IT'S MIDDAY. POLICE IN THE U.S. ARE UNDER PRESSURE AGAIN AFTER AN OFFICER PULLED A GUN AND FIRED, THINKING IT WAS A TASER. SLOT MACHINES' DAYS COULD BE NUMBERED SLOT MACHINES' DAYS COULD BE NUMBERED IF LOCAL BODY COUNCILS AGREE TO TACKLE PROBLEM GAMBLING. AND LOCKDOWN RULES ARE FINALLY EASED IN THE UK, BUT IF YOU WANT A PINT, YOU'LL HAVE TO HEAD OUTDOORS. CAPTIONS BY JADE FERNANDES AND ELLEN SINCLAIR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 KIA ORA GOOD AFTERNOON. PROTESTS HAVE AGAIN ERUPTED ON THE STREETS OF MINNEAPOLIS, THIS TIME OVER THE POLICE SHOOTING OF A BLACK MAN. OFFICIALS CLAIM THE OFFICER MADE AN ACCIDENTAL, BUT FATAL ERROR. IT COMES AS THE TRIAL OVER THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD CONTINUES. AND A WARNING ` THE VIDEO IN THIS REPORT FROM ABC'S STEPHANIE RAMOS IS DISTRESSING. TONIGHT, NEW BODY CAMERA VIDEO SHOWING THE MOMENT A MINNESOTA OFFICER FATALLY SHOT DAUNTE WRIGHT (20). POLICE SAY THE FEMALE OFFICER, A VETERAN ON THE FORCE, ACCIDENTALLY DISCHARGED A GUN, INSTEAD OF A TASER KILLING THE FATHER OF A TWO-YEAR-OLD. IT'S MY BELIEF THAT THE OFFICER HAD THE INTENTION TO DEPLOY THEIR TASER, BUT INSTEAD SHOT MR. WRIGHT WITH A SINGLE BULLET. THIS WAS AN ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE. ACCORDING TO THE BROOKLYN CENTRE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE OFFICERS RAN WRIGHT'S NAME THROUGH THEIR SYSTEM, DISCOVERING THERE WAS A WARRANT OUT FOR HIS ARREST. COURT RECORDS SHOW THAT WARRANT WAS ISSUED AFTER WRIGHT FAILED TO APPEAR IN COURT EARLIER THIS MONTH, FOLLOWING CHARGES OF POSSESSING A FIREARM WITHOUT A PERMIT, AND RUNNING AWAY FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT. POLICE SAY ON SUNDAY, WRIGHT WAS TRYING TO GET BACK INTO THE VEHICLE, AS OFFICERS ATTEMPTED TO APPREHEND HIM. THE OFFICER WARNING, "I'LL TASE YA." THEN SHE PULLS A FIREARM, FIRING A SHOT AT WRIGHT. THE CAR DRIVING FOR SEVERAL BLOCKS, BEFORE CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. WRIGHT WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. TONIGHT, THE OFFICER WHO PULLED THE TRIGGER IS ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE PENDING AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION. OH MY GOD. OVERNIGHT, PROTESTS ERUPTING. TENSIONS ALREADY HIGH IN THE CITY WITH THE TRIAL OF DEREK CHAUVIN JUST 10 MILES AWAY. OUR HEARTS ARE ACHING RIGHT NOW. WE ARE IN PAIN RIGHT NOW. DAUNTE'S MOTHER HEARTBROKEN. I DON'T WANT EVERYBODY OUT HERE CHANTING AND SCREAMING AND YELLING. I JUST WANT HIM HOME. COUNCILS ARE MOVING TO GET POKIE MACHINES OUT OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. A REPORT FROM AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY FOUND THEY'RE DOUBLING DOWN TO REDUCE PROBLEM GAMBLING. BUT IT'S FEARED A CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS, AS POKIES CONTRIBUTE TO COUNCIL REVENUE. ISAAC GUNSON REPORTS. THE SOUND OF INSTANT GRATIFICATION FOR SOME, AND FINANCIAL TURMOIL FOR MANY. IT'S A SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL ISSUE IN THIS COUNTRY, JOHN, AND POKIES STILL REMAIN THE MOST HARMFUL FORM OF GAMBLING A REPORT OUT FROM AUT REVEALING THE MOVES COUNCILS ARE MAKING TO REPAIR THE HARM. BUT SOME OF THE CASH FROM THESE MACHINES ENDS UP BACK IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE FORM OF GAMING GRANTS, LEADING TO FEARS OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. WE'VE 50% OF VENUES IN OUR POOREST COMMUNITIES IN NEW ZEALAND, SO THE MONEY'S COMING FROM THE PEOPLE WHO CAN LEAST AFFORD TO BE LOSING IT. BUT HAMILTON CITY COUNCIL'S HAS TAKEN A STAND AGAINST THAT CONFLICT IN THE INTEREST OF THEIR RESIDENTS. THIS CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN TOLD YOU'RE GOING TO HARM THE COMMUNITY IF YOU CUT THE NUMBER OF POKIE MACHINES, THE GREATER HARM IS THE ADDICTION TO PROBLEM GAMBLING. COUNCILS HAVE LARGELY ADOPTED ONE OF THREE OPTIONS. THE FIRST ` A HARD CAP ON THE NUMBER OF POKIE MACHINES. THE SECOND ` A FLEXIBLE CAP THAT CHANGES WITH THE POPULATION. THE THIRD IS CALLED THE SINKING LID APPROACH, AND IT'S BOTH UNIQUE TO NEW ZEALAND, AND ENDORSED BY COMMUNITY ADVOCATES. ESSENTIALLY THE NUMBER OF POKIES THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, THAT'S THE CAP. AND THE WAY THE SINKING LID FUNCTIONS IS THAT IT DOES NOT PERMIT THE TRANSFER OF POKIE MACHINE LICENSES TO OTHER VENUES. NOW, BUSINESSES CAN'T MOVE WITHOUT FORFEITING THEIR POKIE LICENSE, AND THE NUMBER OF MACHINES IN THE COMMUNITY SLOWLY DROPS. 26 COUNCILS HAVE INTRODUCED SINKING LID, BUT WE WANT TO SEE MORE AND WE'D ARGUE IT DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH. IT'S THE LONG MOVE, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE COUNCILS HAVE MORE POWER. THE LONG GAME, TO SOLVE A PROBLEM LONG ROOTED IN NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY. ISAAC GUNSON, 1 NEWS. POLICE ARE OFFERING A $100,000 REWARD POLICE ARE OFFERING A $100,000 REWARD TO HELP CRACK ONE OF ITS COLDEST CASES. MISSING TODDLER, AMBER-LEE ROSE CRUICKSHANK, HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE OCTOBER 17TH 1992. SHE WAS LAST SEEN ON THE SHORES OF LAKE WAKATIPU JUST SOUTH OF QUEENSTOWN. POLICE SAY THEY'RE OFFERING THE SIX FIGURE REWARD FOR ANY EVIDENCE THAT COULD HELP SOLVE AMBER-LEE'S DISAPPEARANCE. HONG KONG'S LOOKING TO RELAX QUARANTINE RULES FOR NEW ZEALANDERS ENTERING THE CITY. BUT IT'S PINNED ON MORE HONG KONGERS GETTING VACCINATED, WITH LOW PUBLIC UPTAKE. THE CHINESE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION IS SET TO LOOSEN SOME RESTRICTIONS, ONLY FOR RESIDENTS WHO'VE RECEIVED BOTH DOSES. THE LOW-RISK COUNTRIES, THAT IS SINGAPORE, NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA, HAS ALREADY STARTED WITH A 14-DAY QUARANTINE, INSTEAD OF A 21-DAY QUARANTINE FROM THE 9TH OF APRIL. SO IN DUE COURSE, WHEN WE ANNOUNCE THIS FURTHER RELAXATION BASED ON VACCINATION, THEN THESE THREE LOW-RISK COUNTRIES WILL MOVE ON TO SEVEN-DAY, INSTEAD OF 14-DAY. CHIEF EXECUTIVE CARRIE LAM ALSO SAID THERE'D BEEN PROGRESS TOWARDS A TRAVEL BUBBLE WITH SINGAPORE. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IS GROWING MORE AND MORE RAPIDLY, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION DIRECTOR-GENERAL WARNING THE CRISIS IS FAR FROM OVER, WITH 4.4 MILLION CASES IN THE PAST WEEK. ONE OF THE WORST AFFECTED COUNTRIES IS BRAZIL, WITH 4000 DEAD IN A SINGLE DAY. BBC'S MARK LOWEN'S IN SAO PAULO. THE CLOAK OF DARKNESS BRINGS NO RESPITE WHEN BRAZIL'S DEAD KEEP COMING. IN LATIN AMERICA'S LARGEST GRAVEYARD, NIGHT SHIFT BURIALS TO CLEAR THE BACKLOG. THE AGONY OF LOSS DEEPENED BY THE SNATCHED FAREWELL, REACHING FOR DIGNITY DENIED. THIS IS A NATION BUCKLING UNDER COLLECTIVE TRAUMA. THERE'S BARELY TIME TO GRIEVE BEFORE THE NEXT ONE ARRIVES, ANOTHER NUMBER IN MORE THAN 350,000 DEAD. (SPEAKS PORTUGUESE) (SPEAKS PORTUGUESE) 'MY FATHER DIED THIS MORNING,' SAYS WILLIAN, 'HE GOT COVID IN HOSPITAL. I HAVE NO WORDS FOR THE PAIN. 'OTHER COUNTRIES ARE RECOVERING, BUT IN BRAZIL, IT'S GETTING WORSE. 'IF OUR PRESIDENT HAD BOUGHT VACCINES EARLIER, 'MY DAD COULD STILL BE HERE.' WITH HOSPITALS IN MOST REGIONS 90% FULL, THEY'RE PUTTING BEDS WHERE THEY CAN. AN INDOOR ARENA, ONCE ALIVE WITH BRAZIL'S PASSION FOR SPORT, NOW A FIELD HOSPITAL FOR VIRUS VICTIMS. THIS COUNTRY HAS BECOME THE GLOBAL EPICENTRE AND A SUPERSPREADER OF THE VARIANT RAVAGING THE YOUNG TOO. THE MAJORITY OF THOSE IN BRAZIL'S INTENSIVE CARE WARDS ARE NOW UNDER 40. OUTSIDE HOSPITALS, A NIGHTMARE RITUAL AS ANXIOUS RELATIVES WAIT TO BE SUMMONED FOR NEWS OF THEIR LOVED ONES. FOR MANY, IT'S THE WORST. A ROLL CALL OF THE FALLEN TO A VIRUS THIS SHATTERED COUNTRY COULD HAVE CONTROLLED. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS, OUTDOOR PUB AREAS, SHOPS AND HAIRDRESSERS REOPENED IN ENGLAND, AS RULES WERE ALSO EASED IN THE REST OF THE UK. IT MEANT FRIENDS COULD REUNITE OVER A PINT, BUT ONLY WHEN SITTING OUTSIDE. WE'VE BEEN SORT OF LOCKED DOWN FOR THE BEST PART OF A YEAR, JUST SEEING A FEW FRIENDS AND HAVING A DRINK. EVERYTHING'S, YOU KNOW, DISTANCED. IT'S JUST MARVELLOUS! (CHUCKLES) IT'S JUST MARVELLOUS! RESTRICTIONS ARE SET TO EASE FURTHER IN A MONTH SHOULD CASES KEEP DECLINING. 'CHEEKY TILL THE END.' THAT'S HOW PRINCE HARRY'S DESCRIBED HIS GRANDFATHER, PRINCE PHILIP, IN A STATEMENT ISSUED MINUTES AFTER HIS BROTHER PRINCE WILLIAM. HARRY SAID THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH WAS A MAN OF SERVICE, HONOUR, AND A 'LEGEND OF BANTER.' BBC'S NICHOLAS WITCHELL REPORTS. HE WAS THERE FOR THEM AT THEIR MOMENT OF GREATEST ANGUISH, WALKING WITH THE YOUNG WILLIAM AND HARRY BEHIND THE COFFIN OF THEIR MOTHER AFTER HER DEATH IN A ROAD ACCIDENT. AND THE BOND BETWEEN THE GRANDFATHER AND THE GRANDSONS ON WHOM SO MANY HOPES RESTED WAS A DEEP ONE. IN HIS STATEMENT, WILLIAMS SAYS HE FEELS FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD HIS GRANDFATHER'S ENDURING PRESENCE TO GUIDE HIM. HE RECALLED THE SPECIAL MEMORIES HIS OWN CHILDREN WILL HAVE OF THEIR GREAT-GRANDPA COMING TO COLLECT THEM IN HIS CARRIAGE. AND THEN WILLIAM SAYS THIS ` HARRY SPEAKS OF HIS GRANDFATHER'S UNPARALLELED DEVOTION TO THE QUEEN. 'HE'D BEEN A MAN OF HONOUR AND GREAT HUMOUR. 'MASTER OF THE BARBECUE, LEGEND OF BANTER, 'AND CHEEKY RIGHT TILL THE END.' HARRY FINISHED BY SAYING THIS ` IN THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, RECALLED EARLY FROM THE EASTER RECESS, POLITICIANS PAID THEIR TRIBUTES LED BY THE PRIME MINISTER. THOUGH I SUSPECT, MR SPEAKER, THAT HE MIGHT BE EMBARRASSED OR EVEN FAINTLY EXASPERATED TO RECEIVE THESE TRIBUTES. HE MADE THIS COUNTRY A BETTER PLACE. HE'D STEPPED ONTO THE NATIONAL STAGE BEFORE MOST OF TODAY'S POLITICAL LEADERS WERE BORN. TODAY, THEY SPOKE OUT IN THEIR APPRECIATION OF HIM. BACK HERE, NURSES SAY THEY'RE BURNT OUT AND CAN'T CARE FOR PATIENTS IN THE SAME WAY THEY USED TO. THEY'RE PLANNING TO REJECT THE FIRST DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD OFFER IN THEIR MULTI-EMPLOYER AGREEMENT, WHICH IN PART WOULD SEE A PAY INCREASE OF ABOUT 1.38%. BUT NURSES SAY THIS ISN'T ENOUGH TO REFLECT THE WORK THEY DO. WE ARE DEVALUED FOR OUR KNOWLEDGE, OUR SKILLS. WE ARE SEVERLY UNDER-RESOURCED, AND ITS MAKING NURSING AND PROVIDING DIRECT PATIENT CARE VERY CHALLENGING. AND ANOTHER NURSE SAYS SHE WOULD NO LONGER RECOMMEND THE PROFESSION. WE HAVE IN THE UNION, 'FREE TO CARE PROUD TO NURSE.' WE'RE NOT FREE TO CARE ANY MORE. WE'RE RUSHING FROM ONE TASK TO ANOTHER BECAUSE WE CAN'T PUT THAT CARE ASPECT IN. YOU DON'T GO HOME FEELING PROUD, BECAUSE YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'VE GIVEN YOUR ALL TO WHAT YOU WANT TO PUT INTO YOUR NURSING. NURSES ORGANISATION MEMBERS WILL NOW MEET TO DECIDE ON THE NEXT STEPS. TROPICAL CYCLONE 'SEROJA' HAS HEADED BACK OUT TO SEA, LEAVING A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION ON THE WESTERN AUSTRALIA COASTLINE. TOURIST OPERATORS ARE REELING, AS CHANNEL 9'S MICHAEL THOMPSON REPORTS. EIGHT HOURS NORTH OF PERTH, KALBARRI WAS THE WELCOME MAT FOR AN UNWELCOME GUEST, AS CYCLONE SEROJA SMASHED AUSTRALIA'S WEST COAST. OUR BUSINESS IS GONE. THE BUSINESS IS DONE, I THINK. THESE PADDLEBOATS FLIPPED AND SCATTERED ACROSS A CAR PARK AS WATER AND WIND TURNED THE COASTAL COMMUNITY UPSIDE DOWN. WE'VE STILL GOT FIVE BOATS OVER THERE, SIX BOATS. SO IF SIX CUSTOMERS COME NEXT WEEK, WE'VE GOT SIX BOATS. I DON'T THINK WE'LL RECOVER FROM, I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO OPEN AGAIN. KEVIN AND LORINA RUN THE BLACK ROCK CAFE, IT'S MISSING TABLES, CHAIRS AND A CHUNK OF ITS ROOF. AND THINGS AREN'T MUCH BETTER AT HOME. WE'RE LIVING IN A SAND PILE AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE THE WINDOWS BLEW OUT. SEROJA STRUCK AT NIGHT, THE 170 KM/HR WINDS THAT BROUGHT DEATH AND DEVASTATION TO EAST TIMOR, HITTING OUR WEST COAST CAPTURED BY PHONES AND SECURITY CAMERAS. THIS MORNING FROM THE SKY, THE SMALL TOWN APPEARED A PATCHWORK OF PAIN, WHOLE HOMES DESTROYED, WIRING, FOUNDATIONS, LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS EXPOSED AS ROOFS WENT WALKABOUT. WE GOT NO IDEA WHERE THIS CAME FROM. ALL THIS STUFF, IT'S SOMEONE ELSE'S. TONIGHT, FENCES LIE FLAT. TINS SIT LODGED IN TREES AND SIRENS ARE STILL SOUNDING, LONG AFTER SEROJA IS GONE. I SORT OF CAMPED UP HALFWAY THROUGH THE HOUSE, JUST SORT OF HID OUT IN THE KITCHEN TO GET AWAY FROM IT, BECAUSE THE WALLS WERE STARTING TO CRACK. FURTHER NORTH IN CARNARVON, THE TOWN'S ONE MILE JETTY HAS SOME PARTS UNDER WATER AND SOME PARTS UNDER DIRE NEED OF REPAIR. PERTH DRENCHED BUT SPARED ANY MAJOR DAMAGE, AS THOUSANDS BEGIN TO CLEAN UP AND CONTEMPLATE WHAT'S NEXT. MINISTRY OF HEALTH STAFF HAVE BEEN SENT HOME BECAUSE OF A BURST WATERMAIN NEAR ITS OFFICE. WELLINGTON WATER WAS ADVISED JUST BEFORE 9 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING OF A BURST WATERMAIN ON MOLESWORTH STREET. BOTTLED WATER IS CURRENTLY BEING OFFERED TO THOSE IN THE AREA WHO ARE AFFECTED BY THE OUTAGE. A MINISTRY OF HEALTH SPOKESPERSON SAYS STAFF WILL NOW HAVE TO WORK REMOTELY. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, FLAX YOUR MUSCLES. FOXTON NEEDS YOU TO COME TO THE RESCUE. AND FROM HERO TO PRETTY MUCH ZERO, A CAPTAIN BACKS HIMSELF BUT CAN'T DELIVER. IF YOU LIKE PUBLIC SPEAKING, LOCAL HISTORY AND FLAX, THEN THIS MAY JUST BE THE JOB FOR YOU. A SMALL MUSEUM IN FOXTON DEDICATED TO NEW ZEALAND'S FLAX INDUSTRY IS AT RISK OF CLOSING IF THE CURRENT CURATOR CAN'T FIND SOMEONE TO HELP RUN IT. JACOB JOHNSON HAS MORE. WHEN IT COMES TO FLAX, TONY HUNT'S AN EXPERT. FOR 30 YEARS, HE'S BEEN SHOWING VISITORS HOW THIS BECOMES THIS AND EXPLAINING HOW NEW ZEALAND'S ONCE THRIVING INDUSTRY WORKED HERE AT FOXTON'S FLAX STRIPPER MUSEUM. TONY'S HERE SIX DAYS A WEEK, BUT HE'S GETTING OLD AND HAS ALZHEIMER'S, SO HE'S LOOKING FOR A REPLACEMENT. TO HELP OUT WITH IT, FOR A START. AND IF THEY'RE GOOD ENOUGH, TAKE OVER. DEPENDS HOW SOON I DEPART THE COIL. I'M GETTING NO WORSE AT DOING THIS JOB, BUT ONCE YOU GET OVER 80, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS BEFORE EUROPEAN SETTLERS ARRIVED IN THE COUNTRY, MAORI USED FLAX FOR MANY OF THE EVERYDAY NEEDS, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE CLOTHING BASKETS AND FISHING LINES. THEN, FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY, WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE FLAX STRIPPING MACHINE, IT BECAME A MAJOR INDUSTRY NATIONWIDE. BUT TONY CLAIMS FOXTON IS THE FLAX CAPITAL OF NEW ZEALAND. NO ONE ELSE HAS MADE ANYTHING OUT OF FLAX FIBRE OTHER THAN ROPE. AND FOXTON NOT ONLY MADE ROPE, BUT IT'S MADE WALL PACKS, AND FLOOR COVERINGS, AND UNDERFELT. NO ONE ELSE HAS DONE ANYTHING. THAT'S WHY WE'RE THE CAPITAL, NO ONE CAN CHALLENGE US. AND THOUGH THE INDUSTRY CAME TO AN END IN THE '80s AFTER SYNTHETIC FIBRES CAME ALONG, TONY WANTS NEW ZEALAND'S FLAX HISTORY TO BE REMEMBERED. I CAN'T SEE WHY IT'S ANY LESS IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE PRESERVE IN OUR COUNTRY. FOR NOW, TONY PLANS TO STAY ON AT THE MUSEUM,... IF YOU MISBEHAVE, I'LL GIVE YOU THE SIGNAL. (CHUCKLES) ...UNTIL HE CAN FIND SOMEONE TO TAKE UP THE MANTLE. JACOB JOHNSON, 1 NEWS. TO SPORT, AND THERE'S BEEN DRAMA AT THE DEATH IN THE INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE CLASH BETWEEN THE RAJASTHAN ROYALS AND PUNJAB KINGS ELEVEN. A NEAR FLAWLESS INNINGS FROM SKIPPER SANJU SAMSON ALMOST GUIDED THE ROYALS TO VICTORY. VICTOR WATERS HAS THE ACTION. FIVE REQUIRED, TWO REMAINING. YOU WOULD THINK RECORD IPL SIGNING CHRIS MORRIS WAS BOUGHT FOR MOMENTS LIKE THESE. MAYBE NOT HIS SKIPPER. WHAT'S HE DOING HERE? MY GOODNESS, HE'S TURNED THE RUN DOWN, SANJU SAMSON. THE CAPTAIN'S CALL FROM SANJU SAMSON LEAVING NOT JUST HIS TEAMMATES, BUT THE COMMENTATORS PERPLEXED. I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I'VE JUST SEEN, BECAUSE AT LEAST MORRIS CAN HIT A FOUR FOR THE WIN. HE CAN, BUT SO FAR, HE HASN'T. SO AFTER ORDERING THE SOUTH AFRICAN ALL-ROUNDER BACK TO HIS CREASE, AND DOING ALMOST ALL OF THE HEAVY LIFTING, COULD SAMSON COMPLETE THE REMARKABLE RUN CHASE FOR 222 RUNS? SKIPPER ON STRIKE. WHAT'S HE GOT? HE'S GOT ENOUGH. HE'S GOT ENOUGH. HAS HE? NO, HE HASN'T! NO, HE HASN'T! HE'LL BE OUT! SAMSON IN THE END GUILTY OF TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH. THE WICKETKEEPER'S BATSMAN'S KNOCK OF 119, THE FIRST CENTURY OF THE SEASON, LOSING IT'S GLOSS. I DON'T WORDS TO TELL THAT, ACTUALLY. IT WAS A VERY CLOSE GAME, BUT I WOULD HAVE REALLY LOVED TO FINISH IT OFF FOR MY TEAM. I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT, ACTUALLY. I TIMED IT REALLY WELL. I THOUGHT IT WENT FOR A SIX, BUT IT SOMEHOW CAME INSIDE THE ROPE. THE ROYALS' INABILITY TO ROPE ANYONE ELSE IN THEIR FORMIDABLE RUN CHASE COSTING THEM. NOT EVEN BIG-HITTING BEN STOKES, ALTHOUGH HE DID CAUSE SOME MAYHEM IN THE MIDDLE. IT'S TAKEN EVENTUALLY. THREE OF THEM WANTED IT. IT WAS ACTUALLY BEN STOKES WHO CAUSED ALL OF THIS DISRUPTION, THE MAYHEM, THE PANIC OUT IN THE MIDDLE WAS ALL CAUSED BY BEN STOKES, COS HE WAS JUST STANDING THERE. THE THRILLING FINISH A TASTE OF WHAT'S YET TO COME IN AN IPL SEASON WHICH SHOWS NO SIGN OF SLOWING DOWN, DESPITE THE PANDEMIC. VICTOR WATERS, 1 NEWS. THIS YEAR WILL BE THE LAST IN CRUSADERS COLOURS FOR ONE SUPER RUGBY STALWART. TIGHTHEAD PROP MICHAEL ALA-ALATOA WILL LEAVE THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS AT THE COMPLETION OF THE SUPER RUGBY SEASON TO JOIN IRISH CLUB LEINSTER. THE 29-YEAR-OLD DEBUTED FOR THE CRUSADERS IN 2016 AFTER TWO SEASONS WITH THE WARATAHS IN SYDNEY. HE REPRESENTED SAMOA AT TEST LEVEL, PLAYING FOR MANU SAMOA AT THE 2019 WORLD CUP IN JAPAN. WEST BROMWICH ALBION HAS KEPT ITS SLIM PREMIER LEAGUE SURVIVAL HOPES ALIVE WITH ANOTHER BIG WIN. SECOND FROM BOTTOM ON THE TABLE, THE BAGGIES ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO ESCAPE RELEGATION, BUT AREN'T GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT. GOOD ACCELERATION HERE, AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. AND HE'S SCORED AGAIN! CALLUM ROBINSON, TWO GOALS AGAINST CHELSEA LAST WEEKEND. IT'S ALL SMILES FOR THE TEAM NOW. THE 3-0 WIN AGAINST SOUTHAMPTON PUTTING THEM EIGHT POINTS AWAY FROM SAFETY, WITH SEVEN GAMES OF THE SEASON REMAINING. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. AND HOW THIS CAT USED UP ONE OF ITS NINE LIVES. SYDNEY'S OLYMPIC PARK IS USED TO SPORTING CLIFF-HANGERS, BUT A NEAR CATASTROPHE HAS BEEN AVERTED AFTER EMERGENCY SERVICES WERE CALLED OUT. A 5-YEAR-OLD HAD GONE WALKABOUT FROM A TOWERING APARTMENT BLOCK. CHANNEL NINE'S CHARLES CROUCHER EXPLAINS. IT'S A CLICHE TO RESCUE A CAT FROM A TREE, BUT HOW ABOUT A WHOLE LOT HIGHER? IT'S A CAT TRAPPED ON THE ON THE WINDOW LEDGE OF THE 18TH FLOOR OF A 39-STOREY BUILDING. 5-YEAR-OLD ABITO WENT OVER THE BALCONY AND OUT ON A LEDGE, WHERE HE STAYED. I GET A MESSAGE FROM MY NEIGHBOUR GOING 'EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY. 'YOUR CAT JUST JUMPED OFF THE BALCONY.' FIVE HOURS, 12 OFFICERS AND ONE SPECIALIST VEHICLE LATER, A RESCUE WAS READY. SO 39 TO 18,... 22 FLOORS. ...AND THEN PICK THE CAT, THE CAT GOES IN THE BAG, YEP. AND THEN I'LL MEET YOU ON SEVEN. AND THAT'S HOW IT WENT, IVOR KADIES ABSEILING DOWN THE BUILDING IN HOMEBUSH. AND STILL DANGLING, DRAGGING THE CAT OFF THE LEDGE AND INTO SAFETY. CAN CONFIRM CAT IS IN THE BAG. IT WAS PRETTY KEEN TO GET IN THE BAG, I THINK. IT SAW THE BIG BLACK HOLE AND JUST WANTED TO GET IN THERE AND OFF THE LEDGE. SO THAT WAS THAT WAS PROBABLY THE EASY PART. COMPLETING THE MISSION, A BLEND OF REJOICE AND FOR SOME, RELIEF. AND THEY WERE CHUFFED, THEY WERE SO STOKED. HAD BEEN GONE FOR A WHILE, AND I THINK IT WAS THE GUY'S MUM'S CAT. SO HE WAS HAPPY HE WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE HIS CAT BACK. FROM THOSE GREAT HEIGHTS, ABITO IS NOW SAFELY BACK IN ITS OWNERS ARMS. WE'RE JUST NOT SURE WHETHER HE'LL EVER BE LET OUT OF THE HOUSE AGAIN. AT FIRST, I SAW THE THREE FIREFIGHTERS COMING DOWN. I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, 'THAT'S A FAIR TEAM.' UNTIL I SEE THREE MORE TRUCKS COME AND THEN EIGHT MORE FIRE BRIGADES RUNNING OUT OF THEM. AND I'M GOING, 'WOW, ALL THIS FOR ABITO, WHAT A SPECIAL CAT.' TIME NOW TO SEE HOW THE WEATHER'S LOOKING AT YOURS TODAY. (ELTON JOHN'S HONKY CAT') (ELTON JOHN'S HONKY CAT') (ELTON JOHN'S 'HONKY CAT') THANKS FOR JOINING US. OUR NEXT NEWS IS TE KARERE AT 4, AND THE 1 NEWS TEAM WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY JADE FERNANDES AND ELLEN SINCLAIR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021