PUPILS GUESS BIRTHDAY BOY HEADED FOR A CENTURY

There's nothing like being around a bunch of five-year-olds to make you feel your age. So it was for Prime Minister John Key yesterday. It is his birthday today.

When he asked pupils like 6-year-old Abbey Scott at Adventure School in Whitby, Porirua, how old they thought he was turning, one new entrant guessed 100. "If I was 100 I'd be doing pretty well. I'd have been getting New Zealand super for 35 years," he said. Ten? Nope. What about 50? Close. He's 51 today.

KEY REVEALS FAVOURITE TELEVISION PROGRAMMES

His age wasn't the only personal revelation Mr Key made during the school visit. As he went from class to class there was much discussion about the Olympics, favourites sports and who was doing well. In one room he read from a book and in another the pupils sang a song.

Then Mr Key decided to ask the children what TV programmes they watched. His own favourite programmes? Big Bang Theory and My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.

POLL SHOWS KIWIS SEE CHINA AS A RISING FORCE

New Zealanders believe the days of the United States being the world's only superpower are coming to end, says pollster Stephen Mills. A July UMR poll shows that 50 per cent of New Zealanders believe China will be the dominant world power in 10 years, 23 per cent that it will be the United States, 9 per cent India and 3 per cent Germany.

Five per cent were unsure or gave conditional answers. This view is consistent across all demographic categories – men, women, the young and old, high and low income, Mr Mills says.

PM TRIES OUT ROLE AS 'MUMMY PORN' READER

Fresh from his recent stint on Radio Live's Prime Minister's Hour, Mr Key has been back on the airwaves, giving his take on pop culture. He happily took up a request from More FM to read a page from the "mummy porn" novel 50 Shades of Grey.

Reading from a page picked at random, the raciest part Mr Key uttered was the word "shit". But he joked with his hosts the book had a reputation as "a reading man's Penthouse."

He did not think wife Bronagh had read the novel but added: "I'm away a lot, I reckon she may be reading it. Who knows."

- © Fairfax NZ News