TONIGHT ` THE DAUNTING NUMBERS OF JOBS WHICH HAVE TO BE FILLED. THE GOVERNMENT OUTLINES THE PROBLEMS AHEAD. IT WAS JOKINGLY CALLED THE 'STUFF-ME' MERGER, BUT ITS BEEN TURNED DOWN FLAT. WHAT NOW FOR TWO BIG NEW ZEALAND MEDIA PLAYERS? LESS THAN TEN SECONDS, AND IT'S GONE. BIKE THIEVES AND THEIR LIGHTNING-QUICK WORK. PARLIAMENT'S TODAY BEEN WARNED THE SERVICE INDUSTRY IS FACING A SERIOUS WORKER SHORTAGE. THIS AFTERNOON, A REPORT WAS MADE PUBLIC SHOWING THE COUNTRY WILL NEED MORE THAN 200,000 EXTRA WORKERS IN JOBS LIKE RETAIL, HOSPITALITY AND AGED CARE WORK. POLITICAL REPORTER ANDREA VANCE HAS MORE. RETAIL, HOSPITALITY, REST HOME WORKERS ` JOBS AFFECTING ALMOST EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES. AND WE'RE FAST LOOKING AT A MASSIVE SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE TO DO THEM. IT'S CERTAINLY SCARY. IN FACT, BERL ECONOMIC RESEARCHERS SAY WE'LL NEED OVER 200,000 MORE SERVICE WORKERS IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS. IT'S FUELLED BY A BOOM IN THE GROOMING AND FITNESS INDUSTRIES, TOURISM AND A GROWING ECONOMY. BUT AS THE POPULATION AGES, IT'S NOT JUST A LONGER WAIT FOR YOUR MORNING LATTE; IT'S A NEED TO TRAIN MORE CARE WORKERS. THE DANGER IS IF WE DON'T, PEOPLE WON'T BE AS WELL CARED FOR AS THEY SHOULD BE. THE GOVERNMENT'S LESS WORRIED. OH, NAH. I THINK THERE ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIWIS. WHEN YOU'RE IN A GROWING ECONOMY, CREATING MORE JOBS THAN THE POPULATION IS GROWING SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIWIS TO GET EMPLOYMENT. JOBLESS FIGURES OUT TODAY SHOW UNEMPLOYMENT FELL IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS ` DOWN TO 132,000 ` SO IN THE SHORT TERM, BUSINESSES WILL HAVE TO TURN TO IMMIGRANTS. BUT THEY'LL ALSO BE IN SHORT SUPPLY WHEN NEW VISA CHANGES KICK IN. THERE IS NO SINGLE SOLUTION TO THIS. THE ISSUE WILL BE ADDRESSED BY GETTING MORE PEOPLE COMING INTO THE SERVICE SECTOR FROM SCHOOL. RETRAINING PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING A LIFESTYLE CHANGE, AND IMMIGRATION IS LIKELY TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION AS WELL. YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT'S AT 13%, AND INDUSTRY TRAINING ORGANISATIONS WANT TO HARNESS THEM FOR THE WORKFORCE. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMMES THAT WE'VE GOT IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THAT GROUP, TO TRY AND ENCOURAGE THEM, AND GIVE THEM NOT JUST THE SKILLS, BUT ALSO THE ATTRIBUTES OF BEING ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT BEING AT WORK. THE COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS SAYS 'MAKE SERVICE SECTOR WAGES MORE ATTRACTIVE'. THIS IS A SECTOR THAT IS THE LOWEST PAID SECTOR. IT'S A SECTOR WHERE 'STATISTICS NEW ZEALAND' FIGURES TODAY SHOW THAT PAY RATES ARE FALLING FASTER THAN ANY SECTOR. EMPLOYERS SAY THEY'RE AWARE OF THAT. AT-RISK KIDS WILL BE ONE OF THE KEY FOCUSES OF THE GOVERNMENT'S BUDGET LATER THIS MONTH. AN EXTRA $68M IS EARMARKED TO HELP CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES. THE MONEY IS PART OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S INVESTMENT IN SOCIAL SPENDING, AS POLITICAL EDITOR CORIN DANN REPORTS. FOR THOSE DEALING WITH AT-RISK YOUTH IN MANAKAU, SOUTH AUCKLAND, THE BENEFITS OF INTERVENING EARLY IN A CHILD'S LIFE, CAN'T BE OVERSTATED. YOU HAVE TO START EARLY FOR THE CHILDREN'S SAKE, BECAUSE THEIR BRAINS ARE BEING WIRED IN THAT FIRST THREE YEARS. AND THE PRIME MINISTER AGREES. IN A PRE-BUDGET SPEECH, HE'S WARNED THAT FAILURE TO INTERVENE EARLY MEANS MORE SPENDING ON THINGS LIKE PRISONS LATER ON. AND OF ALL THE CHILDREN IN CARE AND PROTECTION, BY THE AGE OF 21, 70% OF THEM WILL BE ON A BENEFIT. SO BILL ENGLISH IS COMMITTING OVER $320M OF BUDGET SPENDING ON NEW SOCIAL INITIATIVES. THAT INCLUDES $30M FOR FAMILY START PROGRAMMES, HELPING AT-RISK FAMILIES, AND $40M TOWARDS HELPING KIDS WITH BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES. WE'LL INVEST IN TARGETED AND SPECIALIST SUPPORT FOR 3- AND 4-YEAR-OLDS WITH ORAL LANGUAGE NEEDS TO HELP PREVENT THESE CHILDREN FROM TURNING UP TO SCHOOL UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE PROPERLY. THIS NEW SOCIAL SPEND-UP, HOWEVER, TIES TO 10 NEW PERFORMANCE TARGETS FOR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO MEET. I EXPECT BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR NEW MUMS AND THEIR CHILDREN. I EXPECT REDUCTIONS IN CHILD ABUSE. THE NEW PUBLIC SERVICE TARGETS REVEALED TODAY REPLACE OLDER ONES PUT IN PLACE FIVE YEARS AGO. SOME OF THOSE WEREN'T MET. WHILST A TARGET FOCUSED ON REDUCING TOTAL CRIME HAS BEEN CHANGED NOW TO SPECIFICALLY TARGET 'SERIOUS' CRIME. AND WE'VE SET OURSELVES A PRETTY CHALLENGING TARGET OF 10,000 FEWER A YEAR. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GOVERN AND MANAGE BY NUMBERS. YOU JUST MANIPULATE THE NUMBERS, AND YOU DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO MAKE THE NUMBERS LOOK GOOD. GO OUT AND ASK THE PEOPLE OF MOEREWA, OR SOUTH AUCKLAND, OR TOKOROA AND EVERYWHERE ELSE AROUND THIS COUNTRY WHETHER THEY BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT ON THE ISSUE OF CRIME. MR ENGLISH HOPES RESULTS WILL DO THE TALKING, BECAUSE THERE'S LIKELY TO BE LOTS MORE TALK ABOUT CRIME AND SOCIAL ISSUES ON THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. CORIN DANN, 1 NEWS. IT'S A CASE OF 'SECOND TIME UNLUCKY' AND 'WHERE TO FROM HERE?' FOR TWO NEW ZEALAND MEDIA GIANTS. FAIRFAX AND NZME TODAY AGAIN HAD THEIR PROPOSAL TO MERGE THEIR ONLINE AND NEWSPAPER OPERATIONS TURNED DOWN BY THE COMMERCE COMMISSION. LISETTE REYMER WITH THE DETAILS. IT'S THE BAD NEWS THESE NEWS GIANTS DIDN'T WANT. WE HAVE DECLINED TO APPROVE THIS MERGER PROPOSAL. THE COMMERCE COMMISSION RULED THAT A MERGED FAIRFAX AND NZME WOULD HAVE TOO MUCH POWER. HAD IT GONE AHEAD, THEY WOULD OWN 90% OF NEW ZEALAND'S PRINT MEDIA ` A MONOPOLY ONLY RIVALLED IN CHINA. WE HELD REALLY VERY REAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF QUALITY AND, MORE PARTICULARLY, THE LOSS OF DIVERSITY OF VOICE OR PLURALITY AS A RESULT OF THIS MERGER. COMMENTATORS AGREE A COMPETITIVE MEDIA ENVIRONMENT IS VITAL. THE IMPLICATIONS OF IT ARE FOR WIDER SOCIETY, NOT FOR NEWS JUNKIES OR FOR NEWS MEDIA COMPANIES. JOURNALISM IS A VITAL PART OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, THE ABILITY TO LEARN WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR WORLD. BUT BOTH FAIRFAX AND NZME SAY THEY'RE STRUGGLING BECAUSE HOW PEOPLE GET NEWS IS CHANGING. MOSTLY FROM THE FACEBOOK APP ON MY PHONE. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU OPENED A NEWSPAPER? I CAN'T REMEMBER. EVERYTHING'S ONLINE FOR ME. THE ISSUE IS HERE IN NEW ZEALAND, TWO INTERNATIONAL GIANTS, FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE, SOAK UP 80% OF ALL ONLINE ADVERTISING REVENUE. WE'RE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE DECISION. WE DON'T THINK THE COMMERCE COMMISSION HAVE FULLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE DYNAMICS OF THE RAPIDLY CHANGING NEWS LANDSCAPE IN NEW ZEALAND, PARTICULARLY IN DIGITAL. THE MERGER WOULD HAVE SAVED NZME AND FAIRFAX UP TO $200M OVER FIVE YEARS. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE CARNAGE BETWEEN NZME AND FAIRFAX NOW. I THINK IT'S A FIGHT TO THE DEATH. I THINK BOTH SIDES WILL CHOP OUT COSTS. I THINK WE'LL SEE LOTS OF JOURNALISTS GO, AND, FRANKLY, IT'S NOT A PRETTY PICTURE. NEITHER ARE RULING OUT APPEALING TODAY'S DECISION, WHICH WOULD SEE THEM HEADED TO THE HIGH COURT. LISETTE REYMER, 1 NEWS. MEANWHILE, FAIRFAX JOURNALISTS ACROSS THE DITCH HAVE WALKED OFF THE JOB, VOTING TO STRIKE FOR A FULL WEEK AFTER THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED CUTS TO AROUND A QUARTER OF ITS NEWSROOM STAFF. THE REDUNDANCIES, EQUIVALENT TO AROUND 125 POSITIONS, ARE PART OF THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLISHER'S GOAL TO SAVE $30M. USED CONDOMS, NEEDLES, LATE-NIGHT YELLING AND SCREAMING ` JUST SOME OF THE THINGS SOME CHRISTCHURCH RESIDENTS ARE GETTING SICK OF. THEY SAY PROSTITUTES ARE BEHIND THE PROBLEMS AND ARE CALLING FOR THE COUNCIL TO GET THEM OUT OF THEIR NEIGHBOURHOOD. ALI PUGH EXPLAINS. WITH SEX WORKERS STATIONED AT EVERY CORNER, YOU'D THINK THIS CHRISTCHURCH INTERSECTION WAS WELL WITHIN INNER CITY LIMITS, WHEN IN FACT, IT'S SUBURBAN ST ALBANS. THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR, WHICH IS WHY A LOT OF NEIGHBOURS ARE A BIT RELUCTANT TO COME FORWARD AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THEY'RE EFFECTIVELY HOSTAGES. MANY OF THE CITY'S PROSTITUTES MIGRATED HERE AFTER THE QUAKES CUT OFF THE CBD, AND AFTER SIX YEARS, THEY HAVEN'T LEFT. WE'VE FOUND LOTS OF LITTER, LOTS OF CONDOMS. WE GET FAECES. WE'VE EVEN FOUND NEEDLES IN OUR HEDGE. YELLING, SHOUTING, NOISE, CARS COMING AND GOING. IT'S JUST GENERALLY AN UNSAVOURY NEIGHBOURHOOD. THE RESIDENTS SAY THE SEX WORKERS ARE BLATANTLY BREACHING CITY BYLAWS BY UNDERTAKING COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES IN A PUBLIC PLACE. THESE YOUNG WOMEN, THEY'RE MAKING THEMSELVES AVAILABLE. THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY STANDING AND ADVERTISING THEIR SERVICES. AND THAT'S A COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, LOOKING AROUND, IT'S NOT A COMMERCIAL AREA. THIS IS JUST A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOURHOOD. BUT THE COUNCIL SAYS IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE. THEIR LEGAL ADVISORS SAY THE MERE PRESENCE OF A PERSON ON A STREET, IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR BEHAVIOUR OR DRESS, IS NOT ENOUGH TO PROVE THAT THEIR ACTIVITY IS IN FACT COMMERCIAL, AND THAT MAKES ENFORCEMENT ALL THE MORE CHALLENGING. TO SUGGEST THAT THAT'S NOT COMMERCIAL IS FLYING IN THE FACE OF REALITY. THE COUNCIL'S DUE TO GET A REPORT OUTLINING ITS REGULATORY OPTIONS FOR THE SUBURBAN SEX WORKERS. REGULATION THOUGH, SOMETHING THE PROSTITUTES COLLECTIVE SAYS WILL FAIL. I THINK VOLUNTARY NOT COERCIVE. NOT REGULATIONS, BUT WORKING WITH THE NGOS WHO'RE OUT THERE, LIKE SALVATION ARMY. THE RESIDENTS ARE TAKING THEIR PROSTITUTE PLIGHT TO COUNCIL LATER THIS MONTH, IN A STREETSIDE BATTLE THAT THEY SAY THEY'RE WILLING TO TAKE TO COURT. ALI PUGH, 1 NEWS. A DAYCARE TEACHER ON TRIAL FOR ASSAULTING NINE PRE-SCHOOLERS IN HER CARE HAS ADMITTED "POSSIBLY" SMACKING SOME CHILDREN. LYNN ABRAHAM TOOK THE STAND TODAY AT THE AUCKLAND DISTRICT COURT. WILL HINE IS COVERING THE CASE. LYNN ABRAHAM GAVE EVIDENCE THIS AFTERNOON, GOING ON TO ADMIT THAT SHE HAD SMACKED AWAY THE HAND OF A CHILD IN SELF-DEFENCE AND HAD POSSIBLY SMACKED THE HANDS OF TWO OTHER CHILDREN, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THEY REACHED FOR OTHER PRESCHOOLERS OR HAD FLICKED THEIR FOOD. SHE REJECTED ANY SUGGESTION SHE SMACKED OTHER BODY PARTS ` FOR EXAMPLE, BOTTOMS OR THIGHS ` AND SAID THAT MOST OF THE TIME, SHE MERELY WOULD'VE TAPPED THE CHILD'S HAND OR MOVED IT AWAY. SHE ALSO SAID SHE DIDN'T WASH OUT A CHILD'S MOUTH, AS IS ALLEGED. SHE SAID SHE HAD WASHED AROUND THE CHILD'S MOUTH AS A WAY TO TEACH THEM ABOUT THE USE OF BAD LANGUAGE. SHE ALSO SAID SHE HADN'T PUT SELLOTAPE ACROSS A CHILD'S MOUTH. HER CLAIMS RAN CONTRARY TO THE EVIDENCE OF HER COLLEAGUES, WHO HAVE TALKED ABOUT THESE INCIDENTS AND OTHERS, INCLUDING FORCE-FEEDING. THE TRIAL IS EXPECTED TO WRAP UP THIS WEEK. JUST SIX SECONDS. THAT'S HOW LONG IT CAN TAKE A THIEF TO NICK A BIKE. A SPATE OF THEFTS IN AUCKLAND CITY HAS SEEN DOZENS OF BICYCLES STOLEN ON A DAILY BASIS, AND POLICE SAY GANGS ARE RESPONSIBLE. HERE'S HELEN CASTLES. A FATHER AND HIS TWO CHILDREN LOOKING FOR A BIKE. IT'S THEIRS IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. BRAZEN BIKE THEFTS OUTSIDE THE NEWMARKET POOL ARE BECOMING TOO COMMON, BOLT CUTTERS MAKING IT EASY. THIS MAN IS YET TO BE CAUGHT. POLICE SAY THE SPIKE HAPPENED DURING THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS. COULD BE ANYTHING FROM ONE OR TWO THAT ARE TAKEN TO NUMBERING IN THE TENS IN ONE DAY, AND IT'S NO PARTICULAR DOLLAR VALUE THAT'S TARGETED. THEY DO TEND TO LOOK FOR PARTICULAR COMPONENTS ON-BIKE. THESE GUYS DON'T WANT TO RAISE SUSPICION, WAITING FOR THE COAST TO CLEAR, EVENTUALLY SWIPING THE TWO BIKES CLOSEST TO THEM. THIS HAS BECOME A REAL HOTSPOT FOR BIKE THIEVES, AND THAT'S OF PARTICULAR CONCERN, BECAUSE THIS IS A BUSY ROAD, AND THE THEFTS ARE HAPPENING IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. AUCKLAND POLICE ARE CURRENTLY TRYING TO LOCATE THE OWNERS OF 60 RECOVERED BIKES. BIGGEST THING HERE IS TO ENCOURAGE OWNERS TO RECORD THE SERIAL NUMBER ON THEIR BIKE, WHICH IS TYPICALLY LOCATED UNDER THE CRANK SHAFT, TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF THEIR BICYCLE, TO INVEST IN A ROBUST D-LOCK. A D-LOCK LOOKS LIKE THIS. THEY'RE A LOT STRONGER THAN YOUR REGULAR SORTA CABLE LOCK. BIKE BARN'S NOTICED AN INCREASE IN PEOPLE WITH STOLEN BIKES COMING IN FOR INSURANCE QUOTES, AND IT'S SOLD OUT OF D-LOCKS. HERE THEY JUST GOT THEIR BIKE LOCK FROM THE TOP TUBE AROUND THE LOOP, IT'S A BETTER IDEA IF YOU CAN PUT IT THROUGH THE BACK WHEEL AS WELL AS AROUND THE FRAME. THERE'S SOME SUCCESS FOR POLICE. THIS FATHER-AND-SON TRIO WERE CAUGHT TRYING TO STEAL OTHER BIKES. DAD'S IN CUSTODY, AND CHILD, YOUTH & FAMILY IS WORKING WITH THE CHILDREN. HELEN CASTLES, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD, HILLARY POINTS THE FINGER AND TRUMP HITS BACK. THE FAILED DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE LAYS BLAME FOR HER PRESIDENTIAL DEFEAT. CALIFORNIA DREAMING THIS IS NOT ` A SCOTTISH SURFER IS LUCKY TO BE ALIVE AFTER MORE THAN A DAY AT SEA. HILLARY CLINTON HAS BROKEN HER SILENCE ON HER STUNNING LOSS IN THE US PRESIDENTIAL RACE. WHILE SHE RECOGNISES SHE MADE SOME MISTAKES, SHE PLACES BLAME ON RUSSIAN HACKERS AND FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY FOR HER FAILURE AT THE POLLS. WITH MORE, HERE'S ABC'S CECILIA VEGA. HILLARY CLINTON TODAY SPEAKING OUT ON WHAT SHE BELIEVES COST HER THE ELECTION. I TAKE ABSOLUTE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. I WAS THE CANDIDATE. I WAS THE PERSON WHO WAS ON THE BALLOT. SHOULDERING SOME OF THE BLAME BUT NOT ALL OF IT. I WAS ON THE WAY TO WINNING UNTIL THE COMBINATION OF JIM COMEY'S LETTER ON OCTOBER 28TH AND RUSSIAN WIKILEAKS RAISED DOUBTS IN THE MINDS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE INCLINED TO VOTE FOR ME BUT GOT SCARED OFF. TEAM CLINTON BELIEVES THAT IS THE DAY SHE LOST THE RACE. CLINTON WAS IN THE AIR WHEN THE FBI DIRECTOR ANNOUNCED HE WAS LOOKING INTO HER EMAILS YET AGAIN. THE ELECTION WAS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY. IF THE ELECTION HAD BEEN ON OCTOBER 27TH, I'D BE YOUR PRESIDENT. AND IT WASN'T. THE NEWS DOMINATED THE FRONT PAGES, AND CLINTON, WHO IS NOW WRITING A BOOK ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE, SAYS SHE PAID THE PRICE. DID WE MAKE MISTAKES? OF COURSE WE DID. DID I MAKE MISTAKES? OH MY GOSH, YES. YOU'LL READ MY CONFESSION AND MY REQUEST FOR ABSOLUTION. (AUDIENCE LAUGHS) BUT THE REASON WHY I BELIEVE WE LOST WERE THE INTERVENING EVENTS IN THE LAST 10 DAYS. CLINTON ATTENDED THE INAUGURATION OF HER FORMER RIVAL, BUT NOW SHE IS PULLING NO PUNCHES. I DID WIN MORE THAN 3 MILLION VOTES THAN MY OPPONENT, SO... (AUDIENCE CLAPS AND CHEERS) ...IT'S LIKE, 'REALLY?' I FEEL A TWEET COMING. WELL, FINE. YOU KNOW, BETTER THAT THAN INTERFERING IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS. IF HE WANTS TO TWEET ABOUT ME, I'M HAPPY TO BE THE, UH, YOU KNOW, DIVERSION. SHE SAYS SHE HAS NO PLANS TO STAY IN THE SHADOWS. I'M NOW BACK TO BEING AN ACTIVIST CITIZEN AND PART OF THE RESISTANCE. (AUDIENCE CLAPS AND CHEERS) THE MAN THAT DID WIN, PRESIDENT TRUMP, POSTED A SERIES OF TWEETS FOLLOWING THAT INTERVIEW SLAMMING HIS FORMER RIVAL, CALLING MRS CLINTON A 'PHONY'. A FORMER AMERICAN COP HAS PLEADED GUILTY IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF A FLEEING BLACK MAN THAT SPARKED NATIONWIDE OUTRAGE. UNTIL TODAY, MICHAEL SLAGER HAD STOOD BY HIS ACTIONS, CLAIMING HE WAS DEFENDING HIMSELF WHEN HE SHOT WALTER SCOTT, FIRING EIGHT TIMES AT HIS BACK. THE EX-OFFICER IS NOW FACING LIFE BEHIND BARS, AS THE ABC'S STEVE OSUNSAMI REPORTS. FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, THE OFFICER SEEN IN THIS TRAFFIC STOP CLAIMED THAT HE DID NOTHING WRONG, BUT TONIGHT, A STUNNING REVERSAL, AND FOR BLACK AMERICANS WHO WORRY ABOUT TRAFFIC STOPS LIKE THESE,... (GUN SHOTS FIRE) ...A SENSE OF JUSTICE. TODAY IS A GOOD DAY FOR JUSTICE. I THANK GOD FOR JUSTICE. THE OFFICER BEHIND THE GUN, MICHAEL SLAGER (35), NOW ADMITS HE WASN'T DEFENDING HIMSELF WHEN HE SHOT WATER SCOTT (51) IN THE BACK IN 2015 AND THAT HE ACTED WITH SPECIFIC INTENT TO DO SOMETHING THE LAW FORBIDS. SAYING THOSE WORDS IN COURT, THAT HE'S GUILTY, NOW PUTS AN END TO BOTH THE FEDERAL AND STATE TRIALS AGAINST HIM. TODAY IS RARE. THE GARNERS. THE BLANDS. THE RICE FAMILY. THEY DIDN'T GET THIS TYPE OF JUSTICE WE GOT TODAY. IN STATE COURT, SLAGER EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS A VIOLENT FIGHT THAT YOU DIDN'T SEE IN THE CELL PHONE VIDEO. AT SENTENCING LATER THIS YEAR, PROSECUTORS SAY THEY'LL ASK FOR HARD TIME ` MORE THAN 20 YEARS. THE SCOTT FAMILY WOULD LIKE LIFE. A SUICIDE ATTACK ON A NATO CONVOY HAS KILLED AT LEAST EIGHT CIVILIANS IN AFGHANISTAN. AROUND 25 OTHERS WERE INJURED IN THE EXPLOSION NEAR KABUL, INCLUDING THREE US SERVICE MEMBERS. THE CAR BOMB TARGETED A GROUP OF MILITARY VEHICLES NEXT TO THE US EMBASSY DURING RUSH HOUR. NO GROUP'S CLAIMED THE ATTACK, BUT IT FOLLOWS A THREAT BY THE TALIBAN TO TARGET FOREIGN FORCES. AND AN EXPLOSION HAS KILLED FIVE PEOPLE AND WOUNDED DOZENS MORE IN A REBEL-HELD SYRIAN TOWN ON TURKEY'S BORDER. THE BLAST CAME AS THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE OPPOSITION RESUMED CEASEFIRE TALKS SPONSORED BY RUSSIA. A SCOTTISH SURFER HAS BEEN LABELLED EXTREMELY LUCKY AFTER HE SPENT MORE THAN 30 HOURS ADRIFT AT SEA. RESCUERS SAY HE ONLY SURVIVED BECAUSE OF HIS THICK WETSUIT, AND SMART USE OF HIS BOARD. THE ABC'S MARY LLOYD HAS THE STORY. THIS IS THE DRAMATIC MOMENT A SCOTTISH SURFER IS RESCUED AFTER CLINGING TO HIS SURFBOARD FOR 32 HOURS. MATTHEW BRYCE (22) IS CONSCIOUS, BUT SUFFERING FROM HYPOTHERMIA. HE WAS VERY ACTIVE-MINDED. WHEN WE ACTUALLY ARRIVED, HE HAD USED HIS SURFBOARD. HE HAD WAVED IT IN THE AIR. AND REALLY, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING, THAT'S THE IDEAL THING. MOVEMENT, COLOUR CONTRAST ` THAT'S WHAT HELPS US FIND PEOPLE. HE HAD BEEN SURFING ON HIS OWN IN WINDY CONDITIONS. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER TO SHORE, WE BELIEVE HE SUFFERED FROM SOME CRAMP, AND WAS UNABLE TO MAKE HIS WAY AGAINST THE TIDE. EIGHT RESCUE TEAMS FROM SCOTLAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND WERE MOBILISED HOURS AFTER HE WENT MISSING. HE WAS EVENTUALLY SPOTTED DRIFTING 20KM FROM THE BEACH. OVERNIGHT, IN THE DARKNESS, MUST'VE BEEN FRIGHTENING FOR HIM. CERTAINLY, I THINK ANOTHER NIGHT OF THAT, I'M AFRAID WE WOULDN'T HAVE SUCH A HAPPY ENDING. HIS FAMILY SAID NEWS OF HIS RESCUE WAS BETTER THAN WINNING THE LOTTERY. THE ALL BLACKS INJURY LIST CONTINUES TO MOUNT AHEAD OF THE LIONS SERIES, WITH HOOKER DANE COLES THE LATEST AND POTENTIALLY MOST SERIOUS CASUALTY. THE HURRICANES CAPTAIN HAS BEEN SIDELINED FOR SEVEN WEEKS, SUPPOSEDLY WITH KNEE AND CALF INJURIES, BUT NOW A MUCH BIGGER ISSUE HAS BEEN REVEALED. HERE'S STEPHEN STUART. IS THIS THE HEAD KNOCK BACK IN ROUND FOUR THAT HAS LEFT HURRICANES HOOKER DANE COLES WITH DELAYED CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS? WE'VE HAD A LOOK AT THE HIGHLANDERS GAME, WHICH WAS THE LAST GAME HE PLAYED. THERE'S NO OBVIOUS POINT IN TIME. HE HAD NO SYMPTOMS POST THAT. THE 30-YEAR-OLD INJURED A KNEE DURING THE MATCH AND, WHEN HE RETURNED TO TRAINING TWO WEEKS LATER, TORE A CALF. AS HE TRIED TO GET UP TO SPEED IN HIS RECOVERY FROM THAT, CONCUSSION SIGNS AROSE. WE CAN'T LOAD HIS CALF, BECAUSE HE'S GETTING HEADACHES, AND IN THE END, I'M NOT SURE WHETHER HIS CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS ARE GONNA GO AWAY FIRST. COLES WAS AT TRAINING TODAY AND TOOK A LIMITED PART IN LINE-OUT DRILLS AS ALL BLACKS ASSISTANT COACH WAYNE SMITH PROBABLY ADDED ANOTHER NAME TO THE DOUBTFUL-STARTERS FILE. WE'RE JUST HOPING, YOU KNOW, HE'S RECOVERING FAST SO WE CAN GET HIM BACK OUT THERE ON THE FIELD. APPEARANCES WOULD SUGGEST IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME, WITH THE SKIPPER JOINING FELLOW FRONT-ROWER REGGIE GOODES AND MATT PROCTOR ON THE CANES CONCUSSION LIST, AND, OF COURSE, HIS CLOSE MATE JAMES BROADHURST OFFICIALLY RETIRED LAST WEEK AFTER LOSING HIS BATTLE WITH CONCUSSION. AS FOR THE HURRICANES, TEARAWAY FLANKER SAVEA WILL START HIS FOURTH MATCH OF THE SEASON AT NUMBER EIGHT. FOR ME, IT'S PROBABLY MORE MY LINE-OUT JUMPING AND AT THE BACK OF THE SCRUM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT USED TO THAT KINDA STUFF, COS WHEN YOU ARE A LOOSIE, YOU'RE JUST ON THE SIDE OR YOU'RE JUST LIFTING, SO... LIFT-OFF REQUIRED AGAINST THE STRUGGLING STORMERS ON FRIDAY SO THE CANES CAN KEEP PACE WITH THE COMPETITION LEADERS AFTER A WEEK OFF. STEPHEN STUART, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` NOBODY PUTS WEATHER IN THE CORNER, SO WE'LL HAVE YOUR FORECAST. ED SHEERAN CEMENTS HIS 'NICEST MAN IN MUSIC' REPUTATION, WITH KIWI CANCER KIDS REAPING THE REWARDS. IS IT A BIRD? IS IT A PLANE? NO, IT'S SUPER-GINGE! INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR ED SHEERAN HAS PUT COLOURED PENCIL TO PAPER, DRAWING HIS IDEAL SUPERHERO AS PART OF A KIWI FUNDRAISER. THE PICTURE IS BEING AUCTIONED OFF TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE NEW ZEALAND CHILD CANCER FOUNDATION. EVERY TIME I'VE VISITED CHILDREN WITH CANCER IN HOSPITALS, IT'S ALWAYS STRUCK ME HOW BRAVE THE PEOPLE THAT LOOK AFTER THEM ARE AS WELL AS THE ACTUAL KIDS THEMSELVES. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP SUPPORTING CHARITIES LIKE THAT. BIDDING ON THE PICTURE IS AT ALMOST $600 ALREADY, WITH THE TRADE ME AUCTION SET TO END NEXT WEDNESDAY. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER WITH THE MAMOU TWO-STEP. (DOUG KERSHAW'S 'MAMOU TWO-STEP') FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY CHELSEA THORESEN AND IMOGEN STAINES.