IT'S MIDDAY, THURSDAY 17TH AUGUST. ARMED POLICE SWARM IN, BRINGING A DRAMATIC HOSTAGE SITUATION IN LOWER HUTT TO AN END WITH THE ARREST OF A YOUNG WOMAN. DONALD TRUMP'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE NEO-NAZI VIOLENCE IN VIRGINIA PROMPT A SERIES OF HIGH-PROFILE RESIGNATIONS. AND IT'S CRAIG, DANIEL CRAIG ` THE ACTOR CONFIRMS HE'S RETURNING AS JAMES BOND. BUT FOR HOW LONG? A FORMER INMATE AT MT EDEN PRISON WHO WAS ALLEGEDLY PUSHED OVER A BALCONY IS SUING SERCO FOR A REPORTED $500,000. THE ATTACK ON ALEX LITTLETON, IN WHICH HE BROKE BOTH LEGS, WAS MADE PUBLIC IN 2015 AFTER 1 NEWS REVEALED VIDEO FOOTAGE SHOWING ORGANISED FIGHT CLUBS AT MOUNT EDEN PRISON. IT IS REPORTED LITTLETON CLAIMS SERCO WAS 'NEGLIGENT AND IN BREACH OF DUTIES OF CARE IT OWED TO HIM' BY LETTING A 'DOMINANT CULTURE OF VIOLENCE' TAKE HOLD IN THE PRISON AND 'PROVIDING INADEQUATE SUPERVISION 'TO PREVENT PRISONER-ON-PRISONER VIOLENCE.' ARMED POLICE SWARMED A HOUSE IN LOWER HUTT THIS MORNING AFTER A HOSTAGE SITUATION DEVELOPED OVERNIGHT. A WOMAN AT THE KINGS CRESCENT FLAT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND WAS TREATED BY AMBULANCE STAFF. POLICE HAVE TAKEN A WOMAN (25) INTO CUSTODY. POLICE THINK THEY'VE FOUND A CELL PHONE BELONGING TO ONE OF THE MEN MISSING IN TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK. THE SEARCH IS STILL GOING FOR TWO MEN IN THEIR 20s MISSING IN HARSH CONDITIONS SINCE SATURDAY. THEY ENTERED THE BUSH TO EVADE POLICE AFTER ALLEGEDLY STEALING A CAR. POLICE EXPECT THE MEN TO BE SUFFERING HYPOTHERMIA AND SAY IT'LL TAKE A MIRACLE TO FIND THEM ALIVE. THE IMPACT OF JACINDA ARDERN TAKING THE REIGNS AS LABOUR LEADER WILL BE REVEALED TONIGHT IN THE LATEST 1 NEWS COLMAR BRUNTON POLL. SHE WILL BE PITTED AGAINST BILL ENGLISH FOR PREFERRED PRIME MINISTER. MR ENGLISH IS ATTENDING EVENTS IN PORIRUA TODAY AHEAD OF THE RESULTS, MEETING WITH SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S YOUNGEST VOTERS AT MANA COLLEGE THIS MORNING. THE POLL WILL ALSO SHOW IF THERE HAS BEEN A MAJOR SLIDE FOR THE GREENS AFTER METIRIA TUREI'S BENEFIT FRAUD ADMISSION AND RESIGNATION. WIND GUSTS REACHING UP TO 140KM/H ARE WHIPPING UP CHAOS IN THE CAPITAL, WITH REPORTS OF ROOFS LIFTING AND TRAMPOLINES BEING THROWN AROUND. THIS VIDEO FROM AN AIR NZ FLIGHT HEADING INTO WELLINGTON THIS MORNING SHOWS THE PLANE BEING RAG-DOLLED FROM SIDE TO SIDE, PASSENGERS APPLAUDING AS IT LANDED SAFELY. A NUMBER OF FLIGHTS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED OR DELAYED DUE TO THE WINDY WEATHER, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO EASE THIS AFTERNOON. NEW FIGURES REVEAL TRUCK DRIVERS ARE ALMOST TWICE AS LIKELY TO CRASH ON THE INLAND ROUTE BETWEEN PICTON AND CHRISTCHURCH THAN BEFORE THE KAIKOURA EARTHQUAKE. THERE HAVE BEEN 38 CRASHES INVOLVING HEAVY VEHICLES IN THE FOUR MONTHS FOLLOWING THE NOVEMBER 14 QUAKE, FIVE CAUSING DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. IF THE TREND CONTINUES, NZTA ESTIMATES THE COST OF HEAVY VEHICLE CRASHES ON THE ROUTE COULD TOP MORE THAN $30M A YEAR. THE BAN ON PLASTIC MICROBEADS IN NEW ZEALAND HAS BEEN PUSHED FORWARD TO START IN MAY NEXT YEAR AND EXTENDED TO ALL PRODUCTS. IN JANUARY, THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED PLASTIC MICROBEADS IN COSMETIC PRODUCTS WOULD BE BANNED BY JULY NEXT YEAR. BUT THERE HAS BEEN PRESSURE TO EXTEND THE SCOPE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN SOONER. THE PLASTIC BEADS CAUSE LONG-TERM DAMAGE TO MARINE LIFE, OFTEN BEING MISTAKEN FOR FOOD. BANS ON THEIR SALE IN THE UNITED STATES, THE UK, CANADA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL COME INTO FORCE FROM JULY NEXT YEAR. THE WOMAN INVOLVED IN A SEX SCANDAL WITH ALL BLACK AARON SMITH AT CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT WILL TONIGHT SPEAK ABOUT THE INCIDENT FOR THE FIRST TIME. IN AN EXCLUSIVE SEVEN SHARP INTERVIEW, THE WOMAN EXPLAINS WHY SHE'S TAKING LEGAL ACTION OVER WHAT SHE SEES AS DEFAMATION AND AN ONGOING BREACH OF HER PRIVACY IN RUGBY CIRCLES. THE WAY THEY HAD PORTRAYED ME WAS BEING AS AN ABSOLUTE HO, A WOMAN THAT HAD TARGETED THIS GUY AT THE AIRPORT AND FORCED MYSELF ON HIM, AND I'D ACTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN WANT THEIR PLAYERS AROUND ME ANY MORE. TONIGHT'S INTERVIEW FOLLOWS THE DAILY MAIL'S PUBLICATION OF MESSAGES BETWEEN THE WOMAN AND SMITH AND WILL CLEAR UP INFORMATION SHE SAYS THE NEWSPAPER HAS GOT WRONG. AND THE FULL INTERVIEW AIRS ON SEVEN SHARP TONIGHT, STRAIGHT AFTER 1 NEWS. THE FALLOUT FROM DONALD TRUMP'S COMMENTS OVER A WHITE-SUPREMACIST RALLY IN VIRGINIA CONTINUES. THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN FORCED TO DISBAND HIS JOBS COUNCIL AFTER SEVERAL BIG COMPANY CEO'S QUIT HIS ADVISORY TEAM FOLLOWING THE REMARKS. MANY IN HIS OWN PARTY ARE ALSO OUTRAGED HE SAID 'BOTH SIDES' WERE TO BLAME FOR THE VIOLENCE, AND HIS DEFENDING OF RALLY ORGANISERS. THE BBC'S JON SOPEL REPORTS. THIS WAS CHARLOTTESVILLE ON SATURDAY NIGHT, RACIST GROUPS CHANTING, 'JEWS WILL NOT REPLACE US,' CARRYING KU KLUX KLAN-STYLE TORCHES, ALSO MARCHING TO THE SLOGAN 'WHITE LIVES MATTER'. YESTERDAY THE PRESIDENT BLAMED BOTH SIDES FOR THE VIOLENCE THAT ENSUED. YOU HAD A GROUP ON ONE SIDE AND A GROUP ON THE OTHER, AND THEY CAME AT EACH OTHER WITH CLUBS, AND IT WAS VICIOUS AND IT WAS HORRIBLE, AND IT WAS A HORRIBLE THING TO WATCH. BUT THERE IS ANOTHER SIDE. THERE WAS A GROUP ON THIS SIDE ` YOU CAN CALL THEM THE LEFT; YOU'VE JUST CALLED THEM THE LEFT ` THAT CAME VIOLENTLY ATTACKING THE OTHER GROUP. SO YOU CAN SAY WHAT YOU WANT, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. (PROTESTERS SHOUT) IT'S TRUE THERE WAS VIOLENCE ON BOTH SIDES. BUT THE RACE-HATE PROTESTERS HAD COME TOOLED-UP FOR TROUBLE. MANY CARRIED GUNS. THIS ISN'T THE ARMY, BUT A RIGHT-WING MILITIA THAT TURNED UP BRISTLING WITH WEAPONRY. THE ANTI-RACISM DEMONSTRATORS WEREN'T ORGANISED. THEY WERE MOSTLY LOCAL PEOPLE, AMONG WHOM A SMALL CORE HAD COME TO FIGHT. BUT DONALD TRUMP SEEMING TO DRAW A MORAL EQUIVALENCE BETWEEN SWASTIKA-CARRYING NEO-NAZIS AND ANTI-RACISM PROTESTERS HAS BROUGHT NEAR-UNIVERSAL CONDEMNATION. AND SIGNIFICANTLY, A NEW INTERVENTION ` THIS TIME FROM THE TWO LIVING FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTS GEORGE HW BUSH AND GEORGE W BUSH, SAYING THERE IS NO ROOM FOR BIGOTRY OR ANTI-SEMITISM IN TODAY'S AMERICA. DONALD TRUMP LEFT NEW YORK TODAY TO RESUME HIS HARDLY QUIET OR RELAXING HOLIDAY, MORE ISOLATED FROM THE POLITICAL AND BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE HE TOOK OFFICE. MEANWHILE, A MEMORIAL SERVICE HAS BEEN HELD FOR THE WOMAN KILLED IN THE VIOLENCE WHEN A CAR WAS DELIBERATELY DRIVEN INTO DEMONSTRATORS PROTESTING AGAINST THE WHITE NATIONALISTS. HEATHER HEYER WAS REMEMBERED AS A STRONG WOMAN, HER MOTHER CALLING ON PEOPLE TO UNITE IN HER DEATH. THE ABC'S EVA PILGRIM REPORTS. IN CHARLOTTESVILLE TONIGHT, A LINE OF PEOPLE STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH HEATHER HEYER (32), THE WOMAN KILLED IN THAT HORRIFIC CAR ATTACK. EMOTIONALLY: NO FATHER SHOULD HAVE TO DO THIS. FROM HER FATHER, MARK, A PLEA FOR PEACE. SHE WANTED TO PUT DOWN HATE. AND FOR MY PART, WE JUST NEED TO STOP ALL THIS STUFF AND JUST FORGIVE EACH OTHER. BUT FROM HEATHER'S MOTHER, SUSAN, DEFIANCE. THEY TRIED TO KILL MY CHILD TO SHUT HER UP. WELL, GUESS WHAT. YOU JUST MAGNIFIED HER. (APPLAUSE, CHEERING) THEN A CALL TO ACTION. SAY TO YOURSELF, 'WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?' AND THAT'S HOW YOU'RE GONNA MAKE MY CHILD'S DEATH WORTHWHILE. I'D RATHER HAVE MY CHILD. BUT, BY GOLLY, IF I GOTTA GIVE HER UP, WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT COUNT. BUT AS CHARLOTTESVILLE TRIES TO HEAL, A NEW DOCUMENTARY FROM VICE GIVES US A CLOSER LOOK AT THE HATE-FILLED PROTESTS. ALL CHANT: BLOOD AND SOIL! BLOOD AND SOIL! VICE SPOKE WITH ONE OF THOSE WHITE NATIONALISTS, CHRISTOPHER CANTWELL, ABOUT THAT CAR ATTACK THAT KILLED HEATHER HEYER. HIS ANSWER ` CHILLING. OUR RIVALS ARE A BUNCH OF STUPID ANIMALS WHO DON'T PAY ATTENTION. THEY COULDN'T JUST GET OUT OF THE WAY OF HIS CAR, AND SOME PEOPLE GOT HURT. THE AMOUNT OF RESTRAINT THAT OUR PEOPLE SHOWED OUT THERE, I THINK, WAS ASTOUNDING. BUT TONIGHT IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, HEATHER'S MOTHER INSISTS HER DAUGHTER'S DEATH WILL HAVE MEANING. POLICE IN THE PHILIPPINES HAVE KILLED 32 PEOPLE IN DOZENS OF ANTI-DRUG OPERATIONS NEAR THE CAPITAL OF MANILA, MAKING IT THE DEADLIEST DAY SINCE THE COUNTRY'S PRESIDENT, RODRIGO DUTERTE, DECLARED HIS WAR ON DRUGS. MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED IN THE RAIDS. THOUSANDS HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE PRESIDENT DUTERTE'S SIGNATURE POLICY CAME INTO AFFECT IN JUNE LAST YEAR. A WEEK OF NATIONAL MOURNING HAS BEGUN IN SIERRA LEONE FOLLOWING A DEADLY LANDSLIDE THAT KILLED AT LEAST 400 PEOPLE. MORE THAN 100 CHILDREN ARE AMONG THE DEAD. AT LEAST 600 PEOPLE ARE STILL MISSING, WITH RESCUE WORKERS FRANTICALLY LOOKING FOR ANY SURVIVORS. THE BBC'S MARTIN PATIENCE REPORTS FROM THE CAPITAL OF FREETOWN. (SIRENS WAIL) IN FREETOWN THE AMBULANCES ARE RUSHING NOT TO THE HOSPITAL BUT TO THE MAIN MORTUARY. THEY'RE FERRYING THE DEAD, VICTIMS BURIED ALIVE BY A LANDSLIDE. THE RELATIVES WAIT OUTSIDE TO COLLECT THEIR BODIES. THE STENCH OF DEATH IS OVERPOWERING. EMOTIONS ARE RAW. (SOBS, SINGS) THIS WOMAN LOST HER SISTER. DANIEL WASN'T HOME WHEN DISASTER STRUCK, BUT HE TELLS ME SIX MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY ARE DEAD, INCLUDING HIS WIFE. (PEOPLE CLAMOUR) THE GRIEF AND ANGER IS TANGIBLE HERE. THIS IS A NATION MOURNING THE LOSS OF HUNDREDS, AND RESCUE WORKERS SAY THAT THE AUTHORITIES ARE HAMPERING THE RESCUE EFFORTS. THIS GAPING SCAR WAS ONCE A NEIGHBOURHOOD; NOW A LANDSCAPE CHANGED FOREVER. IT'S THE SCENE OF A RECOVERY OPERATION ON THE HOOF. DIGGERS HAVE BEEN DRAFTED IN BUT THERE ARE NO SNIFFER DOGS, NOT ENOUGH BODY BAGS. THE FEAR IS THAT DISEASE COULD SPREAD UNLESS HUNDREDS OF CORPSES ARE FOUND. A TRICKLE OF AID IS GETTING THROUGH. BUT MANY, LIKE THIS WOMAN, ARE NOW HOMELESS. 'I'VE LOST EVERYTHING,' SHE TELLS ME. MELBOURNE HAS BEEN NAMED THE WORLD'S MOST LIVEABLE CITY FOR THE 7TH YEAR, CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY VIENNA AND VANCOUVER. TOP 10 CITIES REMAIN UNCHANGED FROM LAST YEAR'S ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE UNIT REPORT, WITH AUCKLAND COMING IN AT 8TH PLACE. MANY CITIES DROPPED DOWN THE LIST DUE TO THREATS FROM GLOBAL TERROR, WITH MANCHESTER SLIDING 8 PLACES TO 51ST AFTER THE ARIANA GRANDE CONCERT BOMB ATTACK IN MAY. THE REPORT NAMES DAMASCUS AS THE WORLD'S MOST UNLIVEABLE CITY. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE CUBS OF THE CALIPHATE WHEN CHILD SOLDIERS TRAINED BY ISLAMIC STATE MOVE TO EUROPE. AND A FEW SURPRISES IN THE THE ALL BLACKS SQUAD NAMED FOR THIS WEEKEND'S BLEDISLOE TEST OPENER. AUSTRALIA'S MOST INFAMOUS TERRORIST, KHALED SHARROUF, IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN KILLED IN AN AIR STRIKE IN SYRIA. TWO OF HIS SONS, AGED 12 AND 11, ARE ALSO SAID TO HAVE DIED IN THE COALITION AIR STRIKE NEAR ISIS' DE FACTO CAPITAL OF RAQQA. FALSE REPORTS OF SHARROUF'S DEATH HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE PAST, BUT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SAYS IT HAS RECEIVED CREDIBLE INFORMATION FROM A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL. IT'S ALSO REPORTED HIS BROTHER HAS CONFIRMED THE DEATH TO A GROUP OF AUSTRALIAN EXTREMISTS. WITH THE COLLAPSE OF ISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ATTENTION IS NOW RETURNING TO FIGHTERS WHO ARE RETURNING HOME. AMONG THEM ARE CHILD SOLDIERS ISIS CALL THE LION CUBS. IT IS BELIEVED AROUND 2000 HAVE GONE THROUGH ISIS MILITARY TRAINING, AND SOME ARE NOW LIVING IN EUROPE. THE BBC'S MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT QUENTIN SOMMERVILLE REPORTS. THIS FOOTAGE, FILMED SECRETLY IN RAQQA AND PASSED TO THE BBC, IS OF WHAT I.S. CALLS 'THE CUBS OF THE CALIPHATE'. THEY'RE CHILD SOLDIERS, BARELY TEENAGERS. EVEN AS I.S. IS COLLAPSING, IT'S INVESTING IN ITS FUTURE, THIS IS WHERE THE I.S. WAR MACHINE SUFFERED ITS BIGGEST DEFEAT. THIS IS WHERE THE I.S. WAR MACHINE SUFFERED ITS BIGGEST DEFEAT. BUT IT ISN'T THE END OF THEM. HERE THEIR FIGHTERS HONED THEIR SKILLS; THIS WAS THEIR TRAINING GROUND. IMAGINE FIGHTING IN THIS AND THEN SURVIVING. WELL SOME DID, SOME ESCAPED, AND SOME HAVE MADE IT TO EUROPE. WE TRAVELLED TO BELGIUM, AND THERE WE MET AHMED. HE JOINED I.S. WHEN HE WAS JUST 15. TRANSLATOR: I TOLD MY FAMILY, 'YOU CAN'T CHANGE MY THOUGHTS, 'AND NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, I'M GOING TO STAY.' HE BECAME DISILLUSIONED WITH I.S. AND ESCAPED, FIRST TO TURKEY, THEN EUROPE. THE AUTHORITIES HERE DON'T KNOW ABOUT HIS PAST. TRANSLATOR: THEY WERE MY ENEMIES, AND NOW I'M LIVING AMONG THEM, EATING AND DRINKING WITH THEM. THEY'VE RECEIVED ME AND LOOKED AFTER ME. WHEN ALL THIS HAPPENED, I STARTED TO HATE MY ENTIRE PAST AND DECIDED TO ESTABLISH A NEW LIFE. HE'S NOT ALONE. WE TRAVELLED TO GERMANY, WHERE WE MET MUTASSIN. AGAIN, HIS YOUTH MEANS HIS I.S. MEMBERSHIP HAS GONE UNDETECTED HERE. HE WAS ONE OF MANY GROOMED BY THE GROUP. TRANSLATOR: THEY WOULD GIVE US WHATEVER WE WANTED, AND THEY WOULD TELL US THAT WE ARE THE BEST, THAT WE ARE RIGHT AND ALL THE OTHERS ARE WRONG AND MUST FEAR US. THEY WOULD ALSO ALLOW US TO CARRY OUR WEAPONS WHEREVER WE GO. FOR TWO WEEKS HE UNDERWENT MILITARY TRAINING AND WAS SCHOOLED IN SHARIA LAW. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO AN I.S. MEDIA UNIT. OTHERS, THOUGH, VOLUNTEERED FOR SUICIDE MISSIONS. TRANSLATOR: THEY PREFER CHILDREN TO ADULTS, BECAUSE THEY CAN USE THEM TO BOMB BETWEEN CIVILIANS. NOBODY WOULD EXPECT THAT A 14- OR 16-YEAR-OLD BOY WOULD BOMB HIMSELF. BOTH TEENAGERS THAT WE MET SAY THEY'VE TURNED THEIR BACKS ON I.S. BUT AS WE TRAVELLED ACROSS EUROPE, WE LEARNED OF AT LEAST 3 MORE YOUNG FIGHTERS LIVING HERE. WE APPROACHED THE EU POLICE FORCE, EUROPOL, BUT THEY DECLINED TO COMMENT. I.S. IS NOT YET DEFEATED. ITS TERRITORY IS SHRINKING AND ITS SUPPORTERS FLEEING. THESE ARE THE FINAL DAYS OF THE SO-CALLED CALIPHATE, BUT STILL THE ISLAMIC STATE IS NO LESS OF A THREAT. IRAN IS BUILDING A FACILITY IN SYRIA TO MANUFACTURE LONG-RANGE ROCKETS, ACCORDING TO AN ISRAELI TELEVISION REPORT. SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW THE SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THE NORTH-WEST OF THE COUNTRY. IT COMPARED THE IMAGES TO ROCKET FACTORIES NEAR TEHRAN AND THE STRONG RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN THEM. IRANIAN PRESIDENT HASSAN ROUHANI YESTERDAY THREATENED TO WITHDRAW FROM THE 2015 NUCLEAR DEAL WITH WORLD POWERS AFTER THE U.S. IMPOSED NEW SANCTIONS ON IRAN FOR A BALLISTIC MISSILE TEST EARLIER THIS YEAR. TO YOUR MIDDAY SPORT NOW, AND STEVE HANSEN'S NAMED HIS ALL BLACKS SIDE TO DEFEND THE BLEDISLOE CUP WHEN THEY TAKE ON THE WALLABIES THIS WEEKEND. EIGHT-TEST LIAM SQUIRE'S PICKED UP THE STARTING SIX JERSEY, PUSHING JEROME KAINO OUT OF THE 23, WHILE DAMIEN MCKENZIE (22) GETS A SHOT STARTING AT THE BACK. IT SEES BEN SMITH MAKING A MOVE TO THE RIGHT WING. AARON SMITH'S STILL LINKING UP WITH BEAUDEN BARRETT, WHO'LL HAVE SONNY BILL WILLIAMS OUTSIDE HIM AFTER RETURNING FROM HIS FOUR-MATCH SUSPENSION. WE THINK THE STARTING COMBINATION OF SONNY AND CROCKS IS THE BEST ONE. THEY COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER VERY WELL. THE MATCH KICKS OFF 10PM SUNDAY NIGHT. THE BLACK FERNS ARE GEARING UP FOR THEIR FINAL POOL MATCH OF THEIR RUGBY WORLD CUP AGAINST CANADA LATER TONIGHT. WITH SEMI-FINAL SPOTS ON THE LINE, COACH GLENN MOORE'S NAMED A FRESH TEAM AFTER THEIR 121-0 DOMINATION OVER HONG KONG EARLIER IN THE WEEK. ALL THE SCIENTIFIC DATA THAT WE COLLECT IS TELLING US THAT WE'RE IN A BETTER PLACE THAN WHAT WE WERE FOR THE HONG KONG GAME, SO WE'RE PLEASED WITH THAT. IT WAS A STRATEGY THAT WE TOOK INTO THAT GAME, AND WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT IT'S DELIVERED FOR US. THE MATCH WILL BE CAPTAIN FIAO'O FA'AMAUSILI'S 50TH GAME, MAKING HER THE HIGHEST-EVER CAPPED FERN. KIWI SAILOR BLAIR TUKE WILL BE TAKING CONFIDENCE INTO THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE AROUND THE WORLD AFTER HIS SPANISH TEAM, MAPFRE, TOOK OUT THE LEG ZERO WARM-UP SERIES. THE AMERICA'S CUP-WINNER'S TEAM FINISHED A SHORTENED FINAL STAGE IN THIRD TO TAKE OUT THE OVERALL LEG BY FIVE POINTS. I'VE JOINED JUST A MONTH AGO NOW, AND IT'S BEEN GREAT TO CHECK IN, AND VERY VERY CONFIDENT WITH THE TEAM WE HAVE HERE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE START. THE OFFICIAL RACE GETS UNDERWAY IN OCTOBER. CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB HAVE DEFINITELY MADE THEIR FANS HAPPY WITH THEIR THRASHING OVER ASTANA ` PERHAPS EVEN A LITTLE TOO HAPPY. AFTER GOING 4-0 UP, LEIGH GRIFFITHS FOUND THE BACK OF THE NET IN THE 90TH MINUTE, MUCH TO THE DELIGHT OF HIS HOME FANS MEETING HIM ON THE PITCH FOR CELEBRATIONS. THOROUGHLY DESERVED. INVOLVED IN PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING, AND NOW A GOAL SCORER. THAT GOAL SCORER NEEDED A BIT OF HELP AFTER THAT, CELTIC TAKING THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER 5-0. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, GET YOUR BROLLY AND RAIN COAT OUT. YOUR WEATHER DETAILS NEXT. PLUS, HE'S BACK. LOOK WHO'S RETURNING TO THE ROLE OF 007 ` BUT JUST ONE LAST TIME. YOUR WEATHER'S NEXT, BUT FIRST LET'S LOOK AT OUR TOP STORIES. POLICE HAVE ARRESTED A WOMAN (25) AFTER A HOSTAGE SITUATION IN LOWER HUTT. ARMED POLICE SWARMED THE KINGS CRESCENT FLAT THIS MORNING. ANOTHER WOMAN WAS TREATED BY PARAMEDICS FOR MINOR INJURIES. POLICE BELIEVE THEY'VE FOUND A CELL PHONE BELONGING TO ONE OF THE TWO MEN MISSING IN TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK SINCE SATURDAY. THE FAMILY OF VINCENT TAURIMA AND HAKOPA NGARONOA HAVE AGREED TO LEAVE THE SEARCH TO THE PROFESSIONALS AFTER CONDUCTING THEIR OWN SEPARATE SEARCH THIS WEEK. AND THE GOVERNMENT'S PUSHED FORWARD THE BAN ON PLASTIC MICROBEADS BY TWO MONTHS TO START IN MAY NEXT YEAR. THE BAN'S BEEN EXTENDED FROM COSMETIC PRODUCTS TO INCLUDE ALL HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. NOW TO THE WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ FINALLY ON YOUR MIDDAY NEWS, DANIEL CRAIG HAS CONFIRMED ONE OF THE WORST-KEPT SECRETS IN HOLLYWOOD ` THAT HE'LL ONCE AGAIN SUIT UP AS JAMES BOND. BUT HE SAYS IT'LL BE HIS FIFTH AND LAST TIME PLAYING 007. THE BBC'S CHI CHI IZUNDU HAS MORE. (JAMES BOND THEME) MONTHS OF SPECULATION. WILL DANIEL CRAIG COME BACK FOR A FIFTH TIME AS 007? WILL YOU RETURN AS JAMES BOND? YES. (WILD CHEERING, APPLAUSE) DANIEL'S THE SEVENTH ACTOR TO TAKE ON BOND AND IS COMMERCIALLY THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OF THE FRANCHISE, WITH SKYFALL BEING THE FIRST TO BREAK THE BILLION-DOLLAR MARK AT THE BOX OFFICE. IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HE WAS BACK HOME AT MI6, REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY TIMES IT'S BEEN DESTROYED IN THE FILMS. (BOOM!) DESPITE THE CARS, THE MARTINIS ON TAP AND, OF COURSE, THE WOMEN, LET'S NOT FORGET THAT AFTER THE RELEASE OF SPECTRE DANIEL SAID HE'D RATHER SLIT HIS WRISTS THAN PLAY THE FICTIONAL MI6 SPY AGAIN. AND IF YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU READ IN THE PRESS, HE'S GONNA BE WELL PAID. AND WHILE DANIEL WAS MULLING OVER THAT OFFER, OTHER NAMES, LIKE IDRIS ELBA, WERE BEING DISCUSSED. BUT FOR FANS, DANIEL IS THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN. AFTER ALL THE SPECULATION, WE FINALLY GOT AN ANSWER. AND IT'S LIKE CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST. DANIEL CRAIG HAS REINVENTED BOND, AND HIS FILMS ARE AMONGST THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED. SO I THINK WE REALLY ARE GLAD WE'VE GOT AN ANSWER AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BOND 25. HE'LL BE 51 BY THE TIME BOND 25 HITS THE CINEMAS IN 2019, AND THE STUNTS FROM SPECTRE LEFT HIM NEEDING KNEE SURGERY. SO IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE THAT HE SAYS THIS TIME IS THE LAST TIME. THANKS FOR WATCHING. FROM THE MIDDAY NEWS TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY JAMES BROWN AND TRACEY DAWSON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2017