ELECT DONALD TRUMP CONTINUED HIS TWITTER DEFENCE OF THE KREMLIN AND SCORN FOR ANYONE SPEAKING ILL OF THE RUSSIANS. BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE. THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION DID ACT WELL BEFORE THE ELECTION WITH A STATEMENT IN EARLY OCTOBER FROM 17 INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE CIA, THAT... ...WHICH, THE WHITE HOUSE SAID TODAY, MEANT PUTIN. PRETTY OBVIOUS. THEY WERE REFERRING TO THE SENIOR-MOST GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IN RUSSIA. CLINTON HERSELF RAISED THE RUSSIAN HACKING ISSUE AGAIN AND AGAIN DURING THE CAMPAIGN. THERE'S NO DOUBT NOW THAT RUSSIA HAS USED CYBER ATTACKS AGAINST ALL KINDS OF ORGANISATIONS IN OUR COUNTRY, AND I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS. IT COULD BE RUSSIA, BUT IT COULD ALSO BE CHINA, COULD ALSO BE LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE. IT COULD ALSO BE SOMEONE SITTING ON THEIR BED THAT WEIGHS 400 POUNDS. BUT AMERICAN AUTHORITIES TONIGHT SAY PUTIN AND THOSE AROUND HIM WILL BECOME TARGETS OF THE FULL-FLEDGED FBI INVESTIGATION OF THE CYBER ATTACK. INCOMING SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON DOESN'T SUPPORT SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA. A WHITE SUPREMACIST (22) CONVICTED OF KILLING NINE BLACK WORSHIPPERS AT A BIBLE STUDY IN A CHARLESTON CHURCH LAST YEAR COULD NOW FACE THE DEATH PENALTY. DYLAN ROOF, WHO ADMITTED WANTING TO START A RACE WAR, WAS FOUND GUILTY ON 33 COUNTS, INCLUDING MURDER, ATTEMPTED MURDER AND FEDERAL HATE CRIMES. THE KILLINGS SHOCKED AMERICA, AND IN THE AFTERMATH, THE CONFEDERATE FLAG WAS TAKEN DOWN FROM STATE BUILDINGS. JURORS WILL DECIDE NEXT MONTH WHETHER ROOF WILL RECEIVE THE DEATH PENALTY OR LIFE IN PRISON. BRITAIN'S BECOME THE FIRST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO ALLOW THE CREATION OF BABIES USING THREE PEOPLE'S DNA. THE ADVANCED IVF PROCESS USES GENETIC MATERIAL FROM A THIRD PERSON IN ORDER TO PREVENT SOME INHERITED DISEASES. THE BBC'S FERGUS WALSH EXPLAINS. IMAGINE A BABY BEING BORN WITH DNA FROM A MAN AND TWO WOMEN. HANNAH IS A CARRIER FOR MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASE, AN OFTEN DEVASTATING GENETIC DISORDER. SHE NOW HAS THE CHANCE OF A HEALTHY CHILD. PAULA IS AN EGG DONOR, AND MANY MORE WOMEN LIKE HER ARE NEEDED. MY MOTHER'S SEVERELY AFFECTED BY MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASE. SHE SUFFERED STROKES, EPILEPSY, DIABETES AND DEAFNESS. AND AS A CARRIER MYSELF, I COULD PASS THAT ON TO MY BABY. MITOCHONDRIA ARE THE POWER PACKS OF CELLS. THEY'RE ALWAYS INHERITED FROM THE MOTHER'S EGG, AND WHEN FAULTY, IT MEANS DEADLY CONDITIONS CAN BE PASSED ON. TO PREVENT THAT, THIS IS HOW THREE-PERSON IVF WILL WORK. THE NUCLEUS CONTAINING THE PARENTS' KEY DNA WOULD BE REMOVED, LEAVING BEHIND THE WOMAN'S FAULTY MITOCHONDRIA. THAT NUCLEUS IS PLACED INTO A DONOR EGG FROM A SECOND WOMAN WHICH HAS HAD ITS KEY DNA REMOVED AND CONTAINS ONLY HEALTHY MITOCHONDRIA. ANY CHILD BORN ` AND FUTURE GENERATIONS ` WOULD HAVE DNA FROM THREE PEOPLE, ALTHOUGH ONLY 0.1% FROM THE DONOR. ALL THE GENES THAT SHAPE APPEARANCE AND PERSONALITY WOULD COME FROM THE PARENTS. THIS IS HISTORIC BUT CONTROVERSIAL SCIENCE. CRITICS WILL ARGUE THAT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THIS LAB IS UNETHICAL, COULD BE UNSAFE AND HERALDS A NEW ERA OF BABIES CREATED BY DESIGN. BUT PARLIAMENT OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED THE TECHNIQUE LAST YEAR, AND ALL THE SCIENTIFIC REVIEWS HAVE SAID IT SHOULD GO AHEAD. UP TO 25 COUPLES A YEAR COULD BE HELPED. IT'S EXPECTED THE FIRST CHILD CREATED USING THE PROCESS COULD BE BORN BY THE END OF 2017. THE DISCOVERY OF WATER ON A DWARF PLANET COULD PROVIDE CLUES AS TO WHERE LIFE MAY HAVE EXISTED IN OUR EARLY SOLAR SYSTEM. NASA'S RELEASED IMAGES OF CERES, SHOWING WATER FROZEN BELOW THE CRUST AND TRAPPED IN PERMANENTLY SHADOWED CRATERS. THE BRIGHT SPOTS SEEN HERE ARE THOUGHT TO BE EXPOSED SALTS, LEFT OVER FROM BRINY ICE WATER REACHING THE SURFACE. CERES IS THE BIGGEST OBJECT IN THE ASTEROID BELT BETWEEN MARS AND JUPITER. WEATHER TIME NOW. DAN IS HERE. AND A FINE SUMMER'S DAY TODAY, BUT IT DID NOT LOOK THAT WAY TO START WITH DOWN SOUTH. IMAGINE WAKING UP LOOKING OUTSIDE AND SEEING THAT? FRESH SNOW ON THE PEAKS DOWN SOUTH. IT IS dECEMBER BUT IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THAT. That was our front from the overnight clearing away. Still strong winds which will ease away. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ The weekend is looking good and good for the outdoor plans. We are all thinking what it will look like for Christmas. NEXT ` A MATRIARCH OF MAORI BROADCASTING SIGNS OFF FOR THE FINAL TIME. TE KARERE'S HINERANGI GOODMAN ON HER 25 YEARS ON SCREEN. AND IT CERTAINLY LOOKS LIKE THE REAL THING, BUT THESE 20,000-YEAR-OLD WORKS OF ART HAVE HAD A 21ST-CENTURY MAKEOVER. WE'LL EXPLAIN WHY. LOOKING AT OUR TOP STORIES TONIGHT ` NZTA IS REASSURING FRUSTRATED RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF CLARENCE, NEAR KAIKOURA, THAT WORK IS UNDERWAY TO CLEAR THE MAIN ROAD OUT. STRANDED LOCALS SAY WHAT WAS ONCE A 30-MINUTE JOURNEY TO THE COAST IS NOW TAKING THEM NINE HOURS USING BACK ROADS. AND LABOUR'S NEW MP FOR MT ROSKILL, MICHAEL WOOD, MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN SWORN IN YET, BUT HE'S ALREADY BEEN MADE A SPOKESMAN FOR REVENUE, CONSUMER AND ETHNIC AFFAIRS. IT'S PART OF A SHADOW CABINET RESHUFFLE AHEAD OF THE DEPARTURE OF DAVID SHEARER AND DAVID CUNLIFFE. FOUR OF THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST REAL ESTATE AGENCIES HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO PAY A $10M FINE FOR PRICE FIXING. THE COMMERCE COMMISSION SAID HARCOURTS, BARFOOT & THOMPSON, LJ HOOKER AND RAY WHITE HAVE TO PAY MORE THAN $2M EACH FOR ANTI-COMPETITIVE AGREEMENTS THAT MEANT VENDORS WOULD HAVE TO PAY TRADE ME'S INCREASED LISTING FEES RATHER THAN AGENCIES. BAYLEYS WAS ALSO PART OF THE ARRANGMENT BUT AGREED TO PAY A $2M PENALTY EARLIER IN THE YEAR. SHE'S AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS THE TE KARERE TEAM'S NANNY, AND SHE'S BEEN AN INSTITUTION FOR QUARTER OF A CENTURY. NOW TVNZ'S MAORI LANGUAGE NEWS SHOW IS FAREWELLING ITS VETERAN REPORTER HINERANGI GOODMAN. MAORI AFFAIRS REPORTER YVONNE TAHANA WITH MORE ON A WOMAN WITH HER OWN DISTINCT STYLE. WHATEVER THE STORY, HINERANGI GOODMAN'S DAY BEGINS WITH THIS. I'VE GOT EVERY SHADE OF RED. SHE'S BEEN THE UNDISPUTED GLAMOUR PUSS OF TE KARERE FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS. YOU ALWAYS LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL ON THE TV. THANK YOU. SIREN WAILS WHILE MOST TVNZ REPORTERS PLAY IT SAFE WITH THEIR WARDROBES, HINERANGI'S ALWAYS BEEN ONE TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES. SHE'S THE ONLY ONE ALLOWED TO WEAR HATS IN NEWS REPORTS. AND SHE'S FOND OF A STRING OF PEARLS. TE KARERE'S LONGEST-SERVING REPORTER MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF THE PROGRAMME'S EARLY DEADLINES, DAY IN, DAY OUT. IT'S A HARD GRIND TO SIT HERE AND DO SOMETHING AND CHURN THINGS OUT IF YOU DON'T LOVE THE JOB, AND I THINK SHE TOTALLY LOVED IT. HINERANGI SAYS CHILD ABUSE STORIES HAVE BEEN THE TOUGHEST. THE ONES WHO'VE BEEN REALLY BASHED BEYOND RECOGNITION ` THAT'S HARD TO GO HOME WITH, YVONNE. SHE RECEIVED PRAISE FOR BARING ALL TO ENCOURAGE MAORI WOMEN TO GET MAMMOGRAMS. AND SHE'S BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO YOUNG JOURNALISTS. SHE'S DEFINITELY THE NANNY OF THE TEAM, BUT SHE KEEPS UP WITH EVERYONE ELSE. IN FACT, WE'RE THE ONES TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH HER A LOT OF THE TIME. A ROLE MODEL FOR US ALL. ESPECIALLY HER PTCs. SHE'S THE PTC QUEEN. IT COULD BE UP TO 40 SECONDS, AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW, YOU KNOW. SHE'S JUST GOT YOU LIKE THAT. I THINK IT'S THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME FOR ME. THIS NEWSROOM NANNY SIGNING OFF FOR THE LAST TIME. MO TE KARERE. YVONNE TAHANA, 1 NEWS. 20,000-YEAR OLD CAVE PAINTINGS IN SOUTH-WEST FRANCE THAT WERE OFF LIMITS FOR THE PAST 50 YEARS ARE BEING ENJOYED BY TOURISTS ONCE AGAIN. A COMPLETE FULL-SCALE REPLICA OF THE LASCAUX CAVE NETWORK HAS JUST OPENED, MEANING VISITORS CAN ENJOY THE ANCIENT WONDER WITHOUT DAMAGING IT, AS THE BBC'S REBECCA MORELLE EXPLAINS. THIS IS SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST IMPORTANT PREHISTORIC ART. THE LASCAUX CAVE PAINTINGS PROVIDE A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIVES OF OUR ANCESTORS 17,000 YEARS AGO. AND NOW THEY'RE ON SHOW TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY. BUT THIS ISN'T THE REAL THING. IT'S A 66-MILLION-EURO REPLICA. THE CAVE AND ITS ART HAS BEEN RECREATED IN REMARKABLE DETAIL. TRANSLATOR: THE PAINTINGS HERE ARE ACCURATE COPIES TO THE MILLIMETRE OF THE ORIGINAL PAINTINGS IN THE CAVES. THAT'S WHY THE EMOTION IS THERE. WHEN YOU SEE THE ANIMALS UP ABOVE US WHICH GALLOP AND JUMP, IT'S REALLY MOVING. THESE TEENAGERS DISCOVERED THE ORIGINAL LASCAUX CAVE IN THE SOUTHWEST OF FRANCE IN 1940. IT WAS SOON OPENED UP FOR VISITORS. BUT THE ONCE-PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT BECAME CONTAMINATED. MOULD AND BACTERIA DAMAGED THE ART BEYOND REPAIR. AND IN 1963, THE AUTHORITIES WERE FORCED TO SEAL IT SHUT. NOW ARCHAEOLOGISTS ARE DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY. LAST YEAR, I WAS GIVEN EXTREMELY RARE ACCESS TO FRANCE'S CHAUVET CAVE AND A LOOK AT THESE ` SOME OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST PAINTINGS. THEY'RE SO PRECIOUS, THIS SITE HAS NEVER BEEN OPENED UP, SO IT TOO HAS A RECENTLY BUILT REPLICA. NOW THE LASCAUX CAVE COPY IS ALSO OPEN FOR BUSINESS. ARCHAEOLOGISTS SAY REPLICAS ARE THE FUTURE FOR CONSERVATION ` A WAY TO BOTH PROTECT AND PROMOTE OUR ANCIENT HISTORY AND BRING THE PAST TO THE WIDER WORLD. IT TOOK SIX YEARS TO REPRODUCE THE CAVE ART, AND THE REPLICA'S JUST 800M FROM THE ORIGINAL CAVE. WALLABIES STAR ISRAEL FOLAU HERE TO HELP KIWIS. IZZY'S HONEST ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFE OFF THE FOOTY FIELD NEXT. IT GOT REAL BAD. MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALISE. TALK ABOUT COMPETITIVE. OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALLIST LUUKA JONES RAMPS THINGS UP AND DOUBLES HER WORKLOAD HEADING INTO TOKYO 2020. FASHION AND PASSION. WE REMEMBER AND PAY TRIBUTE TO ICONIC AMERICAN BROADCASTER CRAIG SAGER. KIA ORA. WELCOME BACK TO SPORT. PROFESSIONAL SPORTING BODIES SPEND MILLIONS TO TACKLE ISSUES LIKE DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE, BUT WALLABIES STAR ISRAEL FOLAU IS DOING IT FOR FREE. HE SAT DOWN WITH MATT MANUKIA TO REVEAL THE PERSONAL BATTLES WHICH HAVE BROUGHT HIM HERE ON A SPEAKING TOUR AND WHY HE COULD EVEN END UP STAYING LONG-TERM. AT JUST 17 YEARS OLD, ISRAEL FOLAU FOUND FAME AND FORTUNE ON THE PITCH. BUT THERE'S TWO SIDES TO HIS STORY. IT GOT REAL BAD. MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALISE THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT PLAYERS GO THROUGH OFF THE FIELD. MOST TIMES, GUYS ARE GOOD AT HIDING THINGS. THE 27-YEAR-OLD SAYS HE CAN'T SHARE THE WORST OF HIS EXPERIENCES ON TV, BUT HIS LIFE DID SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL. I THINK JUST IN THE END, THOSE THINGS WERE TOO ENTICING FOR ME TO RESIST. AFTER SIGNING A $4M DEAL IN THE AFL, HIS MENTAL HEALTH HIT ROCK BOTTOM. NO ONE ELSE COULD HELP ME. I CAN ONLY GET SO MUCH HELP FROM MY FAMILY AND MY FRIENDS. BUT WHEN YOU GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT, IT'S YOU BY YOURSELF, AND YOUR HEAD'S RACING A THOUSAND MILES AN HOUR. BUT THEN CAME THE TURNING POINT. FOLAU FOUND GOD AND HAS BEEN HELPING TEAMMATES EVER SINCE. I TELL PEOPLE THAT THAT FEELING THAT I RECEIVED ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY IN 2011, IT BEATS ALL THE TROPHIES THAT I'VE WON, ALL THE GRAND FINALS THAT I'VE WON, ALL THE STATE OF ORIGINS THAT I'VE WON. IT BEATS IT ALL. HE RECENTLY HELPED TANIELA TUPOU THROUGH PERSONAL ISSUES ON WALLABIES TOUR, SITTING DOWN WITH THE PROP UNTIL 4AM. IT WAS A TOUCHING EXPERIENCE FOR ME, SHARING AND HIM WANTING TO GIVE HIS LIFE TO CHRIST, AND I PRAYED FOR HIM. AT THAT MOMENT, I JUST REALISED THAT THE POSITION I'M IN, THERE'S A WHOLE MORE MEANING TO IT THAN RUGBY ITSELF. < HELPING OTHERS MEANS MORE TO YOU THAN LOOKING GOOD ON THE FIELD? OH, ABSOLUTELY. WARRIORS WINGER MANU VATUVEI WILL SHARE A SIMILAR MESSAGE WHEN THE PAIR TOUR THE NORTH ISLAND, STARTING IN WHAKATANE TONIGHT. HOPEFULLY, LIKE I SAID, IF IT COULD IMPACT AT LEAST ONE PERSON, THAT COULD BE THAT ONE PERSON THAT YOU'RE SAVING. THE TOUR FINISHES IN AUCKLAND, WHERE FOLAU COULD END UP LIVING AFTER HE MARRIES SILVER FERN MARIA TUTAIA. AT THE MOMENT, I'M STILL NOT SURE OF WHERE THAT'S AT. < SO SEE YOU AT THE BLUES? SEE YOU AT THE BLUES I THINK. (CHUCKLES) IT WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE THAT HE'S TURNED THE BLUES AROUND. MATT MANUKIA, 1 NEWS. THE ALL BLACKS DOMINATED LAST NIGHT'S RUGBY AWARDS, WITH BEAUDEN BARRETT NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR. THE FIRST FIVE EIGHTH TAKING HOME THE BIGGEST PRIZE OF THE NIGHT, BEATING OUT TEAMMATES DANE COLES AND SAM WHITELOCK. YEAH, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT'S JUST ABOUT PLAYING AS FREELY AND AS INSTINCTIVE AS POSSIBLE. I THINK THEY ADOPT THE GAME PLAN AROUND ME FOR THAT, TRYING TO KEEP IT REALLY SIMPLE, NOT TOO COMPLICATED. SO I GOTTA THANK FOZZY FOR THAT, COS STEVE DOESN'T TURN UP TO STRATEGY MEETINGS. LAUGHTER BUT HE DID HAVE TO SHARE THE SPOTLIGHT WITH HIS BROTHER, JORDIE BARRETT TAKING HOME PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR BOTH AGE GROUPS AND THE MITRE 10 CUP. NEIL BROOM IS PROMISING NOT TO REPEAT THE MISTAKES OF HIS PAST, FOLLOWING A SURPRISE RECALL TO THE BLACKCAPS ONE-DAY SQUAD. THE OTAGO BATSMAN'S (33) BEEN GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT FOR THE UPCOMING BANGLADESH TOUR, HAVING PLAYED THE LAST OF HIS 22 ODIs SIX YEARS AGO, WHEN HE AVERAGED JUST OVER 17. I PUT TOO MUCH ON IT, REALLY. IT'S SORTA SOMETHING I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO, PLAY FOR NZ, AND I PROBABLY GOT A LITTLE BIT OF STAGE FRIGHT, TO BE FAIR. BUT, YEAH, I'M DEFINITELY NOT GONNA DO THAT THIS TIME. BROOM REPLACES HENRY NICHOLLS, WITH COACH MIKE HESSON SEEKING MORE EXPERIENCE IN THE INJURY-AFFECTED NZ MIDDLE ORDER. YEAH, LOOK, HENRY'S TRYING TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FORMS OF THE GAME, AND WE'VE DECIDED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT HIM TO FOCUS ON TEST CRICKET AT THE MOMENT. WICKETKEEPER LUKE RONCHI ALSO RETURNS IN PLACE OF BJ WATLING. IT'S BEEN A BIG YEAR FOR WHITEWATER SLALOM KAYAKER LUUKA JONES ` A SILVER MEDAL AT RIO'S OLYMPICS AND A MASSIVE BOOST FOR THE SPORT IN YESTERDAY'S FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT. BUT RATHER THAN TAKING IT EASY, SHE'S ALREADY STARTING WORK ON HER NEXT GOAL OF PADDLING IN TWO DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES AT TOKYO'S OLYMPICS. ABBY WILSON EXPLAINS. LUUKA JONES NEVER TRAVELS LIGHT, BUT THESE DAYS, IT'S VERGING ON RIDICULOUS ` A KAYAK AND A CANOE. I'VE ALWAYS LOVED THE IDEA OF DOING C1, SO I GUESS POST-RIO, I JUST DECIDED IT WOULD BE A GOOD NEW CHALLENGE. BUT WHAT EXACTLY MAKES A CANOE DIFFERENT TO A KAYAK? THEY LOOK KIND OF SIMILAR, BUT THEY'RE NOT? THEY DO LOOK SIMILAR, BUT THEY'RE QUITE DIFFERENT. THERE ARE TWO KEY DIFFERENCES. THE PADDLES ARE DIFFERENT ` SO THE CANOE WE PADDLE WITH ONE BLADE, AND IN A KAYAK, YOU'VE GOT TWO. THE KEY ONE IS THAT IN A KAYAK, YOU'RE SITTING WITH YOUR LEGS OUT IN FRONT OF YOU, AND IN A C1, YOU'RE ACTUALLY KNEELING IN THE BOAT. MY LEGS ARE TUCKED IN BEHIND ME. WHAT BITS HURT? MY KNEES AND MY ANKLES. SO MY ANKLES ARE JUST FULLY FOLDED BACK, AND SO WHEN I GET OUT, FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, I CAN'T STRAIGHTEN MY LEGS. (LAUGHS) WHILE NOT ALWAYS COMFORTABLE, JONES IS ENJOYING THE NEW CHALLENGE. IN K1 NOW, THE GAINS ARE VERY MARGINAL, AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR VERY SMALL INCREMENTS OF TIME, WHEREAS IN A C1, EVERY WEEK I CAN FEEL THE IMPROVEMENTS. SHE SAYS TRAINING IN A CANOE ACTUALLY HELPS HER IN THE KAYAK ` THE SINGLE PADDLE FORCING HER TO GET BETTER AT READING THE WHITEWATER. WITH C1 BEING INTRODUCED AT TOKYO'S OLYMPICS, THE SILVER MEDALLIST SAYS HER COMPETITORS ARE ALSO CONSIDERING DOING BOTH. I'VE GIVEN MYSELF TWO YEARS, SO THIS YEAR IS A BIG TRIAL, I MEAN, JUST TO SEE HOW I CAN HANDLE IT, MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY. THE KNEES AND ANKLES ARE IN FOR A ROUGH TIME. ABBY WILSON, 1 NEWS. ABBY WILL HATE ME MENTIONING THIS, BUT SHE'S A CLEVER LADY, WINNING THE AWARD FOR BEST TELEVISION SPORTS REPORTER AT THE INAUGURAL SPORTS JOURNALISM AWARDS. A NEW INITIATIVE TO SHOWCASE OUR ATHLETIC OLYMPIANS IS SET TO LIGHT UP CHRISTCHURCH AND AUCKLAND CITIES EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR. RIO BRONZE MEDALLIST TOM WALSH WILL RENEW HIS RIVALRY WITH OLYMPIC SHOT PUT CHAMPION AMERICAN RYAN CROUSER AT THE FIRST EVENT IN CHRISTCHURCH'S CBD. FANS HAVE THE CHANCE TO GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE ATHLETES. WE GOT VAL, NICK, ELIZA AND ME AS WELL, SO WE'VE GOT FOUR PEOPLE THERE OVER THREE DIFFERENT EVENTS, SO IT'S A GREAT TIME TO PROMOTE IT AND DO SOMETHING NEW. THE SERIES THEN MOVES TO AUCKLAND CITY WITH RIO POLE VAULT BRONZE MEDALLIST ELIZA MCCARTNEY THE STAR ATTRACTION. THE VERTICAL PURSUIT EVENT TAKES PLACE AT BRITOMART IN THE HEART OF THE CITY BEFORE MOVING TO THE NORTH SHORE. TO SAILING NOW. ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST SUCCESSFUL AMERICA'S CUP CAMPAIGNERS, MURRAY JONES ` FIVE-TIME AMERICA'S CUP WINNER ` HAS SIGNED WITH EMIRATES TEAM NZ. NOW TO THE YOUTH WORLD SAILING CHAMPIONSHIPS OFF TORBAY ON AUCKLAND'S NORTH SHORE. THERE'S SOME EARLY KIWI SUCCESS IN BLUSTERY CONDITIONS ON DAY ONE. NZ'S YOUNG SAILOR OF THE YEAR, GEORGE GAUTREY, COPING WELL WITH WINDS GUSTING UP TO 20 KNOTS. THE 18-YEAR-OLD AT ONE STAGE LEADING THE FLEET BEFORE SETTLING FOR SECOND SPOT AND SECOND OVERALL IN HIS CLASS. IT WAS A GOOD DAY, A GOOD START TO A LONG REGATTA, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY ONLY THE FIRST DAY, SO WE'RE JUST TAKING IT DAY BY DAY. A COUPLE OF GOOD RESULTS. DEFINITELY TWO RESULTS THAT ARE KEEPERS. PLENTY OF OTHERS NOT FARING SO WELL. THE STRONG AND SHIFTY BREEZE CLAIMED SCORES OF VICTIMS ON ALL FOUR COURSES. LIGHTER WINDS ARE FORECAST FOR TOMORROW FOR THE SECOND OF FIVE DAYS OF RACING. A FEW OF OUR OLYMPIANS ARE TAKING ON A NEW CHALLENGE IN TOMORROW'S MT MONSTER EVENT AT MT MAUNGANUI. THE SURF LIFESAVING RACE FEATURES FOUR DISCIPLINES, INCLUDING SWIMMING, SURF SKI, BOARD PADDLE AND RUNNING. BUT IT'S PERHAPS MOST FAMOUS FOR THE JUMP OFF MOTURIKI ISLAND'S BLOWHOLE. SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE MIND OF KIWI OPEN-WATER SWIMMER TURNED SURF LIFESAVER KANE RADFORD. WOMEN'S K4 KAYAKER KAYLA IMRIE WILL ALSO BE COMPETING FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE BREAKERS HAVE LEAPT UP TO FOURTH ON THE AUSTRALIAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE LADDER AFTER BEATING ARCH RIVALS PERTH IN AUCKLAND LAST NIGHT. IT WAS A TYPICALLY LOW-SCORING ENCOUNTER; THE BREAKERS HELD THE VISITORS TO JUST 23 POINTS AT HALF TIME. CENTRE ALEX PLEDGER THE STANDOUT FOR THE HOME SIDE WITH 16 POINTS TO GO WITH NINE REBOUNDS AND SIX BLOCKS. LOOK AT HIS FEET. IT'S PLEDGER WITH A TWO-HAND DUNK! THE BIG-TO-BIG CONNECTION. THE 69-57 VICTORY A GOOD WAY TO GO INTO A LONG BREAK FOR THE NZ CLUB. THEY DON'T PLAY AGAIN FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS. IT'S BEEN AN EMOTIONAL DAY FOR AMERICAN SPORT AFTER ONE OF BASKETBALL'S MOST ICONIC BROADCASTERS DIED TODAY FOLLOWING A TWO-YEAR BATTLE WITH CANCER. EVEN NZ'S OWN STEVEN ADAMS HAD A COUPLE OF ENTERTAINING INTERACTIONS WITH COLOURFUL SIDELINE REPORTER CRAIG SAGER, WHO REMAINED AN INSPIRATIONAL PRESENCE IN THE NBA AS HE DEALT WITH LEUKAEMIA. KIMBERLEE DOWNS HAS MORE. A MAN WITH A UNIQUE STYLE AND RELENTLESS POSITIVITY WHO FOR MANY IN BASKETBALL LEAVES AN IRREPLACEABLE HOLE. WE ALL KNEW IT WAS COMING, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE TODAY ANY EASIER TO DEAL WITH. AT NBA GAMES TODAY, CRAIG SAGER WAS REMEMBERED FOR HIS FASHION AND PASSION OVER THREE TIRELESS DECADES REPORTING ON THE NBA, DURING WHICH HE WAS EMBRACED AND AFFECTIONATELY MOCKED BY ITS STARS. YOU TAKE THIS AND YOU BURN IT. THERE'S NOT ANY PART I CAN KEEP? NO, NOTHIN'. SO WHEN YOU GET DONE WITH THIS, YOU SHOULD BE BUTT-<BLEEP> NAKED. HIS INTERACTIONS WITH NOTORIOUSLY GRUFF SAN ANTONIO COACH GREGG POPOVICH BECAME THE STUFF OF LEGEND. HOW CAN YOU BE THAT PROFESSIONAL IN A SUIT THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT? WHAT WAS THE KEY? I THINK THEY WERE LOOKING AT YOUR SUIT. BEHIND THE BANTER LAY GENUINE AFFECTION. POPOVICH TODAY WOULD ONLY TALK ABOUT HIS FRIEND, WHO CONTINUED TO WORK EVEN AS HE BATTLED LEUKAEMIA. WHAT HE'S ENDURED AND THE FIGHT THAT HE'S PUT UP, THE COURAGE THAT HE'S DISPLAYED DURING THIS SITUATION IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION. THE GAME'S MODERN STARS ALSO FEELING THE LOSS OF THE FATHER OF FIVE. LEAVING A LEGACY IS LEAVING A STORY TO TELL. CRAIG HAS LEFT US WITH SO MANY STORIES TO TELL. PERHAPS FROM HIS DAYS AS A MASCOT OR THE TIME HE SLEPT IN A STALL WITH TRIPLE CROWN WINNER SEATTLE SLEW. EVEN NZ'S STEVEN ADAMS COULD TELL A STORY FROM HIS DRAFT NIGHT WHEN SAGER PROVIDED POCKET SQUARE TIPS. HE SAID HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING, SO HE KIND OF TUCKED IT IN, SO I TAUGHT HIM. LET'S SEE IF HE COMES THROUGH WITH IT. THE TWO WOULD MEET AGAIN DURING THE THUNDER'S LATEST PLAY-OFF RUN. THIS IS WHAT YOU LOOKED LIKE IN THE RECENT YEARBOOK PICTURE, ALL CLEAN-CUT. SAGER WAS INDUCTED INTO THE SPORTS BROADCASTING HALL OF FAME JUST TWO DAYS AGO. IN JULY, HE WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THE PERSEVERANCE AWARD AT THE PRESTIGIOUS ESPIES. TIME IS SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE BOUGHT. IT CANNOT BE WAGERED WITH GOD, AND IT IS NOT IN ENDLESS SUPPLY. TIME IS SIMPLY HOW YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE. A MAN DETERMINED TO LIVE LIFE TO ITS FULLEST AND MOST VIBRANT. CRAIG SAGER WAS 65. KIMBERLEE DOWNS, 1 NEWS. TIME IS SIMPLY HOW YOU LIVE YOU LIFE. I LOVE THAT. HE HAD A LONG-LIST TWIN OVER HERE. JUST CHANNELLING HIM WITH YELLOW. WE'RE TALKING THE DODGY THINGS PEOPLE TRY AND GET ACROSS THE BORDERS TONIGHT. ALSO COMING UP ` HE WENT BUSH TO FIND HIMSELF. I DON'T LIKE BEING ON MY OWN. SO WE PLAN A LITTLE CHRISTMAS SURPRISE FOR THIS 'WILDBOY'. YOU GUYS ARE SO SNEAKY. 99% OF WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS ALL HOME-MADE. BUT BEFORE YOU THINK IT SOUNDS A BIT BUDGET, THIS IS ANYTHING BUT. ADELE'S 'ROLLING IN THE DEEP' AND WE'VE HAD A MASSIVE RESPONSE TO OUR ADELE VIP COMPETITION. WE'LL RING OUR WINNERS LIVE AT 7. SOME GOOD LOOKING WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND. MOTHER NATURE IS STILL SITTING ON THE FENCE FOR THE CHRISTMAS WEEKEND WE CAN SEE THE DATES HERE ` CHANGEABLE WEATHER THROUGH CHRISTMAS UPS AND DOWNS ` A COLD SOUTH-WESTERLY, A RIDGE TOMORROW WETTER WEATHER SUNDAY AND MONDAY FLOODS IN FIJI WE PULL OUR FRONT AWAY AND LOOK AT FINE WEATHER SATURDAY FOR OUTDOOR PLANS THERE'S THE NEXT SYSTEM ALREADY WEATHER DOES CHANGE A FEW DAYS IN ADVANCE RIDGES IN TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY THEN THERE IS A FRONT SITTING THERE ON CHRISTMAS DAY BUT THIS IS ONLY ONE SCENARIO THAT IS ANOTHER SCENARIO WITH A HIGH, AND THAT IS ANOTHER WE WILL KEEP AN EYE ON IT WE WILL SEE WHAT MOTHER NATURE DOES. SOME CLOUD IN WESTERN AREAS A NORTHERLY IN COOK STRAIT GOOD FOR OUTDOOR PLANS FINE DAY EVERYWHERE ELSE FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ Maybe we can have a nice face like that. I wish I could say it is going to be good. You're not going to get away with a face like that. Thank you for joining us tonight.