IT'S MIDDAY. 'EVERYONE OUT.' THOUSANDS IN THE EASTERN BAY OF PLENTY ARE TOLD TO LEAVE AS FLOODWATERS RISE TO DANGER LEVELS. THE US UPS THE RHETORIC OVER A SYRIAN CHEMICAL ATTACK, WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP USING STRONG WORDS AGAINST THE WAR-TORN COUNTRY'S LEADER. AND CRITICS ASK WHETHER REALITY TV STAR KENDALL JENNER'S EVER BEEN TO A PROTEST, AS A TV AD CHOREOGRAPHED BY A KIWI IS PULLED. AHIAHI MARIE. GOOD AFTERNOON. 1600 PEOPLE FROM THE EASTERN BAY OF PLENTY TOWN OF EDGECUMBE HAVE BEEN ORDERED OUT OF THEIR HOMES THIS MORNING. THE WHAKATANE RIVER'S BANKS ARE AT DANGER LEVELS AFTER LAST NIGHT'S HEAVY RAIN, POSING A HUGE THREAT TO 600 HOMES. AFTER LAST NIGHT'S HEAVY RAIN, POSING A HUGE THREAT TO 600 HOMES. POLICE HAVE BEEN CALLED IN, AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES ARE TELLING PEOPLE NOT TO DELAY LEAVING THEIR HOMES. IT'S A FAIRLY SERIOUS SITUATION AT THE MOMENT. WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO SELF EVACUATE. AND THESE PICTURES FROM EDGECUMBE ARE JUST IN TO THE NEWSROOM. IT SHOWS THE EXTENT OF THE FLOODING IN THE TOWNSHIP. ALL THE RESIDENTS, AROUND 1600 PEOPLE, HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO EVACUATE. BUSES HAVE BEEN SENT TO EDGECUMBE TO TAKE EVERYONE OUT TO THE EVACUATION CENTRES THAT HAVE BEEN SET UP IN WHAKATANE AND KAWERAU. ANYONE WHO REQUIRES ASSISTANCE TO GET OUT IS ADVISED TO CALL 111. THE WHAKATANE DISTRICT COUNCIL SAYS IT COULD BE 72 HOURS BEFORE RESIDENTS CAN GO BACK HOME. THE SPOKESMAN CALLING THIS A ONE-IN-500-YEAR EVENT, WITH THE RANGITIKEI RIVER AT LEVELS NEVER SEEN BEFORE. ONE EDGECUMBE RESIDENT SAID THE TOWN HAD PREPARED WELL FOR THE EFFECTS OF THE BAD WEATHER AND MOST PEOPLE WERE READY TO LEAVE WHEN TOLD. KARYN ROGERS LIVES NEXT TO THE RIVER BANK AND NOTICED A CRACK IN THE WALL THIS MORNING WITH WATER SPURTING OUT. A LITTLE BIT SCARED AND WORRIED. WHEN I SAW THE WATER COMING THROUGH THE WALL, I KNEW IT WAS THE RIVER. I THINK THEY'VE DONE A GOOD THING GETTING US OUT BEFORE ANYTHING HAS HAPPENED. IN WHANGANUI, RESIDENTS WHO LEFT IN A HURRY YESTERDAY BECAUSE OF THE BAD WEATHER HAVE ABLE TO RETURN HOME THIS MORNING. LOW-LYING AREAS ARE NO LONGER AT RISK OF FLOODING AFTER RIVER LEVELS DROPPED OVERNIGHT. CORDONS HAVE BEEN LIFTED IN THE CITY, BUT A STATE OF EMERGENCY REMAINS IN PLACE. IN THE SOUTH, KAIKOURA IS STILL CUT OFF, WITH BOTH ROUTES IN AND OUT OF THE TOWN REMAINING SHUT DUE TO BAD WEATHER AND SURFACE FLOODING. YESTERDAY MUDSLIDES CLOSED STATE HIGHWAY 1 SOUTH TO CHRISTCHURCH. THE SLIPS PUSHED ROCK-FILLED CONTAINERS RIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD. AND THE INLAND ROAD FROM WAIAU HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE 10 LAST NIGHT. HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WIND WARNINGS REMAIN IN PLACE FOR BOTH KAIKOURA AND BANKS PENINSULA. AND THE SAME WEATHER CAUSING THE HEAVY RAIN ACROSS NEW ZEALAND THIS WEEK IS STILL POSING A THREAT TO THE QUEENSLAND TOWN OF ROCKHAMPTON. THE FITZROY RIVER IS SET TO PEAK IN AROUND THREE HOURS, POTENTIALLY CAUSING MORE HARM TO THE REGION, WHICH WAS HAMMERED BY CYCLONE DEBBIE LAST WEEK. MORE THAN 1800 PROPERTIES COULD BE AFFECTED IF MORE FLOODING HITS. MEANWHILE A CROWD-FUNDING CAMPAIGN TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE HUSBAND AND DAUGHTER OF KIWI WOMAN STEPHANIE KING HAS HIT MORE THAN $90,000. SHE DIED WHILE TRYING TO RESCUE HER CHILDREN AFTER THEIR CAR PLUNGED INTO THE TWEED RIVER. FORMER ALL BLACK ALI WILLIAMS REFUSED TO SPEAK TO REPORTERS AFTER BEING FINED $2300 IN A PARIS COURT. WILLIAMS APPEARED IN COURT IN THE FRENCH CAPITAL AFTER HE WAS CAUGHT BUYING COCAINE IN FEBRUARY. ALI, ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME, ALI? HE FACES A DISCIPLINARY HEARING WITH HIS CLUB NEXT WEEK. AND IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER WILLIAMS WILL REMAIN IN FRANCE OR RETURN TO NEW ZEALAND. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT EMMA KEELING WAS IN THE FRENCH CAPITAL FOR HIS APPEARANCE. ALI WILLIAMS REMAINED EXPRESSIONLESS AS HE STROLLED THROUGH WAITING MEDIA OUTSIDE THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE. INSIDE THE SMALL COURTROOM, HE HAD TO WAIT HIS TURN TO SIT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE JUDGE. BUT IT WAS A QUICK DECISION. JUDGE BRUNO SAID THAT BECAUSE IT WAS ALI WILLIAMS' FIRST OFFENCE, THAT HE WOULD MAKE AN EXCEPTION AND NOT COME DOWN AS HARD AS HE NORMALLY WOULD FOR DRUG OFFENCES. IN THE END, ALI WILLIAMS ESCAPED WITH A 1500 EURO FINE. BUT HE WILL NOW HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD. HEALTH AUTHORITIES IN AUCKLAND ARE DEFENDING THE HANDLING OF COMMUNICATIONS AROUND THE DEATH OF A WOMAN WHO HAD TYPHOID. AUCKLAND REGIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES DOES HOWEVER SAY THERE WILL BE AN INVESTIGATION TO SEE HOW THINGS COULD BE IMPROVED IN FUTURE. I THINK THERE WERE DELAYS, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME THINGS THAT WE WILL NEED TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF HOW THIS HAS BEEN MANAGED AND LEARN FROM THAT. CURRENTLY, 17 PEOPLE CONNECTED TO AN AUCKLAND SAMOAN CHURCH ARE CONFIRMED TO HAVE CONTRACTED TYPHOID. THE PRIVACY COMMISSIONER'S LABELLING A 'MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT' PLAN TO SHARE CLIENTS' PRIVATE INFORMATION AS EXCESSIVE AND DISPROPORTIONATE. JOHN EDWARDS WANTS TO WORK WITH THE MINISTRY TO ELIMINATE ANY RISK OF A PRIVACY BREACH TO POTENTIALLY VULNERABLE CLIENTS. I THINK THIS POLICY HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER IN QUITE A HURRY WITHOUT THINKING THROUGH ALL THE IMPLICATIONS. AND I THINK THE GLITCH THAT WE SAW ON TUESDAY NIGHT IS PROBABLY AN EXAMPLE OF THAT ` NOT QUITE ROAD-TESTED, NOT QUITE READY. AND FORTUNATELY, I DON'T THINK ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION NOT QUITE READY. AND FORTUNATELY, I DON'T THINK ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION WAS COMPROMISED IN THAT WAY. THE POLICY IS EXPECTED TO BE INTRODUCED IN JULY. OPPOSITION PARTIES ARE ALSO CALLING FOR IT TO BE SCRAPPED. DONALD TRUMP'S STRONGLY CONDEMNED A CHEMICAL ATTACK ON CIVILIANS IN SYRIA, BLAMING THE COUNTRY'S LEADER. THE US PRESIDENT STOPPED SHORT OF MENTIONING RUSSIA, AN ALLY OF SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL ASSAD. BUT MOSCOW FACED A RAFT OF CRITICISM AT AN URGENT UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING IN NEW YORK, AS THE BBC'S NICK BRYANT REPORTS. (SPEAKS ARABIC) IT'S ALL TOO EASY TO BECOME DESENSITISED TO THE SUFFERING OF THE SYRIAN PEOPLE. BUT CONSIDER THE PLIGHT OF THIS ABDEL HAMEED AL-YOUSSEF. HE LOST 20 MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY, INCLUDING HIS TWIN CHILDREN. (SOBS, SPEAKS ARABIC) TRANSLATOR: I LEFT AHMED AND AYA IN GOOD HEALTH. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? YESTERDAY, DONALD TRUMP DERIDED HIS PREDECESSOR, BARACK OBAMA, FOR WARNING THE ASSAD REGIME THAT USING CHEMICAL WEAPONS CROSSED A RED LINE, BUT NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THAT THREAT. BUT TODAY HE DEPLOYED SIMILAR LANGUAGE HIMSELF AND SIGNALLED A CHANGE IN THINKING ON SYRIA. THESE HEINOUS ACTIONS BY THE ASSAD REGIME CANNOT BE TOLERATED. MY ATTITUDE TOWARD SYRIA AND ASSAD HAS CHANGED VERY MUCH. IT CROSSED A LOT OF LINES, FOR ME. IN AN ANGRY EMERGENCY SESSION AT THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL, WESTERN NATIONS POINTED THE FINGER OF BLAME AT THE ASSAD REGIME AND ALSO ITS DIPLOMATIC PROTECTORS HERE, RUSSIA. BUT MOSCOW CLAIMED THAT SYRIAN REBELS WERE TO BLAME FOR THE DEATHS. (SPEAKS RUSSIAN) TRANSLATOR: THE SYRIAN AIR FORCE CONDUCTED AN AIR STRIKE ON THE EASTERN EDGE KHAN SHEIKHOUN ON A LARGE WAREHOUSE OF AMMUNITION AND MILITARY EQUIPMENT. ON THE TERRITORY OF THAT WAREHOUSE, THERE WAS A FACILITY TO PRODUCE AMMUNITION WITH THE USE OF TOXIC WEAPONS. BUT THAT PROMPTED THIS ELECTRIFYING MOMENT OF DIPLOMATIC THEATRE. THE US AMBASSADOR, NIKKI HALEY, GETTING TO HER FEET AND HOLDING UP GRAPHIC IMAGES OF THE DEAD, THEN EYEBALLING HER RUSSIAN COUNTERPART. SHE BLASTED MOSCOW. IF RUSSIA HAS THE INFLUENCE IN SYRIA THAT IT CLAIMS TO HAVE, WE NEED TO SEE THEM USE IT. WE NEED TO SEE THEM PUT AN END TO THESE HORRIFIC ACTS. HOW MANY MORE CHILDREN HAVE TO DIE BEFORE RUSSIA CARES? THIS IS THE DEADLIEST ATTACK IN SYRIA IN NEARLY FOUR YEARS. AND AFTER THAT ATROCITY IN 2013, THE ASSAD REGIME WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE HANDED OVER ITS CHEMICAL WEAPONS STOCKPILE. BUT IT'S CONTINUED TO USE BANNED TOXIC WEAPONS, AND EXPERTS BELIEVE THE EVIDENCE POINTS TO DAMASCUS HAVING CARRIED OUT ANOTHER WAR CRIME. AND PRESIDENT TRUMP FACES ANOTHER FOREIGN POLICY TEST TOMORROW WHEN HE MEETS WITH HIS CHINESE COUNTERPART XI JINPING IN FLORIDA. IT'S THE FIRST MEETING BETWEEN THE LEADERS SINCE MR TRUMP BECAME PRESIDENT IN JANUARY. DURING HIS ELECTION CAMPAIGN, MR TRUMP PROMISED TO GET TOUGH ON CHINA AND SAID IT WAS STEALING AMERICAN JOBS. THE ISSUE OF NORTH KOREA, ONE OF CHINA'S ALLIES, IS EXPECTED TO BE ON THE AGENDA. THAT'S AFTER NORTH KOREA FIRED A BALLISTIC MISSILE INTO THE SEA OF JAPAN YESTERDAY. STEVEN BANNON, DONALD TRUMP'S CHIEF ADVISOR, HAS BEEN DROPPED FROM AMERICA'S NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL. HIS HIGHLY UNUSUAL AND UNPRECEDENTED APPOINTMENT IN JANUARY RAISED FEARS THAT THE CIRCLE OF US INTELLIGENCE CHIEFS WAS BEING POLITICISED. THE NSC IS THE MAIN GROUP ADVISING THE PRESIDENT ON NATIONAL SECURITY AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS. MR BANNON ONCE MANAGED POPULIST, RIGHT-WING BREITBART NEWS. THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE, ALONG WITH PRINCE HARRY HAVE ATTENDED A MULTI-FAITH SERVICE AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY TO REMEMBER THE VICTIMS OF LAST MONTH'S ATTACK ON WESTMINSTER BRIDGE. THE TRIO JOINED THOSE WHO WERE INJURED IN THE ATTACK, AS WELL AS THE FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES. NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER AUNG SAN SUU KYI SAYS THERE'S NO ETHNIC CLEANSING OF THE MUSLIM MINORITY IN MYANMAR DESPITE WIDESPREAD REPORTS OF ABUSES. THE COUNTRY'S DE-FACTO LEADER AND LONG-TIME HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER SAYS MYANMAR WOULD WELCOME ANY RETURNING ROHINGYA WITH OPEN ARMS. THE BBC'S FERGAL KEANE REPORTS. IT IS THE RELIC OF ABSURDITY AND PARANOIA OF MILITARY RULE ` A CAPITAL MAROONED FAR FROM THE PEOPLE, DESIGNED TO KEEP THE GENERALS SAFE BUT WHERE THE NEW DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO CONSOLIDATE ITS HOLD ON POWER. ITS LEADER, AUNG SAN SUU KYI HAS UNDERGONE A RAPID TRANSFORMATION FROM PRO-DEMOCRACY ICON. THERE HAVE BEEN ADVANCES IN HEALTHCARE AND, CRITICALLY, MORE FREE ELECTIONS. BUT ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN OVERSHADOWED BY THE TERROR IN RAKHINE STATE, WHERE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ROHINGYA MUSLIMS HAVE FLED WHAT HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS CALL 'ETHNIC CLEANSING', AND ABOUT WHICH AUNG SAN SUU KYI HAS BEEN CONDEMNED FOR FAILING TO SPEAK OUT. MANY MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING THOSE WHO WOULD BE SYMPATHETIC TO YOU, LOOK AT THE SITUATION AND SAY, 'WHY HASN'T SHE SPOKEN OUT? SHE WAS AN ICON OF HUMAN RIGHTS.' WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY SPEAKING OUT? THEY WOULD ASK ME QUESTIONS, AND I WOULD ANSWER THEM, AND PEOPLE WOULD SAY I SAID NOTHING, SIMPLY BECAUSE I DIDN'T MAKE THE KIND OF STATEMENT WHICH I SHOULD MAKE, WHICH IS TO CONDEMN ONE COMMUNITY OR THE OTHER. DO YOU EVER WORRY THAT YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED AS THE CHAMPION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, THE NOBEL LAUREATE, WHO FAILED TO STAND UP TO ETHNIC CLEANSING IN HER OWN COUNTRY? NO, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE IS ETHNIC CLEANSING GOING ON, AND I THINK 'ETHNIC CLEANSING' IS TOO STRONG AN EXPRESSION TO USE FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF HOSTILITY THERE, AND AS I POINTED OUT JUST NOW, IT'S MUSLIMS KILLING MUSLIMS AS WELL, IF YOU THINK THAT THEY'RE COLLABORATING WITH THE AUTHORITIES. SO IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF ETHNIC CLEANSING, AS YOU PUT IT; IT'S A MATTER OF PEOPLE ON DIFFERENT SIDES OF A DIVIDE. SHE REMAINS THE MOST POPULAR POLITICIAN HERE BY A VERY LONG WAY, AND HER GOAL REMAINS TO NEGOTIATE THE MILITARY OUT OF POLITICS, WITH PEOPLE POWER AT HER BACK AND A STEELY INTERIOR DETERMINATION. KYLIE MINOGUE HAS BEEN AWARDED A BRITAIN-AUSTRALIA SOCIETY AWARD. IT WAS PRESENTED TO HER BY PRINCE PHILIP, WHOM SHE CALLED 'CHARMING'. IT WAS PRESENTED TO HER BY PRINCE PHILIP, WHOM SHE CALLED 'CHARMING'. THE AWARD RECOGNISES PEOPLE WHO MAKE A LONG TERM CONTRIBUTION TO RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UK AND AUSTRALIA. AMERICAN SODA BRAND PEPSI'S PULLED A TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENT THAT CRITICS SAY TRIVIALISED RECENT PROTESTS ACROSS THE US. THE AD WAS PARTLY CHOREOGRAPHED BY KIWI PARRIS GOEBEL AND STARRED REALITY TV STAR AND MODEL KENDALL JENNER. THE BBC'S ELAINE DUNKLEY REPORTS. # WE ARE THE CHOSEN. WE'RE GONNA SHINE AFTER DARK. IT'S A GLOBAL BRAND THAT'S CAUSED A GLOBAL BACKLASH ` # WE ARE THE LIONS. WE ARE THE CHOSEN. SUPERMODEL KENDALL JENNER HANDING A PEPSI TO A POLICE OFFICER DURING A PROTEST. PEPSI SAYS THE MESSAGE WAS ABOUT HARMONY, BUT IT'S CAUSED OUTRAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE UPSET BECAUSE, ACTUALLY, PEPSI'S JUST GONE OUT AND SAID, 'WITH A CAN OF PEPSI, 'WE CAN FIX AND HEAL THE WORLD.' AND THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE. (SHOUTING) IN AMERICA, THIS IS THE REALITY OF PROTESTS ` ANGER AND ARRESTS, NOT SOFT DRINKS AND SUPERMODELS. IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, LAST YEAR, THERE WAS WIDESPREAD UNREST FROM THE SHOOTING OF A BLACK MAN, ALTON STERLING, BY POLICE. CRITICS SAY PEPSI HAVE TRIED TO REPLICATE THIS ICONIC IMAGE FROM THE PROTEST, AND IT'S IN BAD TASTE. I'M TIRED OF BLACK PAIN BEING USED FOR COMMERCIAL GAIN. IT MADE NO SENSE, AND IT WAS A PARODY, BASICALLY, OF SOME SERIOUS SITUATIONS. I'M WONDERING IF THEY EVEN HAVE AN INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE BOARD OF ADVISORS, BECAUSE IF ANYBODY WHO SAW THAT BEFORE IT WENT OUT, THEY WOULD KNOW IT WAS JUST INAPPROPRIATE AND DISRESPECTFUL. # WE ARE THE CHOSEN. BOWING TO PRESSURE, PEPSI HAS NOW PULLED THE ADVERT AND APOLOGISED. IT'S COST THE COMPANY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF POUNDS, BUT IT'S A DRINKS CAMPAIGN WHICH HAS FALLEN FLAT, AND THE COST TO PEPSI'S REPUTATION COULD BE EVEN GREATER. OPENING UP ABOUT HIS SEXUALITY. BARRY MANILOW REVEALS WHY HE STAYED IN THE CLOSET FOR DECADES. AND RESEARCH SHOWS MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER BEFORE COULD BE CONSIDERED AUTISTIC. 1 Are you sure it's OK if I get a ride? Yeah, yeah. Dad said it's fine. I'm putting on some music. OK. BOTH CHUCKLE, CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS Dad! OK, I'm gonna change it. Sorry, but... Yeah. OK. Ooh yeah. Yeah. Turn it up. DUB MUSIC PLAYS, PHONE PINGS Hey, the others wanna hang out. Um... Hey! BOTH LAUGH ALL: # It's time to cut and run. It's time to... TYRES SCREECH # It's time to cut and run. It's time to cut and run. # Oh my God. Get off! Yeah! It's so obvious. So wasted. TRUCK HORN BLARES, GIRLS SCREAM, LAUGH (LAUGHS) TV BEEPS I'll probably drop Libby home after dance so she doesn't have to walk home in the dark. Thanks, Dad. I'll be home a little bit after 10, not too late. I love you guys. Yeah, all good, love. THERE ARE MORE CASES OF AUTISM THAN SUSPECTED, ACCORDING TO NEW RESEARCH. AND WHILE THE DISCOVERY MAY POSE A PROBLEM, IT'S PROMPTING EARLIER INTERVENTION. CHANNEL NINE'S GABRIELLA ROGERS REPORTS. 3-YEAR-OLD HUXLEY MALONE IS A BUNDLE OF ENERGY. 3-YEAR-OLD HUXLEY MALONE IS A BUNDLE OF ENERGY. AND FROM AN OUTSIDER, YOU CAN'T TELL HE HAS AUTISM. HIS OLDER SIBLINGS HAVE ALSO BEEN FORMALLY DIAGNOSED. COMMUNICATION WAS THE MAIN ISSUE FOR TWO OF THEM. THEIR MAIN THINGS THAT WE NOTICED WERE NOT SPEAKING. ALSO, OK EYE CONTACT, VERY FUNNY, FULL OF PERSONALITY. AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT STOPPED US FROM THINKING THAT IT WAS AUTISM IN THE BEGINNING. THE LATEST NATIONAL SNAPSHOT SHOWS THERE ARE ABOUT 164,000 AUSTRALIANS WITH AUTISM. THAT'S ONE IN 150 PEOPLE. AND ACCORDING TO THE FIGURES, AUTISM IS NOW TWO AND A HALF TIMES MORE PREVALENT THAN 2009, WHEN ABOUT 64,000 CASES WERE RECORDED. THE RESEARCH THAT'S COME OUT RECENTLY, BOTH FROM AUSTRALIA AND FROM OVERSEAS DOES SEEM TO INDICATE THAT IT'S THE INCREASED AWARENESS, PARTICULARLY AROUND PROFESSIONALS, OF IDENTIFYING AUTISM, PARTICULARLY AROUND PEOPLE WHO PERHAPS HAVE MORE MILDER FORMS OF AUTISM. THE RISING CASES WAS LARGELY SEEN IN 10-YEAR-OLDS TO 14-YEAR-OLDS ` AND AGE GROUP WHICH RECORDED THE BIGGEST JUMP. AN AGE GROUP WHICH RECORDED THE BIGGEST JUMP. AND MALES WERE FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE DIAGNOSED THAN FEMALES. BUT MUM MARDI BELIEVES, GIVEN THE EVIDENCE, FEMALES ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED. THERE ARE SO MANY GIRLS THAT ARE GETTING MISSED IN THE EARLY YEARS AND THAT ARE GETTING DIAGNOSED IN THEIR TEENS, AT HIGH SCHOOL, WHEN THE PROBLEMS ARE LARGER. WHILE GENETICS PLAYS SOME ROLE, ITS CAUSE IS STILL UNKNOWN. LEGENDARY AMERICAN SINGER BARRY MANILOW HAS OPENED UP ABOUT HIS SEXUALITY AND SPOKEN FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT BEING GAY TO A US MAGAZINE. HE SAID FOR DECADES HE KEPT HIS SEXUALITY A SECRET AS HE DIDN'T WANT TO DISAPPOINT FANS. THE ABC'S CHRIS CONNELLY REPORTS. # AT THE COPA, COPACABANA. # THE HOTTEST SPOT NORTH OF HAVANA. # THROUGH NEARLY 50 YEARS AS A HIT-MAKER AND AN ENTERTAINER WITH FLAIR, BARRY MANILOW HAS DELIGHTED HIS DEVOTED LISTENERS,... # I CAN'T SMILE WITHOUT YOU. # ...GIVING THEM A STEADY STREAM OF 'EASY ON THE EARS' LOVE SONGS EVER SINCE HIS 1974 BALLAD 'MANDY'. # OH, MANDY. WELL, YOU CAME AND YOU GAVE WITHOUT TAKING.. # NOW 73 AND, HE SAYS, OFF THE ROAD FOR KEEPS AFTER A 2016 TOUR, MANILOW HAS NEWS TO SHARE, REVEALING IN THE LATEST ISSUE OF 'PEOPLE' THAT HE'S GAY AND THAT IN 2014, HE MARRIED HIS LONG-TIME LOVE AND MANAGER, GARY KIEF. BARRY TOLD US THAT JUST LOOKING AT HIS HUSBAND AND SAYING 'I LOVE YOU' IN FRONT OF THEIR CLOSE FAMILY AND FRIENDS WAS JUST A MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL MOMENT THAN HE HAD ANTICIPATED. # I'M READY TO TAKE A CHANCE AGAIN. # RISING TO STARDOM IN AN ERA WHEN SUCH REVELATIONS WERE THOUGHT TO BE CAREER-THREATENING, MANILOW CHOSE NOT TO SHARE HIS SEXUAL ORIENTATION WITH HIS FANS EARLIER BECAUSE, HE SAYS... GARY REMAINED MUM ON HIS SEXUALITY FOR YEARS, AND IT WAS SOMETHING BARRY REMAINED MUM ON HIS SEXUALITY FOR YEARS, AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HE NEVER TALKED ABOUT. # I WRITE THE SONGS THAT MAKE THE WHOLE WORLD SING. # THOSE WHO LOVE MANILOW AND HIS MUSIC HAVE NEVER BEEN DISAPPOINTED. TO SPORT, AND HE'S THE FAVOURITE TO TAKE OUT THE MASTERS GOLF TOURNAMENT IN AUGUSTA, BUT A FREAK ACCIDENT HAS PUT DUSTIN JOHNSON'S HOPES IN DOUBT. THE WORLD NUMBER ONE IS POTENTIALLY UNABLE TO PLAY AFTER FALLING DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS AT HIS RENTAL HOME. JOHNSON HAS BEEN ADVISED TO REMAIN IMMOBILE AND CARRY OUT R.I.C.E. METHODS IF HE WANT'S TO BE A CONTENDER. MEANWHILE BAD WEATHER HAS CLOUDED THE BUILD-UP OF THE ANNUAL PAR-3 CONTEST. IT'S BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE IT BEGAN IN 1960. IN NETBALL, THE MAGIC REMAIN UNBEATEN IN THE ANZ PREMIERSHIP AFTER A CLOSE SHOOT-OUT. THE CENTRAL PULSE TOOK THE HOME SIDE TO THE WIRE BUT WERE PIPPED AT THE POST. THE MAGIC EDGING THEM OUT 52-50. IT'S THE TOUGHEST CONTEST THE MAGIC HAVE HAD THIS SEASON, BUT THEY'RE RIDING ON A HIGH TAKING THREE FROM THREE. SONNY-BILL WILLIAMS IS MAKING A RETURN TO SUPER RUGBY. HE'S BEEN NAMED ON THE BLUES BENCH AGAINST THE HIGHLANDERS. THE CROSS-CODE SUPERSTAR RUPTURED HIS ACHILLES LAST YEAR PLAYING FOR THE ALL BLACKS SEVENS AT THE RIO OLYMPICS BUT SAYS AFTER EIGHT MONTHS OF REHAB, HE'S READY PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY. IT IS WHAT IT IS. I'LL JUST GET OUT THERE AND PLAY, BRO, AND YOU CAN GET INJURED AT TRAINING, YOU CAN GET INJURED ANYWHERE. YOU CAN GET INJURED PLAYING WITH YOUR DAUGHTER. BUT THERE'S HOPES HIS COMEBACK WILL SPARK MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE BLUES. HE'S REFRESHED, AND HE'S SO EXCITED TO GET BACK THERE. AND HE BRINGS THAT EXCITEMENT AND ENERGY THROUGH TRAINING, SO THAT'S PROBABLY A PLUS FOR US. THE LAST TIME THE BLUES BEAT A NEW ZEALAND FRANCHISE WAS AGAINST THE HIGHLANDERS IN 2016. BLACKCAP TOM LATHAM WILL ADD ANOTHER STRING TO HIS BOW, SET TO CAPTAIN THE NATIONAL SIDE FOR THEIR UPCOMING ODI TRI SERIES IN IRELAND. THE APPOINTMENT COMES AS KANE WILLIAMSON AND A NUMBER OF OTHER PLAYERS WILL MISS THE START OF THE TOUR DUE TO IPL INVOLVEMENT, WHICH GOT INTO FULL SWING OVERNIGHT. DAVID WARNER'S SUNRISERS SETTING A MAMMOTH TOTAL OF 207/4, COURTESY OF A YUVRAJ SINGH 50. OH! THAT'S MASSIVE! INTO THE CROWD! HE'S SEALING IN BOUNDARIES AND SIXES NOW, YUVRAJ SINGH. AND IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE, WHO FELL 36 RUNS SHORT. BIG HITTING WEST INDIAN CHRIS GAYLE MAKING INROADS BUT MISTIMING ON 32. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH YOUR AFTERNOON WEATHER. NOW TO THE WEATHER. HERE ARE SOME MORE PICTURES FROM EDGECUMBE BUSES HAVE BEEN SET TO TAKE EVERYONE OUT TO EVACUATION CENTRES. ANYONE WHO REQUIRES ASSISTANCE TO GET OUT IS ADVISED TO CALL 111. IT COULD BE 72 HOURS BEFORE PEOPLE CAN GO HOME. THE RIVER IS AT LEVELS IT'S NEVER SEEN BEFORE. DON'T FORGET YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE 1NEWSNOW.CO.NZ FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS UPDATES. FROM THE MIDDAY NEWS TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY GLENNA CASALME AND JUNE YEOW CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2017