Hello there. The rate of high pressure was dishing out summary goodness. Lots of sunshine and light went. Tomorrow is very different looking. A front approaches the South island and moves north. Heavy rain over the West. HOLIDAY HORROR. A TRUCK PLOUGHS INTO A CROWDED CHRISTMAS MARKET KILLING 12 PEOPLE. WAS IT A TERROR ATTACK? MAN SHOUTS A GUNMAN'S RANT IS CAUGHT ON CAMERA RIGHT AFTER SHOOTING DEAD RUSSIA'S AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY. WE REVEAL WHAT HE'S SHOUTING ABOUT. LANCE ARMSTRONG PULLS A BIG CROWD IN AUCKLAND, BUT SHOULD A KIWI COMPANY BE PAYING SPORT'S MOST NOTORIOUS DRUGS CHEAT? KIA ORA. GOOD EVENING. DEADLY TERROR'S STRUCK IN THE FESTIVE SEASON AFTER A TRUCK RAMMED INTO A CROWDED CHRISTMAS MARKET IN GERMANY. THE SUSPECTED TERROR ATTACK OCCURRED IN THE CAPITAL, BERLIN, THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST CITY. LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT EXACTLY WHERE IT TOOK PLACE IN THIS COSMOPOLITAN AND CULTURED CITY. THE TRUCK PLOUGHED INTO THE MARKET AT BREITSCHEIDPLATZ, A SQUARE RIGHT HERE IN THE HEART OF WEST BERLIN, NEAR THE FASHIONABLE AVENUE KURFUERSTENDAMM, THE MAIN SHOPPING STREET IN THE AREA. THE CONFIRMED DEATH TOLL IS 12, WITH 48 INJURED. THE MARKET WAS PACKED WITH PEOPLE BUYING FOOD AND CHRISTMAS GOODS FROM THE TRADITIONAL CLUSTER OF WOODEN HUTS. THESE ARE LIVE PICTURES COMING IN FROM THE SCENE. IT'S JUST AFTER 6 IN THE MORNING, POLICE STILL THERE WITH A CORDON AROUND THE TRUCK, POLICE INDICATING THE INCIDENT IS LIKELY TERROR-RELATED. A WARNING ` YOU MAY FIND SOME IMAGES IN PAUL HOBBS' REPORT DISTURBING. THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS IS SHATTERED. A BRAZEN ACT LEFT THIS BERLIN CHRISTMAS MARKET STAINED WITH BLOOD, LITTERED WITH BODIES AND DEBRIS, STUNNED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TENDING TO THE INJURED. A LARGE TRUCK TRANSFORMED INTO A KILLING MACHINE WHEN, POLICE SAY, IT MOUNTED THE KERB AT SPEED AND CUT A SWATHE THROUGH THE CROWDED MARKET AROUND 8 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT LOCAL TIME. IT WENT JUST PAST ME AND PAST MY GIRLFRIEND. I THINK IT MISSED ME BY 3M. IT MISSED HER BY 5M. AND THEN ALL THE PEOPLE STARTED RUNNING TOWARDS MYSELF AND MY PARTNER, JANE. THEY WERE SCREAMING, SO I ASSUMED THE WORST. I GRABBED JANE, AND WE JUST RAN. WE SAW PEOPLE HOLDING THEIR HEADS. THERE WERE POOLS OF BLOOD ON THE FLOOR. THE SUSPECTED DRIVER OF THE TRUCK, WHICH HAS POLISH NUMBER PLATES, FLED ON FOOT. HE WAS ARRESTED A SHORT TIME LATER. THERE WAS A SECOND MAN IN THE CAB. HE DIED AT THE SCENE. IT'S BELIEVED HE MAY HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL DRIVER OF THE LORRY, WHICH WAS POSSIBLY HIJACKED. WHILE POLICE SAY THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT PROMPTED THE ATTACK, THEY BELIEVE IT WAS DELIBERATE. AT THE MOMENT WE CAN ONLY SAY THAT THERE IS NO DANGER ANY MORE. EMERGENCY SERVICES ARRIVED QUICKLY AT THE POPULAR MARKET, LOCATED ALONGSIDE THE FAMOUS KAISER WILHELM MEMORIAL CHURCH. WITNESSES DESCRIBE SCENES OF PANIC AND HORROR, ONE CONVINCED IT WAS NO ACCIDENT. THERE IS NO WAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN THERE JUST BY VEERING OFF THE ROAD, AND IT SHOWED NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN AT ALL. THE INCIDENT MIRRORS AN ATTACK IN NICE FIVE MONTHS AGO, WHEN 86 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AFTER A TRUCK PLOUGHED THROUGH CROWDS CELEBRATING A BASTILLE DAY FIREWORKS DISPLAY. THERE ARE REPORTS THAT ISIS IS CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS LATEST ATTACK. PAUL HOBBS, 1 NEWS. AND RUSSIA'S CALLING IT A TERRORIST ACT. THE DEADLY SHOOTING OF ITS AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY BY AN OFF-DUTY POLICEMAN AT AN ART EXHIBITION. THE ASSASSINATION IN THE TURKISH CAPITAL OF ANKARA WAS ALL CAPTURED ON VIDEO, THE GUNMAN YELLING 'DON'T FORGET ALEPPO' AS HE OPENED FIRE. AND ANOTHER WARNING AS WELL ` THIS STORY ALSO HAS GRAPHIC IMAGES. JESSICA MUTCH REPORTS. RUSSIA'S AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY WAS OPENING AN ART EXHIBITION IN ANKARA, STANDING BEHIND HIM, HIS ASSASSIN. AS ANDREI KARLOV SPEAKS, THE GUNMAN OPENS FIRE. GUNFIRE YELLING AND SCREAMING SHOUTING ALLAHU AKBAR, GOD IS GREAT, AS THE AMBASSADOR LIES DYING ON THE FLOOR. THEN IN TURKISH HE SAYS, DON'T FORGET ABOUT SYRIA ` SO LONG AS THEY AREN'T SAFE, YOU WON'T TASTE SAFETY EITHER. THESE IMAGES WERE CAPTURED BY AN ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOGRAPHER. I SAW PEOPLE RUN AWAY IN PANIC. I SAW IMMEDIATELY RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR ON THE GROUND, ON THE FLOOR. HE SAYS HE WAS AFRAID AND CONFUSED, BUT INSTINCT KICKED IN, AND HE KEPT TAKING PHOTOS. IT WAS LIKE A MOVIE, LIKE IN THEATRE. I HEARD A MINIMUM OF FIVE, SIX SHOTS. PEOPLE RUN AWAY, I ALSO GOT BACK. PEOPLE HUDDLED IN THE CORNER AS THE GUNMAN STALKED THE ROOM, BEFORE BEING SHOT AND KILLED BY AUTHORITIES. MERT ALTINTAS WAS A TURKISH POLICE OFFICER (22) WHO USED HIS ID TO GET INTO THE EVENT. THERE ARE ALSO REPORTS HE WORKED AS A BODYGUARD FOR THE TURKISH PRESIDENT. THE AMBASSADOR'S WIFE WAS RUSHED FROM THE SCENE. HER HUSBAND (62) WAS A CAREER DIPLOMAT WITH A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, WHO APPEARED SHAKEN BY THE INCIDENT. THE COMMITTED CRIME IS UNDOUBTEDLY A PROVOCATION AIMED AT DERAILING THERE'S ONLY ONE POSSIBLE RESPONSE TO THIS ` THE STRENGTHENING OF THE FIGHT AGAINST TERROR, AND BANDITS WILL FEEL IT THEMSELVES. RUSSIA AND TURKEY HAVE BEEN ON OPPOSITE SIDES IN THE SYRIAN CONFLICT, BUT HAVE BEEN TRYING TO MEND THE RELATIONSHIP. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I TALKED TO MR PUTIN, AND WE AGREED THIS IS A PROVOCATION AND THERE ISN'T ANY DISPUTE. THE ASSASSINATION WAS MOTIVATED BY THE FALL OF THE SYRIAN CAPITAL, ALEPPO, A CITY IN RUINS AFTER AN ASSAULT BY RUSSIAN AND SYRIAN GOVERNMENT FORCES, THOUSANDS DEAD AND THOUSANDS DRIVEN OUT. SYRIA'S WAR HAS KILLED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS. IT'S JUST CLAIMED ANOTHER CASUALTY. JESSICA MUTCH, 1 NEWS. ARYAN BANERJEE WAS JUST 9 YEARS OLD WHEN HE DIED AFTER A TRAGIC INCIDENT. He was found hanging by his shirt from a bathroom window. HIS SHIRT BECAME CAUGHT ON A LATCH, STRANGLING HIM. YOU SEND OFF YOUR KID TO A PRIMARY SCHOOL, YOU EXPECT THE KID TO COME HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY, NOT TO FIND A CHILD HAS BEEN HUNG. THE FULL-LENGTH TOILET DOOR WAS UNABLE TO BE OPENED BECAUSE THE SCHOOL'S CARETAKER HAD REMOVED PART OF THE HANDLE FOR REPAIR, A CORONER'S REPORT FINDING ARYAN'S PARENTS HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED HIS DEATH COULD'VE BEEN AVOIDED. SO HOW HE WOULD HAVE REACTED TO THAT WITHOUT ANYONE THERE TO HELP HIM. THE CORONER'S SUGGESTED TOILETS USED BY STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE STALL-TYPE DOORS WITH GAPS, SIMILAR TO THIS, ALLOWING A MEANS OF ESCAPE. THE EDUCATION MINISTRY SAYS IT WILL REVISIT ITS DESIGN GUIDANCE. STALL DOORS USED TO BE THE NORMAL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE NOT THE NORM ANY LONGER, SO THAT A CHILD, TRAPPED IN A TOILET, CAN CRAWL UNDERNEATH. NO CHARGES WERE EVER LAID IN THE CASE. THE SCHOOL'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES REFUSED TO COMMENT ON THE CORONER'S FINDINGS, INSTEAD SAYING THEY CONTINUE TO AGREE WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE WORKSAFE INQUIRY, WHICH FOUND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CARETAKER'S ACTIONS WERE NOT FORESEEABLE. THE WORKSAFE REPORT LEFT THE BLAME ALMOST ENTIRELY ON ARYAN. IT WASN'T THE RIGHT DECISION, IN MY VIEW, AND SO HAVING THE CORONER'S INQUEST ALLOWED US TO VINDICATE HIM. THE REPORT BRINGING BACK DIFFICULT EMOTIONS FOR ARYAN'S FAMILY, STILL COMING TO TERMS WITH THEIR LOSS. BRIAR WELLS, 1 NEWS. TWO NEW CHARGES OF INDECENT ASSAULT HAVE BEEN FILED AGAINST A WELL-KNOWN ACTOR. THE MAN, WHO HAS NAME SUPPRESSION, PLEADED NOT GUILTY IN A TRIAL THAT WAS ABANDONED EARLIER THIS MONTH AFTER JUST TWO DAYS. FOUR WOMEN MADE ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL VIOLATION AND INDECENT ASSAULT AGAINST HIM. THE TWO NEW CHARGES WERE FILED AT AUCKLAND DISTRICT COURT YESTERDAY. American cyclist Lance Armstrong can still pull a crowd. Thousands turned out to ride along with him. Some had been prompted to speak out. LANCE ARMSTRONG'S HERE ON BUSINESS. STILL WITH YOU, LANCE. BUT IT'S STILL UNCLEAR WHAT EXACTLY THAT IS. < LANCE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE IN NZ, LANCE? (LAUGHS) MANY THINGS. LION BREWERY SAYS IT'S TO TELL A CAUTIONARY TALE FOR A PROJECT CALLED 'THE CONSEQUENCE.' CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT'S ABOUT? I HAVE NO IDEA. WHO? OH, LION, I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND. YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. THEY SAID IT'S ABOUT LEARNING FROM BIG MISTAKES. > IS THAT WHAT IT'S ABOUT? > YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. HAVE YOU LEARNT FROM YOUR BIG MISTAKES, LANCE? > YEAH, YEAH. YOU WON'T HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE FOR THAT. WHILE HIS POPULARITY'S CLEAR, THERE'S CRITICISM THAT A KIWI BOOZE COMPANY'S USING A DRUGS CHEAT. IF THEY USE HIM TO DELIVER A POSITIVE MESSAGE THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE TO HIS CHARACTER, I THINK IT COULD BE A DISASTER. BUT IF THEY USE HIM WELL, I THINK HE COULD BE A REALLY REALLY GOOD ASSET FOR THE BRAND, BECAUSE EFFECTIVELY, HE'S GONE THROUGH A TRANSFORMATION IN HIS LIFE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT, AND HE CAN BE REALLY POWERFUL IN THAT FUNCTION. WE DON'T THINK HE SHOULD BE MAKING MONEY OUT OF BEING A DRUG CHEAT. AND HIS FAME IS REALLY BECAUSE HE CHEATED IN SPORT. THERE'S NOTHING I CAN SAY TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA MAKE IT GO AWAY, AND I GET THAT. I GET THAT THERE'S A LOT OF HURT FEELINGS, AND REALLY, THE WORD IS 'BETRAYAL'. THAT BETRAYAL SYSTEMATIC DOPING IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE, ALL BUT FORGIVEN BY MANY OF THE THOUSANDS WHO JOINED ARMSTRONG THIS MORNING. LOOKED UP TO HIM A LOT. HE WAS A ROLE MODEL, I GUESS. IT WAS ILLEGAL, BUT HE'S STILL A GOOD BIKER RIDER, STILL GOT TECHNIQUE. I FEEL THAT HE'S BEEN BADLY MALIGNED, BECAUSE HE WAS COMPETING IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE WAS UNLIKELY TO BE ANYBODY WHO WASN'T DOING THE SAME AS HIM. < DO YOU FEEL ALMOST A LITTLE BIT CONFLICTED, < BEING A LANCE ARMSTRONG FAN? TOTALLY, VERY CONFLICTED. YEAH. BUT THAT'S LIFE, YOU KNOW? THE CHANCE TO FOLLOW THE FORMER LEGEND FOR THE TAMAKI DR PELOTON JUST TOO TEMPTING, BUT EVEN ON NZ SHORES, WHEN IT COMES TO LANCE ARMSTRONG, THE CONTROVERSY'S NEVER FAR BEHIND. CHRIS CHANG, 1 NEWS. THE OWNERS OF 80 WELLINGTON BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN TOLD TO RIP UP THE CARPETS AND PULL BACK THE WALLS TO CHECK FOR HIDDEN EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE. THE COUNCIL'S ORDERED TOUGHER TESTING BECAUSE OF FEARS A SPECIFIC TYPE OF BUILDING MAY'VE BEEN MORE AFFECTED BY LAST MONTH'S QUAKE. KIM SAVAGE EXPLAINS. THE OWNERS OF 80 WELLINGTON BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN TOLD TO RIP UP THE CARPETS AND PULL BACK THE WALLS TO CHECK FOR HIDDEN EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE. THE EXTRA CHECKS COSTING AROUND $5000 PER BUILDING. THE ORDERS PROMPTED BY THE COLLAPSE OF A FLOOR IN STATISTICS HOUSE IN LAST MONTH'S 7.8-MAGNITUDE QUAKE, TYPICALLY, THE BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED ARE FIVE- TO 15-FLOOR BUILDINGS, BUT PRINCIPALLY, THOSE THAT ARE BUILT CONCRETE AND MOMENT FRAME CONSTRUCTION MEANS THEY'RE SORT OF AN OPEN FRAME THAT DEFORMS DURING AN EARTHQUAKE. THE INCREASED RISK OF THE AFTERSHOCK IS A SIGNIFICANT DRIVER OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. TWO OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S OWN BUILDINGS ARE ON THE LIST, INCLUDING THE LIBRARY. CHECKS HAVE ALSO REQUIRED TO SEVERAL HOTELS AND MULTIPLE BLOCKS WHICH HOUSE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, SUCH AS THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. MARK DUNAJTSCHIK OWNS TWO ON THE LIST ` ASTERON CENTRE AND ENVIRONMENT HOUSE. WHEN I HAD A REPORT ON THE SAME BUILDING FROM THREE DIFFERENT ENGINEERS, YOU COULD WONDER IF THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME BUILDING. HE'S RELAXED ABOUT MORE ASSESSMENTS, BUT WANTS TO SEE A STANDARDISED CHECKLIST. THE REPORT THEY WANT SHOULD BE CLEARLY SPECIFIED, NOT JUST AN INVASIVE REPORT. THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. NOW LESS THAN A WEEK TILL CHRISTMAS, SHOPPERS AND BUILDING TENANTS ARE URGED NOT TO WORRY. THIS ISN'T ABOUT ANY IMMEDIATE EVACUATIONS ` THIS IS MAKING SURE IT'S ABSOLUTELY SAFE TO BE THERE. OWNERS HAVE UNTIL FEBRUARY 10TH TO COMPLY OR POTENTIALLY FACE PENALTIES. KIM SAVAGE, 1 NEWS. ABOUT AN HOUR AGO, CRAYFISHING BOATS WERE ABLE TO HEAD OUT OF KAIKOURA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A MONTH. THE SEASON WAS CLOSED AS OFFICIALS ASSESSED HOW THE LOBSTER POPULATION HAD BEEN AFFECTED BY THE EARTHQUAKE. THE LIFTING OF THE BAN MEANS FRESH CRAYS IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS. BUT AS SAM CLARKE REPORTS, IT COMES WITH A RIDER. IN MAORI, THE NAME KAIKOURA MEANS A MEAL OF CRAYFISH, BUT FOR THE LAST MONTH, IT'S BEEN OFF THE MENU. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT CLOSING US ` EVERYONE, NOT JUST COMMERCIAL ` EVERYONE FOR THREE MONTHS. PAUL REINKE HAS BEEN A LOBSTERMAN ALL HIS LIFE. HE SAYS DESPITE THE SEABED RISING UP TO 6M IN SOME PLACES, CRAYFISH NUMBERS ARE LOOKING HEALTHY. IT'S PROBABLY STILL A LITTLE BIT EARLY TO TELL. I THINK THE NUMBERS OF LOBSTERS WERE ABOUT NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. THOUGH THEY'RE NOT ENTIRELY IN THE CLEAR. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME MORTALITIES WITH THE YOUNG JUVIES COMING THROUGH SO WE WONT REALLY KNOW THAT INFORMATION FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. BUT NEWS HE CAN PUT HIS VESSEL BACK TO WORK IS WELCOME WITH THE END OF THE CRAYFISH SEASON FAST APPROACHING. FEBRUARY, MARCH, THINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT SPARSE, SO IF WE CAN GET IN WHILE IT'S NOT TOO BAD, THAT MEANS IT'S A LOT EASIER TO CATCH THE REST OF OUR QUOTA. MISSING OUT ON THE REST OF HIS QUOTA WOULD'VE MEANT A LOSS OF AROUND $100,000. ALTHOUGH BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHERMEN CAN NOW TAKE CRAYFISH FROM THIS AREA, MPI ARE STILL URGING PEOPLE TO FISH CONSERVATIVELY. THEY'RE ALSO REMINDING PEOPLE THERE'S STILL A RESTRICTION ON TAKING ANY SHELLFISH OR SEAWEED FROM THIS AREA. THOSE THAT WANT TO GO OUT AND ENJOY THEMSELVES AND ENJOY A DAY FISHING, CRAYFISHING CAN BE A PART OF THAT ABSOLUTELY. WE JUST ASK THAT EVERYBODY STICK BY THE RULES. AS FOR WHETHER THERE'LL BE ANY AT PAUL'S HOUSE WHEN CHRISTMAS ROLLS AROUND. NOT REALLY, MY FAMILY DON'T EAT THEM. I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO EATS THEM IN MY FAMILY. (LAUGHS) SETTING SAIL TO PUT KAIKOURA'S PRIZED EXPORT BACK ON THE TABLE JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS. SAM CLARKE, 1 NEWS. THE GOVERNMENT'S CABINET MINISTERS HAVE BEEN SWORN IN, THE CEREMONY WENT SMOOTHLY, bUT IT WAS AFTERWARDS, WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER SWORE HE WASN'T A FEMINIST, THAT HE BECAME THE TARGET OF JOKES. POLITICAL REPORTER KATIE BRADFORD EXPLAINS. THE GOVERNMENT'S CABINET MINISTERS HAVE BEEN SWORN IN. PAULA BENNETT PLAYING CAMP MUM,... DO UP YOUR JACKET, PULL THIS STRAIGHTER, AND DO AS YOU'RE TOLD. ...WHILE BILL ENGLISH SOUNDS LIKE THE DON'T-GET-BIG-IDEAS DAD. I NOTICED TWO OF YOU EYEING THE EMPTY PRIME MINISTER'S CHAIR AS WE WENT PAST. BUT IT'S ALL SMILES FOR THE FOUR MPS SWORN IN AS NEW MINISTERS. SNUGGLE IN. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS AN AWKWARD CONVERSATION ABOUT FEMINISM. IT BEGAN WITH NEW WOMEN'S MINISTER, PAULA BENNETT, ON RADIO NZ THIS MORNING. ARE YOU A FEMINIST? I AM MOST DAYS. There are some days I do not really think about it. HER BOSS SAYS THAT'S AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF MOST NZ WOMEN. SHE HAS SUCH AN INSPIRING STORY HERSELF THAT EVERY DAY, SHE IS ACHIEVING THINGS AND DOING THINGS WHICH WILL BE INSPIRING TO A LOT OF, PARTICULARLY, YOUNGER WOMEN. ANYWAY, THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS IT'S NOT ABOUT LABELS. I WOULDN'T DESCRIBE MYSELF AS A FEMINIST. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. PROMPTING THIS ON TWITTER FROM NEW REVENUE MINISTER JUDITH COLLINS, WHO SAYS SHE'S A FEMINIST "EVERY DAY". AND GREEN MP MARAMA DAVIDSON TWEETED A LIST OF WORDS SHE THINKS WOULDN'T BE IN A BILL ENGLISH DICTIONARY. FOR THE RECORD ` A DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF FEMINISM IS THE BELIEF THAT MEN AND WOMEN SHOULD HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES. RIGHT NOW IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A BREAK... MERRY CHRISTMAS. 2016 HAS BEEN A GOOD YEAR FOR NZ. I'M JUST GAZING AT THE PRIME MINISTER. ...BEFORE THEY'RE BACK FOR THE BUILD-UP TO THE ELECTION. KATIE BRADFORD, 1 NEWS. STILL TO COME ON 1 NEWS ` DONALD TRUMP FINALLY GETS THE ELECTORAL VOTES HE NEEDS TO BECOME AMERICA'S NEXT PRESIDENT, BUT PROTESTERS MADE A LAST-DITCH ATTEMPT TO TRY AND STOP HIM. ALSO, INTO THE DEEP FREEZE ` THE BIG CHILL HITTING THE UNITED STATES BRINGING HAVOC ON THE HIGHWAYS AND TRAVEL DISRUPTION AHEAD OF THE HOLIDAYS. AND THE PEST PROBLEM INVADING A SOUTHERN CEMETERY ` TIME'S RUNNING OUT FOR A BOOMING POPULATION OF RABBITS THAT ARE DAMAGING GRAVES. THE US ELECTORAL COLLEGE HAS THIS AFTERNOON CONFIRMED DONALD TRUMP AS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. BUT IT DIDN'T COME WITHOUT SOME FIERY MOMENTS AS HIS OPPONENTS LAUNCHED A LAST-DITCH BID TO DENY HIM THE WHITE HOUSE. ABC'S CECILIA VEGA REPORTS. A CHAOTIC SCENE IN WISCONSIN TODAY ` ALL CHANT: SHAME! SHAME! SHAME! EVERY ONE OF YOU HAS FAILED! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE IN AMERICA! PROTESTERS SHOUTED DOWN ELECTORS AS THEY CAST THEIR VOTES FOR DONALD TRUMP. THIS WOMAN WAS HAULED AWAY BY POLICE. THIS IS MY AMERICA! ALL CHANT: SHAME! SHAME! SHAME! MY AMERICA! THE SAME IN PENNSYLVANIA. ALL CHANT: SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOU! OHIO TOO. THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE. AS THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONVENED IN STATE HOUSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, TRUMP'S OPPONENTS MADE A LAST-DITCH ATTEMPT TO KEEP HIM FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. TEXAS NOW PUTS PRESIDENT TRUMP OVER THE TOP. BUT NOW THE UNOFFICIAL TALLY IS IN. TRUMP RECEIVED THE 270 VOTES NEEDED. HILLARY CLINTON, WHO WON THE POPULAR VOTE BY NEARLY 3 MILLION, TODAY LOST A HANDFUL OF ELECTORAL VOTES. SOME OF THOSE ELECTORS WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO VOTE FOR HER INSTEAD VOTED FOR REPUBLICAN COLIN POWELL IN A HAIL-MARY ATTEMPT TO DENY DONALD TRUMP THE PRESIDENCY. THE PRESIDENT-ELECT, WHO ONCE BLASTED THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AS... NOW PRAISING THE SYSTEM. I NEVER APPRECIATED IT UNTIL NOW HOW GENIUS IT WAS, WHAT THEY HAD IN MIND. IN NEW YORK TODAY, BILL CLINTON WAS AMONG THE ELECTORS VOTING FOR HILLARY CLINTON. I'VE NEVER CAST A VOTE I WAS PROUDER OF. THE FORMER PRESIDENT ALSO TOLD A LOCAL NEWSPAPER THAT TRUMP... TEAM CLINTON CALLED IN INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES TO BRIEF ELECTORS ON RUSSIA'S INTERFERENCE IN THE ELECTION. THE ELECTORS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT THE ANSWERS ARE. BUT THAT BRIEFING DIDN'T HAPPEN. WHILE SNL IS NOT LETTING UP ON THE RUSSIAN CONNECTION. VLADIMIR, I'M SORRY, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE COMING, SO I DO NOT HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU. PLEASE, MR TRUMP, YOU ARE THE GIFT. AND IN ANOTHER RARE MOVE, IT WAS TODAY CONFIRMED THAT MR TRUMP WILL BE TAKING HIS OWN HEAD OF SECURITY WITH HIM TO THE WHITE HOUSE. AT LEAST 48 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN SIBERIA AFTER DRINKING BATH OIL IN THE HOPE OF GETTING AN ALCOHOL KICK. INVESTIGATORS SAY TWO OTHERS ARE IN A SERIOUS CONDITION IN HOSPITAL AFTER CONSUMING THE OIL AND IGNORING A WARNING THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE SWALLOWED. HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS ARE SEEN BY SOME AS A CHEAP ALTERNATIVE TO ALCOHOL ACROSS THE FORMER SOVIET UNION. TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DETAINED OVER THE DEATHS, AND POLICE ARE REMOVING BOTTLES FROM SHOPS. THE CHIEF OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, CHRISTINE LAGARDE, RECORD COLD TEMPERATURES, SNOW AND ICE ARE CAUSING TRAVEL DISRUPTION ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. FLIGHTS ARE BACKING UP, AND ROAD CONDITIONS ARE PROVING DEADLY. WITH MORE, HERE'S THE ABC'S EVA PILGRIM. TONIGHT, THE ARCTIC BLAST HEADED EAST. MILLIONS SUFFERED IN SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES. IT FEELS LIKE I'M IN THE ANTARCTIC. ICE-COVERED HIGHWAYS MADE TRAVEL TREACHEROUS. THIS SUV SLAMMED INTO A POLICE CRUISER IN KANSAS. REPORTS OF AT LEAST 1600 CRASHES AND 19 DEAD IN THE LAST THREE DAYS. A STRANDED MOTORIST CAPTURED THIS 67-VEHICLE PILEUP NEAR BALTIMORE. OH MY GOD. STOP! STOP! TRUCK AFTER TRUCK BARRELLED STRAIGHT INTO THE INFERNO. THE WHOLE 95 IS ON FIRE. TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE SHATTERED IN MORE THAN A DOZEN CITIES. ONE DANGER ` BLACK ICE. IT'S DULLER ON THE ROADWAY. IT HIDES IN THE SHADOWS, ALMOST, AND PEOPLE CAN FREQUENTLY MISS IT. THE WINTER BLAST PARALYSING THE BUSY HOLIDAY WEEK. TONIGHT... IN DENVER, A SEA OF BAGS ARE PILING UP. IF YOU'RE DRIVING AND YOUR CAR SLIDES ON ICE, EXPERTS SAY DON'T SLAM ON YOUR BRAKES. EASE OFF THE GAS, AND DON'T MAKE ANY SUDDEN TURNS. RENEE'S HERE NOW WITH THE DAY'S WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS, AND NO COMPLAINTS TODAY. YES, LOTS OF SUMMERY GOODNESS, SUNSHINE AND LIGHT WINDS ACROSS NZ. HERES A LOOK AT THE COUNTRY FROM ON HIGH, SHOWING NZ BASKING IN THE SUNSHINE, WITH JUST THE ODD BIT OF CLOUD. CHATHAM ISLAND ALSO GETTING A BIG DOSE OF VITAMIN D AND HOPEFULLY YOU MADE THE MOST OF THE FINE WEATHER AS PREFRONTAL CLOUD IS STARTING TO MOVE ONTO THE SOUTHWEST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND, WHILE CLOUD HAS ALSO DEVELOPED OVER EAST CAPE. WE HAVE A SEVERE WEATHER WARNING IN PLACE FOR RAIN IN FIORDLAND AND THE WESTLAND RANGES AND A WATCH FOR STRONG WINDS FROM SOUTHLAND THROUGH TO CANTERBURY. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ AND I'LL BE BACK WITH A WET WEDNESDAY FOR PARTS OF THE SOUTH, RIGHT AFTER SPORT. AHEAD ON 1 NEWS, A GRIM TALLY OF TERROR. THE ATTACKS THAT SCARRED THE PAST YEAR AND LEFT A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION. AND THE RABBIT INVASION TAKING OVER A SOUTHERN CEMETERY. THEY COME OUT HERE TO SAY FAREWELL TO AUNT MARTHA, AND NEXT THING, A RABBIT POPS ITS HEAD UP, AND IT'S A BIT DISCONCERTING. IT SORT OF DETRACTS FROM THE DIGNITY OF THE OCCASION. LOOKING AT OUR TOP STORIES TONIGHT. RUSSIA IS DESCRIBING THE ASSASSINATION OF ITS AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY, ANDREI KARLOV, AS AN "ACT OF TERROR". THE GUNMAN WAS A 22-YEAR-OLD TURKISH POLICE OFFICER WHO CRIED OUT, "DON'T FORGET ABOUT SYRIA AND ALEPPO" AFTER THE SHOOTING. AND A TRUCK HAS PLOUGHED INTO A CHRISTMAS MARKET IN THE HEART OF BERLIN, KILLING 12 PEOPLE AND INJURING 48 IN AN APPARENT TERRORIST ATTACK. THE LORRY DRIVER HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND A PASSENGER HAD DIED FROM HIS INJURIES. IT'S BELIEVED HE MAY HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL DRIVER OF THE LORRY, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN HIJACKED. SINCE THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS ON NEW YORK, TERROR HAS BEEN A CONSTANT FEATURE IN OUR NEWS BULLETINS, AND 2016 WAS NO DIFFERENT. THE ATTACKS INCLUDED THE ORLANDO GAY NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING AND THE BRUSSELS AIRPORT ATTACK. AS PART OF OUR YEAR IN REVIEW SERIES, JESSICA MUTCH LOOKS BACK AT THIS YEAR'S MAJOR ATROCITIES. IN MARCH, BELGIUM SUFFERED THE DEADLIEST ATTACK IN ITS HISTORY. IT'S OK. IT'S OK. CO-ORDINATED BOMBINGS BY ISIS ON BRUSSELS AIRPORT,... AND A SUICIDE BOMBER TARGETING A COMMUTER TRAIN ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY. SCREAMING 32 PEOPLE DIED. OTHERS HAD A LUCKY ESCAPE. WE SAW GLASS FALLING DOWN. PEOPLE WERE RUNNING LIKE CRAZY. LATER IN MARCH, LAHORE IN PAKISTAN CAME UNDER ATTACK IN ANOTHER SUICIDE BOMBING. CHRISTIAN FAMILIES GATHERING IN A PLAYGROUND TO CELEBRATE EASTER WERE TARGETED, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE 75 VICTIMS WERE MUSLIM, MAINLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN. 'MY TWO CHILDREN, GIRLS, WERE IN THE PARK,' SHE SAYS. 'THEY WERE BOTH KILLED. WE FOUND ONE BODY. THE OTHER IS STILL MISSING.' A GROUP AFFILIATED WITH THE PAKISTANI TALIBAN CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY. IN JUNE, WE SAW THE DEADLIEST MASS SHOOTING IN US HISTORY. GUNFIRE A 29-YEAR-OLD OPENED FIRE IN A GAY NIGHTCLUB IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA. 49 PEOPLE DIED. THERE WAS BLOOD SPLATTERING, AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS MINE OR SOMEONE ELSE'S. I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY SON IS. NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHERE MY SON IS. THE SHOOTER HAD SWORN ALLEGIANCE TO ISIS. WE KNOW ENOUGH TO SAY THIS WAS AN ACT OF TERROR AND AN ACT OF HATE. WE KNOW ENOUGH TO SAY THIS WAS AN ACT OF TERROR AND AN ACT OF HATE. JUST A MONTH LATER, MORE TERROR IN AMERICA; THIS TIME IN DALLAS, TEXAS. I THINK ANOTHER OFFICER IS DOWN AROUND THE CORNER OVER HERE. FIVE OFFICERS WERE KILLED. I SAW THEM GETTING SHOT. THE MOTIVATION WAS VENGEANCE. THE SHOOTINGS HAPPENED DURING PROTESTS ABOUT POLICE KILLING TWO BLACK MEN IN TWO DAYS. ALSO IN JULY, CIVILIANS WERE THE TARGET OF A DEADLY ATTACK IN THE IRAQI CAPITAL. 125 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AS THEY SHOPPED AND SWAPPED PRESENTS AT THE END OF THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN. HORROR IN FRANCE CAPPED A DEADLY MONTH. A DELIVERY TRUCK DELIVERING TERROR IN NICE MOWING DOWN REVELLERS AS THEY CELEBRATED BASTILLE DAY ON THE SEASIDE PROMENADE. 86 PEOPLE DIED. MORE THAN 400 WERE INJURED. I TURNED AROUND AND JUST SAW A SEA OF PEOPLE RUNNING TOWARDS ME. THE WORST THING WAS SEEING COUPLES AND PARENTS RUNNING WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THE TERROR, JUST THEIR FEAR. SOWING FEAR THE MAJOR MOTIVATION BEHIND ALL THESE TERROR ATTACKS. JESSICA MUTCH, 1 NEWS. RUN, RABBIT RUN. THE INVERCARGILL CITY COUNCIL IS COMING AFTER YOU, STRONG SPRING GROWTH IS CAUSING RABBIT ISSUES IN THE SOUTHERN CITY, AND AS MARK HATHAWAY EXPLAINS, THE PROBLEM'S AT ITS WORST IN THE CEMETERIES. RABBITS BOUNCING AROUND IN BIG NUMBERS IN INVERCARGILL'S EASTERN CEMETERY. MORE THIS YEAR THAN EVER BEFORE. NUMBERS HAVE BEEN RISING HERE IN RECENT YEARS, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE QUIET SURROUNDS AND AMPLE VEGETATION, BUT ALSO CAUSING CONCERN AMONGST MANY OF MAYOR TIM SHADBOLT'S CONSTITUENTS. THEY COME OUT HERE TO SAY FAREWELL TO AUNT MARTHA, AND NEXT THING, A RABBIT POPS ITS HEAD UP, AND IT'S A BIT DISCONCERTING. IT SORT OF DETRACTS FROM THE DIGNITY OF THE OCCASION. THROUGH PREDATORS LIKE FERAL CATS OR MANMADE CONTROLS, RABBITS HERE ARE BEING ACTIVELY TARGETED. HOWEVER, MANY SEEM TO KNOW HOW TO STAY BELOW THE RADAR. HERE AT THE EASTERN CEMETERY, A POISON OPERATION IS UNDERWAY TO CONTROL RABBIT NUMBERS. SHOOTING THEM ISN'T SEEN AS AN OPTION, DUE TO HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS. NORMALLY, WITH WILD GAME LIKE THIS, WE WOULD JUST GET A FEW 22s, AND OUR PARK RANGERS WOULD GO IN WITH SILENCERS AND PING AWAY. THE RABBITS ALSO BEING NOTICED AT A NEIGHBOURING HOTEL. THE HOTEL GUESTS ARE COMING THROUGH, THEY THINK IT'S GREAT, A LITTLE BIT OF, YOU KNOW, NATURE RUNNING AROUND THE JOINT. I GUESS THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DAMAGE THAT THEY CAN CAUSE. THEY SEEM TO PREFER THE OLDER GRAVES, WITH PLENTY OF CRACKED CONCRETE TO BURROW UNDER. FEELINGS ON THE BUNNY ISSUE TODAY WERE MIXED. IT'S NOT IDEAL, BECAUSE IT IS A RESIDENTIAL AREA. WE BRING THE GRANDKIDS HERE, OBVIOUSLY TO SEE MY FATHER, BUT THEY LOVE SEEING THE RABBITS. AS FOR THE BIGGEST QUESTION OF ALL, NO, RABBITS DON'T DIG DEEP ENOUGH TO DISTURB THE CEMETERY RESIDENTS 6FT UNDER. MARK HATHAWAY, 1 NEWS. ANDREW'S HERE WITH SPORT, AND LANCE ARMSTRONG MAKES A RARE ADMISSION. IN THAT ARMSTRONG WAY. COMING UP, MORE FROM THE MAN CREATING ALL THE HEADLINES AT THE MOMENT AS HE CONFRONTS FANS AND A FEW DEMONS. I CAN'T MAKE IT RIGHT. THERE'S NOTHING I CAN SAY TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA MAKE IT GO AWAY, AND I GET THAT. SO HAS HE MET WITH HIS OLD KIWI TEAMMATE? PLUS ` OF FOOTBALL'S FAVOURITE SONS IS BACK ON HOME TURF. AND CHENNAI TO MT EDEN ` THE TWO UNLIKELY YOUNG BATSMEN CATCHING THE GLOBAL EYE. THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BACKLASH TOWARDS A KIWI ATHLETE WAS "UNDERSTANDABLE", ACCORDING TO THE DISGRACED CYCLIST HIMSELF. ARMSTRONG COMPLETED HIS PUBLIC RIDE TODAY IN AUCKLAND, WITH OPINION STILL BLAZING. SO, DOES THE POLARISING FIGURE PLAN ON ANY MORE CONTROVERSIAL MEETINGS? CHRIS CHANG REPORTS. THERE WAS NO SHAME HERE FOR LANCE ARMSTRONG SELFIE-HUNTING CYCLISTS, BUT IT WAS THE PHOTO FEATURING A MORE PROMINENT KIWI ATHLETE THAT CAUSED THE SOCIAL MEDIA FRENZY. < LANCE, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE CRITICISED CAMERON BROWN FOR < TAKING A RIDE WITH YOU. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM? I UNDERSTAND THAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A POLARISING ISSUE. I DON'T KNOW CAMERON BROWN, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I'D MET HIM. IT'S HIS CHOICE. A NZER ARMSTRONG DOES KNOW IS STEPHEN SWART, A FORMER TEAMMATE WHO WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO BREAK THE CODE OF SILENCE AROUND THE US POSTAL TEAM'S DRUG PROGRAMME. THE TRUTH EVENTUALLY DOES COME OUT. THE AMERICAN SAYS HE'S KEEN TO MEET UP. YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO. I READ THE ARTICLE IN THE PAPER AND WAS, LIKE, YOU KNOW. I DID` OBVIOUSLY I DIDN'T HAVE THE CONTACT INFORMATION, SO I ASKED SOMEBODY TO MAKE THE CONNECTION. THAT'S AGAIN PART OF THIS PROCESS, WHETHER IT'S EMMA O'REILLY, OR FILIPPO SIMEONI OR CHRISTOPHE BASSONS OR THE LEMONDS. THOSE ARE ALL MEETINGS THAT YOU TRY TO DO. 1 NEWS TRIED TO CONTACT SWART TO SEE IF HE'S OPEN TO ARMSTRONG'S OFFER. SWART'S PREVIOUSLY SAID HIS FORMER TEAMMATE SHOULD MAKE THE EFFORT. THERE WAS NO JUDGMENT FROM THESE KIWI FANS, BUT DISCUSSION AROUND THE AMERICAN'S CHEQUERED PAST WAS INEVITABLE. YOU GUYS ARE BETRAYED. A LOT OF FANS, THE SPORT, SPONSORS WERE BETRAYED. IT'S A LONG WALK. IT'S NOT LIKE SHOWING UP HERE THIS MORNING IS GOING TO MAKE IT GO AWAY. THAT'S` YOU KNOW, THIS IS... I'M 45 YEARS OLD. I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT IT WHEN I'M 90. AND FOR 2000 KIWI CYCLISTS, THIS WAS A DAY THEY'LL BE TALKING ABOUT FOR YEARS TO COME. CHRIS CHANG, 1 NEWS. DESPITE THE ARMSTRONG DISCIPLES OUT IN FORCE THIS MORNING, DRUG-FREE SPORT NZ DOESN'T AGREE WITH HIS COMMERCIALLY MOTIVATED VISIT. WE DON'T THINK HE SHOULD BE MAKING MONEY OUT OF BEING A DRUG CHEAT, AND HIS FAME IS REALLY BECAUSE HE CHEATED IN SPORT. FRANKLY, THE WAY HE BEHAVED, NOT JUST AS A CHEAT, BUT IN REALLY TRYING TO RUIN THE LIVES OF OTHERS WHO EXPOSED HIM, IS SOMETHING WHICH WE THINK IS PROBABLY UNFORGIVEABLE. ARMSTRONG IS BANNED FOR LIFE FROM SANCTIONED CYCLING EVENTS, BUT CAN ORGANISE OR COMPETE IN OTHER SPORT. MORE ASSAULT CHARGES HAVE BEEN LAID AGAINST SIDELINED BREAKERS STAR COREY WEBSTER FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT IN A TAKAPUNA BAR LAST MONTH. WEBSTER MADE HIS SECOND APPEARANCE IN THE NORTH SHORE DISTRICT COURT TODAY WHERE TWO FRESH CHARGES OF ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO INJURE, WERE LAID AGAINST HIM. HE'S NOW FACING THREE COUNTS AFTER AN ALLEGED ALTERCATION WHILE OUT CELEBRATING HIS BIRTHDAY. THE 28-YEAR-OLD WAS REMANDED ON BAIL WITHOUT PLEA UNTIL THURSDAY. CAR HORN HONKS (LAUGHS) THE BREAKERS ARE STILL TRYING TO SECURE AN OVERSEAS IMPORT TO REPLACE COREY WEBSTER, WHO WAS PLACED ON THE LONG-TERM INJURED LIST LAST WEEK. IN A SEASON OF UPS AND DOWNS, THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX FEEL THEIR DECISION TO BRING BACK ALL WHITES STRIKER SHANE SMELTZ IS A WIN-WIN. THE FORMER A-LEAGUE GOLDEN BOOT WINNER LOOKED RIGHT AT HOME IN HIS FIRST PRACTICE BACK AT THE CLUB, ALTHOUGH HIS ON-FIELD COMEBACK WILL HAVE TO WAIT A LITTLE LONGER. JOHN MCKENZIE EXPLAINS. SEVEN YEARS AFTER LEAVING THE CAPITAL, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN TOUCH IS BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. YEAH, HE LOOKED GREAT! I'VE ALWAYS ADMIRED HIM AS A FELLOW STRIKER. HIS GOAL RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. SHOOTS! SCORES! 89 GOALS FOR FOUR DIFFERENT A-LEAGUE CLUBS, SMELTZ IS SECOND ON THE ALL-TIME LIST BEHIND BESART BERISHA AND ARCHIE THOMPSON. AND WHILE HE WOULDN'T MIND HAVING A CRACK AT THE RECORD, HE'D RATHER JUST START BY WINNING. I DON'T THINK CHASING ONE PLAYER DOWN IS GOING TO BE A FACTOR, BUT I CERTAINLY GET REMINDED A FAIR BIT. SMELTZ'S CONTRACT IS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS SEASON. AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR 'NIX FANS, HE'LL HAVE TO WAIT TILL JANUARY 5 BEFORE HE'S EVEN ELIGIBLE TO TAKE THE PITCH. THAT GIVES HIM TWO WEEKS TO FIND HIS FEET, ALTHOUGH A RECENT STINT IN MALAYSIA HAS HIM IN PRETTY GOOD NICK. I'VE JUST COME OFF THE BACK OF PLAYING 18 GAMES IN THREE MONTHS. AS I SAY, THE BODY'S FEELING GREAT. MENTALLY I'VE HAD A LITTLE BREAK NOW SO I'M FRESH. SO I JUST THINK FOR THE TIMING OF IT, IT COULDN'T BE BETTER. SMELTZ SAID HIS EYES LIT UP WHEN HE HEARD THE PHOENIX WERE INTERESTED IN BRINGING HIM BACK AND WASN'T AT ALL CONCERNED BY THE UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING A HEAD COACH APPOINTMENT. WITHOUT, SORT OF, WRITING OFF ANYONE IN THE PAST, I DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST. AND WHILE GREENACRE LOOKS TO BE GIVEN FULL CONTROL OF THE CLUB, WITH SIGNINGS OF SMELTZ AND AN EXTENSION TO ADAM PARKHOUSE, HE REMAINS COY ABOUT SECURING THE JOB LONG-TERM. I HAVEN'T READ ANY MEDIA, I'VE READ NO PRESS RELEASES, NO FACEBOOK ` I'VE GOT ABSOLULETY NO INTEREST IN WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE. WE'LL SEE IF THAT CHANGES, WITH THE 'NIX PREVIOUSLY STATING THEIR DESIRE TO NAME A FULLTIME REPLACEMENT BY CHRISTMAS. JOHN MCKENZIE, 1 NEWS. INDIAN CRICKET'S LATEST SENSATION HAS PUT A VERY DIFFERENT SPIN ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS MAIDEN TRIPLE CENTURY AGAINST ENGLAND IN THE FIFTH TEST IN CHENNAI. KARUN NAIR ADMITS HE'S LUCKY TO BE ALIVE AFTER SURVIVING THE CAPSIZE OF A TRADITIONAL SNAKE BOAT THAT KILLED SIX PEOPLE IN HIS HOME STATE OF KERALA FIVE MONTHS AGO. NO, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM, SO I THINK PEOPLE THERE RESCUED ME, AND I WAS JUST LUCKY ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, TO LIVE AGAIN. HE ALSO RODE HIS LUCK AGAINST ENGLAND AS HIS SCINTILLATING STROKE PLAY TOOK HIM INTO THE RECORD BOOKS IN JUST HIS THIRD TEST INNINGS. NAIR BECAME THE FIRST INDIAN PLAYER TO CONVERT A MAIDEN HUNDRED INTO AN UNBEATEN TRIPLE CENTURY, POWERING HIS SIDE TO ITS HIGHEST EVER TEST SCORE, 759/7. NAIR IS JUST THE THIRD PLAYER TO ACHIEVE A TRIPLE TON WHILE MAKING THEIR MAIDEN CENTURY. I'LL GIVE YOU THE OTHER TWO AT THE END OF SPORT. WITH THE BLACKCAPS IN REBUILDING MODE IN THEIR LIMITED OVERS SIDE, THE SEARCH IS ON FOR THE NEXT GROUP OF TALENT RISING THROUGH THE RANKS. ONE WHO MIGHT GET A LOOK IN SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, A KIWI (22) WHO'S ALREADY BEEN PLAYING INTERNATIONALLY FOR HONG KONG. KIMBERLEE DOWNS REPORTS. THIS WAS THE GIST OF MARK CHAPMAN'S FIRST T20 OUTING THIS SEASON. THAT'S DOWN LEG. THAT HAS GONE A LONG WAY. SWUNG. THAT HAS GONE WIDE. IS THAT OUT OF THE GROUND? THAT COULD BE DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS. 76 OFF 32 BALLS ` NOT BAD FOR A 22-YEAR-OLD IN HIS FIRST DOMESTIC T20 SEASON AS A CONTRACTED PLAYER. I'M YOUNG IN AGE, BUT I'VE GOT SOME EXPERIENCE THAT SOMEONE MY AGE PROBABLY DOESN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, GOING ROUND IN NZ, ESPECIALLY. THAT'S BECAUSE BEFORE HE PUT THE PADS ON FOR AUCKLAND, CHAPMAN HAD ALREADY PLAYED INTERNATIONALLY, EFFECTIVELY THE FACE OF CRICKET FOR HONG KONG, WHERE HE WAS BORN. THERE'S QUITE A BIG EXPAT COMMUNITY THERE, SO NATURALLY, MY DAD TOOK ME ALONG TO A CRICKET CLUB. HE'S A BIG FAN OF CRICKET HIMSELF, SO HE JUST DRAGGED ME ALONG ONE DAY, AND I WAS HOOKED ON CRICKET. THE SON OF A KIWI DAD AND CHINESE MUM, CHAPMAN MOVED TO NZ AT 14 BEFORE MIXING INTERNATIONAL DUTIES WITH CLUB CRICKET FOR PARNELL. THE FIRST TIME AUCKLAND A'S COACH AND FORMER BLACKCAPS ANDRE ADAMS LAID EYES ON HIM... SAID, 'MATE, THIS GUY WON'T BE WITH US FOR VERY LONG, 'THINK HE'LL BE PLAYING FOR NZ IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.' NOT TO MENTION HIS SURPRISE AT CHAPMAN'S POWER ` HE WON THE TEAM'S BIG HITTING COMPETITION LAST YEAR. I DON'T WANNA SOUND RACIST HERE, BUT HE'S A TINY LITTLE ASIAN KID WHO HITS THE BALL OUT OF THE GROUND, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S REALLY RARE. ULTIMATELY, I'D LOVE TO PLAY FOR NZ ONE DAY. NOW, IT'S NOT ALL SMOOTH SAILING ` CHAPMAN'S LAST COUPLE OF OUTINGS HAVEN'T PARTICULARLY TROUBLED THE SCORERS, BUT ADAMS CALLS HIM A BIG-OCCASION PLAYER. AND WITH PLENTY OF GOOD HUMOUR TO GO WITH HIS TALENT,... BOTH: # TWO TURTLE DOVES. # BOTH LAUGH ...IT MIGHT NOT BE LONG BEFORE HE TRADES THE SANTA HAT FOR A BLACK CAP. KIMBERLEE DOWNS, 1 NEWS. FORMER RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER ALEX MCKINNON'S DECISION TO SUE BOTH THE NRL AND THE PLAYER INVOLVED IN THE TACKLE THAT LEFT HIM PARALYSED HAS ATTRACTED HUGE SOCIAL MEDIA DEBATE. MANY ARE RUTHLESS WITH THEIR CONDEMNATION OF HIS DECISION, CALLING MCKINNON GREEDY, COWARDLY AND PATHETIC AND EVEN ACCUSING HIM OF BRINGING IT ON HIMSELF WITH HOW HE WENT INTO THE TACKLE. BUT THE PLAYERS ASSOCIATION SAYS HE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO DO WHAT HE'S DOING. HE'S GOT INDEPENDENT LEGAL REPRESENTATION. HE'S ENTITLED TO PURSUE ALL OF HIS LEGAL RIGHTS, AND FROM THE PROCEDURAL PERSPECTIVE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALLOW THAT TO PLAY OUT. MCKINNON HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN $500,000 FROM THE NRL AND $1.5M MORE FROM A CHARITY SET UP IN HIS NAME. A SOLO ROUND-THE-WORLD SAILOR IS TRYING TO REACH BLUFF IN THE SOUTH ISLAND IN A YACHT HE FEARS MAY BREAK UP BEFORE HE CAN REACH LAND. FRENCHMAN THOMAS RUYANT'S VENDEE GLOBE ENTRY HAS MAJOR CRACKS IN THE HULL AFTER A FRIGHTENING COLLISION. (SPEAKS FRENCH) RUYANT'S EXPECTED TO REACH BLUFF AROUND 2AM TOMORROW AS HE BATTLES 45-KNOT WINDS AND 5M SWELLS. AUSTRALIAN BOBBY SIMPSON AT OLD TRAFFORD IN 1964, WEST INDIES SIR GARFIELD SOBERS AGAINST PAKISTAN 1958. DID I EXPLAIN THAT WELL? THEY'RE GOOD CRICKETERS. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU. STILL A PRO. THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF LORD OF THE RINGS. PLUS, WE HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE ANNOUNCEMENT. WE CAN REVEAL WHICH OF OUR OLYMPIANS WILL BE AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS LONSDALE CUP. THE WINNER JOINS US LIVE. WE'RE KIWIS. WE DON'T TALK ABOUT EMOTIONS. WE SHUT UP SHOP. BUT MIKE KING THINKS HE HAS A WAY OF GETTING NZERS TO OPEN UP. AND WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE WORLD'S TOUGHEST OCEAN SWIMS, THIS IS JUST A HAZARD OF THE JOB. BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE OTHER SIDE, I'D BEEN STUNG ABOUT 200 TIMES. MORE FROM THE KIWI RECORD-BREAKER AT 7. PEOPLE CHATTER, DANCE MUSIC PULSATES They've been on the sauce. They've been on the sauce. Your party! They've been on the sauce. Your party! That's Mary's boy, isn't it? Yeah. Maybe you should say something. Maybe you should say something. Nah. I'm crap at that kind of thing, Barry. Yeah, but they're just kids. If we don't say something... (GROANS) Hey, boys? Boys? Why don't you get a lift home tonight? Oh, whatever, mate. I've only had a couple. No, no, no, no. It's too late now. I've spoken to you and I know your mum, so that means our fates are aligned. You get into that car and you get yourself killed or you kill someone else, I become part of it too. How? How? Well, it's like, um, my balls are in your hands. BOYS LAUGH, SNORT BOY: Oh, you want the balls! BOY: Oh, you want the balls! Nobody wants that. Hey, how about I drive you? What? Oh. What? Oh. BOYS LAUGH, DANCE MUSIC PLAYS ON RADIO (SWITCHES RADIO STATION) (SWITCHES RADIO STATION) YODELLING MUSIC PLAYS I like it. HELLO AGAIN. HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATES OVER THE TASMAN SEA, ACROSS NZ AND TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE COUNTRY, KEEPING SKIES MOSTLY CLEAR, APART FROM A LONG STREAK OF CLOUD OFF EAST CAPE LEADING TO THE SOUTHEAST THAT MARKS A RECENTLY ACTIVE FRONTAL FEATURE. A BROAD WHITE EXPANSE OF CLOUD OVER THE SOUTH TASMAN SEA IS GENERATED BY A LOW AND ASSOCIATED FRONTS, SO OUR SUMMERY RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE RETREATS TO THE NORTH TOMORROW AS A FRONT MOVES ONTO THE SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY PRECEDED BY A NORTH-WESTERLY FLOW. THE FRONT MOVES ON TO THE NORTH ISLAND ON THURSDAY, THEN WEAKENS AWAY ON FRIDAY AND IS FOLLOWED BY A SOUTHWEST FLOW AS A RIDGE APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. SO A VERY DIFFERENT LOOKING DAY FROM TODAY FOR THE SOUTH ISLAND DRIZZLE OVER FIORDLAND, SPREADING UP THE WEST COAST WITH THE FRONT AND BECOMING RAIN WITH SOME HEAVY FALLS, THEN DRIZZLE DEVELOPING OVER BULLER AT NIGHT. HIGH CLOUD SPREADS UP THE EAST OF THE ISLAND, THEN SCATTERED RAIN DEVELOPS OVER SOUTHLAND AND OTAGO AT NIGHT AS THE FRONT MAKES LANDFALL THERE. NORTHWESTERLIES, POSSIBLY SEVERE GALE ABOUT SOUTHERN REGIONS. ISOLATED SHOWERS NORTH OF AUCKLAND. AND A FEW FALLS DEVELOPING FURTHER SOUTH IN THE AFTERNOON FROM AUCKLAND, WAIKATO, TAUPO TO BAY OF PLENTY AND POSSIBLY THROUGH TO GISBORNE AND HAWKES BAY. MAINLY FINE ELSEWHERE WITH NORTH-TO-NORTHEAST WINDS. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ A TROUGH PRECEDED BY NORTHWESTERLIES MOVES NORTHWARDS OVER NZ DURING THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, FOLLOWED BY SOUTHWESTERLIES, BRINGING A PERIOD OF RAIN AND SCATTERED SHOWERS TO MOST. AND CHRISTMAS EVE IS LOOKING MAINLY FINE FOR THE NORTH ISLAND. CLOUDY PERIODS AND ISOLATED SHOWERS IN THE WEST AND FAR SOUTH OF THE SOUTH AND ALSO SPREADING TO EASTERN COASTAL AREAS SOUTH OF CHRISTCHURCH LATER. ELSEWHERE, MAINLY FINE. AND THAT IS YOUR WEATHER. ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR NIGHT. AS LONG AS cHRISTMAS dAY IS GOOD. Over two Seven Sharp.