IT'S MIDDAY. CLIMATE CHANGE AND GENDER EQUALITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS THE PRIME MINISTER TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT THE UNITED NATIONS. WHO TO BELIEVE ` AS SUPREME COURT NOMINEE BRETT KAVANAUGH AND ONE OF HIS ACCUSERS MAKE THEIR CASES TO A SENATE JUDICIARY HEARING. AND HAS THE FUTURE FINALLY ARRIVED? WILL THIS FLYING CAR MAKE TRAFFIC JAMS A THING OF THE PAST? CAPTIONS BY JAMES BROWN AND JAKE EBDALE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018 '#METOO MUST BECOME #WETOO' ` ONE OF THE MESSAGES AT THE CENTRE OF PRIME MINISTER JACINDA ARDERN'S ADDRESS TO THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN NEW YORK TODAY, THE PRIME MINISTER NOT ONCE NAMING U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, BUT CLEARLY SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THEMES HE LAUDED IN HIS SPEECH EARLIER THIS WEEK. 1 NEWS U.S. CORRESPONDENT REBECCA WRIGHT IS IN NEW YORK AND SENT THIS REPORT. THIS WAS THE HEADLINE ACT FOR THE PRIME MINISTER HERE AT THE UNITED NATIONS THIS WEEK, AND IN HER SPEECH SHE GOT A SPONTANEOUS ROUND OF APPLAUSE, A VERY RARE THING IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. AND IT CAME WHEN SHE SPOKE ABOUT WOMEN'S EQUALITY. WE STILL HAVE A GENDER PAY GAP, AN OVERREPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN LOW-PAID WORK AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND WE ARE NOT ALONE. IT SEEMS SURPRISING THAT IN THIS MODERN AGE WE HAVE TO RE-COMMIT OURSELVES TO GENDER EQUALITY, BUT WE DO. AND I, FOR ONE, WILL NEVER CELEBRATE THE GAINS WE HAVE MADE FOR WOMEN DOMESTICALLY, WHILE INTERNATIONALLY OTHER WOMEN AND GIRLS EXPERIENCE A LACK OF THE MOST BASIC OPPORTUNITIES AND DIGNITY. #METOO MUST BECOME #WETOO. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. (APPLAUSE) IT WAS A KILLER LINE BY THE PM. BUT SHE ALSO USED HER ADDRESS TO TACKLE SOME OF THE BIG CHALLENGES FACING THE UNITED NATIONS ` THINGS LIKE ISOLATIONISM, UNILATERALISM AND PATRIOTISM ` MANY OF THE KEY THEMES IN PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SPEECH EARLIER THIS WEEK. ANY DISINTEGRATION OF MULTILATERALISM, ANY UNDERMINING OF CLIMATE-RELATED TARGETS AND AGREEMENTS AREN'T INTERESTING FOOTNOTES IN GEOPOLITICAL HISTORY, THEY ARE CATASTROPHIC. IN THE GALLERY, HER PARTNER, CLARKE AND BABY NEVE, ALTHOUGH NEVE SEEMED TO SLEEP THROUGH MUCH OF THE SPEECH. TODAY'S PERFORMANCE CAPPED OFF A VERY POLISHED PERFORMANCE BY THE PRIME MINISTER HERE IN NEW YORK. SHE HAS DEALT WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF INTEREST IN A NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER, AND SHE HAS MANAGED ALL OF HER HIGH-PROFILE MEETINGS AND INTERVIEWS PRETTY WELL. THE HISTORIC HEARING INTO SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST U.S. SUPREME COURT NOMINEE BRETT KAVANAUGH HAS ENDED. BOTH MR KAVANAUGH AND HIS ORIGINAL ACCUSER, CHRISTINE BLASEY FORD, TESTIFIED IN FRONT OF THE SUPREME COURT JUDICIARY ABOUT THE ASSAULT WHICH ALLEGEDLY HAPPENED WHEN THEY WERE TEENAGERS. MR KAVANAUGH ABSOLUTELY DENIES ALL ALLEGATIONS, BUT MS FORD SAID SHE WAS 100% CERTAIN HE WAS HER ATTACKER. THE ABC'S TERRY MORAN WITH THIS. BEFORE A PACKED HEARING ROOM IN AN EXTRAORDINARY TIME, SHE RAISED HER RIGHT HAND AND SWORE TO TELL THE TRUTH. AFTER DAYS OF PARTISAN WRANGLING AND FIERCE DEBATE, THE FLOOR WAS NOW HERS, IN HER OWN VOICE, DR FORD TELLING THE SENATORS THAT BRETT KAVANAUGH AND HIS FRIEND MARK JUDGE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER WHEN THEY WERE TEENAGERS AT A SMALL GATHERING OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. I WENT UP A VERY NARROW SET OF STAIRS LEADING FROM THE LIVING ROOM TO A SECOND FLOOR, TO USE THE REST ROOM. WHEN I GOT TO THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, I WAS PUSHED FROM BEHIND INTO A BEDROOM ACROSS FROM THE BATHROOM. BRETT AND MARK CAME INTO THE BEDROOM AND LOCKED THE DOOR BEHIND THEM. AND BRETT GOT ON TOP OF ME. HE BEGAN RUNNING HIS HANDS OVER MY BODY AND GRINDING INTO ME. I BELIEVED HE WAS GOING TO RAPE ME. DR FORD SAYS SHE RAN FROM THE HOUSE AND NEVER SPOKE OF WHAT HAPPENED THERE FOR YEARS. DR FORD SAYS IN THE DAYS SINCE SHE WENT PUBLIC SHE HAS FACED DEATH THREATS AND SUCH CONSTANT HARASSMENT THAT SHE HAS HAD TO MOVE HER CHILDREN. DR FORD TESTIFIED THAT AFTER THE ASSAULT SHE STRUGGLED IN SCHOOL, IN FORMING NEW FRIENDSHIPS, IN HER RELATIONSHIPS WITH BOYS. WHAT IS THE STRONGEST MEMORY THAT YOU HAVE? THE UPROARIOUS LAUGHTER BETWEEN THE TWO AND THEIR HAVING FUN AT MY EXPENSE. WHAT YOU ARE TELLING IS THIS COULD NOT BE A CASE OF MISTAKE IDENTITY. ABSOLUTELY NOT. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT YOU WOULD MIX THEM UP WITH SOMEBODY ELSE? NO, IT IS NOT. WITH WHAT DEGREE OF CERTAINTY DO YOU BELIEVE BRETT KAVANAUGH ASSAULTED YOU? 100%. REPUBLICANS ASKED NO QUESTIONS. THEY DELEGATED THEIR TIME TO A VETERAN ARIZONA SEX CRIMES PROSECUTOR, RACHEL MITCHELL. SHE DID NOT QUESTION WHETHER DR FORD HAD BEEN ASSAULTED, BUT SHE DID ASK WHY NONE OF THE OTHER STUDENTS DR FORD SAYS WERE AT THE PARTY HAVE SAID THEY REMEMBER IT. DR FORD REVEALED HER ALLEGATIONS TO HER LOCAL CONGRESSWOMAN IN JULY, BUT HER STORY DIDN'T BECOME PUBLIC UNTIL ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. REPUBLICANS ARE FURIOUS WITH DEMOCRATS OVER THIS. AS REPUBLICANS JUST SAT THERE IN SILENCE, DEMOCRATS HEAPED PRAISE ON THE WITNESS, AS SHE HELD BACK TEARS. BRAVERY IS CONTAGIOUS. YOU HAVE INSPIRED AND YOU HAVE ENLIGHTENED MEN. RUSSIA SAYS IT WILL LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON ONE OF THE MEN BELIEVED TO BE BEHIND THE POISONING OF A FORMER RUSSIAN DOUBLE AGENT AND HIS DAUGHTER IN SALISBURY. IT COMES AFTER AN INVESTIGATIVE WEBSITE SAID THE MAN ENTERED THE UK UNDER A FALSE NAME AND WAS ACTUALLY A RUSSIAN COLONEL NAMED ANATOLIY CHEPIGA. THE KREMLIN SAYS AT THIS STAGE IT DOESN'T RECOGNISE THE SUPPOSED SUSPECT. THE INQUIRY INTO LONDON'S GRENFELL TOWER FIRE, WHICH KILLED 72 PEOPLE, HAS HEARD DRAMATIC EVIDENCE FROM THE HEAD OF THE CITY'S FIRE BRIGADE. DANY COTTON SAID SHE TRIED TO COMFORT HER CREW AS THEY ENTERED THE TOWER IN JUNE LAST YEAR AND FEARED SOME WOULDN'T COME OUT ALIVE. THE BBC'S TOM SYMONDS REPORTS. IN AMONGST HER TEAM, COMMISSIONER DANY COTTON IN THE LOBBY OF GRENFELL TOWER. SHE WAS THINKING THAT SOME OF THEM MIGHT NOT MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT, AS THE REPEATEDLY TRIED TO SAVE LIVES. AND TODAY SHE SAID SOMETHING TO THE INQUIRY THAT NO FIREFIGHTER EVER WANTS TO ADMIT. WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, AND SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO STAND HERE AND SAY, 'YES, WE COULD HAVE DONE THIS AND THAT,' BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE TO THE RESPONSE ON THE NIGHT. THE BUILDING HAD FAILED. BUT COULD FIREFIGHTERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO SPOT THE DIFFICULTIES OF A CLADDING FIRE? I TRULY DON'T THINK IT WOULD HAVE BENEFITTED ANYONE TO HAVE ANY MORE DETAILED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CLADDING, TO RESPOND TO THE FIRE AT GRENFELL, BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE ENABLED THEM TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. BUT IT'S A KEY QUESTION FOR THE INQUIRY ` WAS THE FIRE BRIGADE OF A HIGH-RISE CITY SIMPLY UNPREPARED FOR A HIGH-RISE FIRE LIKE THIS? IT TURNS OUT THE RISK WAS ON THE RADAR. FIVE YEARS AFTER THIS FIRE, THE GOVERNMENT PUBLISHED SPECIFIC GUIDANCE ON HIGH-RISE FIRES IN 2014. IT SAID COMMANDERS SHOULD CONSIDER... THE COMMISSIONER SAID SHE DID NOT READ IT AT THE TIME. YOU KNOW, WE WOULD RESPOND TO IT AND DEAL WITH IT IN THE SAME PROFESSIONAL MANNER THAT WE DO ` THAT IS, AN INCIDENT OF THAT SCALE. SO I WOULDN'T EXPECT US TO BE DEVELOPING TRAINING OR RESPONSE TO SOMETHING THAT SIMPLY SHOULDN'T HAPPEN. BUT IT DID, AND THOSE WHO SURVIVED IT BELIEVE THE TOUGH QUESTIONS ARE NEEDED. SHE SPOKE A LOT ABOUT CONSOLING AND KEPT TALKING AND PUTTING HER ARMS AROUND PEOPLE THAT ARE DEVASTATED. OF COURSE THEY'RE DEVASTATED, BECAUSE YOU'VE JUST SENT THEM IN TO RISK THEIR LIVES WITHOUT ADEQUATE TRAINING. PEOPLE WHO WERE TOLD TO STAY PUT RATHER THAN LEAVE. THE COMMISSIONER SAID THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT ADVICE IF THE BUILDING HAD NOT ALLOWED THE FIRE TO SPREAD. WHAT ISN'T IN DOUBT IS HOW HARD THE FIREFIGHTERS TRIED TO SAVE THE PEOPLE OF GRENFELL, HOW WILLING THEY WERE TO PUT THEIR OWN LIVES AT RISK. WE'VE HEARD WEEKS OF EVIDENCE OF THAT. INDIA'S TOP COURT HAS OVERTURNED A 158-YEAR-OLD LAW AND RULED ADULTERY IS NO LONGER A CRIMINAL OFFENCE. IT'S THE SECOND COLONIAL ERA LAW STRUCK DOWN BY INDIA'S SUPREME COURT THIS MONTH AFTER EARLIER OVERTURNING A BAN ON GAY SEX. PREVIOUSLY THE LAW STATED ANY MAN WHO HAD SEX WITH A MARRIED WOMAN WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF HER HUSBAND HAD COMMITED A CRIME. THE CREATOR OF ONE OF THE MOST LOVED CHILDREN'S CHARACTERS, POSTMAN PAT, HAS DIED AT THE AGE OF 85. HE CAME UP WITH THE FICTIONAL POSTMAN WHILE LIVING IN THE UK'S LAKE DISTRICT NEARLY 40 YEARS AGO. THE BBC'S DAVID SILLITO LOOKS BACK ON HIS LIFE. # POSTMAN PAT # (SWEDISH VERSION OF 'POSTMAN PAT' THEME) IN SWEDEN, HE'S POSTIS PER. (FRENCH VERSION OF 'POSTMAN PAT' THEME) PIERRE MARTIN IN FRANCE. (ITALIAN VERSION OF 'POSTMAN PAT' THEME) IN ITALY, POSTINO PAT. # POSTINO PAT. # POSTMAN PAT IS A 37-YEAR-OLD GLOBAL CHILDREN'S FAVOURITE, THE CREATION OF AUTHOR AND TEACHER JOHN CUNLIFFE, HE'D BEEN ASKED TO COME UP WITH A NEW CHILDREN'S CHARACTER. WELL, THEY LOOKED AT MY FARMER STORIES AND THEY HADN'T WANTED TO USE THOSE. WHO ELSE LIVED IN THE COUNTRYSIDE? A POSTMAN TRAVELS AROUND AND MEETS A LOT OF PEOPLE AND A FRIENDLY CHARACTER. # ROSIE AND JIM. ROSIE AND JIM. # IN HIS OTHER TV SERIES 'ROSIE AND JIM', JOHN CUNLIFFE GOT A STARRING ROLE. HELLO. I'M JOHN. HE'D STARTED WRITING FOR CHILDREN IN THE '60S WITH HIS FIRST BOOK, 'FARMER BARNES BUYS A PIG'. BUT HIS MOST LASTING CHARACTER, WITH NEARLY 200 EPISODES AND A FEATURE FILM, WAS CHEERFUL, CHATTY PAT, WHO WAS, HE SAID, INSPIRED BY HIS OWN EXPERIENCES DRIVING A MOBILE LIBRARY AROUND THE LAKE DISTRICT. SCHOOL HOLIDAYS ARE ABOUT TO ARRIVE, AND PARENTS ARE BEING WARNED ABOUT POOR-QUALITY HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES BEING ADVERTISED. ONE PROGRAMME DIRECTOR SAYS PARENTS NEED TO DO THEIR OWN BACKGROUND CHECKS. THE WHOLE INDUSTRY HAS REALLY CHANGED IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE VULNERABLE CHILDREN'S ACT 2014 AND ALL PROGRAMMES ` WELL, ALL OF OUR SKIDS PROGRAMMES MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, MSD-APPROVED. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` COULD KILLER WHALES BE WIPED OUT WITHIN A CENTURY? THE COMMON CHEMICALS THREATENING THEIR EXISTENCE. WHAT NOT DO TO IF YOU JUST MISS YOUR FLIGHT ` THE IRISHMAN WHO TRIED TO CHASE AFTER A PLANE IN DUBLIN. PLUS, THE FIRST GROUPS ARE SET AND THE RYDER CUP IS READY TO TEE OFF. WE'LL PREVIEW THIS WEEKEND'S BIG TRANSATLANTIC GOLFING BATTLE. A MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN IRELAND FOR CHASING AFTER A PLANE. THE 23-YEAR-OLD WAS CAUGHT BY POLICE AFTER HE RAN OUT OF THE TERMINAL WITH HIS SUITCASE UNDER HIS ARM AND ATTEMPTED TO BOARD A RYANAIR FLIGHT THE GATE HAD ALREADY CLOSED FOR. HE BANGED ON THE WINDOW AND SHOUTED FOR THE PILOT TO WAIT. UNSURPRISINGLY, THE PILOT DIDN'T LISTEN AND THE MAN HAS NOW BEEN CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL DAMAGE. HE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THIS NEXT STORY. AND YOU MIGHT BE TOO, IF YOU'RE SICK OF GETTING STUCK IN TRAFFIC. AFTER YEARS IN THE MAKING, THE FIRST AIRBORNE VEHICLE OF ITS KIND WILL GO ON SALE NEXT MONTH AND SHOULD BE READY BY 2019. MANUFACTURED IN CHINA, IT WILL REACH SPEEDS OF UP TO 160km/h. BUT FOR NOW THE PRICE TAG REMAINS A MYSTERY. THE POPULATION OF KILLER WHALES IS UNDER THREAT BECAUSE A BANNED CHEMICAL ONCE USED IN FLAME RETARDANTS AND COOLANTS CAN BUILD UP IN THE MAMMALS' BODIES AND PREVENT THEM FROM REPRODUCING. THE BBC'S VICTORIA GILL VISITED SCIENTISTS IN LONDON WHO SAY KILLER WHALES IN BRITISH WATERS ARE LIKELY TO BE EXTINCT WITHIN A CENTURY. AND A WARNING ` THIS REPORT CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES. THE ULTIMATE MARINE PREDATOR IS FALLING PREY TO AN INVISIBLE THREAT, MANUFACTURED CHEMICALS LINGERING IN THE OCEAN. POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS, OR PCB'S, THAT WERE ONCE USED TO HEAT-PROOF EVERYTHING FROM ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO PAINT AND GLUE, ARE LEECHING INTO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND ARE FOUND IN TOXIC LEVELS IN THE BODIES OF KILLER WHALES. THE VERY HIGHEST LEVELS IN THE KILLER WHALES ARE ACTUALLY LEVELS THAT WE THINK WOULD COMPLETELY SUPPRESS REPRODUCTION THE EFFECTS OF THESE CHEMICALS HAVE BEEN AT THE HEART OF YEARS OF INVESTIGATION BY SCIENTISTS, INCLUDING THIS TEAM FROM LONDON'S INSTITUTE OF ZOOLOGY, WHO HAVE CARRIED OUT DETAILED POST MORTEMS ON THE BODIES OF MARINE MAMMALS. POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS ARE EXTREMELY STABLE HEAT-RESISTANT CHEMICALS. THEY WERE USED IN A HUGE RANGE OF PRODUCTS, INCLUDING PAINTS AND SEALANTS, UNTIL RESEARCH REVEALED THEM TO BE TOXIC. THEY WERE WIDELY BANNED IN THE 1980S. THEIR LEGACY, THOUGH, HAS PROVEN JUST AS TOXIC. THE UN ESTIMATES THAT 14 MILLION TONS OF PCBS HAVE YET TO BE DISPOSED OF SAFELY. AND THEY MAY STILL BE LEAKING FROM LANDFILL SITES TODAY. IN THE OCEAN, IT'S KILLER WHALES, APEX PREDATORS, WHO SUFFER THE WORST CONSEQUENCES. THE KILLER WHALES EAT EVERYTHING IN THE SEA, FROM PENGUINS TO SEALS, EVEN OTHER SPECIES OF WHALE. AND BECAUSE PCB'S ARE EVERYWHERE IN THE ENVIRONMENT, THEY'RE IN EVERY MARINE ANIMAL. SO EACH CONTAMINATED MEAL IS ANOTHER DOSE OF THESE CHEMICALS. THEY'RE ALSO TRANSMITTED FROM MOTHER TO CALF, POLLUTION PASSED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. BUT WHILE THIS STUDY FORECASTS A BLEAK FUTURE FOR MANY KILLER WHALE POPULATIONS, SCIENTISTS ALSO HOPE IT WILL PROVIDE A CATALYST TO CLEAN UP THIS CHEMICAL LEGACY, ENSURING THAT POPULATIONS THAT ESCAPED IT WILL CONTINUE TO THRIVE. A BRITISH SINGER WELL KNOWN FOR HIS WELSH VERSE HAS HAD A LETTER REJECTED BY A BANK IN WALES BECAUSE IT SAID IT WAS IN A 'FOREIGN LANGUAGE'. THE SINGER COMPLAINED TO THE WELSH LANGUAGE COMMISSIONER AFTER THE BANK TOLD HIM TO RESEND IT IN ENGLISH. THE BBC'S SIAN LLOYD HAS THE STORY. WHEN GERAINT LOVGREEN WROTE TO HIS BANK TO LET THEM KNOW HE'D MOVED HOUSE, THEIR REPLY CAME AS A SHOCK. READS: 'WE NOTICE THAT YOU'VE SENT YOUR E-MESSAGE 'TO THE HSBC WEBSITE IN THE UK IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.' READS REPLY: 'IT'S A DISGRACE THAT WELSH IS CALLED A FOREIGN LANGUAGE 'IN WALES, AND THIS REFLECTS VERY BADLY ON THE TRAINING 'THAT YOU GIVE YOUR STAFF. I'LL BE REFERRING THE MATTER 'TO THE WELSH LANGUAGE COMMISSIONER. 'IN THE MEANTIME, I'D LIKE AN APOLOGY 'AND I'D LIKE MY ORIGINAL MESSAGE TO BE GIVEN AN APPROPRIATE REPLY.' HSBC HAVE APOLOGISED, CLAIMING THAT MR LOVGREEN'S EMAIL HADN'T BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BEING IN WELSH, AND SO THE WELSH LANGUAGE TEAM HADN'T DEALT WITH THE ISSUE. THEY PROMISE TO IMPROVE TRAINING TO PREVENT A SIMILAR MATTER ARISING IN THE FUTURE. THE WELSH LANGUAGE COMMISSIONER SAID IT IS DISAPPOINTING TO STILL SEE EXAMPLES OF A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AND PROVISION BY SOME BANKS FOR WELSH-LANGUAGE CUSTOMERS. SHE'LL BE MEETING SENIOR BANKING MANAGERS IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO DISCUSS THESE LATEST COMPLAINTS. MIDDAY SPORT NOW, AND THE ALL BLACKS HAVE BEEN WARNED NOT TO TAKE THE PUMAS LIGHTLY IN SUNDAY'S RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP CLASH IN ARGENTINA. COACH STEVE HANSEN'S LOOKED TO EXPERIENCE WITH A NUMBER OF KEY CHANGES AS THEY SEEK TO RECOVER FROM DEFEAT TO SOUTH AFRICA. AMONG THE TEAM ALTERATIONS IS THE LONG AWAITED RETURN OF VETERAN MIDFIELDER SONNY BILL WILLIAMS. BUT THE LOSS HAS ALSO PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEWCOMER PROP ANGUS TA'AVAO. THE PROP IS EXPECTED TO MAKE HIS DEBUT FROM THE BENCH. I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT RACEHORSES. SO YOU SEE THAT STAYERS STAY LONGER THAN SPRINTERS, AND, UH, HE'S MORE OF A STAYER. HE'S BUILT AND TAKEN A BIT OF TIME TO GET THERE, BUT NOW THAT HE HAS, HE'S BEEN ABLE TO PUT IT TOGETHER AT SCRUM TIME AND USE THE SIZE AND STRENGTH THAT HE'S GOT. GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM. MANAWATU HAVE SURVIVED A LATE SURGE FROM BAY OF PLENTY TO SECURE A TIGHT WIN IN THE PROVINCIAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP. THE CLASH IN ROTORUA TAKING JUST SECONDS TO BURST INTO LIFE AS MANAWATU SCORED MOMENTS AFTER KICK OFF. NICE LITTLE TAG FROM THE BOOTH. AWAY HE GOES UP THE PARK. JAMIE BOOTH! STILL GOING, JAMIE BOOTH! POOR DEFENCE FROM THE STAMERS! AND MANAWATU WITH A DREAM START. BUT THE TURBOS' EARLY DOMINANCE WOULD LATER DISSIPATE AS THE STAMERS LAUNCHED A FIGHTBACK. THE HOME SIDE INCHED THEIR WAY TO BEING WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE IN THE FINAL MOMENTS OF THE MATCH. FULLBACK KALEB TRASK'S KICK FALLING AGONISINGLY SHORT AS MANAWATU EARNED A 17-15 WIN. NRL GRAND FINALISTS THE MELBOURNE STORM AND SYDNEY ROOSTERS HAVE MADE THEIR FINAL PUBLIC APPEARANCE BEFORE SUNDAY'S DECIDER. AMONG THE PLAYERS IN ATTENDANCE WAS INJURED ROOSTERS PLAYMAKER COOPER CRONK. THE STAR HALFBACK HAS WARNED NOT TO RULE HIM OUT OF SUNDAY'S CLASH, DESPITE A CRIPPLING SHOULDER INJURY. CHANNEL NINE'S NEIL BREEN EXPLAINS. FACE TO FACE ` SUNDAY'S GRAND FINALISTS PRESENTED TO FANS BEFORE PREPARATIONS GO INTO LOCKDOWN. (CHANTING) BUT ONE MAN WAS MISSING ` COOPER CRONK SKIPPING THE PUBLIC APPEARANCE FOR MORE TREATMENT ON HIS BADLY DAMAGED SHOULDER. AN HOUR EARLIER, HE WAS THE STARRING ACT AT THE PRE-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE. GOT A BIT OF IMPROVEMENTS TODAY, AND THEY'LL DEFINITELY NEED SOME, SO STILL TRYING TO THROW A HAIL MARY AND WE'LL SEE WHERE IT LANDS AND SEE HOW WE GO ON SUNDAY. IF THERE'S A WILL, WE'LL FIND A WAY, AND I'LL SEE HOW WE GO COME SUNDAY. THE MELBOURNE STORM THINK HE WILL BE THERE. HE'S A TOUGH LIL ROOSTER ` EXCUSE THE PUN. HE'S CERTAINLY PLAYED INJURIES WITH US. SO IF ANYONE'S GONNA DO IT, IT'LL BE COOPS. WE'LL PREPARE HIM MORE SO THAT WAY. WE'VE GOT A GAME PLAN AT THE MOMENT THAT IS BUILT AROUND COOPER PLAYING. UNTIL WE FIND OUT ANY MORE, THAT WON'T CHANGE. THE ROOSTERS AND STORM HAVE MADE 14 GRAND FINAL APPEARANCES BETWEEN THEM SINCE THE YEAR 1999. BUT THEY HAVE NEVER MET IN THE BIG ONE. IT'S GREAT FOR OUR GAME THAT TWO STRONG CLUBS ARE VYING FOR THE TROPHY ON SUNDAY. THE MATCH WILL BE THE LAST FOR BILLY SLATER, AND CAMPBELL SMITH FUELLED SPECULATION HE COULD ALSO BOW OUT. I DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT FOR NEXT YEAR, SO DON'T KNOW. I'M WORRIED ABOUT THIS WEEK, MATE, AND PREPARING WELL. HOPEFULLY THE TEAM PREPARE WELL AND GO IN AND PLAY WELL IN THE WEEKEND. THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKED TO DO FROM MY COACHES AND MY TEAMMATES, AND WHATEVER HAPPENS AFTER THE GAME WILL HAPPEN. AMID TALKS OF FALLOUTS BETWEEN THE PAIR, CRONK AND SMITH MANAGED THE PRE-MATCH COURTESIES. WHETHER CRONK WILL HAVE HIS BOOTS ON SUNDAY REMAINS TO BE SEEN. A RESURGENT TIGER WOODS HAS BEEN PAIRED WITH PATRICK REED AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND'S RYDER CUP. WOODS AND REED WILL PLAY EUROPE'S FRANCESCO MOLINARI AND TOMMY FLEETWOOD IN TOMORROW'S OPENING FOUR BALLS. THE BBC'S ANDY SWISS HAS THE STORY. MAN: TEAM EUROPE! THE SHOW BEFORE THE SHOWDOWN. THE EUROPEAN TEAM GREETED BY THOUSANDS OF FANS, AS WERE THEIR AMERICAN OPPONENTS. FROM FLORIDA, TIGER WOODS. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) ONE MAN IN PARTICULAR. THE RYDER CUP IS ONE OF THE FEW EVENTS WHERE EUROPE COMPETE AS A CONTINENT, AS THEIR CAPTAIN WAS KEEN TO HIGHLIGHT. THIS GREAT CONTINENT CAN AT TIMES BE A FRAGMENTED PLACE, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE RYDER CUP, IT IS DIFFERENT. WHEN IT COMES TO THE RYDER CUP, EUROPE STANDS AS ONE. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) (CHANTING 'OLE') EUROPE'S PRACTICE SESSIONS HERE HAVE FELT MORE LIKE PARTIES; RORY MCILROY EVEN CONDUCTING THE CROWD. ONLY AT THE RYDER CUP. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) BUT THEY'LL HAVE TO COPE WITH A RESURGENT TIGER WOODS HEADING THE US CHALLENGE IN WHAT IS THE BIGGEST AMPHITHEATRE THIS EVENT HAS EVER SEEN. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) WITH AN ARRAY OF STAR NAMES, THE US TEAM WILL START AS FAVOURITES. BUT AS WELL AS BEING UP AGAINST THEIR OPPONENTS AND MOST OF THE CROWD, THEY'RE UP AGAINST HISTORY. FROM VALDERRAMA BACK IN 1997 TO GLEN EAGLES IN 2014, EUROPE HAVE WON THE LAST FIVE TIMES AT HOME, MORE INCENTIVE FOR THE STATES ` NOT THAT THEY NEED IT. I'VE NEVER WON IT AS A PLAYER, SO IT'D BE THE THRILL OF A LIFETIME. HERE, THERE, DOESN'T MATTER WHERE IT IS. IT'D JUST BE THE THRILL OF A LIFETIME FOR THAT LITTLE TROPHY. THAT'S ALL WE'RE PLAYING FOR. WE'RE NOT PLAYING FOR MONEY OR ANYTHING. WE'RE PLAYING FOR PRIDE. AND AS THE FIRST RYDER CUP TO BE PLAYED IN FRANCE, THIS WILL BE HISTORIC AS WELL AS DRAMATIC. CAN THE EUROPEAN TEAM ONCE AGAIN FIND THAT MAGIC TOUCH? STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. YOUR WEATHER'S NEXT, BUT FIRST LET'S LOOK AT OUR TOP STORIES. CLIMATE CHANGE AND GENDER EQUALITY WERE TOP OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S AGENDA WHEN SHE TOOK TO THE STAGE AT THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIS MORNING. THE HEARING INTO SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST U.S. SUPREME COURT NOMINEE BRETT KAVANAUGH HAS ENDED. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE REST OF TODAY'S WEATHER, ALONG WITH THE EASYBEATS' 'FRIDAY ON MY MIND'. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE 1 NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON.