IT'S MIDDAY. A MASSIVE DROP IN HOUSE SALES PROMPTS CALLS FOR LENDING RESTRICTIONS TO BE EASED. THE EVERYDAY VITAMIN THAT'S BEEN FOUND TO HELP REDUCE MISCARRIAGES AND BIRTH DEFECTS. AND A WALKING TALKING BLOOD BANK. MEET THE GENEROUS MAN WHOSE GIFTS MAKE HIM A WORLD LEADER IN BLOOD DONATION. AHI AHI MARIE. GOOD AFTERNOON. FIRST ON MIDDAY NEWS ` THE REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE'S CALLING FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO SCRAP ITS STRICT LENDING RULES FOR FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS. THAT'S AFTER NEW HOUSE SALES DATA SHOWS A MASSIVE COLLAPSE IN THE NUMBER OF HOUSES SELLING DURING THE PAST QUARTER. OUR REPORTER SAM CLARKE'S JOINS US NOW. SAM, WHAT DO THE FIGURES SHOW? Put simply, these numbers show the amount of people who can afford or are willing to buy houses at their current prices has dropped dramatically compared to the same time last year, the amount of homes is 25% less this could be seen as catastrophic for the real estate market, but it's important to note that new LVR restrictions are in place first-time buyers now need 20% of the deposit and set of 10 to secure a loan on their first home. RIA NZ are arguing these numbers two restrictive and want them to be lifted. It is important to note that although suppliers up, and demand is down there are less homes being sold. House prices across the country R up across the country. House prices are still climbing. So though we can see some changes in LVR, first home buyers are looking for cheaper homes and not bigger loans. A NEW POLITICAL POLL HAS PRIME MINISTER BILL ENGLISH CONSIDERED THE MOST TRUSTED TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON HIS WORD. LABOUR LEADER JACINDA ARDERN TRAILS THE PM BY JUST FIVE POINTS IN THE HERALD-ZB KANTAR TNS POLL. MR ENGLISH SCORED 31%, MS ARDERN 26%, WINSTON PETERS 14%, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES PARTY LEADER GARETH MORGAN CAME FOURTH WITH 4%. MR MORGAN WILL LAUNCH HIS PARTY'S CAMPAIGN THIS AFTERNOON. AND A POLITICAL COMMENTATOR'S PREDICTING LABOUR WILL SURGE AHEAD EVEN MORE BEFORE THE ELECTION. YOU'VE GOT THIS BANDWAGON EFFECT WITH VOTERS. THEY LIKE TO BACK WINNERS. AND SO WHEN THEY SEE A POLITICIAN OR A PARTY ON THE RISE, THEY GET MORE EXCITED BY IT, AND THEY HAVE MORE CONFIDENCE IN THEM. SO I CAN EXPECT THAT THE POLLS FOR LABOUR WILL GO UP, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR JACINDA. WE ARE SEEING JACINDA-MANIA. IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT INTERNATIONALLY NOW ` JACINDA-MANIA. SO IT'S BECOMING QUITE A PHENOMENON. LONG-TIME LABOUR MP ANNETTE KING'S REFLECTING ON HER POLITICAL CAREER TODAY AFTER DELIVERING HER FINAL SPEECH TO PARLIAMENT LAST NIGHT. MS KING SAYS HER BIGGEST REGRET IN HER 30 YEARS OF PARLIAMENT IS THE UREWERA RAIDS ALMOST A DECADE AGO. I WAS MINISTER OF POLICE AND THEY WERE UNDER MY WATCH, THOUGH I COULD NOT HAVE ANY SAY OVER THEM BECAUSE POLICE MINISTER DON'T. BUT THE WAY THEY WERE CARRIED OUT, I STILL FEEL VERY SAD ABOUT. SHE PLANS TO SPEND HER FIRST SIX WEEKS OF RETIREMENT CAMPAIGNING WITH LABOUR LEADER JACINDA ARDERN. A GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE TO HELP KIDS IN SCHOOLS WHO NEED EXTRA LEARNING HELP COULD IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR 70,000 KIWI KIDS. A PILOT PROGRAMME THAT BEGAN IN TAURANGA WILL NOW BE ROLLED OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO GIVE BETTER SUPPORT TO CHILDREN WITH CONDITIONS LIKE ASPERGER'S, AUTISM, ADHD AND DYSLEXIA. EDUCATION MINISTER NIKKI KAYE BELIEVES ONE-IN-10 CHILDREN NOW NEED EXTRA HELP AT SCHOOL. OUR SYSTEM HASN'T BEEN THAT VERY GOOD, IN MY VIEW, TO HELP THEM, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A VERY COMPLICATED` LOTS OF PARENTS NAVIGATING THROUGH A WHOLE LOT OF ASSESSMENT PROCESSES, AND WE NEED TO DO BETTER IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE THERE TO ALSO ASSESS, SO WHAT THIS IS ABOUT IS TRYING TO GET RID OF ALL OF THOSE APPLICATION PROCESSES, GIVING ONE SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THOSE PARENTS AND THOSE TEACHERS TO WORK OUT WHAT THOSE CHILDREN NEED. A MOTHER WHO SPENT YEARS TRYING TO GET EXTRA HELP AT SCHOOL FOR HER DYSLEXIC CHILD SAYS IT WILL ONLY WORK IF IT REACHES PUPILS WITH MODERATE LEARNING DISABILITIES, NOT JUST THOSE CONSIDERED TO HAVE HIGH NEEDS. ANY SUPPORT IS GRATEFULLY RECEIVED, AND THAT'S FANTASTIC, BUT IS THIS JUST FOR HIGHER NEEDS CHILDREN? MY SON WASN'T DEEMED TO HIGH NEEDS, BUT HE WAS AT LEAST TWO YEARS BEHIND IN SOME OF HIS AREAS OF LEARNING. IT REALLY DEPENDS WHO IT WILL ACTUALLY CAPTURE. HIGHER NEEDS DEFINITELY NEED A ONE POINT OF CONTACT AND ONE PLAN THAT FOLLOWS THEM THROUGH THEIR EDUCATION. SO THAT IS GREAT, BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THE CHILDREN THAT ARE STRUGGLING ON A DAILY BASIS? THE PRIMARY TEACHERS UNION SAYS THE GOVERNMENT IS BEING SELECTIVE ABOUT WHERE IT ROLLS OUT THE PROGRAMME AND THE SCHEME SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN ALL SCHOOLS. LIGHT-PROOF MILK BOTTLES INTRODUCED TO IMPROVE THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF MILK ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A GIMMICK ACCORDING TO CONSUMER NEW ZEALAND. FONTERRA BRAND ANCHOR STARTED MARKETING THE BOTTLES FOUR YEARS AGO WITH CLAIMS LIGHT CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO VITAMIN B2 AND A, BUT CONSUMER NEW ZEALAND'S FOUND ONLY MINISCULE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BRANDS AND SAYS FONTERRA COULDN'T BACK UP ITS CLAIMS. IT'S MISLEADING, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THEY'VE KNOWN THAT THERE IS NO BENEFIT FROM HAVING MILK IN AN OPAQUE BOTTLE IN TERMS OF THE NUTRITIONAL CLAIMS THEY WERE MAKING. FONTERRA'S NOW CHANGED ITS WEBSITE DESCRIPTION OF ITS PRODUCT TO REFER TO TASTE AND NOT NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS. U-S PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS HIS WARNING TO NORTH KOREA MIGHT NOT Rotorua will become the first bilingual city. U-S PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS HIS WARNING TO NORTH KOREA MIGHT NOT HAVE GONE FAR ENOUGH AND WON'T RULE OUT A PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE. IT COMES AS PYONGYANG THREATENS TO STRIKE THE U-S TERRITORY OF GUAM WITHIN DAYS. THE ABC'S CECELIA VEGA REPORTS PRESIDENT TRUMP TONIGHT WITH A NEW WARNING FOR NORTH KOREA IF THEY FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT THREAT AGAINST GUAM. LET'S SEE WHAT HE DOES WITH GUAM. HE DOES SOMETHING IN GUAM, IT WILL BE AN EVENT THE LIKES OF WHICH NOBODY'S SEEN BEFORE, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN NORTH KOREA. HE WILL SEE. IT'S NOT A DARE. IT'S A STATEMENT. HE'S NOT GONNA GO AROUND THREATENING GUAM, AND HE'S NOT GONNA THREATEN THE UNITED STATES. AND HE'S NOT GONNA THREATEN JAPAN. AND HE'S NOT GONNA THREATEN SOUTH KOREA. THE PRESIDENT DELIVERING THOSE TOUGH WORDS AT HIS BEDMINSTER GOLF CLUB. AND ON THE FRONT STEPS OF THE CLUB HOUSE, WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT BY HIS SIDE, HE DIDN'T HESITATE TO ALSO TAKE ON PYONGYANG CALLING HIS FIRE AND FURY STATEMENT NONSENSE. WELL, I DON'T THINK THEY MEAN THAT, AND I THINK THEY` IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE HEARD IT LIKE THEY HEARD IT. AND FRANKLY, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE QUESTIONING THAT STATEMENT, WAS IT TOO TOUGH ` MAYBE IT WASN'T TOUGH ENOUGH. IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT SOMEBODY STUCK UP FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY AND FOR THE PEOPLE OF OTHER COUNTRIES, SO IF ANYTHING, MAYBE THAT STATEMENT WASN'T TOUGH ENOUGH. HE IS NOT BACKING DOWN, BUT HE'S ALSO NOT TELEGRAPHING WHAT COMES NEXT. AS FOR A PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE? WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT. NEVER DO. AS FOR NEGOTIATIONS? SURE. WE'LL ALWAYS CONSIDER NEGOTIATIONS. THIS IS PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FIRST REAL TEST OVER NUCLEAR WEAPONS. IN NORTH KOREA,... MARCHING IN THE STREET, THE COUNTRY RALLYING AS IT ISSUED THAT THREAT TO STRIKE THE U-S TERRITORY OF GUAM. THE PRESIDENT LOBBED ONE MORE SHOT BEFORE WALKING OFF. AND I WILL TELL YOU THIS ` NORTH KOREA BETTER GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER OR THEY ARE GONNA BE IN TROUBLE, LIKE FEW NATIONS EVER HAVE BEEN IN TROUBLE IN THIS WORLD. AND THERE'S A MYSTERY INVOLVING SEVERAL US OFFICIALS IN CUBA. AMERICAN OFFICIALS IN CUBA ARE SUDDENLY FALLING ILL. AND THERE'S A MYSTERY INVOLVING SEVERAL US OFFICIALS IN CUBA. AMERICAN OFFICIALS IN CUBA ARE SUDDENLY FALLING ILL. OUR AMERICANS WERE NOT SAFE. THEY WERE NOT SECURE. THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND FBI NOT REVEALING WHAT MADE THEM SICK OR THEIR SYMPTOMS, BUT SOURCES TELL ABC NEWS THAT STARTING IN THE FALL OF 2016, IT APPEARS SOME OFFICIALS WERE EXPOSED TO A SONIC DEVICE THAT CAUSED HEARING PROBLEMS AND OTHER PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS. THIS ALL ENFOLDING JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER PRESIDENT OBAMA MADE THAT HISTORIC VISIT TO CUBA, RE-ESTABLISHING DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. SO WHY NOW? THE TIME IS RIGHT. OBVIOUSLY, OUR INTENTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO GET A BALL ROLLING, KNOWING THAT CHANGE WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. BUT THIS LATEST INCIDENT TRIGGERING RETALIATION. THE US EXPELLING TWO CUBAN DIPLOMATS, DESPITE NOT KNOWING WHO EXACTLY IS TO BLAME. WE CAN'T BLAME ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL OR A COUNTRY AT THIS POINT YET. POLICE IN LONDON HAVE BEEN TALKING TO A MAN AFTER APPEALING TO THE PUBLIC FOR INFORMATION ABOUT A JOGGER WHO PUSHED A WOMAN INTO THE PATH OF A DOUBLE DECKER BUS. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED IN MAY BUT FOOTAGE WAS RELEASED THIS WEEK, SPARKING PUBLIC OUTRAGE. A 50-YEAR-OLD MAN WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY ON SUSPICION OF CAUSING GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM, BUT HAS SINCE BEEN RELEASED AND POLICE INVESTIGATIONS ARE CONTINUING. A COMMON DIETARY SUPPLEMENT FOUND IN A JAR OF VEGEMITE COULD SAVE THOUSANDS OF LIVES BY PREVENTING MISCARRIAGES AND MULTIPLE TYPES OF BIRTH DEFECTS. THE DISCOVERY BY SCIENTISTS IN SYDNEY IS CONSIDERED A BREAKTHROUGH IN PREGNANCY RESEARCH, AS CHANNEL NINE'S GABRIELLA ROGERS REPORTS. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THIS HAPPY 2-YEAR-OLD HAD OPEN HEART SURGERY THREE WEEKS AGO. CHARLOTTE SCAIFE WAS BORN WITH MULTIPLE HOLES IN HER HEART AND A LEAKY VALVE. TODAY'S DISCOVERY PROMISES TO PREVENT FAMILIES FROM GOING THROUGH SIMILAR PAIN. IT'S A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH. IF THAT CAN STOP ONE FAMILY, 10 FAMILIES, 100 FAMILIES GOING THROUGH THAT SAME EXPERIENCE. 12 LONG YEARS OF COMPLEX RESEARCH BY VICTOR CHANG SCIENTISTS HAS LED TO A SIMPLE SOLUTION. VITAMIN B3, OR NIACIN, COMMONLY FOUND IN MEAT, GREEN VEGETABLES AND VEGEMITE, IS THE KEY TO CURING THE UNDERLYING CAUSE. WE MADE THESE DISCOVERIES THROUGH THE CLINIC, THROUGH STUDYING FAMILIES WHO HAVE HAD MULTIPLE MISCARRIAGES AND BIRTH DEFECTS. WE IDENTIFIED GENE MUTATIONS THAT TOLD US THAT A METABOLIC PATHWAY WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. THEY FOUND THAT... ...IN THE WOMB. IN MICE EXPERIMENTS, BOOSTING THAT MOLECULE BY INTRODUCING VITAMIN B3 IN A MOTHER'S DIET PREVENTED MISCARRIAGE OR A RANGE OF SEVERE BIRTH DEFECTS. THE SCIENCE IS NOT SIMPLE, AND IT TOOK 12 YEARS, BUT THE BEAUTY IS THE SIMPLICITY OF THE PREVENTION. THE 1980S DISCOVERY THAT INCREASING DIETARY FOLATE PREVENTED SPINA BIFIDA AND OTHER NEURAL TUBE DEFECTS CHANGED THE WAY PREGNANT WOMEN WERE CARED FOR. THIS IS LIKELY TO DO THE SAME. TWO AND A HALF MONTHS ON FROM MANCHESTER'S DEADLY TERROR ATTACK, NINE PEOPLE ARE STILL IN HOSPITAL. 22 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND NEARLY 120 HOSPITALISED WHEN SALMAN ABEDI DETONATED HIS HOME-MADE BOMB FOLLOWING AN ARIANA GRANDE CONCERT. THE BBC'S JUDITH MORITZ CAUGHT UP WITH SOME OF THE INJURED. I REMEMBER EVERYTHING OF THAT NIGHT ` WHAT I WENT THROUGH. EVERYTHING. I MEAN, IT'S PROBABLY ONLY A 20 OR 30 SECOND THING, BUT IT FEELS LIKE AN HOUR. FROM A CONCERT TO A COMA. THIS WAS ROBBY POTTER WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND LEONORA AFTER THE MANCHESTER ARENA EXPLOSION. THEY STOOD NEXT TO THE ATTACKER, AND LIVED TO TELL THE TALE. I ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THE IDIOT, THE BOMBER. HE WAS 8 OR 10M AWAY FROM ME. I CAN REMEMBER HIS FACE TO THIS DAY. I'D NEVER ASK HIS NAME. I'LL NEVER ASK HIS NAME. I DON'T WANT TO KNOW HIS NAME, COS YOU CAN'T. NO POINT HATING A MAN THAT'S ALREADY DEAD. THEY'D GONE TO COLLECT THEIR KIDS FROM THE CONCERT. THE CHILDREN WERE SAFE INSIDE, BUT THEIR PARENTS WERE IN THE LOBBY WHEN THE BOMB WENT OFF. THE BRIGHTEST FLASH I'VE EVER SEEN IN ME LIFE. I RECKON LIKE A CLOUD OF MERCURY EXPLODING. YOU CAN SEE BITS OF SILVER FLYING EVERYWHERE, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY THE BOLTS AND NUTS HE PACKED INTO HIS BAG AND TO HIS BODY. ME GIRLFRIEND WENT FLYING AND HIT THE FLOOR. I FELT SOMETHING IN ME CHEST. THIS BOLT, FIRED FROM THE BOMB, STRAIGHT INTO ROBBY'S HEART. HE CHEATED DEATH BY A HAIR'S BREADTH. YOU CAN SEE THE TWO RIBS HERE. THAT'S THE BACK OF THE RIBS. THE BOLT WAS REMOVED WITH INCREDIBLE PRECISION BY THIS SURGEON AT WYTHENSHAWE HOSPITAL. IT WAS WEDGED BETWEEN THE BACK WALL AND THE FRONT WALL OF THE TWO BLOOD VESSELS. SO A MILLIMETRE EITHER WAY, AT ANY VELOCITY, AND THANKFULLY IT DIDN'T, BUT WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IN THIS SETTING. 1MM DIFFERENCE. LITERALLY. BOTH: ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR. I DECLARE A THUMB WAR. ROBBY'S DAUGHTER TEGAN WAS SEPARATED FROM HER DAD WHEN THE BLAST HAPPENED. NEXT TIME SHE SAW HIM, HE WAS IN A COMA. SHE CALLED HIM NAMES TO TRY AND WAKE HIM UP. IT'S JUST HARD TO SEE IT, JUST LYING THERE, NOT TALKING. HAD THE MACHINES ALL OVER HIM. SO YOU SPOKE TO HIM? YEAH. ROBBY'S GIRLFRIEND LEONORA WAS ALSO BADLY HURT AND SEDATED IN HOSPITAL. WAKING UP, SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM. THE FIRST QUESTION I ASKED, 'WHERE IS HE?' AND THEM THEY SAID, 'YOU'RE IN THE SAME HOSPITAL.' AND IT WAS LIKE` I STARTED TO CRY. LEONORA HAS MULTIPLE FRACTURES TO BOTH OF HER LEGS. SHE AND ROBBY EACH FACE MANY MONTHS OF REHABILITATION. A TERRIFIED BRITNEY SPEARS HAD TO BE RUSHED TO SAFETY AFTER A MAN STORMED A TERRIFIED BRITNEY SPEARS HAD TO BE RUSHED TO SAFETY AFTER A MAN STORMED ONTO THE STAGE AT HER LAS VEGAS SHOW. A CONCERT-GOER POSTED FOOTAGE OF THE INCIDENT ONLINE, AND THE SINGER COULD BE HEARD ASKING IF THE MAN HAD A GUN. THE STAGE CRASHER WAS ESCORTED OFF STAGE BY HER SECURITY TEAM AND MALE BACKUP DANCERS. POP STAR TAYLOR SWIFT SAYS BEING ALLEGEDLY GROPED BY A RADIO HOST WAS 'HORRIFYING AND SHOCKING'. THE SINGER TOOK TO THE STAND TO TESTIFY IN HER LAWSUIT AGAINST DAVID MUELLER IN DENVER SAYING WHAT HE DID WAS VERY DELIBERATE. THE ABC'S MARCI GONZALEZ REPORTS. POP STAR TAYLOR SWIFT ON THE STAND, TAKING A STAND AGAINST THE FORMER RADIO DJ SHE SAYS GROPED HER DURING A BACKSTAGE MEET AND GREET IN DENVER IN 2013. TESTIFYING THAT DAVID MUELLER REACHED UNDER HER SKIRT, SAYING, 'IT WAS A VERY LONG GRAB. 'LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO BE COMPLETELY SURE IT WAS INTENTIONAL.' REFERRING TO THIS IMAGE OBTAINED BY TMZ, SAYING IT SHOWS HIS HAND UP HER DRESS, ON HER REAR END. SWIFT TELLING THE JURY AT FIRST SHE THOUGHT IT WAS A MISTAKE, SO SHE LEANED AWAY FROM HIM, BUT IT DIDN'T LET GO. MUELLER DENIES THE ACCUSATIONS AND FILED SUIT AGAINST THE SUPERSTAR, HE SAYS, TO CLEAR HIS NAME. HE'S SEEKING DAMAGES OF $3M, CLAIMING THE ALLEGATIONS COST HIM HIS JOB. SWIFT TELLING MUELLER'S ATTORNEY THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM IS A PRODUCT OF HIS DECISIONS, NOT MINE. GOING ON TO SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU OR YOUR CLIENT MAKE ME FEEL LIKE THIS IS MY FAULT. SWIFT IS COUNTER-SUING MUELLER FOR $1. HER ATTORNEY SAYS THEY DON'T WANT TO BANKRUPT HIM. THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT YOU CAN SAY NO. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM. HE'S GOT SOMETHING THAT'S RARE, AND IT'S SAVED MANY, MANY LIVES THANKS TO HIS GENEROSITY. AND THE TALL BLACKS TAKE ON THE HOSTS AT THE ASIA CUP. So, who wants Nova's great-value energy? Heaps of people. I knocked at Dr Knox and Jock the Lock's. Doc ` check. Jock ` check. Checked the Chuck's Charcoal Chicken? Uh, checked Chuck's Charcoal Chicken Tuesday. Chook ` check. BOTH: Choice. Hey, did you ring at Kings'? Uh, yep. Kings; Keatings; Kipling's Couplings; Werring's Herrings. Rang at Huang's? I rang Huang and the gang. Met Fang. (GROWLS, YAPS) Dang. Let's nip to Nick's Taranaki Knick-Knacks next. (KNOCKS) Knock-knock, Nick. No Nick? Ah! 'Back in a tick.' It's Greg Grover from Nova. CHUCKLES: Oh, don't start that all over. WHEN YOU'VE GOT ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER BLOOD TYPES, THERE'S ALWAYS A BIT OF EXTRA PRESSURE TO DONATE YOUR PLATELETS MORE FREQUENTLY THAN OTHERS. BUT ONE AUCKLAND MAN'S TAKEN UP THAT CALL TO ARMS IN A HEROIC WAY, BECOMING THE COUNTRY'S MOST GENEROUS DONOR. EMILY VAN VELTHOOVEN CAUGHT UP WITH HIM TO FIND OUT WHAT MOTIVATES HIM. EVERY FORTNIGHT FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS, PAUL TOMLIN'S MORNING'S GONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS. MORNING, PAUL. GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YA? GOOD. BUT TODAY'S SPECIAL. IT'S A MOMENTOUS LANDMARK FOR NZ BLOOD AND PAUL, THEIR MOST LOYAL DONOR, CLOCKING UP HIS RECORD-BREAKING 551ST PLASMA DONATION. HE'S A HUGE INSPIRATION TO ALL BLOOD DONORS, BUT ABSOLUTELY AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL. THE NOW 60-YEAR-OLD STARTED DONATING WHEN HE WAS 18. I WAS WITH MY UNCLE AND HE WAS GONNA GIVE BLOOD SO I WENT ALONG WITH HIM AND DECIDED TO START THEN. THOUGHT, 'OH, IF HE CAN DO IT, I CAN.' HE WAS HOOKED, AND HAS ONLY MISSED SIX SESSIONS OVER THE DECADES. HE HASN'T BEATEN THE WORLD RECORD. I THINK THAT'S HELD BY AN AMERICAN ` 860-SOMETHING, BUT HE'S UP TO THE 565. YEAH, SO, HE WILL GET THERE. THERE'S NO PERSONAL STORY BEHIND PAUL'S DEDICATION. HE JUST WANTS TO HELP, AND SAYS THE STAFF MAKE IT EASY FOR HIM TO COME BACK. NOW THEY'VE GOT THESE NICE COMFORTABLE CHAIRS TO SIT IN. YOU GET A NICE CUP OF TEA AND CHOCOLATE BISCUITS. (CHEERING, LAUGHTER) AFTER THE HOOPLA, IT'S STRAIGHT BACK TO WORK FOR THE ENGINEER, BUT THEY'LL BE SEEING HIM HERE AGAIN EVERY TWO WEEKS UNTIL HE'S 75. EMILY VAN VELTHOOVEN, 1 NEWS. TO SPORT ` NICK WILLIS IS THROUGH TO THE 1500 METRES SEMI-FINAL AT THE WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN LONDON. THE 34-YEAR-OLD STICKING TO THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK IN HIS HEAT UNTIL MAKING A SPRINT FOR THE LINE IN THE FINAL 100, LUCKY NOT TO GET CAUGHT UP IN A FALL. THE KIWI EASILY FINISHING IN THE TOP SIX TO QUALIFY. HE'LL BE UP AGAIN IN HIS SEMI TOMORROW MORNING. THE TALL BLACKS HAVE GONE TWO FROM TWO AT THE ASIA CUP WITH A POWERFUL WIN AGAINST HOSTS LEBANON. THE YOUNG KIWI SIDE SILENCING THE VOCAL HOME CROWD, SHEA ILLI TOP SCORING WITH 22 POINTS, WHILE THE PLAY OF THE MATCH CAME FROM REUBEN TE RANGI TAKING THE MOMENTUM OF THE GAME WITH THIS HUGE SLAM DUNK ON THEIR WAY TO AN 86-82 WIN. TE RANGI GOES RIGHT DOWN THE WAY FOR THE DUNK! THAT WAS THE ONE YOU WANTED EARLIER IN THE GAME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, REUBEN. GOODNESS GRACIOUS. NEW ZEALAND, YOU GOTTA GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS! YOU'VE GOT SOME HOPS! THEY NOW PLAY UNBEATEN SOUTH KOREA ON SATURDAY. KIWI SAILOR PETER BURLING'S TICKING OFF ANOTHER GOAL, JOINING BRUNEL IN THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE AROUND THE WORLD. THE TEAM NZ HELMSMAN HAVING TO GET USED TO SOME GRINDING AGAIN WITH HIS NEW TEAM TODAY, BUT HE WON'T BE TAKING PART IN THE COMPLETE RACE, MAKING ROOM TO CONTINUE TRAINING IN OTHER CLASSES.. I ONLY REALLY MADE MY DECISION PRETTY RECENTLY. IT'S SOMETHING THAT` I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THIS RACE. JUST MAKING SURE EVERYTHING WORKS. I CAN KEEP DOING A BIT OF SPORT WHILE I'M SORTING MYSELF AT THE SAME TIME. HE'S ALSO UP AGAINST FELLOW NZ TEAM MATE BLAIR TUKE, WHO'S ON SPANISH TEAM MAPFRE, CURRENTLY LEADING THE BRUNEL BOAT ON STAGE 3 OF LEG ZERO. RYAN FOX AND DANNY LEE HAVE GOT OFF TO A ROUGH START AT THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP IN CHARLOTTE, SITTING AT 81ST AND FOUR OVER AND 95TH AT 5 OVER RESPECTIVELY. BUT IT'S FOX'S EUROPEAN TOUR COMPETITOR THORBJORN OLESEN AT THE TOP OF THE LEADER BOARD TIED WITH AMERICAN KEVIN KISNER. THE DANE SHOOTING SIX BIRDIES TO GO 4 UNDER 71 AFTER THE FIRST ROUND. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, I'LL BE BACK WITH FRIDAYS WEATHER. PLUS, AN AGGRESSIVE SEAL HAS A GO AT SOME BEACH GOERS. WE'LL TELL YOU WHY. NOW TO THE WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ BEFORE I GO, NO ONE COMES BETWEEN MUM AND BUBS. GET OUT OF THE WATER! (PEOPLE SHOUTING) A SEAL IN HAWAII SCARING SWIMMERS AWAY WITH HER ROAR IN A BID TO PROTECT HER PUP WHO WAS WADING IN THE SHALLOWS. THANKS FOR YOUR COMPANY. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, AND I'LL SEE YOU MONDAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY ANTONY VLUG AND STARSHA SAMARASINGHE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2017