TONIGHT ` NZ'S GROWING OBESITY PROBLEM IS NOW OFFICIALLY TOO BIG FOR OUR HOSPITALS. THE CONTINGENCY PLAN BROUGHT IN TO HELP COPE WITH THE NUMBERS. THE RUGBY IS OVER, BUT THE ACCOLADES CONTINUE FOR RICHIE MCCAW. TODAY, HE BROKE AN AGE BARRIER FOR OUR BIGGEST HONOUR. AND WHY SOME OF OUR OLYMPIC ATHLETES ARE BEING TAUGHT HOW TO MATCH-FIX IN THE LEAD-UP TO RIO. DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF TONIGHT, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. FIRST TONIGHT, THERE ARE NOW SO MANY NZERS WITH OBESITY-RELATED DIABETES THAT HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE RESORTING TO A CONTINGENCY PLAN. A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP UNIT'S BEEN OPENED IN SOUTH AUCKLAND TO HELP HANDLE THE OVERWHELMING DEMAND FOR DIALYSIS. HEALTH REPORTER LORELEI MASON HAS MORE. APPLAUSE IT'S CALLED DIAVERUM TOTO ORA, AND IT'S OPEN FOR BUSINESS IN MANGERE, SOUTH AUCKLAND,... AWESOME. I LOVE THIS NEW PLACE. BIG SPACES. NICE PEOPLE. ...DELIVERING LIFE-SAVING DIALYSIS FOR COUNTIES MANUKAU PATIENTS SUFFERING KIDNEY FAILURE ` FOR MOST, A RESULT OF OBESITY-RELATED TYPE II DIABETES. FROM DAY ONE, IT'S FLAT OUT. WE HAVE A TOTAL NUMBER OF 635 DIALYSIS PATIENTS, SO WE NEED THE BUILDING. THAT NEED IS A GREAT ONE. IN RECENT YEARS, THE DHB'S BEEN FORCED TO RUN NIGHT SHIFTS AT ITS OLD CLINIC AT MIDDLEMORE TO COPE WITH A 6% RISE IN DEMAND PER ANNUM. SO IN A NOVEL SOLUTION, THE DHB'S PARTNERED WITH INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE DIALYSIS PROVIDER DIAVERUM,... NZ IS OUR 20TH COUNTRY. ...TAKING THE PRESSURE OFF THE DHB TO BUILD ITS OWN NEW UNIT. WE PROVIDE, I SUPPOSE, THE BUILDING, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE MACHINES AND THE STAFFING AND ALL THE CONSUMABLES. COSTING DIAVERUM AROUND $3M. WHAT IS MEANS IS WE CAN HAVE AN AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE, LONG-TERM SOLUTION WHICH GETS THE SERVICES THAT DIALYSIS PATIENTS NEED. 96 PATIENTS ARE ALREADY RECEIVING DIALYSIS AT THIS NEW UNIT ` 24 COME IN THE MORNING, 24 IN THE AFTERNOONS, SIX DAYS A WEEK. EACH PATIENT COMES THREE TIMES WEEKLY. THEY'RE HERE FOR FOUR TO FIVE HOURS EACH TIME. IT'S A GRUELLING REGIME BUT ESSENTIAL TO CLEANSE THEIR BLOOD AND KEEP THEM ALIVE. THE HARDEST THING? IT'S THE NEEDLES. WE DO HAVE DIABETES AT THE AGE OF 20S NOW, AGE 30S, AND IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DISEASE IN HOW AGGRESSIVE IT IS. THAT AGGRESSION MEANS PATIENT NUMBERS ARE SET TO SPIRAL FURTHER, WITH THE PREDICTION THIS UNIT MAY BE THE FIRST OF MANY NATIONWIDE. LORELEI MASON, ONE NEWS. OUR MOST CELEBRATED SPORTSMAN HAS RECEIVED OUR HIGHEST HONOUR. FORMER ALL BLACKS CAPTAIN RICHIE MCCAW IS THE YOUNGEST EVER FORMER ALL BLACKS CAPTAIN RICHIE MCCAW IS THE YOUNGEST EVER TO BE APPOINTED TO THE ORDER OF NZ. ANDREW MORRISON WAS AT THE CEREMONY IN WELLINGTON. HE'S ALREADY RUGBY ROYALTY. BUT TODAY RICHIE MCCAW RECEIVED NZ'S HIGHEST HONOUR FOR SERVICE TO QUEEN AND COUNTRY. AUDIENCE APPLAUDS IT MEANS A LOT. IT'S A HUGE HONOUR, OBVIOUSLY, AND A PRIVILEGE. LIKE, WHEN YOU PLAY RUGBY OR REPRESENT YOUR COUNTRY, YOU DON'T EXPECT TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS BESTOWED UPON YOU. MCCAW TURNED DOWN A KNIGHTHOOD AFTER GUIDING THE ALL BLACKS TO WORLD CUP GLORY IN 2011, HIS FAMILY AND FIANCEE WERE THERE TO SEE HIM ACCEPT HIS PLACE IN A PRESTIGIOUS GROUP, AWARDED TO JUST 20 LIVING NZERS. THE FACT THAT IT DIDN'T COME WITH THE TITLE OF SIR ACTUALLY SAT WITH ME A LOT MORE COMFORTABLY. AT JUST 35 YEARS OF AGE, RICHIE MCCAW IS THE YOUNGEST TO JOIN THESE RANKS, TAILING FORMER PRIME MINISTER HELEN CLARK (66). NAH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT EMBARRASSING THAT, ISN'T IT? SO, YEAH, I DID` I HAVE HAD SOME FRIENDS POINT THAT OUT TO ME. HIS RUGBY RECORD IS UNPARALLED ` THE MOST CAPPED PLAYER OF ALL TIME. 110 OF THOSE TESTS AS CAPTAIN. HE'S JUST AN ORDINARY BLOKE FROM KUROW, BUT BY GOD, HE CAN DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS. THE FIRST PLAYER TO LEAD A COUNTRY TO BACK-TO-BACK TO WORLD CUPS. WHERE DOES THIS SIT? THIS WILL BE RIGHT UP THE TOP. YOU CAN'T GET ANY BIGGER THAN THIS. ALL BLACKS MENTAL SKILLS COACH GILBERT ENOKA'S BEEN A BIG PART OF THAT SUCCESS ` ALSO HONOURED TODAY. HE'S WATCHED MCCAW DEVELOP INTO ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST RESPECTED SPORTSMEN. HE'S JUST A REALLY DECENT HUMAN BEING. I THINK HE'S GROWN INTO THE ROLE. HE'S GROWN TO UNDERSTAND HIMSELF REALLY REALLY WELL. I THINK THE BIG THING ABOUT NZ IS IT'S GREAT THAT PEOPLE GET RECOGNISED FOR THESE THINGS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'RE JUST AN ORDINARY KIWI, REALLY, AND PEOPLE EXPECT YOU TO BEHAVE LIKE THAT. FOR MCCAW, THAT'S BACK TO COMMERCIAL FLYING FOR A MAN THAT'S PILOTED NZ TO SOME OF ITS PROUDEST MOMENTS. ANDREW MORRISON, ONE NEWS. OUR NAVY HAS THE WRONG KIND OF SHIPS. THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE DEFENCE MINISTER, WHO WAS FORCED TO EXPLAIN WHY NEARLY HALF OF THE 11-STRONG FLEET BARELY LEAVES PORT. TWO OF OUR NEWEST NAVAL VESSELS HAVE BEEN MOORED FOR YEARS. HELEN CASTLES REPORTS. ALL TIED UP AND NOT GOING ANYWHERE. AND THAT'S LED TO QUESTIONS FROM NZ FIRST. DOES HE BELIEVE THAT OUR NAVY IS SUFFICIENTLY RESOURCED TO PROTECT OUR FISHERIES FROM FOREIGN POACHERS? I'M ACTUALLY SURPRISED. WITH MR MARK'S DEFENCE EXPERIENCE AS AN ARMY COOK, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER ASKING ABOUT SOUTHERN DHB. RON MARK, WHO SAYS HE WAS NEVER A COOK, SAW HE WASN'T MAKING ANY HEADWAY. TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE. WE'VE HAD ENOUGH OF IT. AND WITH THAT, HE AND OTHER NZ FIRST MPS WALKED OUT. NZHMS TAUPO AND PUKAKI WERE AMONG FOUR BOATS PURCHASED IN 2001 FOR COASTAL PATROL. HOWEVER, NEW FIGURES SHOW THAT TAUPO HASN'T LEFT HIS PORT SINCE 2013, AND PUKAKI HASN'T BEEN TO SEA AT ALL IN FOUR YEARS. THEY'VE BEEN FOUND TO BE A DIFFICULT SHIP FOR THE SORT OF CONDITIONS THAT NZ NAVY ARE REQUIRED TO OPERATE IN. I DON'T WANT TO APPORTION BLAME ` THERE'S PLENTY COMING MY WAY ` BUT THEY WEREN'T PURCHASED UNDER MY WATCH. THEY WILL MOST LIKELY BE SOLD UNDER MY WATCH. THE MINISTER'S BEING DISHONEST IN SAYING THEY DON'T NEED THEM. EVERY YEAR, THE SELECT COMMITTEE IS TOLD THAT THE NAVY CAN'T PUT THE VESSELS TO SEA BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SKILLED STAFF TO CREW THEM. SELLING THE PATROL BOATS WON'T BE EASY. THESE BOATS ARE FAIRLY BASIC. THEY WEREN'T TERRIBLY EXPENSIVE, BUT THAT'S WHY THEY ARE BASIC. AND TO FIND A BUYER UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT. SO WHILE THEY MAKE FOR AN IMPRESSIVE PICTURE, THAT'S ALL IT SEEMS THEY'LL BE GOOD FOR ` IN NZ, ANYWAY. HELEN CASTLES, ONE NEWS. BUT THE NEW TRAINING PLANES OUR AIR FORCE BOUGHT LAST YEAR ARE TICKING ALL THE RIGHT BOXES SO FAR. THE T6 TEXANS ARE USED TO TEACH NEW PILOTS THE T5 TEXANS ARE USED TO TEACH NEW PILOTS BEFORE THEY MOVE ON TO BIGGER PLANES OR HELICOPTERS. IT'S A MASSIVE STEP FORWARDS. YEAH. THE CAPABILITY THAT THE TEXAN'S GONNA GIVE US IS PRETTY HUGE, AND THE SORT OF QUALITY OF PILOTS WE'LL BE ABLE TO TRAIN WITH IT IS GONNA BE PRETTY HIGH. AT $14M EACH, THEY'VE REPLACED THE AIR FORCE'S OLD CT4 TRAINING PLANES THAT HAD SEEN 30 YEARS OF SERVICE. TO THE VIDEO OF THE DAY NOW ` RUSSIAN FIGHTER JETS SIMULATING ATTACK MANOEUVRES ON AN AMERICAN WARSHIP IN THE BALTIC SEA. ONE OF THE PLANES BUZZES BY JUST METRES FROM DECKSIDE ONLOOKERS. HERE'S THE ABC'S MARTHA RADDATZ ON WHAT WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT MOSCOW'S THREATENING AND RISKY MOVE. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST AGGRESSIVE RUSSIAN ACTIONS AGAINST THE U.S MILITARY SINCE THE END OF THE COLD WAR. MAN: HE IS ON THE DECK. NOT JUST A DANGEROUSLY CLOSE FLY-BY ` WITHIN 30FT OF THE U.S DESTROYER ` THE JETS FLEW IN A WAY THAT SIMULATED AN ATTACK. AND NOT JUST ONCE, BUT AGAIN AND AGAIN. OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, THE RUSSIAN JETS MADE MORE THAN 30 PASSES OVER THE AMERICAN SHIP IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS. AND ROARING AT JUST 100FT OFF THE BALTIC SEA, THE JETS CAUSED A WAKE IN THE WATER AS IF A GIANT SPEEDBOAT HAD RACED BY. WHEN YOU'RE FLYING JUST OFF THE WATER AT 500MPH, YOU'RE FOCUSED JUST OUT THE WINDOW. IF HE MISJUDGES HOW CLOSE HE IS TO THE SHIP, HOW FAR HE IS OFF THE WATER, THERE'S NO ROOM FOR ERROR, AND THERE'S LOTS OF ROOM FOR DISASTER. WE HAVE SEEN A PATTERN ON THE PART OF THE RUSSIANS IN UNDERTAKING THESE KINDS OF ACTIONS THAT THEY AT LEAST, I THINK, INTEND TO BE PROVOCATIVE. THE AMERICANS ON THE DESTROYER REPEATEDLY RADIOED THE RUSSIAN PILOTS, BUT THE TRANSMISSIONS WERE IGNORED. TWO TEENAGERS ACCUSED OF FATALLY BASHING IHAIA GILLMAN-HARRIS AT THE ASCOT EPSOM MOTEL IN AUCKLAND WENT TO A PARTY AFTER THE ALLEGED ATTACK, THE HIGH COURT HAS HEARD. LEONARD NATTRASS-BERQUIST CONFIRMED THERE HAD BEEN A VIOLENT ASSAULT IN THE MOTEL BUT DENIED HE HAD PLANNED THE ROBBERY WITH HIS CO-ACCUSED, BEAUEN WALLACE-LORETZ. PROSECUTOR: SO, AFTER LEAVING MR GILLMAN-HARRIS IN THE MOTEL ROOM, TAKING HIS $400, THAT NIGHT YOU WENT OUT TO A PARTY? YES. DID YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME? NO. NATTRASS-BERQUIST TOLD THE COURT HE WAS JUST 'PUTTING A FACE ON' AT THE PARTY. TWO MORE ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN RELATION TO A VIOLENT ALCOHOL-FUELLED BRAWL IN AUCKLAND LATE LAST MONTH. A 22-YEAR-OLD MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH FIGHTING IN PUBLIC WHILE A 25-YEAR-OLD MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO INJURE. THE EARLY MORNING FIGHT WAS FILMED IN AUCKLAND'S FORT STREET AND WIDELY SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT THE TIME. OVER THE PAST YEAR, ALLEGATIONS OF MATCH-FIXING IN SPORT HAVE BALLOONED ` FROM TENNIS TO CRICKET TO DOMESTIC FOOTBALL. NOW ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP MATCH-FIXING EXPERTS IS HERE TO TEACH OUR SPORTING OFFICIALS HOW TO SPOT A MATCH-FIXER. IT COMES AS ATHLETES COUNT DOWN TO RIO, WITH SOME BEING GIVEN IMPORTANT TOOLS TO HELP IDENTIFY CHEATS. MONIQUE FISCHER REPORTS. FOOTBALL FERN ANNALIE LONGO IS HUNGRY FOR SUCCESS AT RIO. THE LAST THING ON THE 24-YEAR-OLD MIDFIELDER'S MIND IS THAT THE GAMES WILL BE A MATCH-FIXER'S FEAST. WE HAVE HEARD A LITTLE BIT, GOING INTO RIO, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT ` JUST WHAT TO BE AWARE OF AND THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR. AUTHOR AND INVESTIGATOR DECLAN HILL HAS DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO KEEPING THE SPORT CLEAN. ONE DAY I WAS WORKING, I'D INFILTRATED A MATCH-FIXING GANG WEARING HIDDEN CAMERAS AND RECORDING DEVICES, AND THE GUY WAS TALKING ABOUT FIXING THE WORLD CUP OF SOCCER. AND I WAS JUST THINKING ` ONE ` I HOPE I GET OUT OF THE PLACE ALIVE, AND ` TWO ` IF I DO, THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY. HE'S HERE TO TELL KIWI ATHLETES AND OFFICIALS TO BE ON GUARD AT RIO. THE GATEWAY INTO CORRUPTION IN PLACES LIKE NZ, WHERE GENERALLY THE ATHLETES ARE VERY VERY HONEST, IS ADDICTION. SO ADDICTION TO GAMBLING, TO DRINK, DRUGS, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IM REALLY URGING THE OFFICIALS HERE IN NZ SO I'M REALLY URGING THE OFFICIALS HERE IN NZ TO START PUTTING IN MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMMES FOR THE ATHLETES. IT'S A MESSAGE SHARED BY LAWYER ANDREW SCOTT-HOWMAN. HE'LL BE TEACHING THE FERNS HOW TO MATCH-FIX THEMSELVES SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR. IT'S SUCH AN INSIDIOUS THING THAT MOST NORMAL PEOPLE ACTUALLY DON'T RECOGNISE IT WHEN IT'S HAPPENING TO THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, A MATCH-FIXER CAN MASQUERADE AS AN AGENT INTERESTED IN GIVING A PLAYER A CHANCE AT A MAJOR CLUB. BUT IN A UNIVERSE OF UNREGULATED MARKETS, MATCH-FIXING AND CORRUPTION AT RIO WILL BE NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL, WITH ANYONE, ANYWHERE ABLE TO BET ONLINE 24/7. MATCH-FIXING IS COMPLEX. SAY THE FIRST BET BEING MADE IS ON THE FIRST STOPPAGE OF PLAY BEING THE BLACK TEAM WINNING A BALL FROM AN OPPOSITION ERROR. THE ODDS ON THAT MIGHT BE SEVEN TO ONE. SO ALL NICOLE HAS TO DO IS KICK THE BALL OUT AT THE RIGHT TIME. SHE POCKETS A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS; THE MATCH-FIXER MAYBE A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND. TALKING ABOUT ATHLETES THAT AREN'T PAID VERY MUCH OR NOTHING AT ALL, IT'S INCREDIBLY TEMPTING FOR THEM TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY KNOWING THEY'RE PROBABLY NEVER GOING TO BE CAUGHT. WITH THAT IN MIND SCOTT-HOWMAN'S ARMING THE FERNS WITH A NEW APP, ALLOWING ATHLETES TO ANONYMOUSLY REPORT MATCH-FIXING ` A CRIMESTOPPERS FOR FOOTBALL. THERE ARE NOW CALLS FOR A GLOBAL SPORTING ANTI-CORRUPTION BODY, JUST LIKE THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY, WHILE OFFICIALS HERE SCRAMBLE TO GET AHEAD OF THE GAME. MONIQUE FISCHER, ONE NEWS. IT TOOK THREE CRANES AND HALF THE DAY, BUT AUCKLAND'S HISTORIC 111-YEAR-OLD KESTREL FERRY HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE OCEAN FLOOR AFTER IT SANK LAST MONTH. THE $400,000 JOB IS BEING PAID FOR ENTIRELY THROUGH INSURANCE. THE VESSEL WILL BE INSPECTED, AND THEN, WE'LL` THEY'LL HAVE TO QUITE QUICKLY DECIDE WHAT COURSE` THE BOAT'S GOING TO GO ONE OF TWO WAYS ` IT'S GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED, OR IT'S GONNA BE SAVED. FOR NOW, THE FERRY HAS BEEN PATCHED UP AND TOWED TO A NEARBY SLIPWAY FOR THAT INSPECTION. JUST AHEAD ` HOPE FOR THE AUSTRALIAN NEWS CREW HELD IN LEBANON OVER THEIR ROLE IN A BOTCHED CHILD RECOVERY. THE COMPROMISE DEAL THEY'LL WANT TO SEE MET. A REAL GUITAR HERO THANKS TO THE POWER OF THOUGHT AND SOME INCREDIBLE SCIENCE. A PARALYSED MAN BECOMES PART OF MEDICAL HISTORY. AND THE PERFECT FINALE FOR AN INCREDIBLE CAREER ` KOBE BRYANT BOWS OUT OF THE NBA IN STYLE. THINGS ARE LOOKING BETTER TONIGHT FOR AN AUSTRALIAN MOTHER AND NEWS CREW HELD IN LEBANON OVER THEIR ROLE IN A BOTCHED CHILD RECOVERY BID. SALLY FAULKNER HAS BEEN URGED TO CUT A DEAL IN HER BITTER CUSTODY DISPUTE, WHICH COULD HAVE A POSITIVE RESULT ON THE LEGAL OUTCOMES FOR ALL INVOLVED. THE ABC'S MATT BROWN REPORTS. IN THIS RUN-DOWN COURT BUILDING, SALLY FAULKNER WAS AGAIN QUESTIONED IN THE PRESENCE OF HER ESTRANGED HUSBAND ABOUT HER ATTEMPT TO GET THEIR TWO CHILDREN BACK. AT THE END OF THE SESSION, THE TWO PARENTS PARTED WAYS ` ALI AL-AMIN WALKING FROM THE BUILDING; SALLY FAULKNER BACK BEHIND BARS. IT'S A DEPRESSING SCENE, BUT THE DAY'S LEGAL PROCEEDINGS HAVE POINTED THE WAY TO A PARTIAL RESOLUTION. THE JUDGE IS ASKING ALI AL-AMIN TO DROP THE CHARGES AGAINST HIS FORMER PARTNER AND FOR THE TWO TO DO A DEAL ON THE CUSTODY OF THEIR CHILDREN. SALLY FAULKNER'S LAWYER SAYS THE JUDGE AGREES SHE HAS SOME RIGHTS. HE SAID THAT THIS IS THE MOTHER OF THE CHILDREN, ANYHOW, AND HE HAD TO TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION. BUT HE SAYS ALI AL-AMIN IS NOT CONVINCED AND HIS CLIENT IS NOT DOING WELL. SHE MANAGED JUST ONE NIGHT WITH HER KIDS IN A SAFEHOUSE BEFORE SHE WAS DETAINED. BACK IN AUSTRALIA, MANAGEMENT AT CHANNEL NINE'S INVESTIGATING THE DECISION THAT LED TO THEIR STAFF BEING LOCKED UP. THE 60 MINUTES CREW AND THE AGENTS WHO ALLEGEDLY GRABBED THE CHILDREN ARE ALSO BEING QUESTIONED BY THE JUDGE. ONCE AGAIN, JOURNALISTS WATCHED AS ALL THE DEFENDANTS WERE BROUGHT, HANDCUFFED, TO HIS OFFICE. THE JUDGE TOLD THE ABC HE WILL BE FOCUSING ON THE SO-CALLED CHILD RECOVERY TEAM, DETERMINING WHO IT WAS WHO PUSHED THE CHILDREN'S GRANDMOTHER TO THE GROUND WHEN THEY SEIZED THE TWO CHILDREN FROM THE BEIRUT STREETS LAST WEEK. ONE ALLEGED MEMBER OF THAT TEAM, A BRITON IDENTIFIED ONLY AS GREG MICHAEL, SAYS HE FEELS VERY ILL, AND EVERY TIME I'VE SEEN HIM, HE LOOKS TERRIFIED. LEBANON AND AUSTRALIA HAVE ESTABLISHED A HIGH-LEVEL COMMITTEE TO RESPOND TO THE CASE. THE HEARINGS HAVE NOW BEEN ADJOURNED UNTIL MONDAY. DISGRACED ENTERTAINER ROLF HARRIS HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO EIGHT NEW SEX-RELATED CHARGES. THE 86-YEAR-OLD WILL FACE SEVEN CHARGES OF INDECENT ASSAULT AND ONE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN JANUARY NEXT YEAR. THE ALLEGATIONS DATE FROM 1971 TO 2004 AND RELATE TO GIRLS AND WOMEN AGED BETWEEN 12 AND 27. HARRIS IS CURRENTLY SERVING A FIVE-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR SEX-RELATED OFFENCES. AN AUSTRALIAN COUPLE ACCUSED OF ABANDONING THEIR DOWN'S SYNDROME BABY IN THAILAND HAVE BEEN CLEARED OF ANY WRONGDOING. DAVID AND WENDY FARNELL USED A SURROGATE MOTHER TO CONCEIVE TWINS, ONE OF WHICH, GAMMY, WAS BORN WITH DOWN'S SYNDROME. IT WAS ALLEGED THEY ABANDONED HIM IN THAILAND AND RETURNED TO AUSTRALIA WITH ONLY THE GIRL, PIPAH. NOW A JUDGE HAS RULED THE THAI SURROGATE MOTHER HAD 'FALLEN IN LOVE WITH THE TWINS' AND DECIDED SHE WAS GOING TO KEEP BABY GAMMY FOR HERSELF. IN A WORLD FIRST, A COMPLETELY PARALYSED MAN CAN ONCE AGAIN MOVE HIS ARMS AND FINGERS USING THE POWER OF HIS MIND. THE GROUNDBREAKING TECHNOLOGY INVOLVED IS GIVING HOPE TO VICTIMS OF PARALYSIS THE WORLD OVER. HERE'S BBC MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT FERGUS WALSH WITH THAT STORY. IAN BURKHART IS PLAYING A GUITAR VIDEO GAME USING THE POWER OF THOUGHT. HIS PARALYSED FINGERS CAN MOVE AS A RESULT OF COMMANDS FROM HIS BRAIN FED INTO A COMPUTER, WHICH THEN STIMULATES HIS MUSCLES VIA THESE SENSORS ON HIS ARM. IAN WAS PARALYSED BELOW THE ELBOWS IN A DIVING ACCIDENT SIX YEARS AGO BUT IS SLOWLY RELEARNING TO USE HIS FINGERS. NOW IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S SO FLUID, IT'S JUST KINDA LIKE IT WAS BEFORE I HAD MY INJURY, WHERE I JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT I WANNA DO, AND NOW I CAN DO IT. THE KEY TO THIS TECHNOLOGY IS A TINY COMPUTER CHIP WHICH SURGEONS IMPLANTED ON THE AREA OF THE BRAIN ` THE MOTOR CORTEX ` WHICH CONTROLS MOVEMENT. WHEN HE THINKS ABOUT MOVING HIS FINGERS AND HAND, THOSE MESSAGES CAN'T TRAVEL DOWN HIS INJURED SPINAL CORD, SO INSTEAD THEY BYPASS THE INJURY. THE COMPUTER INTERPRETS THE SIGNALS AND THEN SENDS IMPULSES TO THE SENSORS ON HIS WRIST. IAN'S MOVEMENTS ARE STILL SLOW AND DELIBERATE, BUT HIS DEXTERITY IS IMPROVING ALL THE TIME. HE CAN DEMONSTRATE PRACTICAL TASKS, LIKE SWIPING A BANK CARD. THE BIGGEST DREAM WOULD BE TO GET FULL FUNCTION OF MY HAND BACK ` BOTH MY HANDS ` YOU KNOW, COS THEN THAT ALLOWS YOU TO BE A LOT MORE INDEPENDENT. SEVERAL MORE PATIENTS ARE LINED UP TO RECEIVE THE DEVICE IN OHIO. THIS REALLY PROVIDES HOPE, WE BELIEVE, FOR MANY PATIENTS IN THE FUTURE, AS THE TECHNOLOGY EVOLVES AND MATURES. THIS TECHNOLOGY IS DEVELOPING FAST. FOUR YEARS AGO, A PARALYSED WOMAN CONTROLLED A ROBOTIC ARM USING HER THOUGHTS. BUT THE TEAM IN OHIO HOPE THE TECHNOLOGY WILL EVENTUALLY BE WIRELESS AND ALLOW PATIENTS GREATER INDEPENDENCE. TO SPORT NOW, AND IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST NIGHTS IN NBA HISTORY, KOBE BRYANT HAS BOWED OUT AFTER 20 YEARS WITH THE L.A. LAKERS. PLAYING IN L.A. AGAINST THE UTAH JAZZ, TICKETS SOLD FOR AN AVERAGE $5000 BUT UP TO 45 GRAND. IN A STAR-STUDDED HOLLYWOOD FINISH, KOBE ENDED UP SCORING 17 POINTS IN A ROW. BRYANT ON THE MOVE WITH THE JUMPER. HE'S GOT IT! OH MY! KOBE FINISHED WITH A STAGGERING 60-POINT TALLY IN HIS LAST GAME, THE LAKERS WON 101-96. (CHUCKLES) THE THING THAT HAD ME CRACKING UP ALL NIGHT LONG WAS THE FACT THAT I GO THROUGH 20 YEARS OF EVERYBODY SCREAMING TO PASS THE BALL, AND ON THE LAST NIGHT, THEY'RE LIKE, 'DON'T PASS IT!' (CHUCKLES) OVER HIS CAREER, KOBE BRYANT SCORED NEARLY 33,500 POINTS ` THIRD ON THE NBA ALL-TIME LIST. HE PLAYED 1346 GAMES. JUST AHEAD ` WEATHER ON TOAST WITH A GOODNIGHT MILO. HE'S CLAIMED VICTORY IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS MOTORCYCLE EVENTS 10 TIMES, BUT TODAY BRUCE ANSTEY WAS REALLY OUT OF HIS COMFORT ZONE. FINALLY TONIGHT ` RECOGNITION FOR ONE OF OUR MOST FEARLESS SPORTSMEN. BRUCE ANSTEY IS THE KING OF THE ISLE OF MAN MOTORBIKE RACE, A TREACHEROUS COURSE THAT'S CLAIMED 200 LIVES. TODAY HE WAS HONOURED AT A SLIGHTLY MORE RELAXED VENUE IN WELLINGTON. JOHN MCKENZIE HAS HIS STORY. IT'S INSANE THE SPEED THAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH HERE. FOR A MAN WHO RACES AT SPEEDS CLOSE TO 300KM/H,... SO, SO FAST, THOUGH. ...YOU'D THINK IT WOULD TAKE A LOT TO TAKE BRUCE ANSTEY OUT OF HIS COMFORT ZONE. TURNS OUT, ALL IT TOOK WAS A SUIT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE WORN A SUIT. (CHUCKLES) THE 46-YEAR-OLD WOULD RATHER BE IN FULL RACING KIT, PUSHING HIS BIKE AROUND THE WORLD'S DEADLIEST CIRCUIT ON THE ISLE OF MAN. WHAT'S IT LIKE RIDING A BIKE AT 300KM/H > DOWN A STREET THAT NARROW? IT'S JUST SO HARD TO EXPLAIN. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT IN THE WORLD, REALLY. YOU'VE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT ON THESE LITTLE NARROW STREETS, GOING THROUGH THESE LITTLE VILLAGES AT 200 MILES AN HOUR. THERE'S JUST NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT IN THE WORLD. DO YOU JUST HAVE NO FEAR? AT THE START LINE, YOU'VE ALWAYS GOT THOSE JITTERS. THE JITTERS NEVER GO AWAY AT THE START LINE. BUT ONCE I RELEASE THE CLUTCH AND HEAD DOWN, IT'S JUST` I JUST ENJOY IT. ENJOY IT HE HAS ` A 10-TIME WINNER OF THE PRESTIGIOUS RACE,... ENGINE ROARS ...HIS FIRST IN THE FAMED SUPERBIKE CATEGORY WAS JUST LAST YEAR. THAT MAKES HIM A BIT OF A CELEBRITY IN THE UK. RACING'S BIG OVER THERE. LIKE, ISLE OF MAN, IT'S JUST REALLY BIG, AND SO I, YEAH, DO` I DO GET RECOGNISED QUITE A BIT OVER THERE. COME BACK TO NZ AND NOBODY KNOWS WHO I AM. TODAY, THOUGH, HE GOT THE RECOGNITION HE DESERVES, BEING MADE A MEMBER OF THE NZ ORDER OF MERIT. APPLAUSE A BIT OF A PRIVILEGE, REALLY, TO BE HONOURED FOR WHAT I'VE ACHIEVED OVER THE YEARS IN A SPORT THAT'S NOT REALLY SHOWN MUCH OVER HERE. NOW, I'VE HEARD YOU LIKE YOUR SLEEP? (LAUGHS) A LITTLE BIT. HE DIDN'T GET UP TILL MIDDAY. HE'S HAPPY. YEAH, HE LIKES A LIE-IN, DOES BRUCE. THE RUMOURS ARE TRUE. NOT TOO MUCH TIME FOR SLEEP-INS, THOUGH, DURING HIS FIRST VISIT HERE IN 12 YEARS. HE'S ALREADY RACING OFF TO JAPAN THIS WEEKEND. (LAUGHS) GET THIS TIE OFF QUICK. (LAUGHS) JOHN MCKENZIE, ONE NEWS. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER WITH THE STROKES. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ THE STROKES' 'REPTILIA' # HE SEEMED IMPRESSED # BY THE WAY YOU CAME IN. # 'TELL US A STORY. # 'I KNOW YOU'RE NOT BORING.' # I WAS AFRAID # THAT YOU WOULD NOT INSIST. # 'YOU SOUND SO SLEEPY. # 'JUST TAKE THIS. NOW LEAVE ME.' # I SAID, PLEASE DON'T SLOW ME DOWN # IF I'M GOING TOO FAST. # YOU'RE IN A STRANGE # PART OF OUR TOWN. # YEAH, # THE NIGHT'S NOT OVER. # YOU'RE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH. # THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY VIRGINIA PHILP AND ALEX WALKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR.