IT'S MIDDAY. DESTRUCTIVE WINDS ARE ALREADY LASHING THE U.S. EAST COAST AS HURRICANE FLORENCE ARRIVES. HOW MUCH OF A PUNCH WILL THE STORM PACK? JUST TOURISTS VISITING THE SIGHTS OF SALISBURY. THAT'S THE STORY FROM THE SUSPECTED NOVICHOK POISONERS. BUT DOES IT STACK UP? AND ARE THE DEMOCRATS TRYING TO MAKE DONALD TRUMP LOOK BAD... AS THE PRESIDENT MAKES MORE ASTOUNDING CLAIMS. CAPTIONS BY TRACEY DAWSON AND CHELSEA BRADY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018 AHI AHI MARIE, GOOD AFTERNOON. HURRICANE FLORENCE IS CLOSING IN ON THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES AND COULD MAKE LANDFALL IN A NUMBER OF HOURS. THIS IS A LIVE SHOT FROM FRYING PAN SHOAL LIGHT TOWER, IT HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED TO A CATEGORY TWO STORM, BUT EXPERTS ARE WARNING IT'S STILL VERY DANGEROUS. TONIGHT, THIS IS WHAT MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ALONG THIS COASTLINE HAVE FEARED ` THE OUTER BANDS OF FLORENCE SLAMMING ASHORE ALREADY, AND THE EYE OF THE STORM STILL HOURS AWAY. ALONG NORTH CAROLINA'S BARRIER ISLANDS AND NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH, DANGEROUS WINDS ALREADY, WAVES CRASHING THROUGH THIS HOME, KNOCKING DOWN WALLS. WATER SURROUNDING HOMES; THIS GARAGE DOOR SMASHED. AND THIS HURRICANE DOESN'T MAKE LANDFALL TILL THE MORNING HOURS. IN AVON TONIGHT, STRONG WAVES HAMMERING THIS PIER, WATER RUSHING ASHORE, BREAKING THROUGH THE DUNES IN HATTERAS. IN NEARBY FRISCO, OCEAN WATER RUNNING LIKE A RIVER DOWN CAPE HATTERAS PIER DRIVE, WASHING THROUGH MOTELS AND WASHING FISH ASHORE. ROUTE 12 HERE IS UNDERWATER TONIGHT. TORRENTIAL RAIN WITH TROPICAL STORM-FORCE WINDS BEARING DOWN, AND AUTHORITIES ARE NOW WARNING IT IS ALMOST A CERTAINTY THAT THIS REGION WILL SEE CATASTROPHIC FLOODING, RAINFALL TOTALS PREDICTED TO REACH 40 INCHES OR MORE, AND 11FT STORM SURGE EXPECTED IN SOME SPOTS. AS THIS STORM NOW MOVES IN AND CONDITIONS DETERIORATE, FIRST RESPONDERS ARE GATHERING TONIGHT. THE NATIONAL GUARD HAS BEEN CALLED UP. THERE IS ALREADY HELP COMING IN FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS FROM SACRAMENTO, 81ST RESPONDERS FROM ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND. THANK YOU, GUYS, FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOIN'. AND TONIGHT, NORTH CAROLINA'S GOVERNOR, ROY COOPER, WITH SOME OF THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS AND A FINAL WARNING. MY MESSAGE TODAY ` DON'T RELAX. DON'T GET COMPLACENT. STAY ON GUARD. THIS IS A POWERFUL STORM THAT CAN KILL. TODAY THE THREAT BECOMES A REALITY. AUTHORITIES ARE TELLING RESIDENTS HERE TO PREPARE FOR DAYS WITHOUT POWER, PERHAPS WEEKS. THEY ALSO FEAR THE HURRICANE COULD FLOOD SOME 16 NUCLEAR REACTORS ACROSS THREE STATES. WITH TROPICAL STORM-FORCE WINDS NOW EXPECTED TO REACH MORE THAN 300 MILES ACROSS, MANY FAMILIES HAVE NOW DECIDED, ON THIS FINAL NIGHT BEFORE LANDFALL, TO GET OUT. AND ABC'S NATALIE BRUNELL TOLD BREAKFAST LOCALS ARE STILL MAKING LAST-MINUTE PREPARATIONS. THE TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN TONIGHT. WE'RE EXPECTING 50 TO 60MPH WINDS IN JUST A COUPLE OF HOURS. BUT LANDFALL IS NOT SCHEDULED UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING, ALTHOUGH THAT COULD ALWAYS CHANGE. THE STORM HAS BEEN SHIFTING ON US. SO YOU NEVER KNOW, THE CONDITIONS COULD GET WORSE. EVERYONE HERE IS BEING VERY, VERY VIGILANT. MEANWHILE, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEGUN EVACUATING FROM COASTAL AREAS OF THE PHILIPPINES AS A MASSIVE TYPHOON HEADS TOWARDS THE COUNTRY. RESIDENTS ARE PREPARING FOR TYPHOON MANGKHUT, A CATEGORY FIVE STORM THAT IS EXPECTED TO BRING WINDS OF MORE THAN 280KM/H AND HEAVY RAIN. THE STORM, KNOWN AS A SUPER TYPHOON, IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL ON SATURDAY. US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS DENIED OFFICIAL FINDINGS THAT 3000 PEOPLE DIED IN PUERTO RICO AS A RESULT OF HURRICANE MARIA. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ACCUSED DEMOCRATS OF INFLATING THE DEATH TOLL TO, QUOTE, 'MAKE ME LOOK AS BAD AS POSSIBLE'. THE ABC'S JONATHAN KARL REPORTS. EVEN BEFORE HURRICANE FLORENCE HIT SHORE, PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ALREADY CONGRATULATING HIS TEAM ON A JOB WELL DONE. WE'RE GETTING TREMENDOUS ACCOLADES FROM POLITICIANS AND THE PEOPLE. BUT EVEN AS THE HURRICANE APPROACHES, THE PRESIDENT TODAY IS MAKING A STARTLING NEW CLAIM, DOWNPLAYING THE HUMAN SUFFERING CAUSED BY LAST YEAR'S HURRICANE MARIA IN PUERTO RICO. ...HE TWEETED. HE THEN FALSELY ACCUSED DEMOCRATS OF INFLATING THE DEATH TOLL... A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY CONCLUDED NEARLY 3000 PEOPLE DIED BY CAUSES DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE HURRICANE AND ITS AFTERMATH ` A FIGURE ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT AS THE OFFICIAL DEATH TOLL. THAT'S NEARLY 3000 AMERICAN CITIZENS, MOST OF THEM POOR AND ELDERLY. OUR TEAM SAW THE SUFFERING FIRST HAND. MARIA ORTIZ CARED FOR 11 SENIORS IN A NURSING HOME WITHOUT POWER. WE CAN'T LET THEM DIE. WE CAN'T LET THEM DIE. WE NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET. PLEASE. WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP VISITED THE ISLAND, HE TOSSED PAPER TOWELS TO STORM VICTIMS. (INDISTINCT CHATTER) BUT JUST 15 MINUTES AWAY IN THIS APARTMENT BUILDING WITHOUT POWER OR CLEAN WATER,... BUENAS TARDES. ...DAVID SPOKE WITH MARIA DIAZ (70). (SPEAKS SPANISH) 'WE DON'T WANT TO DIE HERE,' SHE TOLD HIM. THE GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO TODAY IS TAKING ISSUE WITH THE PRESIDENT'S TWEETS. 'THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO,' HE SAID, 'DO NOT DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR PAIN QUESTIONED.' AND AMONG POLITICAL LEADERS, THE PRESIDENT SEEMS TO BE ALONE IN QUESTIONING THE DEATH TOLL. A SERIES OF GAS EXPLOSIONS HAVE CAUSED FIRES IN MORE THAN 60 HOMES NEAR THE US CITY OF BOSTON, FORCING ENTIRE NEIGHBOURHOODS TO EVACUATE. EMERGENCY CREWS ARE WORKING TO CONTAIN THE FLAMES AND SHUT OFF GAS AND ELECTRIC LINES TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE. BEFORE THE EXPLOSIONS, A GAS COMPANY ANNOUNCED IT WOULD BE UPGRADING ITS LINES FOR LONG-TERM BENEFITS. FOUR PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY BEING TREATED IN HOSPITAL. TWO RUSSIAN MEN SUSPECTED OF POISONING SERGEI AND YULIA SKRIPAL IN SALISBURY HAVE SPOKEN OUT, AND CLAIM THEY WERE ONLY IN THE AREA AS TOURISTS. THE PAIR TOLD STATE-RUN RUSSIAN TELEVISION THEY HAD TRAVELLED TO SALISBURY BECAUSE IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO THEM BY FRIENDS. THE BBC'S GORDON CORERA REPORTS. LAST WEEK, BRITAIN PRESENTED RUSLAN BOSHIROV AND ALEXANDER PETROV AS A PAIR OF RUSSIAN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS, ASSASSINS SENT WITH NERVE AGENT TO KILL. BUT TODAY WE SAW A DIFFERENT SIDE. THEY WERE, THEY TOLD A KREMLIN-FUNDED NEWS CHANNEL, TOURISTS WHO'D COME TO SALISBURY TO SEE THE SIGHTS. TRANSLATOR: OUR FRIENDS HAD BEEN SUGGESTING FOR A LONG TIME THAT WE VISIT THIS WONDERFUL TOWN. TRANSLATOR: THERE'S THE FAMOUS SALISBURY CATHEDRAL, FAMOUS NOT ONLY IN EUROPE BUT IN THE WHOLE WORLD. THERE IS THE QUESTION OF THE MOTIVE FOR THEIR TRIP, FLYING IN FROM MOSCOW TO GATWICK AIRPORT ON FRIDAY, MARCH 2ND ALL TO SEE SALISBURY. AND THERE'S THEIR MOVEMENTS. THE TWO RUSSIANS GAVE UP SIGHTSEEING IN SALISBURY ON SATURDAY BECAUSE, THEY SAY, THERE WAS TOO MUCH SLUSH. THEY RETURNED ON SUNDAY. HERE, CCTV CAPTURES THEM ARRIVING AT THE STATION AT 11.48. BUT RATHER THAN HEAD OUT TO THE TOURIST SITES THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO SEE, LIKE OLD SARUM AND THE CATHEDRAL, THEY WERE SPOTTED CLOSE TO SERGEI SKRIPAL'S HOUSE ON WILTON ROAD. THEIR IMAGES WERE CAPTURED ON THIS CCTV PICTURE AT 11.58. POLICE BELIEVE IT WAS AROUND THIS TIME THAT NOVICHOK WAS SMEARED ON THE SKRIPALS' FRONT DOOR HANDLE, POISONING SERGEI AND HIS DAUGHTER YULIA. THE INTERVIEWER ASKED THE MEN IF THEY APPROACHED THE SKRIPALS' HOUSE. TRANSLATOR: MAYBE WE PASSED IT OR MAYBE WE DIDN'T. I'D NEVER HEARD ABOUT THEM BEFORE THIS NIGHTMARE STARTED. I'D NEVER HEARD THIS NAME BEFORE. I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THEM. AT 1.08, THEY'RE SEEN HEADING BACK TO THE STATION FROM THE CITY CENTRE. AN HOUR AND 10 MINUTES IS NOT LONG TO SEE THE SIGHTS YOU'VE COME FROM MOSCOW FOR. IT'S ALLEGED THEY DISCARDED THIS PERFUME BOTTLE, WHICH HAD BEEN CARRYING THE NOVICHOK. IT WAS FOUND, MONTHS LATER, AND POISONED CHARLIE ROWLEY AND KILLED DAWN STURGESS. THE RUSSIANS DENY BRINGING IT INTO THE COUNTRY. THE INTERVIEWER NEVER ASKED WHY A TRACE OF NOVICHOK WAS SAID TO BE FOUND IN THE LONDON HOTEL THEY STAYED IN. AND THE INTERVIEW RAISED ANOTHER QUESTION ` WHO ARE THE PAIR? THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SAYS THEY'RE RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS USING FAKE NAMES. IN THE INTERVIEW, THEY SEEMED UNWILLING TO GO INTO DETAILS OF THEIR BACKSTORY, SUCH AS THEIR JOBS ` AS THEY SAID, SPORTS NUTRITIONISTS. AND THEY DECLINED TO PROVIDE IDENTITY DOCUMENTS. THE WAR OF WORDS OVER WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN SALISBURY WILL GO ON. BUT TODAY'S AWKWARD ACCOUNT MAY HAVE DONE THE RUSSIAN CASE MORE HARM THAN GOOD. ENTREPRENEUR DEREK HANDLEY HAS BEEN PAID OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT AFTER BEING DUMPED AS ITS CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER BEFORE HIS APPOINTMENT HAD EVEN BEEN ANNOUNCED. IN A STATEMENT, MR HANDLEY SAYS HE'S RECEIVED THREE MONTHS' SALARY PLUS COSTS IN COMPENSATION. MINISTER CLARE CURRAN RESIGNED FROM CABINET AND THEN ALL HER PORTFOLIOS AFTER IT EMERGED SHE'D MET WITH MR HANDLEY AND FAILED TO DOCUMENT THE MEETING. A CANTERBURY UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR SAYS WE COULD USE MORE DEBATE ABOUT THE PRODUCTS WE SURROUND OURSELVES WITH ON A DAILY BASIS. RESEARCH HAS FOUND ALTERNATIVES TO BPA USED IN PLASTIC COULD CAUSE THE SAME HORMONAL PROBLEMS. IT'S MORE PART OF A WIDER CONVERSATION ON HOW DO WE DO OUR RISK ASSESSMENTS, HOW DO WE DO APPROVALS, HOW DO WE DECIDE WHAT WE WILL AND WON'T HAVE, AND WHAT WE WILL ALLOW TO BECOME A PART OF PEOPLE'S EVERYDAY LIVES. ONE CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCILLOR IS REASSURING DIVIDED RESIDENTS THAT THE MULTI-USE STADIUM WILL BE WORTH IT. THE COUNCIL ANNOUNCED IT WILL CONTRIBUTE $220M FROM ITS REGENERATION FUND TO THE PROJECT, BUT SOME ARGUE THE MONEY COULD BE BETTER SPENT ELSEWHERE. A COUNCILLOR SAYS IT WILL GIVE BUSINESSES, INVESTORS AND DEVELOPERS THE CONFIDENCE TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. THE CERTAINTY AND THE CONFIDENCE THAT IT PROVIDES FOR THE CITY IS CRUCIAL. THE CITY IS AT A FRAGILE STAGE. A LOT OF MONEY HAS BEEN INVESTED IN THE CENTRAL CITY. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THERE. THIS, ACTUALLY, IS THAT FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. AND IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE UNTIL 2021 TO BUILD THESE. FLETCHER BUILDING HAS SHOWN OFF A ROW OF FIVE TERRACE HOMES CONSTRUCTED IN AS MANY DAYS. WHILE THE WORK WAS SPREAD OUT OVER THREE WEEKS, FLETCHERS SAYS THEIR 'QUICK BUILD' DESIGN COULD HELP MEET HOUSING DEMAND UP AND DOWN THE COUNTRY. FLETCHER BUILDING'S NEW FACTORY WILL INITIALLY PRODUCE AROUND 500 PRE-FABRICATED HOUSES A YEAR. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` HAPPIER, MORE PRODUCTIVE... ARE MILLENNIALS BETTER OFF THAN THE PREVIOUS GENERATION? IT'S BEEN 10 YEARS SINCE THE COLLAPSE OF LEHMAN BROTHERS. HOW ARE THE EFFECTS OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS STILL BEING FELT. AND THE NEW-LOOK SILVER FERNS PREPARE FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN. WILL A CHANGE OF COACH AND CAPTAIN MAKE A DIFFERENCE? WE'LL HAVE MORE AFTER THE BREAK. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A DEAL, BUT LOYAL SHOPPERS AT AUSTRALIAN SUPERMARKET WOOLWORTHS ARE BEING RIPPED OFF IN A SOPHISTICATED NEW SCAM. THE SUPERMARKET GIANT WARNED ITS MORE THAN 11 MILLION REWARDS CARDHOLDERS THAT FRAUDSTERS ARE TRYING TO STEAL THEIR LOYALTY POINTS. NINE NEWS CORRESPONDENT EDDIE MYERS EXPLAINS. WHERE THERE'S A REWARD, THERE'S OFTEN A SCAMMER LOOKING FOR AN EASY VICTIM. SCAMMERS CONSTANTLY MORPH. SO, I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE NOW AWARE OF THE PHISHING SCAMS IN RELATION TO THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS, SO IT'S HARDER TO GET THEM. THEY'RE VERY FOND OF MAJOR RETAILERS AT THE MOMENT. THEY OFTEN SEND FAKE ENERGY BILLS AND ASK YOU TO PAY THOSE. IN THIS CASE, WOOLWORTHS REWARDS CARDHOLDERS WERE TRICKED INTO GIVING UP THEIR LOGIN DETAILS AND PASSWORDS SO SCAMMERS COULD STEAL THEIR REWARDS POINTS. ONCE ALERTED, WOOLIES ANALYSED ALL 11 MILLION MEMBER ACCOUNTS, IDENTIFYING ANY THAT HAD BEEN COMPROMISED, SECURING THEM, AND RESTORING LOST POINTS. WOOLWORTHS ITSELF WAS NOT HACKED, BUT SCAMMERS USE A VARIETY OF WAYS TO STEAL DETAILS VIA EMAIL, SMS OR SOCIAL MEDIA. IT COULD BE A FAKE SURVEY WHICH ASKS YOU TO LOG IN OR THE PROMISE OF A FAKE GIFT CARD OR PRIZE. WOOLWORTHS SAYS IT WILL NEVER... WOOLWORTHS HAS NOW TIGHTENED SECURITY FOR REWARDS ACCOUNTS, INCLUDING CONTACTING CUSTOMERS ANY TIME CHANGES ARE MADE AND ALSO REQUIRING STRONGER PASSWORDS. THE ACCC ESTIMATES $340M WAS LOST TO SCAMS LAST YEAR, BUT THE REAL FIGURE MAY WELL BE 10 TIMES THAT. AND IF YOU'VE GOT ANY DOUBTS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER NOT TO USE THE CONTACT DETAILS THE PERSON GIVES YOU, WHETHER IT'S IN THE EMAIL OR ON THE PHONE. IT'S BEEN 10 YEARS SINCE BANKING GIANT LEHMAN BROTHERS COLLAPSED IN THE MIDST OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS. IT WAS THE BIGGEST CASUALTY OF THE CRISIS, THE EFFECTS OF WHICH ARE STILL BEING FELT TODAY. THE BBC'S EMMA SIMPSON SPOKE TO FORMER LEHMAN BROTHERS EMPLOYEES A DECADE ON. IT WAS THE LARGEST BANKRUPTCY IN US HISTORY ` THE MOMENT WHEN THE CREDIT CRUNCH SPIRALLED INTO A FULL-BLOWN FINANCIAL CRISIS. WORKERS CLEARED THEIR DESKS TOO, WATCHED BY THE WORLD'S MEDIA, INCLUDING ME. EMMA, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO GLEAN FOR US? WELL, THE MOOD TONIGHT HERE IS GRIM, HUGH, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT. THOUSANDS OF WORKERS LEAVING THE OFFICE TONIGHT WONDERING IF THEY'RE GONNA HAVE JOBS TO RETURN TO. 10 YEARS ON. SO, WHAT DID HAPPEN TO ALL THOSE WORKERS? SOME WERE JUST NEW RECRUITS STARTING THEIR CAREERS IN THE CITY. LIKE ANIL STOCKER, JOINING LEHMAN BROTHERS STRAIGHT OUT OF UNIVERSITY. I WAS A VERY JUNIOR EMPLOYEE. WE DIDN'T REALLY SEE WHAT WAS COMING. THERE WAS ALSO QUITE A LOT OF PROPAGANDA INSIDE THE BUILDING. ANIL WENT ON TO START HIS OWN FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY, LENDING TO SMALL BUSINESSES. I GUESS THE EXPERIENCE OF LEHMAN DID SCAR ME IN MANY WAYS, AND I WANTED TO SET ABOUT CREATING MY OWN COMPANY. HERE'S ANOTHER ONE ` MOSCOW GRADUATE NIKOLAY STORONSKY. NIKOLAY'S CREATED A NEW, DISRUPTIVE, DIGITAL BANK. HE UNDERSTANDS WHY HIS FAST-GROWING BUSINESS HAS MORE RULES TO FOLLOW TODAY. FEW SAW THE CRASH COMING, BUT THERE IS NOW A NEW GENERATION OF FINANCIAL ENTREPRENEURS DETERMINED TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. IT'S 2018, SO THAT MEANS PEOPLE ENTERING ADULTHOOD THIS YEAR WOULD HAVE BEEN BORN IN THE NEW MILLENNIA, THE YEAR 2000. SO HOW DO THEY COMPARE TO THOSE WHO WERE 18 AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY? WELL, APPARENTLY THEY'RE HEALTHIER, STUDY HARDER AND PLAY MORE SPORT. THE BBC'S ELAINE DUNKLEY HAS MORE. OPTIMISTIC AT 18 ` THE ENDING OF ADOLESCENCE, THE BEGINNING OF ADULTHOOD. I'M DEFINITELY BUYING A HOUSE, MAN. I'M BUYING A HOUSE. YEAH, YEAH. I'LL HAVE THE MONEY. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT. SO, WHAT WILL THE FUTURE BRING WHEN IT COMES TO DREAMS, HOPES AND LIFE PLANS? AS SOON AS I FINISH UNI, I CAN FIND A JOB AT 21. I WANT TO SETTLE DOWN AT 25, 26, AND OBVIOUSLY GET MARRIED AS WELL AROUND THAT AGE AND HAVE CHILDREN AT, LIKE, 27. TODAY'S REPORT BY THE OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS LOOKS AT LIFESTYLE, HEALTH AND ASPIRATIONS. IT SHOWS... THIS COMPARES WITH 60% AT THE START OF THE MILLENNIUM. THEY'RE ALSO LESS LIKELY TO DRINK AND SMOKE. WHAT ARE THE BIG CHALLENGES FACING YOUNG PEOPLE? THE IMPACT THAT BREXIT WILL HAVE ON THEM. THE FACT THAT JOBS ARE CHANGING, THE ECONOMY'S CHANGING, AUTOMATION'S COMING. HOW WILL THEY KNOW WHAT CAREERS THEY'LL HAVE IN THE FUTURE? AND WE KNOW THINGS LIKE HALF OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE LIKELY TO NOT OWN THEIR OWN HOUSE. SO THERE'S THAT DISCONNECT BETWEEN KIND OF THEIR ASPIRATION AND WHAT THEY'RE TOLD THAT THEY'RE GONNA GET OR THEY'RE GONNA INHERIT. BOTH: IN THE YEAR 2000, I WAS 18 YEARS OLD. NOW 36, THIS GENERATION ALSO HAD THEIR CHALLENGES. HI, MY NAME IS ITELEP POWELL. I'M A YOUTH WORKER FROM BIRMINGHAM, AND I HAVE TWO CHILDREN. I'M HAZEL WOODWARD FROM MANCHESTER. I'M A MARKETING COORDINATOR, AND I HAVE TWO CHILDREN. I'M NOT AS FAR AS I WANTED TO BE. YEAR 2008, I HAD BUSINESS IDEAS. OBVIOUSLY, THE FINANCIAL CRASH HAPPENED, AND THEN IT WAS KIND OF LIKE... (GROANS) IN 2008, WE BOUGHT OUR FIRST PROPERTY ON THE FRIDAY, AND ON THE MONDAY, THE HOUSING MARKET CRASHED AND WIPED 30 GRAND OFF THE VALUE OF OUR HOUSE. SO IT HAD A MASSIVE IMPACT ON ME AND MY FAMILY, AND IT TOOK US NEARLY 10 YEARS TO RECOVER FROM THAT. (HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYS) WHILST 18-YEAR-OLDS ARE, OVERALL, LIVING A HEALTHIER LIFE COMPARED TO THOSE IN THE MILLENNIUM, THEY ALSO SHARE CONCERNS ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THEIR FINANCIAL FUTURE. AND THE MEN'S QUAD HAVE EDGED DEFENDING CHAMPIONS LITHUANIA TO MAKE THE 'A' FINAL AT THE WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BULGARIA. THE BOAT INCLUDES DOUBLE OLYMPIC SINGLE SCULLS GOLD MEDALLIST MAHE DRYSDALE, WHO JOINED THE CREW AFTER HE WAS DISPLACED AS THE MEN'S SINGLE SCULLS REPRESENTATIVE BY ROBBIE MANSON. DRYSDALE SAYS HE'S ENJOYING HIS TIME IN THE FOUR-MAN BOAT AND IS GUNNING FOR VICTORY THIS WEEKEND. UM, YEAH, I GUESS IT WAS A GOOD INTRODUCTION FOR ME TO QUAD RACING. IT WAS TIGHT THE WHOLE WAY. OBVIOUSLY, TWO SPOTS FOR THE 'A' FINAL UP FOR GRABS AND THREE CREWS BATTLING IT OUT THE WHOLE WAY DOWN THE TRACK. SO REALLY PLEASED TO FINALLY CRACK THAT AND MAKE AN 'A' FINAL FOR NZ. NEWLY-APPOINTED SILVER FERNS CAPTAIN LAURA LANGMAN HAS GOT STUCK INTO WORK AS THE TEAM PREPARES TO FACE ENGLAND TOMORROW. THE MID-COURTER WAS VOTED IN BY HER TEAMMATES AFTER HER RECENT RETURN TO THE INTERNATIONAL FOLD. DESPITE THE SIDE'S NEW LOOK, THE SKIPPER ADMITS THE CHANGES WON'T FIX THINGS OVERNIGHT. OH, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU IT'LL DEFINITELY TAKE TIME, BUT I THINK THE BEAUTY OF IT IS WE HAVE THE POWER TO WRITE OUR OWN STORY NOW. AND I THINK, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE JUST GOT TO GET ON WITH IT. AND WITH THE TEAM'S NEW DIRECTION, NEW COACH NOELINE TAURUA SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT LANGMAN STILL HAS THE SUPPORT OF FORMER AND NOW VICE CAPTAIN KATRINA GRANT. A MAJOR SCANDAL HAS ROCKED THE RABBITOHS ON THE EVE OF THEIR NRL PLAY-OFFS CLASH WITH THE DRAGONS. SOUTH SYDNEY ARE UNDER FIRE, WITH REPORTS SEVERAL PLAYERS EXPOSED THEMSELVES TO A WOMAN DURING A VIDEO CHAT. THE ALLEGED INCIDENT IS SAID TO HAVE HAPPENED IN AUCKLAND WHILE PLAYERS CELEBRATED THEIR VICTORY OVER THE WARRIORS IN MAY. OBVIOUSLY, LIKE WE'VE SAID BEFORE, IT'S NOT IDEAL THAT THESE ACCUSATIONS HAVE COME OUT. THEY'RE FRONT-PAGE NEWS. IT'S NOT WHAT ANYONE WANTS. IT'S NOT WHAT I WANT. IT'S NOT WHAT OUR GAME NEEDS OR WANTS EITHER. SO I'D RATHER TALK ABOUT TONIGHT'S GAME AND TOMORROW NIGHT'S GAME AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GONNA GET OUT THERE, BUT, LIKE I SAID, I CAN JUST CONTROL WHAT WE DO INSIDE THE CHANGING ROOM AND ON THE FIELD. WAIKATO HAVE LOCKED THE RANFURLY SHIELD AWAY FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS WITH A 42-22 VICTORY OVER HAWKE'S BAY. DESPITE THE BLOATED SCORELINE, WAIKATO HAD TO RALLY AFTER GOING BEHIND EARLY ON THE SCOREBOARD. AGAIN, THE BALL GOES OVER THE TOP. REECE! SEVU REECE! SHUT THE GATES. HE'S JUST TOO GOOD. FIFTH TRY OF THE YEAR. AND HE HAS TURNED SOMETHING OF A MISTAKE INTO FIVE POINTS. THE VICTORY IN HAMILTON ENSURES THE MOOLOOS DON'T SUFFER THE EMBARRASSING RECORD OF THE SHORTEST-EVER SHIELD REIGN. THE MOOLOOS NOW MOVE TOP OF THE MITRE 10 CUP'S SECOND-TIER CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. YOUR WEATHER'S NEXT, BUT FIRST LET'S LOOK AT OUR TOP STORIES. HURRICANE FLORENCE HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED TO A CATEGORY TWO STORM, BUT EXTENSIVE DAMAGE ON THE US EAST COAST IS STILL EXPECTED. DEREK HANDLEY HAS BEEN PAID OUT $107,000 AFTER BEING DUMPED AS THE GOVERNMENT'S CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER BEFORE HIS APPOINTMENT HAD EVEN BEEN ANNOUNCED. HERE'S YOUR WEATHER, ACCOMPANIED BY AN ICONIC KIWI WAIATA. ("POE E" PLAYS) NGA MIHI KIA KOUTOU E MATAKITAKI MAI ANA I TENEI WIKI O TE REO MAORI. KIA PAI TO RA. NOHO ORA MAI. HEI KONEI RA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMPANY THIS WEEK ` A WEEK CELEBRATING THE MAORI LANGUAGE. ENJOY YOUR FRIDAY AND HAVE A SAFE WEEKEND. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY TRACEY DAWSON AND CHELSEA BRADY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018