TONIGHT ` THE PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING MORE EUROPEAN HEAVY HITTERS ON HER TOUR, AS JACINDA ARDERN PUSHES FOR A TRADE DEAL WITH THE E.U. A REVIEW IS UNDERWAY TO FIND OUT HOW AND WHY AUCKLAND'S RAIL NETWORK WAS KNOCKED OUT. THOUSANDS OF COMMUTERS WERE LEFT STRANDED. AND PERFORMERS DESCEND ON OUR CITIES' STREETS. WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE ACROBATICS, THE SKILLS AND THE TALENT OF THOSE TAKING PART IN THE BUSKERS FESTIVAL. CAPTIONS BY ELIZABETH WELSH AND ELLA WHEELER CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2019 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. IT'S BEEN A DAY OF HIGH-PROFILE MEETINGS FOR OUR PRIME MINISTER IN BRUSSELS AS SHE CONTINUES HER EUROPEAN TOUR. IN THE COMING MINUTES, JACINDA ARDERN WILL HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER. AND IN THE PAST HOUR, SHE'S ALSO WOUND UP A MEETING WITH THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT, DONALD TUSK. IT'S PART OF JACINDA ARDERN'S SIX-DAY TOUR OF EUROPE. WE MAY BE GEOGRAPHICALLY DISTANT, BUT WE ARE TRUE PARTNERS AS WELL IN BUILDING AND SUSTAINING INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY AND PROMOTING AND DEFENDING AN OPEN AND INCLUSIVE RULES BASED INTERNATIONAL ORDER. LET US KEEP CLOSE TOGETHER, NOT FAR APART. IN THE CURRENT UNCERTAIN GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT, THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND NEW ZEALAND IS PRICELESS. AND IN ABOUT FOUR HOURS' TIME, THE PRIME MINISTER WILL ALSO BE MEETING WITH THE HEADS OF NATO. TOP OF THE AGENDA FOR THE PRIME MINISTER DURING HER TOUR IS FORGING A TRADE DEAL WITH THE EU. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT JOY REID SENT THIS REPORT FROM BRUSSELS. ARRIVING IN HER THIRD COUNTRY IN FOUR DAYS. A WARM WELCOME, PRIME MINISTER. THIS LAST STOP IN BRUSSELS IS HER MOST IMPORTANT. SHE'S CHAMPIONING A FREE-TRADE DEAL. I'M HERE TO FURTHER PROGRESS THOSE NEGOTIATIONS AND LIFT THE PROFILE OF THAT AGREEMENT AND WHAT IT CAN OFFER BOTH SIDES. TWO-WAY TRADE WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION IS CURRENTLY WORTH AROUND $20B, AND EVEN AFTER BRITAIN EXITS THE EU, IT WILL STILL BE WORTH ABOUT $16B. IT'S OUR LARGEST SOURCE OF IMPORTS AND OUR THIRD LARGEST EXPORT MARKET, MAKING A FREE-TRADE DEAL HERE HIGHLY VALUABLE. FOR MANY YEARS, WE'VE BEEN PAYING THE FULL TARIFF INTO THE EU, WHERE MANY OF OUR COMPETITORS ARE NOT. SO IT'S A VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT IF WE CAN CONCLUDE THIS NEGOTIATION. BUT IN THE PAST, STRIKING A FREE-TRADE DEAL WITH THE EU HAS PROVED DIFFICULT. EUROPEAN FARMERS ARE WARY OF THE COMPETITION. OF COURSE, WE ANTICIPATE, OFTEN WITH THESE NEGOTIATIONS, SENSITIVITIES AROUND ISSUES LIKE AGRICULTURE, BUT I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH THOSE. FORMAL TALKS STARTED SIX MONTHS AGO, EXCITING MANY OF OUR EXPORTERS. HALF OUR ONIONS ARE SENT TO THE EU. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A 9.6% TARIFF INTO THE EU. SOME OF OUR COMPETITORS HAVE A FREE-TRADE AGREEMENT AND PAY NO TARIFFS, SO FOR THE 90,000 TONNES THAT GO UP THERE EVERY YEAR OUT OF NEW ZEALAND, THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY BENEFICIAL. WE SEE REALLY SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES IN THAT MARKET. IT'S A VERY WEALTHY MARKET, AND WE'D LIKE TO GROW OUR EXPORTS REALLY QUITE AGGRESSIVELY THERE. THAT'S WHAT JACINDA ARDERN WILL BE TELLING THE EUROPEAN UNION AND COUNCIL'S TWO MOST POWERFUL MEN. HOW SOON DO WE THINK WE CAN HAVE IT DONE? CERTAINLY, WE'VE HEARD AN AMBITION FROM WITHIN THE EU FOR THE END OF 2019. AMBITIOUS, YES, BUT A POSITIVE SIGN. JOY REID, 1 NEWS, BRUSSELS. A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR HAS ESCAPED JAIL TIME FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING AN 82-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IN A REST HOME. THE 55-YEAR-OLD'S NAME SUPPRESSION IS DUE TO LAPSE AT MIDNIGHT. THE MAN WAS AT THE REST HOME LAST MAY AND FOLLOWED THE VICTIM INTO HER BEDROOM, WHERE HE WAS DISTURBED BY STAFF AS HE ASSAULTED HER. THE WOMAN'S DAUGHTER TOLD THE COURT HER MOTHER'S HEALTH HAS DETERIORATED BADLY SINCE THE INCIDENT. THE MAN'S BEEN SENTENCED TO EIGHT MONTHS HOME DETENTION AND 100 HOURS COMMUNITY SERVICE. A REVIEW IS UNDERWAY AFTER COMMUTERS IN NEW ZEALAND'S BIGGEST CITY WERE THROWN INTO CHAOS TODAY AFTER AUCKLAND'S RAIL NETWORK CAME TO A STANDSTILL. THE TRAINS ARE NOW MOSTLY BACK UP AND RUNNING, BUT A SIGNAL FAILURE HAD THE RAIL NETWORK OUT OF ACTION FOR MOST OF THE DAY. KATIE BRADFORD HAS THE STORY. MORNING MAYHEM AS PASSENGERS LEFT STRANDED. I HAD TO WAIT A LONG TIME. I WAS GOING TO SEE A GRANDSON AT THE HOSPITAL TO HELP WITH A PROCEDURE, SO I WAS TOO LATE. NORMALLY THERE'S A RAIL BUS FROM THIS STOP. THERE'S NO INDICATION ON THE BOARD HERE, THIS ONE, WHETHER THERE'S A RAIL BUS COMING. SO WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO. SOME WERE STUCK IN TUNNELS, OTHERS FORKED OUT FOR TAXIS OR UBERS TO GET TO WORK. I THINK THEY EVACUATED THEM AS SOON AS THEY COULD. OBVIOUSLY, THERE WERE QUITE A FEW TRAINS OUT ON THE NETWORK AT THE TIME, SO THEY DID THEM LINE-BY-LINE. A NETWORK-WIDE SIGNAL FAULT BRINGING ALL TRAINS TO A STANDSTILL ` COMMUTER CHAOS AT THE START OF A LONG WEEKEND. I GUESS YOU CAN, SORT OF, TERM IT LIKE A FLIGHT CONTROLLER LOSING ALL THEIR VISIBILITY. THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED. KIWIRAIL ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPERATING OF THE TRAINS AND ARE BLAMING AN UNUSUAL FAILURE. WE'RE REALLY APOLOGETIC FOR THE FAILURE. IT TOOK OUT THE SYSTEM FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE WE COULD GET UP THE BACK-UP SYSTEM. REALLY UNUSUAL FAILURE THIS TIME. IT WAS THAT BOTH THE MAIN SYSTEM AND OUR BACK-UP SYSTEM WENT DOWN AT THE SAME TIME. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE FOR COMMUTERS, THE DELAYS COME JUST DAYS AFTER AUCKLAND TRANSPORT ANNOUNCED FARE INCREASES OF UP TO 7%, WITH AN AVERAGE OF 1.9%. THEY SAY THAT'S TO COVER COSTS, BUT THAT HASN'T STOPPED AN ONLINE PETITION BEING LAUNCHED TO FIGHT IT. WE'VE BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL IN AUCKLAND IN THE PAST FEW YEARS OF GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF CARS AND ON TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT, BECAUSE THE SERVICES ARE BETTER, BECAUSE IT'S MORE AFFORDABLE. BY PUTTING UP FARES, BY HAVING THESE SERVICE DELAYS, PEOPLE ARE GONNA GET BACK INTO THEIR CARS. AUCKLAND MAYOR PHIL GOFF MET WITH AUCKLAND TRANSPORT TODAY TO DISCUSS THE DISRUPTIONS, AFTER EARLIER IN THE WEEK DEFENDING THE FARE INCREASE. A REVIEW IS NOW UNDERWAY AT KIWIRAIL, AMID PROMISES THIS EVENING'S SERVICES WILL RUN ALMOST AS USUAL. KATIE BRADFORD, 1 NEWS. FIREFIGHTERS ARE PREPARING FOR A LONG NIGHT AFTER A BLAZE BROKE OUT AT A FIREWOOD WAREHOUSE IN UPPER HUTT THIS EVENING. THE FACILITY CONTAINS CRATES OF CHOPPED WOOD, WHICH HELPED FUEL THE FLAMES. THE INCIDENT CONTROLLER SAYS A DIESEL TANK RUPTURED, MAKING THE FIRE EVEN HOTTER, WARPING THE STEEL-FRAMED BUILDING AND LEAVING THE ROOF AT RISK OF PARTIAL COLLAPSE. THE FACT THERE'S A HEAVY FUEL LOADING IN THE BUILDING MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO EXTINGUISH AND THE FACT THAT IT'S SPLIT FIREWOOD MEANS THAT ANY WATER PENETRATION IS GOING TO BE A LOT MORE DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE INTO THE CENTRE OF THE BUILDING. HE SAYS HEAVY MACHINERY MIGHT BE NEEDED TO REMOVE THE FIREWOOD TO FULLY PUT OUT THE FLAMES. NO-ONE WAS INJURED IN THE FIRE. THE COASTAL ROAD FROM CAPE KIDNAPPERS TO CLIFTON WILL REMAIN CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC THIS WEEKEND AFTER A MAJOR SLIP INJURED TWO PEOPLE. A LARGE AMOUNT OF EARTH AND ROCK FELL AWAY MID-AFTERNOON ON WEDNESDAY AS A COUPLE IN THEIR 20S WERE HIKING BELOW. GEOLOGISTS WHO HAVE BEEN ASSESSING THE CLIFF HAVE FOUND MORE ROCK FALLS NEARBY. THAT'S PROMPTED THE HAWKE'S BAY DISTRICT COUNCIL TO CUT VEHICLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO THE ROUTE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. FROM BUSHFIRES TO BLACKOUTS ` AUSTRALIA'S HEATWAVE CONTINUES TO KEEP EMERGENCY SERVICES BUSY ACROSS THE TASMAN. PEOPLE IN VICTORIA AND TASMANIA SWELTERED IN TEMPERATURES ABOVE 40 DEGREES. AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT KIMBERLEE DOWNS REPORTS. PLUMES OF SMOKE RISING OMINOUSLY FROM TASMANIAN BUSHLAND ` THE STATE FACING THAT POTENT BUSHFIRE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND WIND. TODAY IS THE WORST DAY THAT WE'VE HAD FOR THE FIRE SEASON TO DATE. WE'RE NOW IN EXTREME, AND LIVES COULD BE AT RISK. OFFICIALS WARNING OF EMBER ATTACKS AND URGING PEOPLE TO EVACUATE EARLY, AS 500 FIREFIGHTERS, INCLUDING KIWIS, BATTLE NUMEROUS OUT-OF-CONTROL FIRES. EVEN PEOPLE WHOSE HOMES ARE WELL PREPARED, THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROTECT THEIR HOME. AUSTRALIA'S HEATWAVE PRESSING ON IN THE MAINLAND TOO. THE SCALE, DURATION AND INTENSITY OF THE HEATWAVE IS QUITE UNPRECEDENTED IN AUSTRALIA. AS TEMPERATURES SOARED IN VICTORIA, BUSHFIRES AND BLACKOUTS HIT ` MORE THAN 100,000 HOMES LEFT WITHOUT POWER. THE MERCURY IN CENTRAL MELBOURNE REACHING MORE THAN 42 DEGREES BEFORE A RAPID COOL CHANGE. IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA YESTERDAY, PORT AUGUSTA REACHED 49.5 DEGREES. IT'S LIKE SITTING IN AN OVEN. (CHUCKLES) YEP, ROASTING. SOME LITERALLY BAKING IN THE SUN AS ADELAIDE CLIMBED TO 46.6 ` THE HOTTEST RECORDED TEMPERATURE IN ANY AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL. LOCALS MAKING SURE TO LOOK OUT FOR THEIR FURRY FRIENDS, AS WELL AS THEIR HUMAN ONES. THESE PEOPLE HAPPY AND HYDRATED WITH FREE BEER. MEN SING: # MORE BEER, MORE BEER! # AND QUEENSLAND HASN'T BEEN LEFT OUT, WITH THIS ROAD SO HOT,... IT HAD THE SAUSAGES SIZZLING. HOW APPROPRIATE ON WHAT'S BEEN DUBBED 'FRY-DAY'. KIMBERLEE DOWNS, 1 NEWS, SYDNEY. DONALD TRUMP'S BACKING OF VENEZUELA'S OPPOSITION LEADER AS THE COUNTRY'S INTERIM PRESIDENT OVER THE ELECTED PRESIDENT HAS SPARKED TENSIONS WITH SUPER POWERS RUSSIA AND CHINA. THEY'VE STRONGLY CONDEMNED THE U.S. MOVE AS MEDDLING AND CONTRARY TO INTERNATIONAL LAW. THE BBC'S JON SOPEL REPORTS. LAST NIGHT IN CARACAS, UN-MUCH-LIKE A LOT OF RECENT NIGHTS IN THE VENEZUELAN CAPITAL ` (GUN SHOTS) GUNFIRE, PROTESTS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT, A CYCLE SEEMINGLY WITHOUT END AS THE ECONOMY OF THIS OIL-RICH COUNTRY COLLAPSES. (CHEERING) BUT THERE WAS ONE CRUCIAL DIFFERENCE. IT CAME AFTER MASS RALLIES AS THE LEADER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, JUAN GUAIDO (35) DECLARED HIMSELF THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AS THOUSANDS TOOK TO THE STREETS ` A MOVE THAT BROUGHT IMMEDIATE BACKING FROM THE AMERICANS AND DEMANDS THAT NICOLAS MADURO, WHO'S PRESIDED OVER VENEZUELA'S ECONOMIC COLLAPSE, STEP ASIDE. THIS REGIME HAS DONE UNTOLD DAMAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA ` THE PEOPLE WHO` 10% OF THAT POPULATION HAVE LEFT VENEZUELA. BUT IN VENEZUELA, DEFIANCE FROM THE PRESIDENT. TRANSLATOR: I THINK THERE IS NO DOUBT IN THE WORLD THAT DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF WANTS TO IMPOSE A DE FACTO GOVERNMENT ` UNCONSTITUTIONAL. RUSSIA, A LONG-STANDING ALLY AND SUPPLIER OF WEAPONRY AND ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO THE VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT, HAS WARNED OF THE DIRE CONSEQUENCES IF THE U.S. INTERVENE. TRANSLATOR: IT'S ANOTHER FLAGRANT INTERFERENCE IN THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS OF SOVEREIGN STATE. AS YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO OUST MADURO FROM POWER, INCLUDING ATTEMPTS OF HIS PHYSICAL LIQUIDATION. NEW SANCTIONS WILL BE TARGETED AT VENEZUELA'S OIL INDUSTRY. DONALD TRUMP SAYS NO OPTION IS OFF THE TABLE, INCLUDING A MILITARY ONE. HE'S MADE HIS STATEMENT OF INTENT. THE WORLD NOW WATCHES TO SEE HOW AMERICA'S COMMANDER IN CHIEF FOLLOWS THROUGH. AN ESTIMATED THREE MILLION PEOPLE, A TENTH OF ITS POPULATION, HAVE FLED VENEZUELA TO ESCAPE POVERTY AND FOOD SHORTAGES CAUSED BY THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE. ITALY HAS BEEN ORDERED TO PAY AMANDA KNOX $30,000 IN DAMAGES FOR FAILING TO PROVIDE HER WITH A LAWYER AND TRANSLATOR DURING AN INTERROGATION IN 2007. EUROPE'S HUMAN RIGHTS COURT SAYS THE 31-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN'S RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED WHILE BEING QUESTIONED ABOUT THE MURDER OF HER BRITISH ROOMMATE, MEREDITH KERCHER. MS KNOX WAS ACQUITTED OF THE MURDER IN 2015, BUT WAS CONVICTED FOR SUGGESTING SOMEONE ELSE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIME. THE AMERICAN TEENAGER WHO ESCAPED HER KIDNAPPER AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY SHOT AND KILLED HER PARENTS WILL RECEIVE NEARLY $37,000 IN REWARD MONEY. JAYME CLOSS (13) WAS FOUND IN RURAL WISCONSIN EARLIER THIS MONTH, AFTER 88 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY. DURING THE NATIONWIDE SEARCH, THE COMPANY THAT EMPLOYED HER PARENTS OFFERED THE REWARD TO ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON HER DISAPPEARANCE. IT NOW WANTS TO DONATE IT TO JAYME, SAYING SHE DESERVES THE MONEY FOR HER 'STRENGTH AND BRAVERY'. THE MOTHER OF JAMES BULGER ` THE TODDLER WHO WAS KILLED BY TWO 10-YEAR-OLDS IN LIVERPOOL IN 1993 ` SAYS SHE'S DISGUSTED BY A NEW FILM ABOUT THE MURDER. SHE WANTS ITS DIRECTOR VINCENT LAMBE TO WITHDRAW FROM THE OSCARS AFTER HIS FILM 'DETAINMENT' WAS NOMINATED. BUT THE DIRECTOR'S NOT BUDGING AS THE BBC'S COLIN PATERSON REPORTS. DO YOU KNOW WHY WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU, JON? 'DETAINMENT' IS A 30-MINUTE DRAMA ABOUT THE MURDER OF THE TWO-YEAR-OLD JAMES BULGER IN LIVERPOOL IN 1993. IT USES THE ACTUAL TRANSCRIPTS OF THE POLICE INTERVIEWS WITH THE TWO BOYS WHO KILLED HIM ` 10 YEAR OLD'S ROBERT THOMPSON AND JON VENABLES. THIS WEEK, IT WAS NOMINATED FOR AN OSCAR. THE FILM'S IRISH DIRECTOR BELIEVES IT'S AN IMPORTANT WORK. THE PUBLIC OPINION AT THE MOMENT NOW IS THAT THOSE TWO BOYS WERE SIMPLY EVIL. AND ANYBODY WHO SAYS ANYTHING DIFFERENT OR GIVES AN ALTERNATE REASON AS TO WHY THEY DID IT OR TRIES TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DID IT, THEY GET CRITICISED FOR IT. I THINK WE'VE GOT A RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY AND MAKE SENSE OF WHAT HAPPENED. WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL THE BULGER FAMILY YOU WERE MAKING THE FILM? I MEAN, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DID THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT, AND I WANTED TO MEET WITH THEM TO TRY AND EXPLAIN WHY WE MADE IT. THIS IS AFTERWARDS. SO I DO REGRET NOT TELLING THEM ABOUT IT SOONER. MORE THAN 130,000 PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED A PETITION CALLING FOR THE FILM TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE OSCARS. JAMES BULGER'S MOTHER DENISE SAYS THE NOMINATION HAS LEFT HER FAMILY DISTRAUGHT. SEEING THE IMAGES OF ACTORS PLAYING, ESPECIALLY JAMES, IT'S JUST` IT'S HORRENDOUS. AND I JUST CAN'T GET THAT IMAGE OUT OF MY HEAD AGAIN OF HIM BEING LED AWAY. I WOULDN'T WITHDRAW FROM THE OSCARS. I MEAN, IT'S LIKE SAYING, YOU KNOW, SHOULD WE BURN EVERY COPY OF IT, YOU KNOW? AND WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO TAKE HIM? THE CONTROVERSY IS NOW EVEN STARTING TO MAKE HEADLINES IN HOLLYWOOD, WHERE IN EXACTLY A MONTH'S TIME, IT COULD BE NAMED AN OSCAR WINNER. STILL TO COME ` IT WAS TEAM CRICKET VERSUS TEAM RUGBY. WE'VE GOT THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE CLASH OF THE CODES AT HAGLEY OVAL. PLUS ` THE WORLD'S BEST STREET PERFORMERS SHOW US THEIR SKILLS It's only a little bit over, mate. It's always just a little bit... until you're on the receiving end. One times gold-coloured necklace and pendant. She was alive when I got there. Maybe they'll find a few less K's would've saved her. Imagine having that on your shoulders. (ALARM BEEPS) Everyone thinks they drive well. (HELICOPTER WHIRRS OVERHEAD, INDISTINCT POLICE COMMS) But I've never seen anyone crash well. (WOMAN CRIES) FEMALE OFFICER: Is there anyone we can call for you, Mrs Woolford? (SOBS) MAN: Well, this speed's fine along here. I know these roads. I know these roads pretty well too. And I'm doing everything in my power to stop you from seeing the things I've seen on them. TEAM RUGBY HAS BEATEN TEAM CRICKET AT THEIR OWN GAME IN A STAR-STUDDED CLASH OF THE CODES IN CHRISTCHURCH TONIGHT. HOMETOWN BOY RICHIE MCCAW STOLE THE SHOW EARLY ON. THE FORMER BLACK CAPS SKIPPER-TURNED-COACH STEPHEN FLEMING TAKEN OUT BY A SENSATIONAL TUMBLING CATCH BY HIS COUNTERPART, THE FORMER ALL BLACKS CAPTAIN. AND THEN MCCAW FEATURED AGAIN, THIS TIME BOWLING AS NATHAN ASTLE FELL IN THE DEEP. GOES DOWN THE WICKET AND LAUNCHES IT OVER. HERE'S A CHANCE. AND WHAT A CATCH! (CHEERING) WHAT A CATCH! IS THAT KIERAN READ? IT IS KIERAN READ. AND THEN TWO FORMER HALFBACKS JASON SPICE AND OFISA TONU'U COMBINED TO GET RID OF DASHING WICKET KEEPER LUKE RONCHI. BUT A LATE CHARGE THEN PUSHED THE CRICKETERS TO 168 OFF THEIR 20 OVERS, SETTING TEAM RUGBY A BIG TARGET TO CHASE DOWN. JORDIE BARRETT, ONCE AGAIN HE SMASHES THEM DOWN FOR ANOTHER HUGE SIX. THE CAUSE WAS HELPED WHEN TEAM CRICKET BROUGHT ON THEIR RUGBY RING-IN, AARON SMITH, WHO WAS SMASHED FOR BACK-TO-BACK SIXES BY ALL BLACK TEAMMATE JORDIE BARRETT. BARRETT THEN HIT THE WINNING RUNS FOR TEAM RUGBY WITH FIVE BALLS TO SPARE. AND THERE'S A HUGE DIVE OUT OF THAT WICKET, BUT IT RACES INTO THE BOUNDARY FOR FOUR. AND THAT IS A SENSATIONAL VICTORY FOR TEAM RUGBY. RAFAEL NADAL CAME INTO THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN UNDER AN INJURY CLOUD WITH MANY DOUBTING HIM, BUT RAFA HAS STORMED PAST YOUNG GUN STEFANOS TSITSIPAS IN STRAIGHT SETS TO SURGE INTO SUNDAY'S FINAL, HOPING FOR A SECOND AUSSIE OPEN TITLE 10 YEARS AFTER HIS FIRST. MICHELLE PRENDIVILLE REPORTS. LET'S HEAR IT FOR RAFAEL NADAL. RAFAEL NADAL IN ALL HIS GLORY. RAFA IS IN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL AGAIN. THE SPANIARD ON THE CUSP OF HISTORY ` INTO A FIFTH AUSSIE GRAND SLAM FINAL AND ON TRACK TO BE THE FIRST MAN TO WIN ALL FOUR GRAND SLAMS TWICE IN THE OPEN ERA. IT FEELS GOOD. IT FEELS GOOD, REALLY GOOD TO BE HONEST. AND IT COULDN'T GET ANY MORE COMPREHENSIVE THAN THIS. WOW. THE 32-YEAR-OLD HAD ALREADY SHATTERED THE DREAMS OF TWO OTHER RISING STARS. GREECE'S STEFANOS TSITSIPAS WOULD BE YET ANOTHER. THIS IS HIS BEST AT THE MOMENT. THE 17 TIME GRAND SLAM WINNER MAKING LIGHT WORK, CRUISING PAST TSITSIPAS IN THE FIRST SET AFTER JUST 31 MINUTES. AND IN NADAL FASHION, OF COURSE, HE'D PULL OFF THE SHOT OF THE TOURNAMENT. OH! COME ON NOW! HAILED AS THE BANANA SHOT, HE'D THEN DO IT AGAIN. OH NO! ON THE HUNT FOR BANANA NUMBER THREE IN THE THIRD SET, THIS ONE TOO WOULD GO PAST THE NET POST, BUT MISSED BY CENTIMETRES NADAL DIDN'T NEED IT, THOUGH. AFTER A SERIES OF HEALTH ISSUES LAST YEAR AND ANKLE SURGERY LESS THAN THREE MONTHS AGO, NADAL IS BACK TO HIS RELENTLESS SELF, NOT DROPPING A SINGLE SET AT THE TOURNAMENT. CAN YOU PLAY ANY BETTER THAN THAT? HOPEFULLY, YES. IT'LL SET UP FOR AN EPIC FINAL, WHETHER IT BE AGAINST WORLD NUMBER ONE NOVAK DJOKOVIC OR FRENCHMAN LUCAS POUILLE. THAT'LL BE DECIDED LATER TONIGHT. MICHELLE PRENDIVILLE, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` WHAT THE WEATHER'S LIKE AT YOUR PLACE THIS WEEKEND? IT'S LOOKING PRETTY GOOD, BUT SOME MIGHT BE IN FOR A BIT OF RAIN AS THEY GO OUT WELCOME BACK. ONE OF THE WORLD'S BEST BEAT-BOXERS IS IN THE COUNTRY PERFORMING AMONG THE STAR TURNS AT CHRISTCHURCH'S NEWLY REBRANDED BUSKERS FESTIVAL. THE EVENT HAS ATTRACTED ACTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE, WITH SOME TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE THE TRICKS OF THEIR TRADE WITH ASPIRING PERFORMERS. (BEATBOXES) TOM THUM MAKES MUSIC. (HIGH-PITCHED VOCALISATION) AND THEN IT'S JUST LITERALLY BACK AND FORTH. (OSCILLATING VOCALISATION) FOR HIM, IT'S CONSTANT. HE EVEN TALKS THAT WAY. I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PA. I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A DRUM MACHINE. IT'S JUST ALL (BEATBOXES). YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN HIM BEFORE. HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MOST-VIEWED TED TALK OF ALL TIME, AND HE DIDN'T DO THAT MUCH TALKING. JUST AFTER SOME GUY HAS LITERALLY EXPLAINED HOW TO SOLVE THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS USING GREEN WASTE, AND I WAS LIKE, 'I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING WITH MY FACE.' IN 15 YEARS OF BEATBOXING, HE'S ONLY FOUND A SMALL HANDFUL OF SOUNDS HE CAN'T MAKE. IN THE SHOW HE DOES, LIKE, INDIAN TABLAS. (BEATBOXES) THEN YOU GOT THIS ONE. THIS IS MY FAVOURITE ONE. (BEATBOXES) SOME PEOPLE SAY, 'CAN YOU DO A WHALE RIDING A BICYCLE INTO A DRUM SHOP?' THAT'S JAMIE MACDOWELL. HE'S THE OTHER HALF OF TOM'S ACT. THE MUSIC IS QUITE GOOD. I MEAN, I HAVE TO SAY THAT, DON'T I? THEY'RE IN CHRISTCHURCH FOR THE WORLD BUSKERS FESTIVAL ` BUT BEFORE THAT, THEY'RE PASSING ON THE CRAFT. THESE YOUNG SINGERS LEARNING FROM THE BEST. THEY'RE DOING CONTEMPORARY COVERS OF MODERN SONGS, WHICH HAVE THESE HUGE (IMITATES BOOMING BASS). AS FOR THE FESTIVAL, THANKS TO THESE GUYS, AND OTHERS, IT'S DOING WELL. IT'S A REALLY HEALTHY SIGN FOR THE FUTURE. THE FESTIVAL RUNS FOR ANOTHER WEEK, AND WITH ACTS LIKE THIS,... (BEATBOXES) ...IT COULD BE WORTH A LOOK. SAM CLARKE, 1 NEWS. AND IN AUCKLAND TALENTED ACROBATS, DANCERS AND STREET PERFORMERS HAVE ALSO DESCENDED ON THE CITY FOR ITS 19TH INTERNATIONAL BUSKERS FESTIVAL. AMONG THE LONG WEEKEND LINE-UP, 'SURPRISE EFFECT' FROM FRANCE. EACH OF THE FOUR MEN TOOK TURNS IN THE SPOTLIGHT IN FRONT OF A LARGE CROWD AT THE SKYTOWER EARLIER TONIGHT. N THE LEAD-UP TO THE BIGGER STUNTS THEY STRETCHED, JOKED AND FLIRTED. THE ATTENTION QUICKLY TURNING BACK TO THEIR SKILLS, WHICH HAVE TAKEN 15 YEARS TO PERFECT. I STARTED WITH HIM, DOING BREAKDANCE WITH HIM IN THE STREETS OF FRANCE. AND AFTER I MET ANOTHER GUY IN AUSTRALIA, AND THEY STARTED WITH US TOO. WE ARE ALL FRIENDS SINCE A LONG TIME. AN ARRAY OF OTHER PERFORMERS WILL TAKE THEIR ACTS TO VARIOUS SPOTS AROUND AUCKLAND'S CBD OVER THE NEXT THREE DAYS. TO TOMORROWS WEATHER NOW, WITH 'THE MAN WHO HAS EVERYTHING' BY CHANCE THE RAPPER. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND. CAPTIONS BY ELIZABETH WELSH AND ELLA WHEELER