IT'S MIDDAY. A BIGGER THREAT THAN DELTA, A NEW COVID VARIANT CAUSING MAJOR CONCERN AROUND THE WORLD. WHAT MAKES IT SUCH A DANGER, AND HOW SAFE IS AOTEAROA? LET THE BATTLE BEGIN. THE CONTENDERS FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL PARTY JOSTLE FOR POSITION. AND WHO'S THE FORMER LEADER BACKING? AND TALK ABOUT A DRAMA QUEEN ` THE NEW EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTING HER MAJESTY'S PANTOMIME PROWESS. CAPTIONS BY JULIE TAYLOR AND HELEN CROWN. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 KIA ORA, GOOD AFTERNOON. HEALTH AUTHORITIES ARE ON HIGH ALERT IN SOUTH AFRICA, FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF A NEW VARIANT OF COVID-19. IT'S ALREADY BEEN DETECTED AS FAR AWAY AS HONG KONG, AND THE UK HAS THIS MORNING COME DOWN HARD, ADDING QUARANTINE RESTRICTIONS TO TRAVELLERS FROM SOUTHERN AFRICAN NATIONS. ISAAC GUNSON REPORTS. AS DELTA HOLDS AOTEAROA HOSTAGE AND RAVAGES THE WORLD, THERE'S CONCERN A BIGGER AND BADDER COVID VARIANT COULD BE ON THE LOOSE. YESTERDAY, INDICATION CAME FROM OUR SCIENTISTS THAT INDEED THEY WERE YESTERDAY, INDICATION CAME FROM OUR SCIENTISTS THAT INDEED THEY WERE OBSERVING WHAT LOOKED LIKE A NEW VARIANT. THE GAUTENG PROVINCE IN SOUTH AFRICA HAS SEEN A SHARP RISE IN DAILY CASES THIS WEEK, LARGELY BELIEVED TO BE THE NEW VARIANT. AS OF YESTERDAY, WE PASSED THE 1000 MARK, WITH OVER 1200 POSITIVE CASES. IT HAS CREATED ALARM IN SOME VIROLOGISTS ACROSS THE WORLD, BECAUSE IT'S BECOME MORE COMMON. IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEATEN BACK THE DELTA VARIANT IN SOUTH AFRICA SO FAR. AUTHORITIES IN THE AREA ARE REPORTEDLY CONSIDERING NEW RESTRICTIONS TO CONTAIN THE SPREAD. THE UK HAS MOVED FAST, BANNING ARRIVALS FROM A NUMBER OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES, BUT IT'S ALREADY BEEN DETECTED IN BOTSWANA AND HONG KONG. IT IS A REASON FOR CONCERN IN SOUTH AFRICA, AND SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS TO ACT VERY, VERY QUICK. PART OF THAT QUICK ACTION ` THE CONVENING OF A HIGH-LEVEL WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION MEETING TO DECIDE IF IT SHOULD BE LABELLED A 'VARIANT OF CONCERN'. GLOBALLY, FOUR STRAINS HAVE BEEN REACHED THAT LEVEL. NOTABLY THE BETA VARIANT WAS THE FIRST PICKED UP ALSO IN SOUTH AFRICA. MEANWHILE, THE DELTA VARIANT CONTINUES TO DOMINATE GLOBAL CASE NUMBERS, AND WHILE LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THIS NEW VARIANT, WHAT WE DO KNOW IS IT'S HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE. OF PARTICULAR CONCERN, THE VARIANT'S ABILITY TO ACCUMULATE A LARGE NUMBER OF MUTATIONS IN A VERY SHORT TIME FRAME. ON ITS OWN, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT MUCH, BUT IT IS JUST SHOWING THE ABILITY OF THE VIRUS TO EVOLVE MORE QUICKLY IN SOME SETTINGS. THAT COULD MEAN THE FULL SCALE OF THE OUTBREAK ISN'T YET KNOWN. SOME OF THE EARLY REPORTS ARE SUGGESTING THIS VARIANT IS QUITE WIDESPREAD ACROSS SOUTHERN AFRICA. WITH OUR CURRENT BORDER MEASURES, PROFESSOR BAKER SAYS AOTEAROA IS SAFE ` FOR NOW. WE ARE GONNA BE REDUCING THE BRODER CONTROLS TO A DEGREE, BUT WE KNOW WE CAN INCREASE THEM AGAIN IF WE NEED TO, AND THAT IS A MASSIVE ADVANTAGE THAT WE'VE DEMONSTRATED THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC. AND AS AUTHORITIES RACE TO PUT YET ANOTHER PIECE OF THE COVID PUZZLE TOGETHER... THIS IS ONE TO WATCH IN THE FUTURE. ISAAC GUNSON, 1 NEWS. ELIGIBLE KIWIS CAN BOOK THEIR BOOSTER SHOTS FROM TODAY. THE SHOTS WILL BE ROLLED OUT FROM NEXT MONDAY, FOR PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 18, WHO'VE BEEN FULLY VACCINATED FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS. BUT PEOPLE CAN START BOOKING IN FROM TODAY, USING BOOK MY VACCINE. BOOSTERS WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE AT WALK IN CLINICS, PHARMACIES AND GP'S. AND VACCINATION MANDATES HAVE NOW BEEN EXTENDED TO COVER POLICE AND MORE MEMBERS OF THE DEFENCE FORCE. WORKPLACE RELATIONS MINISTER MICHAEL WOODS SAYS THE MOVE IS IN PREPARATION FOR THE COUNTRY'S MOVE INTO THE NEW TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM NEXT WEEK. THEY'LL JOIN OTHER MANDATED WORKFORCES, INCLUDING EDUCATORS, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, PORT, BORDER AND PRISON WORKERS. INTERIM NATIONAL PARTY LEADER, SHANE RETI, SAYS THE NEXT NATIONAL PARTY LEADER WILL BE PRIME MINISTER IN 2023. MEANWHILE, ACT PARTY LEADER, DAVID SEYMOUR, SAYS HE'S DISAPPOINTED IN THE NATS AND THEY NEED TO SORT IT OUT. ABBEY WAKEFIELD WITH TODAY'S DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS STORY. THE NATIONAL PARTY HAS FOUR DAYS UNTIL IT PICKS A NEW LEADER. ON TUESDAY, I'M OF A VIEW THAT WE'LL BE SELECTING THE NEXT PRIME MINISTER. IT COMES AFTER THE CAUCUS SACKED JUDITH COLLINS AS LEADER AFTER SHE DEMOTED SIMON BRIDGES AND SENT THE PARTY INTO PANIC MODE. WE PLATEAUED A BIT. ACT LEADER DAVID SEYMOUR SAYS IT'S A LET DOWN. I THINK EVERYONE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED, BECAUSE THEY'RE` MORE THAN ONE-QUARTER OF PARLIAMENT ARE ALL DRAWING A SALARY. NOW THE CLOCK IS TICKING ON WHO WILL TAKE OVER THE LEADERSHIP. DR RETI SAID WE'VE GOT A PRETTY IMPORTANT FEW DAYS IN FRONT OF US. SO IT'S... YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TAKE STOCK AND REFLECT, AND I'M SURE WE WILL DO. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO SOME SERIOUS THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE PARTY, AND I THINK WE ARE IN GOOD SPACE. WE'VE GOT LOTS OF GOOD CAUCUS MEMBERS, AND THERE'S A FEW THAT WOULD MAKE GOOD LEADERS, SO WE'LL JUST SEE WHO'S PREPARED TO PUT THEIR HAND UP. 1 NEWS UNDERSTANDS THE CANDIDATES FOR THE LEADERSHIP INCLUDE MARK MITCHELL, CHRIS BISHOP, NICOLA WILLIS, POTENTIALLY SHANE RETI, AND, OF COURSE, SIMON BRIDGES AND CHRISTOPHER LUXON. WHETHER IT'S SIMON BRIDGES OR CHRIS LUXON. I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER FOR ALL OF THEM. JUDITH COLLINS SAYS SHE MIGHT EVEN BACK LUXON AS LEADER. I REALLY LIKE CHRISTOPHER. HE WORKS REALLY HARD, AND HE'S HIGHLY INTELLIGENT. IF CHRISTOPHER LUXON DOES BECOME LEADER, DAVID SEYMOUR SAYS HE'S NOT WORRIED ABOUT LOSING VOTES. PEOPLE SAID WHEN JUDITH COLLINS BECAME LEADER, THAT ACT VOTE WOULD GO DOWN, BUT WE DON'T FOCUS ON WHAT THE COMPETITION ARE DOING; WE FOCUS ON WHAT WE'RE DOING. SO WHAT DOES THE NATIONAL PARTY WANT IN A LEADER? ONE THAT BRINGS INSPIRATION, ONE THAT BRINGS COMPOSURE, ONE THAT BRINGS AN ONGOING ATTENTION TO THE THINGS THAT MATTER TO NEW ZEALANDERS. WHO THAT ONE PERSON IS WILL BE REVEALED ON TUESDAY. ABBEY WAKEFIELD, 1 NEWS. THE FIVE PEOPLE CHARGED OVER THE FATAL SHOOTING OF A CHRISTCHURCH TEENAGER (16) HAVE ALL PLEADED NOT GUILTY AT THE HIGH COURT THIS MORNING. CONNOR WHITEHEAD'S FAMILY WERE IN COURT FOR THE HEARING. THE BURNSIDE HIGH SCHOOL TEENAGER WAS SHOT DEAD AT A PARTY ON THE 5th OF NOVEMBER. THREE OF THE ACCUSED WERE GRANTED CONTINUED BAIL AND FOUR KEEP THEIR NAMES SECRET FOR NOW. BUT 1 NEWS CAN NAME NICHOLAS MCKAY, CHARGED WITH BEING AN ACCESSORY AFTER THE FACT TO MURDER. A TENTATIVE TRIAL DATE HAS BEEN SET DOWN FOR MAY 2023. AUSTRALIA IS SENDING DEFENCE FORCE TROOPS TO THE SOLOMON ISLANDS, AMID RIOTING. SOLOMON ISLANDS' CAPITAL, HONIARA, HAS BEEN WRACKED WITH UNREST IN RECENT DAYS. POLICE USING TEAR GAS AND RUBBER BULLETS TO DISPERSE CROWDS DEMANDING THE RESIGNATION OF THEIR PRIME MINISTER. AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER, SCOTT MORRISON, ANNOUNCED AROUND 116 PERSONNEL WOULD BE DEPLOYED, SOME LEAVING 'IMMEDIATELY'. THE PURPOSE HERE IS TO PROVIDE STABILITY AND SECURITY TO ENABLE THE NORMAL CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESSES WITHIN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. THE DEATH TOLL OF A MINING ACCIDENT IN RUSSIA HAS SOARED TO 52. ABOUT 285 PEOPLE WERE IN THE SIBERIAN MINE WHEN COAL DUST SPARKED A FIRE IN A VENTILATION SHAFT, FILLING THE MINE WITH SMOKE. THE MAJORITY ESCAPED WITH 49 PEOPLE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL WITH INJURIES. SEVERAL RESCUERS HAVE ALSO DIED DURING THE RESCUE OPERATION. THE TRAGIC DEATHS IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL YESTERDAY HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE DESPERATE PLIGHT OF MIGRANTS. RECORD NUMBERS ARE ATTEMPTING TO CROSS THE CHANNEL IN RECENT MONTHS. YESTERDAY, DOZENS DIED AFTER THEIR BOAT CAPSIZED IN WHAT'S NOW BEING LABELLED THE WORST LOSS OF LIFE IN THE CHANNEL IN A SINGLE DAY. AND AS GRACE THOMAS REPORTS, FRANCE AND ENGLAND ARE TRADING BLAME FOR THE TRAGEDY. THE NORTHERN FRENCH TOWN OF CALAIS REMEMBERING 27 LIVES LOST. # I ONCE WAS LOST... # BUT NOW, I'M FOUND. SEVEN WOMEN, ONE OF THEM PREGNANT, AND THREE CHILDREN AMONG THE DEAD. THEIR IDENTITIES ARE STILL UNKNOWN. HOW SAD WE ARE FOR A PERSON, EVERY SINGLE PERSON, THAT ACTUALLY LOSES HIS OR HER LIFE ON THIS DANGEROUS JOURNEY. IT'S A TRAGEDY. JUST HOURS AFTER THE TRAGEDY, 25 MORE BOATS ATTEMPTED TO CROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL, WITH 40 MIGRANTS ARRIVING IN DOVER ON THE KENT COAST. IN MAKESHIFT CAMPS IN NORTHERN FRANCE, MANY STILL AREN'T DETERRED BY THE PERILOUS JOURNEY. NO, A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE WORRY. WE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE. WE HAVE THE SAME GOALS. I'M WORRIED. I'M SO SCARED FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BROTHERS. I'M SORRY FOR EVERYTHING. THE CRISIS IS NOTHING NEW. THE NUMBERS OF MIGRANTS CROSSING THE CHANNEL HAS SURGED IN PAST YEARS FROM JUST UNDER 2000 IN 2019 TO MORE THAN 25,000 SO FAR THIS YEAR. NOW EYES ARE ON BRITAIN AND FRANCE TO TAKE ACTION. PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON THIS MORNING WRITING TO THE FRENCH PRESIDENT, CALLING FOR MORE COOPERATION, INCLUDING AN AGREEMENT WITH FRANCE TO TAKE BACK MIGRANTS WHO CROSS THE CHANNEL. I HAVE ONCE AGAIN REACHED OUT AND MADE MY OFFER VERY CLEAR TO FRANCE IN TERMS OF JOINT FRANCE AND UK COOPERATION, JOINT PATROLS TO PREVENT THESE DANGEROUS JOURNEYS FROM TAKING PLACE. BUT A GULF REMAINS BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES. (SPEAKS FRENCH) TRANSLATOR: WE NEED MORE COOPERATION FROM THE BRITISH, BECAUSE WE'RE GUARDING THE BORDER FOR THE BRITISH. UNTIL THE ISSUES ARE RESOLVED, MORE LIVES WILL BE PUT AT RISK CROSSING THE CHANNEL. GRACE THOMAS, 1 NEWS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` HOW SCIENTISTS ARE LEARNING ABOUT BRIAN DISEASE BY GROWING MINI BRAINS. THE QUEEN SHOWS HER DRAMATIC SIDE AND A LOVE OF PANTO. PLUS, THE BLACKCAPS ON THE BACK FOOT AFTER DAY ONE AGAINST INDIA. Whether it's your "new style of hair" pair or your "ex is over there" pair, at Specsavers you can treat yourself from our wide range of stylish pairs with any two from just $169. For double the style at one low price, should have gone to Specsavers. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY MIGHT ALREADY HAVE A REPUTATION FOR EXPANDING MINDS, BUT NOW SCIENTISTS THERE ARE GROWING BRAINS, LITERALLY. MINI BRAINS, OR ORGANOIDS, ARE BEING USED BY RESEARCHERS IN AN EFFORT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND POTENTIALLY TREAT BRAIN DISEASES. THE BBC'S RICHARD WESTCOTT EXPLAINS. IN A BUSY LAB IN CAMBRIDGE, SCIENTISTS ARE GROWING SOMETHING THAT COULD HELP FIND TREATMENTS FOR TWO DEVASTATING AND RELATED BRAIN DISORDERS. MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE AND FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA. THESE ARE HUMAN MINI BRAINS. THESE MINI BRAINS, THEY'RE NOT CONSCIOUS, THEY'RE NOT THINKING, BUT THEY'VE BEEN GROWN FROM THE CELLS OF PEOPLE WITH MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE. SO THE DNA HAS THE SAME ERRORS, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY MIMICKING HOW THEIR BRAINS WOULD HAVE GROWN IN THE WOMB. THAT ALLOWS THEM TO STUDY HOW THE DISEASE MAY START, LONG BEFORE SYMPTOMS DEVELOP. BY FEEDING THE MINI BRAINS WITH VITAMINS AND PROTEINS EVERY DAY AND SLICING THEM UP SO THE NUTRIENTS GO IN BETTER, THEY'VE MANAGED TO KEEP THEM GROWING LONGER THAN EVER. SO, NELLIE, I'VE GOT THIS IMAGE OF YOU COMING IN EVERY DAY DURING LOCKDOWN, FEEDING THESE MINI BRAINS WITH NUTRIENTS. AND THE BIG BREAKTHROUGH FOR YOU GUYS WAS KEEPING THEM GROWING FOR NEARLY A YEAR, WASN'T IT? WHY WAS THAT SO SIGNIFICANT? YEAH, GROWING THEM FOR SO LONG, BECAUSE THAT LETS THE CELLS MATURE LONGER AND BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE START OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISEASES FOR A LONGER TIME. MANY ORGANS, OR ORGANOIDS, CAN ALSO BE USED TO TRY DIFFERENT DRUGS OUT, REDUCING THE NEED TO TEST ON ANIMALS OR HUMANS. AND BECAUSE THEY USE YOUR PERSONAL CELLS, IT COULD ONE DAY TELL SCIENTISTS WHICH DRUGS WORK BEST FOR YOU. WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT, AND SO ARE OUR RESPONSES TO MEDICATIONS AS WELL. FOR INSTANCE, WE CAN TAKE CELLS FROM AN INDIVIDUAL PATIENT AND GROW ORGANOIDS FROM THEM, WHICH WOULD MIMIC THEIR OWN BRAIN AND THEIR OWN DISEASE, ESSENTIALLY. SO WE CAN TEST DRUGS ON THEM AND SEE WHAT COMBINATION OF DRUGS OR SINGLE DRUGS ARE MORE SUITABLE FOR THEIR OWN DISEASE. AND PRESUMABLY IS A LOT SAFER? TESTING DRUGS ON AN ORGANOID THAN ON THE ACTUAL PERSON. THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S NOT ONLY SAFER, BUT YOU CAN TEST DRUGS IN COMBINATION. YOU CAN TEST MULTIPLE DRUGS AT THE SAME TIME, AND IT'S A MUCH MORE RAPID PROCESS. MANY HUMAN ORGANS, INCLUDING THE LIVER, GUT AND HEART, CAN NOW BE GROWN AS ORGANOIDS. THEY'RE BECOMING AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR UNDERSTANDING AND TREATING DISEASE. AN AUSTRALIAN TRIAL HAS FOUND AN EXPENSIVE AND WIDELY USED INJECTION TO TREAT ARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE IS APPARENTLY NO BETTER THAN A PLACEBO. 9 NEWS CORRESPONDENT GABRIELLA ROGERS EXPLAINS. TOM BUTTLE IS ONE OF TWO MILLION AUSTRALIANS WHO HAS OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S A CHRONIC CONDITION, AND PAIN IS ONE OF THE BIG SYMPTOMS. EXERCISE IS ONE RECIPE FOR RELIEF. OTHERS RESORT TO KNEE INJECTIONS CONTAINING PLATELET-RICH PLASMA, DERIVED FROM THE PATIENT'S OWN BLOOD. THEY'RE QUITE WIDELY USED, AND THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THESE PLATELET RICH PLASMA INJECTIONS. RESEARCHERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, MELBOURNE AND MONASH RECRUITED 288 PATIENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE SYMPTOMS OR RECEIVED THREE WEEKLY INJECTIONS. ONE GROUP HAD PLATELET-RICH PLASMA. THE OTHER PLACEBO GROUP RECEIVED SALTWATER. THE 12-MONTH STUDY SHOWED NO STARK DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO IN PAIN RELIEF FUNCTION AND CARTILAGE THICKNESS. SUGGESTING THAT ANY BENEFIT THAT WAS OBTAINED FROM THE PLATELET-RICH PLASMA INJECTIONS IS LIKELY LARGELY A PLACEBO EFFECT. ONE INJECTION CAN COST ON AVERAGE $2000. SO PEOPLE ARE ADVISED TO... THINK AGAIN. AT THE MOMENT, THE RESEARCH ISN'T THERE. THERE IS, HOWEVER, EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT EXERCISE. STRENGTHENING UP ALL THE MUSCLES SO THAT MY JOINT WILL BE STABLE. AND MEASURES TO TACKLE THE BIGGEST RISK FACTOR, OBESITY. LOSING WEIGHT IS ANOTHER EFFECTIVE TREATMENT. REDUCING BODY WEIGHT BY JUST 10% CAN CUT KNEE PAIN BY 50%. BUT EXPERTS AGREE NEW THERAPIES ARE URGENTLY NEEDED. IT'S A SIDE OF HER MAJESTY YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. A NEW EXHIBITION AT WINDSOR CASTLE IS HIGHLIGHTING THE CHRISTMAS PANTOMIMES PRODUCED BY A TEENAGE PRINCESS ELIZABETH, AND HER SISTER PRINCESS MARGARET. HERE'S BBC ROYAL CORRESPONDENT, DANIELA RELPH. WINDSOR CASTLE IS CHRISTMAS READY. ITS TREES ARE DECORATED. ITS GRAND STATE ROOMS DRESSED. AND THIS YEAR, THE CASTLE IS TAKING VISITORS BACK 80 YEARS, TO THE DAYS WHEN A PAIR OF TEENAGE GIRLS WHO LIVED HERE, TRIED TO LIFT SPIRITS DURING THE CHRISTMASES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR. PRINCESS ELIZABETH, AS SHE WAS THEN AND HER SISTER, PRINCESS MARGARET, CREATED AN ANNUAL ROYAL PANTOMIME. FOR THE FIRST TIME, SOME OF THEIR COSTUMES HAVE COME OUT OF THE ARCHIVE AND ARE ON DISPLAY. THE TWO PRINCESSES WERE ALWAYS THE STAR PERFORMERS. THE SHOWS WERE STAGED IN THIS ROOM THE WATERLOO CHAMBER, THE AUDIENCE WAS CASTLE STAFF, THE LOCAL SCHOOL TROUPES AND THE KING AND QUEEN. MONEY FROM TICKETS SOLD WAS USED TO MAKE BLANKETS FOR SOLDIERS ON THE FRONT LINE. I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE WERE IN THE GRAND SURROUNDINGS OF WINDSOR CASTLE, BUT HERE THERE IS SOMETHING QUITE ORDINARY ABOUT PUTTING ON A SHOW FOR YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS. YES, ORDINARY UP TO A POINT. I MEAN, THEY WERE SUPPORTED BY SOUND TECHNICIANS THAT CAME SPECIALLY FROM THE BBC. SPECIAL SET DESIGNERS, BUT THAT WAS VERY MUCH BLENDED WITH THAT KIND OF HOMEMADE ELEMENT TOO. SO, WHILST THE PERFORMANCES LOOKED VERY GRAND AND VERY BEAUTIFUL, THAT WAS VERY MUCH A KIND OF HOME-GROWN SPIRIT TO IT ALL. THE PANTOS ALSO SHOWED THE STRONG SIBLING BOND. ON STAGE IN COSTUME, ELIZABETH AND MARGARET WERE A FORMIDABLE PARTNERSHIP, AND PRIVATELY THESE ROYAL SISTERS WERE A VITAL SUPPORT FOR ONE ANOTHER. THEY WERE OFTEN AWAY FROM THEIR PARENTS, HAVING MOVED OUT OF LONDON DURING THE WAR. AS THE QUEEN HEADS INTO HER 70TH YEAR ON THE THRONE, THE PANTO DISPLAY IS A REMINDER OF CHRISTMASES HERE AT THE CASTLE DURING A UNIQUE TIME IN HER LIFE BEFORE SHE HAD TAKEN ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF MONARCH. IT IS A SNAPSHOT OF A ROYAL CHILDHOOD OF HOW CHRISTMAS AT THE CASTLE TRIED TO BRING SOME FESTIVE CHEER TO THE DARK DAYS OF WAR. TO SPORT NOW, AND CYCLING NEW ZEALAND'S HIGH PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR MARTIN BARRAS HAS RESIGNED ` THE LATEST HIGH PROFILE FIGURE TO LEAVE THE ORGANISATION. IN A STATEMENT, CYCLING NEW ZEALAND SAID BARRAS RESIGNED OVER AN INTEGRITY BREACH RELATING TO ATHLETE REPLACEMENT AT THE TOKYO OLYMPICS. IT FOLLOWS THE DEPARTURE OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE JACQUES LANDRY EARLIER THIS MONTH, AND COMES AMID A REVIEW INTO THE ORGANISATION AFTER THE DEATH OF CYCLIST OLIVIA PODMORE. AND INDIA HAVE GAINED THE UPPER HAND AFTER DAY ONE OF THEIR FIRST TEST AGAINST THE BLACKCAPS IN KANPUR. THREE INDIAN BATSMAN SCORED HALF CENTURIES, WITH SHREYAS IYER TOP SCORING WITH 75. WICKETS WERE HARD TO COME BY FOR THE BLACKCAPS. TIM SOUTHEE CLAIMED ONE WHILE KYLE JAMIESON TOOK THREE. AIJINKYA RAHANE, AFTER SURVIVING THAT APPEAL, HE CHOPS ONE ON. INDIA ARE 258/4. IT WAS A SPECIAL DAY FOR RACHIN RAVINDRA (22), WHO MADE HIS TEST DEBUT FOR THE BLACKCAPS. I DREAMED AS A YOUNG GUY TO COME AND PLAY AT THIS LEVEL, AND THAT WAS A PRETTY SPECIAL FIRST DAY. OBVIOUSLY, SEEING GUYS I'VE IDOLISED GROWING UP AND BEING SHARE A FIELD WITH THEM IS PRETTY SPECIAL. SEEING IT ON INDIAN SOIL AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE COOLEST PLACES TO PLAY CRICKET WAS DEFINITELY A PINCH-YOURSELF MOMENT. AND I GUESS JUST BEING INVOLVED AND HAVING A BOWL, AND KANE TELLING ME TO WARM UP, ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF WAS, LIKE, OK, THAT'S COOL. LIKE BRINGING ME BACK TO THE MOMENT ` COOL, THIS IS TEST CRICKET. NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL HAVE LAUNCHED A WOMEN'S FOOTBALL LEGACY PLAN THIS AFTERNOON, TO ENCOURAGE MORE FEMALES TO GET INTO THE SPORT. NEW ZEALAND IS SET TO CO-HOST THE WOMEN'S FIFA WORLD CUP WITH AUSTRALIA IN 2023. IN THE LEAD UP TO THE TOURNAMENT, A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES, EVENTS AND RESOURCES WILL BE ROLLED OUT, AIMING TO HELP PROMOTE THE WOMEN'S GAME IN AOTEAROA. AT THE MOMENT, THERE'S ONE IN FIVE CURRENTLY IN OUR NUMBERS THAT PLAY FOOTBALL, MALE TO FEMALE, YOU KNOW, SO WE REALLY WANNA DRIVE THOSE PARTICIPATION NUMBERS AND THEN JUST EVERYTHING THAT WRAPS AROUND FOOTBALL AS WELL ` SO NOT JUST PLAYING, BUT OUR ADMINISTRATORS, OUR COACHES OUR FACILITIES, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE GENDER-NEUTRAL CHANGING ROOMS, SAFEGUARDING PRACTICES, FOOTBALL IN SCHOOLS, ALL THOSE THINGS, SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE WORLD CUP HERE'S REALLY GONNA HELP THAT. JUST DAYS AFTER ARRIVING BACK FROM EUROPE FOLLOWING A GRUELLING NORTHERN TOUR, ALL BLACKS CAPTAIN SAM WHITELOCK IS PUTTING HIMSELF THROUGH AN EVEN GREATER CHALLENGE. THE WHITELOCK (33) IS MIDWAY THROUGH HIS 24-HOUR WATT BIKE CHALLENGE IN MIQ, TO RAISE MONEY AND AWARENESS FOR BOWEL CANCER PREVENTION. WHITELOCK STARTED YESTERDAY AND IS RIDING UNTIL 7PM TONIGHT. ALONG THE WAY, SOME OF HIS ALL BLACKS TEAM MATES AND OTHER KIWI ATHLETES ARE JOINING HIM, INCLUDING ERIC MURRAY AND GEORGE BENNETT. SO WE LOOKED AT IT AS A POSITIVE. WE'RE LIKE, 'WE CAN SIT AROUND OUR BACKSIDES AND DO NOTHING 'FOR A WEEK OR, YOU KNOW, NETFLIX, AND JUST RELAX, BUT WE THOUGH, 'OH, WELL, WE COULD ACTUALLY ACHIEVE SOMETHING 'WHILE WE'RE HERE.' SO, I'M CURRENTLY SITTING AT 367 K'S FOR MY RIDE, SO FAR. BUT YOU KNOW, I'LL BE DONE IN A FEW HOURS. AND THEN, DEFINITELY JUST RELAX A BIT, AND GET READY FOR SEEING THE WIFE AND KIDS WHEN I DO GET OUT OF MIQ. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. (PORTISHEAD'S 'GLORY BOX') THANKS FOR JOINING US. 1 NEWS WILL HAVED LIVE COVERAGE OF TODAY'S COVID UPDATE FROM THE GOVERNMENT IN HALF AN HOUR, BUT FROM THE MIDDAY CREW, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY JULIE TAYLOR AND HELEN CROWN.