IT'S MIDDAY. TIME TO KICK THE HABIT ` FOR GOOD. THE GOVERNMENT UNVEILS RADICAL NEW PLANS TO MAKE AOTEAROA SMOKE-FREE, INCLUDING BANS TO KEEP TOBACCO OUT OF THE HANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE. THE UK GOES WITH 'PLAN B' TO COMBAT OMICRON, WHILE THE PRIME MINISTER IS HAUNTED BY A DOWNING STREET PARTY FROM CHRISTMAS PAST. PLUS, WERE THEY EVEN INVITED? CHINA FIRES BACK AS THE LIST OF COUNTRIES TAKING A STAND AGAINST THE BEIJING WINTER OLYMPICS CONTINUES TO GROW. CAPTIONS BY JORDAN WAETFORD AND JESSIE PURU. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 A GAME-CHANGING ACTION PLAN'S BEEN SET OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO LAUNCH NEW ZEALAND INTO A SMOKE-FREE FUTURE. OUR REPORTER LARISSA HOWIE'S ACROSS THE DETAILS. LARISSA, HOW DOES THE GOVERNMENT PLAN TO ACHIEVE ITS SMOKE FREE 2025 GOALS? THIS IS QUITE A BOLD PLAN THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS SET OUT TODAY. TO MEET THOSE GOALS OF HAVING LESS THAN 5% OF NEW ZEALAND'S POPULATION SMOKING BY 2025. THEY ARE GOING TO DO THIS BY SLASHING THE AVAILABILITY OF NICOTINE PRODUCTS AND ALSO REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF NICOTINE IN TOBACCO PRODUCTS. THE ASSOCIATE HEALTH MINISTER MEDIAN HUNTSMAN EARLIER THIS MORNING AND PERHAPS, THE BOLDEST PART OF THE PLAN IS THAT SHE SAID THEY WANT TO CREATE A SMOKE-FREE GENERATION. THEY WILL DO THAT BY MAKING PEOPLE AGED 14 AND UNDER BY THE NEW SMOKING LAWS COME INTO PLAY, THEY WILL MAKE IT ILLEGAL FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO EVER PURCHASE TOBACCO. AS THEY AGE, THEY, AND FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL NEVER LEGALLY BE ABLE TO PURCHASE TOBACCO, BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, THERE IS NO SAFE AGE TO START SMOKING. WORKING IN A HOSPITAL, MY ROLE IS ALMOST LITERALLY BEING THE AMBULANCE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CLIFF. TO GO SMOKE-FREE AS A NATION IS ACTUALLY DELIVERING THE HELP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. SOME OF THE OTHER ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PLAYED OUT IN THIS PLAN HERE TODAY IS MAKING CIGARETTES LESS READILY AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE, THAT MEANS NOT MAKING THEM AVAILABLE IN ALL SHOPS AND REDUCING PLACES WHERE THEY CAN BE SOLD. IT WILL ALSO BE MADE AN OFFENCE TO SELL TOBACCO PRODUCTS WHO ARE BORN AFTER A PARTICULAR DATE. THERE IS ALSO GOING TO BE A TASK FORCE IT UP TO HOLD THE GOVERNMENT TO ACCOUNT AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE MEETING THOSE GOALS BY 2025. ONE LAST THING THEY WILL ALSO BE DOING IS MAKING MORE WRAPAROUND SUPPORT AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY SMOKING TO HELP THEM ON THE JOURNEY TO QUIT. THIS ACTION PLAN HAS BEEN MET WITH SUPPORT SO FAR BY THE GREEN PARTY AND ALSO OTHER PLAYERS IN THE INDUSTRY WHO ALL WANT TO GET BEHIND THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO CHANGE THE NORMS AROUND SMOKING IN NEW ZEALAND AND CURB IT BY 2025. NURSES AND OTHER HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN AUCKLAND ARE CONCERNED THE IMAGE OF A ROBUST HEALTH SYSTEM PAINTED BY HEALTH OFFICIALS IN THE CAPITAL IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH. HEALTH MINISTER ANDREW LITTLE DISPUTES THE CLAIMS AND SAYS PATIENTS ARE GETTING THE CARE THEY NEED, BUT AS ABBEY WAKEFIELD REPORTS, THE NURSES SAY THEY'RE EXHAUSTED. A CLEAR MESSAGE FROM ILL HEALTH WORKERS. THEY ARE BURNT OUT. FRONT LINE NURSES SAY AUCKLAND DHB CANNOT HANDLE A COVID SURGE, AND THEY'RE CONCERNED THE GOVERNMENT'S PAINTING A DIFFERENT PICTURE. OFFICIAL STATEMENTS MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT REASSURING US ABOUT THE SURGE CAPACITY IN AUCKLAND ` THE MEMBERS CONTACTED US REALLY ANNOYED ABOUT THAT, AND THEY ASKED US, 'WHO'S TELLING THE OFFICIALS THIS? 'IT'S NOT AN ACCURATE PICTURE.' AND WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THOSE CONCERNS. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE RESPONSE TO COVID AND THE ABILITY OF OUR HEALTH SYSTEM TO RESPOND, ACTUALLY, WE'VE DEMONSTRATED THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE TO HOSPITAL WITH COVID HAVE GOT THE CARE THEY NEEDED. THE GOVERNMENT'S ALLOCATED FUNDING FOR EXTRA ICU BEDS AND TRAINING FOR NURSES, BUT NURSES SAY THEY'RE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO FILL 1000 VACANCIES FOR HEALTH WORKERS AND AUCKLAND RIGHT NOW. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO SEND OUR NURSES OUT OF THEIR PRESENT OCCUPATION AREAS TO GO AND HAVE THIS KIND OF TRAINING. WE NEED TO HAVE TRAINED PEOPLE ON BOARD RIGHT NOW. TRAINING A FULLY QUALIFIED ICU JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN IN MONTHS. IT'S, YOU KNOW` IT'S A FEW YEARS TO GET FULLY QUALIFIED UP, BUT WE'VE GOT TO START SOMEWHERE. 300 SPOTS AND IN MIQ A MONTH HAVE ALSO BEEN SET ASIDE FOR HEALTH WORKERS. BUT THERE ARE STILL URGENT CALLS FOR MORE TO BE DONE. WE'VE PUT HUGE PRESSURE ON OUR NURSES. COVID WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE HARD FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, BUT THE GOVERNMENT HAS DONE SO MANY THINGS THAT'S MADE IT HARDER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE. NURSING CONDITIONS AND WORKING CONDITIONS AT A CRISIS POINT RIGHT NOW. A PLEA FOR MORE HELP AND URGENT ACTION. ABBEY WAKEFIELD, 1 NEWS. UK PRIME MINISTER HAS INTRODUCED 'PLAN B' COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS FOR ENGLAND AS CONCERN MOUNTS OVER THE SPREAD OF THE NEW OMICRON VARIANT. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT DANIEL FAITAUA FILED THIS FROM LONDON. PLAN B WAS A BUTTON THAT BORIS JOHNSON WAS RELUCTANT TO PRESS. BUT, OF COURSE, IT WAS INEVITABLE, GIVEN THE NUMBER OF OMICRON CASES, WHICH HAVE BEEN RISING ACROSS THE UK ` IN THE PAST 24 HOURS ALONE, 131 CASES. THAT BRINGS THE TOTAL HERE IN THE UK TO MORE THAN 560. SO THESE NEW RESTRICTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED AND ANNOUNCED THIS EVENING HERE AT DOWNING STREET WILL HOPEFULLY SLOW DOWN THE SPREAD. NOW, THE FIRST, OF COURSE, IS THE REINTRODUCTION OF WORKING FROM HOME. PEOPLE WHO CAN WORK FROM HOME ARE ASKED FROM MONDAY TO DO SO. ALSO, THE OTHER RESTRICTION WILL SEE MASKS MANDATORY IN ALL INDOOR SETTINGS, IN PARTICULAR IN CINEMAS AND THEATRES. NOW THAT ARE ALREADY BEING INTRODUCED ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND IN SOME INDOOR SETTINGS, BUT NOW THESE WILL BE COMPULSORY IN CINEMAS, THEATRES, AS I'VE MENTIONED, BUT ALSO IN LARGE EVENTS ` AT LARGE EVENTS LIKE FOOTBALL STADIUMS OR CONCERTS OR INDOOR VENUES. NOW THE OTHER RESTRICTION THAT WILL BE INTRODUCED IS, OF COURSE, ONE THAT'S BEEN CONTROVERSIAL, AND THAT IS THE NHS AND COVID PASS ` A VACCINE PASSPORT TO PROVE THAT YOU HAVE HAD BOTH JABS, BOTH VACCINES, AND THAT WILL ALLOW YOU ENTRANCE INTO SOME BIG EVENTS. THESE ARE SOME OF THE MEASURES THAT HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO TRY AND SLOW THE SPREAD. OMICRON IS GROWING MUCH FASTER THAN THE PREVIOUS DELTA VARIANT, AND IT'S SPREADING RAPIDLY ALL AROUND THE WORLD. 568 CASES HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED THROUGH GENOMIC SEQUENCING ACROSS EVERY REGION OF THE UK, AND THE TRUE NUMBER IS CERTAIN TO BE MUCH HIGHER. AS YOU HEARD, BORIS JOHNSON MENTION, IT IS ON PAR WITH SOUTH AFRICA AT THE MOMENT. OF COURSE, SCIENTISTS FEAR THAT OVER THE NEXT THREE DAYS, THESE CASES WILL DOUBLE IN ITS NUMBERS. THE NEW RESTRICTIONS COME DURING A DIFFICULT DAY FOR THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, FACING CALLS FOR HIS RESIGNATION. A VIDEO'S SURFACED SHOWING HIS STAFF JOKING ABOUT A CHRISTMAS PARTY LAST DECEMBER DURING THE STRICT LOCKDOWN. HIS THEN PRESS SECRETARY, SEEN LAUGHING ON THE VIDEO, HAS ALREADY RESIGNED FROM HER ROLE AS THE GOVERNMENT'S CLIMATE CHANGE SPOKESPERSON. THE BBC'S LAURA KUENSSBERG HAS THE LATEST FROM DOWNING STREET. (THE BLACK EYED PEAS' 'I GOT A FEELING' PLAYS) EVEN WHEN THERE'S OFFICIAL SILENCE, THERE CAN BE A LOT OF NOISE. THERE'S NO REAL HIDING BEHIND BLACKED OUT WINDOWS. SHOULD THE PRIME MINISTER COME CLEAN ABOUT THE PARTY? MINISTERS HUSTLING AWAY FROM DEFENDING NUMBER 10. WHY WOULD ANYONE TRUST THE GOVERNMENT WHEN YOU DON'T FOLLOW YOUR OWN RULES? AFTER SEVEN DAYS, THE FIASCO AR,OUND DOWNING STREET'S FESTIVITIES UNDER HIS ROOF, WAS REALLY DOWN TO ONE MAN TO EXPLAIN. HAVE YOU LIED TO THE PUBLIC, PRIME MINISTER? WOULD IT BE GOOD ENOUGH AFTER HIS STAFF WERE CAUGHT ON CAMERA, JOKING ABOUT A PARTY LAST CHRISTMAS THAT BROKE THE COVID RULES? (POLITITIANS SHOUT) YOU BE THE JUDGE. I UNDERSTAND AND SHARE THE ANGER, UP AND DOWN THE COUNTRY, AT SEEING NUMBER 10 STAFF SEEMING TO MAKE LIGHT OF LOCKDOWN MEASURES. THE PRIME MINISTER MAY THINK THERE HAS TO BE AN INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT HAPPENED, BUT MILLIONS OF US HAVE SEEN WHAT SEEMS TO BE TOE-CURLING CONFIRMATION THAT SOMETHING WENT ON. ED'S JOKING ABOUT HOW THEY'D EXPLAIN AWAY A PARTY THAT BROKE COVID RULES. ALLEGRA STRATTON, WHO DID MOST OF THE TALKING IN THE LEAKED FOOTAGE, QUITTING THIS AFTERNOON. LAST YEAR'S CHRISTMAS LAUGHTER, TURNING TO TEARS. CAN YOU STOP, PLEASE. DENYING THE PARTY WON'T HAVE BEEN HER DECISION. SHE'S PAID WITH HER JOB. THE BRITISH PEOPLE HAVE MADE IMMENSE SACRIFICES IN THE ONGOING BATTLE AGAINST COVID 19. I NOW FEAR THAT MY COMMENTS IN THE LEAKED VIDEO OF THE 20th OF DECEMBER LAST YEAR HAVE BECOME A DISTRACTION IN THAT FIGHT. MY REMARKS SEEMED TO MAKE LIGHT OF THE RULES. RULES THAT PEOPLE WERE DOING EVERYTHING TO OBEY. THAT WAS NEVER MY INTENTION. I WILL REGRET THOSE REMARKS FOR THE REST OF MY DAYS, AND I OFFER MY PROFOUND APOLOGIES TO ALL OF YOU AT HOME. THERE ARE CLAIMS OF OTHER PARTIES IN DOWNING STREET LAST YEAR, EVEN IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S FLAT, WHEN SOCIALISING WAS OFF LIMITS FOR US ALL. THAT'S DENIED. BUT THIS MESS HAS EVEN GIVEN THE SNP THE VIGOUR TO CALL FOR THE PRIME MINISTER TO QUIT. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS A DUTY. THE ONLY RIGHT AND MORAL CHOICE LEFT TO HIM, IT IS FOR HIS RESIGNATION. (POLITITIANS CHEER) WHEN CAN WE EXPECT IT? BORIS JOHNSON MAY BE PUSHING THE BUTTON ON PLAN B TO COPE WITH THE PANDEMIC, BUT THIS CHRISTMAS, THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE TORIES MAY NEED A PLAN B FOR HIS LEADERSHIP TOO. THE UK'S EXPANDING ITS BOOSTER PROGRAMME, WITH ANYONE OVER 40 NOW ABLE TO GET A THIRD SHOT THREE MONTHS AFTER THEIR SECOND DOSE. THAT'S GOOD NEWS, AS BIONTECH AND PFIZER SAY THREE DOSES OF THEIR COVID VACCINE CAN NEUTRALISE THE OMICRON VARIANT, AND JUST TWO JABS MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT. IT'S THE FIRST TIME DATA'S BEEN RELEASED ABOUT THE EFFICACY OF VACCINES AGAINST OMICRON. THE BBC'S FERGUS WALSH REPORTS. THERE ARE MANY REMARKABLE STORIES OF SURVIVAL AGAINST THE ODDS ON COVID WARDS. IT'S SO AMAZING TO SEE YOU. THIS PATIENT WAS ADMITTED TO UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL COVENTRY SIX WEEKS AGO, PREGNANT AND UNVACCINATED. SHE WAS PUT ON A VENTILATOR AND HER BABY, NOW IN SPECIAL CARE, WAS DELIVERED AT 26 WEEKS. I NEARLY DIED, AND I WISH I HAD THAT VACCINE. I WISH I KNEW HOW BAD A PREGNANT WOMAN CAN GET BY NOT BEING VACCINATED AND THE RISKS OF COVID. A SMALL LABORATORY STUDY BY PFIZER BIONTECH HAS SUGGESTED THREE DOSES OF THEIR COVID VACCINE PRODUCED SUFFICIENT ANTIBODIES TO NEUTRALISE THE OMICRON VARIANT, WITH TWO DOSES LIKELY TO STOP SEVERE DISEASE. IT'S NOT REAL WORLD EVIDENCE, BUT IT UNDERLINES THE VITAL NATURE OF BOOSTING IMMUNITY. IT'S A YEAR TO THE DAY SINCE MARGARET KEENAN BECAME THE FIRST PERSON IN THE WORLD TO GET THE PFIZER VACCINE OUTSIDE OF THE TRIAL, REUNITED WITH THE NURSE WHO GAVE HER THE JAB. 92 NEXT WEEK, SHE URGED THOSE STILL UNVACCINATED TO COME FORWARD. PLEASE, PLEASE DO. DO HAVE THE JAB BECAUSE IT'LL SAVE YOUR LIFE AND THE LIFE OF YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. SINCE THEN, MORE THAN 51 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UK HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, BUT THE PANDEMIC IS STILL FAR FROM OVER. SYDNEY'S CHRISTMAS PARTY SEASON HAS KICKED OFF A SPIKE IN COVID CASES, WITH HEALTH AUTHORITIES NOW ASKING PEOPLE TO GET TESTED BEFORE HEADING TO HIGH-RISK EVENTS. 4000 NEW CASES WERE RECORDED IN NEW SOUTH WALES YESTERDAY, PREVIOUS CAPTION INCORRECT THE HIGHEST CASE NUMBERS THE STATE'S IT INCLUDES 34 CASES OF THE NEW OMICRON VARIANT. FIVE PEOPLE ONBOARD A PARTY BOAT IN SYDNEY HAVE TESTED POSITIVE WITH THE VIRUS; TWO WITH THE NEW VARIANT. WE'RE CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD BE A TRANSMISSION EVENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE OMICRON VARIANT. AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN OBSERVING IS INCREASED TRANSMISSION IN LARGER SOCIAL VENUES SUCH AS PUBS, CLUBS, AND PARTY SETTINGS. 'YOU WEREN'T EVEN INVITED.' THAT'S CHINA'S RESPONSE TO AUSTRALIA'S DIPLOMATIC BOYCOTT OF THE 2022 WINTER OLYMPICS IN BEIJING. THIS MORNING, THE UNITED KINGDOM AND CANADA HAVE ALSO JOINED AUSTRALIA, THE U.S. AND LITHUANIA IN NOT SENDING ANY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO THE GAMES OVER CHINA'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD. ATHLETES WILL STILL BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE. CHINA'S MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SAYS THE BOYCOTTS WILL HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE GAMES. TRANSLATOR: CHINA HAS REITERATED MANY TIMES THAT THE WINTER OLYMPICS IS NOT A STAGE FOR POLITICAL POSTURING OR MANIPULATION. AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS WERE NOT ON THE INVITATION LIST, AND NO ONE WILL CARE WHETHER THEY ATTEND THE EVENT OR NOT. KIWIBANK IS BEING TAKEN TO THE HIGH COURT AFTER WRONGLY CHARGING THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS. THE FINANCIAL MARKETS AUTHORITY SAYS KIWIBANK OVERCHARGED 35,000 HOME LOAN CUSTOMERS BETWEEN 2005 AND 2020. THE BANK HAS ADMITTED A 'MANUAL PROCESS' LED TO THE ERROR AND HAS APOLOGISED, REFUNDED THOSE CUSTOMERS AND PAID OUT ANY INTEREST. BUT THE FMA ARE TAKING THE CASE TO THE HIGH COURT, SEEKING FURTHER PENALTIES. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` TIGER WOODS CONFIRMS A TEE TIME FOR HIS RETURN TO GOLF. AND WILL HE PLAY? NOVAK DJOKOVIC IS NAMED TO FEATURE AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN, DESPITE VICTORIA'S RULES AROUND VACCINES. - I like to think that taking the COVID injection will keep you around DAME HINEWEHI MOHI RECEIVED THE INSIGNIA OF A DAME COMPANION THIS MORNING AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE. MOHI SANG THE NEW ZEALAND ANTHEM IN TE REO AT THE 1999 RUGBY WORLD CUP IN TWICKENHAM, CAUSING CONTROVERSY AT THE TIME. DAME HINEWEHI SAYS THE NATION HAS COME A LONG WAY IN EMBRACING OUR TRUE IDENTITY AS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND. THE ARTIST WILLARD WIGAN IS BEST KNOWN FOR CREATING TINY WORKS OF ART, SOME SMALL ENOUGH TO FIT INSIDE THE EYE OF A NEEDLE. HE RECENTLY SPOKE TO SCHOOL CHILDREN ABOUT HIS AUTISM AND HOW IT'S BEEN A BLESSING. THE BBC'S JOANNE WRITTLE HAS MORE. YOU KNOW WHAT THE SAYING IS ` THE THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES. LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT. WILLARD WIGAN HAS BECOME WORLD FAMOUS FOR HIS MINUSCULE WORKS OF ART WHICH CAN SIT IN THE HEAD OF A NEEDLE. EVEN THE QUEEN HAS A TINY CROWN AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE. BUT WHAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IS THAT HE'S AUTISTIC, AND IT'S SOMETHING HE SPOKE TO CHILDREN AT ST GEORGE'S SCHOOL EDGBASTON ABOUT. SCIENTISTS CAN'T EXPLAIN MY WORK. THEY SAY, 'HIS IS IMPOSSIBLE. HOW CAN A HUMAN BEING DO THIS? 'HOW CAN A HUMAN BEING DO THAT?' THE WORLD NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT AUTISM HASN'T BEEN PROPERLY UNCOVERED. THEY'VE ONLY OF COVERED SOME OF IT. I WAS QUITE SURPRISED BECAUSE OF WHAT HE'S COME FROM, AND I HAVE AUTISM TOO, AND I WAS SURPRISED THAT HE STILL KEPT ON GOING. HE MADE ME FEEL LIKE I COULD DO MORE THAN I THINK I COULD BECAUSE HE'S OVERCOME QUITE A LOT, AND SOME AS SOMEONE WHO HAS DYSLEXIA, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO FACE HARD THINGS. SO NOW HE MADE ME FEEL LIKE I CAN ACTUALLY OVERCOME PROBLEMS. WILLARD WAS BROUGHT UP IN WOLVERHAMPTON AND NOW LIVES IN BIRMINGHAM. HIS AUTISM WASN'T DIAGNOSED UNTIL HE WAS 50, BUT HIS LATE MUM, ZETA, RECOGNISED HIS DIFFERENCE AND REMAINS HIS INSPIRATION TO THIS DAY. ONE TIME I CARVED A LITTLE BIRD PERCHED ON THE POINT OF A TOOTHPICK. SAID, 'IT'S TOO BIG.' SO, YOU KNOW, THEN I STARTED TO SAY TO MYSELF, 'WELL, 'IF I DON'T MAKE IT REAL SMALL, MY MUM WON'T APPRECIATE IT.' MY MUM WOULD ALWAYS SAY, 'THE DIAMOND'S IN THE DUSTBIN,' MEANING PEOPLE WOULD THROW THEM INTO A BIN AND NOT REALISE WHAT'S IN THERE UNTIL THEY TAKE THE LID OFF AND REALISE THEY'VE THROWN A DIAMOND IN THERE. AND THAT'S WHAT AUTISTIC PEOPLE ARE. THEY'RE DIAMONDS. TECHNIQUES HE USES ARE FASCINATING. HE ALSO HAS A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY. TO CREATE THIS TYPE OF ARTWORK, I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN MY BREATHING. I HAVE TO WORK IN BETWEEN MY HEARTBEAT. I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE PULSE IN MY FINGER DOESN'T CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON THIS MICROSCOPIC LEVEL, YOU HAVE EXTERNAL FORCES THAT INTERFERE WITH YOUR WORK. I HAVE TO AVOID THAT BY WORKING AT NIGHT TO AVOID ANY TRAFFIC VIBRATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT'S LIKE TRYING TO PUT A PIN THROUGH A BUBBLE WITHOUT BURSTING IT. WILLARD'S WORK, RANGING FROM A DRAGON TO THE BOXER TYSON FURY, CAN BE SEEN AT BIRMINGHAM CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY. THE EXHIBITION HERE OPENED FOUR MONTHS AGO AND IS NOW ON PERMANENT DISPLAY. WILLARD'S DESCRIBED IT AS HIS GIFT TO HIS HOME CITY. TO SPORT ` AND TENNIS WORLD NUMBER ONE NOVAK DJOKOVIC MAY DEFEND HIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLE AFTER ALL. DJOKOVIC HAS BEEN NAMED ON THE OFFICIAL ENTRY LIST, DESPITE VICTORIA STATING ALL PLAYERS, OFFICIALS AND SPECTATORS AT THE MELBOURNE TOURNAMENT MUST BE VACCINATED. DJOKOVIC HAS YET TO PUBLICLY DISCLOSE HIS VACCINATION STATUS. TENNIS AUSTRALIA SAID HIS PRESENCE ON THE LIST WAS NOT A GUARANTEE THE SERBIAN WOULD PLAY AND HIT BACK AT SUGGESTIONS THEY COULD SEEK MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS AS A LOOPHOLE FOR UNVACCINATED PLAYERS. IN THE WOMEN'S DRAW, SEVEN-TIME AUSSIE OPEN WINNER SERENA WILLIAMS WON'T BE PLAYING EITHER, AS SHE RECOVERS FROM A LEG INJURY. TIGER WOODS HAS CONFIRMED HIS RETURN TO GOLF. WOODS TWEETED EARLIER THIS MORNING THAT AFTER A CHALLENGING YEAR, HE'LL COMPETE AT THE PNC CHAMPIONSHIP NEXT WEEK ALONGSIDE HIS SON, CHARLIE (12). THE PNC CHAMPIONSHIP IS A TOURNAMENT FOR MAJOR CHAMPIONS AND A FAMILY MEMBER. IT WILL BE THE FIRST TOURNAMENT FOR THE 15-TIME MAJOR WINNER SINCE A NEAR-FATAL CAR CRASH IN FEBRUARY. SILVER FERNS DEFENDER SULU FITZPATRICK HAS BEEN RECOGNISED WITH NEW ZEALAND NETBALL'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS PRIZE AT THE NETBALL AWARDS OVERNIGHT. THE 29-YEAR-OLD WINNING THE DAME LOIS MUIR SUPREME AWARD FOR HER STAND OUT PERFORMANCE IN BOTH THE DOMESTIC COMPETITION AND ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE. I FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT A REFLECTION OF MYSELF; IT'S A REFLECTION OF EVERYONE OVER THE JOURNEY, THE VILLAGE THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE HIGHS AND VERY, VERY LOWS. SO REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL. CHELSEA HAVE MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY TO TOP THEIR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP, SETTLING FOR A DRAW AGAINST ZENIT SAINT PETERSBURG. TIMO WERNER OPENED THE SCORING IN THE SECOND MINUTE FOR THE BLUES BEFORE THE RUSSIAN CLUB ANSWERED BACK WITH TWO OF THEIR OWN BEFORE THE BREAK. STRIKER ROMELU LUKAKU LEVELLED THE SCORES AFTER HALF-TIME, THEN WITH FIVE MINUTES TO GO, CHELSEA TOOK THE LEAD AGAIN. LOVELY FOOTBALL THERE. AH! GREAT GOAL. BRILLIANT BY CHELSEA. BUT DEEP INTO STOPPAGE TIME, ZENIT FOUND THE EQUALISER. AND INTO THE BACK OF THE NET. AND CHELSEA ARE PEGGED BACK. 3-ALL THE FINAL SCORE, CHELSEA FINISHING SECOND IN THEIR GROUP BEHIND JUVENTUS. MEANWHILE, BARCELONA HAVE FAILED TO MAKE THE ROUND OF 16 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS, AFTER LOSING TO BAYERN MUNICH 3-0. HE IS SO MUCH MORE DYNAMIC. OH, THIS FELLOW, DAVIES. THERE HE GOES AGAIN. JAMAL TUCKS IT IN! THEY GO 3-0 UP. AND MANCHESTER UNITED DREW 1-1 WITH SWISS SIDE YOUNG BOYS. THE RED DEVILS FIELDING A SECOND STRING SQUAD, HAVING ALREADY QUALIFIED FOR THE NEXT ROUND. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. (SOLE MIO'S 'MELE KALIKIMAKA') 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 JORDAN WAETFORD AND JESSIE PURU. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021