IT'S MIDDAY. A MASSIVE PUBLIC RESPONSE OVER THE 1080 MILK BLACKMAIL SCARE. THREE SPORTS SUPERSTARS' BODIES ARE RECOVERED AFTER A HORROR CHOPPER CRASH. AND A THRILL-SEEKING TV HOST FALLS FOUL OF HIS BOSSES. DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. POLICE SAY THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THEIR APPEAL FOR INFORMATION ABOUT WHO MAY BE BEHIND THE 1080 POISON THREATS. AUTHORITIES REVEALED YESTERDAY THAT FONTERRA AND FEDERATED FARMERS RECEIVED LETTERS IN NOVEMBER CONTAINING 1080 POWDER AND THREATENING TO CONTAMINATE INFANT FORMULA. ONE NEWS REPORTER REBECCA EDWARDS JOINS US NOW FROM OUR WELLINGTON NEWSROOM. REBECCA. YOU'VE JUST COME FROM THE LATEST BRIEFING. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? Police say their investigations are progressing well, and they tell us they are encouraged by the amount ofpublic information they have received. Made a public appeal for the person responsible for these letters to come forward and make themselves known. The situation has had a very widespread impacts, particularly on mums and dads. WE STAND READY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MUMS AND DADS AND ALL RELEVANT PEOPLE GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION FOR THEM TO MAKE THE RIGHT CALLS AND DECISIONS. Police were pressed pretty hard by journalists in the media conference about really was the right decision to go public with this threat. They asked police are there were encouraged a person who is responsible for these letters WELL, WE'RE CERTAINLY WARNING PEOPLE THAT REPEATING THAT TYPE OF THREAT WOULD BE MOST UNWISE AND WOULD ONLY ANGER PEOPLE MORE, SO WE'VE BEEN AWARE OF THE PROS AND CONS. WE'VE CONSIDERED THEM ALL AT THE OUTSET, AND THIS IS THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE CHOSEN TO FOLLOW. police say one other significant line of enquiry they are following if determining the source of this 1080 and how the person responsible could get their hands on it. Will bring you details later in the day. THANKS, REBECCA EDWARDS, LIVE FROM WELLINGTON. A MAJOR WORRY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE THREAT'S FOR REAL, IS THE FLOW-ON ECONOMIC EFFECT FOR NZ EXPORTERS. AUTHORITIES ARE SOOTHING CONCERNS, BUT THE SCARE HAS WIDE-RANGING REPERCUSSIONS. HERE'S ALI VENTURA. REACTION WAS COMPREHENSIVE AND SWIFT. SO, YOU'RE JUST WANTING SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE HEALTH ALERT? THE NEWS THAT NZ'S CRUCIAL DAIRY INDUSTRY COULD BE UNDER THREAT SENT AGENCIES INTO ACTION. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH PROVIDED A HELPLINE FOR PARENTS, WHILE SUPERMARKETS RAMPED UP SECURITY; SOME PUTTING INFANT FORMULA UNDER SURVEILLANCE. THE AUTHORITIES INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION INTO THREATS OF MILK POWDER POISONING WERE THIS MORNING ATTEMPTING TO QUELL CONSUMER CONCERNS... WE CAN TELL MUMS AND DADS THAT ANY PRODUCT ON THE SHELF TODAY IS AS SAFE AS IT WOULD'VE BEEN PRIOR TO THIS THREAT. ...SAYING THE SITUATION IS UNDER CONTROL. THE LIKELIHOOD OF CONTAMINATED 1080 ENTERING THE FOOD SUPPLY WAS DEEMED TO BE LOW BACK THEN AND WE REASSESS CONSTANTLY. IT STILL REMAINS LOW. OVERNIGHT THE NEWS SPREAD INTERNATIONALLY, WITH KEY EXPORT PARTNER CHINA GIVING A MEASURED RESPONSE, ASSURANCES HERE KEEPING MARKETS RELATIVELY STABLE. BUT SOME ARE WORRIED IT MAY NOT STAY THAT WAY,... PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD COULD USE IT AS AN EXCUSE FOR NON-TARIFF ACTIONS AGAINST OR USE IT TO SMEAR THE REPUTATION OF NZ PRODUCTS. ...WITH THIS THREAT TARGETING CONSUMERS' WORST FEARS. ALL THEY THINK IS, 'IS THAT PRODUCT IN THAT TIN SAFE FOR MY BABY?' AND IN ALL TOO RECENT HISTORY, FAITH IN NZ PRODUCTS HAS ALREADY BEEN TESTED. WITH FONTERRA, IT'S NOT SO MANY MONTHS SINCE SOME OF THEIR PRODUCTS WERE JUST ALLOWED BACK ON TO CHINESE SHELVES AFTER THE BOTULINUM SCARE, SO CONSUMERS, THEY NEEDED TO HAVE THEIR TRUST REBUILT. THAT'S BARELY HAD A CHANCE TO HAPPEN. BUT THE MAIN MESSAGE FOR PEOPLE LOOKING AFTER THE SMALLEST CONSUMERS ` TAKE CARE BUT CARRY ON. ALI VENTURA, ONE NEWS. NEW ALLEGATIONS FROM DOCUMENTS RELEASED BY WHISTLE-BLOWER EDWARD SNOWDEN CLAIM NZ IS HACKING INTO GOVERNMENT-LINKED MOBILE PHONES IN ASIA AND TRANSFERRING THAT INFORMATION TO THE UNITED STATES. WRITER NICKY HAGER SAYS THE REVELATIONS SHOW NZ MAY BE SUCCUMBING TO INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE. IT COULD BE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN NZ WHO DON'T WANT TO KNOW THIS, BUT ALL AROUND THE WORLD, THE SNOWDEN ALLEGATIONS HAVE BEEN TURNING UP COUNTRY BY COUNTRY SO PEOPLE CAN KNOW WHAT THE HIDDEN PART OF THEIR GOVERNMENT'S ACTIVITIES ARE. AND IN OUR CASE, IT'S SPYING ON A WHOLE LOT OF COUNTRIES. THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT PLACES LIKE INDIA AND PAKISTAN AND CHINA AND VIETNAM AND SOUTH AMERICA, WHERE IF IT WAS JUST NZ FOR NZ'S SAKE, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE WE WOULD BE RUNNING HI-TECH SPYING OPERATIONS AGAINST THEM. IN FACT, THE ONLY REAL, RATIONAL REASON WHY YOU CAN SAY WE'RE DOING IT IS TO PAY OUR DUES AND IT'LL PAY THE COST OF BEING PART OF THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE. THE LATEST ALLEGATIONS FOLLOW CLAIMS THAT MASS SURVEILLANCE DATA FROM THE PACIFIC WAS BEING SHARED BY THE NZ GOVERNMENT WITH ALLIES IN THE FIVE EYES NETWORK. IRAQI ARMED FORCES BACKED BY SHIITE MILITIAS SAY THEY'VE RETAKEN A TOWN NEAR THE MILITANT-HELD CITY OF TIKRIT AS THEY PRESS THEIR OFFENSIVE AGAINST ISIS MILITANTS. FOOTAGE OBTAINED FROM A TOWN 8KM NORTHEAST OF TIKRIT SHOWED THICK SMOKE BILLOWING IN THE DISTANCE AND IRAQI FORCES IN THE AREA. TIKRIT IS THE HOMETOWN OF SADDAM HUSSEIN, AN ISIS STRONGHOLD AND A KEY BATTLEGROUND FOR IRAQI FORCES LOOKING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE NORTH OF THE COUNTRY. ISIS CURRENTLY CONTROLS ABOUT A THIRD OF IRAQ AND SYRIA. THE BODIES OF THREE FRENCH ATHLETES HAVE BEEN RECOVERED. AFTER HELICOPTERS COLLIDED IN ARGENTINA DURING THE FILMING OF A REALITY TV SHOW. SEVEN OTHER PEOPLE DIED IN THE INCIDENT THE HELICOPTERS CRASHED IN A REMOTE MOUNTAINOUS AREA SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFF. THE BBC'S LUCY WILLIAMSON WITH THIS. IT WAS MEANT TO BE A BIT OF FUN ` OLYMPIC ATHLETES DROPPED IN A REMOTE LOCATION FOR A TELEVISION SHOW. THEY BARELY SURVIVED THE DAY. CAUGHT ON CAMERA ` THE MOMENT IT ALL WENT WRONG. THE UNSEEN TERROR OF THOSE INSIDE. NO ONE ON BOARD SURVIVED. THIS WAS THE GROUP JUST THREE DAYS BEFORE ON BOARD THE PLANE THAT WOULD TAKE THEM TO ARGENTINA. ONE OF THEM, SWIMMER ALAIN BERNARD, REPORTEDLY STEPPED OFF THE HELICOPTER JUST BEFORE TAKE-OFF TO AVOID OVERLOADING IT. AMONG THE DEAD ARE OLYMPIC CHAMPION SWIMMER CAMILLE MUFFAT, THE OLYMPIC BOXER ALEXIS VASTINE AND THE LONG-DISTANCE SAILOR FLORENCE ARTHAUD. AMONG THE TRIBUTES, THIS FROM FRANCE'S PRESIDENT. (SPEAKS FRENCH) TRANSLATOR: I AM THINKING ABOUT THE THREE CHAMPIONS THAT SHONE FOR FRANCE, BUT WHO ARE NOW DEAD. THEY ARE DEAD BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO PUSH BOUNDARIES, EXPLORE NEW COUNTRIES AND LEAD THE WAY FOR OTHERS. FRANCE IS SENDING INVESTIGATORS TO HELP WITH THE ARGENTINIAN INQUIRY, BUT THIS WAS A CATASTROPHIC CRASH, AND EVEN RECOVERING THE BODIES HAS PROVED TO BE A SLOW AND PAINSTAKING PROCESS. FILMING FOR THE REALITY SURVIVAL SHOW 'DROPPED' HAD ONLY JUST BEGUN. A LAST ADVENTURE THAT, FOR THREE OF ITS SPORTING CELEBRITIES, BECAME THEIR FINAL DEADLY RACE. THE MORNING NOW ACCOMPANIED BY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS ROUTINE ENTERTAINMENT SHOW WENT SO BADLY WRONG. THE BBC HAS SUSPENDED 'TOP GEAR' HOST JEREMY CLARKSON FOLLOWING A 'RUN-IN' WITH A PRODUCER. HE'D BEEN PUT ON A FINAL WARNING LAST YEAR OVER A ROW ABOUT WHETHER HE'D USED A RACIST WORD DURING FILMING. THE BBC'S LUCY MANNING REPORTS. YES, YOU'RE GOOD! WILL THIS BE THE LAST TIME JEREMY CLARKSON PRESENT TOP GEAR? BRASH, OPINIONATED, POPULAR, OFTEN CONTROVERSIAL... IT DOESN'T DO MUCH FOR THE RIDE, BUT GOD, IT MAKES IT FUN TO DRIVE OUT HERE. ...WATCHED BY MILLIONS ON A PROGRAMME THAT MAKES THE PRESENTER AND THE BBC MILLIONS. BUT NOW HE'S OFF AIR. THE BBC SAID ` AS YOU GO PAST 160MPH... FRACAS, ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING HE'S ALLEGED TO HAVE PUNCHED A PRODUCER LAST WEEK. FOR A PRESENTER ALREADY ON A FINAL WARNING, HE COULD HAVE RUN OUT OF ROAD. I THINK IT'D BE A VERY MAN WHO SAYS 'NO MORE JEREMY CLARKSON ON TOP GEAR', BECAUSE HE'S AN INTRINSIC PART OF THE PACKAGE. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE AUDIENCE LOOK FORWARD TO JEREMY BEING NAUGHTY AGAIN. CONTROVERSY AND JEREMY CLARKSON HAVE OFTEN GONE HAND IN HAND. HE WAS FORCED TO APOLOGISE AFTER CLAIMS HE'D USED A RACIST WORD AT THE END OF THIS NURSERY RHYME. # EENY MEENY MINY MO... # PLEASE BE ASSURED I DID EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO NOT USE THAT WORD. AND AS I'M SITTING HERE BEGGING YOUR FORGIVENESS FOR THE FACT THAT OBVIOUSLY MY EFFORTS WEREN'T QUITE GOOD ENOUGH. FILMING IN BURMA, THE PROGRAMME WAS CRITICISED BY THE BROADCASTING REGULATOR AFTER HE USED A DEROGATORY WORD FOR AN ASIAN MAN AND A DIPLOMATIC INCIDENT IN ARGENTINA, WHERE THEY DROVE A CAR THAT SEEMED TO REFER TO THE 1982 FALKLANDS WAR. IN THE US, THE JURY IN THE TRIAL OF THE MAN ACCUSED OF TAKING PART IN THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING HAS BEEN SHOWN VIDEO OF THE ACCUSED ALLEGEDLY PUTTING EXPLOSIVES IN PLACE. DZHOKHAR TSARNAEV IS SEEN WALKING WITH HIS LATE BROTHER BEFORE PICKING A SPOT IN THE CROWD AND TAKING OFF HIS BACKPACK. WITH SPECTATORS DISTRACTED BY THE FIRST BOMB, HE SLIPS AWAY. MOMENTS LATER THE BACKPACK APPEARS TO EXPLODE. THE JURY WAS ALSO SHOWN FOOTAGE OF HIM SHOPPING AT A SUPERMARKET JUST 20 MINUTES AFTER THE BOMBINGS. THREE STUDENTS FROM A SOUTH ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL HAVE BEEN STOOD DOWN AND ANOTHER THREE FACE DISCIPLINE AFTER BULLYING A FELLOW STUDENT THAT INCLUDED PUTTING A BAG OVER HIS HEAD AND SAYING IT WAS 'JUST LIKE ISIS'. ASHBURTON COLLEGE REFERRED THE 13- AND 14 YEAR-OLDS TO POLICE, CHILD, YOUTH AND FAMILY AND MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES AFTER A FOUR-DAY INVESTIGATION. PRINCIPAL GRANT MCMILLAN SAYS THE SCHOOL IS CONCERNED, BUT MORE ABOUT THE BULLYING THAN THE REFERENCE TO ISIS. WITHOUT WANTING TO DOWNPLAY THAT, I THINK IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN THE PAST, WHERE 13` AND 14-YEAR-OLD MALES PRETEND TO BE SOMETHING THEY'RE NOT. THEY MIGHT PRETEND TO BE A MEMBER OF A PATCHED GANG, OR THEY MIGHT PRETEND TO BE AFFILIATED TO SOMETHING THEY SEE ON TELEVISION FROM THE STATES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. MR MCMILLAN SAYS THE FAMILIES OF THE BOYS WERE SHOCKED BY THE INCIDENT AND ARE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL. TO THE LATEST ON THE LUNDY TRIAL, AND AN AMERICAN PATHOLOGIST WHO FOUND BRAIN OR SPINAL CORD TISSUE ON MURDER-ACCUSED MARK LUNDY'S POLO SHIRT SAYS HE COULDN'T SAY WHETHER IT CAME FROM A HUMAN OR NOT. MARK LUNDY IS BEING RETRIED IN THE HIGH COURT IN WELLINGTON FOR THE MURDER OF HIS WIFE, CHRISTINE, AND DAUGHTER, AMBER, IN THEIR PALMERSTON NORTH HOME IN 2000. UNDER CROSS EXAMINATION, DAVID HISLOP Q QUESTIONED PATHOLOGIST ALLEN GOWN VIA VIDEO LINK ABOUT THE LIMITATIONS OF HIS TESTING. NONE OF THESE ANTIBODIES ARE SPECIFIC FOR HUMAN TISSUES, SO IT IS NOT THEREFORE POSSIBLE TO STATE THAT THE MATERIAL IS OF HUMAN ORIGIN, AS IT COULD ORIGINATE FROM ANOTHER SPECIES. DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? THAT IS ALSO A CORRECT STATEMENT WITH WHICH I AGREE. MARK LUNDY DENIES THE CHARGES. THE LONE PROTESTOR AT THE TOP OF AN ANCIENT KAURI IN WEST AUCKLAND WON'T BE GETTING HIGH-POWERED COMPANY AFTER ALL. FORMER LABOUR LEADER AND NEW LYNN MP DAVID CUNLIFFE HAD OFFERED TO CLIMB THE TREE AND JOIN MICHAEL TAVARES IN PROTEST, BUT NOW MR CUNLIFFE SAYS HE 'MIGHT BE MORE USE ON THE GROUND', CITING LEGAL ISSUES IF HE WERE TO CLIMB THE TREE. THE PROTESTERS HAD TOLD MR CUNLIFFE 'THANKS, BUT NO THANKS', BECAUSE TOO MANY PEOPLE CLIMBING UP MIGHT NOT BE BEST FOR THE TREE. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` NEWS BLACKCAPS FANS WON'T WANT TO HEAR. AND HOW BLURRING THE LINES BETWEEN HITS FROM THE '70S AND TODAY CAN BE COSTLY. How do you stay in the home you've worked a lifetime for? A Heartland home equity loan lets you borrow against your home without having to worry about making regular repayments so you can release cash for that overdue home renovation, upgrading your car or that bucket list trip of a lifetime. So to enjoy your retirement with independence and dignity, choose a Heartland home equity loan. For more information, visit our website, heartland.co.nz. Heartland ` NZ's specialist bank. POP SUPERSTAR PHARELL WILLIAMS AND SINGER ROBIN THICKE WILL HAVE TO PAY THE FAMILY OF MARVIN GAYE OVER $10M AFTER IT WAS FOUND THEY BREACHED COPYWRIGHT WITH THEIR 2013 HIT 'BLURRED LINES'. ROBIN THICKE'S 'BLURRED LINES' THE SONG, WHICH MADE ALMOST $22.5M, SOUNDED TOO SIMILIAR TO THIS SONG BY MARVIN GAYE IN 1977 CALLED 'GOT TO GIVE UP'. MARVIN GAYE'S 'GOT TO GIVE UP' PHARELL WILLIAMS HAD SAID 'BLURRED LINES' WAS SIMILIAR IN 'FEEL' TO GAYE'S 1977 HIT BUT NOT A RIP-OFF, WHILE THICKE TOLD THE COURT THAT HE WAS INTOXICATED WHEN HE DISCUSSED GAYE'S INFLUENCE ON THE WORK WITH MEDIA. A NEW TSUNAMI THREAT TO THE NORTH ISLAND'S UPPER EAST COAST COULD SOON BE IDENTIFIED. SCIENTISTS INVESTIGATING AN UNDERWATER VOLCANO IN THE KERMADEC ARC THINK ITS LAST ERUPTION SEVERAL THOUSAND YEARS AGO GENERATED A LARGE TSUNAMI THAT COULD HAVE STRUCK NZ. RENEE GRAHAM IS ON BOARD THE HMNZS WELLINGTON. IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE A SERENE SEASCAPE ON THE SURFACE, BUT DEEP DOWN, SCIENTISTS ARE LOOKING FOR SIGNS OF POTENTIAL TROUBLE. THEY THINK IT'S POSSIBLE A MASSIVE VOLCANO ERUPTED HERE, TRIGGERING A TSUNAMI. THERE WAS A BIG COLUMN OF ROCK AND ASH THAT CAME OUT OF THIS VOLCANO, AND THIS COLUMN OF ROCK AND ASH CAME BACK DOWN INTO THE SEA, AND WHEN IT FELL BACK DOWN INTO THE SEA, THAT, WE THINK, WOULD HAVE PRODUCED A SUBSTANTIAL TSUNAMI. THE NAVY IS WORKING WITH GNS SCIENTISTS AND THE AMERICAN WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION, INVESTIGATING 100M-HIGH SAND WAVES ON THE SEA FLOOR. THEY SURROUND THE UNDERWATER MACAULEY VOLCANO, WHICH IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF WELLINGTON HARBOUR AND DIRECTLY BENEATH ME HERE. IT'S BELIEVED THEY WERE FORMED ABOUT 6000 YEARS AGO, WHEN THE VOLCANO ERUPTED. THE TEAM IS USING AN UNMANNED SUBMARINE TO EXPLORE MACAULEY AND THE SAND WAVES. IF THEIR THEORY IS CORRECT, THEY WILL HAVE IDENTIFIED ANOTHER TSUNAMI THREAT ALONG THE UPPER EAST COAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND. IT'S NOT UNTIL A DECADE OR SO AGO THAT WE EVEN KNEW THAT THESE VOLCANOES EXISTED. AND WHAT SORT OF RISK THEY POSE HAS ONLY COME TO THE FORE RECENTLY. SO THE MORE YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE VOLCANIC SYSTEM AND THEREFORE THE EARTHQUAKE POTENTIAL, THEN THE MORE YOU CAN PREDICT TSUNAMIS THAT MAY BE COMING. IN 2011, THIS DEVASTATING TSUNAMI WAS CAUSED BY A MAGNITUDE-9 EARTHQUAKE OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN. LATER THAT YEAR, A MAGNITUDE-7.6 QUAKE IN THE KERMADEC ARC SPARKED A TSUNAMI WARNING HERE. LUCKILY, WHEN IT ARRIVED, IT WAS A MERE 50CM TIDAL SURGE IN NORTHLAND. BUT IT'S NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD HOW AN UNDERWATER VOLCANO COULD GENERATE A TSUNAMI OR HOW BIG IT COULD BE. EXPERTS SAY THERE'D BE A WARNING TIME OF JUST ONE TO TWO HOURS IF A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED IN THIS GEOLOGICALLY VERY ACTIVE AND DECEPTIVELY CALM REGION. RENEE GRAHAM, ONE NEWS UNWELCOME NEWS FOR THE BLACKCAPS AHEAD OF FRIDAY'S GRUDGE MATCH AGAINST BANGLADESH ` STAR BATSMAN KANE WILLIAMSON'S BEEN STRUCK WITH THE SAME STOMACH COMPLAINT THAT AFFECTED SOME OF HIS TEAMMATES A FEW DAYS AGO. KIMBERLEE DOWNS HAS THE LATEST. NOT THE BEST OF NEWS FROM THE BLACKCAPS CAMP TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY. DESPITE BEING TOLD YESTERDAY THAT NO NEW CASES OF THAT GASTRO VIRUS THAT'S AFFECTED THE TEAM CROPPING UP, THERE HAS BEEN ANOTHER ONE, AND THE AFFECTED PLAYER IS IN-FORM BATSMAN KANE WILLIAMSON. NOW, HE STARTED SHOWING, APPARENTLY, SYMPTOMS LATE YESTERDAY, AND IT MEANS THAT HE'S NOT TRAINING WITH THE TEAM TODAY. IN FACT, HE'S BACK AT THE TEAM HOTEL, RECOVERING. IT'S UNCERTAIN AT THIS STAGE AS TO WHAT THIS MEANS, WHETHER HE WILL PLAY THAT LAST POOL GAME AGAINST BANGLADESH ON FRIDAY HERE IN HAMILTON. IF HE DOESN'T PLAY, IT'S LIKELY THAT TOM LATHAM WILL BE THE MAN TO COME INTO THE SIDE. NOW, ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, THE OTHER PLAYERS AFFECTED BY THE VIRUS EARLIER IN THE WEEK ` DANIEL VETTORI AND GRANT ELLIOTT ` BOTH ARE TRAINING FULLY TODAY AND APPEAR TO HAVE RECOVERED SO FAR. AND THE OTHER BRIGHT NOTE, OF COURSE, IS THAT FACT THAT THE BLACKCAPS HAVE ALREADY LOCKED IN THEIR PLACE AT THE TOP OF POOL A. SO AS FAR AS POSITIONINGS GO FOR THE KNOCKOUT STAGES AT LEAST, IT WILL BE FAIRLY INCONSEQUENTIAL. BLUES COACH SIR JOHN KIRWAN IS REMAINING DEFIANT DESPITE INCREASING PRESSURE OVER HIS TEAM'S AWFUL START TO THE SUPER RUGBY SEASON. THE BLUES HAVE LOST THEIR FIRST FOUR GAMES AND WILL PLAY THE HURRICANES THIS WEEKEND WITHOUT CAPTAIN JEROME KAINO AFTER HE FAILED A POST-MATCH CONCUSSION TEST. DESPITE THEIR DISMAL RECORD, KIRWAN HAS COMPLETE FAITH IN WHAT HE'S DOING. REPORTER :IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING AT THE MOMENT, SO DO YOU TRY AND CHANGE THINGS? UH, HELD UP FOUR TIMES OVER THE LINES. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WORKING. WE'RE JUST NEED TO EXECUTE IT A WEE BIT BETTER. KIRWAN WILL HAVE HIS MID-SEASON REVIEW IN A FEW WEEKS. THE COACH IS ADMITTING HIS FUTURE IS OUT OF HIS HANDS. DEFENDING CHAMPIONS REAL MADRID WERE GIVEN A HUGE FRIGHT IN EUROPEAN FOOTBALL'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE THIS MORNING BY GERMAN SIDE SCHALKE. UNDER PRESSURE, REAL FELL BEHIND EARLY BEFORE THEIR SUPERSTAR FORWARD NODDED IN TWO GOALS OF NOTE. CORNER ARRIVING, AND THERE'S THE EQUALISER ARRIVING! NONE OTHER THAN CRISTIANO RONALDO! ISCO. FOR COENTRAO. RONALDO! THE FINGERS ARE OUT OF THE MOUTH! RONALDO TO THE RESCUE AGAIN. YES, CRISTIANO RONALDO'S 76TH CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GOAL PUTS HIM ONE AHEAD OF GREAT RIVAL LIONEL MESSI ON THE ALL-TIME TABLE. BUT SCHALKE WEREN'T DONE. THEY MADE A STUNNING COMEBACK TO WIN 4-3 ON THE NIGHT. HOWEVER, MADRID SNEAK THROUGH TO THE QUARTER-FINALS 5-4 ON AGGREGATE. INDIA HAVE CEMENTED THEIR PLACE ON TOP OF GROUP B AT THE CRICKET WORLD CUP, WITH A CONVINCING WIN OVER IRELAND IN HAMILTON, INDIA MAKING SHORT WORK OF THEIR TARGET OF 260. SHIKHAR DHAWAN HIT HIS SECOND CENTURY OF THE CUP OFF JUST 84 BALLS. CROWD CHEERS HE'S TURNED THIS AROUND THE CORNER. IT'S A CENTURY FOR SHIKHAR DHAWAN. VIRAT KOHLI FINISHED IT OFF IN STYLE. INDIA WON BY EIGHT WICKETS AND WITH 79 BALLS TO SPARE. IRELAND NOW FACES A MUST-WIN MATCH AGAINST PAKISTAN ON SUNDAY TO ENSURE THEY PROGRESS TO THE QUARTER-FINALS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. AND A PAIR OF ACTORS FAMOUS FOR MAKING FUN OF MODELS TAKE TO THE CATWALK FOR REAL. YOUR WEATHER IN A MOMENT, BUT FIRST SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES. POLICE SAY THERE'S BEEN A HUGE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THEIR APPEAL FOR INFORMATION ABOUT WHO MAY BE BEHIND THE 1080 POISON THREATS. INTERNATIONAL MARKETS HAVE BEEN CAUTIOUS IN THEIR RESPONSE, BUT THERE ARE FEARS IT COULD AFFECT EXPORTS. 'TOP GEAR' HOST JEREMY CLARKSON HAS BEEN SUSPENDED BY THE BBC FOLLOWING A RUN IN WITH A PRODUCER. HE'D BEEN PUT ON A FINAL WARNING LAST YEAR OVER A ROW ABOUT THE USE OF A RACIST TERM DURING FILMING. AND MORE HEALTH WORRIES FOR THE BLACKCAPS. THIS TIME IT'S KANE WILLIAMSON STRUCK DOWN. NOW TO THE WEATHER. A LARGE HIGH HOVERS OVER THE COUNTRY, BUT THERE'S AN EXTENDED FRONTAL SYSTEM OVER THE SOUTH COMING BRINGING RAIN. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ TWO SPECIAL GUEST MALE MODELS SURPRISED THE AUDIENCE AT VALENTINO'S SHOW AT PARIS FASHION WEEK. BEN STILLER AND OWEN WILSON, BETTER KNOWN TO MOVIE FANS AS DEREK ZOOLANDER AND HANSEL, SHOWED THEY HAVEN'T LOST THE ABILITY TO BE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY GOOD-LOOKING, DESPITE 14 YEARS SINCE THE WELL-LOVED MOVIE CAME OUT. THE HUMAN LEAGUE'S 'DON'T YOU WANT ME' PLAYS # YOU WERE WORKING AS A WAITRESS IN A COCKTAIL BAR. # WHEN I MET YOU. # I PICKED YOU OUT. I SHOOK YOU UP AND TURNED YOU AROUND. # TURNED YOU INTO SOMEONE NEW. # NOW FIVE YEARS LATER ON, YOU'VE GOT THE WORLD AT YOUR FEET... # AND THE SECOND ZOOLANDER MOVIE IS SET TO BE RELEASED EARLY NEXT YEAR. THAT'S YOUR MIDDAY NEWS. THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE ONE NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY JUNE YEOW AND AMY PARK CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2015